Amongst Wolves

Amongst wolves

THE LONE PATH

What now? Tyesha whispers to her friend Dottie, whos hands are burried in her face from sobbing all morning. "I dont know, I dont have a solid plan, I just know I have to make some money fast." Dottie wipes her face walks towards the mirror and cleans herself off, as she straightens out her clothes and realigns her posture, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, Tyesha stares at her best friend of over 10 years and is looking at the strongest girl she knows, now beaten by life and defeated. "We're going to get your JJ back, I promise." Dottie opens her eyes and stares at her best friend through the mirror, and whispers back "I know."

4 hours before

"Full custody goes to the father, Samuel Jenkins! "The judge announces the verdict as he stands the entire court house follows. Dottie sits slumped in her chair, the news hits her like a lighting bolt, leaving her dizzy and confused.

"God, please do not do this to me."

The public defender gently places her hand on Dottie's shoulder,

"I'm so sorry Dottie, I am truly sorry, meet with me tomorrow if you can so we can go look over some places you can go to for counseling, there are tons of programs that can help, I want to help you, this is not over".

The Public defender, seemed genuine, a tear rolled down her face the moment Dottie locked eyes with her. Standing right behind the public defender stood her Ex Fiancé, along with his new wife and his narcissistic mother.

"Dottie..... I thought with all the records shown of his violence towards you, that you would have had a chance." The Public defender faces the ground in disappointment.

"So they take my baby now?" Dottie looks over at her son playing with his feet.

"Yeah Dottie, we will go over the process in the next room."

Dottie does not take her eyes off of her little boy.

Dottie forces a smile to her 9 month old son, whos giggling and smiling innocently.

"I'm sorry for losing you." Dottie whispers to her son.

Baby JJ touches his mother's face, as if he can sense her sadness. Dottie holds on to his tiny hand and kisses it repeatedly.

The public defender interrupts what could be her last intimate moment with her son.

"Dottie, follow me."

The table divided her ex Samuel and his family, Dottie stands alone with no family's support, just her public defender and her son in his stroller.

"Sam always had a strong family unit, and money... fuckin' money.

Stupid of me to think I'd win....Damn. Dottie thinks to herself.

Signing papers felt like a lifetime.

The time had come for Dottie to hand over her baby boy to his new legal guardians, Dottie fought with every strength in her body to not cry to remain strong, if her son will feel anything of her, if anything can be passed down from her it would her strength to him and all her love that she can no longer share will all go to him.

"Ill be back for you, I promise." Dottie kisses her son for the last time.

Dottie storms out of the court room. Tears rolling down her face uncontrollably as she sobs, running down the stairs as fast as she can, she couldn't watch them walk away with the only person she had, alone she wept in the cold secluded stair case.

The bus ride to Tyesha's was quiet, the weather seemed to be colder, and the day seemed darker.

Dottie knocks on her best friends door, Tyesha swings the door open with her mother's champagne bottle in her hand. "Hey! we celebrating the big win or what?!" Dottie looks up, eyes so swollen almost shut from crying

"I didn't win." Dottie mumbles...

" I didn't win Tyesha, they took JJ."

Tyesha grabs her best friend and holds tightly onto her as she screams into her chest. Tyesha faces the ceiling not letting her tears fall.

"I'm sorry Dottie, I'm so sorry.... Come on, come in. Take this coat off." Tyesha closes the door.