by Tina Marie
“Okay Auntie.” He put his game on pause and then put his controller down. Since Kahlan was over a lot he had his own room at our place, and I couldn’t wait to give him a little cousin to play with. Nicco and I had been trying since Kahlan was two, but it still hadn’t happened for us yet.
After I got Kahlan down, I went back down and grabbed my laptop. I went on Facebook and a few of my other social accounts and then, I texted Nicco.
WHEN R U COMIN HM BABE?
MAYBE A COUPLE OF HOURS, Y
NO REASON B SAFE
NO DOUBT
CAN WE WORK ON OUR BABY TONIGHT
ALL NIGHT 4 U
I blushed. I LUV U
LUV U 2
C U SOON
BET
I put my phone down smiling and then looked up to see Kahlan. “Hey lil man, what’s wrong?”
“Auntie Ash, I don’t feel so good,” he cried.
“Come here baby, what’s wrong?”
“It’s my tummy,” he said and, as soon as he got within a couple of steps of where I was sitting, he spewed vomit everywhere. “I’m sor, sor,” he tried to say but more came out.
“Oh Kah, it’s okay baby,” I said tenderly and picked him up. I took him upstairs, took off his soiled pajamas, and put him on a fresh set. I went into my room and stepped out of my soiled clothes. I checked my cabinet to see what I had for upset stomach and I gave him Pepto-Bismol, and he assured me he felt better. I went down to clean up the mess and after I had everything back to normal, I texted Cay.
HEY DON’T B ALARMED. KAH HAD AN UPSET STOMACH & HE THREW UP
THREW UP WHAT DID HE EAT??????
JUST DINNER & 1 SCOOP OF ICE CREAM
OH MY GOD I’M ON MY WAY
NO, NO, NO HE IS BETTER NOW & NOW ASLEEP
IF HE IS SICK I’M PICKIN HIM UP
CAYANE I GOT THIS, PLS DON’T WORRY I JUST WANTED 2 LET U KNO, NOT FREAK U OUT
WHATEVER ASH, I’M OMW 2 GET MY SON
I shook my head and wished that I hadn’t texted her but, if Kahlan would have mentioned anything to his mother about throwing up and I didn’t tell her, it would have been a fallout and, if she wanted to drive all the way back to my house in Lincoln Park from Harvey, I had to just let her.
Chapter Four
Cayane
Seeing the text that my baby was sick had me dragging my over tired ass back to the car to go and pick him up. I also left a voicemail on the call-in line, letting them know I would be out tomorrow. Kahlan came first for me every time. I had just showered luckily, since tonight was sure to be a long one. These were the days I wished I had someone else to lean on. I knew lots of hoes be out here boasting about this single parent shit, but I couldn’t figure out why. Having to do double and triple duty all alone, plus work and go to school had me living life like a zombie. I thank God daily for Ash and Nicco; they were like super Godparents and really made up for the fact that Juice wasn’t shit. Well, he offered and wanted to be there but, since the accident, I didn’t want a dime or time with that nigga and he wasn’t allowed to come anywhere near my damn son.
Hopping in my gold Nissan Maxima, I turned the air on to keep me awake and let my mind wander on the long ass drive. I tried to think about my finals I needed to study for but instead, I was thinking about the fine asshole from my job. Damn, I needed some dick or something. I would take anything that would get him out of my mind. Pulling in, I jogged up the wide staircase and rang the bell.
“Girl, I told you he was good. You didn’t have to come all this way,” Ashlee fussed as she let me in. “You look like shit and probably needed the sleep.”
“Well hey to you too best friend. Thanks for telling me like it is,” I said, laughing. I knew I looked like shit and Ash always kept it real, so I wasn’t mad. “Let me get this boy and get the hell out of her before I collapse. And no, I don’t want to spend the night because I know you are about to ask.” I hated that my friend had to do so much for me. Shaking her head, she didn’t respond, just led the way to Kah’s room. I couldn’t keep track of the number of times my best friend had asked me and Kah to live in her house until I finished school. But I just couldn’t bring myself to accept. I had my pride.
***
Kahlan threw up exactly two times in the middle of the night and both times he made it to the trash can I placed next to my bed. This meant I had gotten more sleep than I anticipated, so I was up early. Doing twenty minutes of yoga, I threw a few sets of squats in before going to check on my son. I had assumed the worst was over but as my hand brushed over his tight curls, I was met with a blazing hot sensation. My baby’s normal pecan colored skin was red and his wide eyes had a glazed look to them. I didn’t even need a thermometer to tell he had a fever. Running to the bathroom, I wet a cloth with cold water and looked for Tylenol.
Seeing the almost empty bottle, I said every curse word I could think of. I didn’t have more than seven cents to my name. “Come on man, we about to go pick up mommy paycheck.” He didn’t argue, just slowly climbed out of bed and put on some clothes. It was spring but not a hot day, so he ended up with a grey Champs sweat suit, matching socks and Champs slides.
I put on a pink Champs hoodie, ripped jeans, and matching slides. Pulling my wavy hair up with a clip, I hurried out the door. Strapping my baby into his booster seat, he held out his tiny hand for his IPad. I swear, his God parents got his ass everything. Reaching in my knock-off Louie bag, I handed it to him and watched as he clicked on his favorite show, Syd the Science Kid.
All too soon, I was pulling up at the store and getting out. “Come on baby, we have to go in,” I coaxed him to put down his tablet and get out. My son was moving so slow, it broke my heart. Picking him up as best I could, since he was heavy, I walked inside. I didn’t see anyone except childish ass Troy behind the counter. I felt a sinking in the pit of my stomach as I approached him. I needed a manager to get my check out of the safe, not his bitch ass.
“Hello Troy, is there a manager in? I just need to pick up my check.” I smiled at him as fake as the diamond stud he had in his ear. I fucking hated his soul. He always had some dumb shit to say since I turned down his weak ass “can I fuck you” attempts. He looked at me and rolled his eyes before turning back to the computer screen. What kind of grown ass man rolled his eyes? A thirsty bitch ass one I guess.
“Hello, I know you hear me talking to you,” I sneered as I shifted my son to my other side. I didn’t want to bust this nigga in his mouth in front of my kid, but I would. Groaning silently as Darcy strolled her hoe ass from the back, I knew I would have to grovel and pray that she gave me my check. I knew they didn’t like to pay yo’ ass when you called off, but I had a legit reason. If this was a normal place of business, it wouldn’t be an issue. Instead, I was standing in the Love and Hip Hop of cell phone stores.
“I thought your son was sick today Cayane? Yet, here you are. Can I help you?” she asked with a boujiee ass attitude.
Clenching my fists, I stepped back a bit and had a whole fucking conversation in my head on how I wasn’t going to knock this bitch’s head off. I knew her retarded ass saw my son was with me.
“Darcy, seriously, you can see my son is sick. Hell, he is right here in my arms looking bad. He is burning up with a fever. I am here for my paycheck.” I didn’t feel the need to explain why I needed my check and I shouldn’t have to. It was my fucking money that I worked for. I had overtime and commission, enough to pay bills and for once, do something for my damn self. But now that I was missing today at work, it would end up being just enough to get by.
“Well, I’m so sorry Cayane that you wasted your time and mine,” she said while Troy’s bitch ass stood next to her snickering. “But, as you know or will now know, the policy for this store is as follows. If an employee calls in for their scheduled shift on a payday, they must wait until their next scheduled shift that they actually work to receive their check.” She smirked at the end of her speech and stood there with her eyebrow raised.
My son’s skin burning through my sweater and onto mine reminded me how much I needed this money now and slowed my temper all the way down. “Darcy, please don’t do this. I know you don’t like me, but this is about my son. Please, he has a high fever right now. He is burning up and he needs medicine. I am begging,” I said the last word low. It left a bitter fucking taste in my mouth.
“Look sweetie, even though I don’t like yo’ ass that much, this isn’t on me. This is policy,” she sang the last words.
Defeated, I sat Kah down because my arms just couldn’t hold him anymore. I swear I felt weak just hearing I couldn’t do a damn thing to help my own son, and not for the first time in his life.
“Yo’ Darcy, what the fuck ma? You can’t let her get her fucking check? Seems like some bullshit to me,” a man’s voice blared from behind me. I knew it was him; the sound of his sexy voice sent a chill up my spine. At the same time, I wanted to run out of the store. I couldn’t take an encounter with mister asshole today. I just wasn’t up to it.
“Chaos, hey baby,” Darcy squealed as she damn near ran her ass around the counter to get to this nigga.
She ran up on him, almost knocking me down and leaned in. I laughed when he stepped back, causing her to stumble. “Yo’ B, what the fuck you doing,” he said. His voice was cold as ice. “Two things ma, I asked you a fucking question; why the hell she can’t get her check? And second thing is, don’t ever fucking touch me. I ain’t yo’ baby, boo, nigga, or friend. You sucked me off in the bathroom and did me a solid, that’s all. Next time I need a phone or my dick wet, I’ll holla.”
Grabbing my baby’s hand, I turned to leave, but was stopped when Troy stepped his ugly ass next to me. I swear, he looked like his momma was a gargoyle and his pops a garbage can. “I got five dollars fo’ your ass; I just need a few minutes of your time baby.” He smiled wide, licking his tore up ass lips. I knew niggas smoked and they shit got black, but his looked like a monkey shit on his face.
“So, you think I’m about to fuck you for five dollars,” I spat, shock and disgust in my voice? “Nigga, not even if I was taking my last breath. Now move,” I said, bumping him as I made my way closer to the door, trying to ignore Chaos’ stare.
“Aw’ight bitch, fuck you and that ugly ass little nigga. I hope his little Scarface ass burns the fuck up.”
I felt the tears immediately fall from my eyes. My son looked down at the floor, and I felt rage mix in with sadness. Subconsciously, my hand reached out and traced the scar that ran from my son’s hair line to his cheekbone. It was a wound he would wear forever, due to his father’s recklessness. The doctors said it would fade more and more over time but right now, it was very noticeable.
“You sucka ass nigga!” Chaos roared. He hit Troy one good time, splitting his shit open. As he hit the floor, I had to step back so he didn’t take me with him. Customers gasped, as his blood pooled on the floor. That shit happened so fast, I didn’t have time to hit him first. Thinking about how bad I wanted to feel the pain from my fist connecting to his ugly face, I got mad all over again. Cutting my eyes at Chaos, he didn’t even notice. His hand was reaching for his nine, and I just knew my son was about to witness a murder.
“Nigga, what the fuck are you doing?” Nicco said as he came through the front door and jumped in front of Chaos. What the fuck was going on here. How did he know this ignant ass dude? “Cuz, this ain’t the Bronx; you can’t be doing that shit here. What the fuck is wrong wit you?”
“God daddy!” Kah called out as excited as he could be while not feeling good. “Your friend beat up the mean man. He called me Scarface,” he said the last part in almost a whisper.
“Kah, what the hell you doing here?” he asked as he picked my baby up. I could see him shoot his people a look as he processed what Kah said. Troy most likely wouldn’t be seen again after today. “Oh, my God, you are burning the fuck up,” he stated as he felt how hot my baby was. His eyes met mine, and I felt a shudder at the look he was giving me. “Cayane, what the fuck is up? If he sick, why you at work and why is he out of the house with a fever?”
“I came to get my paycheck, so I could go and grab his medicine Nicco. No big deal.” I held out my arms for Kahlan, so I could leave and try and figure out a plan B.
Reluctantly, he handed me my baby, still giving me an evil ass look. “Yo’, make sure you let us know how is he doing after he gets his medicine.”
I nodded, just trying to get the fuck out of there. I had to try and go find whatever bitch’s pussy Juice crawled in and pray he would give me the money I needed.
Feeling an arm grab mine, I spun around and glared at Chaos. I was grateful for how he dealt with Troy, but I just knew he was about to annoy me right now. “Yo ma, how the fuck you about to get little man his medicine when that bitch ain’t give you yo’ check?”
This motherfucker just couldn’t keep his damn mouth closed. At this point, everyone in the damn store was looking in my face.
“Cayane, why you always do that shit? You know I can give you the money or whatever else you need,” Nicco said, his voice damn near a growl.
“Because I should have been able to get my check that I worked for and because I am not taking any money from you. I can figure this out and if no one has noticed, he is sick. So, I need to go, all these distractions are not making shit better.”
“Here man, hold this,” Chaos said, handing my son a stack of bills. He helped him shove the money into his tiny sweat pants pocket.
“Oh, hell no. Kahlan, give him back that money right now,” I demanded, trying to dig it back out of his pockets. I sure as hell didn’t want this motherfucker giving me anything. No telling what he thought I would do for the money.
“Leave him alone shorty. That’s his bread now.”
“I don’t want shit from yo’ rude ass, so get your money back and mind your business.”
He looked at me with his head tilted to the side like he was confused, before he started laughing. I could see his platinum grill shining in the dull ass lights of the store, he was laughing so hard. “Ma, I don’t give hoes money. I gave that shit to lil man, so it’s his. This ain’t about you.”
“Yes, Cay, don’t keep acting like you don’t need nobody,” Nicco added. The look on his face said, take it or he’d give it to Kah himself. I shifted Kah to my other hip and then stormed out the door.
Chapter Five
Chaos
I watched as shorty snatched up her son for the final time and fast walked it to the front door. The look on her face showed enough anger to light this bitch on fire. I wasn’t being funny, but I just didn’t spend my money on females, period. Not even the chicks I fucked on the regular, hell not even my momma, and I somewhat liked her ass.
“You know her mean ass?” I quizzed my cousin as she finally left my view.
“That’s Ashlee’s best friend. She is a good girl and full of too much damn pride if you ask me, but I’m gonna need your ass to leave her alone. I know how yo’ ass is and she don’t need that in her life, so stay yo’ ass away from her.”
“Nigga, fuck you, all girls need me in they life. Fuck around and yo’ girl gonna be next,” I said, talking shit. I knew he was about to get mad, but I ain’t have time for that shit right then, so I didn’t keep it up. “Yo Darcy, I came in because I need a new line. Go grab me one of those new Samsung joints and throw a local number on there.” I stepped over the body I left leaking on the floor and headed to the counter so I could finish what I came for. I had a meeting with some of Nicco’s people, so I could let them know how I ran shit.
I stood there watching one of the other employees trying to wake that nigga on the floor and laughed to myself. I leaned on the counter and waited for Darcy to finish getting my new device activated, while Nicco stood near the door on his phone. “Here you go baby, I plugged my number in the phone for you already.” Darcy stood there grinning like a fool. I didn’t bother correcting her on the baby shit again. Taking the phone, I pu
t a code next to her name, so I wouldn’t forget she was my phone plug and that her head was official.
“A’ight ma, good looking, I just need one more thing. Run, skip, or hop ya ass to the back and grab Cayane’s check. I don’t give a fuck about no policies or any other rah rah shit you got floating around in ya head.” I lifted my shirt a little, exposing my gun and letting her know to do that shit ASAP. She twisted her lips up, which made her ass look like a duck.
“And fix ya fucking face while you doing it,” I said, and she hurried off.
Nicco approached. “I swear, yo’ mama dropped you on ya fucking head. You ain’t got no damn sense,” my cousin said as he laughed at me.
A few minutes later, I was headed out with a white envelope in hand. “A’ight, I’m out, keep your ringer on. I’m gonna hit you up later. I need to see what that mouth do again.” I almost asked Nicco for Cayane’s address, but realized the shit was printed on her check. I just couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting, shit, needing to see her again. I kept telling myself I just wanted to check on little man, but I knew it was about her. I didn’t lie to myself and today wasn’t the day to fucking start.
Looking down at the bitch ass nigga who came for her son, my finger itched to blast him. Too many fucking witnesses though. He was still laid out but had the nerve to be peeking through one eye. “Son, you see this old faking ass nigga?” I asked Nicco. Picking up my feet, I was glad I wore my black Timbs today. Stomping his ass in the head a few good times, I smirked while watching a look of extreme pain cross his face. The staff and two other customers looked on and gasped and whispered, but I didn’t give a fuck. I just walked up outta there with Nicco, wishing a bitch would try me.
“Yo’, drop me at my truck; I got some shit to do real fast.”
