The Remnant.

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2 WEEKS LATER:

Walking into Marie Reed Elementary School, she smiled at the children that walked by. She greeted the teachers, other faculty members, and the janitor who was a sweet old man. She walked into her resource room and took a seat.

She was a Speech-Language Pathologist and she decided to take her chosen career to the schools. She could've worked at a clinic or a hospital but her passion was with children. Her job includes preventing, diagnosing, and treat their speech and language.

Also following her job, she has to help them broaden their social communication, help them with their cognitive-communication, and also treat the students who might have swallowing disorders. It's a tough job but she loves what she does.

Thankfully, she hasn't met any student who has a swallowing disorder and lack cognitive communication so she was happy about that. Most of her selected students just have certain problems with words and enunciation.

One of her favorite students, Emily, suffers from an Articulation Disorder. She struggles with tone, sound, and speech. She can say the words, but her tone and delivery is off. She's also scared to read aloud because she feels that people will laugh at her.

Bronze also works with the ELA department for foreign students as well but she just oversee it. Just because they have an accent doesn't mean that their speech or words is incorrect.

Before she knows it, school has started and she prepared her files for the children that she knows she's going to see. Apart of her job, she constructed a learning plan in order for her students to do well and excel in their language and speech.

She looked at her caseload and seen that she only had 4 today. First up was Sergio. He suffers from a stutter. She exudes great patience with Sergio because his stutter stems from anxiety. At his young tender age, he was too afraid to fail or mess up and that drives his nervous state and makes his stutter worse.

The type of stutter he has is a Stutter Disfluency. His type of stutter is blocked. Instead of saying 'I want to go' he'll say it as 'I......want to go.' His type of stutter include stoppages of airflow or sound production.

Meaning, he'll be blocked for a while; face or mouth shape hasn't changed, and he'll be blocked until he pushed the word out.

"Good morning Serg. How are you this morning?" She greeted with a smile.

Sergio waved, not wanting to speak and looked around her room. She didn't have a classroom necessarily but her resource room was built like an office. Majority of the kids that she sees love her room because his cozy, colorful, and they feel safe.

Her walls were decorated in alphabets, cool super heroes and beautiful Disney princesses, all to fit the need of a growing child. The kids loved her room especially because she didn't have a desk or a table that they sit at. They have their sessions in cool beanbag balls and she slides in a snack here and there.

Sergio walked up to her and hugged her tight and she was surprised. What surprised her even more was when he began to cry.

"Serg what's wrong?" She rubbed his back. Sergio was a cute 7 year old brown boy who migrated from India with his parents. He was exceptionally bright on paper and excelled in his classes but his stuttered. Bronnie didn't care about his accent but it was heavy. But his heart was made of pure gold.

"Ms. Ca--roll," He blocked, but she understood.

"Ms. Carroll? What about her?" She rubbed his back.

In the 20 minutes that he was trying to explain, she ended up getting the gist. While she was out for 2 weeks, Sergio has been seeing the other speech-language pathologist, Ms. Carroll. She was quite older than Bronze and she was a little more firmer on the kids. Sometimes, she'll make the kids cry and that caused some of the kids not to like her and choose Bronze over Ms. Carroll.

They liked Bronze because she was patient and took her time with them. Despite the beanbag chairs and the snacks, they genuinely wanted her because even if they mess up, she'll move on and circle back at another time.

"Its okay Sergio. I'm back and we're here. Okay, let's pick up where we left off, okay buddy?" She led him to the beanbag chairs and they both plopped on it, causing them both to giggle.

For an entire hour, she worked with Sergio on his disfluency and he regressed. On a numerical percentile, he scaled back a few points. She can see where Ms. Carroll left off and see where he scored. She was little upset because it was a bit discouraging.

Nonetheless, she continued to work. After Sergio, her student Emily came in. Her and Sergio did their special handshake while Emily plopped down and leaned back.

"Use the bathroom and go directly back to class Serg," She gave him a directive, and he nodded.

"Hey Ms. Thing," Bronze grinned, greeting Emily.

Just like Sergio, she waved and Bronze got the snack.

"Let's start shall we?" She was optimistic.

Within the whole hour spent with Emily, it was proven to be the same results as Sergio when they both went to Ms. Carroll. Just like him, she regressed as well, and yes, it was discouraging.

Bronze made it up in her mind to visit Ms. Carroll.

By the time lunch had rolled around, she went in search of Ms. Carroll at her office and when she went in, it was completely cleaned out. She asked a teacher of where might she be, and Ms. Featherman said that she retired. Then Bronze gets upset.

So you knew you was leaving and decided to treat the kids any ol' way knowing that the shit wasn't going to be addressed? Yeah, okay. In her office were a stack of files of some of the children who suffers with speech in the school. It was at least 15 different files.

On a regular basis, Bronze sees about 7 to 8 students from Pre-K to 3rd grade, while Ms. Carroll sees about at least 6 from 4th to 5th grade. Now that Ms. Carroll was gone, she was going to be seeing about 15 kids by herself.

She's not saying that she can't do it because she knows she can, but her work is gonna be cut out for her. 5th grade back her day and 5th grade now is totally different. Lord give her strength.

First day at work and its already some shit. Until the school hires another SLP, she was on her own.

——

After work, she left school grounds and got in her pearl white Kia K5. She worked 8 cases by herself and they took longer than usual. The girl was tired as hell. Bronze was taking her ass home. No stops.

Normally if her mother was in town she would've visited the hospital and sit with her but she couldn't this time. Her mother was needed in Atlanta so she was doing her work out there. Before she's completely in the house, she checks in with her brothers to let them know that she was home safe.

She parked into the garage and went up the elevator that was attached. She dragged her feet as she walked down her hallway. Her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were low and as of right now, she didn't care about a thing.

She made it to her door and she rejoiced. While she was getting her keys out for her door, she turned her head to the side and her eyes widened.

"A whole footprint in the door?" Bronze was in disbelief. That dent was huge, like she could see the whole print in the door. She felt bad for whoever was on the opposite end of that door.

She analyzed it for a few seconds until the person behind the door was trying to get out. She rushed to put her key in the door but the person was already out. She put her key in the door and unlocked it.

"Good afternoon," His deep voice said.

She must've thought that he was talking to her so she responded, "Good afternoon. Have a good day," She turned her head and tried to get a good look at his face but his back was already turned and he was already walking.

"You too," He says.

Just from the hoodie he wore, she can tell that he was with the fire department because she peeped the emblem and she also saw Engine 3....

"Engine 32?" She says to herself. Just saying that, something reigned familiar to her.

Like she'd seen it or heard it before. Out of nowhere, she followed behind him just so she can see his face but by the time she caught up, he was already on the elevator and the door was closing.

She smacked her teeth and walked back to her door and went inside. When her body was completely in the door, she was greeted by Nutmeg, her medium sized Rottweiler.

Next to greet her this afternoon was her best friend Topaz or as Bronze and family affectionately call her, Bluey. Bluey was at her apartment because around where she lives, there was a water main break and she doesn't have any water so she asked Bronze if she can crash here for a couple days until her water turns back on. Of course Bronze let her in.

Bluey would have crashed at her boyfriends place but they were off right now. She didn't want to be near him right now because she felt like if she was, her hand would magically slap him in the mouth. Crashing at Bronze's house was her safest option.

"Hi boo," Bluey greeted her from the couch in which she was sleeping on.

"Shh girl go back to sleep. Wake me up when you bout to leave," She yawned, walking into her room with Nutmeg on her trail.

Nutmeg got in her doggy bed right beside hers and she stripped off all of her clothes. She grabbed her shower essentials and then hopped in the shower. She knew she had one before she left but she needed to shower before she got in bed. She wanted to wash the day off.

While she washed up, she thought about the weekend. On a consistent basis, every weekend, she would take herself on a date. Now that she was relieved of Tomas, she noticed that she fell outta love with herself so she was courting herself to make her realize her self-worth. Since the apartment fire, when she was fully healed of course, she'd take herself out.

It started out as a one time thing simply because she felt like getting cute but when she sat there, she realized that she really enjoyed herself and she felt better coming home. So she made it her duty to take herself out and court herself.

On her date, she would bring her journal and write notes to herself just to see how she was feeling at the moment. It was very calming and it would allow her to sit in her feelings. Healing and growth is what she was working towards.

After her shower, she greased up and clothed herself. That warm water had aided in her sleepiness so soon as her body hit the bed, she was out like a light. By the time it was time for Bluey to get up and get ready for work, it felt like Bronnie just went to sleep.

"You gone?" She says sleepily.

"Yeah boo. I'll call you when I make it in," Bluey and Bronnie do their special handshake and then she pets Nutmeg who was still sleep.

"Lock the door on the way out," She turned over to the other side and got back comfortable.

Bluey got out of her room and then she locked the apartment up.

——

Bronnie was enjoying her slumber until she heard loud banging on her door. It abruptly made her get up and run to the door. She looked through the peephole to see who was banging on her door like the police and it was her brother Blessyn.

"Fuck is you 12 or sumn'?" She asked, allowing her brother to come inside.

"Why is you peeking like you paranoid? Expecting somebody?" He asked, taking his shoes off at the door and plopping on her couch.

"You know you're more than welcome but whatchu' doing over here?" She sat on the couch, looking at Nutmeg crawl over to her.

"Nothing just came to check on you an' shit. I know you on your self-care journey and wanted to do it alone but I just miss you that's all," He leaned her in and she laid her head on her shoulder.

"I miss you and Strap too," She smiled, calling Sabir by his street name.

"You'on come around the house anymore, you'on come on the block anymore, ion even see you at church. Wassup with that?" He asked, awaiting her answer but he was met with her snores.

He smacked his teeth and picked her up and put her back in the bed. Clearly she was tired and to Blessyn, it seemed like she wasn't getting enough rest. It was in the middle of the afternoon and after 4PM. If she still sleepy, he concluded that she was restless.

While he tucked her in and put Nutmeg right beside her, he made sure to take out her trash and change her plugins. He was about to rest himself on her couch and browse the television until a hard knock on the door stopped him. Bronnie heard it and she popped up out of her bed.

"Lay down, I got it," He told her and she did exactly that.

"Long as it ain't 12," She mumbled, pulling the covers over her body.

She respects the police but she doesn't necessarily like them. The police officers in DC are a different breed and it scares her. The police are protected by their own people and because their protected, she feels like they can do anything they want because all they'll receive is a slap on the wrist.

He walks to her door and opened it, not bothering to look through the peephole. Blessyn frowns seeing her ex-boyfriend Tomas. At the sight of him, Blessyn shuts the door in his face. Tomas smacked his teeth and knocked on the door and Blessyn purposely ignored it.

Eventually when Bronnie was healed from her injuries, on her own time, she told her brothers what happened and from there Tomas was on their shit list. She didn't tell them everything concerning the full extent but she told them enough.

She popped back up, hearing the constant knocking and she walked to the door.

"Don't open that door bruh," He warned her.

She smacked her teeth, waving him off and opened her door. Her face was already straight but if her face can sink down even further, it would have. After their break up, she would have never thought that she would've seen Tomas again.

Her brother warned her not to open the door. Now she was regretting it. Rolling her eyes, she says, "Why are you here?" She didn't even look him in his eyes. She couldn't.

"I wanted to see you," His tenor voice said.

"You saw me. Now what?" She kept her eyes down and Blessyn peeped.

"I'm tryna see wassup with us. I know it was kinda fucked up how I ended things and I regret that. I had time to think shit over these last few weeks and I know that something been missing," He explained and Blessyn rolled his eyes so damn hard.

"Don't fall for it B. Don't fall for that bullshit," Blessyn mumbled, crossing his fingers.

Bronze didn't respond right away so he kept talking. "I've been missing you. You are the good thing in my life. You keep me on the right track, keep me level-headed, and you keep me out of trouble. I love you baby; it's always been you. Forgive me?"

Finally she lifted her eyes. The reaction that he was expecting from her was unexpected. She laughs.

It wasn't a regular laugh like a cute giggle or something, but it was those types of laughs where you're doubled over and holding your stomach. Her sides were truly hurting. Amidst her laugh, she shuts the door in his face.

Once the door was closed, her laughing died down until it eventually stops. She stands there for a moment, playing with her fingers and analyzing her nails. To Blessyn, that was her telltale sign, so he stood up and directly after, she bursts into flames.

Because he knew that she would, he cradled her into his arms as she cried. For all of the shit he put her through, all of a sudden he pulls some shit like this. Due to her bulging vulnerability, she cries because so badly she wanted to take him back. Tomas was all she knows.

Honestly speaking, if Blessyn wasn't there, she most certainly would have taken him back, and she hated herself for thinking of shit like that. Knowing that if she takes him back, the treatment from him will eventually get worse. Her brother was her standstill and because of him, she dodged a very attractive bullet.

She cried because she felt stupid for wanting his manipulative, narcissist ass back. Each time she's taken him back, it was on the account of him 'trying to change' or him having an 'epiphany'. She cried because she hated feeling like she needed someone to be wanted or sought after. She was crying real tears and her brother was there to help her.

At times like this, she wished her mother was in town so she can just go over her house and tell her everything but she wasn't. Instead her older brother was and his brotherly love would just have to do.

He led her to the couch where she cried on his shoulder before getting herself together. He wiped her eyes for her before saying, "Make this your last time cryin' over a nigga. Especially that nigga. I know you still love him an' shit but what you told me, what y'all had wasn't love. Fuck that bitch ass nigga,"

She listened to her brothers words as she clears her throat. "I'm glad you're here. Not gonna lie, I felt myself getting weak. I was gonna cave in,"

He smacked his teeth. "And the moment you woulda caved in, I woulda caved your ass into dat wall," He pointed, making her crack a smile.

"Please don't tell Sabe," She pleaded, shortening Sabir's name. If he ever heard of this, he'd knock her head off and then Tomas'.

"Promise you, B. But if I ever see that nigga in the street, just know its on site. The only tears you should be shedding if we at a funeral or at your wedding," He made that shit very clear.

After that whole Tomas act, she went back to sleep for a while and Blessyn rested himself at her house. By the time she got up, he was leaving for work. She made sure that she thanked him again and told him 'see you later'.

To relieve herself, she tidied up her apartment and then she lounged around the house. To be honest, she really didn't wanna go anywhere but it was the weekend and she's supposed to take herself on a date.

She seen the time and noticed that it was into the evening, rush-hour time. If she goes now in that rush-hour, she's gonna be thrown off. She rather wait; that way she'll know where she wants to go.

——

It was around that time for her date and she just got dressed. It was a pretty chilly spring evening so she dressed accordingly. When she was about to spray some perfume, she heard her locks interchanging.

"Topaz Marie Wooten, check?" Bronze called, being funny.

"Bitch don't play wit' me," Bluey giggled, dropping her purse onto the coffee table. Bronze knew that Bluey hated her name. For whatever reason, it is still unclear.

"Topaz Marie, how was your day?" Bronze giggled, still tormenting her.

"Bronze Geneva, leave me the fuck alone," Bluey playfully rolled her eyes, walking into her bedroom and plopping on her bed.

Before Bronze can chew her out for putting her dirty clothes on her bed, Bluey got off and stripped in front of her. Childishly, Bronnie turns away from Bluey as she undressed. That's her bestie but she ain't wanna see allat.

While taking her clothes off, Bluey gasps at a remembrance. "You got some suppositories left?" She asked her best friend and Bronze went looking for them.

Bluey was referring to Bronze's Boric Acid Suppositories. Bluey had a reoccuring run-in with BV and its back again. Of course it fucked with her whole mood and her attitude was settling in. She wished this bullshit would just leave her alone.

Bronze found some and handed her the bottle and Bluey opened it. She rejoiced when she seen that she had more than enough for what she needed.

"Its

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