Imanni

Chapter 4: In the Joys Of Icecream

"So I'm not going to Breane's today?" Gee asks as she plops onto the floor.

"You are, you know you gotta go everyday so you can learn. I'm just picking you up earlier."

"Why?"

"You don't wanna go out?"

"Can we go to the playground?"

"Sure Gee," I place the bowl in front of her, and the fruit loops and her eyes widen.

"What's this?"

"A new cereal," I tell her, wiping the counter and she smiles, pouring it into the milk and nodding.

"I like it. Thank you." She says stuffing her mouth and I smile.

"Not too fast mama, take ya time." There were only four more days till I left, it was Wednesday and I had to be out by Monday morning.

I still had no where to go.

Today I was staying in because Breane's grandmother asked me to tend to her flowers which was something she occasionally asked me to do. She paid me about fifty for my day, so I always took it as an opportunity.

"You done?" I ask her and she nods, handing me the bowl. "You know what to do,"

She hurried into the room, and soon enough the water from the shower is heard.

I lean against the counter, sighing as I rubbed my forehead. What was I going to do?

I was out of options, it's not like I had any.

Tomorrow I would just have to look around for abandoned places.

My heart sunk as I realized how hard it would be living in a place like that. No lights, no water, no electricity, how was I supposed to raise Gee?

"I'm ready." She says, coming up to me and sticking out her foot so I could tie her lace.

"You're getting bigger now huh? Putting on your own shoe and all," she doesn't say anything, just gives me a cute smile as I tie her laces.

"Let's go." I hold the door open for her, as she fixed her bag on her back and walks down the short way.

"What time are you usually done?" I ask Breane as she opens her door.

"Done?"

"Yes, as I'm done teaching."

"Oh, I stop at two or three, depending on how much we cover."

"I'll be here for her at three thirty,"

"Oh, oh well okay," she says ushering Gee inside after we blow our kisses. I move to leave but Breane places her hand on my chest. I look down at it. "I really wish there was some way I could get you to stay but—,"

"No need to explain, I understand." I say, taking a step back and this time leaving successfully.

||.

My father was always a sick, abusive man, and before my mother gave into drugs, she used to take me away from the scene.

We would spend all our afternoons, locked away in a small garden she had.

At first, I was just happy to be away from the monster, but then she slowly drew me into caring for plants. More or less, I adored flowers. To me, they represent what the world could be if there was only love and care, people who nurture and not hurt. There would be nothing but happiness, and then we die, but we die peacefully.

Techniques, and everything else, I learnt from my mother, soon she was the one sitting while she smiled upon me, her flowers grew more lavishly when I started taking care of them.