Free That Girl Is Poison by Tia Hines

Humph.” She smirked.
    Uncle Frank lifted his index finger. “Linda, now last night you went overboard. Don’t you dare.”
    â€œI hate you, Auntie Linda!” I yelled. “It’s all your fault anyway!” I ran to my room. I slammed my door and sat in the same place I’d hid Greg—the closet.
    Uncle Frank came in some minutes later and found me. “Desire, come out of the closet for a second. I want to show you something.”
    I was reluctant at first, but this was Uncle Frank. There was no reason to be stubborn with him, even if he did give me the silent treatment sometimes.
    I came out of the closet slowly and noticed he had a crisp black-and-white photo in his hand of two young boys with their arms around each other’s neck. “Who’s that?”
    â€œThat’s me and your grandfather, my brother. He always thought he was the boss of me,” Uncle Frank reminisced.
    â€œWho’s older?”
    â€œTake a guess.”
    He handed me the photo, and I analyzed it. “He was the oldest,” I said, pointing to my grandfather.
    â€œNope. He was three years younger than me, believe it or not.”
    â€œBut he’s so much bigger than you.”
    â€œI know. That’s how he got his name Li’l Big Man. He got his height from Daddy, and I took after Mama.”
    â€œHe’s dead now, right?”
    â€œYes, your grandfather Eddie died some time ago, before you were born. It kills me to this day to even talk about it. It all happened right before my eyes too.”
    I thought he was about to cry, but he just balled up his fist and continued to talk.
    â€œYou know, he was always the courageous type. He always wanted to help somebody. Sort of like your friend Greg. Anyway, one afternoon he and I were walking home from work, and he noticed these teenage guys shoving this girl around. Before I could stop him, he got himself in the middle of it.
    â€œIt was about six guys, but he didn’t care. I tried to talk him out of it. He was persistent though. He wanted to help this young lady. He always had a thing about protecting women. But, anyway, her clothes were ripped, and these guys were just tormenting her, and tossing her every which way within their circle.
    â€œEddie, being a macho man, spoke no words and went in, fists first. He knocked a couple of guys down, and I had no other choice but to jump in. We ran the boys off.
    â€œI had run ahead of Eddie. I was always the faster one. But when I stopped to catch my breath, I turned around and noticed he was way behind me, moving funny. That instant, he fell to the ground. He was having one of his seizures again. I ran over to him, but there was nothing I could do. The seizure was too far along.”
    â€œWhat made him have seizures?”
    â€œI don’t know. But I tell you what I do know.”
    He blinked repeatedly. I guess, to hold back tears.
    â€œI was sad for a while, ’cause it hit me hard. I was in his presence, and I was unable to save his life. I didn’t let it stop me though. I didn’t let it stop me from going on with my life. That stayed with me for a long time, but I had to let it go. I couldn’t let being guilty for anything hold me down. I had to be strong, especially for your mom and the family. Your mother was just getting through college. She couldn’t get anyone weak in her corner. I had to get it together. And I’m not saying you may not cry here and there, because you will. But try to think about the good times you all had. Laugh your cries away. It helps. Believe you me.”
    â€œYeah, Greg was a joker.” I laughed, picturing him being silly.
    â€œSee, there you go. I wish I could have gotten better acquainted with him. I knew he was a good person, despite what I’ve heard.”
    â€œYeah, he was like the big brother I never had and . . . and now he’s gone,” I cried.
    The tears flowed, and Uncle Frank