Sweaters by Heaven Evette Creater (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

“Oh thank you…and sure, you can call me Leelah, only outside of school though.” She said. “I like your name too...how'd you ever get a name like that?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Daniel said its because I got a lot of secrets behind me. I think he was just kidding though.”

I answered. Her smile kinda faded but then she forced it back. “Can I get you anything?” she asked.

“Yea, can you find my doctor please? I need to ask him some thing.”

“Oh, um sure…” she said as she stood up. “I’ll be back.” 

After a few minutes a nurse came in and pulled the little curtain divider back and revealed a boy on the other side. He looked a few years older than me, and I didn’t even know he was here. After the nurse got him situated and left he looked over at me.

“Hey…” he said.

“Sup.” I responded.

“What you in for?” he asked.

“I have no idea, I was at school, and woke up here.” I answered.

“How about you?” I asked.

“Dad burned me with his cigarette, and then my mom pushed me down the stairs….all because I didn’t take out the trash right away.” He answered with a scoff.

“Oh….well that sucks…” 

“Not really, we only have like 6 steps.”

“Apparently enough to knock you out and send you to the hospital…” I said giggling.

He laughed a little bit.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“I’m 9. I’ll be 10 on April 1st.” I explained.

“Hey, my birthday’s April 2nd. I’ll be 12.” He said with a smile.

“I’m Secret, Secret Stone.” 

“I’m Elliot, Elliot Jones.” He smiled back.

“Nice to meet you Ms. Stone.”

“Nice to meet you too Mr. Jones.” I smiled back.

I liked him. He was different, not like the other kids. He kind of reminded me of Carlos. 

“I’m not stayin here though…hospitals creep me out…and they smell like old people.” Eliot announced.

“I agree. I was thinking about breaking out of here. I don’t like hospitals.” I said flatly.

“Yea I mean, why keep us here, we feel alright, so why not let us go home?” he asked.

“I know right. I’m gonna ask my doctor if I can leave. And if he says no, then I’m leaving anyway.” I said.

“Then I’m coming with you. They took my parents away…I don’t give a damn what they say, I’m not goin to no foster home.” He said stubbornly as he folded his arms.

“I can live on my own. I got a job too, I work under the table at a grocery store.” He said. I just looked at him.

“….You work under tables?” I asked.

He laughed a little bit. “Noo, that means I’m working there secretly. Because I’m too young to work, you have to be 16 to get a job.” He explained while giggling.

“Oh, makes sense…I think.” I said.

“Yea…they sending you to a foster home?” he asked.

“Um...I don’t know. But I can live on my own too. I’ve done it before.” I answered trying to impress him.

 “Oh…cool."

It was quiet before a woman walked in.

“Hello you two.” She greeted.

We both looked at each other and then back to her. “Hi…” we both said dryly.

“Elliot, I’m Mrs. Carmichael, your social worker.” She explained. “I’ll be finding you a good home.”

“I’m not going to a foster home. I want to go to my home.” He shot back.

“Oh honey, you have no choice. You’re just a little boy and you need someone to take care of you.” she said while smiling and fixing up the room.

“I can take care of myself!” he said sternly.

She pinched him on the cheek and shook it. “Oh I bet you can sweetie.” She giggled as she strolled out of the room. “Be back later darlings.”

“You see that shit? Screw her, I aint goin to no foster home!” He exclaimed.

“I see. Don’t look like you’ve got much of a choice though.” I said.

“Yea…I guess...I'll cooperate for now, then I'll break free soon.” he replied.

Tamar:

My heart is beating so fast. I don’t know what to say to him. I want to comfort him but I know that he’s angry and won’t let me. I don’t know what to do.

“Why’d you take her from me?” he asked without looking at me.

“…I don’t know…Miguel…” I replied quietly.

He looked at me before looking straight ahead. “You do know…”

“…Miguel…I don’t want to talk about th---.” I started to say.

He jumped up and yelled “You don't wan't to talk about what? This isn't just about you! Why did you take her from me?! You knew that I loved her!”

People looked over at us. Tears filled my eyes as I just looked at him.

He grabbed both of my arms, pulled me close. “Why?”

“I didn’t try to take her…” I choked out.

“What the hell does that mean?” he asked still holding onto my arms, gradually squeezing them harder.

“I didn’t want to…” I said trying not to cry. He just looked at me, right into my eyes. “…Miguel, you’re hurting me.” I whimpered.

He continued to look at me for a minute then he let go. “Why did you take her then?” he asked sternly.

“…Daniel made me…” I answered avoiding his eyes. And…h…he was the one who burned your house down.”

“And you let him…” he said. It sounded more like a statement than a question.

“He said...if I took her, he would give me drugs. I asked what he wanted her for. He told me it was just a dare and if I did it, I could have the drugs.” He didn’t say a word, he just glared at me. “I…I brought her back a few days later, and I saw your house burned down to the ground. Right then I knew Daniel had done it.” I explained. Not a word. “Miguel, you know that I wouldn’t just get up and take Secret from you, I wanted what was best for her and I knew you loved her.” I said.

“You wanted what was best?” he scoffed.

“Yes, that’s why I brought her back! I was on drugs but my mind wasn't completely lost.... I asked people that lived around there have they seen you and they said you were gone, you just…left.” I explained. He just looked at me.

“Well, what the hell was I supposed to do Tamar? Everything I worked for, gone, destroyed, and ruined….was I supposed to stick around and be depressed?” he asked sarcastically. I just looked down.

“You are so irresponsible…” he scoffed.

“Irresponsible?” I asked.

“Yes, first you let a man bribe you into stealing your own daughter…that’s kidnapping Tamar.” He said.

“Second, you just get up and leave her with a man who can’t be trusted and you don’t tell either of them where you’re going, thir---.”

“I can trust him!” I interrupted. He just gave me a confusing look.

“Oh, you can trust him?” he said with a hard stare.

“Yes.” I answered.

“How Tamar? I’m just dying to hear this one.” He said smiling sarcastically.

“Daniel loves her.” I said. He gave me a blank expression.

“He loves her?” he said with a disgusted face.

 “Yes, he does.” I said. He started laughing sarcastically, as he ran his fingers through his hair and talked to himself in Spanish.

“Tamar...I should just slap you right now. But I won't because there are too many people here and I don't feel like being locked up tonight.” I just looked at him.

“So you want to slap me?” I asked.

“I'm really trying not to." He started pacing back and fourth.

He started speaking Spanish and then quickly turned around to face me and grabbed me by my arms again.

“He loves her?!” he asked.

“Yes.” I answered.

“Are we talking about the same kid? If he loves her so damn much, what the fuck is she doing here, is this his way of showing love?!?” he asked. I didn’t understand his question. He started shaking me.

“Do you know that your fucking kid is in here because of him, huh do you know that?” he yelled.

“What are you talking---.” I started to ask.

“He’s been abusing her! That’s love? Is that fucking love Tamar?!?” he yelled.

“If you think it is, you have one fucked up mind!” I just looked at him.

“Oh, you still don’t understand?” he asked with a smile. “He is abusing Secret! You know, your daughter…my kid, he’s poisoning our fucking child! She wears sweaters every single day since you’ve been gone! She doesn’t even have a name, people call her sweaters, that’s her goddamn name to other people!” he screamed.

People had stopped what they were doing and watched us.

“What the hell are you all looking at, mind your business.” He told them.

I went and sat down on the bench. I had no idea that was why she was here, I didn't really think aboutit honestly. Daniel told me she was sick. And I started to cry. I felt betrayed and lost. How could I have been so stupid? I can’t believe this at all. Miguel went to cool himself down in a corner. After a few long minutes, he came and sat next to me.

“Look Tamar, I…I’m sorry I yelled at you but I just needed to tell you the tr---.” He said softly.

“…I trusted him.” I interrupted quietly as I looked straight ahead in a daze.

“…Why?” he asked softly. I just shook my head gently. “…Why did you leave?” he asked curiously. I just looked at him and then down.

“I left to get clean.” I answered simply.

“So you just left her, and you didn’t say anything to anyone?” he asked accusingly.

“I’m not stupid ok! I left her there for a reason!” I yelled. He just glared at me.

“And what reason is that Tamar?” he asked.

“He was the only one I trusted with her!” I shouted.

“Why?!” he yelled back.

“Because, he fucking loved her!” I screamed frustrated with tears down my face. He looked at me shaking his head slowly. “You should have seen him with her! They played all the time, they laughed, he bought her stuff and they spent time together! He’d take her to the park, buy her ice-cream and everything!” I screamed as I wiped my tears. “And even though he drank, he wouldn't drink in front of her, he always went into a different room.” I said softly. Miguel just looked at me.

“I…I was the one who was a total mess…” I said as my words drifted. He looked at me in confusion. I squeezed my hair as I started to cry. “Miguel…” I whimpered as tears ran down my face.

“…what?” he answered aggressively.

“I…I almost…sold Secret when she was 4. It was a few weeks before her birthday, and if Daniel hadn’t stopped me I… we…wouldn’t have her at all.” I said as I broke down and cried. Miguel looked at me and wiped a tear that was sliding down his cheek. “How does someone else take care of your child better than you do? I didn’t even trust myself with her…so I left her.” I said trying to calm myself down. “I wanted what was best for my baby…I wanted to get clean and fix everything, like Daniel did. Daniel was going to rehab and he had got himself a steady job…he was making good money. He bought food and clothes for us both. He even started to be more sober than usual. He even tried going a whole year being sober.” I said drying my tears.

“I wanted to do that, be like him…so after they went to bed I packed my things. I took my locket with her baby picture and put it around her neck when she was asleep. I prayed that she wouldn’t forget me…and then I left. I moved to Tennessee with a friend. She was a nurse and she helped me get clean. I went to rehab everyday so I could get my life together…to get Secret back. And ever since then I’ve never ever touched another drug. I was in night school, and some classes . And now I’m a pre-school teacher, well the assistant.” I explained. Miguel gave me a comforting look. “Miguel, I promise