Always Gonna Be My Baby: A Hood Love Story

by Charmanie Saquea

  “Not in front of my baby, you won't,” Sheree said.

  She never got in Treasure and Lorenzo’s business unless it involved her granddaughter but she was not about to have them acting a fool and arguing in front of her. If they felt like they had some things they needed to discuss, they needed to do that when she wasn’t around.

  “Princess, go over there with Nana real quick while I talk to mommy,” Lorenzo said as he put Eternity down.

  Treasure wanted to say something but before she could, Lorenzo pushed her in the direction of the kitchen. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she turned around to go off on him but he pushed her against the wall and pressed his lips against hers, shutting her up.

  “Stop!” she said as she pushed him off of her.

  “Come on, Tres, damn!” Lorenzo yelled in frustration. “How many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry? It’s been three fucking years, ma. I get it. I hurt you and I understand that. I just want my family back.”

  Treasure just looked deep into his eyes. She wanted so badly to believe him but she’d long ago given up on waiting on Lorenzo to get his shit together. She would never lie and say that she’d stopped loving him but she had stopped waiting on him to prove that he had changed. His idea of proving things would be different was coming to throw some money and dick at her, thinking that would fix things.

  Of course, she had her weak moments where she gave in to his advances, which she probably shouldn’t have done because it only complicated things more. But now, she wasn’t having that any more. It just wasn’t enough for her. She just shook her head and walked away from him.

  “What the fuck? Really?” Lorenzo called after her.

  Treasure ignored him and walked back in the room with Eternity and Sheree.

  “Eternity, tell your Nana you love her and you’ll see her later.”

  “Bye Nana, bye Daddy. Love you!” Eternity said.

  “I’m not done talking about this, Treasure,” Lorenzo told her.

  “I am,” Treasure said before walking out the door.

  Treasure wasn’t sure of what the future held for her and Lorenzo or if they even had a future together, but as if right now, she just couldn’t do him. The streets were more important to him than anything else and she refused to come second to anything or anyone. If she and her daughter couldn’t be a top priority then they didn’t need to be together, period.

  Four

  Aries walked through her front door sluggishly. She was tired from a long day of classes and working and her stomach was yelling for her to put something in it. She walked in to find Kevin sitting on the couch comfortably with his feet up, watching SportsCenter but not one stench of food was in the air. She stood there looking at him like he was crazy.

  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked her.

  “Are you serious right now?” Aries asked like he was stupid.

  “Yea…”

  “You’ve been home for hours, Kevin. You know Thursdays are my longest days. The least you could do is have some food ready for me when I get home,” she huffed.

  Sometimes Aries couldn’t understand his inconsiderate ass. He always wanted her to bend over backwards for him or go the extra mile for him but he could never do the same for her.

  “Aries, please, there was a time when my mother worked two jobs and came home to cook for her husband and three kids. You’ll be alright.” Kevin waved her off.

  “I’m not your mom and this ain’t the fucking fifties!” she snapped.

  Aries hated when he tried to compare her to his bourgeois ass mother. She highly doubted his mom ever had a job and or that she even knew what a kitchen looked like. She was so stuck up and looked down on everyone she thought wasn’t on her level and Aries couldn’t stand her ass.

  “Watch your mouth, Aries!” Kevin said.

  “I’m sick of this shit, Kevin! You act like it would kill you to cook one damn meal,” Aries yelled as she made her way to the stairs.

  “That’s not my job. It’s your job to cook. You belong in the kitchen, not me, Aries,” Kevin yelled after her.

  Aries stopped on the stairs and had to pause for a minute because she had to make sure she didn’t hear him wrong. Lately Kevin had been throwing subtle messages about what he felt her ‘role’ in this relationship should be and what her place was. She had to shake her head and bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying something that she knew was sure to start a fight. She didn’t have energy for all that so she just bowed out and let him have this one.

  All of a sudden she wasn’t even hungry anymore and had no desire to be around him. She used the little energy she had left to take a quick shower. After she got dressed and ready for bed, she grabbed her phone to charge it and she realized she’d received a text message five minutes ago.

  Choppa: Don’t make me come hunt you down tomorrow and your ass better be ready on time

  With a smile on her face, she texted Choppa back.

  Aries: I will, but what you doing?

  She knew she shouldn’t have been texting him but there was something about him that drew her in. She knew as long as she kept the conversation friendly with him, she wasn’t doing anything wrong.

  Choppa: It’s trapping hours baby. I’m getting to this money

  Aries: Be safe

  It took a minute for Choppa to text back, so Aries turned the TV on to browse the channels and see if she could find anything interesting. Not finding anything, she turned on Hulu to see if she could catch up the episodes of Empire she had missed. Just as she was about to click on an episode, her phone vibrated.

  Choppa: Always, but aye…send me something

  Aries laughed at the fact that he had the nerve to send the text with the crooked smile emoji. She was not about to go there with him.

  Aries: Lol goodnight Choppa

  Choppa: Damn it’s like that? Iight then at least dream about a nigga and let that thang get wet for me

  Aries gasped at his message and put her phone down, leaving him on read. Choppa was the definition of no chill and no fucks given. He really didn’t care what he said as long as he made sure he got his point across. Aries laid there trying to figure out how the hell she got herself mixed up with him in the first place and trying to figure out a way to get rid of him before things got too crazy for them.

  “Seriously, Aries?” Kevin asked as he stood over her. “I've been standing here trying to get your attention for the longest.”

  “Ugh, what, Kevin?” she snapped. Thanks to her mind being somewhere else, Aries hadn't even noticed Kevin come in the room and her slight attitude from earlier decided that it wanted to come back.

  “Are you really just going to get in the bed and not cook?” Kevin asked in disbelief.

  Aries looked at him like she wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth. She was hoping that he was playing but the look on his face let her know that he was very serious. “Kevin, please. If you were hungry you should have cooked. Now goodnight,” Aries said as she turned over in the bed so that her back was facing him.

  Mumbling some inaudible words under his breath, Kevin walked out of the bedroom.

  ___

  Choppa and Benji sat around their father’s basement, just chilling and smoking. Unlike most people they knew, the two brothers had a very close relationship with their father and he had been in their lives since day one. They always looked up to him and came to him for guidance.

  “Nigga, who the fuck got you over there smiling at your phone?” Benji asked, busting Choppa out.

  “Mind yours, you nosey muthafucka, you,” Choppa told his brother.

  “Oh my bad, that must be Ms. Ariessss!” Benji sang.

  Solomon shook his heads at his sons. Ever since they could talk, that was how they had been acting towards each other. Just like siblings do, they loved to aggravate each other but Choppa and Benji had a special type of relationship. Not many people understood just how deep their bond went but they had no problems laying
down their life for each other.

  “Who is Aries?” Solo asked his youngest son.

  “Just this chick, pops,” Choppa told him.

  “This chick that his ass just met four days ago and already dropped 20 bands on...and she married!” Benji exclaimed.

  Hearing that made Solo choke on the Cuban cigar he was smoking which caused Benji to double over in laughter. Solo looked over at him, wondering if he had lost the little bit of the marbles he had left in his head.

  “Shut that shit up,” Choppa said as he threw a pillow off the couch at him. “You don't even know how to narrate Choppa's Story right. Over there lying and shit.”

  “Well, how about you tell us Choppa's Story so we can get all the right details then,” Solo said.

  “Who the fuck talks about themselves in third person, though? Yo, this nigga need some help,” Benji laughed.

  Choppa just cut his eyes at his brother but he didn't bother to respond to him. “It's not twenty bands, it was more like six. And she's engaged, not married. Fuck boy,” he corrected his brother.

  “It's the same thing, Chop. His position in her life is solidified. Yours ain't,” Benji said.

  “His shit can't be too much of nothing if she's even giving me room to have a position in her life,” Choppa threw back at his brother.

  Benji didn't have a rebuttal for that because his brother was right. If Aries’ relationship with her man was so solid, she wouldn't even be entertaining Choppa's hood ass. From his perspective, she seemed like a sweet girl and not the type to cheat on her man.

  “Are you ready for all the drama that comes behind pursuing a woman that's already taken?” Solo asked his son.

  “Ain't no drama, Pops. I'm not the one trying to walk down the aisle with her. I'm just on some friends shit,” Choppa smiled.

  Solo just laughed because he didn't know who his son thought he was spilling that bullshit to. He had raised him, so he already knew how his son operated and what he was about. Sure, things may be innocent now but there was no telling how long that was going to last with Choppa's aggressive ass involved.

  Five

  Aries sat in a chair as Treasure stood in front of her doing her makeup. She couldn't believe that she was actually going out with another man who wasn't Kevin. She was so nervous that she was shaking.

  “Arie, if you don’t be your ass still,” Treasure fussed. “What is wrong with you?”

  “I'm scared.”

  “Why? That he might actually put that La Perla to use tonight?”

  When Aries brought all her bags in the house that day and went through them, she was stuck on the fact that everything was the right size, down to the shoes, but she was even more shocked that Choppa actually bought three lingerie sets from La Perla. Aries didn't know what the hell that was supposed to be for but she knew he was slick as a can of oil.

  “Fuck you,” Aries mumbled as she rolled her eyes.

  “Don't fuck me, fuck him! And tell me all about.”

  “Ughhh! I can't stand you,” Aries laughed at her sister.

  Treasure stepped back to admire her handiwork and had to give herself a pat on the back. It had been a while since she had done anything with makeup but it was clear that she still had it. Since Aries didn't need makeup anyway, she gave her a natural look to where it looked as if she didn't have anything on.

  “Pretty TT,” Eternity said as she popped her head up from her mom’s bed.

  “Girl, when did you bring your little self in here?” Treasure laughed.

  “Thank you, baby. You’re pretty too,” Aries said as she bent down to give her niece a kiss.

  Treasure and Eternity sat on the bed as they watched Aries stand in the floor length mirror and continue to fidget with her hair and her dress. She was stressing Treasure out by the second and she couldn't understand why Aries was acting like she had never been anywhere before.

  “You think I should've wore the long dress?” Aries asked.

  “That dress is fine, Arie,”

  “What if someone sees us and tells Kevin?” Aries questioned as she turned around.

  “Ohh, okay. I get it now. That's why you're acting like this,” Treasure said as she got off the bed. “Aries, you are going to be fine. You already said Choppa told him you two were cousins. Who’s he going to ask to confirm or deny the information? Besides, you told him you were here with me tonight because I need you, which is very true because I need you to go out tonight and have fun for once. You've been stressed to the max lately and I don’t like it.”

  “I hear you, Tres. I really do but things start becoming too much for me when I have to start lying about where I'm at and who I'm with or who people are,” Aries said.

  “Girl, you saying that like you and the man fucking. This is just a onetime thing, ain't that what you told me? Besides, if you do feel like things are going too far with you and Choppa, all you have to do is cut things off. Simple as that.”

  That's easier said than done, Aries thought but didn't bother to speak on it. She just nodded her head in agreement as she checked her appearance in the mirror once again. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

  “There goes your Hood Charming,” Treasure joked.

  “I can't stand you,” Aries said as she walked out of her room and went to open the door.

  When she opened the door, she was greeted with two of the sexiest smiles she had ever seen on men. Before she could say anything, Choppa walked up on her and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly while burying his face in her neck, inhaling her scent and sneaking in a little kiss.

  “Damn, girl,” he said as he pulled back from her to examine her. “You wear my money well.”

  Aries did that little laugh that he thought was so cute. “You look good, too, really good.”

  Aries had to keep reminding herself that she had a whole fiancé at home waiting on her because the way Choppa was looking had her thinking and feeling things no woman that was in a relationship should. She knew it wasn't wrong to look but she was straight up thinking of all the things she could do to him.

  Choppa had skin the color of a Hershey’s bar, almond shaped eyes that were dark and coal black, and plump, juicy lips that he loved running his pink tongue across. He had 360˚ waves in his hair that were so deep that she could literally take a dive in with sideburns that lead to a neat goatee.

  For some reason, Aries never realized just how sexy he was until tonight. He was standing in front of her with his suit jacket off, the first three buttons on his shirt undone, and tie hanging loosely around his neck. It's just something about him, she thought.

  “Hey, Benji,” she spoke, trying not to seem like she was fixated on Choppa.

  “Hey, Ms. Ariesss,” Benji said.

  Choppa cut his eyes at his brother and was about to say something to him but Treasure came into the room, stopping him from saying what he wanted to say.

  “Aww, don't y'all look cute,” she said as she looked at everybody.

  “Tres, did you really just come out here in a bonnet?” Aries asked.

  “Uh, yes? Did you forget that it's nine o'clock at night and y'all are in my house? I'm supposed to be comfortable. Come back during normal business hours and maybe I'll look presentable,” Treasure said.

  “Yooo! She real as fuck, I like her,” Choppa laughed.

  “Choppa, right?” Treasure asked as she walked over to him. “Take care of my little sister, don't make me come hunt you down,” she told him.

  “Like Allstate, she's in good hands,” Choppa told her.

  “Mhm, how about you watch those hands, too? You know she…Yea, you know.” Treasure leaned in to whisper something in Choppa's ear, causing Aries to look over at Benji who just shrugged his shoulders. When Treasure pulled back, Choppa nodded his head with a smile.

  “So you don't see me over here?” Benji asked.

  “I was coming. I had to make sure my baby was good first,” Treasure said as she made her
way over to him.

  The two shared a hug and everyone heard a little giggle followed by the sounds of beads hitting each other. Benji looked behind Treasure to see a mini version of her peeking from behind the wall.

  “You're not slick, little girl. I thought I put you to bed,” Treasure said.

  “You know she's nosey, just like her mama,” Aries smiled.

  “You better leave my baby alone. Come here, Princess.”

  Eternity looked around the room at all the unknown faces there and shook her head no. Treasure figured she wouldn't move so she went to pick her up.

  “Who them, mommy?” Eternity whispered.

  “That's your TT Arie friend and his brother. Can you say hi?”

  Eternity took her face out of her mother's shoulder and let her eyes scan the room once again. “Hi,” she said in her cute little voice.

  Choppa and Benji spoke back, causing her to smile.

  “Now tell everybody goodnight because you have to get your butt back in bed. Give TT a kiss and tell her you love her,” Treasure said.

  Aries gave her niece one final kiss before Treasure put Eternity down so she could lock up behind them. When the trio got outside, Choppa threw Benji the keys to his Range and opened the back door for Aries to get in. Benji stood there looking crazy as he watched his brother climb in behind her.

  “Hol up, hol up. Fuck is this? What am I, y’all chauffeur or some shit?” Benji asked with his face scrunched up.

  “Nigga, are you going to the same place as us?” Choppa asked.

  “Yea.”

  “Are we not all riding in the same car?”

  “And?” Benji asked.

  “Get your bitch ass in the car and stop fucking crying! And that!” Choppa said as he shut his door.

  Aries sat there shaking her head and laughing at the two of them. She wondered if they could ever go a day without going at each other’s heads or have a normal conversation. Not once had she ever been around them and not heard them cuss each other out.