The Countdown to Thirty Read Online Free Page B

grumbled in anger.
    After regaining my senses and sliding my debit card I
responded, “No not at all, you have a good day,” I paused to look at his name
tag, “Jamar.”
    As I walked back to my car I made a note to self to never
come to this convenience store again, at least not for a while anyway. I didn’t
want any more run-ins with Jam ar. It’s not that I was stuck up or
thought I was better than anybody but I already had my share of crappy guys and
I was over it. It seems to me like Jamar should be doing what I’m doing and
that’s taking a long break from dating and focusing his attention on himself… preferably
those lips and quick.
    I made it to my mom’s house about 11:30 and I parked my
Mitsubishi in her driveway. Her house was a cute beige colored one story in the
Cypress Springs new home subdivision. She bought this smaller house after she
retired last year from the school district. Saundra’s black Audi was parked in
the driveway to so I knew she was already here with the kids. I enjoyed hanging
out with my family when we had the chance. I grabbed my Sunday paper that I
hadn’t had a chance to crack open yet and stepped out of the car. I rang the
doorbell and from inside of the house I could hear my niece and nephew running
to the door and calling my name.
    “Auntie Sonya’s here, Auntie Sonya’s here!” They shouted.
    My mother Carol answered the door with her red apron tied
around her waist and before she had a chance to say hello Imani and Xavier
rushed past her and into my arms.
    “Auntie Sonya we’ve been waiting for you all day!” Imani
cried as she wrapped her long brown arms around my waist.
    “Yea we’ve been waiting for you all day auntie! What took
you so long?” Xavier asked as he clung tightly around my thighs.
    I threw my head back and laughed then ran my hands over
their heads and gave them both kisses on the cheeks.
    “I’m sorry babies I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” I
replied softly.
    “It’s okay Auntie” Imani said forgivingly.
    “Yea, it’s okay auntie,” copied Xavier.
    Xavier was four and had a problem with copying his big
sister Imani’s every word. She was seven and he looked up to her because she
was a big kid. He was a very handsome caramel little boy and all I could think
of when I looked at him was that I hoped he wouldn’t grow up to be a womanizer
or a looser like a lot of these men. Imani on the other hand was a beautiful
brown little girl with jet black wavy hair that she preferred to wear in
pigtails. She was highly intelligent for her age and sweet as pie. They both
were and they meant the world to me.
    “Get back you two. Let Auntie Sonya in the door.” My mother
commanded.
    Once they released me I gave my mother a hug and kiss on the
cheek. My mother wore her hair in a short cut also and actually decided to go
that route about a year after I cut mine. She said the maintenance was so much
easier and she liked the way it added youth to her appearance. Even the pretty
silver tint in her hair enhanced her looks instead of taking away from them.
Most people say I look just like her, just a darker skinned version which I
inherited from my father. As for my sister, she was the exact opposite. She
favors my father but got her complexion from my mom. Go figure.
    When I entered the house it felt much cooler and refreshing
from the scorching sun outside. The house was filled with the accomplishments
of Saundra and I’s, including my Homecoming Queen sash she had proudly
displayed along with Saundra’s wedding photos. Then of course there were
several family photos placed around the house that were taken with my dad
before he died in a car accident when I was nine. I use to hate thinking about
it. We use to beg her to take them down but after years of refusing and dealing
with the pain, we got use to them again.
    The kids ran out to the backyard to finish playing whatever
game they’d been playing before I got there while I walked into the