Free Olivia by M'Renee Allen Page A

Her mother was overly dramatic. Nothing was going to happen to Ayanna.
    Ayanna was perfectly safe with her father. And Kelvin was a great dad. He loved their daughter. It was his cheating ways that ruined their marriage, not his ability to take care of their child.
    “Dana, I think you’re making a big mistake sweetie. I can feel it in my bones.”
    “Mama, that’s your arthritis.”
    “Don’t sass me, child. I don’t like this feeling. Something bad is going to happen and you’re not trying to do anything to stop it.”
    “Okay, mom.” Dana slid the sandwiches into Ayanna’s lunch box. She didn’t have time for her mother to start lecturing to her about returning to her New Orleans roots. She didn’t believe in that voodoo mess the way the rest of her eccentric family did.
    “Let me teach you a spell real quick. It’s for protection. All you need is a few items…”
    Not happening . “Well, look at the time mom. I have to go. Kelvin will be here any moment and I’m not done packing Ayanna’s bags. I don’t want him to have to wait long for Ayanna to get ready. You know the man doesn’t see well at night.”
    “Another reason why you shouldn’t be sending my grandbaby to him. If you won’t say a protection spell over that baby, I will.”
    Dana sighed, “Bye ma, I have to go.”
    “Okay, but before you go, I wanted to tell you that though I’m not happy Ayanna is going away with that man, I’m glad you’re having a girls’ night with your friends while she’s away. You deserve it.”
    Her mother was right. She did deserve it. Though she was going to miss the hell out of her baby, she couldn’t deny she was excited to have her friends, Kiera and Shelly, come over tonight.
    “Thanks, ma, but I really have to go. Oh and before I forget, Ayanna said thank you for the dolls you sent her. That’s probably what she’s up there doing now, playing with those dolls instead of gathering the toys she wants to take on her trip.”
    “She’s a child. She’s supposed to play with her toys. Stop trying to make her grow up fast. And tell her Granny loves her.”
    “Yes, ma, I’ll tell her you love her. Bye.”
    Dana released a sigh of relief once she hung up the phone. Her mother may be old, but she was damn sure long winded. Calling her daughter’s name as she went, Dana made her way up the staircase to see what was taking Ayanna so long. She found her daughter sitting on her bed playing with a purple and blue teddy bear.
    “Ayanna, your dad will be here soon. I’ve got your clothes packed. Now you need to pick three toys to take with you.”
    “Just three?” Her curly haired baby whined. “But granny sent me so many. I don’t know which to choose.”
    Her mother really was going to have to stop spoiling Ayanna the way she did. “Just choose the three you like most for now. The rest will be waiting on you when you return.”
    “But I like them all.”
    “Ayanna choose three, or leave them all here.”
    “Okay, okay.”
    As Ayanna sorted through the toys, Dana walked to the foot of the bed to grab her daughter’s suitcase. She nearly screamed at what she found peeking from under the bed. Her hand flew to her chest as her heart raced.
    How the hell did that get down there?
    A hideous doll wearing a tattered dress stared up at her. Dana bent down and picked the doll up. Though small, the toy was rather heavy. Frowning, she turned to her daughter, showing her the terrible looking doll.
    “Did granny give you this one too?”
    Ayanna eyed the doll. Scrunching her face up she said, “Ew. No, granny didn’t send me that. Where did you get it? It stinks, mommy.”
    It did stink. It smelled old, like it had been stuffed in a closet filled with mothballs for years. Her mother would never give her daughter something this horrific. It must’ve belonged to the family who lived there before them. How the hell had it gotten under her daughter’s bed?
    “I’m going throw it away, okay.”
    Leaning