She was twelve when her first real storm blew into her life. When she left in the morning, she had thought it odd that her Papa wasn't there to hug her goodbye, when she came home she knew that morning had been the calm before the storm.
Khalisee ran to her bedroom, slumping down into the corner by her bed. "Papa arrested? What would he do to get arrested?" Her sobs shook her body, as she wept for her Papa, until finally exhaustion overtook her and she fell into a deep sleep.
Sometime in the evening someone lifted her gently and placed her into her own bed, brushing her damp matted hair away from her face, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're OK, I promise." His words slipped into her dreams, and she knew her prince had rescued her, everything would just fine.
Papa wasn't coming home, not for a very long time, and maybe never again. She stood by the couch staring as her Mama gave them the news. It had been a week since Papa was arrested, she still didn't understand what he did, but she was certain it wasn't anything that serious.
"Do you children all understand what I am saying?" Her gaze returned to her Mama, standing in front of the them. "Your Papa is being held without bail until his trial, he won't be home until the trial starts." Kaleb, her brother looked over at all of them, he was going to ask the question they all wanted to know,
"What did he do Mama? Why is he in jail?" Mama sighed, sadness filling her eyes. "Your Papa was accused of murder, they say he murdered several people." Khalisee couldn't stop herself, the words were out before she could even think, "No, Papa would never do that, he didn't do it Mama! You have to believe me, tell the police it's a big mistake!" Mama turned towards Khalisee,
"That shows how little you pay attention Khalisee, your Papa did do it, he works for the Mafia, he has worked for them since before we were married. So you see Khalisee why your Papa is in jail? He has done a lot of very bad things, and now he has to pay for them."
Khalisee's mind was reeling, what Mama said didn't make sense, she loved her Papa and Papa loved them all, how could he do something so terrible!
The next weeks of Papa's trial went by in a fog for Khalisee, her brothers and sisters talked about what the kids were saying in school. Khalisee didn't even really notice, she didn't notice that no one played with her anymore, because she didn't want to play.
When the jury came in with the verdict, Khalisee wasn't there, Mama had left to be there, but she said it was no place for children. She came back and told them, Papa was guilty, he was going to be in prison for the rest of his life.
Khalisee began sobbing, "Khalisee, you dry it up, he isn't worth shedding tears over, we all have to be strong now and move forward. You have too much of your Papa's blood in you, if we aren't careful I can see you ending up just like him!" this shocked Khalisee into silence, tears running down her cheeks she looked up at her Mama, "I would never kill someone Mama, I couldn't do something like that, not ever!"
Mama sighed, "I'm not talking about being in the Mob, stupid girl! Your Papa has bad blood, and there are other things that bad blood does to girls!" Mama looked down at Khalisee and smiled, it was a smile that turned Khalisee's blood to ice, causing the hairs on her arm to stand straight up,
"Don't worry, we will make sure those things don't happen to you, Mama will make sure we don't let Papa's bad blood make you a bad girl."
Soon after her Papa's verdict, Khalisee noticed a bump growing out of her mother, every day it seems that bump got bigger, and Khalisee knew what it meant.
Mama's belly wasn't the only thing changing in their world. Mama had recently begun hanging out with a new friend, and Khalisee didn't trust him.
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