"Good Morning. Thanks for calling Department of Social Services, this is Jennifer Lewis" came the voice through the Bluetooth in my car. Jennifer was my supervisor and like a second mom to me. She gave me a chance when I was fresh out of college. I worked for the Department of Social Services for a little over a year. I started off as an intern and then when I graduated I left to look for a job and volunteer at the youth center. Jennifer asked me to come on full time working for the company, and she supported my volunteer work for the youth center.
"Hey Jen. It's Chanaé"
"Hey. What's up?"
"I called to let you know that I am going to have a work from home day. I need to get some stuff done for the center, so Toni and I are headed there now."
"Ok. I will see you next week. Tell Toni Aunty said hi."
"She can her you, you're on Bluetooth."
"Hi Toni" Jen says. I look at Toni through the Bluetooth and her head is trained on her coloring book as she concentrates on coloring.
"Hi Aunty Jen." She responds not even looking up from her book.
"Girl you have to see her. She is too in to this coloring book. She didn't even look up."
"I know how that is Bobby used to be the same way. That's why I used to make sure that I always had some type of bool in the car so he wouldn't bother me." Bobby is Jens' only son. Jen has three kids, two girls and one boy. The girls are Stephany who is seventeen, Ashley who is fifteen, and then there is Robert, Bobby, who is eleven.
"Yes, I must admit that it is great when we're in the car. But I am pulling up in front of the center now, so I will talk to you later."
"Alright, talk to you later." The Bluetooth beeped to show that the call ended and I turned up the music as I pulled into the parking lot. I pulled into the parking space and shut off my car. I have a used Nissan Rogue that runs well. I take pride in my car because it was the first car I got when Toni and I moved into our own home. I took the keys out of the ignition and turned around to Toni.
"We're here baby. Are you ready to go in?" I asked.
"Yes mommy" She put her book on the seat and unfastened her seat belt. I turned around grabbed my bag and her book bag from the front seat, got out of the car, and then let my baby hop out proudly. Every since Toni found out that she would be going to first grade she has been trying to prove that she is a big girl. I like it because it is cute because you never know what she is going to do, but I hate it at the same time because my baby is growing up so fast. We walked up to the building and I see a few kids that I work with. The kids run up to me.
"Ms. Smith, Ms. Smith, what are we doing today." This coming from the smallest boy of the group, Nathan, who by far is my favorite little human, besides Toni. Toni stood behind me when the kids came running up. She has come to the center with me plenty of times but she usually plays with Nathan and leaves the other kids be. When they play together it's like they are in their own little world. If you didn't know them you would think they were siblings. I think the reason that I was so close to Nathan is because his home life isn't really ideal. His mom got pregnant in high school and her mom was addicted to drugs so she lied with her grandmother, but when she was giving birth to Nathan she died from an arterial embolism, so now he lives with his great-grandmother who sends him here to be with kids his own age and to get that male view of life. We have several male building classes for our youth. I fell for him because he is the most polite young man you will ever meet and he is too adorable.
"Ms. Smith we are going to have pizza today right, because today is Friday" says Chanel one of other students who ran up.
"Nathan you guys are going to have free time in the gym, and yes Chanel we will have pizza today because it is Friday." The kids all said yay and ran back to the playground where they came from, except Nathan. Nathan walked with Toni and I in the building. We ran into another member of the staff at the center Greg. Greg is one of the supervisors who run the center. The center was actually made in honor of his brother Matthew who was killed years ago. The center was named in his honor to give kids in our urban community a positive outlook on life, and a place to come learn, and be with their peers without violence. Greg runs the center with an iron fist and makes sure that these kids feel wanted and know there is an alternative way to live rather than be in the streets.
"I see your little friend found you. He has been waiting for you to show up" says Greg.
"Yes, he found me. He was on the playground with then other kids. I am going to let them play in my office while I get some phone calls out to some of these parents." I am the member coordinator, I keep track of the kids, keeps their parent or parents posted on what is going on at the center, and I keep track of what is going on at school with the kids old enough to be in school. We have programs at the center for children young as two, our only requirement is that the child is toilet trained.
"Alright. I am going to make sure that the gym is set up so the kids can have free time. You can send them down in a little while if you want."
"We both know that it's not if I want, it's more like if Io can get them to go. You and I both know once these two are together it's like no one else matters. I am thinking of getting Toni a D.O.G so that she can have something like a sibling and doesn't get lonely because Lord knows I won't be pushing anymore out any time soon."
"I know what you mean I got Veronica one last year when she started asking about me getting married and her getting a brother or sister." Veronica is Greg's ten-year-old daughter. Greg became a single father after Veronicas' mother got hooked on drugs and disappeared when she was four. Veronica is smart, witty, and you would believe she was much older than she was.
"Okay so that is what I am going to do. Plus, I think that it will teach her responsibility, because she is spoiled especially by my family."
"It will especially because she will have to clean after it and walk it. But let me go make sure this gym is done before these kids start a riot about their free day."
"Okay. If you need me I will be in my office." We said our goodbyes and I headed to my office with Toni and Nathan. We entered my office and I set Toni and Nathan up at the little desk in the corner. I took out Toni's coloring books and the blocks from the corner in my office and set them on the table too. Once they were set up I went to sit down at my desk and make the calls I needed and do the paper work I had for my actual job.
When I looked up at the time it was a little after twelve so I rushed and ordered the pizzas for the kids. Once I ordered the pizza I went over to Toni and Nathan.
"Hey guys. Are you ready to go down to the gym?" They both looked up at me and said yes. They put their stuff where it was supposed to be and we headed down to the gym.
When we entered the gym all the kids were in different areas of the gym playing. Some were playing basketball, some were playing rope, and there were even some in the bleachers playing board games. I loved this, it was good to see the kids playing and having fun without it being on a computer or phone. One of the rules Greg had here at the center was that you couldn't use cell phones unless it was important, that rule went for workers also, which is why most workers had an office or either used the phone at the front desk. I walked over to the bleachers and sat Toni and Nathan there. Just as a sat them down my godson Jason came running up to me.
"Aunty Nae" he yelled as he ran up.
"Hey baby. Your just in time. Can you sit with these two while I set up the next room?"
"Okay" he replied sitting next to Toni and Nathan. I went over to the middle of the gym to grab Karen one of the workers for the center.
"Hey Karen. Do you mind helping me set up for lunch?"
"Sure, no problem." We headed out to the next room where we let the kids eat. The room has tables chairs and a small kitchen where we keep the snacks for the kids. We set out plates' chips and juice boxes for the kids.
"Wow it didn't take as long as I thought it would" I said to her just as wed finished setting everything out.
"Maybe because we were focused" She laughed. She was right usually we would be chatting a mile a minute which was weird because come to think of it she was really quiet.
"I know that is weird, what's going on with you your weirdly quiet?"
"You know same old, same old. Plus, you know I don't bring my business to work. I leave it at the door." She was right her and I talked but no matter what she told me was going on at home she never let it affect her work performance. That is one of the things I loved about her. She was hard working and although she started late she was in school to be a nurse, and was also working at the hospital as a nurse's aide.
"You know I know you don't bring the drama to work but I am always here for you to talk to, and you know there is no judgement here." I knew a little about her life, like she has a son and lives with her sons' father. I also know that she and her son's father fight a lot physically, and she has caught him cheating. She says she won't leave because she wants her son to be raised in a two-parent home.
"I have just been in my head trying to figure out some things for the last few days." I took a seat at one of the tables and she followed suit.
"Is this about your baby father?"
"Not really about him."
"I'm confused."
"Okay. So, this week I got put into the ER rotation at my second job. There was a lady that came in and I felt so bad for her. She was almost unrecognizable. Her husband, a man who promised to love, cherish, and protect for the rest of their lives beat her within an inch of her life. Then she turned around and would not press charges against him. For the life of me I couldn't understand why she would protect him, then she told me about how she has three kids and didn't want to bring someone new into their lives. All I could think is this could be me one day. The worst part was when I told her it was better to have her children in a happy home where the parents get along, even if it isn't traditional, rather than to have them walking on egg shells in a home they are uncomfortable in. You were the first person to come to mind. That is the same thing that you told me."
"Wow. That is really intense. So, what are you going to do going forward with your relationship? What did she end up doing?"
"As far as my relationship, I told him to move out earlier this week. I've been f9inished with the relationship for a while now. Kicking him out just made it official. The lady from the ER I could tell it went in one ear and out the other. I've concluded that when people are in a relationship like that it has to be their decision. Even with me no matter how many times I talked to you and you told me the same thing I told her, it took her situation for me to take off my rose-colored glasses." I got up and she followed doing the same and then we embraced.
"I am so proud of you. I am always here when you need to talk. *I deal with women and children in these situations all the time and I just couldn't see you going down a road of no return. You are hardworking and I see the way you love your kids. You deserve the best." I pulled away from her and explained.
"Thanks, Chanaé. I appreciate you more than you will ever know. I feel like I should pay you for your services" She joked.
"Your welcome. Come talk to me anytime. It's actually a relief to deal with problems and see them solved." Just as we finished talking my cell phone rang and I saw Jason walk in. I answered my phone and put my finger up to Jason telling him to give me a minute. It was the pizza delivery guy on the phone he was in front of the building. As I got off the phone Jason begin to talk.
"Aunt Chanaé, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure, give me a minute. Karen can you grab Greg and you guy grab the pizzas. I am going to head to my office to talk to Jason for a minute. Also, can you keep an eye on Toni and Nathan for me?"
"Sure" she responded. I watched her go one way and Jason and I went in the other direction to my office.
We walked into my office and I lead Jason over to the sofa and we sat down.
"What's going on Jase?" I asked once we were settled.
"Aunty, can you please talk to my mom?"
"Why what's going on?" Trina spoiled Jason I can't think of anything that would have him this upset.
"My mom is really going to take that job in Atlanta. Aunty I really don't want to move. You, Grandma, and Toni are all here. Why does she want to move?" I know how he feels because I wasn't all that happy that he and Trina were moving to a state so far away. Trina and I have been inseparable since we were in high school. Trina and I both were single teenage moms, so we helped each other out with raising Jason and Toni. Jason and Toni were like her and Nathan, anyone who sees them thinks that they are siblings because of how close they are. Jason is very protective of 'his' Toni, he has been calling her his since he was three and first held her in the hospital. Trina told me about the move to Atlanta and I was a little sad, but it was a great opportunity for her to advance as a nurse. She would be the charge nurse for the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital in Atlanta, which is a big step for someone our age. I was proud of her at the same time and that outweighed my sadness about her leaving.
"Babe I know how close we all are, but this is what is best for you and your mom. I am sad to see you guys leave but I am so proud of your mom. She worked really hard to make sure she went to school, worked, took care of you and interned so that she can become a nurse. She will be the youngest charge nurse that that hospital has ever seen, which means she gets to spend a little more time with you because she will make her schedule. We have to understand that this is hard for her too, this is the first time that she will be living away from all of us. She is doing this for you too."
"I know but I don't need that much. I can even eat less if that means we don't have to move." I laughed if Jason was one thing he was a future problem solver. He was also a loving caring young man, he always makes sure his mother, grandmother, Toni, and I are ok. This is why he is spoiled we all love that he is so responsible so young so we don't want him to want for anything. He is like a man in a kid's body.
"I know honey, and I am so sorry that you have to leave us. I need you to think about your mom though. Do you want all those sleepless nights, and hard work to go to waste? I am sad baby but I want your mom to always be happy." He looked up at me and understood.
"Okay" He replied reluctantly.
"You will always have a place at my house so you will be able to come and visit. We will make this change seem as inconvenient for you and your mom as much as we possibly can." I hugged my Godson and we went to join the others.