Her Sweetest Revenge (Delphine Publications Presents) (27 page)

“
Thanks, baby. Are you going to come in, Mya?” she asked me before I allowed my feet to step one in front of the other. Inside the apartment everything looked clean and cared for. Compared to when we left this apartment, it had been receiving some true love. Some of our baby pictures were hanging on the wall that I hadn’t seen in years.

“
Place looks nice,” I said in calm voice.

“
You like it? I have been trying to make this place feel like home again. I think I missed that feeling.” She looked at Monica, then me and gave us a grin.

“
Hmm,” was my only reply.

“
So what brings you two by? I been hoping to see you. I just didn’t know when would be a good time for me to stop by your place,” she said, and then got quiet for about thirty seconds. “You guys hungry? I just made a meatloaf, and it’s way too much for me to eat alone.”

“
Uh, no. We just came by for a minute. Monica needs to talk to you about something.” Feeling a little nervous, I squeezed both of my hands in the tight pockets of my Dereon skinny jeans.

“
Yeah, about that . . .” Monica was also nervous.

“
Monica?” she inquired after Monica didn’t say anything else.

“
I, uhh . . . well, I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to be having a baby. A—” Monica was abruptly cut off.

“
Ohhh . . . Monica, I’m sooo sorry, baby, I haven’t been there for you. This is my fault.”

“
It’s OK. It’s not your fault. I did this.” Monica started to cry. Momma came over and hugged her.

“
You can count on me now. You can both count on me. I’m going to be there for you, I promise. I’m clean, and that’s the way I’m going to stay. I ain’t gon’ lose no more of my kids to crack. I love you too much for that.” She started crying, then I started crying. All the overwhelming crying sent all of us into one big family hug. For the first time in a long time we were a family again. And I knew I needed my momma as much she needed me.

Chapter 43

Hood had disappeared. I had not heard shit from him. I went by the crib a couple of times, but there was no sign that he had even been staying there. He had a Mexican lady that would come in and clean up twice a week. I spoke with her, and she hadn’t even seen him, so I didn’t know where he was. I thought maybe he had gone to visit his mom in Arizona, but deep down, I knew he was trying to find out who exactly had Pig and Li’l Lo killed. Hood was taking Pig’s death really hard. They were like brothers, and he had to avenge his murder and their coconspirator, if there was one. I just wished he would at least call so I would know how things were going. I needed to know that he was OK.

I had been trying to focus on my graduation that was coming up. I had finally finished all my classes and completed all the hours I needed for my beautician’s license. Things were still crazy, but I was moving on. Monica and Momma called themselves in the kitchen making quesadillas while I sat on this damn couch and racked my brain over the well-being of my man. I knew that if anything happened to him then I would be next to go on a killing spree. I had to find out where Hood was.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Maybe that’s him. I jumped off the couch and ran to the door.

“
Dang, Mya, slow down,” Monica smiled. She had been on cloud nine since we had Momma back in our lives.

I opened the door to find Rochelle standing in the hallway.

“
I need to talk to you.” Rochelle rushed past me.

“
Hey, Rochelle,” Momma said.

“
Hey, Mrs. Marisa,” Rochelle spoke back. I always thought it was weird how everyone in the hood called each other’s parents by their first name with Mrs. in the front. “What’s up, Monica?” Rochelle said in a rush.

“
What’s going on?” I asked, while walking on Rochelle’s heels, knowing she had something important to tell. She looked at Monica and Momma, then back to me, like she needed to get an OK in order to proceed.

“
It’s OK. What’s up?” I assured her.

“
Have you talked to Hood today?”

“
Rochelle, I still haven’t talked to Hood, just like we discussed yesterday. What’s going on? If you know something, spit it out.” I got agitated.

“
The streets are talkin’ mad shit.”

“
What are they saying? Spit it out!”

“
Luscious from the Boone Squad is dead.”

Monica bent over and held her mouth like she had to throw up.

“
Monica, you okay?” Mom asked concerned. Monica slowly nodded her head.

I looked back at Rochelle. “What does this have to do with Hood?” I could feel a headache coming on.

“
Word on the streets is, Hood popped him late last night because apparently he killed Pig and sent somebody to kill Hood, but they killed Li’l Lo by mistake.”

“
What? WHAT?” I yelled.

“
Anyway, Hood killed Luscious late last night.”

“
No, no,” Monica’s muffled sounds finally turned to full-blown crying. This time I rushed over to Monica who had dropped to the floor. Clearly she was upset or in pain.

“
Monica, why are you crying? Are you in pain?” I asked worried.

“
Why did he have to kill him?” Monica cried.

“
Who? What are you talking about?” I was confused.

“
Luscious. Why did Hood have to kill him? I’m going to need him. He is my baby’s daddy, Mya.”

“
Monica!” I hauled off and slapped the shit out of her. Momma and Rochelle both grabbed me.

“
Why would you do that, Monica? Huh?! Ain’t that crew taken enough from us? Maybe even our own brother?” I cried my eyes out.

“
He wouldn’t do that!” Monica tried to defend Luscious.

“
Yeah, and how do you know that?” I asked as I yanked myself free from Rochelle and my momma’s grasp. “Let me go,” I said, as they released their grip on me. I headed to my room in total shock. This craziness would never end was my only thought.

Chapter 44

After Monica dropped that bomb on me I went to my room and got dressed. I left the house in a hurry. I needed to go by 4EverStylz and just relax. I thought maybe Pepper could use me to wash some heads, but when I got there she wasn’t even in. So I just sat in Pepper’s area trying to get my thoughts together. I guess I dozed off because hours later Pepper woke me up.

“
Wake up, sleepyhead,” Pepper said in a light tone.

“
Oh, hey. I must have dozed off,” I said as I stretched.

“
What brings you in today? I thought you were hanging out with your family.”

“
Yeah, that was my plan, but I just had too much going on there.”

“
What’s up? Talk to me. You look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders.” Pepper had a concerned look on her face.

“
It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m fine.” I tried to smooth it over.

“
Mya, ever since I met you, you have been this independent, ‘I can do it all by myself’ young lady. I admire you for that, but you need to know that it is OK to sometimes let someone in.” Pepper sounded sincere.

“
You know, ever since my father went to prison everything just seemed to go downhill. Here, lately, shit looks up, and then right back down. I’m just not sure about the signals life is giving me. My brother being killed has been the hardest for me to deal with, me not knowing who killed him, but still trying to deal with that. Then my sister getting pregnant. It has been so much I just think I’m giving up, Pepper. I can’t do this anymore.” Tears spilled down my face.

“
Mya, you are strong, and I know that whatever comes your way you will be OK, but at this point, you need to let your past go because you can’t change anything in it. Trust me, I know. I was raped at the age of nine by a grown-ass man. If that wasn’t enough, he raped and shot my mother right in front of me. For years I struggled with that, almost committing suicide because I felt just like you. I just couldn’t go on. Then God put someone in my life that told me exactly what I just told you. Once I accepted that, I discovered I was better for my pain. My journey went on until I came into your life, and it will continue.” Pepper had tears pouring down her face. I got up and gave her a huge hug because I needed to hear that.

“
Thank you so much, Pepper. I needed that. On a more positive note, what am I going to do after graduation? Are you going to continue to let me wash heads until I get a spot at a salon?” I babbled on.

“
I don’t know how to tell you this, so I will just say it.” Pepper paused for a brief moment. “I’m closing the salon and moving back to Florida.”

“
What? Why?” I questioned.

“
I just have to. My family that still lives there needs me. My father has been really sick, and my younger sister needs help. I just have to go back.” Pepper looked so sad.

“
If it’s for your family I understand. They come first,” I sounded sincere.

“
But don’t worry. You are still going to graduate in a couple of weeks and get your hair license. I am so proud of you.”

“
Thanks, Pepper. Well, I need to get going. I’m going home and check on my family. When I left today, I was really upset so I need to go home and apologize.”

“
All right, I’m going to hang around here. I got some things I need to take care of,” she said.

I left the shop feeling happy and sad. I was going to miss Pepper because she had made a major change in my life. Without her, I would not be on my way to receive my school certificate or my hair license. On my way to the car I thought about what Pepper said about moving on. That’s why when I made it home I was going to apologize to Monica. For some odd reason though, I started to feel a little nervous, but I was not sure why. Then my phone started singing Hood’s ring tone. I quickly answered it.

“
Hel—” Something heavy came down on me, and everything went black.

Chapter 45

Swish!

Someone threw a bucket of cold water in my face. All I could think was they must have been trying to kill me because the water was deathly ice cold.

“
Wake up, bitch!” I heard a female voice that I recognized yelling at me.

“
Aggh,” I moaned, trying to come out of a drowsy state with a pain in the back of my head that was pounding. Before I could open my eyes more water came at me.

Swish!

“
Bitch, I said wake up!” the familiar voice yelled at me again.

My eyes started to flutter open, and I saw two shadows, but it took a minute for the figures to become clear.

“
Charlene?” I said confused.

“
Yeah, it’s me. Wake yo’ ass up,” she sneered at me.

“
Charlene, what are you doing?” I said trying to move. Then I realized that I had been tied to a chair with my hands tied behind my back. My head was pounding so bad I felt like I was about to die.

“
Charlene, what’s going on? Why am I tied to this chair?” I tried to wiggle my hands around.

“
You hear that, baby? She wants to know why she’s tied to that chair.” Charlene started laughing.

I looked up and saw who she was referring to as “baby” and to my surprise, “Squeeze? What are you doing here?” I looked from Squeeze to Charlene with confusion written across my face. Why would I be in a room tied to a chair with these two people? With Squeeze maybe, but Charlene? Why?

“
Bitch, you don’t talk to him.” Charlene rushed over and slapped me in the face.

“
That’s right, baby, keep her in check,” Squeeze cheered Charlene on while smoking on a blunt.

“
Mya, Mya, with your fine ass. You think you smart just like yo dead brother.”

“
Fuck you, motherfucker! Don’t ever bring up my brother!” I yelled and struggled to get out of the chair.

“
That little nigga thought he could steal from me and get away wit’ it.”

“
My brother ain’t steal from you.”