Ten years ago...

"Hey! Watch it, kid!" A man with broad shoulders and a bushy beard shouted at a scrawny boy who paid no attention. He registered the anger in the old man's eyes and dashed between the his legs before he made his way behind another tent at the market. The people moved almost like a giant masterpiece of cogs, women holding their children close and men calling them to their stands. The masses of people moved to the feeling of the boy's heartbeat, he thought. As he gazed at the hoards of people he didn't hear his mother sneaking up behind him. The little boy didn't even notice her until he was picked up and cradled in his arms. Her full lips had a gentle, but impatient smile and her dark hair was knotted with flour. Her lips moved as she spoke but he had no idea what she was saying or why. So, he closed his eyes and snuggled into the safety of his mother's touch.

Present day...

She sighed as she packed more of her little boy's clothes into a suitcase, her eyes red and rimmed with fresh tears. She couldn't believe the time had come to say goodbye, that it had crept up so fast. How will he make it overseas? How will the people react to him? She asked herself these questions and her vision became blurry once more with her emotions. Her hands quickly swiped at the tears trailing down her cheeks as she heard the thud of footsteps from behind her. She looked up as he approached her with a big smile, showing off his adorable dimples. His eighteenth birthday had been last Tuesday, and he was to be at the airport tonight at 8:00 for his 10 o'clock flight. She watched as her boy sat beside her and signed, 'Good morning, Mama'.

'How did you sleep? Are you ready for your big day?' She smiled back at him with her response. Her boy, Kenneth, had been deaf since birth. The moment she was given his diagnosis she learned sign language, she only wanted the best for her sweet child. He is the kind of person that's presence alone lights up your day, and having him leave her to pursue an education in Canada was devastating; but she would not let him know this because she knew if she mentioned it he would give up everything to keep her company.

'More ready than I ever have been for anything!' Kenneth signed back, his pearly whites glittery with the morning sunshine that peeked through the beige curtains. His hair was a chestnut brown that hung down on his forehead, and his eyes were a darker shade, more like rich soil. Whenever he smiled, dimples appeared at each end of his lips and when he cried his eyelashes seemed to grow.

His mother smiled adoringly at him, feeling the urge to hold on and never let go, 'I am glad, my son.'

Ten years ago...

"Why do we have to go to church, Mommy?" She asked, a puzzled expression on her face as her stone faced mother brushed her long, blonde hair in even strokes. Her baby pink dress flared out at her knees where her long, white stockings met the top of her calf. Her shawl was crocheted by her great-great-grandmother, although that wasn't something she quite understood.

"Well, do you want to go to hell, Meredith?" Her mother snapped. She tried not to flinch as her mother yanked on her little curls.

Her voice was hushed and her expression melted into one of innocence as she replied, "No, Mommy."

Her mother didn't answer her again as she left the room in search of her cherry red lipstick. Meredith stayed put, perched on the edge of the velvet sitting stool in the living room's centre.

Present day...

She looked so still as she lay in the cold, wooden coffin. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her lips were stained a cherry red, yet had no traces of her favourite lipstick. Her dark hair was curled at her shoulders, a contrast to the off-white of her now cold skin. She wore her least favourite dress; it was dyed a plum colour and she had always complained that it made her form look rectangular. Funny, wasn't it then that it would be the last thing her body ever wore?

She couldn't take her eyes off of her mother's still, unsatisfied corpse. Her eyes were closed, but she could still imagine her blue, steely gaze. Although she wore no makeup Meredith swore she could see the glitter of cherry red lipstick on her mother's frozen lips. She stood before the coffin, the last of those who attended her funeral. The rest of the guests had milled out ten minutes prior, leaving Meredith alone with her mother to have her final goodbye. She knew her mother would hate everything about the funeral, from the way the flowers were placed all the way down to the shine on her very own shoes. But what could she do? Her mother would be unhappy with anything Meredith tried to do so she went for the cheapest option available. After all, she was just eighteen and still had bills to pay. Why waste money on a party for a dead woman? It just didn't make any sense to her. So, she looked her mother over one last time before slowly shutting the lid to the coffin, her fingers lingering ever so slightly on the edge. She let out a shuddering breath before walking across the red felt carpet towards the funeral hall doors. As she walked towards the family car she couldn't help but feel weightless and free. Her mother was dead and it felt amazing.

Ten years ago...

"And then she kissed her!" The plump black woman exclaimed, her purple-painted lips smacking with each word she spoke.

"In public?" The lanky white man asked, a hint of a smile curling at his thin lips. He enjoyed the way the woman freaked out and how she couldn't believe the idea of a lesbian. He looked down at his little girl who clung to his hand, her eyes focused on the park only a few short metres away. Her curly little afro stuck out in all different ways and her bottom lip poked out in an adorable pout.

"Yes, Danny, right in the middle of the damn square!" She spoke loudly, not quite yelling but loud all the same. She was his baby girl's mama but didn't want any part in the little girl's life, so, he tried to be the best single dad for her. And right now? She wanted to go to the park.

"That's scandalous, Wendy, but we have to go now." Danny told her, squeezing his daughter's hand to let her know he hadn't forgotten about her just yet. The woman gave them both a disgusted look before sighing and walking away. She was always like that, so Danny wasn't insulted much.

He looked down at his little girl as they arrived at the park. She had let go of his hand and began sprinting towards the slide. He stood near the gate and smiled, she was going to be an amazing track star one day. He could hear the announcer now, 'Miss Kaya Sparks!'

Present day...

She threw her gym bag in the laundry room and walked into the kitchen. The smell of burnt toast and scrambled eggs filled her nostrils and she stuck out her tongue.

"Dad?" She called, checking to see if he was home from work or not. It was only five o'clock so she doubted it. Kaya went to open the fridge when she heard a rumbling sound coming from the kitchen. Her brows furrowed as she tried to think of what could be emitting the sound before she gave up and decided to explore. When she flicked the living room lights on she found her dad curled up in a ball on the couch, snoring like a dog. She smiled and pulled the grey and tan blanket from the armchair, draping it over him. She didn't want to wake him, because he needed and deserved all the sleep he could get. She sighed and headed back into the kitchen, remembering that there was leftover pizza in the fridge she could heat up.

The microwave hummed and she tapped her fingers along the counter, her stomach making sounds that matched the rumbles from the couch. She was lost in thought, thinking over the route she would run again tomorrow when her dad woke up.

"Kaya?" He called, his voice shaking slightly as he yawned, sitting up.

"Yeah?" She replied, her fingers freezing in place, her mind returning to the present once more.

"I'm going to head to my actual bed, Sweetheart, okay? I love you." He called back, the sound of his footsteps retreating up the stairs the only remaining sound as the microwave stopped. Kaya let out the breath she didn't even realize she had been holding. If he ever found out... she didn't know what she would ever do.

//AN//
So I'm thinking I'll do a chapter or two every week, I'll try to post on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
I really hope you guys like this and I'll work really hard to earn your votes and reads!
Thanks so much xo