After school, I walked to the new neighbors’ house after the bus dropped me off. Back at the light blue door, unlike ours had no screen door. Giving it a knock or four and ringing the doorbell I waited for someone to come answer the door. And of course, after I knock and ring the doorbell a few more times the door opens. No surprise the woman before answers. This time her hair is everywhere and in a messy, loose ponytail. Her large round eyes landed on me and she yawned before smiling.

“Hello there,” she said moving hair back.

“Hi, can I have my pitcher and basket back,” I greeted her back quickly and got straight to business.

“Oh..um I kinda don't know where the basket is right now,” she answered as her smile dropped and I took a deep breath smiling tightly.

“That's fine, just the pitcher will be great,” I replied gripping the straps of my backpack gently.

“I’ll find it! And the pitcher isn't clean yet,” she replied with an apologetic smile.

“That's fine, really. I can just take it.” I argued gripping the straps tighter.

“No no, my daughter said she would wash it. Bex will hand it to you with the basket soon, I swear,” she promised clasping her hand together.

“Okay…” I mumbled in surrender as a bright smile surfaced her face again.

“Have a nice day, also you look like you’re in pain. She should have some tea,” she said with a nod and closed the door.

I figured she would offer me some tea. Not like I wanted any but she gave me the wrong impression. And option B.) was correct, the girl sleeping outside was her daughter. And it seems only the male that opened the door before is not weird. Or maybe he's secretly weird too. I just hope I get mom's stuff back or she will flip on me instead of flipping on the people who won't give it back.

I muttered more and headed my way home. Getting closer to my house I saw Putt on the porch, laying on his stomach. When I walked up the stairs his ears lift and he opened one eye. I felt a smile stretch across my face as he opened both his eyes and got up. Bending down at his level while trying to balance my backpack on my back, I hugged him. He rubbed his face against my hands wagging his tail while panting.

After a while, I got up waving goodbye as yipped in response before I opened the screen door and got out my key to unlock the front door. Walking inside I yelled I was home just in case any of my family was here while closing the door behind me. I locked it listening in for a reply.

“Mom?” I called out walking through the kitchen. There was no sight of her but I heard a noise in the back.

I took left into the living room and then went down the hallway. Once I was at the end of the hallway I made a turn to the left again and knocked on the door of my parents’ bedroom.

“Chimp?” Ma's voice echoed a bit and I opened the door slightly to peek in.

She was dressed thankfully. I opened the door all the way to see her drying her hair. No sign of dad was nowhere to be seen. He was probably at work or on his way to pick up Peta.

“Hey mom,” I said walking over to her.

“Hey, how was your first day?” she asked sitting on her bed as she pulled the towel down a bit and used her fingers to comb through her hair.

“It was okay, same as every first day,” I answered dropping my bag on the ground gently and walked over to her, sitting next to her.

“What did you hurt this time?” she asked with a knowing smirk as she untangled some of her hair causing me to roll my eyes.

“Well technically I didn't hurt myself but someone hurt me during jailbreak,” I explained rubbing my back.

“Jailbreak?” she asked moving the covers around, probably looking for something.

“Dodgeball,” I replied as she picked up the remote from some covers she moved around.

“That game still exists?” she groaned as she turned on the TV onto My Wife and Kids. “I'm sorry Chimp, next time you hit them back as hard as you can,” she said patting my leg as her eyes stayed on the screen.

“Yeah okay,” I replied rolling my eyes.

“Don't roll them eyes at me young lady,” she said suddenly looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes ma'am,” I mumbled softly as she nodded and grabbed my hands placing them on her hair.

“Help your mama with her hair, please. It's not damp no more is it?” she asked and I shook my head while struggling a bit to move my fingers through it.

“It's tangled though,” I said looking around for a comb.

“When is it not?” she asked with a half-hearted laugh. “My afro pick should be in the bathroom,” she explained getting off the bed and walked over to the closet.

That means she wants me to get it. No, she didn't say it directly but I knew. I don’t always know what she wants if she doesn't say it directly but I've slightly got used to this. I had to figure it out some if not completely or she would get angry. It seems to be a trend in the family. Nan also does this but it's kind of worse.

I got up from her bed and made my way to her bathroom that was conjoined to the room she shared with dad. Her afro pick was nowhere to be seen on the sink. Go figure, I should have known it wasn't there. Sometimes she proved me wrong though. I opened the cabinets looking for it and only saw tampons and pads.

“Chimp! I got it, sorry!!!” she yelled out causing me to huff as I shut the cabinet doors.

“Alright!” I yelled back as I stood up and left the bathroom.

She was sitting on top of a pillow on the floor. A Jordan shoebox filled with hair items sat on the bed above her. I walked over to her and flopped down on the bed above her and suddenly the TV got louder.

“You're probably sitting on the remote.” she pointed out and glanced back at me. “Can you get my purse?”

I nodded while moving out of my spot and moved the covers to find the remote. Muttering an apology, I turned it down a bit until mom nodded to signal it was to her liking before handing her the remote. Finally, I settled behind her and got comfortable. I pulled the afro pick out of the shoebox and started to comb ma's hair with it. She winced a few times but other than that she sat still with a straight face taking everything. Times like this only proves how strong I saw her as and she was.

“I'm gonna braid it now, is that okay?” I asked and she muttered a reply I figured was a yes.

Just as I started braiding I heard the front door open. There were no words said after that, only footsteps were heard afterward. Ma tried getting up as I braided, hitting her head. Eventually, dad appeared in front of the doorway. Both ma and I threw a pillow at him causing him to chuckle as Peta flew into the room and jumped onto the bed, landing on me.

“You didn't say you were home!” Mom yelled pointing at him with an accusing finger as he walked towards her with a sheepish smile.

“I know Jenelle,” he said softly as he pulled her up close to him but her eyes stayed threatening.

“You know the rule.” she hissed as I pushed Peta off causing him to whine.

I glanced at them in fear. Mom was mad obviously and dad was going to keep pushing her buttons. Though I wasn't afraid of what most would think the reason to be. Peta also glanced at them and gave me a fearful look.

“I do know but you’re safe, Karter's safe, Peta’s safe, we're safe,” he said pulling her closer as he leaned down.

“Blech!” Peta yelled out turning his head away as dad pressed his lips against ma's and I scrunched up my face but smiled.

Ma of course, kissed him back. The kiss lasted a bit too long for anyone’s liking but them. They eventually pulled away smiling. Ma looked away smiling and her eyes no longer looked threaten.

I cleared my throat “So back to braiding!” I said to stop the awkwardness.

“And I want dinner!” Peta demanded making our parents laugh.

“You gonna make it I suppose?” Mom asked with a raised eyebrow and Peta shook his head slowly. “Guess you will be patient then,” she said sitting back down so I could braid the rest of her hair.

“Can we have lemonade then? I can make it with dad!” Peta suggested causing me to freeze with my hands in mom's hair as mom looked up at me.

“Karter,” I heard mom say suddenly.

“Hm?” I replied looking down at her while biting my lip.

Her eyes were darker than usual as she gave me a stern look. “Where's my pitcher?”

“Well...we should get it back soon,” I said with a nod but her eyes got more threatening.

“You owe me a new pitcher around fifteen dollars if I don't get it back in three days, ya hear?” she warned and looked away from me to the TV then proceeded to turn up the volume with the remote.

“Yes ma'am,” I mumbled combing her hair and added coconut oil to it before braiding.