Sent Away: Part II

Sent Away: Part II
By: Mia L. Hazlett
3/5/08

“Don’t worry we are not sending you away. Look at it like boarding school or overnight camp.” That’s what my parents had the nerve to say to me, like I’m stupid or something. Ah hello, you send your kid away for boarding school and overnight camp. And they basically are sending me away to boarding school. My aunt and uncle’s house is the dorm and I get a stupid roommate. Not only are they going to say that to me, but then they are throwing me a GOING AWAY party. Hello, like duh! I’m thirteen. Don’t lie to me to soothe your insecurity and guilt of being horrible parents, I don’t play that. I just hate them so much.

I sit on my bed with Keisha so we can try and figure out how to get me out of this situation.

“Don’t you know when I asked my mother if you could stay with us, she had already talked to your mother about it? Ain’t that a mess? How did she know I was going to ask her?” Keisha joins my mother bashing session.

“My mother has probably told everyone in the world. She keeps trying to say it’s because they love and care about me. But like hello? If I’m not happy about it, than how can you love me? They are just trying to make excuses for getting me out of here.” I plop on my stomach and start to cry. This just isn’t fair.

“Girl don’t cry. We are gonna figure this out. They can’t break up the Four Blackateers. Uh-uh girl, I ain’t havin’ it.”

There’s a light knock on my door and Keisha and I turn to find my mother in the doorway.

“What’s going on ladies? Tanisha what’s wrong with you. Why are you crying baby?”

I sit up and wipe my tears with the back of my hand. She is the last person in the world I want seeing me cry. She sits down next to me and puts her arm around my shoulder.

“Baby I know this is hard for you to accept. I am sure that you hate me and your father right now, but I’m okay with that. You can hate me all you want when your alive baby. Because I rather have you hate me when you’re alive, than love me when you’re dead. These schools out here aren’t safe, never mind the streets. But I’m not going to lose you the way we just lost your cousin.”

I pop up because I have had enough from her and my cousin stuff, “When will you get it through your head that I’m not like Vaughn?” I’m not sure what just happened, but I know I just caught my mother’s backhand. I don’t know exactly when she stood up, but she is maybe an inch from my face right now.

“Child, I’ve been patient enough with you. I have allowed you to wallow around this house for the past three weeks with your pissy little attitude. But so help me God, if you ever come out your mouth again the way you just did, I will kick you into tomorrow and slap you back to yesterday. Do you understand me? You don’t get it yet Tanisha, because you are not a parent. You kids think you are invincible. And yes that means I’m talking to you too Keisha. I admit your cousin hung around a tough crowd, but the other kid that got shot, was walking to his history class minding his damn business. I’m not gonna try and be at work all day wondering if you are going to come home at night. That’s the end of this conversation. You’re going to live with your aunt and uncle.”

(to be continued)