Exclusive to the badboy

: Nineteen

yric

lash

f sirens piercing the air, and the golden-haired paramedic gently pulling a cloth over my shoulder.

acture will heal in a month or so. She will be fine," he announced, bu

s quickly followed, picking it up and placing it back on the stretcher as if it were a loose gumball.

, but because I couldn't. My lips suddenly forgot how to move. Tears streamed down my face as my shoulders began to shake. The

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the triplets, exclaimed, dancing in place as if trying to hold it in. Her blonde ponytail bounced with each movement. The

ngest of the family-while a six-year-old begged to use the bathroom, and the second triplet, Catherine, played with her trai

. Just

ng of having triplets was not having to deal with triplets and an infant. Derrick's cries grew louder with each step I too

that followed. I often thought the idea of being paid during h

hear me above the blaring music. I pictured her inside, probably slat

cing her to music a

n minutes past five in the morning; I needed to prepare the triplets for school and Derrick for daycare so I could catch the bus

the doo

, there was st

of a food fight, as she continued to dance around the room. There was

d the kids might get infections due to their father's constan

se tell her to open the door! I want to pee!" sh

time on Aunt Lyric. Don't you know she's mute? Dad says she's defective and probably doesn't understand what we're saying." She point

r-old fed nonsense by her alcoholic father, I couldn't help

d mute was m

was my worst insecurity. I used

favorite, Lana, snapped back at her sister. My face lit up wit

e pooling on the floor and Lana's wet skirt.

ing about mopping the floor again. Lana broke into g

uder than a fire alarm. Speaking of fire alarms, an actual one blared above my head. Befo

outed in unison, their laugh

der as Lana twirled in delight

n the wet floor, and I fell hard. I managed to secure Derric

rs away, thinking

focusing on the triplets. I struggled to sign with D

rehend my signs better than my uncle and his wife. In fact

. Catherine stared down at me with her hands on her hips, "Why would I do tha

e cook, the lawn mower. Ever since I lost my parents

going to the market. And with my disorder, everyt

ing me the maid since she was in diapers. It didn't matter; everythin

I went back to ensure the stove was off and the eggs weren

thing from her room upstairs. I leaned against

ing the dishes with Derrick on my back. He must have fallen asleep as he nestled against

ile secretly repeating

Nineteen is soon. Nin

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