Page 8 of Standing In The Sun

Kamari kicked his little feet, babbling loud with drool glistening on his chin.

“Oh, nowyougot jokes?” she muttered, as he smiled away like he knew what was going on.

He cooed in response, hands reaching for her face because he knew he was her favorite person on earth.

She kissed his cheek, then placed him gently into the bouncer chair on the floor. He wiggled and kicked at the dangling toy above him, making that soft hiccup-laugh noise of his that always made her heart melt.

“Okay, Mari. It’s your half-birthday,” she said, wiping her hands on a dish rag. “Six whole months of sunshine, late-night bottles and making me cry when you smile too hard.”

She pulled a tiny, store-bought cupcake – vanilla with blue sprinkles- from the fridge. It was one of three she’d scooped on clearance from the gas station down the block.

It was dumb, probably. He wouldn’t remember this…wouldn’t care.

But she needed something to celebrate…something to feel like joy.

She stuck a candle in the center, lit it with a flick of her lighter, and sat down on the floor beside him.

“Happy six months, Kamari,” she whispered. “You the best thing I ever did.”

He gurgled and grinned, kicking again.

Her phone buzzed on the counter, but she ignored it. For once, she wanted to enjoy a moment of peace. Inside this little moment that was hers and his - nobody else’s.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She stiffened.

The knock sounded off again-- The kind of knock that came with news. Not a visitor or a friend because she didn’t have those unless it was her little sister or her baby daddy.

She stood, making her way over to the door. Her heart thumped the closer she got to it, like her intuition was telling her, her already fucked up life was about to get worse.

Mr. Ledger, the landlord stood therein his wrinkled khakis and crooked reading glasses, holding a manila envelope.

“Afternoon,” he said, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“What’s going on?” Ahvi asked, heartbeat quickening.

“I just came to give you this.” He handed over the envelope. “This is your official notice. I sold the house.”

Ahvi blinked. “You…what?”

“New owners close in six weeks. They don’t want tenants. You’ve got forty-five days to move out.” He also wanted to remind her that rent had been late and short and was behind, but there was no need to add insult to injury.

Her mouth went dry. “Mr. Ledger, come on…I got a baby.”

“I know,” he said, not unkind, just tired. “But it’s outta my hands now. The market’s hot, and the buyers made a cash offer. I couldn’t say no.”

She stared at him, the weight of it hitting her all at once. Rent had been a stretch already. Moving? Deposits? First and last? Withwhat?

“I’m not tryna be difficult, Ms. Ahvi. Your daddy was a good tenant and I know you’ve been trying to make rent on time, but this is just business.”

She folded the envelope against her chest and gave a tight nod. “Got it.”

He hesitated. “You got people you can call?”

“No,” she said flatly. She wasn’t lying even with a mama on the other side of town, she knew Sheena ain’t have nothing to give her besides a roof for a little while.

“…Well, I hope you figure it out.” And then he turned and walked off like he hadn’t just shattered the one stable thing she had left.

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