The Mare

Velvet

I went to look for him like I always did, walking the block where I met him, and also where we ate. It was so cold it was hard to look sometimes because of keeping my head down in the wind. It was like that when I saw him finally. He was in the restaurant where he took me and he was sitting with Brianna. I went to the other side of the street. I got in a doorway and put up my hood. I got out my phone and I texted, “Hi why don’t u call me u ok?” I watched him take out his phone, look at it, and put it away. I saw him sit over his food with his head down, then look up at her. I couldn’t see his face.

On the way home with Dante, I saw the lady who went off on the dude that night at the bus stop. She didn’t know me; she just went by. But I knew her even though she didn’t have her long weave in and her hair was so short she was almost bald, and her eyes were back in her head like she never had the heart to yell at nobody. And I remembered what I heard a girl say at school, that her mama said to her, “Any time you see a bitch with no hair, that bitch ain’t got no love neither.”

That’s when I heard the text hit my phone. I looked and saw “Hey mami sorry it been crazy get u soon miss u — d”

I should’ve been pissed off. But in my head I heard that beautiful song on the subway the time my mom hit me in the face.

Then I went home and she threw a envelope at my face. She said, “A letter for you.” She watched while I opened it and read.

Dear Velvet: What you wrote about the teacher was beautiful, especially the part about running together. But you are not a horse. You are a person. We’ll talk more soon. Love, Ginger

I put the letter down, smiling. “I got a job today,” said my mom. “So you should be happy.”

“Mami, I am happy.”

“A job at the candle factory. Just like that crazy old woman with all the saints.” She laughed. “But Mr. Figuera is still renting his room. So you’re still on the couch.”