i. Little One {7}

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Omniscient.

Same night, Friday,

September 2006.

Juno's House.

Laanville, Mississippi.

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Pt. 2

10:20 pm.

Juno woke up to a constant banging noise and he quickly feels around the bed for Jayla. He shook her and she groaned and tightened her arm on his waist, pulling him into her. "Babe" "hmm" "you don't hear that?" "Huh?" She raised her head with her eyes still closed until she conscious enough to hears it.

"Who the fuck is that Johntavis?" She pushed him and he fell off the bed. He got up and glared at her and she tried to hide her laughter with a pillow. "My bad, I didn't even mean to push you that hard" she crackled and he shook his head. "I hate yo ass" he rolled his eyes and she grabbed his arm to pull him back on the bed and closer to her. She pecked his lips but he didn't kiss back making her pout.

She eyed his face as he straight faced her. He leaned back up and was about to walk away when she quickly hoped on him. He immediately began to hold her by her butt, their naked chests touching as they make eye contact. "I'm sorry bubba" she apologized and gave him two long pecks. "Mhmm" he smiled and rubbed her butt as she kissed his neck.

"You're distracting me" he mumbled and she smiled. "Oop" he sat her back on the bed, quickly kissed her forehead then they both went to their dressers. Juno put on a white tee then grabbed his gun while Jayla just grabbed her gun.

"You must want me to beat your ass" Juno sighed, rubbing his eye. Jayla was confused until she seen where his eyes were. "Shit I forgot" she giggled and reached for her silk pink robe from behind the door.

Juno walked carefully into the living room scanned everywhere with his finger on the trigger. But he removed it when they got closer to the front door and heard a female voice. "You gave a bitch our address nigga?" Jayla then points the gun at him, with her head tilt. He waved her off and continued to look out the window.

"It's Claretha and Sahari" they were both confused and Juno shrugged and handed her his gun and she walked back to the room.

He opened the door and was immediately met with a slap. He ate the slap, but he wasn't expecting it so he jerked back and shook it off. "Is that how Christians greet people now?" He asked, very confused but also slightly amused as he looked at the visibly angry elderly woman.

"You are a dirty ole bastard. I trust you with ma baby and yuh do this?" Claretha starts, angry tears roll down her cheeks as she felt foolish to think he changed.

"What's going on?" Jayla asked as she heard the commotion, walking back into the living room. Claretha ignored her and Juno stood there with a confused look on his face. "Huh?" He crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed his arm. "Huh hell. Don't play dumb now. How could yuh do this to her after what you've already done to her mother?" Claretha asked. Jayla's face scrunched up, as her body was filled with annoyance.

She understood why Claretha didn't like him especially after learning about their past, but she didn't understand that if you were going to throw what he had done in his face every time you saw him then why allow him to watch Sahari?

"Ms. Claretha please tell us what happened?" Jayla asked, tired of the lady speaking in code when they were clearly confused. Claretha gave Jayla one of the dirtiest looks ever. "Like you don't know miss thing. Your ma- no your BITCH hit my mutha fuckin granddaughta" Claretha revealed. The tension in the room thickened as everyone sat with the information in the air.

Juno and Jayla made eye contact then laughed which made Claretha ball up her fist and walk up to Juno. Jayla stopped laughing real fast and slid in front of her man. Chest out, left brow raised, thinking about how Claretha had the wrong one.

"I respect my elders so I'm saying this with all respect. You touch my man, Ima slide you" Jayla made known with confidence. She played about a lot of things, but her money and her partner was something she would never play about.

"But he can touch kids" Claretha replied and Jayla rolled her eyes. "Woahh. I've done a lot of horrible sh- things in my life but I've never touched a child. I don't even believe in whooping em" Juno cleared up. Juno hoped Sahari didn't lie to her about something like this, it would crush him.

"Sahari stand up and lift your shirt" all eyes went searching for Sahari who was hiding behind the couch, covering her ears. She slowly stood up and reluctantly pulled her pajama shirt. "Can y'all please stop fighting?" Sahari asked lowly then sniffed.

Claretha looked at the couple and was thrown off when they looked surprised and angry as her. "Who did that to you Sahari?" Juno asked, coming closer to her and she pouted at his seriousness. 'Am I in trouble?' She thought and Jayla immediately read her face. "You're not in trouble. I promise" Jayla walked over to her and rubbed her arm. Claretha watched from afar, feeling many things especially shock because she wasn't expecting them react like they were.

Sahari looked at her grandmother then at the couple and sighed. "It was just some mean kids at Bible study. It's nothing. It doesn't even hurt anymore" Sahari lied, it felt like two kids were fighting in her stomach. Her head had also started hurting again because of her crying.

"I know you've had to hide your pain before but right now you can tell us how you really feel" Jayla said lowly, for only 3 of them to hear. "It felt worse early but it's at like a 7 or 8 right now" Sahari expressed. The couple looked at the young girl with pity, wondering why Claretha hadn't taken her to the hospital first.

"I'm sorry I got you slapped" Sahari brought up, feeling at fault. Juno hugs her again "don't worry about me Little One, you're the one hurt" he replied as he rubs her back.

He loved that she was considerate enough to apologize, but he hated that she felt at fault for an adult's actions.

"Sarahi why didn't you tell me on the drive here who did it?" Claretha asked "you never asked and I didn't think you would believe me" Sarahi replied. The rooms falls into an awkward silence. Claretha eyed her granddaughter in disbelief as Juno and Jayla talk to each other with their eyes.

"You should take her to the hospital, her stomach is shaking" Jayla announced and Claretha slowly nodded. She knew she should've took her there in the first place, she won't admit that to them though. "Say bye Sahari. I'll be in the car" Claretha said as she walked to the door.

Jayla rolled her eyes so hard when she heard the door close. "Y'all can't come with me?" Sahari asked, pouting "sorry Little One, we can't. We love hanging out with you but that's a big step and we're not there yet" Juno explained. He couldn't explain their history or how he couldn't fully breathe in the presence of Claretha.

"But- okay" Sahari sighed, feeling like it was really because she got him slapped. "But we'll hang out when you heal up. Go to the movies or go out to eat like you've asked" Jayla added. Sahari slowly nodded 'at least they still want to be friends' she thought. They did a group hug then Juno walked her to the car.

The Hospital. 12:24 am.

"There's signs that she did have a concussion. Can I ask you where she got the it and the bruises?" The doctor eyed Claretha, who was standing at the end of the hospital bed. "She's being b- bullied" Claretha replied, it was the first time she ever said the word out loud even though she saw the signs. She just thought that kids would be kids, like they did back in her day.

"Is that true Sahari?" The doctor asked, watching all body language. Sahari looked down at her hands then nodded. "Yes ma'am" "well the hand prints do match tiny fits, so this time the hospital won't spectate further. This. Time" the doctor made sure Claretha heard. Claretha might've worked at the hospital as a nurse, but the doctor being a pediatrician, always put the kids first. "Yes doctor" Claretha replied and the doctor gave her a closed smile and sat in the rolling stool, next to the bed.

"I'm going to ask you some questions Sahari and I want you to only look at me. It's just me and you in here okay?" The Doctor said to Sahari and Sahari looked at her grandmother then quickly looked away and nodded at the doctor. "Yes ma'am" she answered softly.

"Do you feel stress?" "My Nona said I can't. Too small" Sahari replied "interesting. When you go where your bullies are present does your stomach start to hurt?" "Sometimes" "can you breathe when it does?" "No. It hurts" Sahari lowly responded, feeling her grandmothers eyes on her. "It hurts to breathe sometimes?" "Yes ma'am"

"Does your chest ever hurt?" "Um- sometimes but only when I cry too much" Sahari answered, feeling embarrassed. "Ever feel like you have to fall or have to throw up?" The doctor asked, writing a note to herself on her clipboard. "Some days" Sahari mumbled, feeling too exposed which the doctor noticed and rolled backwards.

"Thank you Sahari" "did I do good?" Sahari asked fidgeting with the hospital blankets. "You did amazing. Just sit tight, and let me talk to your grandmother in the hall" The doctor gave her a full smile and Claretha followed her into to the hall.

"Has she ever told you any of that?" The doctor asked and Claretha hummed "maybe about a stomachache once or twice. She likes junk foods" Claretha shrugged like she didn't see the problem.

"She's still underweight" the doctor mentioned and Claretha nodded, pushing up her glasses. "Her body is still adjusting to the amount of food she can handle before she'll throw up" Claretha told the doctor who was writing on the clipboard again. "I'm going to prescribe her some pediasure. She doesn't have to drink it everyday but atleast once a week" the doctor said and Claretha nodded.

Claretha stood up, but quickly sat down when she seen the doctor made no effort to get up. 'Guess we aren't done' she thought.

"Your grandchild is stressed Ms. Claretha. The pain from her stomach weren't from the hits, it was her from body reacting to how anxious she was" "stressed from what? She's a child. I'm the one who's stressed" Claretha responded, confused about all the words she was hearing. "Children tend to feed off of that. She can feel and see that you are stressed and if she feels at fault- then it causes her to also stress" Claretha finished, then sighed.

"Bingo. It's no secret about her mom and kids are ruthless to each other. Maybe she needs some time away" "are yuh suggesting I move? I- "no. Maybe a vacation, or counseling" "counseling? Are you trying to call me grandaughta crazy?" Claretha asked and the doctor expected that response. "No, I'm not. Sahari needs psychological help Ms. Claretha" 'and not just because of the bullying' The doctor thought, wishing Claretha could see that.

"She has God doctor. What else does she need?" Claretha asked, rolling her neck as she stood up. The doctor immediately did too.

The doctor put the clipboard to her chest and eyed Claretha, not surprised at all by her reaction. "If you want to help your grandchild you're going to need both God AND Science Ms. Claretha" Claretha kissed her teeth, everything going in one ear and out the other. 'She was just fine, they just took it too far this time' she thought.

"You can dismiss me all you want. I'm telling you this as Sahari's primary doctor and as someone who was once one of your closest friends. You have already lost your child, you do not want to lose your grandchild too. I'll have a nurse give y'all her discharge papers. God bless you and Sahari" the doctor walked away, leaving Claretha in the hallway alone, left with her thoughts.

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Hii. I thought about making the beginning serious but we all knew who was knocking on the door so why not make it unserious? Anyways y'all have a great night! Byeeee 🏃🏾‍♂️

03/14/24