It was now November, and my mother still hasn't gotten out of the hospital nor did they find out anything pertaining to her health. She kept having strokes and seizures. Including a time when I was visiting her. They don't know it's cause. As a matter of fact, they believe at the rate she's at, there would be nothing they could do for her. She was dying they said. Even gave her a time frame to live. My birthday came and went and I was now fourteen years young. I felt much older than that. Going to school and catching fevers and all types of viruses every week had been the norm since I've been staying with Malorie. That's right, my mom told her's of the truth about the situation we were in, and her step father and mom vouched for me to stay here with them and go to school with her. She's even on my emergency contact list. Staying with Malorie actually helped the rut I was in finally begin to fade. But, all good things must come to an end too.
All hell broke loose once my father found out.
"You mean to tell me you got my daughter livin' wit' some fuckin' strangers?!"
"Stephan, they are not strangers! She-"
"Woman, I don't give a fuck. They are not family, she shouldn't be stayin' wit' a friend. Period!"
"Pops, seriously. You freakin' out–"
"You shut the hell up Raelynn!"
My father had flown out to New York once the news was delayed to him. Mal and her mom, my mother and father were here in her hospital room, while my father insisted on raising my mother's blood pressure with all his low octave yelling. She's fighting for her life and he's trying to end it with all this stress. What type of man? He had no rights to be upset.
He's a deadbeat father.
He came all the way out here to make a big hoopla for nothing. He doesn't and has never cared about nothing but, one thing. Money. He's a sorry ass excuse of a man and father. He's bitter as hell that he has to pay child support and that's all this is really about. I would know since whenever I do see him he's nagging about it. Or talking shit about my mother. Nigga, you nutted in her almost fifteen years ago. I feel like he blames me with how he treats me but, by any means did Raelynn ask to come into existence. Fuck him.
"Listen Charlene, I'm her father."
Here we go with this fake ass bullshit again.
"I'm capable of takin' care of my own child."
You lion so hard I thought you were a zebra.
"You forget we got joint custody?"
You'd actually insult yourself by saying that?
"Stephan, I know. But, goin' down to Florida is a drastic move. And she's been sick. She doesn't have anyone down there–"
"Her cousins'll be glad to see her Char, stop it."
"That goes to the school she would be going into!"
"It's not like I'm askin' for a drastic change. I have a place out here with my sister. We can stay there. And she can continue goin' to her school."
"What about her cousins?"
"Now you care."
"Seriously Stephan."
"They'll stay there with their grandma and we'll stay up here until you get out the hospital. I got this Charlene." He placed his hand on her shoulder.
At this point I was beyond furious. I did not want to live with my father. He wasn't only a deadbeat. He was incapable of taking care of me because, that actually requires you to care first. And that's something he just didn't do. Care.
"Rae's dad, um can she at least stay the rest of the week? There's a classic she was invited to this weekend. And I really wanted her to come with me." Mal spoke up.
"Uh, sure. And I'll pick her up from your house next week. Charlene you rest, and don't let Raelynn stress you out."
Nigga, please. You stress her out.
"I won't, thanks."
My father patted her shoulder gently and left the room. I couldn't wait for his stupid ass to leave. I didn't want shit to do with him in the first place.
"Well, it looks like you'll be stayin' with your father until I get out of here baby." My mother smiled weakly.
"But, ma you know I can't stand him! I was doin' fine with Malorie, why I gotta move in wit' him? He's lyin' I know I'ma have to switch schools and allat, he's lying momma!" I stressed.
"Raelynn, what's done is done. You're moving in with him until I get out of here, if I do."
"Don't speak like that, don't speak like that!" I yelled storming out of her hospital room.
I just remember taking the elevator down to the first floor. My hoodie kept me warmth to the November air. And I sat on the curb in fetal position thinking about how my life just continued its downward spiral. Everything seemed to just be getting worse. I haven't even been in school that long before I got sick and now my mom is dying, I've gotta move in with my deadbeat father, and on top of it Austin's birthday was coming up. How was I going to get through this? I'd already been through enough. And I'm not just talking recently. Soon I felt a presence near me, Malorie came and joined me on the curb.
"At least you get to stay another week. He could've said no." She wrapped her arms around my torso laying her hair on my back.
"Fuck him, Mal." I spat.
"I know you're mad, but you'a be fine. I'll come visit you and we can still have weekends and I'll still see you in school, okay?"
"Nah, he gon' make me move Mal I swear he is. He's lying."
"Well, you know I'm always a call away. You can hop on the train or the bus and come on over anytime." She soothed me.
A week later..
"Thanks for letting me stay ma and dad. So much." I embraced Mal's parents in a warm embrace.
"You're always welcome here Raelynnpooh! You're my daughter!" Ma said. I fucking hate that nickname.
"We love you darling. Call us if anything." Dad, also Malorie's step-father told me.
"I will." I nodded.
I hauled my shit to the cab, since my father was too cheap to come get me. He even made me use my own money to pay for it. I don't have money, so I had to borrow some from my mother which I didn't even wanna do in the first fucking place. Once the cab drove me to the place my aunt and father were staying, my pops immediately had as leave and drive back to my house. Saying he'd gotten permission to get all my necessities that I needed, and food for the house. My father wiped out my mother's entire pantry and and fridge of food. He took my dressers and the bunk beds in the guest room in his SUV. My father robbed my mother, and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. Not a thing.
I remember that shit, I was so upset with my father for this. He made me use my spare key and it just-I was upset. I knew my mom didn't approve of this shit.
