Chapter 6: Fire !

Onika’s father is still acting weird. He won’t really speak to anyone and sometimes when Onika, her mother or brother came home, they would see that something was missing. Her mother thought it was a robber until she realized the person took furniture too. It had her thinking that her husband was doing it. Things were slowly clicking into place.

Onika’s P.O.V.

It’s night time. I think around 10 p.m. I’m supposed to be sleeping but I keep tossing and turning. One of my favorite gold hoops were missing. I miss them. I haven’t told my mother because I know it would hurt her. I got those from my grandmother. I sighed and turned again. I wish they would just pop up or something.

I’ve made friends with a few kids that lived about 5 blocks from the house. They’re my age and just like me. Shy but loud. And also not afraid to speak their mind. They always ask about my parents and I lie to them, time and time again. Same story at school. I have a feeling that she knows what’s going on, but wouldn’t ask me anything. I rather it like this as well. I don’t want to talk about this to anyone.  As you can see, there’s just too much happening right now for me to really sleep well at night.

My thoughts are disrupted by a someone calling my name.

“Onika, it’s me.” Nicki says to me with a smile.

“Hi Nicki, I can’t sleep again.”

“Ah, I know the feeling babygirl.” She then says to me with an understanding pout.

“Yeah… will you sing to me again please?”

“Shure thing. Anything for you princess.” She said then giggled. Her voice was so soothing for me. I fell asleep almost immediately. But not before hearing the front door slam… once again.

~End P.O.V.~

Carol Maraj was downstairs on the living room couch, reading the bible. She jumped abit when she heard the door slam shut once again. She was waiting on her husband to reach home. She sat up and waited for him to come out of the kitchen with his plate of food and his beer.

“Robert, we need to talk.” She said while he put his beer down on the coffee table.

“Carol, I jus reach home, leave me be.” Robert answered her harshly before reaching for the TV control on the coffee table.

“Robert, dey ain’t much times that meh call yuh name eh, so ama tell yuh again. Robert we need to… now!” she said with her Trinidadian accent thick as ever.

He looked at her funny before sighing and taking up his plate of food and placing it on his lap.

“Speak woman.”

Carol sighed before answered. She was calming herself this way.

“Robert, what I’m about to ask you, I want you to tell me the truth…” she said and paused. “Are you stealing from us and why are you doing it.”

He looked at her as if he were guilty for a few seconds before his expression turned into rage.

“Yes and so what?!?” he said harshly. He was acting funny and his eyes were red.

“Robert, we both work so why do you do that?!? You have us worried sick that someone’s coming into our house every day, stealing things that are very important to us.” Carol said with tears brimming her eyes. “I can’t believe you would do such a thing. Why?”

Robert took a sip of his beer before answering.

“Because Carol, I have no job and I owed a few buddies so I took from you all to pay them. Simple.” He said coldly. It took every fiber of Carol’s being not to reach over and smack him. Her hands were literally shaking. She had a feeling that he didn’t have a job but how long has it been and what does he do over day then?

“Robert how long has it been?” she asked. Her voice was very soft which scared Robert abit. He didn’t want her to do anything other than yell at him. He brushed off his shoulders before answering his wife that was now standing infront of him.

“Ever since the kids came.” He said and looked Carol in the eyes. She looked at him with disbelief. She had her hand to her mouth and tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.

“Okay, well I’m going to bed.” She said before turning to grab her bible and walk out of the living room. She went up to the room their shared. She went and showered before putting on her night gown and tying her hair up. She went in bed and put on her night light before reaching for her bible and reading a scripture about not giving up. There was one that really stood out to her. It says:

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

She smiled before putting her bible away and clasping her hands together in prayer. She said a silent prayer about her family before doing her nightly prayer. She turned off the night light and turned on her side. As she was falling asleep, she heard the bedroom door open and close. A few seconds later she felt the bed shift and a pair of hands wrap around her waist. The arms were to tiny to be Robert’s own so she turned over to see her son looking at her straight in the eyes.

“I love you mommy. No matter what happens.” He whispered while still hugging on to her body.

Carol smiled at him and played with his hair abit. “I love you too mama’s boy.”

They fell asleep soon after.

Meanwhile Robert was downstairs still. In all that little time that just passed, he has drunk 3 beers and still something was missing. He reached into his back pocket and revealed a small clear baggy which contained crack. He smiled. As he was about to start the whole process, he remembered where he was. He stood up and got his coat. After he placed it over his shoulders, he walked out the door. This time he closed it softly.

Over a period of a few days, things went normal. Robert never came home and they noticed that nothing was missing anymore. Jelani’s attitude was getting better but Onika was still abit off in her own world.

Carol couldn’t really blame her daughter. Her surroundings was molding her abit to be this way. Shure, her daughter would still be her sassy little self and acted like different things a lot, but there was still something missing in her daughter. That was another thing; her daughter had a thing for acting. She looked to believable and realistic that Carol couldn’t help but wonder.  Should she send Onika to a creative arts school?

Carol’s P.O.V.

I woke up this Friday morning feeling abit uneasy. Like I felt that something was coming. I didn’t know what exactly but I hope it isn’t something bad. I got the kids ready for school and sent them on their way. Hopefully I didn’t have to go to Onika’s middle school to hear that she fought again.

I shook my head at the thought. There was a time that she literally ripped open a girl’s top while clawing her hands over her skin. It left terrible marks and I confronted Onika about it. After I scolded her, she kept looking at me as if she were waiting for me to do something before turning away and going to her room.

-That Evening-

While I sat with my kids at the dinner table, Onika abruptly stopped eating and looked at her brother. He stopped eating too and looked at her. I cleared my throat to catch their attention. They both immediately turned back to their plates before finally confronting me.

“Mom, is it alright that me and Onika sleep over by a friend that lives a few blocks away?” Jelani asks me.

“Shure, you can go but Onika is staying.” I said while looking at her.

She pouted. Her lower lip was slowly trembling while her eyes opened abit wide. I hated when she did this. It could easily make me give in.

“But, why?” she asks me.

“Because, you fighting in school will not be tolerated.”

Onika sighed loudly before stomping off to her room. She slammed the door. Jelani was just staring at me.

“But ma, it does not gonna be any fun without her.”

“I know, but she needs to learn that violence isn’t the answer."

Onika came back downstairs with a paper in her hand. She handed it to me and folded her arms while waiting for my reaction.

I sighed and read it over. It was reasons why she should go.

“I see… No. Now go to bed.”

She looked at me abit sad before running off. Tears were brimming her eyes.

END P.O.V.

That night Carol had a dream. It was different from all other dreams that she has had. There was a fire in the house. She couldn’t reach her children in time and them all dead. Robert was laughing at them.

“That’s for doing this all to me… I hope you all burn in hell.” He yelled at her.

Carol woke up that night dripping of her sweat. She ran to the kitchen to get a drink of water before returning to her bedroom and calling up her children’s friend’s mother. She asked her to take the kids for the weekend. She knows she told Onika no but she felt that she had to do it.

It’s Saturday night now. Onika and Jelani are by their friend. Onika was happy that her mom let her go but still found it odd that she didn’t stick to her word in the beginning.

Onika and Jelani were sleeping in the guest room when at 3 am, their friend’s mother woke them up.

“Hey, you guys need to get up. There’s something going on at your house.” She said.

They woke up quickly and put on a robe over their night clothes. Also they placed their slippers on their feet. Sinds it was a few blocks down they walked it. As they were getting closer they could see smoke. As they saw this, they began to run.

Onika’s P.O.V.

I ran as fast as my little legs could take me. I was scared. Was mommy okay? What happened?

As my house came into view I could see the fire truck and an ambulance.  I saw my mother on the stretcher. I ran towards her.

“Mommy, Mommy!!” I yelled with tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't bare to see her looking so helpless. She had a mask over her mouth that was helping her breathe. I was upset. Why did this happen to her.

Jelani just started beating a nearby tree, cursing obsinities while one of the paramedics tried to calm him down. He was crying as well. I walked up to him and just held him. He immediately stopped beating the tree and turned to me. We cried together. Never in our lives did we expect something like this to happen.

I could just imagine that all my dolls and clothes were gone. Things that meant most to me, were no longer there. And what scared me the most was that my father was nowhere to be seen.

“I think he did this.” Jelani says to me. It was almost as if he heard what I was thinking.

I sighed. I just wanted to see my mother. The neighbor took us back to her house and told us that she would keep us until our mom was better and we had somewhere to stay.

I must say I was very grateful for that because, honestly I was just in shock. I think that this could easily mark the worst day of my life. All my things gone and my mother in the hospital because of my father. I literally hated the man more now.  He has pulled the last straw for me. I have had it with him.

-End P.O.V.-

Chapter 5: Dark Cloud over Fairy Tale Castle

Onika is now 10-11 years old. Things aren’t going as good as she wanted. Her fairy tale thoughts were being interrupted by a dark cloud over her castle. Her dad was getting more and more violent and also came home very late. Onika over the years has created a sort of brick wall to try and ignore her surroundings at home. Jelani was also affected by his dad’s behavior and stayed away from home until late in the night. This had their mother worried about both of her children. She had to do something and FAST!

It’s now evening. Jelani is nowhere in sight. Onika was in her room playing with her dolls humming a Mariah Carey song.

Carol Maraj P.O.V.

I was busy cooking chicken pasta. I was hearing Onika’s little voice singing Hero from Mariah Carey. It only now dawned onto me how good she sounded. I started humming along with her. My thoughts were racing while I hummed and cooked. What was going on with my family? Why is Robert acting so strange? Why was he so upset? Why is Onika being so distant and quiet? And where in the living world is Jelani?

Just then I heard the front door slam. I cringed because I knew what that meant. Robert was home.

“Carol!”

“Yes?”

“Where mah food?”

I sighed softly. I knew what was coming if I would tell him that I was still busy. I didn’t want him to put hands on me again. I looked over my bruises on my arms. They were slowly fading.

“CAROL, DON’T YOU HEAR MEH ASKIN YUH SOMETHING?!?”

I jumped abit. The tears were slowly forming around the brim of my eyes. I slowly inched into the living room where Robert was. He looked at me dead in the eyes.

“Where mah plate ah food?!” he asked me again. I closed my eyes.

“I’m still busy cooking.” I whispered. “I didn’t know you would be home so soon.” He glared at me. I could clearly see the blood pumping through the veins on his neck. I was so scared right about now.

“Carol.. You should know that I come home round now!” He yelled at me. “ Don’t play with me woman!!”

All I felt after that was when his hand striked my face twice.

I yelped and held my face. He was yelling something while turning over pots and pans in the kitchen. I basically muted it all out.

After some time, he left. Not without slamming the door shut ofcourse. I slowly got up. I said a small prayer before I went back into the kitchen to see what destruction he did to the kitchen.

Onika’s P.O.V.

I could clearly hear what was going on downstairs and honestly I was too scared to go down this time. Jelani wasn’t home and that scared me abit. What was he doing? Is he safe?

I here sitting on my bed and playing with my hair. Just then I imagined a giggle.

“Hi pretty ladybug.” Said my conscience.

“Hi…” I muttered.

“What’s wrong?” it asked me abit sad.

“Nothing.” I was on the verge of tears.

“It’s okay you have to tell me but don’t let the fights between your mother and father get to you. Try to think of something pleasant and I will come.”

“Okay, I’ll try.” I said. It had me thinking abit in my daydream. “But how can help my mom because I don’t really understand why she doesn’t stand up to my dad.” I said abit upset and confused.

“I can’t really answer that.” It said to me abit unsure. “Call my name if you need me because I have to go right now. My name is Nicki.” She said to me before disappearing from my thoughts.

I sighed and started humming a tune. Maybe I should go by the neighbor. I decided to and got up and got my sweater and sneakers. I slowly tiptoed downstairs and saw my mother cleaning up the floor which had my favorite meal all over it; boneless chicken stew.  I sighed. Why was daddy doing this to my mother? It wasn’t fair. I slowly approached my mom.

“Mommy?”

“Yes baby.” She said abit scared. I guess she didn’t hear me walk in. I saw that her cheeks were glowing which meant that dad hit her again. And also her eyes were red and puffy. It made my eyes brim with tears. I really hated this.

“M-may I go o-over to the neighbor’s house for a little?” I asked abit unsure to leave her alone in the house.

“Okay, but be home by 7:30.” She said softly before sighing and turning to get a new pot out of the cupboard.

I speed-walked out of the house. I saw my neighbor outside listening to some rap song that was playing nearby. She seemed really interested in that. I must admit some of the songs were really good. She saw me and smiled.

“Hey Nika!” she said to me.

“Hi Nique.” I said softly and smiled. Her eyebrows crinkled abit before she returned to her normal grinning state.

“What’s up babygirl. Your abit too quiet for me.” She stated. I just shrugged and sat next to her on the bench. We listened to a few songs before she suggested to go inside and go up to her room. I saw this weird rectangular thing sitting on her desk.

“What’s that Nique?”

“Oh, that my new little recording equipment.” She said with this huge grin on her face. “You can hook up a mic to it and just rap or song or whatever noise you wanna make.”

“Oh cool.” I said with eyes of admiration. I ran my hand over it and picked up the mic. I giggled abit before thinking of something to say into the mic. It was a very indescribable moment for me because I’ve seen singers on TV with a mic singing.   

“Hello my name is Onika and today I’m going to sing vision of love.” I said with a slight accent.

Nique giggled. I started singing. I thought personally that I was Mariah Carey at that moment. I was singing with my eyes close. When I stopped to ask Nique to sing along with me, her mouth was wide open and her eyes wide like she was in some kind of shock.

“What?!?” I asked abit scared that I sounded really bad because the only person to ever really critique my singing was my mother. She just blinked a couple times before closing her mouth and swallowed her spit.

“Eww Nique, that’s nasty go get some water.” I said abit disgusted. She walked out of the room. I sighed. Did I really sound so bad?

After a couple of minutes she came back. This girl really scared me at times. The room went silent before she finally spoke.

“Nika, sinds when can you sing like that?” she asked me. I looked at her abit confused.

“What do you mean like that? I’ve always sounded like that.” I said abit sad because I still felt as if it was really bad.

“Oh Nika you should continue!” she screamed. I beamed instantly. This girl just had me thinking that I made something die or so. Oh god.

“Haha, Nique don’t ever scare me like that again.” I said abit with seriousness.

“Alright Nika.” She said.

We did a little more of singing before she wanted to rap.

“Nika, have you ever written a rap?”

“No, I don’t even know how to make one.”

“It’s very simple. You make sentences whereby the last word of each sentence rhymes.” She explained.

“Oh, okay I think I can do that.”

We both wrote a tiny rap in 10 minutes. She took my paper and read it. She bursted out laughing which made me laugh.

“Nika this is too funny. Why would you rap about cookies and lollipops?” she asked between giggles.

“I don’t know. It just came to mind.” I shrugged while blushing.

"'Cookie's the name, chocolate chip is the flavor. Suck up my style like a cherry Life Saver." Nique read and laughed out loud.“I gotta show err’body on the block this. This is really good and very funny.” She stated before running out the door with my rap in her hand. I was right on her heel. I wanted to grab it out of her hand because I didn’t want anyone to read it. I was really embarrassed. While she ran to get the rest I sat and waited. After a few minutes I saw a few of the other kids walking with her.  They all wanted to me to repeat my rap over and over.

The time flew so I had to go back home. Mom seemed abit happier now. It made me smile. I walked up to her and gave her a random hug.

“I love you mommy.” I said into her shirt.

“I love you too baby. Let’s go eat.” She said before taking my hand and sitting at the table with me. Jelani walks in right about then and doesn’t even acknowledge us. I shrugged it off before silently praying to God to bless the food.

“Jelani where were you?” mother asked him. He just shrugged and then washed his hands. Mother sighed and continued eating. Jelani comes back a few moments later and sat down to eat with us.

“I heard about the little rap thing you did.” He says to me. I smiled abit. “ Nique was telling my boys about it.”

“Yeah, I had a feeling you’d hear ‘bout it ‘cus she told err’body I think.” I say.

“Mmm cool.” He says and smiles at me before quickly finishing up his food and going up to his room.

I stayed behind with mother to clean up. We were singing emotions from Mariah Carey which so happened to be playing on the radio. We sang to each other and had a good time. I had to get ready for bed so I kissed her cheek before going up to my room to get ready for bed.

Chapter 4: New Life, New Surroundings

Onika's P.O.V.

As we walk out of the airport, a cold gush of air hits my face. I instantly got goose bumps, but I wasn't paying attention to that. My thoughts were far out. I couldn't believe that right before me lay a white world. Snow was everywhere.

"Wow, this is amazing” I say out loud. "Look mom, it's snowing!”

She just chuckled at me. She knew that it was my first time seeing snow. It was so cold too. I saw people rushing all around me. Some were even carrying presents. It was almost Christmas after all. I look over to see Jelani's expression. His was just as amazed as mine. I wonder what I'll be getting this year. My thoughts get good interrupted when I hear my mom calling my name. I walk towards her, and we all get into a taxi. This is the new start.

“Mom, can we go make snow angels?” I ask her while gazing out the window. She looked at me and laughed.

“Yes baby, maybe later on.”

I stare out the window some more. I saw kids and their parents playing in the snow. Some were making a snowman with a carrot for a nose. I’ve never seen all this before, well only on TV. We pull up to this house. It was a fairly nice house. My first thought when I came to New York, was that the house would be like a castle in a fairytale. You know, white picket and stuff.

When we arrived at the house, I saw that all the furniture wasn’t put down. I didn’t really understand it but anyway.

“Onika baby, come help me and your brother put ya’ll stuff inside.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I helped her put the suitcases inside, and then started to look about. I let my imagination run along with me.

“So, this is your new castle?” asked my conscience.

“I would think so”

“It’s not so big and no prince or princesses in sight!” it said to me abit sad.

“It’s okay, we’ll find a way to make it work, just wait and see.”

My mom showed me my room, which happened to be all white except for my stuff and my bedspread. It was abit tiny but still roomy enough. I wonder where my dad is.

That night after dinner, while I was in my room, I heard the front door slam shut. I jumped abit because I was scared. I got up and went into Jelani’s room.

“Nika, what are you doing here?” he asks me sleepily.

“I heard the door slam, and I got scared.” I say close to tears. He sighed and made room for me to lie down next to him.

“Goodnight Nika.” He tells me while kissing my forehead.

“Good night Lani.” I say while yawning. The last thing I remember hearing was my father yelling at my mother.

~End P.O.V. ~

The following morning, Onika wakes up before her brother. She stretches and goes to the bathroom to so her morning ritual. While she was in there she heard the front door slam again. I jump once again. I wonder who could be slamming the door like that without mom yelling at them. I hastily put on my day’s clothing and ran downstairs.

“No running in this house!” my mom says. Her voice sounded shaky.

Onika slow down her pace and walked into the kitchen where she finds her mother with her head in her hands. It looked as if she was crying.

“Mom?” she whispers.   She looked up and her assumptions were right. Her eyes were puffy red and she was shaking. Onika speed walked towards her and hugged her. She was sniffling softly. Onika was close to tears herself. She hated to see others cry, especially when it’s her mother. She didn’t know what happened and also didn’t really get any ideas on what might have happened.

“Mom, where’s daddy?” I ask her and her eyes widen for a split second before she relaxed.

“He went to work baby, he should be back with us for dinner.” She says to assure me. I still wasn’t comfortable with how she was acting.

“Mom, are you okay?” I say looking her over. I then notice her cheek was abit red. I remembered that mine turned that red when a ball had hit me in my face and also when one of friend’s mom had hit their face for talking back. I stared at her. She was talking but I wasn’t hearing her at all. “Who would hit my mother?” was the only thing running through my mind.

“Mom, did someone hit you?” she asks her abit alarmed. She looked at me stunned as if I figured out something I wasn’t supposed to.

“That doesn’t matter baby, come on let’s go eat breakfast. There are a couple things I want us all to do today. “She says trying to change the subject.

We sit at the table and say grace. While we were eating, my mom suddenly exclaims:” Where is your brother?”

“I think he’s still in bed. He was really tired from yesterday.” She say not looking up from her plate. Her mother sighed before getting up and going upstairs to wake him. Onika on the other hand was silently crying. The tears were dropping onto her plate but she didn’t care. Her imagination came to her rescue.

“Why would my dad hit my mom? She asked her conscience.

“I don’t really know, but that’s really mean. Your mom looks hurt. You have to find a prince to help!” it says to her.

Onika quickly finished her food and put her plate in the sink. Her mom would probably wash it so she ran off to her room to play with conscience.  They spent a good 1 ½ hour playing when her mother came and to her it was time to go out.

Onika was skipping down the block while her mother and brother walked closely behind. They both were happy to see that she was having the time of her life. Onika on the other hand was worried. The whole thing with her mother just kept running through her head.

They walk up to this school building and are greeted by a fairly thin woman who looked about 50 years old. The lady had a wide smile on her face. Onika and Jelani’s mother shakes hands with her and they exchange little conversation. Onika and her brother just look about with wide eyes because back home their school wasn’t so big. Also it was close to vacation time. Why would anyone want to be here in this weather?

“Hi my name is Mrs. Severin and this is Clarence Witherspoon. This school is also known as P.S. 45. I’m the principal here.  I’ll see you two after the Christmas vacation officially. Do you guys have any questions or so?” Onika and her brother shook their heads from side to side. The principal smiled at them. “Well I guess I’ll see you two after the vacation. Have a pleasant one!”

“Same to you.” The Maraj family answered. They walked away from the school and took the bus to a nearby Wal-Mart to do some grocery shopping. It took them about an hour to get everything and another 25 minutes to take the bus home.

Later that night Robert Maraj was coming home from ‘work’ drunk. His eyes were red and he was filled with anger. He opened his front door and slammed it shut. Onika, who happened to be in the kitchen washing the dishes while her mom cooked, dropped a plate on to the floor as she jumped. She knew then it was really her father slamming the doors. “But why?”

“Carol!” he yelled. Mom looked at me as if to tell me stay there and keep an eye on the pots on the stove. I nodded and she walked out of the kitchen.

“Yes dear?” she asks abit worried.

“Where’s my plate of food?”

“Oh, I’m almost finished cooking so just relax for a little.”

“Woman, I expect when I reach home that there is food on the table. Not a thing about wait.” He said angrily. He was about to pick up something to throw, but then he say his little girl running out and standing in front her mother.

“STOP!” she screamed and he froze. He didn’t want his daughter to see him like this. Jelani also came into view. You could clearly tell he was angry.

“Stay away from momma.” He said with his teeth gritted. Robert just glared at him and put the vase down. He started drifting as soon as the television was on.

“Eww, what’s that smell?” Onika thought to herself. She looked at Jelani for the answer. He shrugged and said “Liquor”.

This is how things went for a while. Onika and Jelani find comfort at school. The weird part is, they never told anyone what was going on, they just went about their little businesses. Was their going to be a dark cloud over their ‘castle?

Chapter 3: Surprise Return

What was supposed to be a couple months turned into a year. A year turned into almost 2. Onika missed her parents, especially her mom. It is December 5^th today. In 2 days she’ll be 7. She wasn’t all that happy about her birthday. She just wanted to be with her mother. Little did she know a surprise was coming her way.

“Grandma, what are you doing?” she asks her grandmother who so happened to be walking by with a couple of bags. It seemed as if she went shopping.

“I’m busy putting a few things together.” She answered. “Why don’t yuh go outside and play with yuh cousins or neighbors dem?”

“Okay.”

“Be careful and be back here at noon.”

“Yes ma’am”

Onika was still abit curious at what exactly her grandmother was trying to hide. “Why would grandma do that?” she thought. She went outside and sat on a bench near the house, and watched a guy cut open coconuts. She thought about the taste of the clear liquid inside and how the jelly tasted. She loved eating that with her mother.  She sighed. She wanted to be mad at her mother but she couldn’t find the strength to do so.

Meanwhile Jelani spent his days on the beach with his friends. He didn’t want to see his sister because she resembled their mother. She even had her smile. He loved his mother dearly but couldn’t understand why she would ever think to listen to their father on this one. It hurt him and he knew it was also hurting his sister.

“It’s her birthday soon... Wonder what to get her this year?” he thought while watching the tourists swim about in the water. “It’s got to be special and pink of course.” He sighed. He let his thoughts drift.

Grandmother’s P.O.V.

I know I should’ve told Onika what I was doing, but I promised her mother that I’d keep it a secret. Yes, I spoke to Carol and didn’t tell her kids I did. Carol was coming back tomorrow to spend 1 ½ week here and then take the kids with her to start their new life. To say I was happy wasn’t even the beginning to describe how I felt. I knew her children would be so happy to hear that. I prayed to God every day, and he finally answered my prayer.

I had gone to town to shop and buy the kids a few new things. Basic things but still I wanted to feel that they were starting fresh. I’ll miss them so much; they were always a happy bunch.

Jelani seemed to be out of it though. He seemed to never be home. Mind you he’s just a couple years older than Nika. I really wish I could tell them already but I also want them to have the greatest surprise of their little lives.

It bothered me a little that Robert wasn’t coming along with Carol. She said he had to ‘work’. I mean you’re finally getting your kids to go with you and you don’t even want to see the expression on their faces when they see you? I shook my head. I know that Carol knows what she’s doing so I’m leaving it at that. Let me go finish packing and hiding these things.

Carol’s P.O.V.

I’m sitting here crying tears of happiness. I was finally going to see my babies. They didn’t sound too cheerful when we spoke on the phone. I knew this all had hurt them, but Robert is the man of the family so what he says goes. I would protest but it would go with no avail. I was busy packing while Robert was at work. I’m actually proud of him. Took him almost 2 years to find a decent job that wasn’t just for a month or 2; this one seemed to suit him well. Also he got us an apartment for a couple months while we waited for our actual home to finish. It’s finished now; we just have to move in. He’s staying here in Queens while I return to Trinidad to get the kids.

I went to a mall here in Queens to find the kids some winter coats. I got Onika this pink one with fur on the edges and brown buttons. Jelani got one similar to it, only difference was that his own was red. I also bought them some sweaters and thick pants. I want them to be as comfortable as possible.

I think I hear Robert walk in.

“Carol!” I hear him yell.

“Yes dear?”

“Nothing was just wondering where you were.” He says to me. I let it slide. I wasn’t really used to him yelling my name like that. I just hated yelling period and he knew that.

Robert walks into our room where I am, and sit on the edge of the bed looking at me while I fold the stuff I bought.

“Carol, why so much stuff?”

“Because, I want them to feel at home when they reach. It’s going to be a new start for them.”

“Okay… But how much did it all cost?” he asks me, his voice abit raised.

“Robert, I saved up enough to do all this. You’re not the only one working.” I say abit irritated by his attitude towards me.

He just waves me off and goes to the kitchen. I hear him take a drink out of the fridge and turning on the television.

That was another thing, Robert has been acting abit different around me. He was abit harsher with me and always fussing about bills. I know we aren’t a rich couple but we had enough to survive. I mean I knew that his experience finding a job here must be abit exhausting, but why take your anger out on me. Lord knows I love the man but this is getting me worried. Hopefully he isn’t like this when the kids are here.

~ End P.O.V.~

Today was December 6^th. Carol was leaving to Trinidad. She tried to speak to Robert that morning but all she got was a peck on the cheek and when she told him she loved him, he mumbled something inaudible. She was now on the airport in Trinidad. She took a cab to the house. Today is Wednesday so she knew the kids were either home, by friends or at school. It was around 10 am so she went with the thought that they were at school.

Onika as at school, but she couldn’t concentrate. She had this feeling that something that something was going to happen, she just couldn’t place her finger. Jelani was also having this feeling. He tried listening to what the teacher was saying, but his thoughts were racing. Both the Maraj family kids couldn’t wait for school to finish so they could confront their grandmother.

Carol had in the mean time, reached her destination. She took a deep breath before knocking on the front door. Her mother answered the door. Carol looked apon her mother’s teary eyes.

“Am so glad yuh came. I was nervous deh entire time so I didn’t know how to keep mehself busy until yuh came.” She says.

“Ma, that’s okay. Come on, I’ll help yuh cook deh lunch meal for the kids when they arrive.”

“Alright, come on.”

Both women cooked and talked about all what they missed about each other. Carol as happy to be home, and she couldn’t wait to see her kids.

Onika and her brother were walking home. Both were happy that school was over. They had this feeling that they needed to see their grandmother.

“Lani, what if something bad happened to granny?”Onika asks her brother with ide eyes and a small frowning pout on her face.

“Nika, don’t worry. We’re almost home so don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.”

They reach home and hear they grandmother laughing. They looked at each other puzzled. They stood there outside the front door just staring at each other for a couple of seconds before finally walking through the front door.

Onika’s P.O.V.

Jelani left me and went to his room. I hear a woman’s voice talking to my grandmother but it’s was like I knew the voice but couldn’t place it.

“We’re home!” I yell so that grandmother knows. Everything goes silent. I’m feeling like i’m getting a mini anxiety attack. Grandmother walks in and takes me into a hug. I relax.

“Who were you speaking to granny?”

“Oh, someone special.” She replies.

Just then the mystery woman voice walks in. It was as if time stopped right there and then. Right before my eyes was a person I thought I’d never see again.

“Hi princess” my mother says.

I couldn’t answer her. I was too stunned. I just stared at her and before I knew, my eyes began to water.

“Mom… mom, I missed you so much” I say choking up. I ran up to her and gave her the biggest hug. I was so happy to see her. Jelani walks in and freezes as well before joining us in our hug.

“My babies. Oh my babies. Mama has missed you.” She says to us.

At Lunch we mostly spoke about what happened in the time we missed out on each other. I lost a couple teeth. Jelani got into a fight at school. Grandmother stayed as grandmother and other random things like that.

That night was when mama told us the big news. I swear, you would’ve thought someone was dying. Jelani and I were jumping up and down, ecstatic about the fact that we were going to New York with our mom. Finally. I never thought it would happen but it did.

The next few days we spent packing and shopping. It was gonna be a new life, and new surroundings for us. I couldn’t wait to leave. We eventually did. It broke my heart that grandma wasn’t coming but we could always call her. We also promised her that we would be good. New York, here we come.

Chapter 2: Everytime you go away.. (O.T.M.)

So the day has finally come for Onika and Jelani's parents to leave.

Jelani didn't want to go to the airport so it was just Onika and her grandmother. All through the ride to the Piarco International Airport, Onika was quiet. She just stared out the window, taking in all the sceneries that she saw. Her grandmother sat upfront, humming to whatever it was playing on the radio. Her parents were quietly holding hands. When they all arrived at the airport's departure gates, everyone except Onika were moving about quickly.

"Likkle gurl, yuh bettuh stop drag yuh feet suh and come help meh.” her grandmother said sternly.

"Yes ma'am.", she said with a small voice.

Her mother sighed. She hated to see her only daughter so disappointed. She really wanted to take her and brother along, but that decision was also up their father and she couldn’t stand up to him.

“Onika, baby come here.”

Onika walked up to her with this adorable frowning pout that she couldn’t resist.

“Everytime you go away, you take a piece of me with you..”, she sang to her mother with tears slowly rolling down her cheeks,”Mom please don’t leave me.”

“Honey, you know I can’t do that. I want you give you a better life then here. America has so much to offer.”

“But mommy, you told me this already. When will you say that I can come with you?”

“I don’t know baby, I really don’t know”, her mom said with tears brimming her eyes. Let’s just go with a couple months for now.” She paused for a second to take a breath. “Now come give your mama a hug and kiss before I go.”

Onika hugged her mom and kissed her cheek.

“All passengers on flight AA 2282 to MIA Miami please proceed boarding at Gate 5.” The flight attendant said over the intercom.

“Carol, let’s go. It’s time.” Her husband says. He walks up to daughter and pulls her into a tight hug. “I love you Onika, make daddy proud okay?” Onika shook her head signaling ‘yes’.

“Okay bye for now honey.” Mama Carol says to her daughter. She kissed her daughter’s forehead and tear- stained cheeks one more time before swiftly turning away and walking away with her husband.

“Come on honey, we have to go to dah mahket to get some fresh spice to cook tuday.” Onika’s grandmother states.

They walk out of the airport hand in hand. Onika’s silently crying while her grandmother stares into space thinking about how this time would affect them. She looked upon the little girl’s face and sighed.

“Want me to buy you some pop or sweety?” She asks her.

“No, I just want to go home.” she said softly.

“Okay, but I still need dem spices. So let’s go.”

They go to the market and after a half hour, they took the public bus back home. Jelani was still in his room. Some reggae song could be heard blaring out from his room. Their grandmother shook her head angrily.

“What in the world is this boy think he doing? Let me go set him straight.” She thought to herself while giving the grocery bag to Onika and taking off her shoes. She walkes up to his room and bangs on the door.

“Likkle bwoi, yuh bettah tun dung deh music before I have tah come in dere eh!” she yells. She hears him scurrying about to turn down the volume.

“Thank yuh, next time don’t make me haft ah tell yuh again eh!”

“Yes ma’am”

Onika and her brother waited and waited. What was supposed to be a couple months turned into a year. Onika didn’t speak to her parents often, but when she did, she kept it very short. She was angry. She didn’t want to speak to them. They made her stay. They made it look as if they were never coming back. She wasn’t going to let them off easy.