The Time Capsule

By Paulie J. Johnson

The time capsule is about a boy that was with a group of kids burying a time capsule when he was 15 to be opened 20 years later. That day he was taken away from his grandfather and fostered by an old man and woman that didn't have kids. He later joined the Air force so that he could go to college. He became a temporary operator at refineries to

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Regency Publishers, International
• Release date: Jun 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781958517352

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The Time Capsule

Paulie J. Johnson

Copyright © 2022 Paulie J. Johnson.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without a prior written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review, and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by the copyright law.

ISBN: 978-1-958517-36-9 (Paperback Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-958517-37-6 (Hardcover Edition)

ISBN: 978-1-958517-37-6 (E-book Edition)

Some characters and events in this book are fictitious and products of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Book Ordering Information

The Regency Publishers, International

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Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Foreword

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Foreword

A classroom of kids buries a time capsule to be reopened in twenty years. One of the kids Erin Roberts was there but on that day, tragedy struck him and he was taken away from his grandfather and put in a foster parent’s care.

He joined the military after he finished high school in another school and the time capsule was forgotten.

A woman shows up at his door one day and there were four girls that stood behind her. He had no idea what was in store for him.

His education he got while in the military turned him into a corporate spy. His knowledge of accessing information soon found him being sought after by the FBI. He uncovered secrets that was classified. His troubles escalated when he decided to move back to the place where he grew up. He had to face his troubles the only way he knew how.

Chapter One

I grabbed a can of coke from the icebox and sat down with my newspaper in my hand and then turned on the television to listen to the news. It was one of my routines that I adhered to every evening when I got off work. I wasn’t really paying any attention to what was said on the television unless something was said that caught my ear; and only then did I cast the reporter a curious eye. In a sense, I was reading the news and listening to the news that I would be reading about in the paper tomorrow.

I had scanned through several pages of the headlines without finding anything that made me want to read further when I heard the ring of the doorbell. I was stunned when I stood there looking at a woman, and four girls.

Can I help you? I asked the lady.

Are you Erin Roberts? She answered my question with one of her own.

Yes ma’am.

I’m Sherry. She stated You remember the time capsule that the class buried in ninth grade Sherry Thorpe. You said I was pretty in the letter you wrote to me.

Oh! Now I remember. Come in, please. I told her, and then held the door open for all of them to come in. Have a seat. I said being hospitable. Would anyone like something to drink? I asked.

Do you have a beer hon. She replied.

No ma’am, I don’t drink. I responded.

That’s Sherry. She said to me You don’t have to be so formal and polite and all. We were passing through this way and I thought seeing what you looked like now would be interesting. After all it was a sweet letter. Well anyhow I figured since we were passing through, I thought why not check you out. How come you weren’t there when we dug it up? She spoke quickly and acted strangely.

That was a long time ago and to tell you the truth, I had forgotten all about it. I told her.

Look hon. I’ll be truthful she said we’re out of money and I need to fill up my car and get a pack of cigarettes and a few personal things, you know for the girls, and I was hoping I could hit you up for a few bucks to get up the road a little. She was blunt in her comment.

I looked over at her kids, and then pulled out my wallet. All I have is a hundred. I replied to her.

You’re a real sweetie. She stated as she took my money Can I leave my kids here while I’m gone? They’ve been cooped up in the car all day.

Sure, that’s good. I told her hesitantly.

I watched as she got up and walked out the door with a quick stride and never looked back.

Once again, I was looking at the girls and this time, I saw each of them looking back at me. I turned and walked into the kitchen and brought them out a drink, and then sat down in my chair and turned off the television with the remote.

How did you know my momma? The oldest of the girls asked.

I was in the same class she was in. I told her But your mother didn’t know me, she never knew that I existed. Back then there were the cool guys and all the rest were considered to be uncool, to her I was one of the kids that was uncool. Besides, I didn’t know her that long, I left school after we buried that capsule and I forgot all about her. That is until now.

Where’s your wife and kids. She asked.

That’s another thing about me I have to confess to, I’m still a part of the uncool. I told her.

You mean you live here in this house all by yourself? She continued in her conversation. She seemed like she was sizing me up and preparing herself for action if need be.

You’re young. I said to her Maybe one day you’ll understand some of the things that I understand now. First off, I don’t know anything about you, so I can only form an opinion to the type of person you are, just like you’re doing to me now. Sometimes you draw the right conclusions and well sometimes you get unlucky. But it’s said that usually your first impressions of a person are the right ones. So, in order for us to be continuing in our conversation I’m going to need a few things. One of them is your names my name is Erin Roberts, and you are? I asked the girl.

I’m called Sissy. She said softly.

Sissy, that’s a beautiful name. How old are you. I asked her.

Twenty. She answered.

I then looked over at the next girl. And your name is? I said to her.

Persia. And I’m fifteen.

I then looked at the next one.

My name is Beth, and I’m eleven.

I then looked at the last one.

When she began to speak, she started having difficulty. She stuttered. Her sister told me that her name was Daphne, and she was nine.

I heard a growl coming from one of their stomachs, so I picked up the telephone book and ordered four large pizzas to be delivered.

Around forty five minutes had passed when I heard the doorbell ring. I got up to answer it thinking that it might be the kid’s mother returning, it wasn’t, it was the pizza delivery man. I gave him my credit card and tipped him and extra twenty dollars for delivering it for me. I took the pizzas in and sat them on the coffee table, and then went and got them some plates. When I returned, I took the remote and turned on the television so that the kids could watch a movie while they ate and I found a cartoon movie, and switched it to that channel. I started to become a little worried after the movie had ended, and another was getting ready to be shown. I guess my concern was recognized because the oldest girl, Sissy, saw me looking down at my watch.

I got up and put the unfinished pizza in one box and went to put it in the refrigerator and threw the other boxes into the trash can. I was met in the kitchen by Sissy.

I took some ice out of its bin and put some coke into some glasses. The drinks were hot.

You’re worried about my mother, aren’t you? She stated.

I think she should have been back by now. I don’t want to sound rude, but has she left you kids with strange men like this before? I asked her.

She ignored my question and asked one of her own What was my momma like back when you knew her?

I sat down at the table, and traveled back into the past with my mind to recall my memory of her.

Your mother was my first crush I began answering her to me every time I looked at your mother, I saw a smile and blue eyes that overshadowed her long blonde platinum colored hair. I wasn’t invited to any parties, you know being uncool and all, but your mother always seemed to be at one. I see a lot of your mother in you. I told her If I could put a picture of what she looked like back then next to you, it would be like I was looking at the same person. Back then, she looked as beautiful as you look now, but to see her again after all these years brought back some painful memories.

Why, what happened? She asked.

I had to go away. I said I lived with my grandparents, because my parents died when I was a baby. They had a blowout and the car veered off the road, and hit a culvert head on. I read where it was reported that it looked like the car had flipped at least three times judging by the look of the scenery. I found that out when I got older. All I had to do was type in the name of the newspaper company and then put the date in on the internet and that’s how I discovered how they died. My father was impaled by the steering wheel, and my mother broke her neck being thrown through the windshield. At least that’s what the coroner reported. Back then they didn’t have seat belts in cars. My grandmother died when I was thirteen, and my grandfather had a stroke soon after that. It was on that day that we buried that capsule that I walked into the house after I got off of the bus. I knew something wasn’t right I normally saw my grandfather sitting in his rocking chair on the front porch waiting for me to come home from school. When I walked into his room, I saw him lying in bed and called the police and some people came and took me away, and that day was the last day I saw your mother.

Are you mad at my momma? She asked.

No, I’m worried about her, that’s all. She could have had a flat, or her car could have broken down or any number of things. Besides, your mother and I aren’t involved, I’m just worried.

If she wanted to be, would you? She replied.

Sissy, that’s a sensitive question. I told her.

You’re gay, aren’t you? She quickly responded.

No, I’m not gay I chuckled a response it’s that you’re asking a sensitive question that I find hard to answer. I barely knew your mother; and it’s not that easy for me to explain it to you. I told her.

It’s not so hard if you start at the beginning. She responded.

I walked around and scratched my head; I was trying to stall for time. I walked over and asked her if she would mind sitting down at the table. When she did, I sat next to her.

Sissy I don’t love your mother, and your mother would never love me, I’m not her type, and I never will be. I noticed that when I first saw her. I really doubt very seriously that your mother remembered me, for all I know she could have looked me up in the yearbook to see what I looked like. Your mother was attracted to kids that were rugged and always getting into fights. She’s in trouble or she wouldn’t have come here looking for a handout. I’m not going to ask her what happened, or let her know that I suspect something; it’s none of my business. But I didn’t give her that money for her; I gave her that money for you and the kids, and now, your mother isn’t here and that worries me.

I picked up the glasses of coke and took the glasses in to where the girls could drink their coke and watch television, and then rejoined their sister back in the kitchen.

How many times has your mother been married? I asked her.

None, all of my sisters are from different fathers, and none of us know who any of them are. She looked away from me when she answered.

I’m sorry Sissy; I see you have scars of your own. I reported my feeling to her.

We walked back and sat down in front of the television, and left our conversation in the kitchen. Late that night, the girls fell asleep on the couch, and I picked them up and carried them and put them in my bed and covered them up.

I covered Sissy up on the couch and turned out the lights. I went and sat down in my chair and fell asleep wondering about my dilemma.

The next morning, I got up and walked over to the front window and looked outside, halfway expecting to see a car in the driveway, there was none.

After releasing the blind that I peered through, I went into the kitchen and began cooking breakfast for the kids, and made me a pot of coffee.

Sissy caught me off guard when she walked in.

Good morning. I said softly to her.

Where are my sister’s? She asked.

I put them into my bed, and covered them up when everyone fell asleep. You drink coffee? I asked her.

Would you please not do that anymore? She coldly stated.

I was jolted by her comment and looked over at her.

I apologize, I won’t do it again. I remarked and then stated But Sissy I have four bedrooms and since I’ve lived here by myself, I never saw a need to furnish the other rooms. I didn’t see a need to wake them. Now do you like coffee?

I like milk and sugar in mine. She said nonchalantly.

You want one lump or two? I asked.

One She answered.

I handed her a cup when the coffee finished brewing, and then poured me a cup.

You want some bacon, eggs, and toast? I asked her.

No, I’m still full from that pizza we ate last night; it was heavy on my stomach. She stated.

I put the bacon in the frying pan and cooked it slowly. The aroma filled the kitchen. I let the bacon fry peacefully and not aggressively, and while the bacon was frying, I mixed up a dozen eggs to be scrambled and after I added a little salt and pepper for taste, I then added some onions and a little bit of green bell peppers to give them color. After the bacon finished frying, I poured the grease into a container and then poured the egg mixture into the frying pan and stirred the eggs to keep them from sticking on the bottom. When I finished cooking them, I put a lid on top and took them off of the heat, and sat down at the table to finish drinking my coffee, but after the first sip I had to pour a little more in, it wasn’t the temperature I liked it at. It had cooled down a little while I was preparing the scrambled eggs.

You still worried about my momma? Sissy asked.

I don’t know if I ought to call the police or wait longer. I replied Sissy, this kind of thing isn’t right. By the way you just talked to me, it tells me that you’ve been through some rough times, and your sisters are too young to be in this kind of environment.

If you call the police they’ll come and take my sister’s away and put them in a foster home Sissy fought me I’m too old and they’ll take them away from me. She gave me her reason in a way that let me know I wasn’t going to do what I thought was right and that only made me suspicious.

Is there something that you’re not telling me? I asked her.

Momma’s been in and out of jail for drugs. She was supposed to go to court and be sentenced, but she jumped bail. She confided.

Oh! Then that is a problem. I said to her So if I call the police, you’ll take the kids and run huh? Sissy what if they have her in jail now?

That’s not all she informed me that Persia was raped by one of her mother’s boyfriends and she stuck a pair of scissors in his back. I was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. They’ll put me in jail and I won’t see my sisters again. She was almost in a verge of tears I can’t let them just take them away. I’ve been the only mother they’ve had. Momma didn’t care about them; all she cared about was getting high.

I got up and poured myself a fresh cup and did the same for Sissy.

So, you jumped bail too. I let her know What do you want me to do? I asked her.

Give me a few days head start and I swear you’ll never hear from us again. She begged.

Sissy, that’s not the answer to a problem. If you don’t stop running then you’ll be running away from something all your life, sometimes you have to take a stand.

I can’t take that chance. She told me. They’ll take my sister’s away from me.

Sissy, one of the things I’ve learned is that you don’t think clearly if you’re not relaxed. I stated There’s no need to involve your sisters in what we’re discussing right now. Are we both in agreement on that? I asked her.

You’re going to go to the cops, aren’t you? She said with a mean look in her eyes.

At some point we have to, and whether you want to admit it or not, I think you know that answer as well as I do. But Sissy, I promise you no one is going to take you or your sisters anywhere. I won’t let that happen. But you’ve got to trust me. I stated to her.

What do we mean to you? We just met you last night. She asserted with a tone of bitterness in her voice.

That’s another one of those questions that’s too sensitive for me to answer. I told her Let’s just say, I don’t want to see you separated either, but we have to find out if your mother is okay. They could have pulled her over last night and took her to jail. If so, we can go from there and maybe we’ll have more answers. Sissy I need your word that you trust me, that’s something I wouldn’t ask of your mother.

Again she said what are we to you?

A long time ago, I found out that a house doesn’t make a home. A home is where you’re happy, and a home is where you feel safe and secure. I began I looked at your sisters faces last night, and I saw the same thing in them that I see in you. To you and your sisters, this is nothing more than a house, and to me this isn’t anything more than a house either.

I don’t understand? She replied.

That day when I lost my grandfather, I thought my world had come to an end. In my grandfather’s last will and testament, he left me his house on the lake. I grew up there, and that was the place I called home. All my memories are back there. This place here doesn’t have any memories, so to me it’s not a home. I joined the Air Force and went to college while in the military. By the time I returned to where I grew up, the house was in bad need of repair. The repairman told me that it would be a lot cheaper to bulldoze the house down and rebuild a new one. But that house had a lot of memories, and I couldn’t destroy it. I restored it back to the way it was one board at a time. I see you and your sisters in places that they shouldn’t be, and I’m afraid one of them or all of them will fall into a trap where they feel that they don’t have a way out. Much like the way you’re thinking right now. I’m worried about your mother and I’m worried about you and I’m worried about your sisters. Something is wrong, a person doesn’t do this kind of thing and the sad part is I don’t have any control over what is happening in my life right now, and I don’t know what to do. You’re fighting me and I feel helpless, and I’m thinking that that’s the way you feel about me too. Sissy, I have to know, do you do drugs too?

No she answered.

I took a deep breath and exhaled and then stated Sissy that’s another answer I have a problem dealing with. If you ask someone if their doing drug’s they would automatically say no.

I’m not doing drugs okay." She pushed her arms towards me to show me she didn’t have needle marks and she was about to say more when we heard the girls coming down the stairs. I got up and fixed them a plate.

Do you want some coffee or milk? I asked them.

I then poured them all a glass of milk.

Sissy, that room is as big as our trailer. Persia said referring to my bedroom.

Oh, and what about the bed? Sissy asked.

It’s as big as our room Beth said while eating her eggs, and kicking her legs back and forth in the chair.

I saw tears beginning to flow from Sissy’s eyes. I got up and took her into the living room, and sat down next to her.

Sissy, I know you’re under a tremendous amount of stress right now. I can’t tell you any of the answers that you need to know I don’t know them either. Were you headed to go live with someone before y’all come here? I asked her.

No

Then you have two choices you can trust me in my decisions, or take your sisters and put them in harm’s way. Here, they have a safe place to sleep, and food in their belly. Your mother may turn up today, tonight, tomorrow or the next day, she may even show up next week or next month. I don’t know your mother; you know her better than I do. I stated But I do know that if you leave and she ends up returning one day, she’ll never know where any of you went to.

What do you want from me? She asked.

Sissy, did you make out a report to the police of why you stabbed that guy?

Yes

Then they had to do a rape test on Persia, and if she was raped, I don’t believe any lawyer will prosecute you for defending your sister. In some states a girl isn’t legally of age to make decisions like that till she’s eighteen. I stated in trying to comfort her But, if your mother shows up, you’ll leave with her and you’ll be thrown in jail on an outstanding warrant. You’ve got far too many things that are weighing in on your young mind right now. I was trying to calm her fear But we can’t do anything until we find your mother and go from there. You can’t live like this and not know where she’s at. Has she ever left someplace and never returned like this?" I repeated a question I had asked earlier but was ignored.

Only when she got arrested and got put in jail. She prostituted to pay for her drugs and a place for us to sleep sometimes. She made us hide in the closet and be quiet when people were over.

I bowed my head and held my face in my hands and rubbed them like I was washing it.

Sissy, I can’t stop you from doing whatever you think you need to do. I began But, before you do anything rash, I want you to think of your sisters. If you come up with a decision, I’ll not stand in your way; I wouldn’t be able to stop you anyway.

I went up to my room and turned the shower on and let the hot water soothe me. I got dressed and went down to the living room. No one was there. I sat down in my chair and listened to the silence. I was hurting.

Later the door opened and the girls came running in. Beth was the first to notice me. You’ve been crying, what’s the matter?

Nothing, I was reading a sad story, that’s all. I told her.

Can we have something to drink? She asked.

Sure, you don’t need to ask me, you can have whatever you want, if you see something and you want it, take it, it’s got your name on it. Now, no more asking me if you can have something, okay? You want it it’s yours I told them.

Sissy sat close to me. You thought we left, didn’t you?

No, I told you, I’m worried. I tried to shift her thoughts with my answer.

What would they do to me, if they arrest me? She asked.

They would put you in jail and take a picture of you and fingerprint you, and then a lawyer would be appointed for you, and then you would learn a lot of things about the legal system that you never knew. I stated.

They’ll take my sister’s away from me like I said, won’t they? She once again voiced her concern.

Yes, but that’s only if they pull your mother over. They’ll arrest her for jumping sentencing and they’ll arrest you for the same. That’s when your sisters will be become wards of the State. Sissy, you got pulled into a trap of a life that your mother chose to live. What if someone was trying to rape Beth and Persia was the one with the scissors, and then there’s Daphne? I told you, I don’t know what to do. But I do believe whatever the outcome; it will be devastating to you and to your sister’s future, and that’s why I fear the worst. I look into their faces and I see innocence. That’s the way your mother looked, she had that look of innocence to her. The other night when I saw your mother, I looked over and saw all of your faces looking back at me. I saw myself back when I was fifteen. I couldn’t have helped your mother then, and I won’t be able to help you and your sisters if you leave either.

The girls came running in from out back.

Sissy, come here they kept repeating to her as they were pulling at her hands to follow her. I stayed in the chair thinking.

I didn’t get to think long. They came charging in asking if they could go swimming.

I looked over at Sissy.

Sissy, they can swim in their clothes and when their done swimming, they can put on my pajamas and you can throw their clothes in the dryer. At least they’ll have clean clothes to wear.

All right Sissy was being blindsided but no running. She shouted at them as they were running out the back door.

You wear pajamas? She turned to me and asked.

That’s because I lived in a dorm I commented and I didn’t like running around military men wearing only my boxers without clothes on, some of them I didn’t get good vibes from so I wore my pajamas. I got laughed at. You know Sissy if you want to go swimming, you can go too. I told her.

No, not me, but I am going to take a hot bath and wash my clothes and put them in the dryer with my sister’s stuff. So don’t come up in your room. She told me.

She left and I sat there in silence. I felt like I was in a no win situation. The children weren’t mine, and Sissy was right, the government would come in and take the children away. She would probably get probation, and her mother was going to go to prison, and after all was said and done, Sissy would have never been able to get her sisters back. She was the type of girl that resorted to picking them up and running at her first available opportunity. I felt like her future was sealed, and I was not able to do anything about anything.

I heard the door to the bedroom shut and when I looked up, I saw Sissy wearing my pajamas.

What? She questioned.

Nothing I answered for a minute I saw your mother.

That’s real cute she stated sarcastically my mother’s white, and I’m not. My hair isn’t blonde like hers and my eyes aren’t blue.

Sissy, when you get done putting your clothes in the wash, can I have a word with you? I asked her.

She came in and sat down across from me.

I’m listening. She said to me.

I began I used to watch a lot of western movies when I was young. It was always the same thing; the cowboys were fighting the Indians. Now that I’m older, I see that there was a lot of hatred back then, much like there is today I heard comments made in the movie that the only good Indian was a dead Indian the problem was in reality, villages and farms would be raided and parents were killed and the young kids were raised as a member of that tribe, they weren’t the savages our ancestors depicted them to be love might have had something to do with it but to the people back then, the children that were born from them were called half breeds. It didn’t matter if he or she was half white to everyone back then it only meant one thing he or she was all Indian. Today isn’t any different than when those people lived back then. But time changes a lot of people’s views today everyone claims to have a certain amount or a certain type of Indian blood in their lineage. If you have that kind of hatred, then I’m hearing the same things that I heard when I heard them on the movies. I’m not of pure blood, and no one that lives on this earth can say that they are. I paused and continued Your problem is you don’t know what color you are. You’re half white and half black so that makes you a half breed like those Indians. I feel sorry for you.

Excuse me!" she said with a little feistiness in her voice.

Can you tell me what your grandparents were? I asked her.

What do you mean? She asked.

Were they Irish? Were they German, or Russian or British or did they come from Somalia or Africa or were they enslaved? I then stopped. I only said those things to her to prove my point.

I don’t know. She answered.

You made the comment about you and your sisters not knowing who their fathers were. I began I didn’t know mine either, or my mother for that matter. I was too young to understand a lot of things. But that’s the point I’m trying to make to you. Two hundred years from now, your great, great, great grandkids will be able to trace back their ancestry and the branch of the tree will lead to you. What will they see you as, half white or half black? Or will they see you as the reason for them being here? How about your sisters? What are you going to tell them if they ask you those kinds of questions? Sissy, I’m a pretty good judge of people. I have to be. It helps me in my profession. Ever since you came here, you’ve wanted to leave, I’ve felt a lot of friction from you, and I can fully understand why. But Sissy, this is your life, you’ve always been moving from one place to another. I told you once; a house isn’t a home, so I guess this house isn’t any different to you. I stood up I need to take a long walk. I left and before I knew it, I had walked for a few hours in the park. The path kept going around and around, and along the way home; I had come to the conclusion that I didn’t accomplish anything except getting a little exercise.

I opened the door and saw Sissy and Persia in my pajamas and Beth and Daphne in my tee shirts.

The dryer won’t work. Sissy said.

I went into the laundry bin and went through the motions, and they were right the dryer wasn’t working. I went to the fuse box and noticed that the breaker had flipped. I reengaged the breaker and then went and turned the dryer on.

When I walked back in, Sissy was sitting in my chair, so I sat on the couch. The girls sat close to me, and then next to me, and then against me. I wrapped my arms around them, and they were soon asleep. Sissy was looking at me strangely.

I run a normal body temperature of around ninety nine point two, to ninety nine point six. I said to her The doctors said I had a high metabolism. My neighbors thought I was trying to kill myself when the weather was a hundred degrees outside, and I’d be in my car with the heater on. When the cops came, I told them I was cold and the best sauna to have if you don’t have one was the heater in a car. When I go to bed, I usually cover up with a quilt even in the summer time. I put young kids, dogs and cats and old people to sleep. I said offering her the best explanation I could.

Do I really act like that? She asked.

Sissy, I can only tell you that I think you try to suppress your anger sometimes because I think you’re tired of running, and I think you know that one day your past will eventually catch up to you and when it does, I think you’ll feel relieved. You’re just trying to delay it as long as you can in hopes that the kids will be grown and be able to take care of themselves when everything goes down. That won’t happen, I think you know they’ll always be dependent on you and I think that’s the part that upsets you, you know the truth eventually you’ll get caught. That and all the other things that you can’t do anything about; it’s called life.

Mister Roberts She seemed to be ashamed of herself by the way she sounded.

First off we need to lose that handle. It’s not Mister Roberts; it’s Erin. I said to her And secondly, Daphne is running a fever. I can feel her body heat.

Sissy got up and felt her forehead.

She’s burning up. She commented and looked at me.

Sissy, I need you to go up to my room and look in my closet and you’ll find a blanket, bring it down and I’ll cover her up.

When she returned, I took the blanket and covered only her. The other two didn’t need it. I then put my arms back around them.

Sissy sat back down in the chair and I began talking to her.

I need you to listen to me. I said to her I don’t know how much of this you’ll hear right now, but when you get older, you’ll find that the best way to resolve a situation is to work at finding a solution. Running away from a problem only causes you bigger problems, and when you have problems with the law they don’t just go away. Sissy, I have to notify the police of a missing person. I want you to hear what I have to say first though. I can help you, but I can’t help your mother. I don’t think your mother wants my help or anyone else’s anyway. That’s why I’m having a lot of trouble here, if I call the police, you’ll feel I betrayed you. On my walk, I thought my ideas came up short, but now that I had time to think, I realized that I had to do what was right, and that was to call the police. Walk over to the bookcase over there. I nodded to her with my head. See my wallet? Inside the wallet is a credit card, it’s good for fifteen thousand take it. On the shelf are the keys to my car, take them, I won’t report it stolen, and the credit card will give you a jump start at looking for a job.

Why would you do that? She asked with reddened eyes.

Because that’s the life you’ve always led; moving from town to town I told you. When I gave your mother that money, I was giving it to her for you kids. I’m giving you what I gave your mother, because I believe you’ll only use it when the kids need food and shelter. I was a little younger than you when I asked myself, if I only had a chance. When I aged a few years, my life changed and I became a realist, I knew that no one was going to give me anything, so that’s why I enlisted, I could get a degree. I’m sure you’ve probably said the same thing, if only I got a chance. But, one day, you’ll have to face the problem you had with the law, and then you’ll see me again.

She came running over to me crying and she couldn’t hold me, so she went running into the bathroom and came out with a towel to cry her tears into, and sat back down in my chair, and pulled her knees up to her chest in the fetal position.

It’s alright Sissy, you’ve been through a lot, and you can cry until you can’t cry anymore. I said to her.

But why we don’t even know you? She said with a broken sentence from her trying to catch her breath and from crying.

Sissy look at me I told her.

She lifted her head up from the towel.

Take a look at your sisters, they don’t have the understanding that you have about living on the streets, and you don’t have the understanding that I have. You grew up too quick, and you became your sister’s keeper. I was the age of Persia here when I grew up, but I didn’t have an older brother or sister to help me. I looked down at Persia and then back at Sissy. Chances are that your mother is going to go to prison, I don’t think that there’s any way out of it for her, but in all of those prisons, all of those prisoner’s wish that they had led a different life than the one that put them in the prisons in the first place. Sissy most of them end up back in prison when they’re released, and when your mother gets released, she’ll be faced with going back to doing what she did in the past. I’m not your father, and I’m not the father of these girls. I can’t even be your friend, you don’t want any, and I understand that all too well.

Do you have any friends? She asked.

No, I guess that’s why I can see what you’re thinking. I told her.

Why not? She questioned.

I paused to collect my thoughts before answering her.

Sissy, it’s hard for me to trust anyone. I said to her without explaining my reasons.

How come She was pressing me to answer more questions.

I have my morals that I go by, that’s all. I answered.

What morals? She asked.

Beth and Persia began stirring around and then sat up and looked over at me, and then they looked at Daphne.

She’s sick. I told them.

What’s wrong with her? Beth asked in her youthful way.

She’s running a temperature. I told her.

Is she going to have to get a shot? She asked.

No, I hope not. I’ll go to the grocery store and get some medicine for her later on. Hopefully, that’ll be enough to get her fever to break. I said to her.

Your clothes are dry. I told them. I don’t hear the dryer so you can change and go to the park, if you want to. That is if your sister doesn’t mind.

I’m hungry. Persia said.

I got up with Daphne clinging to me. I walked over to hand her to her sister, but she wouldn’t let go of me. She resisted and fought Sissy back when she tried to take her in her arms. I went into the kitchen with her clinging to me, and took out a package of pork chops and a package of link sausage and put them in the microwave to be thawed. Sissy came in and asked me what I was doing.

The kids are hungry. I was going to cook some sausage and pork chops with a little barbecue sauce, and some macaroni and cheese.

She never fought me like that before. Sissy said referring to her sister.

I told you. My body heat is hotter than most people, she’s hot but she feels cold and because of that my body feels like a heater to her. I explained.

She went and got the blanket and told me to sit down at the table. She’d do the cooking; I had my hands full.

She then bent down and kissed me.

What did you do that for? I said somewhat startled by her action.

I don’t know. I got to thinking when you offered me my chance to go and then you left, I couldn’t think of any place to go to. She said as she began crying again, and asking me where I kept my pots at. Then she turned around and said that