Angelica

(From the Life of Jasmine)

(Began writing this section at approximately 5 AM on the morning of May 12th, 2026/ AM 5-12-2026)

(Updated again- May 14th, 2026

5:48 AM)

(Updated again- June 3rd, 2026

10:03 PM)

(Updated again on June 28th, 2026

15:43 PM)

(Updated again on July 15th, 2026)

(Updated again on July 28th, 2026)

A young roommate began to pull at the heartstrings of Jasmine, although she pestered Jasmine at times, an affection for this young girl softened a growing callous that had formed. This hardening towards new roommates began after Jasmine felt the sting of girls leaving, especially those she grew attached to.

This young, naive girl released the protected, sometimes cynical Jazz as she welcomed back the naive young girl who now had a chance to be available for someone who was in the same bed she had rested in just a few years back.

Her first name was Angelica.

“It’s pronounced like ‘Jelly’”, she’d say in a high pitched tone that finished upward as if she was prompting her conversation partner.

Much of the time, she was quiet, slept on the top corner bunk above Yolanda. Angelica had curly black hair, it bounced about when she laughed. The bouncing curls made Jasmine smile, they were a good sign. These bouncing curls were a part of Jasmine’s ‘mission’. In her quest to appreciate the precious moments of each day, she could cherish the silly, springy sparkle of young Angelica.

These curls bounced with a light, unrestrained resilience. This was precisely the resilience Angelica would need. She would need to hop right back into action following a plethora of disappointing moments. Just like her hair, she was able to bounce back up.

She had to be.

The valleys of emotional swings, long mornings of pining for visits from relatives, the let downs…. Jasmine knew there would be difficult passages that Angelica must bounce back from each time.

Jasmine remembered getting pushed into the wooden frame of her bunk bed by an older girl who used too much hairspray. The stiff haired teenager was named Priscilla, she tested Jasmine upon her first appearance in their shared room. Jasmine experienced a lot of that when she arrived;

young, scared and naive to The Maria House.

On that day, the emotional weight Jasmine felt was tremendously heavy. She wanted to be anywhere but in The Maria House.

The morning after getting pushed Jasmine learned that Priscilla had been sent to a Juvenile Detention Facility. Her behavior was erratic and the staff at The Maria House had warned her of such volatility.

Jasmine made sure that young Angelica would not face any volatile outbursts on her watch.

The occasions where ‘Angelica’ would smile, giggle or look up with confused bewilderment were exactly the proof Jasmine needed. Those times proved that good people were in her life.

Those moments lifted spirits, particularly the spirit of ‘Jazz’ as she worried about ‘young Jelly’ as the girls in their bedroom referred to her. Angelica often responded to the nickname of endearment with a head bobbing rap, “I am young Jelly…. Yeah, that’s my name/ I say it with pride & not no shame”…. “Jelly. Jelly…. You heard me, Jelly, J-Jelly… that’s right I’m Jelly ..…”

Angelica liked trees, she often gathered the loose twigs as she held and fondled their feathery needles. She gathered these slender branches that had fallen from the Cypress tree just outside Jasmine’s window. When she arrived to The Maria House she asserted that that tree was her best friend, this piqued the curiosity of Jasmine especially when Angelica gave the tree’s titled name: Joanne The Tall Tree

When Angelica first arrived she found a branch from the tree she had soon aptly named, Joanne. Jasmine similarly valued the tree and understood why Angelica latched on to the first branch she stumbled upon. Jasmine also leaned forward to listen as Angelica had insisted that this branch was a present from the tree for -her.

“Aaaaahhhh, of course it is, Jelly…”

Soon after noticing Angelica’s fond affection for this old bald cypress branch, Jasmine folded tape and attached a faded lavender heart to the stick, watching as Angelica quietly climbed up to her corner bunk. Jasmine gazed over excitedly from her bed as Angelica located and held up the stick with an open mouthed smile. Jasmine peered over while a twinkle lit up the mahogany eyes of this young child.

‘Young Jelly’ grasped ahold of the stick with her jaw agape and looked up at the ceiling.. “….how about that?…” she muttered quietly.

She knew not where to look, the direction of her glance was naturally upward, she felt that she could believe in a warmth and this gesture was evidence enough that goodness, the power of that which was good was still prevailing.

Jasmine felt great about her self, the decision she had made, smiling as she too laid flat while staring up at the ceiling. At this point Jasmine was grinning in a satisfied mental state promising herself that these moments should happen more often.

Homeward Bound

“Jelly”…. … -Jasmine called out across the room with eyebrows raised and a tone that blended surprise with something that was almost accusatory.

“Yes,”… Angelica responded in an upward ending pitch.

Once again Angelica showed her ability to read the space and adjust her tone accordingly.

“Jelly…. You’re going home?!”

Jasmine was confirming what she had overheard in the early part of the day. Her emotions flooded the words that came forth, drowning out the deep love she had for Angelica. She loved her “Young Jelly” and it was hard to see her go.

“Yeahhhhh….. …. Yes, I am heading home…” Angelica dragged her affirmative response, she knew it was a sensitive topic, one that required some delicate care as many girls spoke of the days they remembered from when they lived with their parents or grandparents. This was a touchy matter for everyone in The Maria House.

“My mama finished her care and she -even got a job. I’ll go back to live with her now.” Angelica looked out, scanning for smiles. Although the other girls imagined, even vicariously dashed out with anyone who was being retrieved by their birth parents, they didn’t see this scenario unfolding in their own lives.

“Wow, Jelly. We love you and we’ll miss you.”