Read Online Stealing Candy by Allison Hobbs - Free Book Online

kept padlocks on her bedroom door, several cabinets in the kitchen were secured, and even a bathroom closet was padlocked…all this to keep Portia and her negligent mother from having access to the food she bought andher personal belongings. No, the aunt wasn’t likely to get involved in Portia’s dilemma. So where did that leave Portia?
    Saleema sighed in frustration. “You were already on probation; you realized another infraction would result in spending some time in a detention facility.”
    “Yeah, I knew I could wind up doing two to three months. But if my mom don’t make it to my next hearing, these people gonna get Children and Youth involved. If don’t nobody come see about me…” She paused and then spoke shakily, “I could wind up getting sent upstate until I’m eighteen.”
    “I doubt that,” Saleema said, summoning up as much optimism as possible under the circumstances.
    “If my mom is too busy getting her high to worry about me now, what makes you think she gon’ travel all the way to the boonies to see about me? I ain’t did nothing that bad that I deserve to get lost in this system for the next three years.” Portia’s bottom lip poked out into a pout.
    Portia was right. She didn’t deserve to be incarcerated for the next three years. Spending that kind of time in an institution would turn her into a hardened criminal before she reached adulthood.
    Saleema patted Portia’s hand. “I agree. You shouldn’t be institutionalized. You need counseling to work on your issues. And some anger control classes would be a great benefit. You can’t go through the rest of your life swinging on everybody who says or does something that you don’t agree with.”
    “I know, but Amirah be getting on my nerves. I ain’t mean to go that hard on her, though.”
    “You didn’t go hard on Amirah. You took your anger out on me.”
    “Aw, why you reminding me of that? You know I wouldn’t never deliberately hurt you, Miss Saleema.”
    “I know. But do you see the severe consequences of not having control over your emotions?”
    Contrite, Portia nodded. “You gon’ try to help me, Miss Saleema? They all got attitudes in here. The people who work here act like they on some kind of power trip.”
    Bully or not, Portia was still a child and she didn’t deserve to be mistreated. She needed counseling and therapy sessions. Saleema thought about her own adolescence…how it mirrored Portia’s. Other than her best friend, Terelle, no one had ever been there for Saleema either. With all her past anger issues and bad behavior, it was a miracle that Saleema had escaped the juvenile justice system and the adult penile system, as well.
    “Of course, I’m going to try and help you. After I leave, I’ll stop by your house and see if your mother is back. If I get a hold of her, I’ll personally bring her to your next hearing. Okay?”
    “Suppose you can’t find her…you know, in time for my hearing?”
    “We’ll cross that bridge later.” Saleema shifted her gaze away from Portia’s desperate eyes. The girl was relying on Saleema to make her mother materialize and assume parental responsibilities. It was quite a feat to accomplish.
    “If my mom don’t come and get me out here, I’m gon’ bust out of this place. I’m dead up, Miss Saleema. I’m not staying in here.” Portia cut an eye at Saleema, gauging the effect of her threat.
    Saleema shook her head, refusing to even indulge the empty threat. “I brought you some magazines and books and some toiletries,” Saleema said, changing the subject. “I had to leave them at the front desk so they could label the items.”
    “Thank you.” In an instant, Portia had simmered down. “I’m real sorry about Head Up. I been doing a lot of thinking and I know why I acted up like that.”
    Saleema gazed at Portia curiously.
    “I was mad about you closing Head Up. I loved being there.”
    Saleema swallowed down a big knot of guilt. “I’m a fighter,