“Where the hell have you been?!” she screams pulling me into the room by my arm.

Busted.

“Ow, Mom. You’re hurting me.”

Which wasn’t a lie but that also earned me some time to think of a lie. She quickly lets go of my upper arm.

“Sorry,” she apologizes and takes me in her arms.

I settle in her embrace and feel her body shaking. Immediately I regret my trip out.

“I know that I wasn’t suppose to leave the hotel without permission but I was feeling like a prisoner. I only went to the store. That’s all.”

“I set those rules for a reason, Darnell. I don’t want you going out alone. This city isn’t safe for young girls,” she warns.

“No city is safe for young girls, Mom,” I say into her shoulder.

“Don’t be a wise ass, Darnell.”

She releases me.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Just… just let me know where you want to go and I’ll take you, okay?”

“I’m not a kid, Mom. I don’t need you to hold my hand to cross the street.”

She gives me her ‘I’m being serious’ look and I back away to the opposite end of the room. I sit on the couch and turn on the idiot box ready to catch up on my music videos.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asks me.

“Watching tv,” I answer flipping through the channels.

“I don’t think so. Time to read the next two chapters in your history book.”

“But Mom, we’re on vacation.,” I whine.

“This is not a vacation for me, Darnell. This is business. Which means that this is also a business trip for you so tend to your business,” she replies holding out my four hundred pound text book.

Not really four hundred pounds but you get the idea. I take the book and go into the bedroom.

*****

I open my eyes and peel off the pages that are stuck to my face. I must have fallen asleep. I look up and notice that the sun has already set but there’s still light in the room. I sit up and hear my Mom talking. I climb off the bed making my to the door. As I’m about to open it I hear her voice sound almost childlike. I stop and listen.

“What if someone saw her, Kit?”

 

Who’s Kit?

 

“She seems all right. She didn’t mention anything when she came back. I know. But…”

 

She sighs.

 

“Yeah. I will. I better go. She’ll be up soon. Hungry isn’t the word. She’s a Porter isn’t she,” she laughs.

 

A Porter?

 

“I will. Talk to you soon. Love you,” she hangs up.

 

I hear her walk closer to the room. I dive onto the bed and quickly close my eyes. I feel the bed dip under her weight as she sits next to me.

 

 

“C’mon, sleepyhead. Time to get up.”

 

I scrunch my face up as I would if I was really being awaken. Her hand rubs my back as she has done thousands of time before.

 

“I know you’re hungry. I can hear your stomach growling,” she laughs.

“Food?” I question opening my eyes.

“I knew that would get you up.”

“I’m not that bad,” I yawn.

 

A real yawn. I am kinda tired.

“We’ll even go out to eat. No more hotel food.”

“Anything I want?” I ask.

“Within reason,” she adds.

“Let’s go,” I say getting up and scooting over to put on my sneakers.

“Put on a sweater. It gets chilly out here at night.”