A gift of sunshine

the long version

An innocent child requires love, understanding, nurturing, guidance, acceptance and care. Nia received them all even after being born of a drug addicted mother and having four siblings residing with her. It was her Great Grandmother, Mama Francine, who made sure that Nia received all that was essential in her first nine years of life while living in Tallahassee Florida. After the death of her loving Mama Francine, Nia and her brother, Jerome, would be split from their siblings and sent to live with an aunt and uncle they barely knew. It was there in the confines of her aunt Lovell and uncle Whit's home where those words of care, love and acceptance turned into torment and cruelty. The worst crime of all was the abuse that both Nia and Jerome would suffer, all the while holding it inside.