Free Mommy's Angel by Miasha Page B

you?”
    “Where that money at? Where it’s at?” my mom asked me, scratching and sniffing.
    She was skitzin’ and I didn’t know what to do. That was the first time I had seen her like that. I tried to snap her out of it, but she was in her own world, fiending, determined to find my money and get a hit.
    “What money? You don’t have any money in here!” I told her.
    By then Naja woke up.
    “What’s going on?” she asked.
    I got up out my bed and turned on the light.
    “Angel, just give me a couple dollars. Just give me like twenty dollars,” she said. She was sweating and shivering.
    I was scared. I never saw my mom like that. I didn’t want to give her any money, but she needed it so bad. She looked sick and she was acting crazy. I didn’t know what she would do if I didn’t give her some money.
    I went to the closet and took my book bag out.
    “Uhn-uhn. Don’t give her no money,” Naja advised me.
    “Naja! Shut up!” my mom shouted.
    I opened my book bag to take out a twenty and looked up at my sister to give her a look to be quiet. I didn’t want them to get into it, especially while my mom was in that strange state of mind.
    Suddenly my mom snatched the book bag and ran out my room. I chased her down the steps and grabbed her shirt, spinning her around to face me. She hauled off and punched me. I lost my balance and took a few steps back. I didn’t know if it was shock or my mom’s strength that had me feeling like I couldn’t move.
    Naja had my back. She charged at my mom and tried to get my book bag from her. They tugged on it all the way to the front door. Then Marvin showed up. He must have been on the porch the whole time. And I was sure he had put my mom up to stealing from me. He pried Naja’s hands off the book bag and pushed my sister to the ground. Meanwhile my mom hurried off the porch.
    I regained myself and ran to the door. Marvin stopped me in my tracks. He stood in front of me, holding me back by my neck. I started crying and screaming at the same time.
    “I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, MOM! HOW YOU GOIN’ STEAL FROM ME, YOUR OWN DAUGHTER? HOW YOU GOIN’ DO THIS TO ME?”
    I whaled off and started swinging on Marvin. He let me go and ran off the porch. I dropped to the floor, still in the doorway of my house, halfway in and halfway out. I started sobbing uncontrollably. Naja hugged me and cried with me. She knew just as I knew that all the money I had saved was in that book bag—and with it in the hands of Marvin and my mom we were back at square one—stuck there, stuck in that house. I couldn’t take it.
    I jumped up and went upstairs to my room. I started putting clothes on top of my pajamas. I threw on my coat and sneakers and let my hair out of its wrap.
    Naja was right behind me. “Where you goin?” she asked, wiping her eyes.
    “I be back. Stay here with Kindle,” I told her.
    “Where you goin?” she whined.
    “I’m goin’ to Aunt Jackie’s to get my fuckin’ money before that bitch of a mother we got shoot it all up.”
    “Let me go with you. I wanna fuck her up for you,” Naja said, still crying.
    “No. Kindle can’t be here by hisself. I’ll be all right,” I said as I left.
    It was dark and it had gotten cold outside. I speed walked up the street and around the corner. A few smokers were scattered about in front of C&S’s, probably waiting for their dealers. I spoke to the ones that I knew and kept on to Aunt Jackie’s. My heart was racing. I wanted to really hurt my mom and Marvin.
    Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!
    Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!
    I was banging on Aunt Jackie’s door like I was the cops. I didn’t care either. I wanted my money.
    “What the hell?” Aunt Jackie answered the door. “Angel, what is wrong with you? Banging on my door like that this time of night. It better be a life-or-death situation, missy.”
    “Is my mom here?” I asked with an attitude.
    “No, she ain’t here, but come in and tell me what’s going