Her Sweetest Revenge (Delphine Publications Presents) (2 page)

Now I go over and do a little hair at Rochelle’s house during the day while her mom is at work. But I still don’t make that much money because all my clients are at school. Basically, a bitch still needs another plan.

I opened the door to my mom’s room to see if she came home last night, but the bed’s empty so that’s my answer. I don’t know why she does this; it worries the shit out of me when she doesn’t come home.

I went into Li’l Bo’s room and started shaking him so he can wake up. This boy is so hard to wake up. Sometimes I have to stand him up on his feet to wake him up.

“
Come on, Li’l Bo. Wake up. You gon’ be late for school.” I continued to shake him.

“
Man, I don’t care. I don’t want to go anyway.” He pulled the cover over his head and rolled back over to go to sleep.

“
Boy, you better get up before I set it off up in here. GET UP!” I screamed.

“
Damn, you getting on my nerves, girl.” Li’l Bo sat up in the bed and threw the covers on the floor.

That’s his favorite thing to say, but he loves his big sis. Li’l Bo is my protector; if any nigga gets in my face, he be ready to kill them. I’m trying to keep him on the straight and narrow, but even I know that’s hard to do in this damaged neighborhood. Plus, he’s growing up. Fifteen in this neighborhood is grown. Each day I can keep him off the block, I’m doing good.

Next I woke up Monica. We share the same room, but I always go wake up Li’l Bo first since he’s the hardest to wake. I know Monica heard me get out of the bed to go wake Li’l Bo, but she’s going to stay asleep as long as she can. Monica is the quiet one in the family. She doesn’t talk too much, but she pays close attention. She turned fourteen a few months back, and lately, she seems to be opening up more, saying exactly what’s on her mind. I think the crazy life we have is waking her up to reality. Our dad is gone to prison, and he ain’t coming back, at least not while we’re young enough to enjoy him.

“
Monica, get up and get dressed.” I pulled the covers off her.

“
Did Mom come home last night?” are the first words out of her mouth. Monica is worried the most about our mom. I guess it’s because she’s the baby, and when Mom doesn’t come home, Monica hates to go to school.

“
No. But she’s OK. So just get dressed for school.”

“
No, Mya, I’m staying here until she gets here. How will I know she’s OK?” Monica looked like she was about to cry.

“
Look, she’s OK. She just fell asleep somewhere else. Now get dressed, Monica. I have stuff to do today, and you’re not staying here alone.”

Reluctantly she started to straighten her hair scarf but kept her eyes on me. It makes me feel so bad, but what else can I do? She needs to go to school, and I need to go do this head so I can make a few bucks. I ain’t about to miss no money sitting here waiting on my crackhead momma. God! She is ruining our lives! My eyes started to swell with tears, so I looked away from Monica because I have to be strong in front of them. I don’t have time to cry.

“
I’ll go to school, Mya.” Monica threw the covers back and got out of the bed. “But you have to promise that if she ain’t home when I get out of school, you’ll take me to look for her,” she bargained with me.

“
I promise. Now get dressed.” I pointed to the clothes she had laid out on the edge of her bed.

Chapter 3

After walking Monica and Li’l Bo to school I headed straight over to Rochelle’s house to do Charlene’s hair. Charlene is skipping her first- and second-period class, so I know she’s going to be on time.

Rochelle is my best friend. She dropped out of school about a year ago to have her baby, who we call Tiny. Rochelle had planned to go back to school, but she got her GED instead. Now, she’s on the county until Tiny gets a little older.

Rochelle is cool people; we’ve been best friends since we were about six. Whenever I need someone to talk to, she is right there. Thick and thin is how we roll.

By the time I got back to the projects I saw Luscious pull up in his all-white Escalade truck sitting on twenty-two-inch chrome rims. His truck came to a stop as he dropped off one of Brewster’s known tramps. Luscious is one of the dope boys that runs with this crew called the Boone Squad. It’s the same squad that Squeeze runs with. Squeeze is actually the leader. Luscious is like his right-hand man. Neither one of them live around here, but they’re in the hood all day trappin’. As Luscious passed me, he looked me up and down, then winked at me. He wishes I was like the ho he just dropped off, fucking for an outfit, but that will never be me. I’d rather look broke-down the way I do. Forget them niggas and their money. I rolled my eyes at him and headed into Rochelle’s apartment, where the smell of bacon hit me from the door since Rochelle had it cracked open.

“
I saw you coming up the walkway. That’s why I cracked the door open. That nigga Luscious was checkin’ you out. That whole squad is checkin’ for you. I have told them niggas to get over it,” Rochelle started mouthing off as soon as I entered the apartment.

“
That’s what they better do. Only thing any of them niggas can get from me is a stray bullet. I can’t stand they ass.” The frown on my face looked like I just ate something sour.

“
I told ’em,” Rochelle said, laughing. “You hungry? I got some bacon and eggs. I woke up hungry this morning.”

“
You know I want to eat. Charlene ain’t showed up yet?” I bounced down on the living-room couch so I could watch cable television. We ain’t had cable in so long it’s a treat when I get to watch it.

“
Nah. Ain’t nobody been here. Mike finally done got locked up, and he’s calling here all day, bugging me. I told him last night don’t be calling me from no jail. Those damn calls are expensive. Nigga gon’ have Wynita going upside my head about them long-distance charges shit,” Rochelle complained. Wynita is her momma, and Ms. Wynita don’t play.

“
What he locked up for?” I asked out of curiosity.

“
He all the way down in Flint selling dem bricks. I told him if he wanted to talk to me he shoulda stayed out of jail.” Rochelle rolled her neck. “But nooo . . . This nigga thinks he the next kingpin of Detroit.”

“
You so crazy, Rochelle.” I laughed at her. “But he is paid, girl,” I reminded her.

“
I know, right? But he needs to get his priorities together. Besides, we ain’t got nothin’ to talk about except Tiny. I ain’t messin’ wit’ him no more. Nigga think he my daddy. And you know the one thing I won’t put up with is somebody tryin’ to control me. Scratch all that.”

Someone knocked on the door. Rochelle got up to unlock it. Charlene entered.

“
Hey, what’s up, y’all?” Charlene said, stepping in the door with a smile on her face rocking a pink and blue Rocawear short sweat suit with some white Force Charlene never leaves home looking like a bum.

“
I’m ready, Mya. You know I need to make my third-period class on time,” she said, while she checked out her freshly manicured nails.

“
Well, let’s go in the kitchen. I already got everything set up,” Rochelle said. “Because I already knew Mya was gon’ sit on that couch as soon as she got here.”

“
Shut up, Rochelle,” I said, while getting off the couch.

“
So, y’all going to that party that the Height Squad’s giving at the Ripple Turn this weekend? It’s about to be off the chain,” Charlene grinned.

“
Hell, no,” I said. “You ain’t either because you have to be twenty-one to get in that club. And they be cardin’ people at the door, hard,” I informed Charlene.

“
Never mind all that.” Charlene gave me a reassuring glance. “All I need is a fake ID or this big booty. Trust me, I will be there with all those ballers come Saturday night. Besides, I was invited by Pig.” She beamed.

“
Pig? You like that nigga?” Rochelle had a disgusted look on her face.

“
I didn’t say all that, but that nigga got mad paper. He’s gettin’ money like a motherfucker, and I like that, so it’s all good. If the two of you want to go I can get you in.” Charlene put a stick of gum in her mouth.

“
Count me out. I got other stuff to think about instead of some party,” I replied.

“
You can count me in if I can get Wynita to babysit Tiny. Oh, what am I saying, girl? You know Wynita gon’ watch Tiny. Count me in,” Rochelle replied while snacking on bacon.

“
Saturday I’m going down to visit my dad. I haven’t seen him in a minute, and that trip takes me a whole day on the bus,” I replied smugly.

“
Yeah, I feel that,” Rochelle said still snacking on the bacon. “How is he?”

“
He wrote about a month ago saying everything was cool. But I just need to see him. I need to talk to him about some real issues.”

“
Look, forget about the party. Charlene, you can count me out. I’m rolling with my girl to go see her dad. She needs me.” Rochelle gave me a concerned look.

“
No, Rochelle, go ahead to the party. I need to do this alone. This visit needs to be between me and my dad, but thanks. I always know you got my back,” I assured her.

Rochelle was always so emotional, so she stood up and gave me a hug. Charlene looked at us like we’re trippin’.

“
So what y’all tryin’ to say? I ain’t down because you been my girl forever, Mya. So don’t even play.” Charlene rolled her neck and popped her lips. Not to mention she’s chewing on that gum so hard I think she might break one of her teeth.

Rochelle and I both looked at her.

“
Girl, shut up and come fix yourself a plate right quick. You trippin’,” Rochelle replied with a smile.

“
And fix me one too ’cause I’m hungry.” I started rubbing my growling stomach.

Chapter 4

I open my eyes. The sun was shining through the window. I hastily grabbed the clothes I laid out last night and put them on. “Shit!” I said out loud realizing that I overslept, and if I didn’t hurry, I was going to miss the early-morning bus to the prison. Visitation is over at 4:00 p.m., and the next bus doesn’t leave until 10:00 a.m. The bus ride takes five hours to get there; I would really be pushing it.

I had to let Li’l Bo know I was leaving. I knocked on his bedroom door before going in. “Li’l Bo, wake up. I need you to watch Monica. I’m catching the 8:00 a.m. bus to the prison to see Dad. I won’t be back until tonight. So just watch her for me.”

“
Why I gotta watch her? She’s fourteen. And when can I go see Dad? I miss him too. You get to see him all the time.” Li’l Bo sat up rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“
Look, I know what you feeling, but I don’t have extra bus money. If I did I would take Monica, too. Besides, this isn’t a social visit with Dad today. I need to talk business.”

“
I need to talk business too. Dad is the only one who can tell me how to get money off these streets. I need to be takin’ care of you and Monica. Not going to some sucka-ass school every day.”

Before I knew it, I grabbed him out of the bed by his shirt. “What are you saying, Li’l Bo? You ready to get out here in these streets and start hustlin’? You ready to die? Because that’s what’s gon’ happen. That’s all that happens in these streets; they grimy.”

“
I got to learn how to be a man, Mya,” he said, looking me straight in the eyes. “That’s what Dad would expect me to do. I can’t keep sittin’ back watching us suffer. There’s money in the streets, and I can get it.” He had tears in his eyes.

I released my grip on him. “What I need to know is that you and Monica are safe. I’m going to take care of us. Don’t worry. I will get us out of here. I’m the oldest, and it’s my responsibility. But I can’t do that if I’m worried about you out here hustlin’. Just go to school and help me with Monica. Promise me, Li’l Bo.”

He hesitated. “A’ight, I promise. But I still want to see Dad. I only seen him twice since he been locked up.”

“
Give me some time and I will take you and Monica down to see him. But I got to get going before I miss that bus.” I double-backed to my room to grab my key before I left.

Before I shut the door Li’l Bo yelled at me, “Yo, this some bullshit. I got to be a man in this neighborhood, Mya. FUCK!” he screamed.

Chapter 5

While sitting in the phone booth stall waiting for my dad to be brought out, I felt a little nervous. My hands started to sweat, and I wished they would hurry up and bring him out. I have a lot on my mind, and sitting here is racking my nerves. Nobody in their right mind would like sitting between two walls. It feels like this stall is closing in on me. For a moment I feel my chest is getting tight, like I’m about to lose my breath. I squeezed both of my hands into fists to help with the anxiety.