“ Everything I want to do is illegal. ”
her apartment hadn't been set up for guests as it looked like a tornado had spat out clothes, paintings, and children's toys. all of which littered and filled up any available space. though the couch was roomy enough. and the patio door was left wide open to allow the hot breeze to cool off the complex. she'd blame it on the air conditioner not working, but truthfully she just didn't pay her bills yet.
a boisterous remark sounds from the spitting image of Harley's youngest, " mama - what does illegal mean ?? " she sets her big round baby blues on arthur, wiping her head to stare, but her mother just chuckles. at the curiosity of a six year old. placing a plastic chew toy that faintly smells after being bitten into several times over and telling her daughter to go get Buddy. she races out of the room to go find the deported hyena. yelling his name when she was out of sight. she had been accustomed to pets while she was just a baby - even the more exotic one's. they were as much Lucy's as they were Harley's. Though they seemed to favor Lucy after she was born.
" she's very smart. " she started in. brushing back her long disheveled blonde mess of hair behind her ears and eying the small hyena that entered the room. becoming hyper fixed at the wolf dog at Arthur's heels. sniffing and wagging his tail in greeting. though his only companion having been just humans thus far, " she gets that kinda special attention at school. . . though I been pushin' for a tutor. someone that could keep up with her. . . " she paused. searching and when she found it she said so, " talents. She's a few grades above her peers her age. "
she turned to frowning. her eyes looking all kinds of tired and scared and sad, overthinking before saying, " a doc told us she got some PTSD. from her father. still in her crib when a thug down 5th found out where Jack lived. left bullet holes in the ceilin'. she didn't get hurt, but doc said she'd need therapy. "
Abruptly her fingers started shaking and her hands came up to wipe away tears in her eyes as they stained her cheeks and rolled down in black mascara, " I ain't sure about it yet, but I'm thinkin' o' sendin' her to my sister's for awhile. think she'd be safer in a better place. it ain't right keepin' her here. "
she smeared her makeup with the back of her palm before pulling her daughter's attention back to her. though she was rough housing with bud. squealing away as the hyena slobbered into her hand, " go grab the ice cream from the fridge would ya'? the mint kind. In the back. "
