by Sequaia
“Why don’t you use your key, boy? I had to walk away from my gravy to answer the door,” my mom spat upon stepping to the side and letting me in.
“If you used the security system I put in here, you could’ve seen me standing at the door and told me it was coo’ to come in. Then I would have used my key,” I chuckled, pulling her small frame into me and kissing her cheek.
“My phone is in the bedroom charging. Plus, I’m still not up to date with all that new technology stuff. If anyone comes in this house, I know it’s either you or Gerald.”
“Nah, that’s not true, Mom. Yeah, you in a good neighborhood, but that doesn’t mean anything. We don’t expect people to do crazy things . . . but with crazy people in the world, you never know,” I told her. Sometimes, I forgot that the time I spent running the streets, my mom was working. Because of that, she wasn’t hip to a lot of the shit I was hip to. My mom really lived a square life, and I would have too had I not decided to enter the school of hard knocks.
“All right, son.” She dismissed my ass smoothly, making me release a light chuckle.
“Preeeetisss!” my little sister yelled, mispronouncing my name and running up to me. I scooped her up in my arms and rained kisses all over her cheek.
“What’s up, my baby?” I tickled her, feeling my heart swell at her infectious giggles.
“I missed you, brother,” she told me.
“Well, why you didn’t call me?” I asked her, still causing a tickle fit.
“Um.” She placed her index finger on her chin as if she were really in deep thought. I mean, all the giggling and goofy antics utterly stopped. And I knew at that moment, my little sister had the qualities of a con artist.
“Prima!” I called her name, reclaiming her attention.
“I forgot. My iPad needs plugged.”
She meant charged. I knew that. Chuckling, I placed her back on her feet, following behind her as we headed to the kitchen where my mother had gone. The aroma of her cooking hit my nose instantly, causing my stomach to growl. I didn’t even know I was hungry until I stepped inside her kitchen. I took a seat at the small table and helped Prima onto my lap.
“So, son, how have you been?”
“Cool. Chilling and working. Working and chillin’.”
“Settled down yet?” she inquired.
“Now, you know if that were the case, you would know.”
“What about the girl you’ve been messing with for the last year or so?”
“Brittney isn’t my girlfriend, Mom. Won’t be, either.”
“It’s wrong to string that girl along, Prentice.”
“I can’t string her along, Ma, when she knows what it is. I promise you, she does.”
“Listen here, son. I may not be all street-savvy, but I know women. Keep at it with that girl, and you will have A Thin Line Between Love and Hate situation. No woman sticks around chasing behind a man if she isn’t crazy or full of hope that she will one day have her happy ending. She feels that way because the man’s actions tell a different story than his words.”
She gave me a look that dared me to tell her different. Something I wouldn’t do ’cause I couldn’t. “Okay, Mom, I hear you.”
One thing about me, I did take heed to the lessons my mom taught me about women. There was only one woman in the world she couldn’t tell me nothing about, and that was Aúrea, even though Aúrea leaving me made me wonder if there was some truth to the words Mom spoke about her when she left.
“What else has been goin’ on with you? I know you said working, but which job are you speaking of?”
“The only ones I talk to you about. Why am I getting the third degree?”
“Because you stayed away too long. Now, I need all the tea, as you young people say . . . So spill it.”
“I’ve been between Mr. Lewis and my consulting business.” I hoped the information presented pacified her curiosity because her digging for more details would only lead her to a dead end. If she didn’t know what I did in the streets, she couldn’t tell the law nothing.
“So, I was wondering if you could take your sister home with you next weekend? I’m going to a business conference, and, of course, she can’t come.”
“You know she can stay with me anytime. I gotta ask, though, is her pops goin’ with you?” I knew the answer was no. Still, I had to ask.
“He’s not going, Prentice. If it’s a problem—”
“Mom, I just said it wasn’t. Prim can come live with me, and you can have a hot girl summer if you want. I love my sister, and as long as I’m here, she don’t need a daddy, stepdaddy—none of that.” My eyes bore into my mother’s as I spoke, so she could see how serious I was. “You either,” I informed her.
“Well, she has a father, just like you. Speaking of, when was the last time you spoke to yours?”
“Cool way to change the subject.” She wasn’t slick, and I was gonna let her know it.
“Think what you want. At the end of the day, I’m still the parent, and you’re still the child. Now, you’re watching Prima and about to tell me the last time you spoke to your father.”
“You still feelin’ that man, Mom?” I raised my brow in question. It was an answer I wanted. My mom had this thing about choosing shitty men. My father was one of ’em. I hadn’t laid eyes on my pops since I was 8 years old. Just occasional phone calls and gifts now and then. Other than that, pops was a no-show. I think that’s why I gravitated to Mr. Lewis so quickly. He parented me in the way I had been looking for my whole life. Well, after my first eight years, that is.
“Boy, no. I have been over that man. Because I don’t deal with him doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to.”
“I spoke to him last week. He’s good. Our conversations haven’t changed much. He still asks me the same questions he did when I was a kid.” I shrugged.
That was the truth. My pops didn’t know how to hold a conversation with me, which I chalked up to his guilt of not being there for me like he should have. Not only that but I also probably didn’t make the calls easy, being that I usually was dry as hell when we spoke. I have to give it to him, though. He always called me. I never dialed him, so he was trying. It was apparent that he wanted some type of relationship with me.
“That man never learned how to communicate. At least, he still tries,” my mother acknowledged, removing plates down from the cabinet.
Nodding my head was my way of silently agreeing with her. I also decided to be more open with my father and begin speaking to him in a nicer tone. Maybe if I talked to him like I talked to my mom, he’d get more comfortable. When we spoke, the awkwardness between us was preventing him from seeing how really dope I am and me from getting to know who he is.
“Did you see the news? They found the body of the man your old girlfriend used to live with. Such a shame,” my mom spoke, interrupting my thoughts.
“Yeah, I saw it.”
“You think she’ll come out of hiding? I heard she stole from them before running off and—”
“Mom, let’s talk about something else.”
“Fine.” She placed my plate on the table.
I rubbed my hands in front of me, well, in front of Prima, who was still sitting in my lap, ready to dig in.
Moms always threw down in the kitchen. Tonight’s dinner consisted of carne asada smothered in gravy, topped with onions and mushrooms. On the side was white rice with butter and a little bit of sugar, just how I liked it, and corn with a slice of Texas toast.
“Ooh, eat,” Prima said with a huge grin on her face, damn near slobbering on my food. This was how I knew she was my sister. We had the same appetite.
“Mom, make your daughter a plate ’cause she not sharing mine,” I said seriously, placing her on her feet. I pulled out the chair next to me and sat her down on it before tickling her.
“Oh, I made my baby her own plate. I swear you’ll share everything else with her but yo’ food.”
“That’s right.” Picking up Prima�
�s fork, I fed her a small piece of steak.
“It smells good in here. Where my plate?”
I looked up to see my mother’s baby daddy walking into the kitchen. What irritated me about this nigga was he could step in and out of this bitch like he paid for it. I would probably be okay with it if he paid a bill, but his bitch ass couldn’t do that. He felt he had some sort of reign because he was Prima’s father. Yet the reality was—Prima’s big brother would beat his ass.
“That ain’t how you greet my mother or my sister, bro.” That was something I shouldn’t have had to tell the dude.
“I thought that was your car. What’s up, Prentice?” He didn’t deserve a reply, so he didn’t get one. My eyes remained on him as he kissed my mother on the cheek, then walked over to do the same to Prima. His ass knew I wasn’t playing, so when he took his seat, I went back to my plate.
“Brother, help me,” Prima demanded, holding up her fork.
“What you need, baby girl?”
She pointed to her meat, and immediately, I cut the rest of it up to make it easier for her.
“Daddy can help you, Princess,” Gerald’s bitch ass chimed in.
“She asked the right person.”
“Prentice!” my mom attempted to chastise me.
“It’s okay, Tasha. Let the boy say what he wanna say.”
Chuckling, I cut my eyes at that nigga, and if looks could kill, he’d be just as dead as the cow my mama got this steak from.
“I’m a grown-ass man. Only boy in this room is the nigga I’m looking at. Ol’ goofy broke ass. You better remember my pockets’ heavy, and my name holds weight in the streets. So you might wanna think twice about the next thing you say to me ’cause I have no problem mopping the floor with yo’ face in front of my mom and sister. That’s how I give it up. If you ready for it, let me know.” The venom and seriousness weren’t only laced in my tone. I was positive the look in my eyes showed it too. I wanted nothing more than for his ass to jump stupid so I could pop his ass right back into some sense.
“Watch your mouth in front of your sister and me. You won’t be mopping a damn thing in this house unless it’s with a real mop. Shit.”
“You know what? I’m about to dip.” I pushed my plate forward and stood. Gerald kept his eyes on me, and I can’t lie. I was ready to leap on his ass just to see him jump out of his seat in fear.
“You don’t have to leave,” my mother told me. I knew that. I could’ve easily made Gerald’s bitch ass leave. The fact remained that this wasn’t my house. Plus, Prima saw me as this big ole’ teddy bear. I never wanted her to see the actual beast that lived within her brother, and if I stayed, she would get a front-row seat.
“I know. I got something to do, though.” I kissed Prima on top of her head. I love my sister, but no way was I putting my lips on her in the same area as her dad.
“Bye, brother.” Prima smiled before wrapping her little arms around my neck and kissing my cheek. When she released me, I stepped to my mom, kissed her forehead, and left.
I drove around for a few minutes with no destination in mind before deciding to head to the block. It’s been a minute since I made my way to the hood. There was no need for me to be out there. Not even to collect my money. Still, going through today was just something I wanted to do.
When I pulled up on Ninth, only a few people were out. A couple of youngins and my right-hand, Sonic. That’s not his real name but a name he earned from being quick. He was quick as hell, the fastest on the track and football teams. He had a future in sports until he hurt himself, trying to dodge bullets not meant for him. He was depressed for a minute, then realized an injury was better than death. Plus, he still was the fastest nigga up out of this county. So Sonic still fit. I parked my car, then hopped out, making sure to leave my doors unlocked and gun on my hip.
“Yo, look who the cat done drug in,” Sonic laughed, extending his hand for a shake.
“You got jokes, huh?”
“Nah, just ain’t expect to see you out here with us regular folk.”
“You know to expect the unexpected with me. What’s poppin’, though?”
I leaned up against Sonic’s car with him. Even though he and I were having small talk, my eyes were on every part of the area, watching my back ’cause even though I felt safe here, I could never be too sure. If I wanted my mom to be aware at all times, no way I couldn’t follow my own advice.
“Man, ain’t shit. You see it’s dry out here. I don’t even know why I haven’t taken my ass in the house yet.”
“Aye, who’s that?” I asked, noticing a smoke-grey Honda Accord pulling up on the block. My hand went to my hip, and I started regretting coming over here. All I needed was to get caught up in a shoot-out in broad daylight.
“Oh, shit, that’s Janae,” he said with a smirk on his face.
“Janae?” The name wasn’t ringing a bell. Whoever she was had Sonic’s ass ready to risk it all. Confirming it was a female, I relaxed a little. Not totally would I put my guard down ’cause females could be grimy too, but I could breathe a little easier.
“Yeah, she went to high school with us. Used to hang with yo’ ex-girl, the one who ran away.”
“Janae.” Her name slipped from my lips quietly as my eyes grew in recognition. I knew exactly who she was, and I couldn’t stand her ass. I had a feeling she kept in contact with Aúrea, which she always denied. After that, she became invisible to me.
The door to the car opened, and Sonic and I kept eyes on her as she got out and headed in our direction.
She damn sure wasn’t invisible right now. I could see why my boy was smitten. I’d sleep with her. Well, in another lifetime, but still, she was doable. Janae had grown up. Her hips were wide, ass phat, and titties big. She was probably what society called a BBW. Yet to me, she was just thick in all the right places. If I had to estimate her size, my guess would be about a size 13/14, and that wasn’t fat at all.
“Hey, Sonic,” she flirted. She grinned hard, and her eyes concentrated solely on my boy.
“Ain’t nothin’. What’s up with you?” He shrugged his shoulders like a shy-ass schoolboy, and laughter erupted from the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t trying to block nor embarrass him, which was why I composed myself quicker than a mothafucka. My laughter took Janae’s attention from Sonic, and her eyes landed right on me, widening in recognition. Sort of how mine probably looked a few seconds ago when I realized who she was.
“Prentice Mayor?” She looked at me, and I couldn’t tell if she was asking or telling me who I was.
“What’s up, Janae?”
“Wow, it’s been years. How have you been?”
“Good, and you?”
“I’ve been good. I just moved back. I moved to Florida temporarily to go to college. Had my son there. His dad wasn’t shit, so I came back here to be with my family.”
“That’s what’s up.”
“Yeah, being home has been cool.” She hesitated. I could see in her body language that she wanted to ask me something.
“It is.”
“Uh, did you hear about what happened to Aúrea’s foster dad?”
“It’s been all over the news. Everyone has heard about it, I’m sure.”
“Yeah, that’s just sad, man.”
I shrugged. It was sad for those who cared. I didn’t care. Plus, I sent him to the other side, so there was absolutely no reason for me to feel anything outside of joy.
“Aye, I ain’t know you had a son,” Sonic cut in, and I was thankful for him.
She confirmed being a mother for him once again and even told him her son’s age, but I had tuned them out. A text message from Brittney currently had me listing the pros and cons of seeing her tonight. After what my mom said earlier, it was probably smart for me to back off her for a while.
“Prentice,” Sonic spoke my name, regaining my attention.
“What’s up?”
“I’m about to run in here and take a leak. Don’t leave, nigga.
I’ma follow you up out of here.”
“Don’t take too long. I’m ready to go.”
“Man, that ho gon’ wait for you,” he laughed.
I couldn’t even think of a comeback for his ass because though he didn’t know who had my eyes glued to my phone, he was right. She would wait for me.
“Whatever, nigga. Don’t be all day. You probably gotta shit, stanky ass,” I teased.
“Fuck you,” he laughed, heading for one of the fiend houses on the block.
I held my phone, still debating on whether I was going to message Brittney back.
“Oh my God.” Janae’s gasp brought my attention back to her.
Honestly, I forgot she was right there. Her tone had me slightly nervous, so I furrowed my brows before asking, “The hell you do that for? What’s wrong?”
Mouth agape, she looked at me. “The dead has arisen,” she told me, not giving me a clue about what the hell she meant.
“What are you talking about, Janae?”
“Your precious Aúrea. She messaged me on Facebook.”
My brows, I’m positive, were deeply furrowed. I could feel them by the tension in the middle of my forehead caused by the amount of pressure I felt.
“Come again?” I needed her to repeat herself. I wasn’t sure I heard her right. The mention of Aúrea had my heart beating so fast that it felt like it was banging against my chest. My ears were pounding, and I wasn’t sure how that was possible.
“Aúrea. She messaged on Facebook,” she repeated.
Sure that I heard her, my expression changed as if asking, “What the fuck?” Shit, it was a what-the-fuck moment.
“I know this seems weird, and back then, you didn’t believe me when I told you that she and I didn’t communicate after she left, so this looks bad. But I promise you, this is my first time hearing from her since she’s been gone—”
“What she say?” I cut her off. I didn’t even care about that shit no more. I just wanted to know what she said and where she was.
“She asked me if I could pick her up from the bus station.”
