Charge It To The Game by Blake Karrington, Tonya Blount Page A

okay in there?‖ Miss Rosa yelled from the living room.
    ―Yeah. When did you get here?‖ I snapped.
―I just got here. How are you today?‖
―I‘m fine. How are you?‖
―I‘m doing won-derful,‖ Miss Rosa always sang her
words. ―It is such a beau-ti-ful day. Would you like me to prepare you some breakfast before I get to work?‖
    ―No, I‘m fine.‖ She is just too damn happy. ―I‘ll grab something while I‘m out. Can you make sure you pick up my clothes from the cleaners? The ticket is on the refrigerator.‖
    ―Okay, I will.‖
Ring, Ring.
―Miss Rosa, can you get that for me? If it‘s Taj tell
him I‘m not here.‖
    ―Miss Storm, it‘s the nursing
home.‖ ―The nursing home?‖
―Yes.‖
―Okay. I‘ll pick up the phone in my bedroom.‖
* * * ―I‘m leaving…I‘ll probably be back before you leave,‖ I announced.
―Is everything alright with your aunt?‖ Miss Rosa asked. ―I don‘t know,‖ I answered nervously. ―They said she won‘t eat and she keep asking for me. You know how she is though…she‘ll do anything for some attention.‖
    ―Here, take her this.‖ Miss Rosa handed me a plastic Tupperware container with a huge smile on her face. ―It is her favorite…cho-colate cake. I baked it last night for you.‖
―Thanks,‖ I smiled back. ―I‘m sure she‘ll eat this with no convincing.‖
* * *
    I wasn‘t prepared to see Miss LT in the state that she had forced herself in. I wasn‘t ready for why she had been calling for me. I was never taught how to say goodbye. Folks usually left my life without saying it. No one had ever loved me enough to grant me the closure that came with that single word.
    Grabbing her hand, I looked up at the nurse, ―How long she‘s been like this?‖
―Since yesterday morning.‖
―What happened? She was fine when I was here two weeks ago.‖
    ―I don‘t know, Ms. Williams. She just took a turn for the worst. The doctor examined her and said he couldn‘t find nothing wrong. He think she is just giving up.‖
    I quickly wiped the single tear that fell from my eyes. ―I pay y‘all a lot of money to take care of her. Why didn‘t somebody call me sooner?‖
―I don‘t know. I can‘t answer that.‖
    I looked at her name tag. ―You don‘t know shit, do you Miss. Taylor? You don‘t know what‘s wrong with her. You don‘t know why she‘s sick. What do you know? Huh? I‘ll tell you what…why don‘t you go and make yourself useful and find me the motherfuckin‘ person in this bitch that can answer some damn questions. And on your way, send somebody in here to help me get my aunt dressed. I‘m taking her home with me!‖
As Nurse Taylor began to walk out of the room, Miss LT began to moan.
    ―Hey, Miss LT. Why you trying to scare me? If you wanted to see me you know all you had to do was ask? I‘ma take you home with me. Okay?‖
Miss LT began to clear her throat. ―No,‖ she whispered. ―What? What you say?‖
―I don‘t…I don‘t want to go home with you…this here…this here is my home,‖ Miss LT stammered. ―Well, just come home with me for a few days then.
    They ain‘t taking care of you like they suppose to.‖ ―I‘m fine, baby. I‘m fine right here...‘specially since
you‘re here now.‖
I rubbed her hair and began playing with her long
thick braids. ―Who did your hair?‖
―You did.‖
―I didn‘t put these braids in. These are underbraids,
you know I don‘t know how to underbraid, Miss LT.‖ Miss LT chuckled, ―Oh, that‘s right. That young fast
ass girl that works here at night did it. I don‘t think you met
her before.‖
―Oh, nah, I don‘t think I have. Anyway, they need to
get redone. I‘ll redo it in a few. Look what I brought
you…some of Miss Rosa‘s chocolate cake.‖
―I ain‘t hungry.‖
―Miss LT you gotta eat. They said you ain‘t ate
nothing in two days. You can‘t do that. You gotta eat
something. Please, just a little piece. Do it for me.‖ ―Storm, sit