#;ruth

the caveat of being a powerful witch’s daughter was when you thought you escaped her notice, her eyes were trained on you more than ever before. it made childhood frustrating––rarely could any of the graves children get away with troublemaking. it made running away even harder. 

    She believes in God, Jesus, the Holy Ghost too. Regardless of who she chose to spend time beside; her faith never wandered far. Possibly because of that strictness imposed in those youthful days. Maybe because her mother’s strong fears naturally took to rubbing off on her; causing there to exist a special spot in the back of her mind, keeping her in that unknown, constant, fear of being one of many lost souls on Judgment Day.    She believes in rebirth, reincarnation. Perhaps its contradictive: thinking all souls go back to God yet upon the body’s release, they find a new earthly vessel. However, this had been the belief of her Louie. And always would Minnie eat up his beliefs like some gluttonous child.    Her ex-man’s beliefs were comforting, truly. To believe that Lost Baby One and Two would be seen again one day. In fact, she believed Leroy was a production of reincarnation; a baby boy that finally got the concept of living right after dying twice. Hence why Minnie kept Leroy’s name – Leroy, rather than something all brand new and classy like Sylvester.    It was soothing to think if Ruth would not return home to her loved ones (and at this point, Minnie truly did not believe her sister was coming back) she would return in but another form. Ruth was a good lil’ girl, never did nothin’ to nobody. And so the older sibling knew her comeback would not be as a mouse invading her sweet home. Nor even as a flower, where her prettiness caused her to be painfully plucked.     Admittedly, Minnie looked to Shyla in search of Ruth. From the minute she was born, up till’ she was about five. Six? Because it officially came to knowledge that Ruth could not be found in Shyla’s looks. And she, so somber, especially could not be discovered in her daughter’s lively behavior. But at least hobby wise, Minnie thought her sister’s spirit could be found. Little Shyla wrote up a storm and absorbed words displayed before her: Minnie remembers how Ruth did the same.  But today, Minnie has met Ruth. She swears it.  You know the feeling felt when in the sight of someone you haven’t seen in years? Well not only was there a shock but a chill goes straight down Minnie’s spine. Eyes wide as she takes over each and every feature of her new client; Eyes. Lips. Complexion. She’s an older girl, yes, but Minnie clumsily estimates her age is about the one her Ruthie would be these days.   And this girl’s hair – if she don’t have a head full of hair like a Campbell –   Her mama speaks for her. Speaks of how Helen Jones use to be the family’s hair stylist, but now she done retired at the worst of times: when her little girl (Danyell) has her hair at its maximum volume. So, she heard from a family friend to another family friend of Josie (also retired) who redirected her onto a Mina...     “Oh I’m Josie’s baby!”     “You ‘Mina?”    “Um-hm!” Minnie must hold her tongue. If she didn’t, she’d wind up talking about how she learned all there was to know about hair from her mother. Surely having no time to say; “I’ma take good care a’your hair Danyell!” Innocently, as though she doesn’t feel like she’s seeing her long-lost sister in the flesh, fingers thread through black fluff with such ease; “S’gonna be all safe with me!”