~*Superstar*~

~*Chapter 7*~

~ Remi~

"And thank you god for giving me this second opportunity with my oldest baby girl! She'll never know how much I love her and appreciate her for everything she's done for me over the last few months. And how much I truly did miss her!"

You heard right, months have passed by and I am coming up on my last week of being at the group home. Part of me is a little sad to leave the girls but the other part of me is ready to get this last 6 months over with and be free of parole check ins, counseling sessions, and random drug testing. I was apprehensive when my mom invited me to spend thanksgiving with them, it just didn't feel right to be surrounded by people that didn't know me but had heard about my situation. She assured me that it wouldn't be that way and that I'd be able to see some family I hadn't seen in a long time. Of course, my grandparents couldn't make it, because they were still in the islands, but my aunts were here and according to her they were dying to see me again. I don't know what stopped them from seeing me all the years before, hey who am I to question it.

"Thank you, father for this food, Amen!"

We started passing around food and talking, so Oluremi, what are your plans when you get out of the group home? Really Anneli, my mom said looking at her sister! What it's a valid question? Remi don't answer that my mom said giving me a sympathetic look. It's okay I'll answer her question, Auntie Katrina, I am going to move in with my cousin Keisha, when I leave the group home. Why are you not moving in here, your mom has more than enough room for you? Anneli seriously stop, we're not talking about the right now. Well I'll just shut up then, she said rolling her eyes at my mom. That's a great idea my mom said shaking her head. Mom was doing much better with the chemo treatments over the last few months. She did a month of hard core inter-venous treatment to try and cut off the spread of the cancer, after that month they moved her to the chemo pills, which what she tells me is worse than taking the actual drugs. She looks fine now and she's finally able to keep down her food as well. As far as our relationship we're working on maintaining an open line communication. We've both expressed our wrong doings and our willingness to work on the relationship. Now Dani, she's gonna be a little harder to work with her resentment for my mom goes way beyond her just up and leaving us. She's legitimately doesn't want to speak to her, see her, hear her name or nothing I've tried but she won't budge. I'm hoping when I go down for Christmas to try and talk to her about it. Yes, we're working on a 2-day pass to Atlanta for Christmas I don't want to see Lis just yet cause I know 2 days won't be enough time, so for not it's a strictly a trip to see my dad and sister.

The lunch was definitely different after mom shut down Auntie Anneli, it was just us making small talk and the men talking about the football game. Mom I can do that I said taking the plate from her. I got it Remi, I am fine. Okay, well at least let me help you put away the food. I'd like that and then I'll drive you back to the group home. I can take the bus. You will do no such thing young lady, I'll drive you, even if I have to take one of my big mouth sisters with me. It's okay I didn't take any offense to what she said and she just wanted to know about me and my situation. I get that but the dinner table was not the place to ask the questions she did. Did you tell her why I was in prison, I said handing her the Tupperware full of food? No, I didn't it's not their business you served time for a crime you didn't commit. Why not tell them then, I am innocent and we both know that? She let out a deep breath before speaking again, my mistakes lead to that happening to you had I been a real woman I wouldn't have left yall the way I did. Can I ask you something and be real with me? Of course, she said. If you could go back to that day when you left would you have taken us with you? I was a hard decision to leave yall, it was so hard. I wanted to take yall but I knew if I did it would only make things between your father and I worse than what it already was. That's not what I asked you, would you have taken us? She sniffed a little, without a doubt. Thank you for being honest with me. I owe you that at least, she said giving a small smile.