we could go to the park, huh Mimmy?” Candace asked.
“You can. Please be careful. And please come back before it gets too dark.”
“Let me go with y’all. Y’all two gonna need some protection,” Jacque said.
“Not from no sissy…” Claire said.
“C’mon girls, play nice…” Mimmy said.
“It’s okay Mimmy, Jacque can handle himself,” Jacque said, his hands on his hips.
“You need to stop!” Candace said, waving her hand.
“You can play with orphaned Annie over there,” said Claire, pointing at Sheryl.
“Since our uncle left, she’s been acting funny you know? Retarded…”
They both giggled and ran off. Mimmy called out after them.
“Claire, Candace, listen up both of you; I spent my last dollar buying that damn ball. I don’t wanna hear about y’all losing it. Y’all understand?”
“Yes Mimmy,” the sisters responded in unison.
“Lord, I have spoiled them rotten. What can I say, they’re mine,” Mimmy smiled. “Sheryl, please, you and Jacque follow my girls and watch out for them. Make sure nothing happens to them. I’m gonna see what’s inside the fridge for dinner.”
Jacque stared at Sheryl and they both nodded. Candace and Claire always have their way. They hurried to play with their new volleyball.
“We know the perfect spot,” Candace said, pointing to an area in the park with trees that had low hanging branches.
Claire was the oldest by two years and the leader of the pack. Candace always stuck with her sister through thick and thin. They were tall and beautiful and not only went everywhere together, but the sisters also did everything together.
When they arrived at River Bank Park, it was crowded. A group of young white kids picnicking grudgingly watched Claire and Candace setting up the volleyball net. Snickers and sneers were thrown in the players’ direction. Sheryl and Jacque played on one side while Claire and Candace teamed up. Sheryl and Jacque played hard but the sisters were very tall at an early age, agile and athletic.
The games got more intense and Jacque struck first, sending the ball out of bounds one too many times in the midst of the picnickers. The girls chased the ball another time when Candace spiked it too hard. One of the kids standing around grabbed the ball and threw it in the direction of another member of the group.
“Give it back!” Claire demanded, walking toward the group.
“Why y’all want to mess around?” Candace asked excitedly.
“Hold up, Candace. Wait a minute. You know your temper, girl?” Jacque was shouting running after the girls as he and Sheryl followed, trying to keep the peace.
“Yeah, and if I don’t, what?” the boy holding the ball replied and tossed the ball to another boy when Claire took a few steps closer.
She watched the ball being tossed around in the group. The routine continued for five minutes. They were all tired of waiting for the ball to be returned.
“Give me my ball or else…” She preened, strutted, and started her head-wagging routine.
“Or else what…? What’re you gonna do?”
Claire reached for her ball and one of the guys shoved her. She made another attempt. This time he shoved her so hard, she fell backwards and hit her head. Jacque rushed to her help her.
“Jacque is she alright?” shouted Sheryl.
Jacque knelt next to the fallen and unconscious Claire. He checked her pulse as if he was a paramedic then shot a mean stare, batting his eyes at the guy who had pushed Claire.
“You mean, lily, white bully. I oughta…”
“Listen you lil’ black fag, I’ll kick your teeth in if you so much as look this way again. Why don’t you and your girlfriends go on your side of the park…?”
“Hey, what’d do to my sister?” shouted Candace.
“I done told y’all, you are not welcome on this side.”
The group laughed as Candace and Jacque tried their best to resuscitate Claire. It seemed like an eternity. Candace shook with fear but bravely gave her sister mouth-to-mouth, trying to revive Claire. It was a procedure she had learned in swimming class. Candace gently shook her sister. The cobwebs seemed to clear from Claire’s dazed mind. Close to tears, she and Jacque were able to finally help Claire to her feet.
“Claire, Claire…”
“Who got the ball?” asked Claire.
“Forget about the ball, are you…” Jacque started.
“Forget it? No way, Mimmy told us not to lose that ball,” Claire said, jumping up and brushing herself off. “I’m not leaving without our ball,” she said, blinking rapidly and shaking her head.
“Oh girl, why don’t you just forget that damn ball,” offered Jacque, dragging Claire back from the picnickers.
“Jacque you’re such a sissy…”
“Shoot, I’d rather be a live sissy than a dead brave boy.”
“Hold up, why we walking away? We ain’t leaving without my damn volleyball,” Claire said, brushing off Jacque.
“He got our ball,” Candace firmly said, pointing to the white teen.
He was smiling, proudly holding the ball. They walked over to where the group of kids stood sunning and guffawing.
“Uh oh, here they come again…” one of them said.
“They must want some more,” another laughed.
“Give me back my fucking ball,” Claire yelled.
“Ooh… Or what…?”
“She gonna break your heart with them tears…”
The group broke out in laughter.
“I’m gonna ask you for the last time…”
“Or what…?”
“She’s gonna blow your dick… Ha, ha, ha…”
“Yeah bitch, do this…” the boy taunted.
They were laughing so hard, the kid with the ball didn’t see Claire swing. The blow caught him in the soft of his throat, catching the boy off guard. He staggered, choking.
“Shit, th-th-this bitch just hi-hit me…” he said coughing up blood. He wiped the red liquid trickling from his mouth.
There was no
