HARD LIFE

One summer morning long- ago, Nishi found herself standing before a love she thought she would never find, listening to the breeze of each word presented out of Joseph’s mouth, Nishi knew he was the one. All morning Nishi’s mother Tiana had been scolding Nishi, telling her to keep out of grown folks business, warning her that she needs to respect her elders. Nishi was angry, and impatient. In the next room her dad layed ill under the day care of the doctor.

Nishi decided to take a walk in the park. She wanted so badly to be a lone , away from the commotion at her house. As she arrived to the park, Nishi found a bench under a tree. She sat at the bench enjoying her peace and freedom. A short male figure stepped to the side of the bench were Nishi sat and sat on the bench leaving a space in between them.

This guy observed Nishi’s every move. He had never seen a girl so beautiful. Her complexion shined like diamonds in a field of snow. Her singing touched his heart ,then he knew she was the one for him, finally he gathered the courage to speak to Nishi.

“You from around here?” he said softly

“Yes, I am ,Why do you ask?” Nishi said

“You’re a beautiful girl, I don’t remember seeing you around here” he said sweetly

“ Nice meeting you my name is Nishi”

“My name is Joseph, So how old are you” Joseph asked eagerly

“I’m fifth-teen years old” Nishi said softly

“I’m twenty- two” Joseph said

“I have to get home, maybe I’ll see you around” Nishi said

“ Can I get them digits before you leave” Joseph asked shyly

“Sure” Nishi said

Nishi headed home, she dreaded going back. For her house contained nothing of her interest. When she entered her house she went straight to her room. She closed the door behind her and she laid on her bed. Nishi heard pounding on the floor above her. Then she heard screams, the screams became louder and louder. Nishi yearned to be invisible, to stop living. The commotion of her mother being beat by her father increased and Nishi began to cry. It seemed like Nishi’s dad had been beating her mother for ages, and when the stomping and screaming died down, Nishi realized her father faked his illness

Nishi felted lonely, like she had been casted away from life. Voices sounded near-by and Nishi been to shiver.

“Nishi!” her dad yelled frantically

Nishi saw his legs standing in front of her bedroom door. His sharp tone told Nishi her punishment would measure a greater depth then her mother’s. Then she saw her dad slowly opening the door to her room. Nishi held her breathe and waited for her dad’s command for her to come to him.

“Nishi!”

The distress Nishi sensed in her dad’s voice was as sharp and painful as the lash of being burned by fire in the face.

“Come here, girl!” her dad yelled loudly

Nishi’s dad walked over to her fast like a solider on the battle field fighting a war and he caught hold of her hair, he dragged Nishi across the floor and threw her into her dresser. Blood began running down her face, she watched her father as he threw all of her belongings out of her closet and dresser draws.

“You will never live under this roof again, for you are a disgrace to me and yo mother” Her dad said sharply

“But dad I have no where to go, For I am your daughter, please don’t make me go” Nishi said in a irritated voice

Her gentle words made her dad even anger, he walked across the room and slapped Nishi in the face.

“You have five minutes” Her dad sharply as he exited out of her room

Tears flowed down Nishi’s face and she packed her belongings and headed down the stairs, where her mother and father sat on the couch. Her mother placed money in Nishi’s hand and she pushed Nishi out the  house. Nishi looked at the streets and she headed to the park she found a bench in the way back and began to cry. From that moment things began clearer for her she realized that her parents never loved her. She beaten out of her senses and forced to live on her own.

Chapter 2:

Hunger stole upon Nishi so slowly that at first she was not aware of what hunger really was. For the first time in her life she had to pause and wander what would happen to her next. Joseph seen Nishi sitting in the park and he headed towards her.

“Nishi, how are you doing?” Joseph asked

“Not  good at all” Nishi complained

“ What’s the matter?” Joseph asked

“Yesterday my dad pretended he was ill. Then when I got home it was another story. He beat my mother then he beat me and kicked me to the curb, not even caring about my well being” Nishi said sadly

Joseph opened his mouth but no words came out, his mind had frozen with horror. Joseph then moved closer to Nishi, he wrapped one arm around her waist and took his other hand and dried the tears off her face.

“Things will be okay, You can come stay with me” Joseph offered sweetly

“No, I can’t I hardly even know you” Nishi said

“ Its beats being on the streets when any harm or danger can come to you, So please come” Joseph said

“ Okay , Joseph I’ll go live with you” Nishi said softly

Joseph took Nishi by the hand, he lead her to his car and they headed to her house. When they arrived to Joseph house, Nishi was surprised to see how beautiful and unique Joseph’s house was. Joseph opened the door to his house and he took Nishi to her room.

Nishi been to unpack her belongings, when she was finished she laided on her bed wondering why Joseph is being so generous to her.

A few hours later, there was a knock on Nishi’s bedroom door. Nishi raised up from her bed to answer the door.

“Yes, Joseph” Nishi said sweetly

“You want to go hang out? Joseph asked

“Look Joseph, I don’t want you to get the oppression that me and you go be together I’m only fifth-teen and I can’t handle all this right now” Nishi said

“I’m not trying to come on to you I want to be yo friend” Joseph said

“As friends I guess we can go hang out together”Nishi said sweetly

“All right then we going to the State Fair”Joseph said

“That’s cool with me”Nishi said

Joseph left from Nishi room to go get dress and she closed her door and began to get dress. After she got dress she went down stairs and there stood a tall handsome figure leaning against the couch.

“How you doing?” Nishi asked politely

“I’m fine, you must be Nishi”

“Yes I am, and you are?” Nishi asked

“Michael, sweet heart”

“ Are you related to Joseph? Nishi asked

“ No were just friends” Michael said

Joseph came down the stairs and the three headed outside to get in Michael’s car.

At last they reached the State Fair with all the millions of people, walking around laughing talking and having fun. Nishi noticed the long lines of people waiting to be seated for the Pre-Mya concert. Joseph took Nishi by the hand and they got in line with all the other people waiting to see R&B singer Mya, perform.

“ So, how are you holding up” Joseph asked

“I’m okay. I guess”Nishi said

“Why you so quiet?” Joseph asked

“ I don’t know, why?”Nishi asked

“ You never really talk, that’s why”

“ I just have a lot on my mind right now”

“ I know you do but, When you go stop worrying  so you can be happy?”

“I don’t know”

The State fair turned out to be a good thing in Nishi’s life she had fun spending time with both Joseph and Michael. They made her feel apart of the world again, like her life was actually worth living even though she doesn’t have the proper love from her mother and father.

Chapter 3:

After Nishi had outlived the shocks of childhood, she learned other ways of life, that she could stand on her own two feet. She went to school for an education at the age of seventeen she graduated from high school with honors, She was later accepted to a college in Atlanta, Georgia.

One afternoon Nishi became so ill she had to go to bed. Joseph would attend to Nishi’s every need , trying to make her feel better but her sickness got worser and worser. Joseph took Nishi to the hospital and there they learned that Nishi is three- months pregnant and the pregnancy caused her to develop severe symptoms of emphysema due to second hand smoke.

Nishi had to stay in the hospital for six months. She felt like she was in a prison even though Joseph was always by her side trying to make her feel better during the last six months of carrying their unborn child. She celebrated her eight-teen birthday in the hospital , on the same day she give birth to there baby girl Divine, and was released from the dreadful hospital she spent six months of her life in.

Chapter4:

Two weeks later Joseph and Nishi moved to Atlanta, Georgia for Nishi could go to college and pursue her dreams while raising a daughter and pleasing her man.

Nishi life now depended upon her career, raising Divine and pleasing Joseph. One morning when Nishi came downstairs, she knew at once that something was wrong in her home. Her daughter divine, as usual, was not at the table upstairs in her bed sleep. Joseph nodded Nishi to sit down. This is when Nishi learned that her man has been cheating on her while she has been trying to make a living for her family.

“Baby, please don’t be mad at me” Joseph said

“ No, I’m disappointed but why be mad when I haven’t been here for two years to fulfill yo needs” Nishi said softly

“ So, your not mad at me” Joseph asked

“ No baby everyone makes mistakes just don’t do it again” Nishi said sweetly

“ What you doing today” Joseph asked

“ Taking Divine to her beauty peagant auditions today” Nishi said

“ I’ll go with you all”

Four weeks later Nishi could not believe in her feelings ,her personality went numb and she began to be over whelmed by all of her surroundings. Still Joseph had no job and his cheating rate began to increase rapidly. Nishi last semester of full- time school was slowly coming to an end but things at her house seemed to be getting worse. Nishi knew what was wrong but she didn’t know how to correct it.

This was the first time Nishi ever regretted being the fiancee of Joseph. She felt like her getting an education is slowly breaking her and Joseph apart. Nishi went to school that day and she returned home early to her surprise Joseph was there sitting at the table with his head down.

Nishi walked over to the table and she sat next to her man.

“Joseph, baby is everything okay” Nishi asked out of concern

“ No” Joseph responded

“What’s the matter honey” Nishi asked

“ I can’t live this way, I miss my family you don’t deserve me after all the bad I have done to you” Joseph said sadly

“Listen Joseph  I’m your girl and I will stand by your side through the stormy weather, through good times and bad baby I’ll always be here for you. You know me better than any man on earth, you make me feel worthy to belong to you. I treasure my commitment to you please don’t take it away from me” Nishi said sweetly

“ I’m not happy living here Nishi, I have another baby on the way with another women”Joseph said softly

“You’re my angel I can’t just let you go , we can move back to Los, Angeles anything you want I’ll do Just don’t walk out on me or your daughter” Nishi said

“ Your not understanding I don’t love you any more I want out of this relation ship”Joseph said sharply

“Guess my love is not good enough for you to stay. all the things I did for you , telling me you want to spend the rest of your life with me while all alone you was setting me up for this” Nishi said

“ I’m sorry it seems that way but this is how things are going to be” Joseph said

“ With all my trust and every little kiss I can’t believe you played me out like this” Nishi said

Joseph went upstairs to his room and begin packing his belongings . Nishi sat at the table and tears begin to run down her face. A few minutes later the door bell rung, Nishi dried her eyes and answered the door.

“ Who is it?” Nishi asked

“JoLisa”

Nishi opened the door to the house. There stood this pretty young lady. She seemed a little older than Nishi. She had a Carmel colored complexion  she was black and Asian. Her hair was long and curly she seemed really nice.

“ Can I help you?” Nishi said

“ Yeah is Joseph here?” JoLisa said

“ Yeah his upstairs you can go up there” Nishi said

“ No I’ll wait for him down here” JoLisa said

Nishi let her in the house she sat on the couch and Nishi sat at the table. Divine came down the stairs and she sat on her mothers lap.

“Mommy, were is daddy going?” Divine asked

“ His going away “ Nishi said

“ Were to?” Divine asked

“ Back to his own house in California with his family” Nishi said

“ But I don’t want him to go” Divine said

“ I don’t either baby but me and your dad aren’t getting alone” Nishi said

Joseph came downstairs with his belongings. JoLisa stood up and grabbed one of Joseph’s bags. Joseph walked over to Nishi and Divine he kissed both of them good-bye ,then him and JoLisa exit out of the house. Divine heart was broken she began to cry and Nishi comfort her in her arms.

Chapter5:

Each day of Nishi’s life now had a sharp meaning to it after the desertion of Joseph. Nishi hired an at home nanny to watch over Divine as she finished her college years. When Divine got old enough to go to school , Nishi found a home schooling program for Divine could have a more advanced  education.

Nishi graduated from college five years later. She is now twenty- three years old  and is an elementary school teacher. Divine is seven, and now attends a public school.

Finally summer came once again and Nishi finally had time for her daughter Divine. Nishi decided that is was time for her and Divine to take there first family vacation together she had been planning a trip for them to go to for a long time. In a few weeks her and Divine will take a trip to the Bahamas then to the Caribbeans.

When Nishi awaken one morning , she received a call from Joseph she had not talk to him for five years now.

“ Hello” Nishi said

“ Hey sweetie, How have you been? Joseph asked

“ I doing good, and you” Nishi said

“ Feels like I just walked out of heaven , Feels like I done threw my life away I just want to make things right with you” Joseph said

“ You late for that it’s been five years your daughter is seven now” Nishi said

“ I know I want to come see the both of you”

“ When?”

“ Right now”

“ Your in Atlanta now”

“ Yes I am”

“ I guess that would be okay then”

“ I got my son with me, You remember JoLisa?”

“ Yes I do, Why”

“She died two years ago do to her poisoning her self”

Nisha got off the phone with Joseph and she took a shower and got dress. She went to Divines room and made her get up and get dress and clean her room. Then Nishi went down stairs and began cooking breakfast. Divine came down the stairs and she sat on the couch and begin watching tv.

“Your dad will be here in a little while” Nishi said

“ Really mommy” divine asked

“ Yes baby girl” Nishi said

Just as Nishi begin fixing Divine plate the door bell rung. Divine got up from the couch and answered the door.

“Who is it ?” Divine asked softly

“Joseph”

Divine opened the door and there stood her daddy with this little boy. Divine jumped in Joseph’s arms and she hugged him and he kissed her on the cheek. He entered the house and closed the door behind him. He put Divine down and she took the little boy by the hand and lead him to the table and they ate breakfast.

Nishi walked over to Joseph and she hugged him. He kissed her softly on the lips. She  took him upstairs to the room they once shared together. He sat on the bed and Nishi sat on his lap.

“ My daughter is beautiful just like her mother” Joseph said

“ You know it “ Nishi said

“ I missed the both of you so much you just don’t know”

“ I missed you too I ain’t even go lie, I graduated from college with my bachelors degree”

“ That’s good mommy I own my own business now”

“ You know what thanks for being a good father to Divine writing every day and paying child support made her feel good about herself even though were separated.”

“ She’s my baby girl, I love you Nishi you think there’s ever go be a chance with us getting back together?’

“ Maybe”



Stay Tuned for that next series