"I'm home," I hollered as my feet crossed the threshold of the front doorway as my foster brothers followed suit. "Tony? Joel?"

"We're in here, Demario," I heard the dominating voice of Tony from the den. "Come place your bags in your living room and join us. There's someone you need to meet."

Who on earth woulld want to meet with me, I thought to myself as I did what was told while my brothers went to their respective rooms and kept to themselves. I bounded down the stairs and joined my foster dads in the spacious den. "Hi," I breathed as I took my seat in the two-seater sofa that faced the two older men...and an unfamiliar woman.

"Long day at school?" Joel asked me.

I nodded. "Coach Lanier wants me to join the platform diving team with someone," I replied. "And I got homework to handle."

"Well, that'll wait for a few moments since Joel and I met with someone from your old family's circles," Taylor said, gesturing to the dark-skinned woman who looked as if time had been kind to her yet she had seen some things that made her feel older. "Demario, this is Mrs. Tracey Sloane, a former coworker of your late mother's from Parkinson's Savings and Loans."

I faced the older woman, slowly recognizing the woman as one of the few people who told Mom off for being a bad parent towards me and playing favorites. "I think I remember who you are now," I replied. "Didn't you stop by the apartment at one time?"

"Just once, and it was enough to see that Vivian and her brood made your life hell on earth," Mrs. Sloane replied, a dour look on her face. "And when word of her and her family being killed in that car wreck and disowning you before you got adopted, I knew that I had to see you."

"Why?" I wanted to know.

Mrs. Sloane sighed heavily. "Demario, everyone at the bank knew that your mama, her henpecked husband, and those four spawn of your siblings were nothing but rotten apples while you did right by them in every way yet got treated like trash. And two months before they all passed away, I walked over there and laid it on her thick..."

FLASHBACK (Two days before the demise)...

"Vivian, I can't see why you have to treat that boy like he's nothing byt unwanted furniture," I heard the voice of the bank teller as I hunkered down on DeSean's math homework in my tiny bedroom. "Can't you see that you playing favorites with everyone is doing him more harm than good?"

"At least I know that he knows where he stands," my mother's cigarette-laced voice spat with venom. "Hell, when I was pregnant with him, I all but wanted to have him cut out of me and have him thrown into the Rio Bravo. And if it wasn't for my bitch of a momma, I would've gladly aborted his sorry ass."

"And you know that your late momma Lottie Mae wouldn't play by that," Mrs. Sloane shot back. "She was the only woman in this family who loved Demario because he was more sensible and sweet unlike your bratty daughters and your thug-loving older boys."

"She was stupid for loving him," I heard Demarcus retort. "Grandma should've been focusing her time and energy on us, not that wimp."

"A wimp who's been keeping this place cleaned, cooking y'all food for y'all while he has to starve himself because y'all say so, has to deal with y'all hinting how it'd be easy to have him killed without anyone noticing- that's right, I know about all that, and even being used as a punching bag and all-around maid," Mrs. Sloane commented. "Tell me this, if he were to die today, would y'all even care."

"No, Mrs. Sloane," I heard Shauntay say honestly. "If anything, we'd throw a year-long party and just throw him into the river so he could be out of everyone's lives."

"Thank you, sugar," Mom preened. "Look, girl. I know that you're concerned for that ratty child in the room, but he's not worth our energy to take care of. All my life since he was born, I've been wishing that thunder and lightning would one day kill him where he'd stands. Everyone in the family knows of this as do this whole apartment complex. And while most of these folks disagree with me and side with you, my word is fucking law in this place. If I want to, I could take my pistol and end his life, easily getting away with it since my brother runs the station and his men nearby. He and his family hate him as much as my other siblings and relatives and even my in-laws all wish for Demario to be out of our lives."

There was a brief pause of silence, myself being grateful since I was taking in the words of venom that everyone spoke of. Then came Mrs. Sloane's voice with. "Vivian Bader, you better get right with God and start living healthy because one of these days, you'll need him more than you can ever imagine or you'll end up in hell. And there's a special place there for you and your ilk for treating Demario like this. One of these mornings and it won't be very long, you'll be looking for him to take care of y'all, but he'll be long gone."

"And I'm praying for that day to come because I'll be ready to have him fed to the gators in the swamp," Mom said arrogantly...

"I never saw your mother and her family after that up until the funeral," Mrs. Sloane continued," giving me a tired smile. "I had half of a mind to spit on her face while she laid in her casket, just to spite her ass. If not for her policeman brother, I'd gladly do it."

"I wouldn't blame you," Joel said. "Vivian Bader was a horrid woman for raising Demario like she did."

"But at least we know that he's still here and my husband and I, alongside everyone else will fight hard to help him thrive," Taylor commented before shooting me a glance. "And as we keep reminding him, Demario has a lot worth fighting for. We won't let him forget it even after he believes in it himself."

"Please do so," Mrs. Sloane replied. To me, "Demario, you're a good soul who got a really harsh hand in life. And I found out that you almost ended your life, my heart stopped. Don't end it all just because your mother said so."

I took a deep breath. "Mrs. Sloane, I've been hearing my mother's voice egging me on about how worthless I am and how she wishes that I was dead," I began slowly. "I still can hear her demanding that I should kill myself. But there's something that won't allow me to surrender to her wiles. And even though her cynical and hedonistic words continue to haunt me, this force that wants me alive will make sure that I keep fighting."

"Then keep fighting and moving forward," Joel said, giving me a fatherly stare. "You are worth it, Demario Bader. Never think otherwise. Now, get ready for dinner and we'll talk more later."

Looks like Demario's former landlord and his family weren't the only ones who hated the late Mrs. Bader for treating him like garbage! And if I know better, there's going to be more coming forward to talk with Demario. As for the flashbacks regarding Demario's past, there'll be more to come as this story rolls along.

Anyway, the next chapter will feature Demario facing off with Ryan and Jillian as things get more and more complicated. But can a certain transgender diver save the day? Well, stick around and let's see!

Song: "What Goes Around Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake. Dedication: UndieGirl.

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