The Pride – page 12
I remember one summer right after dinner, and the day before my parents were supposed to come get me, I ran into the woods and climbed a tree. I resolved in my young mind that they weren’t going to take me home, where I had no one to play with. I was young and dumb enough to believe they’d come, look around for a while and then leave without me. Instead, everyone panicked when they all realized I wasn’t sitting in the living room watching television with all the other children. From my perch, I heard voices yelling my name from every direction around me.
At first, the voices were faint and then they grew louder and louder and I remember my chest began to rise and fall quicker and quicker. When two of my uncles were so close to the tree I was hiding in that it sounded like they were shouting in each of my ears, I put my hand over my mouth to keep from yelling out. Their fear and panic, and the strained and panicked voices of everyone else, caused me to begin to get frantic, even though I was well aware of where I was and that I was fine. My two uncles passed by and some more aunts and uncles and all four of my grandparents walked swiftly passed my tree, going here, there and everywhere trying to find me. No one thought to look up, and that’s how I overheard from two of my aunts why my parents were so protective of me. After everyone stopped searching in the area where I actually was, that bit of information is what made me get out of the tree and go back to my father’s parents’ home.
On top of the shock of what I’d overheard, I had so many people yelling at me and smacking me upside my head and shaking my shoulders, I didn’t know how to react. I just sat in the chair…
…in the middle of the room…
…and let it all wash over me.
I’d just learned the worst thing anyone could have told me, and I couldn’t tell any of them what I’d overheard.
———-
Xavari
“When are they coming to fix the air conditioning? This fan isn’t doing anything but making a lot of noise and blowing hot air around the room.” Regina had to speak loudly to be heard over the fan oscillating in the kitchen.
“The guy said he’d be here first thing in the morning. I can’t wait. I took the little window unit out of my room and put it in Xavier’s room so he doesn’t wither away from the heat. His little body is all broken out with heat rash. When he cries, I want to cry, too.” Xavari was sitting at the kitchen table and her sister was standing behind her styling Xavari’s hair into cornrows.