A Mother's Love

by Miss Dee

  We headed back to Daphne’s house just me and Mike. We bought some liquor for her so that she could relax.

  We rang the doorbell. “Who is it?” she said through the door and she sounded scared.

  “It’s Mar baby open up.” It took a minute but she opened up the door.

  I showed her the liquor and she let us in. “I came to check on you, make sure that nigga Mike didn’t do shit to you for his fuck up.” I said walking in her house.

  I was trying to sound cool but I was worried. This was my first time in Daphne’s house and it was nice. She must have just gotten out of the shower cause she had on a robe.

  “Oh yeah I’m good bro.” She said. “I see yall bought a bottle though.”

  “Yeah and loud on deck.” Mike said as he sat on her leather furniture.

  “Oh okay roll up.” Damn I didn’t even know Daphne smoked.

  I needed to come kick it with Daphne more often she seemed cool as fuck. I rolled blunts that were on the table while Daphne and Mike talked about nothing. The nigga was trying hard to bust game. I sparked up and passed it to sis. We hit the blunt a couple of times and chilled. Sissy got up and went to the kitchen. She came back with an enormous bowl of all kinds of fruit.

  “Damn you hungry.” I laughed.

  “Hell yeah nigga Mike was taking me out to eat before all this bullshit. I’m still hungry.”

  “Aw shit let me fix that sis we can’t have you hungry and pissy in the same night.” She must have been high as hell or something because that cracked her up.

  She was laughing so hard I damn near couldn’t speak to the lady on the phone. She had me laughing with her. I was ordering some pizza. I finally got the order out.

  “Let’s play spades Mike,” Sissy said she got up to get the cards. We went to her dining room and sat at the table.

  “After you get done beating her ass in this game then I’m gone beat your ass.” I said to Mike. Daphne walked back in the room.

  “Damn lil bro ain’t got no faith in me.” She sat next to me.

  They played a round of spades and Sissy was actually good. I was learning new things about her in just one night. It was my turn to play and she beat me too. She was laughing and giggling like a little kid.

  “Damn Daph who taught you how to play?”

  “Mama she taught me when I was little, she taught me a lot.” She said and her voice trailed off. I could tell she was getting sad so I decided to lighten the mood.

  “She should of taught your over grown ass how to use the bathroom.” I said and she had to laugh.

  The doorbell rang and I went to get our pizza. We ate our pizza and wings and watched movies. We was up all night, drinking smoking and doing childish shit. We were even going as far as playing on people phone. It was her bitch ass ex Terance.

  He had been bothering her talking about she was a slut and didn’t deserve him. Every time that nigga would answer I would threaten him. The nigga was scared as hell. That had Daphne crying laughing.

  “He so damn weak what the fuck was I thinking?” she laughed.

  I was glad to see my sister laugh. She always seemed uptight, the only time I seen her relax was at the club. I was tired as hell and was fucked up. Daphne told me where I could sleep and I guess Mike was sleeping with her. I went to bed around three in the morning. I made sure to text Brittany and tell her where I was.

  I left the two love birds up but I let them know right away, “Ay I know yall grown and this your house but don’t be fucking while I’m in the back room.”That cracked Sissy up.

  The next morning I woke up to a great aroma. It smelled like bacon, I put on my pants and went out the room. I walked down the hall into the kitchen. Mike was sitting at the island in Daphne’s kitchen. Daphne was hooking something up.

  “What you cooking?”I said sitting next to Mike.

  “Everything, chocolate chip pancakes your favorite, eggs, bacon, sausage for Mike because my baby doesn’t eat bacon and French toast for me because I don’t eat any pancakes.”

  That was amazing Daphne still remembered I liked chocolate chip pancakes. I got them at the restaurant but I hadn’t had them at home since Mom was alive. She fixed our plate and she poured me a big glass of milk. Milk my favorite I looked at my sister and she looked just like Mama at that moment.

  It was crazy how Daphne still remember things about us. I didn’t remember a lot. But her being in that kitchen brought back memories of when she would take care of us when Mom was at work. Yup I don’t know why I ever doubted my sister. And to think I was ready to body her. Mike and I ate and we got out doing our job. I looked at Daphne in a new light now. I needed to spend more time with her get to know her more I mean she was my sister too just like Violet.

  “Ay Daphne.” I said after she gave Mike a hug and kiss.

  “Yeah,” she said. The sunlight hit her face and she shined. I had never really noticed but she looked just like Mom.

  “I love you sissy.”

  “I love you too, M and M.” She hadn’t called me that in years.

  She used to call me M and M saying I had a peanut shaped head because I was a premature. I left my sister house feeling good. She was good people. I definitely had to spend more time with her. She was funny and down to earth.

  Oh my God! I could not believe what I was witnessing. Shamar my baby boy was a killer sure yes the guy Cash might have come back to retaliate but to murder somebody. Lord please guide my baby boy to the right path. And my poor Daphne walks in on it and she didn’t go to the police. What the hell was wrong with Shamar? What the fuck had my baby been through to be a cold hearted killer? I was definitely seeing too much that I don’t think I needed to see. My soul was getting more restless, more worried.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Shane Jr.

  Shamar told me about the shit that Daphne had witnessed and I had to agree the nigga Mike was stupid. How the fuck you gone let my sister see that shit? Daphne wasn’t built for the street life and all the shit that Mike was involved in, I don’t see why she even put herself in that predicament. I had known Mike since elementary school and the nigga was a straight thug. My sister never seemed to like him before and he tried all the time to get at her.

  Daphne had been letting loose as of lately. I guess since she cut her hair she started to be another person. I think she felt too much like Mom since she looked like her. She just wanted to make my Mom proud. And I think she did, she was the only one of us really living right. Shamar was too busy running the streets and Violet was too.

  I went on the eastside to go pick my Dad up from my sister’s Mama’s house. Rakesha was somewhat a mother to us when Mom died. Rakesha was a hood rat though. She had five kids she was like my Mom she had a lot of kids while she was young. There was my little sister Star and my little brother Sven. Star was real ghetto, she had the long weave and fake eyelashes just like Violet. And she and Violet were the best of friends too. They had met through me and they instantly clicked.

  My Pops got in the car and he looked all beat up.

  “What’s going on Pops?” I said he had scratches on his face.

  “That bitch crazy.”

  I thought to myself damn he was still going through this shit. He had been going from bitch to bitch since we had been with him. It was okay we got to meet all kinds of people and meet all kinds of freaks. Our living was just never stable.

  “Man Pops you gotta get your shit together. Where you going?”

  “Boy shut the fuck up I know what the fuck I’m doing. Take me over Kenya’s house.”

  That was another one of his little chicks. I dropped him off gave him a couple of dollars and went on my way. Pops still thought he was young.

  I cruised the city while thinking about my next move. I had been staying with Daphne but sometimes I still spent the night with Esha. But that wasn’t how I wanted to live. I didn’t wanna be like my Pops ten years from now still living with bitches. Yup I needed to get a job. Shit I went to schoo
l to be an electrician, I knew how to do that shit and I graduated. I just never looked for a job. Brittany my daughter, Anna’s mother was taking good care of me. But shit I just didn’t wanna do the shit no more. I guess I had a little of my mother in me.

  I was driving up the strip where there are a lot of prostitutes. I was looking at the ladies shit I could look but I damn sure wasn’t about to buy. I stopped at a red light and that’s when I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me. I know damn well Violet ain’t out her hoeing. But there she was in some little ass shorts, with a bra, and a little jacket on. She was walking with a bitch that I knew was a hoe. I pulled up and called her name,

  “Violet!” I said and she turned around. She smiled and walked up to the car.

  “What up bro.” she hopped in the car. “Don’t be saying my damn name.”

  I don’t know what the fuck was wrong with her but she had me fucked up. No her little ass out here trying to sell her ass.

  “Look little ass girl what the fuck is you doing out here walking these damn streets?” I said.

  “Bro it’s none of your business.” She said rolling her eyes.

  “Look here Violet you ain’t about to be out here selling your ass.”

  “I ain’t out here prostituting what the fuck I look like.” She said and I was confused.

  “Well what the fuck you doing?”I didn’t know if she was lying but she better have a good lie.

  “I will tell you later but I gotta get back out here or Lil Spank gone get mad and I can’t fuck this up.”

  “Naw fuck that you coming with me.” I said and started up the car. She opened the door and hopped out screaming.

  “Help me, help me!”

  The girl had lost her mind. I was about to get the fuck out of there my little sister was tripping. I pulled off and headed to my nigga Brandon’s house I had to smoke after that shit.

  I got to Brandon’s house and was glad his girl was gone. The bitch kept giving me the eye. I had already fucked but I could tell she wanted some more of this dick. I fucked a lot of bitches but when I fucked his bitch I did feel bad. We sat down and started smoking a blunt. We played the PS3 and kicked it a bit. I was telling him about this new bitch I had pulled when I got a text from Daphne. She was telling me that she wasn’t going to be home tonight, I guess the nigga Mike was taking her somewhere. That nigga was pulling out all the stops on sis. He better had because Daphne was a good girl. As for that little hoe Violet I don’t know. Shamar always was the one close to her, him and Daphne. It wasn’t that I didn’t like my little sister she just never clung on to me like she did them. I guess we didn’t have anything in common and I see why she didn’t have any morals about herself.

  It was about nine at night. I decided to call up one of my little chicks. Since sissy was gone. I called Tyrika. She was a little young lady that I had just met, she was only nineteen. She was real cute she had natural beauty. I called her to see if she wanted to kick it she said yeah. I had missed the liquor store so all we had some bag but that would do. I went and scooped her up and we went to Daphne’s house.

  We were kicking it watching television. She was cool as fuck and sexy but I wasn’t even trying to fuck tonight. I got tired of sleeping with different women, I needed to settle down and get my shit right. Looking at Pops and he was the perfect example of what not to be. Shit I had seven fucking kids, I told Tyrika that I only had three shit if things worked out I would tell her about the other ones. I just didn’t want her to judge me without giving me a try.

  We were talking about those dumb ass broads on Basketball Wives when I got a text from Violet. “Whr u at bro?”

  I wasn’t about to text her little ass back but I wanted to see what she had to say after she showed her ass today. “At the crib.”

  She texted me back real quick. “Nigga don’t be vague whr at?” I texted her back before I cussed her out.

  “Daphne’s” She didn’t text me back I didn’t know what she was on. About twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door. I went to answer and it was Violet with some tall light skin nigga.

  Violet

  I know I was wrong for the shit I pulled earlier with Jr. but shit he was out of line. Now if it was Shamar I would have had to explain. But Jr. never paid me any attention his concern was hoes. So now he wanna act like a big brother, humph. But I did feel bad. So after our plan went through I decided to go pay my big brother a visit. Chauncey and I stopped at his house and picked up some liquor he had there.

  I had been seeing Chauncey on and off since I was about fifteen. He was a nice nigga, ate the pussy real good I can tell you that. He was getting money too and I definitely needed him since Cash had tried to whoop my ass. I hadn’t heard from him either and that was good because the money was too good I probably wouldn’t have stayed away. Chauncey was small time he mostly robbed people and things like that. He had dreams though that is what I liked about Chauncey he wanted to be a businessman. After I made sure Jr. was at Daphne’s house we made our way up over there.

  He looked surprise when he opened the door and saw that it was me. “Damn can we come in?” I asked but pushed past him.

  “Oh yeah who is this?” he asked looking at Chauncey.

  “Oh this Chauncey, Chauncey this my brother Jr.”

  “I thought you only had one brother.” Chauncey said.

  “You don’t know everything about me.”Huh he was irritating me.

  He always wanted to know every fucking thing. We went into the living room and I see Jr. had company. I went over to say hi and seen that it was my girl Tyrika I use to go to school with. We hugged and laughed I hadn’t seen her in a while.

  “Shit Jr. let’s play some spades or something, a bitch didn’t come here to be bored.” Jr. went to the back and got the dominoes.

  Aw shit even better I was gone beat they ass. Tyrika and I got on teams and Chauncey and bro was on teams. We tore they ass off. I was spanking they ass in bones. After another round them niggas got mad and didn’t wanna play. So we just chatted it up.

  “Look Jr. I am not a prostitute.” I said to get it over with. I mean he was my brother and I didn’t want him to think the worst of me.

  “So what the fuck were you doing?”he asked I could tell his was getting mad by just thinking about it.

  “Me and Chauncey robbed Lil Spank,” I knew Tyrika wouldn’t say anything, “I was just acting like I wanted to be a part of his little hoe crew to see how much money he had so we could rob him.”

  “Oh really so did you get him?”he asked.

  “Hell yeah.” Chauncey said. Jr. started laughing.

  “Aw shit my little sister a lil gangsta. I rather you do that then to be selling pussy.”

  I was happy my brother understood. I thought he was going to be on some bullshit but he wasn’t. Shamar and Daphne did have a close relationship with him though. I just always thought of Jr. as a jerk really. I saw all the chicks he messed with and he wasn’t much of a father. But I guess if I got to know him better he would be a good big brother. Shit now I could tell everybody I got two big brothers instead of one.

  We talked and I showed him pictures in my camera of his kids. Although Jr. and I really didn’t talk I always went to see about my nieces and nephews. There was Esha’s kids Shawn, Eshawna, and Shamika. Then there was four year old Anna by Brittany and there was his baby boy Malik by Monique. His other baby mama who I loved the most Tameka she had Timothy and Kimmy. I liked Tameka she was pretty and she was on her shit, she wasn’t thinking about Jr. trifling ass.

  I was tired and ready to get some dick it was time to go to Chauncey’s house.

  “Ay bro it was good chatting with you and the lady here but we gots to get going.”

  “Aight sis we gotta do this again soon” he said as he walked us to the door. I turned around and gave my big brother a kiss on the cheek.

  “Love you bro.” I said.

  “Love you too girl.” He said.

  Chapter Ni
neteen

  Daphne

  I marveled at the shit that Mike knew. I couldn’t believe that he was so educated. I had known him through Jr. for years but I never took the time to stop and get to know him, but I was glad I did. He wanted to be a rapper and believe me he was good and I didn’t even like rap music a lot.

  We spent the whole night together and I finally gave it up. After all he had done and really getting to know him I had to say I liked the man who I saw. After I saw the killing with Shamar and Cam I really didn’t know what to think about my baby brother but when he came to spend time with me, I understood him. He was a street a nigga, that was the path he chose but although it wasn’t right it wasn’t my right to judge him. Plus it was that bitch ass nigga Cash that he killed anyway. Once he explained that Cash more than likely would have tried to retaliate against us then I knew he did it because he loved us.

  When we left our great hideaway and I went home and got dressed. I needed to go see Grandma Nancy. She had not been doing well and her liver was failing after all the years of drinking. She was in the hospital and she really hated it because not only was she dying but she couldn’t drink either. She gave those nurses hell. I came into the room and it smelled of death. My Grandma was small now. Her big pretty eyes now were sunken in she didn’t look good.

  I was surprised my father was there. He was sitting in the chair next to my Grandma. I really didn’t see what my mother saw in my father. He wasn’t very good looking even the pictures of him when he was younger were not cute. I guess he was her first love so she must have cared for him. Grandma Nancy told me a lot about Mama and Daddy and how he beat her. She was too young to be going through so much.

  I made myself known by clearing my throat. My Dad turned around and looked at me.

  “Oh hey baby girl.” He got up and gave me a hug. I looked up and barely hugged him.

  “Hey Dad, how long you been here?” I tried to hide my fear. I don’t know he hadn’t hit me in years but I still thought that he was going to.