A Mother's Love

by Miss Dee

  “Come in.” I said allowing him to enter. We walked into the kitchen and sat down at the island in my kitchen.

  “Daphne honey I missed you.” I just stared at him. “I mean I know we had some rough times but you completely abandoned me.”

  And he was right after he talked down on me and Jr. moved in I started ignoring Terance my brother helped me move on. “I love you so much and I just didn’t understand what I had done.”

  “Oh so you don’t remember how you disrespected me by calling me names, or how you lied to me and didn’t tell me about your wife. Oh and the best part you got Sherri pregnant and you don’t understand well I do.” I said I felt like punching him in his face.

  “Baby you knew I had a wife and Sherri she came on to me. I swear Daphne I love you.”

  At that moment the doorbell rang. And I knew exactly who it was and I was glad he came. I excused myself and went to answer the door. Mike was looking good as ever carrying a teddy bear and flowers for me. See that was why I loved the man. I gave him a kiss.

  “Baby we have a guest.” I said leading him into the kitchen. “Mike honey this is Terance, Terance this is my boyfriend Mike.” I said with a smile.

  Terance looked mad. But he wasn’t stupid enough to get hard with Mike.

  “Nigga don’t be trying to flex she mine now.” Mike said hugging me from the back.

  I knew Mike wouldn’t be mad I had told him all about Terance. Terance was a joke, a fucking loser. Terance left looking sad and embarrassed. He got up and walked past us like a dog with his tail between his legs.

  The nigga actually thought I was supposed to be sad because he was sad. See that was what niggas main problem always expecting women to come to their demand. Like we were desperate like we needed them. For a long time I thought I need Terance but the truth was he needed me to feel like he was somebody. A woman don’t need a man for shit and when we as women figure that out we will get a real man that we deserve. We don’t need these niggas we want them and sometimes we can’t tell the difference between a want and a need. But a want is something you can live without while a need is something you can’t live without.

  “I’m glad you came.” I told Mike.

  “I see I was right on time.”

  That was Mike he was always on time and I loved him for that. I got dressed and we headed to our destination. I didn’t know where Mike was taking me for lunch it was a surprise. I had dressed in some Capri and a t shirt. I was looking rather cute with my hair crinkly today. We pulled up to a yellow and brown one story house. It was cute with a manicured lawn.

  “Where we at?” I asked Mike.

  “My Moms house she wants to meet you.” Oh really he had tricked me.

  “What why didn’t you tell me?”

  I had never met nobody’s mother before. Hell I only dated Terance and since I was the piece on the side getting to meet his mother was out of the question.

  “Because I wanted it to be a surprise” He said.

  Mike was the only child so he was a mama’s boy. He talked about his Mom a lot and would be on the phone with her a lot and I know he told her about me but I didn’t think she wanted to me meet me.

  “Look Daphne you are special to me so my Mama wants to meet you she will like you.”

  We got out the car and I was nervous. Mike could have told me. He held my hand all the way to the door. He opened the door to the house. We walked in the living room and it was nice. There were pictures of Mike and his mom everywhere.

  “Ma where you at?” he called throughout the house.

  “I’m in the back just sit down I will be out.”

  We did as we were told and sat on the couch. Mike turned on the television and I sat there nervous. It smelled good in the kitchen whatever she was making for us. His mother came out. She was a nice looking older lady. She was kind of overweight, with long pretty hair. She looked real nice but Mike looked nothing like her he must have looked like his daddy. We both got up and Mike went up to her and hugged her. I just stood there.

  “Hey sweetie,” she said walking up to me “I heard so much about you.”

  She gave me a hug and I hugged her back. Her scent was breathtaking and her embrace was warm. She made me miss my Mom. It made me think about my Mother’s scent the way she smelled like vanilla when she hugged me at night and fresh ivory soap during the day. It made me think about how she would tuck me and my brothers and sisters in at night and tell us the Lord’s prayer. Oh how I longed for this touch that scent, a mother’s love. I started crying.

  “What’s wrong honey? Did I squeeze you too tight?” she asked. I had to laugh.

  “No you just made me miss my Mom.”I said tears rolling down my eyes.

  “Well honey Mike told me about her passing, so I understand.” She grabbed my hand

  “And Mike also told me you knew how to cook. Now I wanna see this cause you much too pretty to know your way around in the kitchen.” We started laughing.

  We went in the kitchen I washed my hands and put on an apron. Cooking was my passion.

  Mike’s mother Carla and I conversed the entire time we cooked. And we cooked a lot of food. We made Ham, homemade Mac n cheese, potato salad, greens, yams, hot water cornbread (which was my first time making) and dinner rolls. Yes we had us a time in that kitchen. It was close to seven o’clock when we finally ate. We had apple pie and ice cream for dessert. I was absolutely stuffed. And the best part about Mike’s mother was she smoked marijuana. So we had to light up before that dinner. Yes Carla was a nice woman. Down to earth she told me how she had Mike when she was just sixteen. She explained how she had struggled but Mike was her world. She put us out after that I guess her boyfriend Larry was coming over.

  I had a nice time with Mike, as always; we went back to his place so that we could have time to ourselves I didn’t want to intrude on Jr. even though he was staying with me.

  “So did you like my Mom?” he asked massaging my neck. He had some sexy slow jams playing on the radio.

  “Like her I love her.” I said sipping my wine.

  “Oh really you love her within a couple of hours so you must love me.”

  I had to think about that for a minute. The only man I had ever loved betrayed me it had only been a couple of months that we were seeing each other. I looked at those beautiful eyes of Mike, that sexy smile, that smooth skin and I couldn’t deny it. I smiled.

  “Yeah I do love you.” I said and he smiled.

  “I love you too ma.”

  And we made love that night and I swear he made me feel too damn good. So good that I almost lost my breath as my body drifted off the earth into the atmosphere. I mean sex is sex fucking can be great but when two people put passion into lovemaking it heightens your senses. Every stroke is deep, every kiss is passionate, all that sweat feels hydrating, and all the movements are sensual. I guess this is what real love felt like.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Shamar

  I just had to fuck the nigga Lamar up. I don’t know why these little niggas always tried to short me. Today was just not the fucking day for me. I was mad as a bitch. The hoe Lorina kept calling me and I was ignoring the bitch. She had lost her mind. Last week when I was with her she fucked around and stole my phone and texted Brittany some shit like “this my man” or some shit. I had to smack the bitch. Brittany was mad as hell. She thought I was letting somebody come between us. Naw the Lorina chick was dismissed. Good thing for the new phones cause I blocked the bitch number and sent the hoe straight to voicemail. I could still get texts though from her. She was sending me shit talking about she was going to tell her Pops on me.

  Little did she know I already talked to Pops and he understood. But shit she was still an unnecessary problem. I didn’t wanna cause Brittany no stress at all. We found out she was pregnant. I made her stop working and all she could do was go to school. Fuck that my baby was not about to worry about some bitch while carrying my seed. Cam and I was rolling down the block. It w
as live out in the hood today and I knew we was making money. Lucky day for us I spotted that nigga Mania the nigga that had raped my little sister. He was a bitch ass nigga. He didn’t actually penetrate her but to force a girl to suck your dick, the nigga was losing. I called Kane and told him we were gone follow that nigga. I loved my little sister but her man would have to put in this work. I needed to see if this nigga was real anyway.

  I liked Kane but he wasn’t in my circle. He bought from me but he knew Jr. more. We knew mutual people and shit but that was it. The nigga come calling me to tell me about my sister and him when he couldn’t find her. That was some bitch ass shit. Nigga you should have been told me when you was buying all that weight from me. Now he wanted to tell me cause he was worried. But he seemed to have genuine love for her so I can’t down the nigga but he should have come to me like a man. We followed the nigga Mania to a house must have been one of his stash spots. The nigga was dumb. We had been right behind him and he didn’t notice. We didn’t even try to hide the fact that we were following him. Fuck it I was Mar I ran the streets now.

  I told Kane where this location was. But Kane told me he knew where the nigga laid his head so he was on it. Damn the nigga had more pull more than I knew about. Shit he should have told me that when I called him the first time. Nigga got me wasting my time following around the nigga. We decided to hit up some of our spots to make sure money was right. This is what we did all day. We were bosses the only time I touched it was when I went to get the weight or somebody wanted me to middleman for them. That’s what I did for Kane middleman for him and Roberto. Plus Kane fucked with out of town people and rich white folks that he worked with. We pulled up at our main spot the money making house on 124th the house was live with junkies and I was pissed.

  “Ay all yall muthafucka go in the back.” I said.

  These dope fiends knew what time it was. They moved they ass out the way. I walked in the kitchen where my workers were.

  “What the fuck Tre, why the fuck these dope fiends all in the living room?” I asked I did not like that shit.

  I wanted them to be in the back. These fiends knew too much I did not want them to overhear shit or find out shit about me and my organization. That is why I had them in the back getting high and at least two of my workers were to watch them. And they had to leave after thirty minutes. Wasn’t no staying this was not they damn house.

  Tre got to telling me that Wacko hadn’t come today so we were short. Damn the nigga was acting like this was a 9 to 5. What the fuck was up with that? I called Wacko. He didn’t answer I hope the nigga didn’t get locked up ole dumb ass. We headed out and went to my other spot right around the corner on 122 street. Yeah that didn’t pop as much as 124 but it was making money too. Sven my little brother ran that one. And he did not play. I walked in and there was no crack heads in the living room. I walked in the kitchen and Sven and Ken was in there. I gave them a head nod and went to the back room. Evans and Midget were in there fucking with the dope fiends. Yeah they were on point. I had made a decision although the house on 124 made more money Tre, Wacko, Jon-Jon, Chris, and Lil Deuce was taking a pay cut. They had to learn. I was going to give the house on 122 a pay raise. And people always said I favored that house more because bro was running it. Naw nigga because he smart that’s fam, he smart just like his big brother.

  I texted my crew on 124 and 122 and told them I would be talking to them later that day. I had to go pick up Brittany from school. Cam rode with me and we went and got her. She said she was hungry so we picked up some chicken. We blazed in the car because Brittany didn’t want any smoke around her.

  “Cam I decided I’m cutting the pay on 124, yeah them niggas do bring in major dough but shit they slacking with keeping the house under control. I mean shit fiends gone smoke so we gone make paper anyway.”

  “Yeah I hear you fam plus something ain’t right with those niggas. I think one of them facing fed time or something. We gotta be careful. Because last week when I checked on the house Jon-Jon wasn’t there and when I asked them they was like ‘oh he didn’t come in’ the same shit they said about Wacko today.”

  Damn I hope none of those niggas was snitching but it might be all of them. I had to keep a distance. I knew how to do that cause if they was trying to turn state’s evidence on me it wasn’t gone be that easy. I supplied that house every two weeks so I knew that they would be calling me soon. Fuck that I was getting a dummy phone for them niggas. I had to change what my meeting was going to be about just in case those niggas was wired. Yeah at this meeting I was going to be real careful about my words.

  I showed up at the spot on 124th and was kind of nervous. I had thought about what I was going to say to these niggas but I still had an uneasy feeling about these niggas. Cam my right hand was with me so I was good. We stepped out the car and I had to check my surroundings. I was hoping like hell that none of these little niggas were wired. But fuck talking I had come up with a better plan so that I would not even be linked to these little punks. I grabbed the five pieces of paper with my gloved hands. Yeah it was humid as hell but I would be damned if they even got a fingerprint off me.

  I walked in the house and saw that they had shit in order. Wasn’t no fiends up front and Tre and Wacko was in the kitchen when I came. I handed them their pieces of paper. They were all saying what up Mar and shit like that but I wasn’t saying shit. Who the fuck was Mar, little punk ass niggas they seemed too anxious and said my name too many times I don’t know if it was the weed but something was definitely up. I headed to back where Lil Deuce, Jon-Jon, and Chris were and handed them their papers. Cam and I stayed quiet the entire time. We walked right back out that house without a word being said. That’s how we wanted it. The piece paper read

  “New rules, there will a pay cut since yall don’t follow rules. Second I have a new phone contact me at the new number. Third there will be a new way yall can purchase from me you will find out when the time is right.”

  That was it that was all. I was the boss and I didn’t give a fuck what they thought. Things was suspicious so I had to be careful my baby was going to be born soon and I was not going to be in jail.

  Earlier I had to purchase a new phone for 124 they were snakes I could feel it. It was a tracfone that could not be traced back to me. I even went as far as to get another number this would be for my other houses not 124. I went ahead to 122 and made the big announcement. I told them about house 124 and to watch their back. They all agreed and told me if they saw something suspicious or thought those niggas was snitching then they would let me know. But I already had a plan for house 124 those niggas was in for a surprise.

  Daphne

  Mike said he had a surprise for me I wonder what it was. He had been out of town in New York for a couple of days. Ty Jones of REAL Records was hoping to sign him. He had been going back and forth. Mike had been rapping for awhile since we were kids. He uploaded a lot of videos on “YouTube” and he was locally known. He did a lot of shows in town and out of town. But he was still in the drug game but I was glad he was working on other opportunities.

  I was dressed and ready to go. I had added some extra pieces of hair in the front of my hair to have a bang. I was looking good I had on a white dress that hugged my curves just right. I added a little make up just to outline my eyes. I heard the doorbell and knew it was Mike. I had received a text from Terance the day he left my house. He was telling me he knew I was a hoe and that is why he left me. Whatever I thought, Terance was the only man I had been with since I had started seeing Mike so he could think whatever he wanted. I was fine so what he had to say was really irrelevant.

  I answered the door and there stood my man Mike looking so good. He had his dreads pulled back into a ponytail. I could smell his Usher cologne and I damn near told him not to even take me to lunch. He had a dozen roses in his hands.

  “Hey honey,” I grabbed the roses and gave him a kiss.

  He sucked my tongue. “You better stop.” I s
aid.

  I locked the door and we headed to the car. Mike was quiet and that was unusual for him. Maybe his trip didn’t go as planned. The last time he went to New York they were only trying to pay him a hundred thousand for two records. That Ty Jones was something else. I know Mike wasn’t big time but they must have thought he was dumb, the next time they called him he told him that if they wanted him they would have to come correct.

  That was a year ago and now he had all kinds of people trying to give him a deal so now Ty Jones was back to make another offer. Ty Jones at REAL records was the hottest recording label with major pull. All his clients got major media attention, and all their records and videos got played on BET that is why Mike wanted to go with him. But he had waited it out, and I know the outcome would be good. We pulled up at the little Italian restaurant. I got out and walked towards Mike. He still wasn’t saying anything but he was looking nice and smiling at me. Maybe he was just tired from all the back and forth. We sat our booth and they gave us a bottle of red wine. I poured each of us a glass.

  “Baby you been quiet the whole ride here what’s going on? How was the meeting?”I asked eating the bread sticks that were on the table.

  I was hungry. I had always ate a lot but as of lately I had been having some cravings. Mike smiled at me.

  “Everything is good, Ty changed his mind and he wanna give me half a million to do three albums.” He smiled.

  “Really baby that’s good. So within how many years?” I asked I was excited my man was going to be out here.

  “Two years I gotta make three albums in two years.” That was a shitty contract.

  Because what if his first album flopped, yeah Ty Jones was on something but I couldn’t tell him that he was too happy.

  “Aw okay baby please the way you make music you can do it.” I said reassuring him.

  We ordered our lunch and talked about New York. I had never been there. He told me how big it was.