Chapter 3
Danielle
Jayda pulled her black Ford Focus into the parking lot of Freedman Elementary School. Danielle released her seat belt and jumped out of the car along with Jayda, while Brenda and Lauren decided to wait in the vehicle. The girls walked into the building and were greeted by the secretary in the front office.
“Hi, Danielle. Hey, Jayda,” the woman greeted them.
Danielle waved to the middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair. “Hi, Mrs. Leola. How are you today?”
“I’m blessed as always. Are you girls excited to be almost out of high school?” Mrs. Leola asked both girls.
Both girls nodded so hard that they looked like life-sized bobble-head dolls.
“I’ll take that as you’re itching to graduate.” The woman laughed. “Well, I know you’re here for pickup, so you can go on back.” She motioned for the girls to head toward the afterschool program facility.
Danielle walked ahead of Jayda and turned down a decorative hall with walls covered in finger paintings and drawings. She entered one of the kindergarten classrooms where the elementary school housed its aftercare program. The program had been set up for children whose parents or caretakers were unable to pick them up once regular school hours were over. When Danielle entered the room, a small girl in braids ran toward her with a wide smile.
“Mommy!” the girl squealed with delight.
Danielle opened her arms and received her daughter. “Hey, sweetie. How was preschool today?”
“Fun,” the girl answered, and looked toward Jayda. “Hi, Jayda.”
“Hey, Kennedi.” Jayda smiled down at the four-year-old.
The last four years had been slightly harder on Danielle than they had been on the rest of her friends. At the age of thirteen, she learned she was pregnant, and had decided to keep the child despite the fact that her boyfriend persistently denied parental responsibility. Her mother refused to allow her to drop out of school, but she also refused to allow Danielle to become a charity case, so she was forced to get a weekend job that paid well enough for her to take care of her child. On weekends that Danielle worked, her mother was compassionate enough to keep Kennedi. Danielle had her hard times, especially when Kennedi was younger and would get sick or would misbehave, causing Danielle to miss work or school, but as the years passed things became routine.
Kennedi was a very active four-year-old. She loved to run around with her friends and have fun, just like most four-year-olds. She loved to shop, which was something Danielle was trying to break her out of. Though she loved to shop herself, most times when Kennedi wanted to spend a day at the mall, Danielle’s funds wouldn’t permit it. Kennedi also loved getting her way, which sometimes caused friction between Danielle’s tendency to allow her daughter to have what she wanted and her motherly instinct that told her if she allowed the child to control her now, she would still be in control later.
“Come on, we’re going to the store before we go home,” Danielle told Kennedi.
The young girl’s eyes opened wide and she jumped up and down. “Let’s go, Mommy.” She grabbed Danielle’s hand and pulled her toward the exit. “Bye, everybody.” She waved to her friends as she practically dragged Danielle out of the door.
After Danielle situated Kennedi in the car, between herself and Brenda, Jayda headed toward the mall. Lauren and Brenda quickly got out of the car and headed toward the entrance, while Jayda waited for Danielle to help Kennedi out of the car. As soon as Kennedi placed her feet on the ground, she ran toward the mall eagerly.
“Kennedi!” Danielle’s heart nearly stopped when she saw a car slam on its brakes as her daughter carelessly continued running until she reached Lauren and Brenda, who were waiting for them. “Kennedi Camille Brookes! I’m ’bout to beat your behind,” she threatened as she and Jayda crossed the street after the car had passed.
Danielle grabbed Kennedi by the arm and smacked her behind one good time, causing tears to flood the girl’s eyes.
“Dang, Danni.” Brenda scowled. “You ain’t have to hit her like that.”
“Bre, please don’t tell me how to raise my daughter. How’s she gonna learn if I don’t teach her?” Danielle rolled her eyes. “Now, Kennedi, I’ve told you about running off like that. You almost got hit by that car back there. The stores ain’t going nowhere. You stay with me. Now, give me your hand,” she commanded.
Lauren shook her head at how strict Danielle was being, but Danielle simply ignored the gesture. Her friends just didn’t understand.
Lauren opened the mall’s door. “Come on y’all. I wanna get to 5-7-9. They got this sale that I don’t wanna miss.”
They walked into the mall full of young shoppers; many of them had come straight from school. During this time of the year, everyone was stocking up on clothes for the spring for less than half the usual price.
“Mommy, I wanna go over there,” Kennedi said, pointing toward a store full of kids’ clothing. Danielle knew Kennedi recognized the store as one they sometimes visited when they came to the mall.
“No, Kennedi,” Danielle said, pulling her along. “We’re going to a different store.”
Kennedi snatched her hand away from Danielle. “Nooo, I wanna go over there,” she whined.
Danielle looked down at Kennedi, raising her hand as if threatening to physically reprimand her. Immediately, Kennedi grabbed her mother’s hand and continued walking with the girls.
They entered 5-7-9 and Jayda, Lauren, and Brenda began looking through clothes while Danielle perused the jewelry, purses, and other accessories.
“Whew, I’m glad coach cancelled practice today. I didn’t feel like going anyway.” Lauren sighed as she admired a long-sleeved, yellow V-neck top.
“I know, but we do have a game tomorrow, so you know she’s gonna work us overtime in practice before we go out on the court.” Jayda grimaced as she sorted through the rack of jeans. “So I would’ve rather had practice today and been able to relax a little before the game tomorrow.”
Brenda shrugged her shoulders. “Regardless of all that, you guys always put on a great show, so it seems like it would be worth the overtime to me.” It almost seemed as if she wouldn’t have even been listening to the conversation with the way she was studying her reflection in a mirror that hung over the jewelry stand.
“Yeah, I guess.” Jayda breathed heavily.
“You know, y’all make me sick when y’all bring me to this skinny-mini store, knowing I can’t wear a doggone thing in here,” Danielle complained, interrupting their conversation. “All I ever get are some earrings or something that will turn colors after a few weeks.”
Lauren laughed. “Well, you should’ve taken your daughter to get some new spring outfits instead of coming over here with us.”
Danielle sighed. “Kennedi, come on,” she called to her daughter, who was playing with necklaces. “I’m only getting two outfits because Grandma just bought you some clothes last month.”
“Yay!” Kennedi grabbed her mother’s hand and they walked out of the store.
Sometimes Danielle felt ostracized by her friends just because she was a teen mother. She knew they loved her and she felt the same way about them, but it seemed as if they treated her differently because she had more responsibilities than they did. They, hopefully unintentionally, threw in her face the fact that she had to watch and care for Kennedi, and sometimes told her what she should and shouldn’t do because of the effect it would have on her daughter. Danielle was well aware of the fact that she had to look after Kennedi, which would sometimes call for her to forgo some social activities, but the realization of it all seemed worse when her best friends reprimanded her.
When they walked into the children’s store, a male worker with a bright smile greeted them. Danielle had never seen him before and figured he must be a new employee. However, he bore a strong resemblance to the older woman who, Danielle knew, was the owner of the store. She immediately found herself attracted to the worker’s hazelnut complexion and luscious full lips. His brown eyes seemed to hold delight and pleasure that were unknown to Danielle, and she instantly wanted to get to know him in order to find out why he seemed so elated.
“Hi, my name is A.J. Can I help you find anything?” he asked Danielle.
Kennedi jumped up and down. “Yes! I want a pink dress.”
A.J. smiled down at her. “What’s your name?”
“Kennedi Brookes and this is my mommy, Danielle.”
A.J. smiled at Danielle before returning his attention to Kennedi. “So you like pink, huh? Well, I’ll go get my sister and she’ll help you and your mother find something you’ll really like.” He looked up at Danielle. “I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you,” Danielle responded as she watched him walk toward the back of the store. “Kennedi, why are you so hyper today? What did you have for lunch?”
“A sandwich, chips, and milk,” Kennedi answered. “Oh, and Jalen had candy for snack.” She smiled as she spoke of one of her school friends.
Danielle shook her head. Kennedi hardly ever ate candy, but when she did it caused her to become hyper and had lasting effects on Danielle. She tried to keep her daughter still as A.J. walked from the back with an attractive young woman following him.
“Hi, I’m Déjà and my brother tells me that you want a pink dress.” The woman addressed Danielle.
Danielle pointed toward Kennedi. “Not me, my daughter.”
Déjà looked down at Kennedi and smiled. “Well, let’s go find a pretty one that you’ll like.” She extended her hand and Kennedi took it.
“Mommy, stay here,” Kennedi said. “The dress is a surprise.”
Danielle laughed. “Okay, Ms. Kennedi. Please pick something affordable.”
“I can tell she’s a handful,” A.J. commented after his sister walked off with the toddler. “But she’s a cute little girl. She looks like you.”
Danielle blushed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should,” he told her. For a moment, he gazed at her as if he was analyzing her physical appearance. “How old are you?”
Danielle averted her gaze. “Seventeen.”
“And Kennedi?”
She hesitated and looked back up into his eyes. She wanted to ask him why he was being so forward with his questioning when she didn’t even know him. She’d been asked the question before by those who were just trying to be nosy and figure out Danielle’s age when she’d given birth. But A.J. didn’t sound as if he was trying to be judgmental, so she answered timidly, “She’s four, almost five.”
He continued gazing at her and Danielle was becoming afraid that maybe he was going to judge her. But as he continued to watch her, a smile spread across his face.
“You don’t have any more, do you?” he asked teasingly.
Danielle laughed out loud. “If I did, I would seriously be in a straight jacket. One is enough . . . for now.”
“So you plan on having more?” he asked.
She gave him her “why do you care” look. “Maybe, but if I do, I will definitely be married.”
“That’s good,” A.J. responded as he continued to stare at Danielle. “You are very attractive,” he told her shamelessly.
“Thank you,” Danielle answered softly.
He continued gazing at her. “It’s something about your eyes. You seem familiar to me.”
Danielle wanted to laugh away the nervousness she felt, but all she could do was return his intense gaze. They seemed to be speaking to each other not with their minds, but deep down in their souls. The connection Danielle felt with this unfamiliar gentleman was strong and she couldn’t break it.
“Hey, Danni,” she heard Lauren’s voice call.
Danielle blinked and held her head down in embarrassment. When she turned toward her friends, they were all standing behind her with wide smiles, their gazes shifting between her and a complete stranger.
“You guys done already?” Danielle asked tightly.
Brenda smiled sweetly. “Yes, but we see you’re just getting started.”
A.J. laughed as he introduced himself. “I’m A.J.”
“Hi,” the girls sang.
“A.J., this is Brenda, Jayda, and Lauren,” Danielle said, pointing at each of the girls. “My friends, unfortunately.”
She turned her attention back to A.J., but his gaze was steadfast as he continued to openly stare at her, despite her friends’ presence. She knew she had to avoid eye contact or she wouldn’t hear the end of it from the girls. She was glad when Kennedi came running toward the front with two summer dresses in her hand.
“Surprise! Mommy, look. I got two of ’em like you said. One pink, one yellow.”
“Both under fifteen dollars,” Déjà added as she noticed the three girls at the counter. “Oh, we have more customers.”
The girls laughed.
“No, we’re with her,” Jayda informed her, pointing at Danielle. “I don’t think we would be able to fit into anything in this store.” They laughed again.
“Mommy, are you gonna buy these?” Kennedi asked, holding the dresses in the air.
Danielle took them and looked at A.J. “I’d like to purchase these, please.”
A.J. unhurriedly took the dresses from Danielle with a small smile on his face and walked behind the counter. He rang up the items and bagged them, barely taking his eyes off of Danielle in the process. Danielle could hardly control her eyes either. It was hard trying to discreetly watch him when her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own.
As if in the distance, Danielle could hear her friends’ snickers as she stood before the counter, smiling at A.J. as if he were the only man on earth. And Danielle was positive that A.J.’s sister was surprised at the way she had come in and taken his professionalism from a ten to barely a one.
Other customers walked through the door and broke the silence in the room with their own conversation. Déjà greeted them and urged A.J. to hurry with Danielle’s purchase. After paying, Danielle grabbed her bag and Kennedi’s hand as she prepared to leave.
“Wait,” Brenda said. “After all that grinning you just did, you’re not even gonna get her number?” she asked A.J.
“Bre,” Danielle scolded, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she told A.J.
“No, I would like your number, if that’s okay with you.” A.J. smiled as he pulled a BlackBerry from his pocket and handed it to her.
Danielle smiled brightly as she took it and programmed her name and number into the system.
“Oh, Mommy, let me see.” Kennedi eagerly grabbed at her mother’s arm.
Danielle quickly brushed Kennedi’s hand away and gave A.J. his phone back with a smile. “I’ll hear from you soon?”
“Most definitely,” A.J. answered as he watched her and her friends leave the store.