Taneesha Never Disparaging Read Online Free PDF

blowout with older kids before. I’d never seen anybody bloody and beaten, laid out on a stretcher. If I never had to walk home from school again, that would have been fine with me. I smiled to myself at the thought of Mama coming to get me every day.
    â€œI know the staff ’s tight right now.”
    Uh, oh. I didn’t like the sound of that. Mama’s words had sagged.
    â€œOkay. I understand. Sure—”
    My poor heart went flat as a birthday balloon a month after the party. Right then, I knew the deal. I’d still have to walk the ten blocks home—
me and Carli, on our own.
    â€œWell, Marsha, at least you’ll have some temporary help next Friday. Taneesha.”
    Hunh?
    â€œRemember? She’s coming in for Take Your Child To Work Day.”
    Says who?!
    What in the world was my mother saying? I hadn’t talked to her about Take Your Child To Work Day at all!
    Mama walked into the kitchen and clicked the phone into its cradle on the wall.
    â€œMama, did you say I’m going to your job for Take Your Child To Work Day?”
    â€œYeah. What’s up?” With her back to me, she started pouring powdered detergent into the dishwasher.
    â€œYou didn’t talk to me about it!”
    I was mad as anything over the fact that Mama didn’t seem to think it was important to find out what I wanted. I stood there steaming because not only had she not bothered to talk to me about her peachy plans but she wasn’t even taking the time to look at me right then.
    â€œOh, I’m sorry, sweetheart.” She stayed facing
back out and pushed the dishwasher door closed. “I have so much on my mind.” She turned the dial and the dishwasher whirred softly. “But anyway, it ought to be fun, don’t you think?”
    Fine time to be asking me what I think.
    Trying to keep my temper, I took a real deep breath.
    â€œMama, I don’t want to go.” I braced myself for whatever she might say about my big declaration of independence.
    And I watched her not even so much as tilt her head my way.
    She coolly poured water onto the soil of the potted aloe vera plant in the kitchen windowsill, acting like what I’d said was no big deal.
    Unbelievable.
    Obviously, my own mother couldn’t have given a good tahoot about my feelings.
    â€œBut I already made arrangements at Ontario Hospital. When I found out about Take Your Child To Work Day at the PTO meeting.” She tossed this last bit of information at me like a scrap to a dog and stooped to place the small plastic watering can she had just used inside the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink.

    â€œBut I want to go to school next Friday.” My lips tightened. Unlike Mama, I was having trouble staying cool.
    â€œI’m glad you take school so seriously, Taneesha. Really.” Crouched low, she fiddled with something inside the cabinet. “But I made sure you could come to the hospital with me.”
    â€œBut, Mama!”
    â€œDon’t be such a worry-wart. It’ll be fun. You’ll see.” She closed the cabinet, stood, and still kept her back to me.
    That’s it!
    â€œMAMA, YOU’RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!”
    She spun around like her feet were greased rollerskates.
    â€œTaneesha, don’t you ever use that tone with me.” Her voice was so unnaturally quiet that it sort of freaked me out. And the look in her eyes was even spookier.
    â€œWhat’s going on in here?” Daddy asked, rushing into the kitchen. He shot a puzzled look at me, then at Mama—who would have had steam blowing out of her ears if she were on the Cartoon Network. “Taneesha, are you raising your voice to your mother?”

    â€œDaddy, Mama wants me to go to Take Your Child To Work Day!”
    â€œYeah? I know.” He had this little oh-is-that-all ? tone in his voice. It came with a matching doofus smile. “We figured you’d go to the hospital with your mother this