by Dawn Desiree
Sunshine didn’t yearn for anything. Cathy made sure that Sunshine had counseling to help her cope with her loss. Before summer vacation, Cathy drove Sunshine to school every morning and picked her up on time every afternoon. Sunshine spent her summer days by Cathy’s side.
There was no limit to the things she would do for Sunshine. In fact, Cathy made sure Sunshine looked fresh in all the latest gear. She owned an entire walk-in closet full of Prada, Donna Karan, Christian Dior, and Baby Phat tags that kept her looking fly. As her body began to take its true form of a sexy, young woman, Sunshine fit her clothes in an exotic way. Her shoe racks were filled with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Kenneth Cole. She had more than twenty pairs of Jordans and some tennis shoes she hadn’t even worn yet. Cathy even bought her a pair of three-hundred-dollar Dolce & Gabbana sandals with a matching two-hundred-dollar purse. She had a jewelry box filled with all kinds of jazzy accessories to coordinate with her outfits.
Sunshine was not materialistic; she was content with or without all the glamour, but she had to admit that it felt nice having nice things. Sunshine even had her own cell phone, so Cathy could get in touch with her should they ever separate.
Sunshine had no clue how Cathy afforded such a life of luxury. She felt that it wasn’t her place to ask about Cathy’s financial status. She never saw Cathy go to work, not even during the summer, and she naturally assumed that the only money Cathy received was the money she got from the state every month to help support her. It seemed outrageous, and she wondered why everyone didn’t get into the foster care business. The state must’ve sent her a lot of money, because Cathy was paid!
Cathy entered Sunshine’s bedroom while Sunshine sat at her desk writing a new poem in her scrapbook.
“Hey, pretty. I’ve got some good news for you,” Cathy said.
Sunshine smiled. She loved when Cathy called her by cute little pet names. It made her feel like a little girl.
“Hey, Cee,” Sunshine said, putting down her pen and turning her chair around to face Cathy. “So what’s the good news?” Sunshine asked.
“We have a new girl coming today. She is your age, and she’s on her way here right now.”
Sunshine turned her smile upside down.
“Awww! What’swrong, pooh?” Cathy asked, noticing the quick change in Sunshine’s expression.
Sunshine didn’t bite her tongue. “I don’t want anybody to move in yet. I like having you to myself.”
Cathy felt her insides churn like butter. It meant a lot to her to hear Sunshine say that. “I know how you feel, honey,” Cathy empathized. “Change is difficult, especially when you don’t know what to expect. But I hope you know that I’m not gonna switch up on you. I told you before, I don’t show favoritism, and I mean that. And just to let you know, I look at you as my real daughter, cutie pie, and nothing or no one can ever change that.”
Sunshine’s smile came back to life. “What’s the girl’s name?” Sunshine asked, suddenly getting curious about her competitor.
“Can you believe that her name is the opposite of yours, and just as unique as yours?” Cathy asked.
Sunshine took a guess. “What is it, Sunset?”
Cathy laughed. “Not the exact opposite. Her name is Rain.”
“Rain.” Sunshine repeated it out loud, as if it were a foreign word. “That is different.”
“Well, she should be here any minute, so I’m going to get her room ready,” Cathy said.
“Would you like some help?” Sunshine offered.
“No, honey. I got this,” Cathy answered.
She left Rain with her thoughts while she continued her poem:
Forever I will remember you; Not ever will I forget you.
Together we made dreams come true; We never ran out of things to do.
Not one day would pass that we did not pursue; Not one secret hidden that you never knew.
I will cherish my memories of just us two;
I will cherish the day when I’m in heaven with you.
Sunshine read her work and was pleased. She put her scrapbook away for the moment and decided to go downstairs to watch TV until Rain arrived. She was eager to see what Rain looked like and if she was any real competition.
Sunshine didn’t usually make it a habit of being nosey, but she would make an exception this one time. If curiosity was a shark, she would have been eaten alive.
Sunshine walked down the hallway to peek in on Cathy. She must have already finished straightening up Rain’s bedroom, because she wasn’t in there. Sunshine looked around the small bedroom. It was nice and fit for a princess. It shared the same feeling as Sunshine’s room, only this room had different colors. The walls were painted in a soft baby pink with shiny sparkles like miniature diamonds. The deep burgundy-colored carpet brought life to the bedroom. A small cherry wood entertainment center sat in the corner by the window. It held a large 25-inch television with a Sony DVD player and a Sony CD player, just like Sunshine’s. Books and picture frames accented the decor. The burgundy comforter perfectly matched the carpet, and deep red, floral print curtains covered the oversized windows. Sunshine did not know Rain, but she was sure that she would be more than satisfied with her bedroom.
Sunshine could hear Cathy downstairs and went to see what she was doing. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she realized that Cathy was in the living room, talking to someone on her cell phone. Sunshine didn’t want to disturb her, so she sat quietly on the bottom step, looking outside at the street through the screen door, which led to the front porch. She wondered for a second if she looked too anxious, and decided she was okay.
Sunshine didn’t intend to eavesdrop on Cathy’s conversation, but bits and pieces were loud enough that she couldn’t help but overhear. From what she heard, Cathy was talking to somebody named Caesar, and it sounded like a very important conversation.
“Caesar, I don’t think that it’s official for you to be doing business with that youngin’ from around Potomac Heights. His boasting and bragging on himself could get all of us in some deep shit. We’re not talking no chump change here, Caesar. This is twenty-five Gs.”
Twenty-five thousand dollars! That’s a lot of flow, Sunshine thought. Who has that kind of money? And who is Caesar?
She had never heard that name mentioned before. Suddenly, Sunshine didn’t feel comfortable sitting where she was able to hear Cathy’s business. She might hear something else she wasn’t supposed to hear, and she certainly didn’t want to upset Cathy.
Sunshine stood up and walked to the front porch. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, a perfect day for Sunshine to oil up her body real nice, sit out in the sun, and bake herself until she turned a golden brown. Cathy was always telling her that it wasn’t a good idea for her to sit in the sun for hours; she claimed it could cause skin cancer. Nevertheless, Sunshine found sunbathing relaxing, so she held onto her bad habit. Besides, that was more likely to happen to Cathy than to her.
Sunshine wondered if she should go out back into the pool, swim a few laps and then sit out and enjoy the sun. She quickly scanned her current cocoa tan and knew she would be overdoing it. Her caramel skin was sexy enough, and turning it into midnight blue would be a sin.
Sunshine watched as a white car pulled into the driveway. Two people stepped out carrying four small grocery bags.
What’s with all the food? Sunshine wondered why they had all of those bags. As they neared the porch, Sunshine realized the bags contained the girl’s clothes. Sunshine stood up from the lawn chair to introduce herself.
“Hello, you must be Rain.” Sunshine held her hand out for greeting. “My name is Sunshine,” she said with a smile.
Rain rolled her eyes in fury and turned away from Sunshine.
I don’t have time for nobody’s jokes, Rain thought. My name is Sunshine, Rain mocked silently. If Miss Prissy thinks that she is going to make fun of my name like those chicken heads at Ms. Darby’s, she better think again. She could get it too, a vicious ass-wh
ooping like Mama used to do it.
Sunshine ignored the attitude Rain was giving and opened the door to let the rude guest inside. “I’ll go get Ms. Stone. You can wait right here.” Sunshine spoke more to the social worker than to Rain. The girl seemed to have a temperamental vibe before she even stepped foot in the door. Sunshine didn’t have to take that from anyone. After all, she was only trying to be polite.
She walked into the living room just as Cathy was ending her phone call. She could tell that Cathy was frustrated.
“Are you okay, Cathy?”
Cathy’s face was turning a pinkish color. “Yes, precious, I’m okay. Just trying to take care of some business.” Truth was, Cathy was beyond frustrated, but she couldn’t let her darling little Sunshine know what was going on. What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
Cathy was still caught up in the unsettling conversation she’d just had with Caesar. She barely heard Sunshine continue talking.
“Earth to Cathy!” Sunshine said, adding an extra bass note as she spoke. “Something is wrong with you. You’re not even listening to me.”
“I’m sorry, princess. Maybe I do have something on my mind, but it’s all good. What were you saying anyway?”
Sunshine shook her head at Cathy for not paying attention. “Hello. I said there is someone waiting at the door for you.”
“Oh, snap! I almost forgot about the new girl.” Cathy quickly walked past Sunshine and into the hallway to greet her visitors.
“Hello,” Cathy began. “I hope I didn’t keep you two waiting too long.”
Long enough, Rain thought.
“No, we’re fine,” the social worker said, speaking for herself and Rain. The two women shook hands.
“How have you been, Cathy?” the worker asked.
“I can’t complain. How are my boys doing?” Cathy asked.
“Well, since they left you and went back home to their mother, they seem to be maintaining. I’ve done a few follow-ups on the case, and they have been asking about you.”
“That’s good to know,” Cathy said. “I’ve talked to them a couple times, but I haven’t seen them since the day you took them home.”
“Is that so?” Ms. Watkins asked. She impatiently turned her wrist around so that she could check the time on her watch. Time was racing, and she would have to leave soon.
“Ms. Stone, this is Rain Concise. She experienced some unfortunate trouble at her previous home over at Ms. Darby’s, so we had to do an emergency transfer.”
Cathy bent her face up at the mention of Ms. Darby. Everybody in the business was fully aware that she was only in it for the money. The old hag couldn’t care less about the kids.
“Ms. Darby? They still allow that woman to keep kids . . . and they pay her for it? She’s getting easy money,” Cathy stated.
Rain agreed with Cathy one hundred percent. She was beginning to like this lady already. For a white woman, she definitely possessed a lot of soul.
Rain admired the way that Cathy carried herself. Ms. Cathy was fly as hell, and her house was the shit.
“Because this is a spontaneous transfer,” Ms. Watkins began, “I haven’t had a chance to organize the paperwork for you to sign. If you can stop by my office on Monday morning, I’ll have it all ready and prepared for you.”
“I’m sure I can squeeze that into my schedule,” Cathy said.
“Well, Rain, good luck. And Ms. Stone, I’ll see you Monday.”
Cathy and Rain stood face-to-face for a silent moment, feeling each other out. Cathy broke the silence.
“So, Rain, have you met Sunshine yet?”
Rain looked at Cathy, surprised. “You mean Sunshine is her real name?” Rain asked, feeling a little bit guilty.
“Is Rain your real name?” Sunshine asked, arriving to meet the two ladies in the hallway.
“Yes, Ms. Stone, we met earlier,” Rain answered Cathy’s original question.
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Sunshine added.
Cathy noticed some slight hating in the air, but she chose not to get involved unless it became serious. Just like cats, Cathy understood that it took time for two women to bond. As long as there were no cat fights, everything would be just fine.
“Sunshine, if you don’t mind helping Rain with her bags and showing her to her room, I would really appreciate it. I have some really important phone calls to make.”
Sunshine conceded to help Rain get settled in, but only because Cathy needed her to. “No problem,” Sunshine spit out along with a small laugh. “Messing around with you and that cell phone of yours, Sprint is going to get paid some mega bucks,” Sunshine said.
Cathy laughed along with her. “Very funny, but they’re not getting paid no mega bucks from me today. My cell is free after nine and on the weekends, doll baby.” Cathy headed to her bedroom where she could talk in private.
Rain could already tell that Sunshine and Cathy had a special kind of relationship. The way they interacted with each other was something Rain longed to share with someone. Suddenly, she missed her mother.
Once Cathy was gone, Rain turned to Sunshine. “I’m sorry for ignoring you earlier when you spoke to me. I thought you were making jokes about my name.”
Sunshine looked confused. She didn’t understand. “Why would I do something like that?” Sunshine asked curiously. “I don’t even know you to make fun of you. Besides, that’s not my style to make fun of anyone. Come on. Let me show you to your new room.”
When they arrived at Rain’s bedroom, Rain couldn’t believe her eyes. She had to touch the wall to make sure that it was real and that she was really in such a fly room. Rain was completely and totally speechless. The room looked more like a small paradise that belonged to a superstar’s child, like something you might see on MTV Cribs.
Damn! Ms. Cathy must be paid! Rain thought.
Everything looked brand new. The only thing Rain had to complain about was the pink walls. It was a little too girly for her taste, but the burgundy flourishes that highlighted the vast room would help her tolerate it.
“Is there a phone somewhere in this room?” Rain asked. She needed to contact Terrance as soon as possible.
“Yes, it’s right there.” Sunshine pointed toward the cherry wood nightstand to the cordless phone. “Thank you. I have to make an important phone call if you don’t mind.”
“No, that’s fine. Just pick it up to make sure that it’s working. I’m not sure if she had it installed yet,” Sunshine insisted.
Rain walked over to the nightstand and picked up the receiver praying for a dial tone.
“Yeah, it’s all good,” she said.
“All right, well, if you need me for anything, my room is straight down the other end of the hallway,” Sunshine said.
“Okay, I won’t be long,” Rain said.
Once Sunshine left the room, Rain took a deep breath and prepared herself for this conversation with Terrance. Rain wasn’t sure what she would say, but one thing was certain. If that heifer answered his phone today, Rain would make it her business to reach her hand into the phone and wring that wench by the neck until she choked to death.
Surprisingly, when his cell phone was answered, it was Terrance’s deep, seductive voice Rain heard, and not the tramp’s. Just hearing him say hello sent orgasmic signals downtown. Rain teasingly wet her lips with her tongue, picturing the day she’d allow him to make love to her for the first time. She had to stay focused, though, because she didn’t call to get all mushy with him. She called for a reason.
“Hey, Terrance, baby. What’s up with you?” Rain spoke in her softest, sweet-like-candy voice.
“I’m chillin,” Terrance answer ed nonchalantly.
“Have you missed me?” Rain wanted to know.
“Umm . . . it depends.” Terrance hesitated.
She could hear him sucking in the smoke from his blunt while he puffed.
“What does it depend on?” Rain asked.
“It depends on
who this is,” Terrance said slowly while exhaling his hydro. Rain didn’t let his lack of knowledge upset her.
“Who do you want it to be?” Rain asked him in a teasing way.
“It would be nice if this was a booty call from some good booty,” Terrace teased back.
Rain was getting jealous now, and she began yelling into the phone. “Don’t play with me, Terrance!” Rain’s frustration started to show.
“Don’t play with me,” Terrance responded casually. “Who is this for real though?”
Rain paused for a moment and then answered, “I evaporate from the ground, into the sky, and fall back down. They call me . . .”
“Rain. Oh, what’s up, sexy?” Terrance asked.
“What’s up? That’s all you have to say to me after all the head action I gave you?” Rain asked.
“Hmmph.” Terrance let a short, cool breath escape from his chest. “No, sexy, that’s not all I have to say. Can the rain fall back down and help my cum evaporate?”
“You are so nasty, Terrance.”
“Yeah, I ain’t said nothing wrong, and you know that’s what you love about me.”
“Yeah, a’ight, whatever,” Rain said, not denying the truth. “What I don’t love, though, is you letting stank-ass bitches answer your cell.”
“Come on now, Rain, you know better than that. I don’t let nobody answer my phone,” Terrance said calmly.
“Well, who was it then?” Rain asked with a small hint of obsession in her voice.
“That must have been my little sister playing with you and shit,” Terrance answered.
“Well, tell your little sister that she was about to get her little ass smacked.” Rain spoke in a playful way. She didn’t want to upset him, but it was obvious to Rain that Terrance was faking.
Rain didn’t want to live in the conversation about the broad anymore. She could feel the air being torched, and she might get mad and say the wrong thing. Since he was her only link to Jerome right now, she decided to chill out and let it ride.