Throwing her bike to the ground, Raven walked into her house. Blair was in the kitchen with the music blasting. Raven heard Lauryn Hill and Nas singing about if they ruled the world. She smelled her mom’s delightful cooking from the front door, and her stomach growled. She could tell her mom was in a good mood.
“Where are you coming from, baby girl?”
“I texted you and dropped my location.”
Blair grabbed her phone and scrolled. She was new to the iPhone world and was still learning to navigate the features. “How do I find that?” she pressed the screen.
Raven grabbed her phone to show her how to track her location for the third time.
“I missed that, sorry. How was the lake today?” Blair asked.
Raven told her mom about how bookoo people formed a circle around them while she danced. Blair listened intently to Raven; she always listened intently. Raven loved how her mom dropped everything to hear her.
“Ray, I told you, baby girl, you have a gift. People are only telling you what they see, but you have to see it.”
“Whatcha cooking, Mom?” Raven changed the subject. She wasn’t ready to talk about dancing professionally or in front of large groups of people. Even though she was still on a high from the lake, it also made her feel nervous. She didn’t know if people could believe in her that way.
Blair swatted at Raven with a spoon. “First of all, curry chicken and rice; second, don’t be shushing me.”
Raven grabbed a cookie from behind her mom’s back and Blair yelled, “and stay out them cookies!” Raven updated Blair about her day, especially about lunch and their different schedules.
“Well, maybe it’s for the best. Smaller classes and fewer people in lunch doesn’t sound so bad,” Blair contended. Raven also informed her about the cold hamburger she refused to eat, and she wondered if she should tell her mom about Amir. Technically, there wasn’t anything to tell, but her heart jumped at the thought.
The girls had been boy-crazed, and Raven met a few boys she spent long summer nights conversing with on the front stoop. She kept to her friends or herself, where she was comfortable, most of the time.
This was not a comfortable feeling though, and she wasn’t even sure what the feeling was. Raven decided not to tell her mom just yet. How could she talk about something out loud when she hadn’t even figured out the words in her head? The front door opened, and Mr. Jamison strolled into the kitchen, kissed Blair’s forehead, and slapped her butt.
“Hey lover,” her mom cooed, stirring the food. Khalil stuck his chest out a little prouder, making Raven giggle.
“Whatcha cookin’ good lookin’?”
“Chicken and rice. Go get changed, it’s almost done.”
Raven was glad her dad was home. He made everything better. Everything was better when they were all together, the three of them.
“And how was our first day of school, Ms. Jamison?” Khalil winked at Raven.
“It was fine, slayed a couple of dragons and still made it home in time for dinner. A light day.” Her parents burst out laughing, and soon, so did Raven. For someone with bad nerves, Raven’s parents didn’t know just how accurate the description of her day was.
Raven set the table in the dining room; it was always her job. Her mom used to say when she was younger 'the world is mean, it’s nice to come home to a smile and tell someone about your time away.’ Khalil was a little indifferent. He would rather watch a Saints’ game in front of the TV. But he loved Blair, so he went along with most things. Raven vowed when she got older that she would have dinner together every night, too, like her mom required. Blair lit candles around the dining room and turned off the music. Khalil ran down the stairs, and he was wearing a Lake Lacroix PD t-shirt and ball shorts.
“So, Ms. Jamison, let’s huddle up,” Khalil teased. He took Raven’s fork and scooped food onto his plate.
“Dad!” Raven yelled, going to get another fork.
Every night for dinner, the family had what they called, Huddle. The trio asked each other to share a high and a low from their day. Blair used to work in a hospital, and she said they held a daily meeting called Huddle to make sure nothing was overlooked, and everyone was communicating. At first, Raven was leery about it. She assumed Blair overheard her on the phone talking to Nia about something, and Blair was trying to do reverse psychology on her. Once Raven and Khalil realized that Huddle was just conversation, they eased up.
“So, what is your high from today?” Blair asked.
Raven started off slowly. “My first day was good.” Her dad barely listened as he inhaled his food. He chewed with his mouth wide open and made sucking noises with his teeth along the way.
“That’s great, Ray,” he coughed as he stuffed rice in his mouth. Blair interrupted and told Khalil about the girls dancing at the lake today. Blair was excited and barely let Raven get a word in. Raven tried to fill in the parts as best she could, but her mom was on a roll.
“Dirty dancing at the docks, are we now, baby girl?” Khalil snickered.
“No, it wasn’t like that, Dad!”
Raven told them how it felt when something came over her, and she had a hard time being still. Raven told them how she was nervous, but when people came and formed a circle around them, she just came alive. Raven even repeated what the woman said to her after the music had gone off. Raven must’ve talked and talked because her dad stared at her earnestly, and her mom had tears in her eyes. Blair dabbed at her face and said her allergies were acting up.
“Baby girl,” her dad whispered. “You do have a gift. The world sees it.”
Raven fiddled with her food on her plate. She didn’t change the subject this time.
“So—” Blair interjected. “Any lows? What could you have done differently today?”
Raven thought for a second and continued playing with her food. She considered the worst parts of her day: her role with her friends, how she met Amir, and her continued beef with Taylor. Was Raven making some things bigger than it had to be? Did anything really go wrong today? No, no, it did not.
“I don’t think I would change a thing,” Raven admitted. Blair and Khalil shared a brief glance.
Khalil breathed, “Me, too, baby girl. That will be my answer for the day, too. In fact, Blair—that is my answer. Next!” He nodded his head at Raven.
“Mom, your turn since you always enjoy putting us on the spot!”
“Yeah, Mom, go,” Khalil mimicked Raven.
“Ummm.” Blair shifted in her seat. “Cocina stopped by the gallery today.”
Khalil choked on his food and a vein bulged in his temple. “Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder why she didn’t come to the station?” Khalil mulled.
“K, why would someone who uses drugs want to go to a police station? Every time she’s been there, she’s been in handcuffs.”
Khalil was quiet. Raven watched their interaction. She knew when to take a back seat. “Well, what did she say? She didn’t even call me.” Khalil stopped eating.
Blair moved food around on her plate and avoided Khalil’s eyes. “She asked if we could take in Carter.”
Raven’s interest piqued. Khalil’s breathing slowed.
“She said CPS has been knocking, telling her if she doesn’t stop with . . .with the drugs. . . they will take Carter away.”
“Blair—” Khalil interrupted.
Blair put her hand up and continued talking, “Carter should have better experiences. Family experiences. I agree with Cocina, and I think we should take Carter in while she gets herself together. He needs us. They both do.”
Raven’s head darted back and forth between her mom and dad. She waited for her dad’s reaction while holding her breath. He was quiet.
“I’ll tell you what, you teach one art camp for kids over the summer and now you’re a social worker, huh?” They all cracked up and the tension melted away. Raven stopped holding her breath. Was Carter really coming to live with them? Would it be like living with Austin? The horror. Carter stayed for a few months a couple years ago, but it didn’t last long. Aunt Cocina showed up one afternoon and said she missed her son and was ‘better.’ She took Carter home and said that she would kick this on her own. Their family had been at odds ever since; it was still a touchy subject.
“We’ll talk about this later, woman,” he said. “Wait, now that I think about it, was that your Huddle? Don’t you skate out of Huddle,” Khalil retorted.
“Both, I think.” Blair was thoughtful. “I think we should take Carter in. That’s my high. And what could I do differently? I think we should’ve done this a long time ago.”
“Mmmmm,” Khalil grunted.
“Now you go, Mr. Jamison,” Blair said.
“You know, slayed a couple dragons today, light work,” he looked at Raven and winked again.
“We got free coffee and donuts this morning at Dunkin Donuts.”
“Flirting with the ladies and accepting bribes, I see. Isn’t that some sort of ethics violation or something?” Blair teased.
“I have to make sure the community is safe,” Khalil chuckled.
“Umm, and one thing I could’ve done differently…I could’ve rode out to Lake Lacroix where Raven was shaking her tail and put the sirens on.”
This was her family, she grinned to herself.
After Raven cleaned the kitchen, she got ready for bed. Her bedroom was at the end of the hallway and had a jack and jill bathroom. The other side of her bedroom was their guest room. Most days, it lay empty unless Nana spent the night, but that was rare. Raven wondered if the room would soon be occupied.
A few months ago, Raven overheard her mom and dad arguing about Carter coming to live with them. Khalil believed Cocina should go to rehab first. Blair agreed, but she believed Carter should come live with them while Cocina got herself together. Raven’s mom said in a soft voice, “Raven needs to know her family. She has no other cousins. Blood relatives. It’s just us. We need to make this right.” Raven wanted to run in there and scream, “I’m just fine, Mom! He can come to visit, but he gots to go!”
Only tonight, after dinner, she wasn’t so sure she felt the same way anymore. Maybe Raven had been selfish by not wanting her life to change. Cocina was fun when Raven spent time with her. She cursed everyone out, but Raven never saw her with any drugs. Raven didn’t know whether she had been naïve and missed all the signs, or if she only saw the best in Cocina.
Raven heard her parents still downstairs in the kitchen. “Khalil, this is your nephew. He needs us, and you know she’s not raising him right,” Blair said.
“It’s not about raising him, Blair. Cocina is toxic. That’s my sister, and I love her, but I’m just not sure about this one, baby. Remember the last time he stayed for a couple weeks? Cocina called all hours of the night, came by at midnight to drop off his lunchbox. Signed him out of school that one day, talking about she was taking him to get ice-cream. Do you know how embarrassing that shit is? My own station being called to go search for my sister and nephew! And they find them at a Dairy Queen three towns over?! I’m sorry, Blair. . . I like the life we’ve created—matter of fact!” Khalil’s voice rose even louder. Raven hadn’t heard him this upset in a while. “We don’t even know who Carter’s dad is. Cocina has told no one if she even knows. What are we supposed to do with that? Blair? What?”
The silence was deafening, and it made Raven nervous.
She showered and settled into bed. She was about to shut off the light when she heard a knock at the front door. Raven looked at her cell phone: 11:15 p.m. Raven threw the blanket back and stood at the top of the steps in her robe and slippers. Her hair was still wet from the shower. Someone banged on the door a second time, this time louder and with more force. Whoever it was behind the door wanted their attention.
Khalil looked over his shoulder at Raven standing at the top of the steps. He gave her a weak smile before he opened the door. Blair stood off to the back, by the kitchen. With the door wide open, there stood Carter with a few trash bags, a scowl, and an older white lady with a clipboard.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jamison?” The white woman didn’t look up from her clipboard addressing them.
Khalil and Blair nodded their heads.
“I’m Ms. Cottman, from DCFS,” she said, popping gum in her mouth. “Ms. Cocina Jamison listed you as the first placement choice for Carter.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let me start over, I apologize. The State of Louisiana had to take custody of Mr. Carter Jamison here because of concerns with Ms. Jamison’s parenting abilities. We asked if she had any biological family that Carter could stay with, and if not, he would have to be placed in foster care. She indicated that you could take him in. I apologize that I could not call. We had some issues getting Carter out of the home, and I lost my cell phone.” Ms. Cottman continued looking at her clipboard and popped gum in her mouth. Khalil noticed the police officers standing behind Ms. Cottman. His colleagues.
“So, are you able to take him?”
“Uhh yes, yes, of course.” Blair nodded and stepped out from beyond the kitchen. She tightened her robe around her waist.
Khalil stood frozen in silence.
“Carter, come in here, honey.” Blair said.
Carter shuffled into the house with a grimace on his face, dragging his trash bags. Raven stood motionless at the top of the steps, watching this encounter unfold in front of her. It all happened so fast.
“I’ll bring the rest of his things tomorrow, and I’ll be back to discuss the details, housing requirements, and answer any questions that you may have.” Ms. Cottman handed Khalil a yellow piece of paper.
Khalil read the form, already knowing what it said. He was familiar with DCFS paperwork. He helped serve this kind of paper many times at the station. Khalil looked behind Ms. Cottman at the officers. They nodded their heads at Khalil out of respect before they turned away and escorted Ms. Cottman to her car. The officers and Ms. Cottman shared a laugh at something only they heard.
Khalil’s jaw tightened. All hell broke loose in one day.