Stolen (b.t.)

8

Byron

"Mama!" I hollered, running down to the kitchen.

"What happened?" She called, and furrowed her gray eyebrows as soon as I approached her.

"We've been robbed. They cleared my room"

"Bryson came by today, and took everything that he bought back"

"He can't - he can't do that"

My room had been wiped clean, and my walls were now painted white.

"Did he leave you anything?"

"Just three walmart night shirts, and a pair of pre owned big loafers"

"Well, you oughtta be straight for this week then?"

"I got school this week"

"You had it last week too"

"You'll take me shopping?"

"Let me get dressed"

-

I picked up five thousand dollars worth of clothes and shoes today, and I wasn't ashamed.

"You must think money grow on trees"

"It does, and they pack it down into this sweet little card"

"Did you find everything okay?" The lady ringing me up asked.

"Yep"

"Your total is $5,367.05"

I handed her the card, and she swiped it before looking up at me.

"You're kidding me right?"

She picked up my clothes, and threw them into some bins behind her.

"What'chu doin'?" I scowled.

"Your card was declined. Have a nice day"

"Money's on my other card"

"You only had one card, By" Mama said from behind me.

"This is child abuse. Mama, can you pay?"

"I ain't get paid yet"

I groaned. "Where am I gonna sleep?"

"The best I can do right now is get you an air mattress"

She walked out of the store, and I followed behind her.

Across the way, Bryson was talking to some girl.

"Dad!" I hollered, and walked straight towards him.

Somebody snatched me back by my shirt, and I scowled.

This was my only good shirt.

"Don't go and bother him. You see he busy" Kejuan said, watching from a far.

He kept pulling on his shirt sleeve, looking at the floor, and messing with his glasses.

His face turned bright red, and they laughed together.

"I don't care about that"

"Well he don't care about you. His words"

"Well, she ain't my mom"

"Your mom's a rapist, sitting in a jail cell. You don't know your mom"

"You know who I'm talking about"

"Imma be honest, I don't fuck with you like that"

"Me? But we family? How you gone say that to me?"

"You bullying your damn father. Bryson been getting bullied damn near his whole life, and you adding on to it. You going straight to hell"

"No one told him to do what he did. I ain't ask to be here"

"No one told him to get raped?"

"Yeah"

"Cause it's his fault, right?"

"I mean, I guess"

"My aunt the nicest person in the whole world, cause she gotta put up with you"

"I-"

"If you was my child, I would've been left you"

-