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

“No, I’m good.” I responded. I took my extra sweater out my bag and used it as a pillow and went to sleep till it was time to go home.

When I got home, the house was trashed and Daniel was nowhere to be found. I started to clean back up and waited till he came home. He didn’t. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him but I’m used to it, he does this often. One time he left me for at least a whole month. I’m glad I keep a secret stash of food in my room under the floor boards.

I always knew it would come in handy, but I have to keep it hidden or he’d probably take it. I’m glad I can cook a little bit too, simple stuff, or I would have been assed out. It feels cool to live by myself. Where no one can hurt me or watch me be hurt. But people are suspicious, like our nosey neighbor Mrs. Jenkins. She lives in 3B and we live in 3A and I need more clothes for when winter comes.

One day Daniel finally came home. But he had this woman with him. He was dressed real nice and so was she. She looked like she had money so of course Daniel needed to play his part. That’s how he did girls. He’d pretend to be something he’s not, have me play along until he wiped their bank accounts. Then out to the streets they go. I feel bad for them, but mostly I feel bad for Daniel. Seems like he actually likes this one I think.

I don't understand him. It's like he seems to care about me or anything for that matter, but then again, he acts like he doesn’t. On some days, he buys me stuff and tells me I’m a good girl, that’s if I do what he says. Then on other days...he's just not that good person I thought he was. I think that's why my mom left...but why'd she leave me? That question burns me at the core and makes me mad at her like hell. I don’t know how I feel about it.

Secret:

When I met the lady, she didn’t seem pleasant at all. Daniel made me introduce myself.

“Hi…my name’s Se---.” She interrupted me.

“Danny….you didn’t tell me you had a kid.” She said kind of disappointed.

“She isn’t mine. She--.” She cut him off as well.

“Well then why is she here?” she asked ignorantly.

I don’t like this bitch already and it’s only been five minutes. “I…I just take care of her.” He replied. “Why?” she asked.

“I…don’t know, I just do.” he replied as he looked down.

She didn’t say anything, she just stared at me. I looked away though.

“She’s a good girl though…she won’t cause no trouble…right Secret?” he asked. Daniel knew how I was. He knew if I had a chance I would curse the tramp clean out. I just looked at him. “Right?” He said sternly.

“Yea...no trouble.” I replied.

“Now, Miss Divine will be stayin with us for a while.” He said.

I looked at him like he just spoke a different language.

“Don’t look at me like that. She gon be a good house guest and you gon respect her, understand?” he explained.

“Yea.” I said flatly.

“That’s yes sir. While I’m here, you’re going to learn some manners.” Miss Divine said. I said nothing.

“Secret, go in your room, we need to talk.” Daniel said.

I went in and sat on the bed. Daniel came in and stood in front of me. “Aye, don’t start no shit. I really like this one this time and if you blow it for me, you gon regret it, got it?” he explained.

I said nothing so, he grabbed me by my arm.

“Secret, don’t fuckin play with me! Now I asked you a question, do you understand me?”

“Yes!” I said quickly. Now I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not scared of this maniac, this dude’s crazy as hell.

He released me by throwing me on the floor. I almost hit my head on the bed rail. Still hurts either way.

“Don’t come out unless I tell you.” he said angrily as he walked out and slammed the door.

I sat in there for most of the day. I had to pee really bad. I heard some of their conversation from my room.

“Is she eating with us?” The Devil said. That’s what I call her, cuz there ain’t nothing divine about that woman.

“She?” he asked confused.

“The kid in the room.”

“Um…I don’t…you want her to?”

“Sure…I would love to get to know the kid. Lay down some rules, if that’s ok.”

“Its fine…” I can tell he wasn’t really comfortable with the idea by the way he replied to her.

He came in and stood by the doorway. I got up and went to the bathroom. When I came out, they both were sitting at the table already.

“Come sit down.” Devil said.

I sat down across from her and Daniel was on the end. I looked at the plate of food.

“It’s meatloaf, cabbage, and mashed potatoes with gravy.” She said with a phony smile.

“It looks very delicious.” Daniel smiled. Delicious? That’s a big word for him. Looks like shit to me.

“Right Secret?” he asked me.

“Yes.” I said flatly.

“Yes what?” she asked trying to correct me. “

Yes Daniel, this meal looks very delicious.” I said sarcastically.

She looked at me with a disgusted face. I didn’t give a fuck.

“Well, let’s enjoy the meal you prepared.” Daniel said trying to fix the mood. He glanced over at me and gave me a hard stare.

“You’re not eating.” She said. I didn’t know if it was a question or a statement.

“I’m not really hungry.” I told her. And this looks like shit, I wanted to add.

“We don’t waste food.” She said. “I can eat it later.” I retorted.

“Watch your tone.” Daniel cut in. I just looked at him.

“Little girl, let me give you some rules here.” She said folding her hands.

“First, watch that attitude of yours. Second, when we instruct you to do something, you do it. Got it?” she explained. I didn’t say a word.

“Secret, she’s talking to you.” Daniel said sternly.

I still said nothing. He got up from the table and secretly grabbed me by my ponytail and threw me in the room.

“Now you get nothing to eat!” He yelled silently. I secretly laughed at how fuckin stupid he was. “Keep on. Your silence gon jeopardize your very existence!” He whispered. His threat sent chills down my spine…because I believed him. I went to the door and it was locked.

I couldn't get out unless someone unlocked it from the outside. He had the door made that way because when I was smaller I would wander the house when he was asleep and try to leave the apartment. I made myself a ham and cheese sandwich with some miracle whip. I got a roll of paper towels and a big bag of chips from my closet and dumped a few chips onto the paper towel. I had a nice meal. Today was Friday. Winter is finally here and it’s freezing. They left me in that room all weekend. I used the bathroom in some empty water bottles. On Sunday night I heard them talking about me, but I couldn’t understand most of it because they had the radio on.

“You need to move.” I heard her say. “This apartment is crappy and will never work for me. Look Danny…we’ve been seeing each other for a while now…and I think we need to step it up a notch. I mean marriage; I’m not getting any younger.

"I agree with you but, baby…I just can’t leave. I got a job, I go to rehab every once in a while and I gotta take care of her.” He explained.

“Are you kidding me Daniel? I have money, we could move into a house away from here. Find you a better job, better rehab center and you don’t have to take care of her anymore. How did you get stuck with her anyways?” she asked.

“Her mama left and didn’t take her with her. I use her as my own little slave sometimes. I know I treat her wrong, but I can’t help it, certain things she does just irritate the hell out of me. Like when she stays quiet when you say sum to her, or when she looks at people in certain ways. Just like her damn mama, and me drinking don’t help at all.” He explained.

“Well …why do you put up with her?” she asked.

“Because….where she gon go? I can’t just leave her on the streets. She’s a little girl still. Plus, why waste her when I can have my own lil maid. You see the house stays clean right?”

He answered. That dirty bastard.

“How old?” she asked really surprised.

“I don’t know, I don’t really remember her last birthday…I don’t even know her birthday. I know she around 9, 10 or maybe 11. I don’t know.” He said.

“Well, I don’t like her at all. She already has a little attitude, if we do keep her as our maid, she could get rebellious as she gets older and not do what we tell her. Then we’ll have a problem, I say we get rid of her.” She said.

“…Well how then?” he asked.

“Beat her some more, I know you already do.” She said almost giggling.

“In fact…I have a better idea…” she said. I couldn’t hear them anymore. I think they started to whisper because a few minutes later I heard him yell out

“Hell naw!” “What do you mean no!?” she yelled back.

“You don’t care about her, and she can’t go anywhere else! It worked for my parents. And it’s the beginning of winter, a perfect time for it!” she yelled while whispering.

“Man…I can’t do that! She’s a little girl, I know she a brat but she don’t deserve that…not at all!” he yelled in a whisper. “…and you…you did that to your own parents? Why?” he asked in shock.

“Because Daniel, I needed things. I read their wills. They've got the green and they gave everything to my sister and me. But we just couldn’t wait. They were too healthy. It had to be done so…we did it.” You can hear the pride in her voice.

“Besides…you don’t care about her do you?” she asked in disbelief.

“I mean...I …I don’t know. I’ve been around her since she was a born. She even got my last name; I just had her since she was five. That's when her mama left.” He explained.

“Look, how bout…I just find her somewhere else to go?” he asked. It was quiet for a moment.

“Fine, but you have till the morning, starting now. If you don’t find someone else to take her then we do it my way, understand?” she asked.

“Morning? That's not enough time Sheila! You really want this don’t you? You crazy...” He said in his pissed off voice.

“Crazy and all yours baby” she said seductively. I heard a kiss sound as I had my ear against the door.

“Fine.” I finally heard him say.

Still listening, I heard the front door open and radio go down a little. I heard a distant knock at the door and Mrs. Jenkins voice.

“Aye, what the hell you want Daniel? It’s almost 11:00