Free Goddess of Gotham by Amanda Lees

effect.
    At that moment, Badmash squawked.
    The whole place froze for a nanosecond. And then Ma doubled up.
    ‘Awk,’ she shrieked, clutching her gut. ‘Ark, ark,’ she moaned, sinking to the floor. Startled, the agent stared, not knowing what to do.
    ‘My pills,’ groaned Ma, gesturing. ‘Get me my pills, Lola.’
    Lola gaped gummily for a moment then leaped from her chair.
    ‘Here you go, honey’ she crowed, cramming Sweetex into Ma’s mouth. The agent was already retreating, backing towards the door.
    ‘It’s my gut,’ Ma called after him. ‘I get gas reeeeeeeal bad.’
    ‘Ah, yes,’ muttered the agent, not knowing where to look.
    ‘You run along now,’ said Ma. ‘I’m going to be just fine. I can feel these pills working. Lola, you help me up.’
    As she staggered to her feet, Ma let out a giant belch. It was one of her party tricks and, for the agent, the final straw. With one last gulp, he sped out the door and revved his van into
action. As the van disappeared towards the expressway, Ma collapsed in hysterics.
    ‘Did you see that boy’s face?’ she howled, tears of laughter flowing. ‘I swear, I thought he was about to faint.’ She hiccoughed uncontrollably.
    Crawling out from under the towel rack, Kumari retrieved Badmash and clutched him in relief. They were safe, for the moment. She kissed his sticky beak. Mrs Martinez smiled benevolently, unaware
of the damage he had inflicted. In her bag lay the evidence – a small pile of crumbs.
    Kumari felt tears prick her eyes. She had been so scared that they might take him. Badmash was her last link with home. She could not bear it if he were lost. Catching sight of her face, Ma
sobered instantly. Hauling her in for a hug, she held Kumari tight.
    ‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ she said. ‘That man, he’s gone now. Ain’t nobody going to take your bird. Ain’t no one going to take you.’
    On the counter sat the newspaper, the picture grainy but distinct. Despite her words, Ma scented trouble.
    This was not over yet.
    ‘Ms Hernandez?’
    Ma looked up. In front of her stood a stranger. A stranger flanked by two policemen, gazing at her grim-faced.
    The stranger waved a piece of paper.
    ‘I’m from ICE. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This here is a warrant. It orders you to deliver up this child into my protective custody at once.’
    Ma’s arms tightened around Kumari.
    ‘Over my dead body’
    The stranger nodded to the policemen. They moved to Ma’s side.
    ‘You leave me no alternative, Ms Hernandez,’ said the stranger. ‘I am arresting you for the obstruction of justice.’
    And with that, cold steel was clamped around Ma’s wrists as Kumari was torn from her grasp.

CHAPTER 6
    ‘T he nerve of those people,’ said Lisa Anderson, swerving her car into the uptown traffic. Running alon gside, the reporter raised
his camera. Kumari barely registered its flash.
    ‘Don’t you worry, Kumari,’ said Lisa. ‘I’ll have you back home in no time.’
    Kumari blinked back a lurking tear. If only it were possible.
    It did feel strangely good though, to recognise Ma’s block. Better yet to see her face creased up in a big, welcoming smile. She didn’t even mind when Ma squeezed her too tight. It
had been a long, lonely night.
    ‘You’re OK,’ Kumari mumbled into Ma’s chest.
    ‘Of course I am, child,’ said Ma, patting her. ‘Ain’t no one going to hurt your Ma. I know my rights, Kumari.’
    ‘Your Ma.’ It sounded good. Even if it wasn’t strictly accurate. Kumari knew who her Mamma was. But Ma made for a good substitute.
    ‘Now, you sit yourself down, girl,’ said Ma. ‘I got ice cream for you after that pizza.’
    Kumari’s stomach growled in delight. She’d refused to eat until they released her from yet another holding cell.
    ‘I’ll be going now,’ said Lisa Anderson. ‘You won’t forget what we talked about, Ms Hernandez?’
    Kumari caught the look that passed between Lisa and Ma. She could