Excerpt
Cinderita In the Hood



I sit by my window and as I look to the skies, oh what a beautiful sight. I

imagine as I sit on this third floor, out to the east I see, I see Prince Charmen

coming for my rescue. Oh he is tall, black, and handsome with nice hair, and big beautiful

brown eyes. Rather sexy I would say the least. Oh and what is that in his hands? Eleven red

roses and one yellow one just for me. Don't forget his clothes. He is dressed in a black tux,

with a gray tux style shirt with gray buttons. His face is trimmed all around even with a light

beard and mustache tailored along his sideburns. Oh is this Mr. Right or what!



I tell you the truth. I have been dreaming this same dream from the time I was twelve, and now

I'm sixteen. That's how long I lived here in this jailhouse with my step-mother Idressa and her

six kids. My daddy moved out again around the time that I was twelve. He moves in and moves

out whenever he feels like it. I don't really know what my daddy ever saw in Idressa. His name

is Charles. I remember the days I use to sit on his lap and play "get-e-up horsy". I remember

picnics in the park with him. I remember going to school and the kids picking at me, saying my

dad must be my great-granddad. They were looking at his gray hair and teasing me about it. So

one day I came home and asked my dad if he would use one of my black crayons and color his

hair black so that the kids wouldn't pick at me anymore. He did change the color but not until

years later.



My real mother's name is Priscilla. I don't know where she is. Probably the old witch Idressa put

a spell on her and ran her off. Well, let me tell you about myself. I am sixteen years old. I am

very mature for my age. Idressa tries to keep me hidden. That is when she is sober, which is not

very often. But I guess she is afraid that my dream might come true one day and her three

witchy daughters might not have a chance.



Is This What You Call Life?



I was just turning fourteen, I remember asking my mother if I could take company. My sister

Mia pushed me up to ask her. Mia knew whatever answer I received from my mother would be

the same answer she would get. Mia was a year younger than I was. Boldly, I asked and my

mother told me I couldn't take company until I was seventeen, my reply was that Shenna, which

is my first cousin was taking company when she was fourteen, my mother said, "You're not

Shenna." Well, I guess she thought that settled that, she just didn't know my sister and I like she

thought she did.



Monique



Monique and Desmond were engaged now for about six months. Monique was busy

planning the wedding and trying to run her own business as an Interior Decorator. Desmond's

job required him to travel all over the world making deliveries. He always made sure wherever

he was Monique would have no problem contacting him. This particular morning before going

off to work Monique called him but did not get an answer. Repeatedly she phoned until she just

had to leave for work. Monique knew she had never had a problem before trying to reach

Desmond and she wondered what was wrong.



Putting the idea in the back of her mind she resumed to her regular schedule. Her first

appointment would soon be at the shop. As Monique unlocked the door a mysterious older

woman entered. The woman asked Monique's rates on decorating her home. She described in

details what she wanted and gave all the measurements as Monique sat at her desk taking notes.

Before Monique could give this strange woman a quote, the stranger took a long stare at

Monique and said, "Dear, what's troubling you?" Monique began to tell the strange woman of

her phone call this morning to her fiancé and how she always was able to reach him.



The woman confessed to Monique and replied, "Honey, I didn't come to get quotes on my house.

I came to relieve your worrying mind." Monique was appalled at the words she heard from this

strange woman. Then the woman continued, "I must let you know that your fiancé will not be

coming back." Quickly the fear left Monique and she was now filled with anger, she stood up

and asked the woman what kind of joke was she trying to pull. The strange woman then replied,

"Don't be worried to much dear, he is just fine, but he will not be back. He has relocated

to Virginia, and he is safe. He will contact you and explain everything.



Be careful in years to come, there is someone coming into your life that will cause you much

fear and pain. This person will come in the name of love, but what this person brings is short

from the love we know to be true love." As the strange woman began to walk out of the door she

said, "Be careful my dear." Tears began to roll down Monique's face as if a dam had

broken. Wondering if all these things this woman had told her were true. What had she done to

cause Desmond to just go away and not contact her?