Back in the Hood

by Treasure Hernandez

  Desperate for her daughter’s affection, Sharina was begging like Keith Sweat. She didn’t know her daughter had changed, and was no longer the sweet, forgiving, naïve little girl she had somehow managed to raise during her sober moments. Halleigh might not have wished her mother dead in that rehab center shootout, but at the same time, she didn’t have much love for her.

  “I’m glad you’re clean,” Halleigh said with a nod before going back to rest in her bed. “Maybe now you’re clear-headed enough to think about how you ruined my life.” She glared at her mother.

  “Do you know the things I’ve had to do because of you?” Halleigh spat. “You were so used up that you couldn’t have paid a corner boy to let you fuck your way into a high, so you sold me. You pimped me out and let them rape me. That was mine to keep and give to who I wanted, but you took it from me!”

  Malek could see the past stirring up fresh anger in Halleigh. As he thought about the role Sharina played in robbing him of the precious gift Halleigh had been saving for him, new anger began to rise up in him also. Seeing his baby’s mother was getting all “rallied” and stressed, he wanted to tell her to just calm down, even ask her mother to leave the room; but he knew this moment was a long time coming, and something Halleigh probably needed to let go of. Who was he to stand in her way?

  “I can never forgive you for that,” Halleigh told Sharina.

  Sharina finally realized her daughter wasn’t the same anymore. It was evident from the look in her eyes that the streets had injected its DNA into her baby. Now she was as cold as a Michigan winter. “I know it hurts,” Sharina cried. “I know I did wrong, but I’m your mother, Halleigh. You’re my baby. I need you.”

  “Well, I don’t need a mother. I’m a grown-ass woman now. There’s nothing left to raise. The streets raised me, but you know what? You were good for something. You showed me how not to treat my child. So this baby I’m carrying in my stomach is lucky, because I’m determined not to fuck up, just to avoid being like you.”

  Halleigh’s words were so sharp they cut Sharina to the bone. Malek could see her shivering in pain as she began to backpedal out of the room.

  “I’m sorry, baby girl. Mama had a monkey on her back. You have to know that I would have never allowed those things to happen to you otherwise. I love you, and I only hope that you will let me back into your life one day so that, even if you don’t want me to be a mother to you, I can at least be a grandmother to my grandchild.”

  “You will never be a part of my baby’s life!” Halleigh said, throwing daggers at her mother’s heart. She knew from the look on Sharina’s face that she hit the bull’s-eye. “We don’t need you. Now, please leave.”

  While spitting those last words at her mother, Halleigh had managed to stay dry-eyed. Any tears she might have shed for her mother in the past were now long gone and long forgotten. Not one teardrop had even threatened to appear in her eyes. She was as cold as ice, her tears frozen solid and unable to form.

  Halleigh had chosen her words carefully. They were calculated to inflict as much pain as possible. She knew that no words could ever hurt her mother as much as Sharina had hurt her, but still, it had been well worth the effort.

  After speaking her mind, Halleigh had hoped to feel some sense of relief, victory even, but that wasn’t the case. Just as soon as Sharina walked out of the room, the ice block around Halleigh’s heart quickly melted, and she broke down in tears. She cried the hardest she had ever done in her life, heaving violently as she thought of her rape, of the woman she’d once loved and would have done anything for, and of how proud she truly was that her mother had gotten herself clean. With so many emotions taking over her mind, all Halleigh could do was cry.

  Halleigh knew she might never see her mother again after what she’d just said to her, and as much as she hated to admit it, it hurt. No matter how painful that was, though, she couldn’t forgive her. Right now, forgiveness just wasn’t in her. How she was even able to forgive Malek was beyond her own understanding. All she knew was that her heart had no more room for mercy. Not right now.

  She was just now starting to piece her life back together, and that was only by the grace of God—and Malek’s love. She refused to let her mother come and break up her happiness with Malek yet again. Even if her mother was sober now, there was no telling how long that might last. Halleigh didn’t have time to let someone else’s burdens become her own. She had to let sleeping dogs lie and move on with her life. Logically she knew this, but it didn’t ease the pain she felt in her chest as she bawled like a baby.

  Malek sat by her side, stroking her hair and rubbing her back, reassuring her that everything would be all right. He’d actually been shocked by how cruelly Halleigh spoke to her mother. Sharina had done the worst thing a mother could do to her daughter, but a part of him still wanted to urge Halleigh toward forgiveness, because he knew what it was like not to have a mother at all.

  His mother was gone, and he would do anything to bring her back if he could; life was short and could be taken away at any second. But he didn’t force his opinion on Halleigh. Instead, he comforted her in her time of need, trusting her to handle the situation as she saw fit. He knew that she’d gone through some awful things as a result of her mother—some things that she probably would never even tell him—so he let her scream on her mother, and then comforted her as she cried herself to sleep.

  As the cold, icy layer melted away from Halleigh’s heart, it seemed to be doing the same for Malek. Perhaps things could go back to the way they were after all . . . just not so easily.

  Chapter Five

  After spending three weeks in the hospital, Halleigh emerged from the elevator in a wheelchair, which Malek was pushing. He leaned over to kiss her cheek.

  “I love you, Halleigh,” he said, finally glad that his woman was coming home where she belonged.

  “I love you forever, Malek,” she responded as he wheeled her through the sliding glass doors to where his car was waiting.

  Halleigh grimaced at the pain that shot through her whenever she moved. The doctors had been giving her pain medication throughout her hospital stay, but because she was pregnant, they couldn’t give her anything too strong. She had lost a lot of blood when she was shot, and she had dropped a lot of weight, so her doctors were giving her high doses of vitamins to get her energy back to where it should be.

  “I’m going to drop you off at home and then go fill your prescriptions,” Malek told her as he climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled off. “I have to swing by and pick something up from Mitch, too, so I may be gone for a couple hours.”

  Halleigh looked at Malek through disappointed eyes. In her heart she felt like he would never give up the streets. For the past three weeks, he had been making lifetime promises, assuring her that he was getting out of the game, but something was telling her that he couldn’t give it all up, that the hold of the streets was far too strong on him.

  She didn’t feel sure about how important she was to him, and she needed, more than anything, for him to know she was willing to commit to being a permanent fixture in his life. The game was temporary.

  Noticing the look in Halleigh’s eyes, Malek told her, “Don’t look like that, Hal. I told you I’m through with the streets, and I meant it. All I’m going to do today is pick up my money that I got out there, and then I’m out for good.”

  Once in front of their spot, he opened his car door and helped Halleigh inside. She was so grateful to walk into her own home after her extended stay in the hospital. She couldn’t wait to take a bath, get some real food, and then pass out in her own therapeutic Sleep Number bed. Malek suggested she lay down and get some rest first. He promised that he would help her with a bath once he got back, but she wanted to get cleaned up to lay in her nice, clean, freshly made bed.

  After getting out of the bath and slipping into some comfy pajamas, Halleigh made her way down to the kitchen, where Malek was fixing her something to eat before he headed out. H
alleigh noticed a small box tied with a bright red ribbon on the countertop.

  “Is that for me?” she asked Malek.

  Malek didn’t respond as he poured some canned soup into a bowl, but his smile was enough for Halleigh to get excited. She knew it was jewelry because of how small the box was. She walked over to it and shook it playfully before untying the ribbon and opening the box. Inside was a Mercedes key surrounded by red tissue paper.

  “I upgraded you, ma. You and my shorty got to ride in the best,” Malek said with a wink. He walked over to Halleigh and rubbed her belly.

  “Where is it?” she asked excitedly, jumping up and down in spite of her pain.

  Malek motioned his head toward the garage, and Halleigh sprinted through the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the custom, powder-pink 6 Series. It was just like Malek’s, except it was super-feminine. “Oh my God! Malek, I love it, boy!” she screamed in delight as she rushed to admire the white leather interior.

  “I thought you might.” Malek checked the time on his phone. “Hal, I’ve got to spin the block for a minute. I’ll be back before it gets too late, a’ight.”

  “Yeah, yeah, okay,” she said distractedly as she messed with the gadgets on the inside.

  Malek laughed. “Your soup is inside on the counter. Don’t let it get cold.”

  Still, Halleigh paid him little attention.

  “Call me if you need me,” he said as he headed off to take care of his final business transactions on the streets.

  When Mitch received the call from Malek asking him to meet up, he knew it was time. He’d been watching his calendar and counting down to the day when the streets would be his. He had easily blown through the weight Malek hit him with, partly because he had supplied Sweets with a “butter” price. Malek didn’t know his dope was going to his adversary, but after today, it wouldn’t matter anyway. He would be a distant memory.

  Mitch grabbed the two duffel bags full of money and the twin pistols for security. The bags were filled to capacity with all street cash, the bills dirty and crinkled. Dirty money. He laughed at how paid he actually was. It felt good to have so much money. He was on cloud nine, and on his way to get rid of the only person who could possibly bring him down from his high.

  He made sure both of his chrome 9 “milli’s” were off safety then stuffed them into his shoulder holsters, one tucked safely between each arm. He put on his black leather Pelle coat, which concealed the holster, and then went to meet Malek.

  Malek had been waiting at his spare apartment for Mitch to arrive. He’d rented the apartment just to have an extra place to rest his head, but since he and Halleigh had started a life together, he rarely used it. It was convenient for the purpose he was using it for tonight.

  When Malek called, Mitch had assured him that all of the coke was gone and they were sitting on a gold mine. One million dollars was a lot of money—more money than a lot of people saw in their entire lives. Malek had always been smart, and watching Jamaica Joe as he reigned supreme only helped him to perfect his own hustle. He had a nice chunk of change saved up already, and with the money Mitch was about to deliver, it would be more than enough for him and Halleigh to relocate and start fresh.

  He wasn’t no dummy, though. He knew he couldn’t just let that money sit idle when it could be making him more. The only difference was it would be legal this time. He really wanted to link up with a financial advisor because he wanted to make some arrangements for Halleigh and his baby. Just in case anything ever happened to him, he wanted them to be set for life.

  When Malek heard the knock at the door, he knew it was Mitch. He was the only other person who knew about the apartment. Malek didn’t bother to check the peephole. He opened the door to find Mitch standing at his doorway.

  “What’s good, bro?” Malek asked. “Come on in.” He stepped aside for Mitch to enter.

  Mitch came in and looked around. Malek didn’t notice the paranoia in his eyes because he was too busy thinking about getting paid.

  “You got the bread, fam?” Malek asked, rubbing his hands together.

  Mitch lifted the duffel bag.

  “Nigga, what’s good? You all silent and shit,” Malek commented as he motioned toward his sectional sofa. “Have a seat. There’s something important I need to holla at you about.”

  Mitch made sure he kept the duffel bag near his feet and then took a seat on the couch. He could hear his heart beating rapidly in his ear as Malek walked over to the bar. Mitch knew this was his chance to do what he’d really come to do. Malek’s back was toward him, so he could easily shoot him from behind and dip without looking back.

  Mitch reached inside his jacket to retrieve one of his guns, but halted when Malek said, “I’m getting out the game, Mitch.”

  Mitch released the grip on his steel. “What you mean, out the game?”

  Malek finally turned to stare Mitch in the eyes as he spoke. “I mean I’m through. Halleigh is pregnant with my baby, and I’m trying to be around to raise him and see him grow. I don’t want to make my wife bury me the way Joe did with Kim. That’s why I needed that weight moved so quickly. The day Hal walked out of the hospital, I promised her I would walk away from the streets.”

  “And that day is today?” Mitch questioned. He had to see what Malek intended for him, because if he thought he was taking all the money and leaving Mitch with nothing, then Mitch still planned on putting two in Malek and taking the cash to build an empire of his own. But before he moved forward with his plan, he decided to give Malek the benefit of the doubt and hear him out.

  “That’s right. I appreciate you, fam. You’ve been loyal since we decided to do this together, and now I’ve got to hand it all down to you, bro. The money you made off of them bricks, two-fifty of it is yours, man, to cop your own weight and do your own thing. I’ll even plug you in with my connect. I got the connect from Joe.

  “It’s all love, baby, but I’ve got to get out while I still have air in my lungs.”

  Mitch smiled deviously and replied, “No doubt, baby. You definitely got an angel watching over you, fam. You’ve dodged a lot of bullets. You’re a smart man.” He couldn’t help but chuckle inside at his personal joke. Malek had dodged bullets all right. Unknowingly, he’d just dodged two.

  Mitch was satisfied with Malek’s severance pay, and decided to kill his plan instead of his boy. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was enough cake to get up and running and stash some for a rainy day. If Malek was getting out of the game anyway, then he wouldn’t be a problem to Sweets or anyone else, so the situation was fitting for everyone. How Mitch saw it, it was a win-win situation for every player.

  “So I take it you good with that, fam?” Malek walked over to Mitch with two shots of liquor in hand and extended one to him.

  A smile crossed Mitch’s lips as he accepted the shot. “It’s all good.”

  “It’s been a short run, but a good run,” Malek said as he held out his glass.

  Mitch did the same and they clinked their classes together and then downed the liquor in one swallow.

  “Now, let’s count this money so I can get back to wifey.” Malek headed back to the kitchen, nodding for Mitch to follow. Mitch grabbed the bags and did just that.

  Malek went to his refrigerator and grabbed two Coronas out and tossed one to Mitch, who then poured all of the money onto the table. They sat down and went to work counting and dividing the money.

  “Congrats on your family, man,” Mitch stated, like he had never had larcenous thoughts on his mind.

  “Thanks, my nigga. I’m about to take this money and take care of her, bro. She deserves it.”

  “That she does,” Mitch replied. “That she does.”

  Chapter Six

  After counting out all of the money and breaking Mitch off with a hefty percentage, Malek had $750,000 in the trunk of his car. He was overjoyed at the fact that he could now live comfortably with his lady for years to come. He still had $500,000 saved
up from the money Jamaica Joe had left him, so he was indeed a millionaire, with a little bit of change to spare.

  He’d lost track of time, sharing last drinks and thoughts with Mitch. He punched eighty on the speedometer, until finally he was sitting in the driveway at his home. He jumped out of the car in excitement, grabbed the duffel bags out of the trunk, and hauled them into the house.

  “Halleigh!” he yelled as soon as he entered. He didn’t care that it was three o’clock in the morning. He couldn’t contain his excitement and wanted to share his departure from the game with her. He couldn’t wait to let her know it was real, that he was truly a man of his word.

  “Hal!”

  “Malek, what’s wrong?” she asked sleepily as she came out of the bedroom. “Why are you yelling?”

  “This is why, Hal”—He emptied the contents of one of the duffel bags all over the floor.

  Halleigh wasn’t the least bit excited, and once again, a look of disappointment showed on her face. “I’ve seen your re-up money before, Malek.” She shook her head and then flailed her arms in defeat. “I thought we had an agreement that you were out of the game?” Hal asked, not out of anger but confusion. She really didn’t want to see Malek get hurt or lose his life the way so many hustlers before him had done.

  “This ain’t re-up paper, baby girl. It’s ours. All of this money belongs to us, and I’m going to spoil you and my seed for the rest of my life.” Malek rushed toward the love of his life and scooped her in his arms.

  Consumed with so much happiness, Halleigh didn’t even flinch at the pain she was in as she wrapped her legs around Malek’s waist and he held her securely under her bottom. He spun her around and kissed her passionately.

  “I need a vacation,” Malek said, imitating the popular rap song by Young Jeezy.