Jasmine...Again

I have never experienced anything quite like this! Atlanta shut down after 3 inches of snow. No, SERIOUSLY shut down. As in, all the highways were closed, all the hotels were oversold, and the airport was a disaster area. As frustrating as it's been, it has also been kind of exciting. I've been flying by the seat of my pants (no pun intended) and I've been unable to predict where I would wind up.

It's a giant guessing game.

Fortunately, I was "stuck" in Los Angeles for 20 hours. I love my job.

The madness has made it hard to keep up with writing/revising, but I've got some time these next few days. I fully intend to dive back into the literary world. I'll start by posting another little snipped from "Nothing Left of Me." Alyssa visits Jasmine for the second time.

As a reminder, this book is available at barnesandnoble.com and 100% of profits go to Food for the Hungry!

Love, Lisa


A gray car eventually pulls into the lot, kicking up dust as it gets closer. Kara smiles at me from the driver’s seat. I jog toward the sedan; I’m ready for the afternoon that awaits us.

“Hi, love,” she greets me.

“Thanks for driving,” I say as I fasten my seat belt. “Did you end up going to Calculus class?”

“Yes, Mother,” she laughs.

I shake my head. “Technically you’re the mom, since I’m still a baby Martian. Not even…a Martian-in-training, actually. A Martian fetus.”

“I’m only a part-time Martian, though,” she points out, flicking on the radio. “Doesn’t count.”

“About that…do you wish you were more active? I guess what I’m asking is, why don’t you participate in all the Martian events? It makes me nervous. Like maybe there’s something I don’t know about the sisterhood. Something bad.”

Kara sighs. “No, it’s not that. I love the Martians, but it can become a cult. Many of those girls don’t associate with people outside of B-Hall; I can’t limit myself like that. My second year at UWI, I started dating a boy who lives in Milner Hall. Half the Martians shunned me, acting betrayed because I spent time with someone outside the sisterhood. It was juvenile. Are we not allowed to have friends? I was frustrated…I kind of gave up on the B-Hall girls.”

“But you came back to Bartelby Hall anyway; you didn’t have to live there again,” I reflect. We pass the Tunapuna Marketplace, an open-air market. I stare out my window at the flurry of excitement; vendors and buyers are exchanging money. “Something must have lured you back.”

“Yes. B-Hall is a nice place, very clean. And the location’s great; I like living on campus. Closer to classes. And Brett.” Kara smiles. “That’s my Milner Hall boyfriend.”

“You’re still together? That’s cute. Very Romeo-and-Juliet.”

“At times it feels that way. I wish B-Hall and Milner didn’t have a rivalry. That’s the worst part about being a Martian. It’s obnoxious.”

“I haven’t seen the rivalry side yet,” I say. “But I love the creative things we do. Like this talent show, for instance. Granted, I wish we had more time to prepare for it, but still. It’s a cool idea.”

“Well as a Martian senior, I’m required to be there tonight. So I’ll watch the talent show…part of it, at least.”

I bite my lip. “I hope we can pull it off. Guess the truth will be revealed soon enough.”

“What street is this place on?” Kara asks as she scans the alleys. “I think it’s nearby, but I’ve never actually been to the orphanage. I don’t know the exact address.”

“This one,” I point at the alleyway. “If I remember right, it’s just around the corner.”

The dilapidated building comes into view, and I direct Kara toward it. We pull up onto the yard, right where Joshua parked his car two days ago. I get a funny feeling in my stomach. Suddenly I wish that Josh, Satelle, and Proctor were here with me again. Proctor’s presence put me at ease. And Josh was so natural with the children. And Satelle, well, she’s like my long-lost sister. It made it easier to come here, to this lonely old house.

I open my door and step onto the dirt.

“Let’s get this party started,” Kara smiles. As though sensing my insecurities, she links her arm through mine. We walk into the house side-by-side.

“De American return!” Stella cries when she spots me. “How nice! Tanks for offerin yuh time once again. Who dis come wit yuh?”

“I’m Kara, pleased to meet you,” Kara says with a wave.

“Well we jus about to have a snack, if yuh wan help us distribute it,” Stella informs us.

I scan the room, searching for Jasmine. I see the boy that Josh was playing with and a couple other familiar kids, but there’s no sign of Jazzi. I follow Stella to a closet underneath the staircase.

“Each chile get one lolli,” Stella directs us, placing one bag of lollipops in my hand and another one in Kara’s palm. “Only one per chile, no matter how much beggin dey do. An trust me, dey gon plead wit yuh.”

“I’ll go upstairs,” I offer, hoping to find Jazzi up there.

Kara smiles. “Ok. Have fun.”

I hop up the staircase, eager to see my little girl. The upper level is dusty and bare, like the bottom level. There’s the same bare floor, the same meager furniture. The one difference is that a corner of the room is covered in blankets and cushions. I observe these makeshift beds and immediately a wave of sorrow washes over me.

A lady wearing an outdated cotton dress smiles. She’s large. And she is old, at least twenty years older than Stella. Her hair is twisted into frizzy braids that extend halfway down her back. Her skin’s only a couple shades darker than mine; she must be a mix of East Indian and something else. Maybe Hispanic? It’s hard to tell.

“I’m here to give out candies,” I tell her. “I’m Alyssa, by the way; I volunteered Monday night with Proctor, Josh and Satelle.”

“Me name Filena. Welcome to de upper level; dis where I usually work. De kids gon love dat yuh givin out lollis!”

There are about ten kids here. Some are smiling, some playing. These kids are much younger than the ones downstairs, but they’re the same in every other way: tattered clothes, scabbed knees, messy hair and heartbreakingly beautiful faces.

I smile and distribute the sugary snack. Jasmine is nowhere to be found. She must be hiding behind the couch.

But when I walk to that side of the room, there’s one little boy in a diaper
and yellow t-shirt. No Jazzi. Confused, I hand a purple lollipop to the smiling boy. I glance at the other children, wondering if I missed Jasmine.

I hurry over to Filena.

“Um, excuse me, there was a little girl I played with on Monday. She’s got…uh…” I trail off, realizing there are no distinguishing features I can use. What do I say, she’s black? Young? Tiny? Every kid here fits that description.

“Don know which chile yuh talkin bout, but we send tree or four youth to de doctor today. Dere a volunteer medic aroun de corner; dey take a few little ones each week, to see how dey progressin an make sure dey still healthy.”

“Oh. That’s good.” My words don’t match my mood. I can’t control the disappointment flooding my body; I’d really been hoping to see Jazzi today. With a sigh, I descend the stairs.

“Yuh leave so soon?” Filena calls out.

“Just taking the leftover lollipops to Stella,” I tell her. “I’ll be back.”

On the first floor, Kara’s already befriended a whole group of children. They sit around her in a circle, listening as she tells a story. I shake my head, marveling at her ability to entertain a bunch of three-and-four-year olds. Kara’s a natural; she makes it look so easy. You’d never guess she just met these kids today.

I give the bag of lollipops to Stella wordlessly, offering a half-sincere smile. Sunlight streams into the room as the front door swings open. My eyes instantly flicker toward the light. A few kids run inside, followed by a man in a white medical coat. He’s tall, with buzzed hair and glasses.

“Sorry we took a little longer than usual,” the man tells Stella. He has a trace of a Canadian accent. “Baby boy over here has a rash on his shoulders, so I wanted to check that out. Seems like an allergic reaction; nothing major. Maybe stay away from wool blankets, to be safe? Other than that, all is well. You’ve got a strong bunch, these kids. Much healthier than the group last year.”

“Tanks, Doctor Dave,” Stella says. She waves as he slips out the door.

At the very end of the pack, I spot a familiar face.

“Jasmine!” I cry. She sees me and perks up. She’s wearing the same jumpsuit she wore earlier this week. The same ruffled socks, too, except they’re a little dirtier today. Although that could be my imagination.

“Yuh come back for me?” she asks, reaching her hands up for me to grab onto them. “Yuh love me?”

“Of course,” I assure here. “Jazzi, you just missed snacks. But don’t worry, I saved you a very special sucker.”

“But I got a orange candy at de doctor man,” she whispers, her eyes wide and guilty. “Das two snacks, den.”

I reach into my pocket for the lollipop. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Our secret.”

“I like secrets.” Jazzi’s eyes light up. “An dis my favorite flavor! How yuh know?”

“You like green?”

She makes a face. “What color? Green?”

“Yes,” I smile. “It is a very pretty color. Your jumpsuit, that’s pretty too, but that’s a different color. You know what your dress is?”

Jazzi shakes her head no and licks her green lollipop.

“It’s blue. It looks terrific on you, by the way.”

“Tanks.” She glances down at the dress for a long time, as though re-evaluating how good it looks.

“You know, I had a dress like that when I was a little girl.”

“You was little like me?”

I laugh. “A long time ago.”

“Yuh live here too? Wit Miss Stella an de other Miss upstair?”

“No,” I answer, picturing my perfect suburban childhood and my two amazing parents. “But Miss Stella and Miss Filena are lucky to have you here. You are a very nice girl, when you’re not kicking people.”

Jasmine rolls her eyes and chomps down on the lollipop. “I already say I sorry for dat.”

“I know. It’s ok, we’re still friends.”

“Bes friens?”

“Sure.”