Author's Note: Another installment with more to come! Remember my lovelies; vote, comment all that good stuff! :)
May 17th 1962
Eva and Cora had to have been about six years old when Wilbur got promoted to supervisor. It came after there was a huge explosion in the plant that nearly killed seven people. Wait, I know how that sounds and believe me it wasn't his fault; Willie wasn't even there but it wasn't until the dust had settled and management started actually talkin to folks, they found out my husband was the only person round there with any sense. They told him, "You can fix this place up in a month you'll be runnin it by the end of the year."
After three weeks the place was runnin better than it had ever been and it was all because of my husband and the best part was that with his new position I didn't have to work no more and could stay home with my children. MY children, not nobody else's. I got to spend the time with my babies that I had to deprive my older ones of because of finances. I know I did my best to make sure they were taken care of and loved, but it ain't the same with someone else takin care of your children. Now I knew they'd each get the individual love they deserved from me.
My girls were my pride and joy. They'd both just turned six years old and the two of them were like night and day. Cora was just sunshine, energetic and fearless. She had more energy than I sometimes knew what to do with. It seem like every time I turned my back for more than ten seconds she was leaping from somewhere. Off the chesterfield, off the table, off shelves. She had absolutely no fear in her and as much as it scared me, I knew it would only make her a stronger woman. I walked a fine line with her. On the one hand I didn't want to discourage her and make her fearful of life but there were certain things her curious mind shouldn't explore. Certain dangerous things.
That's why I was so blessed to have Eva. She was the one thing to counter balance Cora, the way the moon balances the sun. She was that calming voice that could soothe Cora when she would reach her hysterics and no one else could get through to her. Eva was love. Plain and simple. Just pure love.
I remember a specific time I was in the kitchen cooking supper and watching the two of them through the back window. I remember I was shellin peas in the sink; my hands working all on their own seemed like. Cora and Eva were out in the yard playin. Now Cora, was just running around the yard like a terror, climbin that old fence and jumpin' straight off. Fearless. I'd tried to stop her too many times to run out there again. Figured she'll learn when she hurts something.
Eva though, was weeding the grass, carefully pulling up the weeds that had no business in the backyard and gently replanting them just outside the fence. That was her, so loving and gentle. So careful to make sure she picked up the weeds in the skirt of her pretty little dress and piling them outside the fence for replanting. In a little while, she'll ask for some water for the weeds to help them grow. I remember I asked her once why she did that. Why she went through all the trouble of replanting them weeds and do you know what she said?
"Just because we don't want them, doesn't mean they shouldn't get love."
I just stared at my little angel wise well beyond her now six years in awe. I stared at her so long I almost missed Cora, who'd climbed that big oak tree in the back yard way higher than I would have allowed and leapt. She didn't hesitate, didn't pause just jumped. And when she hit the ground I ran for the back door. I just knew she'd broken her neck or worse, but when I reached that door what I saw stopped me. Cora had skinned her knee, miraculously that was all she'd hurt. And Eva was there right beside her wiping her tears. She took the hem of her dress and she wiped the dirt and blood out of Cora's cut, staining her favourite dress and thought nothing of it. She was talking to her too, telling her it's okay, soothing her. Then she helped her up and brought her to the house.
I stood there frozen, because I realized that God had sent an angel to my family. Had sent a guardian angel to my little Cora.
"It's okay mama, she's okay mama! You don't have to cry!"
I heard her say as they passed me in the doorway. I held up my hands to my face and felt the tears brush past my fingertips. I'd never even felt them fall.
November 2nd 2004
"Don't you think you've had enough?"
Reign looked over her shoulder in Caiden's direction and he felt his stomach flip flop. He swallowed the chicken he was chewing and grinned at her. He couldn't identify this feeling that crept from his heart and flowed through every fibre of his being whenever he looked at her. It was completely unlike any feeling he'd ever felt. He had an idea, but refused to believe it could possibly be what he suspected. Not after a month of knowing each other, it just wasn't possible.
"My stomach is a bottomless pit, you should know this by now!" he said smiling at her. She turned off the burner for the stir fry she was cooking and moved the wok to the middle of the stove. She checked the small casserole she had in the oven and Caiden's eyes were glued to the curve of her generous backside as she tested the consistency of her food.
"My eyes are up here cowboy," she said in an exaggerated southern drawl. He felt himself twitch and tried to discretely adjust himself when she turned her attention back to the stove, checking her rice. They'd fallen into a routine, the two of them. Actually it was the three of them. It turned out it really wasn't a stretch for her to understand. It actually didn't need any explanation, she just accepted it for what it was; Calvin was his brother. Blood couldn't bring them any closer. In fact, when they'd tried to explain she held up her hand to stop them.
"It's 2004; you say that's your brother, that's your brother."
And that was the end of that. The three of them became the new three musketeers so to speak. In her free time if she wasn't studying or working she was hanging out with them. They'd gotten together and sprung for a couch to put in her living room and from them on it seemed they were permanently attached to it. They moved the tiny TV into the living room and that was that. The dorms, they'd said, were tiny cubes too small for one, let alone two people to share. Her apartment wasn't too much bigger, but they never told her that. Besides, as long as they pitched in for groceries she cooked. And they both soon found out that in the kitchen, there really wasn't anything she couldn't do. She was an expert with the soul food but she also brought some things to the table they hadn't even heard of before.
"What the hell is Risotto?" Caiden asked as they travelled the aisles of Food Mart. She just smiled and picked up a huge bag of rice.
Even now, as he finished yesterday's left over chicken his stomach rumbled for whatever it is she decided to cook. It smelled divine, and he knew Calvin was going to regret his trip to New York. Okay, maybe not, New York is epic, but he'll sure as hell regret missing out on this meal.
Her phone rang and she looked at the caller id before answering. He saw her face flash with worry and she hurriedly answered it. He knew she hadn't heard from her friend Dylan in a month. Their last conversation had been strained to say the least. Now all he saw was raw apprehension on her face and it gripped him in a way he was unprepared for.
"Dylan? Slow down please! What's going on?
He had a déjà vu moment and watched her closely. The last time this happened he almost had a phone flying at his face.
"Dylan where the hell are you? You're not in queens anymore? What the hell is going on?"
