The mother of the girl who never hid and boy whose specialty was hiding.

***

✶Mrs. Jamie Jones✶

February 4, 2022.

I headed to work feeling a bit despondent. 

Don't get me wrong, I loved being a lawyer. It just wasn't fun anymore when I always felt I was walking on eggshells- just one crack away from being judged.

I wish I could be braver. I've seen a new side of my family lately. Jared seemed smilier and he told me he was running for Class President. My eyes almost fell out of their sockets. I mean the last time I told him to take up a leadership position, he laughed in my face and told me the only thing he could lead was Fortnight.

Eric stood up to his boss. His boss who he was completely and utterly terrified of. He may be unemployed now, but at least he was happy. I mean, this life was too short to be miserable. I wish I could heed to my own words, but this things take time.

Jada, on the other hand, as always been this way. Very spunky and brave. Probably got it from Eric's mother.

I stopped by Carla's office before I went to mine. Carla was my super-friendly and super-nice boss. She was also black American and that's what gave Cecil the opportunity to bring me down any chance he got.

I popped my head in. "Hey Carla."

She looked up at me and smiled. "Morning Jamie. What's up?"

"Asides from me having the jitters because of that very serious case we have tomorrow, I'm good."

She chuckled. "You got this girl. You're gonna kill it like you always do."

"Thanks." I smiled at her and headed to my office which was very close to hers. But before I could get to mine, I had to pass through Cecil's because he was my PA so his desk was directly beside my door.

Before I could even greet him a good morning, his nonstop running mouth began it's usual work. Talking trash. He sighed a breath of relief. "Ha! Nothing like listening to black women's empowerment speech." He referred to Carla's words of encouragement.

I nodded, planning to ignore him as I headed to my office.

But he wouldn't stop talking. "Do you know the worst thing about being your personal assistant?" I didn't show any sign that I wanted him to answer that question, but he did anyways. "It's that your people always make us look bad."

I raised my brows at the audacity he had to say what he did. "My people?"

He nodded as he stood up from his seat and leaned on his desk. "I mean, just look at your afro. Instead of packing it up, why not try a weave?"

I shook my head as I headed to my office. I didn't want to start a fight. 

"Keep it up burrhead."

Ignorant people will always be ignorant.

***

I went to the coffee station in the lounge when I could feel the stress getting to me. I hadn't had any coffee this morning.

It was just a room with a coffee station on one end, a few couches and a TV. When I got there, to my dismay, it wasn't empty. Cecil and two other workers were seated on the couch watching the news. They didn't notice me when I first entered.

Before I poured myself coffee, I got distracted with what the reporter was saying on TV:

"It is shameful that our opponents are using a Black History Month reading event for Georgia children as the impetus for a false political attack, and it is pitiful and predictable that our opponents continue to look for opportunities to distract from their failed records when it comes to protecting public health during pandemic," the campaign's statement said.

They were talking about Stacey Abrams. I heard that story. She was being criticized for taking a maskless picture in a school during the 3rd Annual African-American Read-In at Glenwood for Black History Month.

"It really is shameful. I mean she tries to do a good deed and just gets attacked. How do they expect her to read with a facemask on?"

Wait, was that me? I took one glance at the faces of the three men as they turned to look at me. Yup it was me! I tried to stare straight at the TV and pretend they weren't looking at me. But it didn't work once Cecil spoke up.

"Great! The opinions of a black woman when we didn't even ask. You guys sure love to talk a lot, don't you?"

"It's just-"

He cut me off. "See more talking. No one asked you. We don't want your amateur and ignorant opinions."

Amateur and ignorant?! How dare you? I was about to speak up, when I changed my mind. It wasn't worth getting into a fight over. 

"What? Cat got your tongue?"

I ignored him as I turned around and headed to the coffee maker. Hopefully he'd forget I was here and not cause me any trouble. 

As I began pouring myself coffee, he spoke again. Great! I can't catch a break.

"Whoa Aunt Jemima, slow down on that coffee." The other men chuckled at the name Cecil called me, but I didn't turn around, trying to ignore them. "You know too much caffeine isn't good for the baby."

That's what caught my attention. "Baby?"

"Yeah, you're pregnant, aren't you?"

I almost choked on my saliva. "Pregnant? I'm not pregnant."

He snorted as he stood up from his seat. "Yeah right. You want to pretend you're not carrying a little tar baby under that bump?"

I ignored the rest of the things he said, and the only one that stuck was tar baby. "Tar baby?!!"

He chuckled. "Don't lose your shit over a joke. A raise in high blood pressure is detrimental to the baby's life."

"You're taking it way too far Cecil." I quietly warned.

He took a daring step towards me. "And what do you want to do about that?"

I was about to do it; I was really about to stand up for myself, but I backed down. "Nothing, I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't pregnant."

He smirked a proud, and annoying, smile. "I thought so."

I just wanted wipe that irritating smug of his face for once, but it was so hard. I sighed as I took my coffee and left the room.

A few minutes later, Cecil came knocking at my door.

"Yes?"

"I'm going out with some friends."

I almost snorted. Like he had any friends.

"It's just 11am. You don't close until 5pm."

He laughed. "I know that. But my friends want to meet up now, so I'm going."

I was about to interject, but he cut me off. "See you tomorrow Oreo."

I groaned and almost pulled my hair out. He couldn't leave, we have a lot of work to do. I. sighed. Well, he's already gone so I'll handle it myself. It's not like it's the first time.

Before I could go on with my work, I remembered the piece of advice my husband gave me when I was stressed; TED talks.

I scrolled through different TedEds, but majority in my recommended were about Black History Month. I just picked "The Hidden Life of Rosa Parks" and put my earphones in.

Here we go!

In 1944, eleven years before her fateful decision on a Montgomery bus, Rosa Parks was investigating a vicious crime. As an emissary for the national association for the advancement of colored people, she had travelled to rural Alabama to meet with Recy Taylor, a young woman who had been sexually assaulted by six white men. 

Six men?! The only people I hate more than racists are rapists. 

It will be difficult enough to convince an Alabama court that even one of these men was guilty, but Rosa was undeterred. She formed a committee to defend Recy in court, flooding the media with testimony and sparking protests throughout the South. When the jury failed to indict the attackers, Parks demanded the governors assemble a new grand jury. She wrote: "I know that you will not fail to let the people of Alabama know that there is equal justice for all our citizens. Throughout her life, Parks repeatedly challenged racial violence and the prejudice systems protecting its perpetrators. But this work came at an enormous risk and a personal price.

Exactly, a risk I wasn't ready to take and a price I wasn't ready to pay.

Born in 1913, Rosa was raised by her mother and grandparents in rural Alabama, but outside this loving home, the fear of racial violence cast a long shadow. The Ku Klux Klan frequently drilled past their home, and Jim Crow laws segregated public spaces. At nineteen, she settled in Montgomery and married Raymond Parks, a barber who shared her growing fury at racial injustice. He was involved with the local chapter of the NAACP, a role many avoided for fear of persecution. At first, Raymond was eager to keep Rosa safe from the potential dangers of  activism, but as she grew more incensed at the limitations imposed on African-Americans, she could no longer stand by.

Sounds like Jada!

When she officially joined the NAACP in 1943, Parks and Johny Rebecca Carl were the only women in the Montgomery chapter. She began keeping minutes for their meetings, and soon found herself elected secretary of the chapter, formally beginning her secret double life. By day, Rosa worked as a seamstress to support her mother and husband. By night, she researched and documented numerous civil rights' cases from local policy disputes to high profile murder cases and hate crimes. As secretary, she prepared public responses on behalf of the Montgomery chapter, gathering the harsh sentencing, false accusations and smear campaigns frequently used against African-Americans. In addition to her legal work, Parks was a brilliant local strategist. As advisor to the NAACP youth group council, she helped young people navigate segregated systems, including voter registration and white only libraries. Through the cover of the NAACP, Parks strived to bring clandestine civil rights' activities into the open. She advocated for civil disobedience training and spoke out against racial violence, particularly the murder of Emmett Till. 

In 1955, her refusal to move to the back of a segregated bus helped ignite the grassroots movement she had hoped for. Parks was arrested and jailed for her one-woman protest where she was visited by local activists. Together, they planned a 24-hour bus boycott. It lasted for 381 days. Parks' simple act had transformed civil rights' activism into a national movement. In 1956, the boycott ended when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of desegregating public transport.

Wow, I didn't know there was segregation on public transports.

But this victory for the movement had come at a great cost. Rosa had been receiving vicious death threats throughout the campaign and was unable to find work in Montgomery because of her political reputation. In 1957, she moved to Detroit to continue working as a seamstress until being hired by congressman, John Conyers to help support his burgeoning civil rights' campaigns. Ever vigilant in the fight against racial inequality, Parks remained active for the next forty years. She wrote several books, travelled across the country giving talks to support other activists and established an institute for the education of young people in her late husband's memory.

Today, Rosa Parks is remembered as a radical spirit, who railed against the most powerful people and policies. Her call to action continues to resound. Knowing what must be done does away with fear.

Wow, black people had it tough! And Rosa Parks was really courageous!

Once I was done with the moving talk, I dove right into my work again. After a few hours, I sighed when I realized how much time had gone.

I had to leave during my break, and hurry up to Jada's school to help her with her Principal.

***

"Finally mum! I thought you changed your mind." Jada exclaimed as she ran to meet my car in the parking lot.

"I won't bail on you; I already promised."

She smiled at me. "I knew I could count on you supermom."

I chuckled. I liked it when she called me that, but I wasn't feeling very super today. I wish I was braver for her.

She always put so much faith in me I always felt like I was disappointing her.

She noticed my gloomy face. "Are you okay mum?"

I quickly tried to cover it up. "Of course I'm okay."

She frowned. "Is it Cecil?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course it's not. Just go on inside and let me park my car properly."

She wasn't falling for it, but she let it go as she backed away from the car. "Just know that I have this much faith in you because you constantly show me you're capable."

I smiled at her. "I really appreciate it kiddo."

She smiled back at me as she gave me a thumbs up. "You're really a supermom."

And before I could respond, she already started running back into the school. She was probably this excited because her Principal will probably agree to unsuspend Takeshi.

But still, her optimism gave me optimism.