My Mafia Wolf

Envelope’s

“Miss Gina has something for you, it is from both myself and your mum. Take care of yourself Lo, and don’t forget the promise okay”

Lisa said to me as she took her last breath.

I held onto her hand for dear life until I was escorted out of the hospital ward. Miss Gina waited for me in the waiting room, then drove me home in her rust buck car.

Every she took a turn or changed her gears the car would screech and make loud noises with black smoke that came out from the back of the car. The drive was quiet except for the noises coming from her old car.

We stopped at the bridge I lived under, yes I was homeless for as long as I can remember. Lisa and I have been living under a bridge in Cape Town. Our tent had seen better days it was old and worn, with many patches that my mother, Lisa and some time’s myself would stitch up.

As I turned for the handle of Miss Gina’s old car she placed her wrinkled hand on my shoulder stopping me from exiting the car.

She has aged a lot over the 12 years that I have known her, once upon a time she must have been a beautiful woman.

Dark flawless skin with a curly mop of salt and pepper hair and the prettiest brown eyes that looked almost like the colour of honey.

She really is the grandmother I never had, Miss Gina cared about everyone. Almost everyone turned to her for anything they needed and if she could she would help in any way possible.

“Lisa asked me to to give this to you if anything should happen to her some day.”

She said

Offering me a large sealed envelope, I hesitated at first until she smiled her pretty winkle eyed smile.

“Don’t look so afraid child, I know things might seem hard right now but I’m always here for you, just because I’m not by the means to take anymore kids into my home doesn’t mean I don’t love you any less. If you need anything you know where to find me.”

I took the envelope from her and clutched it tightly to my chest, tears rolling down my cheeks. I am really alone alone how will a young child like me make it out here on her own?

“I know what you’re thinking, you are not alone. Just remember the promise you made to Lisa okay. I wrote my number down on the back of that envelope call me anytime when you get out of this place or better yet come visit me in your fancy car some day.”

She said with a smile

“You know about the promise?”

I asked

“Yes, Lisa told me about it. You might not have been her biological daughter but she loved you as if you were her own.”

“Thank you, I should get going then”

She squeezed my shoulder one last time and it’s only then that I realised she didn’t remove her hand all this time. I got out of the car, then she drove off honking her horn.

“Hey you!”

Someone said from behind me

I turned to face a bulky man with a pot belly, his shirt seemed rather tight. The buttons on his shirt seemed to be screaming to be let free from its capture.

His eyes sat so close to each other it looked completely wrong to be on his face in the first place and I almost burst out laughing.

Lisa would be so disappointed if I did, she respected everyone. Not that I didn’t it’s just that were as she could keep a straight face in any situation I couldn’t.

“Do I know you sir?”

“Where is your slut of a mother?”

He asked squinting those eyes they looking even more hilarious when he did that and holding my laughter seemed to be hanging by a thread

“Why?”

“She didn’t come to work for two days.”

“Well if you have clearly took note you would have noticed that she wasn’t well and maybe if you had given her some time off she could have gone to the hospital and maybe just maybe she would still be alive!”

I yelled

So this was John Lisa’s boss or should I say pimp, my god I’d thought he would look more intimidating instead of a nerd.

He looked stunned for a moment opening and closing his mouth a few times before reaching into his pocket and pulling out yet another envelope, what’s it with everyone and envelopes today.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realise, are you okay? Do you need anything? A place to stay, who will be taking care of you now? Come live with me. Lisa was my favourite and I’m sure she would have wanted me to take you in.”

“Uhm… thank you kind sir but no thank you, I’ll be moving in with my grandmother Miss Gina.”

Any it was anything that Lisa taught me it was to never ever trust John. She told me ( if anything ever happens to me and John comes looking don’t go with him, stay as far away from him as you can. Don’t accept any help from him no matter how difficult things get. Finish school make something of yourself and get us or yourself out of this rat hole. Promise me this please never trust him no matter how nice he looks or how sweet his words will be he can’t be trusted.)

I swore fingers crossed that I’d never accept his help and I pinky vowed to her my promise. I be dammed if I went back on that promise.

“That old hag has so many kids, how will she provide for you? Come with me you have everything you will ever need. I’ll help you finish school.”

“Like I said, I’ll be living with my grandmother so I won’t be needing your help. Now if you will excuse me I have to get the rest of my things and leave.”

Not that I had much what ever you had that was valuable you had to keep it with you nothing could be kept inside your tent, just because it was a rule that we are not allowed to take or steal anyone’s tent didn’t mean they didn’t try or that your belongings were safe.

Yes if you got caught trying to steal from your fellow neighbours, Mr. Addly would ban you from ever setting up camp here again. He was almost like own landlord in some weird way.

He kept the place clean and in order only allowing who him seemed fit to set up camp here. He also tried his best to keep an eye on your tent all for a small fee. Which everyone didn’t mind.

“Here take this, it’s Lisa’s savings and her bonus I’ve slipped in a little something extra as a thank you. I was actually here to fire her then give her this.”

I took the fat envelope from him and in the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Addly coming towards us.

“Is everything okay here Logan?”

Mr.Addly asked

“Yes sir, everything is fine. This man was just leaving. He came to drop off Lisa’s pay check.”

I said

“Very well, you should get going then.”

Mr. Addly said to John in a very stern voice

“Remember if you need anything, ask anyone where to find me.”

John said as he walked away

“Thank you but I won’t be needing your help.”

I shouted after him

“I’m sorry to hear about Lisa, just please don’t be accepting any help from that man. My mother always told me a man whose eyes sat that close to one another are thieves.”

Mr.Addly said making me laugh

“I’ll remember that one and don’t worry I won’t take any help from him.”

“I am here for you kid.”

He said ruffling my hair

“I know that, thank you”

I said smiling up at the old man

As soon as I crawled into my tent, I cried as the loneliness settled in, the loss, the pain. I don’t care what she was she was my mother in so many ways.

After crying silently for a while I opened the envelope Miss Gina gave to me… running my eyes over Lisa’s hand writing and another set of tears followed.

This times I couldn’t hold back the loud and ugly crying. My heart was broken, I am a 12 year old who just lost the one person who loved me like a daughter and I was now alone.