JADE

CHAPTER 0NE Rising early in the morning, Jade caught her reflection in the mirror across the room. The image of her golden-brown skin, medium-tall frame, and slim developed figure stretch from a peaceful sleep. Jade loved the appearance of her hair in the morning with its flick of shine (God had put it there) beautifully threaded throughout her sandy red hair. The day she had indeed arrived with her in mind. Jade lived in (Chi-town) also known as Chicago’s Southside. The area where large houses were home to large families was called the ‘back of the main block.’ Then, the back street neighborhood was where Jade’s grandfather bought the house she was born and raised in. The loud music, dancing, and finger-popping were part of the neighborhood flow. The vast house filled the block from one end to the other on both sides. Coming into her teen years, with all the people and large families, Jade felt alone at the tender age of thirteen. Jade would sit on the back-porch stairs daydreaming of all the “what ifs” in life. Faint and muffled voices in the background blended into its type of rhythm as Jade was jolted by someone yelling next door. Sometimes Jade’s thoughts could block them out. Grandmother kids next door would speak, but Jade would be cautious because she knew her grandmother watched (within the screened porch) to see whomever Jade was talking to. Jade longed to play with the other children just within feet of her, to do the things they did, like jump rope or laugh at jokes. Jade watched the girls double-dutch jump rope, run for ice cream, or visit the corner candy store----young life thing Jade felt she was missing. Even the fighting and cussing that would flare up now and then (from the neighbors) was more fascinating than sitting on the house’s back porch. However, Jade also knew her grandmother did not have it. Even though Jade was young and at a time in her life to enjoy being young and carefree, it was not ++happening around her grandmother. As he saw in the neighborhood, Jade was in a type of family, but not part of a “real’ family. Jade and Nova (Jade’s mother) were the ‘step-kind.’ How Jade came to this conclusion (that she and her mother were not blood-related) blurted from one of those who were blood-related. A direct statement to Jade convinced her she and her mom were not families. In a way, Jade was glad the idea came out---the words confirmed Jade’s suspicions. Now, it was no longer a feeling but a fact. As time passed, Jade learned to settle for what she was not enjoying as a child. Jade experienced resentment, being unloved by her grandmother, and love from her mother and grandfather, yet all the motions were unsettling.