𝐌𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐢, 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚
"I don't understand," Kataleya's mother, Denise started off. "She doesn't act like she's autistic.." She said.
Katelaya sat next to her mother looking at her guidance counselor with her as feet swang over the seat.
"Well, Autism shows differently in each student. But She has it, it's not a horrible case but it's something that is important that you know about her. That way it can explain the way she acts and also helps her in life.." Ms.Gerald, The guidance counselor said.
"Well, Is this treatable? Can she outgrow it? Or does she have to live with this forever?" Denise asked concerned about her daughter and whether or not she would have to spend the rest of her life under her mother.
She had a obsession with Kataleya's future. She wanted her to travel. She wanted her to go to school and most of all, she wanted her daughter to be happy and her own person. She didn't want her daughter to have parts of the life that she lived.
She was a nursing student by day, stripper by night. She had to get it how she got it because she had Katelaya at the age of 14. She didn't have it like that, all she had was dreams that were cut short because she wanted to follow behind her fast tale friends.
"Mama?" Kataleya said looking up at her mother as they walked down the hallway of her school.
"Yes baby?" She asked.
"Am I retarded?" Katelaya asked looking at her mother with wondering eyes. They had stopped walking and now was just standing in the middle of the hallway.
"No baby.." She said shaking her head. She then dropped down and kissed Kataleya's cheek. "You are not retarded. You are not slow. You are notthing like that. You are different. You are special. Your worth great things. Don't let anybody tell you differently.." She said pointing in Kataleya's face.
"Ok Mommy.." She said nodding.
"I love you Kataleya.." Denise said rubbing her daughters face.
"What's that?" Kataleya asked.
"What's what?"
"What's love?" She asked.
"You'll learn what it is when you grow older. Just know, Mommy and Grandma loves you.." Denise said.
"Ok.." Kataleya spoke softly. She looked down the hallway and eyed her friend, Nicole who was hugging and smiling with her father and instantly felt jealousy.
"Why is she all on her dad like that?" She asked.
"That's how daddy and daughter relationships are.." Denise said, Kataleya frowned.
"Why don't I have a dad?" Kataleya asked eyeing her mom. "Are you a hoe?" She asked.
"A hoe? Where you get that from?" Denise asked eyeing her daughter with furrowed eyebrows.
"Aunt Michelle said woman who can't keep a man are hoes. Are you a hoe?" Kataleya asked with her head tilted. She was a spicy little girl with a lot of sass.
"Aunt Michelle is a delusional bitch. Don't listen to shit she says about me because it's all a lie.." Denise expressed, Katelaya scrunched her face up.
"A delusional bitch?" She repeated, Denise nodded.
"Yup." She replied.
"I don't understand.." Katelaya said shaking her head.
"You'll get it one day. Come on so we won't miss our ride with Mr.Kamiri.." She said pulling Kataleya's arm as they walked down the hallway and out of the school.
"I don't like him.." She said shaking her head.
"I don't either, but he takes care of us so we have to deal with it.." Denise said, Kataleya sighed. She didn't understand why her mother was always with someone she didn't like but she never said anything.
She just stayed quiet and got inside the car with her mother. She never said anything because she didn't know what to say. She was young and she always was confused, which she hated.
She didn't like how she couldn't understand simple things like her mother dealing with someone she didn't like or why her friend, Cal always hugged her.
She never was able to pick up on social cues and that made her sad. She wanted to be able to understand but she started to believe that she never was going to. She believed she was going to be confused for the rest of her life.
And that brought her so much pain.
