It's simply Niyah Sherwood

1-Leaving the nest

"I can't believe my baby girl is leaving!" My mother bellowed from the door as I packed away my clothes.

She had her hands clasped together, covering her mouth and trying to stifle the loud sobbing noise that was threatening to escape her lips.

This was the third time she walked past my room and broke down in tears, this has always been her reaction to different situations in my life. My first words, there's a video of her laying on the floor hysterically crying, "She said mommy ! She said mommy!" and you don't want to see the video on my first day of kindergarten. Most people thought she was doing too much but that was Evelyn Sherwood for you, an emotional train wreck.

"Baby... this is just as bad as the time she went away to training camp and you cried for three days." Mom enveloped her crying wife in her arms rubbing at her back comfortingly. Monique, she was the completeopposite of Evelyn. I've only seen her cry once and that's when someone scratched up her car a few years back. "You really got to give her space to get her stuff together and get out my house." She smiled at me, indicating she was just teasing. 

My mother's were complete opposites and if you got to know them, you'd really question if they were a right fit for each other. Evelyn was definitely the type to ask to speak to the manager and that's only something I know because she's done it many times before. A white woman walking the isle's of Stop and Shop with a child of color on her hip had always caused looks and sometimes rather rude questions from other shoppers and workers. Monique on the other hand, growing up in a military family, was the type to question why people were staring or even threaten to help them find a nice place to put their heads.

Growing up with two mothers has always been a challenge, seeing people discriminate against my parents for being lesbians as well as being an interracial couple was hard and heart breaking  but something I was prepared for at a young age.

"People are always going to look at you like you're less.. and isn't just because you're black but also because you're a woman... you just got to prove them wrong, you're a strong woman and fuck anyone who thinks otherwise."

That was Monique's pep talk and words of inspiration while Evelyn on the other hand.

"I don't want you to think the world is filled with racists, homophobic people and misogynistic people because it isn't."

It was two different perspectives but i think they were both important ways to see the world. It made it easier for me to handle the mean people, I was told they existed while on the other side, I wouldn't see everyone in that light.

This has raised a lot of questions as well, like how do I address them ? It doesn't matter but Evelyn has always been mom and Monique is ma. Another question is how come I'm Monique's complexion but not a mix so I'd look more like Evelyn as well. My mother's decided on a sperm donor of color, Evelyn didn't mind if her child was of dark complexion like her wife and Monique was the one to carry me for nine months.

My biological father was actually a close family friend, Will. It use to be odd interacting with him since I knew he was my biological father but after he started training me in middle school for track since he was a track star back in the day, we grew closer and oddly enough I call him Uncle Will now.

It was never confirmed but I have a feeling that's why my mother's wanted Will to be the sperm donor. He checked off many of Moniques boxes physically and mentally. He was level headed, smart and the physique of a God, my nona's words not mine and he wasn't too bad on the eyes Grangran always chimed in. Evelyn on the other hand just liked his personality and the fact that he was just a great guy and I agree they made the right choice.