A Simple life
Chapter One
She's leaving again, Nova whispers to herself as she watches her mom walk downstairs while looking through her purse. I wonder where she goes. Nova thinks confused as she walks away from the window and calls her brother and sister to start cleaning up the house, so she doesn't get in trouble before her mother gets home. It's normal for Nova.
Mom would leave Nova would watch her little brother and sister at this time Nova was 10 at that time she was everybody's keeper. She was just understanding life at that time she was in elementary school and wasn't the best in elementary school. She was bullied by plenty of kids because of her skin color, but she didn't truly mind too much because there were a lot of different people where she lived, so it just made her another joke. Nova had a little brother and sister, her brother related to both mother and father, the sister was just her mother, she didn't genuinely know her little sister's father too much.
She can always remember standing outside on a Friday morning waiting for her dad to pick brother and her up, not wanting to give up but knowing her dad wouldn't come. Gazing at her little brother, she decides to go in the house first because when he sees that she's not bothered, he won't be as bothered.
Nova's mom and dad were married Nova was the first child out of the family, Nova's mom lived a very traumatic life so when meeting Nova's dad he became a guardian for her without being said that the relationship was toxic both sides leading to a divorce and affair, Nova's mom choosing to run away with her and her brother, moving on adding a new addition.
7 years later, he's now leveled up to weekends but fails to come. Nova sighs while walking back into the old front rusty gate., her mom standing at the top of the stairs with a bright red and black bonnet, ready to prove we only needed her it just takes one sentence "Im sorry guys, fuck him". Little brother runs to her mom in pain while Nova calms her anger and sadness.
She didn't care whether she was with her dad or not, she didn't want to be there. She would always hear her mom on the phone with her dad, starting arguments or asking for money and using it, or he couldn't come. Some days she felt for us and it was real. Some days Nova knew her mom already ruined the chance of him coming but wouldn't say it. That line was used every time to tell the difference. Nova would just pay her no mind as she talked of sweets and taking us somewhere to feel better.
As the weekend goes by, Nova usually gets over these feelings, continuing to Monday for a new week. Nova's mom was like a teenager fun, full of stories, and scared. Some days her mom dreaded leaving, and other days she was eager to head out the door as if she didn't have children.
Nova knew her mom was working hard to keep what we had, but on other days something seemed more important. Nova loved her mother and was willing to do anything for her at that time, that's what a big sister's job was.
If she wasn't gone, she would either be out with Nova at the park with her siblings or hanging out downstairs with the neighbor. Nova didn't like the neighbor, if the neighbor was not gone with her mother, she was downstairs yelling at her kids.
Nova would hear cries from her two children as they pleaded with her, but she never gave in. She felt sorry for these kids, but she also felt sorry for herself in a way. Nova's family recently in the days watched child protection services come and take them. Lately, Nova's mom seems to keep to herself.
I'm going to go out and get food, said Nova Mother watch your brother and sister. Nova nodded while running up to the window watching her mom go downstairs waving. A couple of hours went by Nova, not truly worried but alert, checked the window while her brother and sister played in the dirty house. After checking the window another time, she sees four police officers headed upstairs to where she lives.
Knock knock knock, Nova stands on the other side of the door debating if she should open it. A voice from outside says "I know you're in there can you open the door for us, please? Nova stares at her brother alert in the hallway. She opened the door for police officers as they came in they asked her was her parents home, she didn't answer as the other two wandered off into the house looking and pulling out their cameras.
The officers were nice to her, she didn't feel scared when they were talking to her, but she knew this situation wasn't good.
The officer with the smiley face sticker got on his knees and looked at Nova. Where going to go somewhere for a while, when your mom comes home, will let her know, and she'll come to pick you up. Nova was scared looking at her little brother and sister as they regrouped but the rest of us by the front door.
Nova quickly runs into the one bedroom of the apartment and grabs her mother's shirt with thoughts that this might be the last time she sees her. As Nova walks down the stairs, eyes from the windows nearby watch as Nova and her siblings are escorted out the rusty front gate being put in a police car Nova, her brother, and her sister sit in the back of the police car. She stares out the window watching her mom walk up with fear in her eyes. Her brother screams, all she can do is stare while gripping her mother's shirt more in more as she screams her name.
The police car leaves Nova cried a few tears before wiping them, realizing better siblings were watching her, and they didn't understand the situation either. The police officer in the front tried to make and feel better, but the car was silent. Nova stares out that window the whole way there. When they finally got there, all she could notice was Big Brown buildings. It looked like the prison she saw on TV, this was the Polanski Center.
Nova and her siblings walked into the lobby and a beautiful woman with a pink cross shirt pin walked up and asked to take a picture of us with her Polaroid camera, too scared to refuse, we took the picture l. After the picture was over, the lady explained to them that they would be separating, Nova's little sister going to the nursery because she was about 2 and her brother going with her to the big kids section but for boys. Nova started to cry. She kissed her little sister who seemed to be clueless and sleepy throughout this entire event, Nova giggled at her.
Nova and her brother were escorted out of the lobby and into the big kid's lobby. Nova didn't see any kids. It was quiet. It seemed like it was already time to go to bed. Nova and her brother looked at each other as they were led upstairs to a room filled with clothes with the smell of mothballs and bleach, this wasn't home she thought while receiving black and white shoes.
These items were given to Nova and her brother to wear on now own, as if their old clothes had the last bit of identity they needed to take. Reluctant but scared, one staff was kind enough to let her keep the shirt without even asking what it was like he knew it was a parent's item.
They continue out of the room filled with clothes. Nova and her brother are now separated no goodbye, just stares. Nova was led to a room with marble floors, two beds that reminded her of the hospital, and a window that was too small to look in, Nova sat on the bed squeezing and smelling her mother's shirt. I'd never sleep again, she whispered while crying.
