I frown as I read the purple inked handwritten letter in my hand. My eyes start to burn as I continue reading and I watch as the tear that falls from my left eye onto the paper, soaking in and making the word it fell on bleed.
The man who entered my home pats my shoulder and hands me a handkerchief from his breast pocket. I thank him while taking it and continue to read;
My dear Gennivee, if you are getting this letter then I have unfortunately left this world. I've always thought of you as a daughter and I know you consider me your mother, so as your mother I demand that you do not cry for me!
I've been sick for many years now and you have borne witness to my coughing fits while we were together. Congratulations on getting your degree my child, I'm truly proud of you. I may not have given birth to you but you are one of my accomplishments.
When I first met you, I thought you bad but after getting to know you, I realized that you had the potential to succeed in life.
Genn, you're a wonderful young lady and I truly believe that you will one day achieve your goals. Now that I've passed I can only be selfish.
My darling, I don't hate my children or dislike them but I cannot leave what I built from scratch to them. You know as well as I do that 'Little Buds Educare' is or was my life. I love my children but I don't think they have it in them to continue the legacy that I've built for the last ten years.
I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart that you are the one I chose and I don't mean this in a bad way. Think of you inheriting my daycare as yours and that you don't have to start from nothing as I did ten years ago.
Genn, I'm leaving my life in your hands and I hope that you don't mind my selfish request. You don't have to accept this but I know you will as your duty to the children.
I wish you good luck on this new journey I've set for you.
I love you my little bud.
From your horrible mother, Janet.
Taking in a deep breath, I fold the letter and place it back into the envelope. Wiping my tears away and my nose, I look up at Aunty Janet's lawyer, Mr Cross. He has a small smile on his face and I can see the sadness in his eyes.
He clears his throat and says, "Miss Swartz, I believe that you know what it is that is asked of you." I nod my head at his question.
"It's Wednesday today, when is the funeral?" I ask him and his brows knit.
"The Harrison family had a closed gathering and cremated her body last week Tuesday and the memorial service on Friday," he says and I nod my head. I sigh heavily just thinking about the beautiful soul known as Janet Harrison who left us.
"Janet's sons and daughters aren't happy about not inheriting the daycare. I've explained it to them that no matter what they do or say, none of them can inherit the daycare unless stated otherwise in the will. They had no clue that Janet would give her daycare to you and are threatening to take this to court. As the family's lawyer, I have to listen to them but I can't say for sure that they will win because it's in her will and the bank is waiting to have your name transferred over in her place. They've refused many times the family's pleas and I, unfortunately, will have to fight you when we go to court," he informs me and I nod.
"Is anyone of them qualified to own the daycare?" I ask him and he smiles at me while shaking his head.
"I personally know the family and I know that the children were never interested in the daycare and only ever asked her for money. They're all adults now and she has repeatedly told her eldest daughter to get her degree so she could take over but she never made the effort to even though was every day in the daycare helping out with the children," he says and I know who he's talking about.
That woman always just sat and ate the food her mother bought when I was around during my training but whatever. I look at him and say, "Thank you for informing me, I'll gather my things and inform my family that I'll be moving over, when will the daycare be reopening?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Well that's up to the new principal and she is you. I have all the parent's details here so you can inform them," he says while handing me a black hardcover book. I nod and take it from him. We talk a little more and I wish him well on his way home.
I can't believe I have to head to Atlanta from Montreal. My tongue will be twisting since I've been speaking English and French now going back to fully speaking English. I send my mother a message and let her know that I'll be on my way to see them.
I walk to the bathroom of my apartment and run the water in the bath. I add the pink bubble bath and start stripping out of my tracksuit. I turn around to the sink and look at myself in the mirror. The whites of my eyes are a light tint of red, surrounding my green pupils that I inherited from my late great grandmother.
I grab the dove soap and run it under the water and bring my soapy hands up to my face and wash it. Rinsing the suds off, I close the tap and wipe my face with the blue face towel hanging from the rack. Turning around, I close the taps and raise my right leg and then my left and sit down in the bath.
The water is a stinging hot that I love and I relax into it. After a moment of relaxing, I grab my body cloth and rub the soap against it. When it's all soapy I raise my leg, resting it on the edge of the bath and start rubbing the cloth against my dark skin.
Doing the same to my other leg then bring the cloth up to wash my arms, under my armpits and my sagging breasts. I stand up in the bath and lift my sagging stomach up and wash underneath it then rinse the cloth out. Rubbing the soap against it again, I lift my leg and start washing my inner thighs and then my hairy vagina and between my cheeks down my crack.
I rinse my body off with the showerhead then step out and dry off my body. I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out with the green mouth wash. Wrapping a dry towel around my body, I walk into my bedroom and look through my closet.
I pull out white skinny high waist jeans and a light grey tank top. Going through my drawer, I pull out a white panty and pull it on. I reach out to grab my lotion and start rubbing down my body. I pull on my tank top and do the same with jeans. I have to jump a few times and tuck my stomach in though.
Stuffing my tank top in my jeans, I step into my black heels and buckle the straps on each foot. I rub the deodorant bottle against my armpits and spray my Femme eau de moss on my wrist and my neck. I grab my jacket from the closet and shrug it on.
Looking in the mirror, I sigh slightly but don't comment, I know on the outside I look good but inside, I'm still self-conscious about my weight. I pick up the brush and tie my hair into a high ponytail and thank God that I inherited my great grandmother's silky black German hair.
I walk out of my room while tossing the towel into the laundry basket. I reach the front door and grab my keys and my phone. I open the door and lock it behind me. Walking down the stairs I pass by my creepy neighbour who looks at me from head to toe and smiles. Well, I guess once I leave I won't have to deal with his ass anymore.
Getting into my car, I buckle my seat belt and start the engine. I arrive at my mother and fathers cosy home. I look around and greet the passing teenagers who hang around in the street.
( * means that the characters are speaking French)
The doors open and my sister Gennadae frowns when our eyes meet. She stares at me for a while and I raise a brow at her, *Not going to open?*
*Did you bring me something?* she asks with a roll of her eyes.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at her, *You're eighteen and your ass still wants something?*
She nods her head with a serious look in her eyes. I mentally hit my head against the brick walls.
*Mommy!* I yell and hear my father curse. My sister shuts the door in my face and I hear rushed steps and some more cursing. The door swings open and my father smiles at me.
"Baby girl, you're here?" he asks and I nod. He opens the gate for me and I jump into his arms. Luckily he's a big man or else I would have knocked us both over. He carries me inside and I get placed onto the couch while I watch Gennadae close the front gate and door.
*Baby, you're here?* my mother walks in and kisses my cheek.
*Dad, you need to stop calling Gen a baby, there is nothing baby about that fat arse of hers* my sister comments. The house goes silent as we stare at my sister. She beams my way and my head lowers. A smile creeps its way onto my face and I start laughing.
She laughs too and our parents shake their heads. *My eldest daughter is a fat ass and my younger daughter is not putting on weight, love, are you sure they are our children?* my father comments and asks my mother who shakes her bum while she walks towards the kitchen.
*The food is done, let's eat!* She demands and we nod. Seated at the table I look at my sister who is already yawning yet its only four in the afternoon. We hold hands and close our eyes, my father starts the prayer "For what we are about to receive, let our lord bless it and the hands that prepared it. Thank you for my family who is sitting around this table and please feed those who don't have something to eat. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen."
"Amen," we say together and start digging in. my sister grabs the plate of meat making my mother and father glare at her. She places three drumsticks in her plate and passes it on to my mother. My sister is somewhat different. She loves meat and eats as much as she can but doesn't gain much weight and just loses it anyways while you get me who is overweight and just keeps gaining weight.
I help my mother do the dishes while Genna sits at the table doing her homework. My father walks into the kitchen and sits down with his beer and asks, *So baby girl, what's the visit for?*