Ghetto Girls 6

by Anthony Whyte

  Deedee reached out and embraced Coco. With her arm around the distraught teen, she guided her out of the hospital room. Eric was waiting and hugged both girls. As they walked toward the elevator, Coco seemed deeply saddened. She wished the truth about Rightchus being her dad would have been learned today. The talk with her mother only seemed to cause further confusion.

  Her mind was spinning when she walked in the elevator. Coco kept thinking maybe this part of her life was a bad dream. She wanted it to be over badly and quietly she cried. Deedee saw her tears and gave her a hug.

  They stayed that way until the elevator reached the lobby. Eric walked out and made a call.

  “We’re at the front of the hospital,” he said on the cell phone. Before hanging up, he turned to a grieving Coco, and saw Deedee still embracing her. “You girls feel like eating?” Eric asked. They both nodded. Eric returned to his cell phone and said, “Take us to dinner.”

  Eric waited until after dinner. Then he notified both girls that he had made an agreement with Coco’s mother to care for Coco, just in case, he had told them. Coco looked at him and knew what a generous offer that was—but she wanted her mother to survive.

  “That’s really nice, Uncle E,” Deedee said.

  “Yes, good looking out,” Coco said quietly, holding her head up.

  “You’ll be alright, Coco,” Eric said

  15

  It was a squally day. The rain seemed like it was about to fall, but the sun kept peeking from behind darkened skies, and rays shed light. It was in this uncertain weather that Coco and Deedee drove to the doctor’s office.

  “No matter how it turns out, you gonna be a’ight, yo.”

  Reassured by Coco’s support, Deedee walked into the waiting room of the doctor’s office and was seen immediately. The nurse smiled and ushered Deedee inside an examination office and proceeded to complete a battery of tests. Later the doctor sat with Deedee, and an assisting nurse.

  “I have the results of your pregnancy test,” he said.

  Deedee glanced cautiously at the gray-haired man and felt the knots tightened in her stomach. She wanted badly to get out of the chair and run out of the office. Sweat poured her face while the doctor spoke. She shook her head unable to hear him clearly.

  “Would like your friend to sit in on this?” the doctor asked.

  Biting her lips, Deedee nodded her head and the nurse walked out to get Coco. She walked in seemingly confident. There were a lot of problems on her friend’s shoulders, but Deedee was sure Coco’s presence would be helpful. It was.

  Her self-confidence returned and buoyed the troubled teen’s mind. She leaned her head against Coco and they walked silently to the car. There was nothing else to be said. It was a done deal, Deedee’s mind was made up even though she had not told her uncle. She was planning on breaking the news to him. There was now a certain urgency attached to the news.

  “I’m glad you decide on what you wanna do, yo.”

  “I guess you wanna go visit your mother now?” Deedee asked and Coco nodded.

  It had been their ritual. Accompanied by Deedee, Coco made daily visits to the hospital. Hope stayed lodged firmly in her heart every time she saw her mother, even though the news never improved. Rachel Harvey’s health was in fast decline, the nurses and doctors treating her mother at the hospital tried to prepare Coco for the worse.

  Over the past few days, Rachel Harvey’s condition took a turn for the worse. Doctors and nurses worked around the clock in an attempt to keep her alive. Eric Ascot had opened his checkbook, offering to foot the hospital bill. Even with his enormous generosity, Ms. Harvey failed to react to treatment and she continued deteriorating.

  The teen, convinced that her mother would recover, kept constant vigil at her mother’s bedside. Shoulders hunched, heart drawn, smile gone, Coco held unto her mother’s bony hand. Ravished by the medical treatment, needles constant poking, Rachel Harvey’s flesh seemed wounded. Her body was swollen and Coco massaged the wounds with her hands, wishing her mother would open her eyes just one more time.

  At the end of the visit, she would ride back from the hospital feeling cheated. Nothing had changed. She was able to deflect some of the energy she felt and put it into her music. She was working intensely with Eric on finishing her first album.

  It was late evening and Coco was riding from visiting her mother in the hospital. She turned up the volume on the music coming from the car stereo. From the driver’s seat, Deedee immediately nodded her head to the beat.

  …I feel so alone cornered by the four walls of my room

  staring at the ceiling hearing voices I’m ready to go nuts

  but I see All eyes on me, I got the media, po-po watching me

  My mind playin tricks on me getting skitz homey

  Somebody trying to murder me like they trying to plot on me

  I gotta tighten up my circle before they put all this hurt on me

  Riddle my flesh with bullets before they hand me 99 problems

  I’ll check their body language and see what strings they pull

  rush that puppet master spray ’em fuck ’em bastards

  I gotta play my cards and continue against all odds

  Keep on shooting for the moon if I miss I’ll be floating with stars…

  “I’m so feeling this one, Coco,” Deedee said. “I think that Biggie hook goes well with it too,” Deedee continued.

  “Yeah, I hear that, yo.”

  Steering the car through traffic, Deedee sang along with the hook from Coco’s new single. “Back in the days, our parents used to take care of us. Look at ’em now, they even fuckin’ scared of us… Things done changed cuz this ain’t back in the days… Muthafucka this ain’t back in the days, but you don’t hear me though…”

  Coco nodded her head to beat. Her lack of enthusiasm wasn’t lost on Deedee, who had spent enough time with her best friend to know she was really feeling in the dumps.

  “Wanna smoke sump’n?” Deedee asked, trying to cheer up Coco.

  Coco glanced at Deedee and the realization hit her. Deedee was trying to cheer her up and Coco appreciated the effort. She went along with the suggestion.

  “That sounds cool. Let’s do it, yo.”

  “We gotta go cop the weed,” Deedee said.

  “Okay, let’s,” Coco said.

  “Is that all you’re gonna say? I mean you could sound a little bit more cheerful, Coco.”

  “I am cheerful. You know where you gonna cop?”

  “No idea. I was kinda waiting on you to let me know. You know all the spots, Coco.”

  “I don’t know all the spots. But you know what?”

  “What…?”

  “I’ve got some, yo.”

  “Pull it out then,” Deedee said excitedly.

  “It’s at Madukes apartment, yo.”

  “Okay, let’s get it,” Deedee said, steering the car in the direction of uptown.

  A few minutes later they pulled up and found parking near the apartment building. Coco and Deedee were walking to the entrance when they spot Kim with her son. Smiling, she waved at them.

  “Hey y’all,” Kim greeted.

  “Hey Kim,” Deedee answered.

  “Whassup, yo?” Coco deadpanned.

  “Is this your son?” Deedee asked.

  “Yes, this is my Roshawn. Say hi to the rich and famous, Roshawn,” Kim said.

  “Hi Rich and Famous,” Roshawn mumbled.

  His reply was close to being inaudible, but the smile that he wore sent laughter through the air.

  “He’s a cutie,” Deedee gushed.

  “Yes, he got all that from his mother,” Kim laughed. “How’s it going, Coco?” she asked the silent Coco. “How’s your mom?”

  “She ain’t too good, yo.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that shyt…” Kim said and immediately put her index finger to her lips. “Uh I mean…. Say hi to her fo’ me the next time you see her.”

  “Sure, we ah, I’ll…”
Coco started and Kim cut her off.

  “Shyt… I mean shoot. Things ain’t too good all the way ’round,” Kim said. “Where y’all going…?”

  “Roshawn really got bigger since I seen him last, yo.”

  “Yes, it’s been a minute. Right, Coco… What since his father got shot…?”

  “Yeah, it’s been a minute—”

  “So what y’all getting ready to get into…?”

  “Just chillin’—” Coco started out coyly, but was interrupted by her best friend.

  “We were gonna smoke and chill for a minute,” Deedee said.

  “Y’all gonna be at Coco’s place? I’ll come by after I take Roshawn to the sitter.”

  “We don’t know how long—”

  “Okay,” Deedee said, interrupting Coco.

  She waited until they were out of earshot before she spoke again, but even then they weren’t alone. Coco saw the regular crowd in front of the building. They rushed to greet her in their usual manner.

  “Whassup, superstar…?”

  “Coco, you’re all that and your girl, damn! She could get it too.”

  “Y’all both fine.”

  Coco held up her two fingers in a V-formation. The peace sign stayed in her face while she went by the crowd. Deedee smiled at the compliments, but Coco had other things on her mind.

  “Why did you invite Kim to chill with us, yo?”

  “I really didn’t. She sort of invited herself,” Deedee countered.

  “I thought you and I were chillin’. Not with her, yo,” Coco said with disdain.

  Coco and Deedee were in the stairwell, walking up to third floor. Before they could get to the landing, Kim was already knocking on her mother’s apartment door.

  “Damn! That was quick,” Deedee said walking to where Kim stood waiting.

  Coco opened the door and they all went inside the apartment. Kim pulled out a large plastic bag of weed. She took some of it out and placed it on the center table.

  “Wow!” Deedee exclaimed, looking at the bag. “I’ve never seen soo much weed in my life.”

  “Shyt this for me and Tina, we spilt it with her brother,” Kim said.

  “That’s a lot of weed,” Deedee said.

  Coco twisted the blunt and soon they were all smoking while the TV played videos in the background.

  “So you still working with Eric, Coco?” Kim asked, pulling out a bottle of champagne. “I copped this for Tina, but I can buy her another,” Kim continued and popped the cork.

  “Yes we’re—” Coco started but Kim interrupted.

  “Just remember me when you making the video. I wanna shake my ass in your video,” Kim laughed. “Shyt, I gots lots of ass to shake.”

  “Lemme get some glasses,” Coco said, walking away to the kitchen.

  “I love Coco’s new song. It’s really good,” Deedee said.

  “Aw shyt! Well lemme hear it, girl,” Kim said.

  “I don’t have a copy with me,” Coco said, handing a glass to both Deedee and Kim.

  “I do, I do,” Deedee said. “I took it out of the car and carried it just in case we needed background music,” she continued.

  Kim poured the drinks and they toasted. Smirking, Coco shot Deedee a look without saying anything. Deedee put the CD into the player, and they all listened as the song played.

  I’m alone cornered in a room

  It ain’t paranoia just thoughts

  Start poppin’ off like hammers

  I’m ready to go bananas beatin’ on my chest

  Feelin’ I’m ready to go off like 2 techs verbal hammer

  Problems hangin’ from my neck like extra clips

  My mind ain’t playin tricks I ain’t goin’ skitzo

  Nobody slip me a mick oh just voices from the past in my head

  Coco go loc they said hurt ‘em ‘fore they do you

  Even the ones who swear they know you

  Others comin’ at you just to know you

  Whatever you do know who you’re puffin’ after

  Just play your cards right against all odds

  You’ll succeed superseding all expectations

  Shoot for the moon missing will only make you a star

  Deedee sang along with the hook from Coco’s new single. “Back in the days, our parents used to take care of us. Look at em now, they even fuckin’ scared of us… Things done changed cuz this ain’t back in the days… Muthafucka this ain’t back in the days, but you don’t hear me though…”

  Alcohol and weed had Kim listening with fervor to the music. Nodding her head to the beat, she ad-libbed the lines she caught. Puffing the weed, they laughed, enjoying the song.

  “That’s some hot shit right there!” Kim shouted. “Coco, you on fire girl! You killing ’em!”

  “Good looking, yo.”

  “And she’s so fuckin’ modest. I wish I could rip the track like that. The beat is grrr-eat and that’s the perfect song for all the shit that you’re going through right now,” Kim said. “I love it. Like I said, just remember you-know-who when you ready to shoot that video,” she said.

  “Sure yo,” Coco said with wry smile.

  “I see you wearing those jeans. They fit you well,” Deedee said.

  “Shyt! I would be wearing my new designer shyt but these muthafuckin’ thieving-ass bitches robbed Tina’s place a couple weeks ago!”

  “That’s fucked up, yo.”

  “Yeah some crack-head stole all my new gear. Gucci, Versace, Vuitton and Valentino all gone. Like they got up, and walked away and shyt,” Kim said, throwing up her hands. “You just gotta make sure your shyt is locked down or else!”

  “That’s true, yo.”

  “And you know some muthafuckin’ crack-head walking ’round in my shyt.”

  “That’s like the other night, Coco and I were traveling uptown and we saw that guy… What’s his name Coco?”

  “Who…?” Coco asked, noting nervously that Deedee had become vociferous.

  “Home boy that you trying to give the message to… Ah?”

  “What message, yo?”

  “The message from the hospital, Coco,” Deedee said, jump-starting Coco’s memory. “And we saw him carrying all those packages. Then he jumped into a cab and tried to run away and we had to chase him…”

  “Oh you mean, Dontay, yo.”

  “Yes him,” Deedee said.

  “He was carrying packages?”

  “Yes,” Deedee laughed. “Coco was even saying it was too early in the morning and that the stores weren’t even open and it—”

  “Shyt, Dontay…? Y’all remember exactly when that was? That nigga’s a crack-head, and that muthafucka cannot be trusted,” Kim said. Looking directly at Coco, she continued. “No disrespect meant, but you can’t trust no crack-head! They’ll fuckin’ steal all your shyt!”

  “It was that same Friday night when I saw you and Coco… Actually early the following Saturday morning…”

  “Lemme find out that nigga broke into Tina’s apartment! Oh my God! I will put my hands on him and break him and shyt!” Kim shouted. “Tell me, where you saw him at?”

  Deedee glanced at Coco. She was wondering if Dontay had stolen the merchandise when they had seen him. Coco didn’t care, but Deedee’s mouth had drawn her into the fire.

  “He was coming from the park side on the east side—”

  “Shyt! When…? Oh my gosh! That’s the same day Tina took me shopping downtown!”

  There was long pause as Kim tried to recount the exact moment they left Tina’s apartment, and what time Coco and Deedee had seen Dontay. Kim quickly summed it up in her brain and shrieked.

  “Oh shyt, that nigga had all that time! I’m going to find him, and put a whopping on his ugly ass,” Kim said.

  “If it’s actually him,” Deedee cautioned.

  “It had to be him. Shyt, y’all saw him with the packages like bags from a store. They were new, and that’s why you could tell sump’n was up. Who else but a damn crack-head thief
gon’ be walking ’round at that time of the morning with all ’em packages,” Kim said.

  “You might be right, yo.”

  “I’m out,” Kim said, getting her bag together. “Shyt, y’all can finish the rest of the champagne. I’ll buy Tina another one.”

  “Here’s some money to buy another,” Deedee offered. I’m sure Tina’s gonna want to drink some when she gets back.”

  “It’s all good. You slow—you blow,” Kim said.

  “You sure…?” Deedee asked.

  “Shyt, it’s all good. It was for her new car, but she ain’t back yet. She told me she was going with her father to buy it and that was since about lunch time,” Kim said. “I’m gonna look for Dontay. He better not be the one. I swear that the monster will not be his only issue.”

  “Hold up. He’s got AIDS, yo?” Coco asked.

  Kim stared at her for a beat too long. Coco remembered that both Kim and her mother were connected to the rumor mill. She stared at Kim.

  “It’s only gossip, but Tina knows him better. I really don’t know him too well like that and shyt,” Kim said, backtracking.

  She quickly gathered herself and hurried out of the apartment. Her jeans were so tight her ass cheeks were exposed. That was all they saw. Coco and Deedee both had the same look of surprise all over their faces. Kim’s revelation about Dontay meant more since he was a former lover of her mother.

  “That was kind of weird,” Deedee said. “Maybe he did break into Tina’s apartment. He was probably lying, watching them bring all those bags into her place. Then when he saw Kim and Tina leave, he chilled, and waited to make sure they didn’t come back right away,” Deedee said.

  Expressionless, Coco listened intently to Deedee theorizing. Coco remained silent, but when Deedee started revving her for an answer Coco became agitated.

  “Look, don’t get me involved in their he-say-she-say BS. I just wanted to know if that nigga knew he had the monster before he got with madukes, yo.”

  “Yuck, bite your tongue, Coco. You’re messing with my high,” Deedee smirked.