Imanni

Chapter 7: I Promise

I was in the same neighborhood the next day because I hadn't completely reached the end of it before I had gotten something yesterday.

My feet dragged along the pavement, the leaves lightly brushing themselves into the drain. I passed by the old man's house again, and there he was on the porch, just staring off until his eyes found mine, and they hardened.

I sighed, and looked away, continuing down the street.

"Hey!" Called a voice, and I turned to see if they were calling for me. A young woman stood, a small smile on her face with her arms crossed. And I knew exactly what that meant, trouble.

But I needed all the money I could get so I strolled up to her warily. A buff guy leaned on a black pick up, eyeing me harshly but I ignore him.

"You looking for some work?" She asks and I nod.

"I am."

"Know anything about trucks?" She asks, her eyes furrowed hopefully and I nod again. Maybe this wasn't trouble. "C'mon then," she walked ahead of me and I followed behind. She had long wavy brown hair, and a nice set of blue eyes, whereas steroids had an odd looking blonde flop on his head, and green reptile looking eyes.

"It just won't start," she pouts at the engine and its parts and I immediately spotted the problem. This was ridiculous.

"The battery isnt connected." I try my best not to sound rude, or such, but these people were really dense, and thats a lot coming from me.

"Oh," she still looked confused. I held in a sigh and connected the battery.

"Try it." Buff man glared at me once more before heading inside the vehicle and it roared to life. She clapped and starting giggling all over the place.

"Oh, you're so smart," she sighs. "How much do I owe you,"

"You decide." I tell her in all earnesty, cause I wasnt really sure where her head was at and connecting a wire to a battery didn't really require much effort.

"Well I only have a fifty with me now but—,"

"Thats cool." I tell her as she hands it to me.

"Thanks again negro!" She shouts genuinely, while punching my arm playfully and I give her a flat look before nodding at the both of them and heading off before I caught whatever disease they had.

× × ×

On the way back home, my eyes landed on some pretty blue flowers that were slightly wilting onto the sidewalk. It was at the front of the old grumpy man's yard, and I wondered why I haven't seen them before.

He wasn't on the porch, so I decided that I'd have a closer look at them. My hands reached out to touch the flowers, but I felt eyes on me. Looking up, the man stood in his window, hands on his hips, with a nasty scowl directed at me. I clear my throat, and place my hands back at my side before walking off.

I reminded myself to bring something with water for those flowers, they were too pretty to die. I stare at the one I had sneaked, and had planned to give to Gelan, it was too beautiful.

I wondered why that man was so glum all the time, just staring off into the distance, or glaring at me, he was perhaps lonely. I'm glad I had my daughter, only the Lord knows where I would be.

* * *

"Daddy, this is so pretty," she smiles, as we walk home and I pick her up.

"Just like you Gee." She smiles again, this time at me.

"I brought food." She tells me, laying her head on my shoulder and I sighs.

"Thanks mama." I watch as she taps my nose, and continues playing with it the entire way.

I opened the door and set her down, she ran towards the bed and plopped onto it, pulling off her little worn out sandals. I bit the inside of my cheek as I realized that Gelan was growing. . and that meant more expenses for clothes. . and shoes and oh. . oh—,

My eyes widen as I stare at Gelan, who was humming to herself as she took out the food. She was. . she had to. . her . . 

The blood.

She had to get the blood.

How was I supposed to—

"Come." She demanded, stretching out the bowl of food as I stood in the doorway and I sigh. I'll have to worry about that another day, I mean she still has a few years to go so by then I'll have something better than this.

I plopped next to her, and she handed me a fork.

"Tell me about your day," I tell her, uncovering the dish to find some rice, baked Mac, and stewed drumsticks.

"It was good. I pushed peter down the stairs." She grinned at nothing and I choked on a grain of rice.

"Gelan?"

"He said he liked me. And you said, if anyone likes me, hurt them." I blink, before looking off into the distance and grinning too.

"Youre so smart." I coo at her and she nods.

"I know." Shoving a spoon of rice in her mouth, she began to tell me all what she learned. "Stand up." I did as she says and she placed her dish on the floor before pulling the sheets over the bed. It was very badly done, half was on and a little was off. Her little self was jumping from corner to corner, trying to pull them over the mattress. She stopped, and pointed at the bed.

"What is this?" I ask her gently.

"Well, I made the bed." She says, looking up at me innocently and a small chuckle leaves my lip.

"I'm so proud of you mama." clapping her hand, she sat back down. "You're the highlight of my day, and the stars to my night sky, and no one could ever take your place. You're what keeps me going little girl, what keeps me sane. Y'know that?"

"Sure." She nods, probably not understanding and I laugh a little, kissing her forehead.

* * *

"Why don't we live with Breane anymore?" Gelan asks as we wait for the person spoken of.

"Well, I needed to get my own place." I explain and her face contorts into confusion, and she looks like she has a lot more to say, but she keeps it to herself. "Listen, Gee, I know things are hard to understand right now, and you're probably confused but it'll get better okay?"

"Okay." Gelan nods.

"One day daddy will buy you everything and anything you want, from those light up shoes to a brand new Doc Mcstuffins back pack,"

"Really?" Her eyes widen.

"I promise mama." I smile. "One day I'll give you the world."