by Zi'ere
“Shidd, the way ya’ll be in there like WCW heavyweights talkin smack before you get into the ring, I am positive I’m not the only one that can hear that shit!”
I would never admit it to Johan but I was embarrassed. I needed to move away some place where nobody knew who we were. Just as I was about to get him together, the ultimate popular Tessica walked up to the driver’s side of my car and signaled for me to roll down the window. She and I had never been friends, she was cool with Johan but she wasn’t on his side of the car. I took a deep breath…I didn’t feel like whipping her ass today. Tessica was the head cheerleader and certified whore of the school. To guys, they weren’t doing anything big if they hadn’t gone all the way with her.
“Nawl, this ain’t about to be cute at all.” Johan spoke softly as I reluctantly pressed the button to let down the window.
“What do you want?”
My patience and people skills were missing.
“Damn! Well hello to you too Amaya!”
“Girl what the fuck you want?” She was receiving the stare I was giving her.
I was sure of it.
“Look, I need you to keep your whoring ass mother away from my dad. He’s been married to my mom for almost twenty years. We are good people with reputations to maintain, unlike ya’ll. My mother and I aren’t below fuckin Angel’s ass up for messing around with my daddy and stealing money from him. Wha…..” Tessica thought she was going to give me the business today.
“Let me tell your trifling skank ass something- do not fucking step to me about anything that my mother has done with your cheating ass daddy. I don’t know if you are aware but it takes two to fuckin tango. Hell your hoein ass knows that! I’m not telling my mother shit but let something happen to her and you can bet your daddy’s stolen money that I am going to fuck you and your mammy up! Get the fuck out my face with that bullshit with yo stupid ass!” Unlike Tessica I couldn’t contain the volume of my voice.
Her girls who thought she was going to be the dominant one in the conversation were given a new aspect on life as they looked away when Tessica walked away from my car speechless.
“Damn! Maya you on no chill today!” Johan spoke up.
“I don’t need a fuckin hype man in my car! You need a ride home? Sit back and shut the fuck up!”
“Babe, why are you cussing me out? What did I do?”
“You know exactly what you did! You are friends with that whole clique and your black ass could have said something to me before that tramp stomped her stuck up ass to my car! I know ya’ll talk about everything all damn day and night.” I wanted to physically hurt Johan.
“I can’t believe that you think I would know something like that and wouldn’t tell you about it. Hell, you don’t want anyone to know that Angel is even your mother.”
Before I could catch them, tears began to fall then the bell rang. Johan wrapped his huge arms around me and held me tight. How he knew what I needed in that exact moment I would never know. I felt flutters in my stomach. I was soon to be eighteen. I needed to stop pushing the handsome guy away before some other girl gave him what he wanted from me- an exclusive relationship. I sniffed his shirt as I often did to commit his cologne smell to my memory. I needed to take the time and tell him about my plan before I made it to my grandparent’s home. We were interrupted by the kids getting in the car.
The only thing we could do was exchange smiles before I pulled off. It was time to start celebrating the spring break holiday of two and a half weeks of no school for the other students and teachers. But for the Stevens’ children, I prayed it meant the start of a new life. After I dropped off my stowaway at home the kids and I were on the way to our grandparent’s home for the regular Friday night visit.
We had a traditional family sit down meal with their grandparents every Friday night: rain, sleet, shine, or snow. It would be one of those dinners you have to dress nice for and have your best table manners present. On the drive, even though I was paying attention to the road, I couldn’t help but notice that the kids were unusually quiet today. I checked the review mirror and both twins were knocked out sound asleep on the backseat. A quick check of the passenger seat gave me the giggles from watching Zina’s head drop the snap back up quickly, attempting to fight sleep herself. I could only smile at their beautiful faces. They were true angels indeed. That one God’s child named Angel was missing out big time.
25
Grandma D: Sweetheart don’t worry. I’m not gonna fuck her up too bad but she will be getting a visit from Deloris.
Me: You know where she is?
Grandma D: I always know where that whore is, that is how I know when to call.
Me: Can you tell her to come back home? She hasn’t seen the twins in forever.
Grandma D: I ain’t telling nan bitch to go see bout her own damn kids. Between me, Cora, your Grand-dad, and Rob- we got you. Fuck her and I mean in every way possible.
Me: GRANNY!
Grandma D: Amaya Stevens don’t you raise your voice to me again! I meant exactly what I said and you need to know I am not the only person who feels that way about her. Word in the street is that she has fucked with some wealthy and powerful people. All I- all we gotta do is sit back and wait til you turn eighteen and for her karma to catch up with her road runner ass!
Me: Ok Granny…I really need to get off the phone so I can get some rest.
Grandma D: Ok baby. Like I said now, don’t worry about a thing. I’m going to come by sometime tonight and put ya’ll some money in the hiding spot.
Me: You don’t have to do that. We have enough money to make it.
I felt a headache coming on.
Granny D: Girl you gotta be tired talkin to me like that when I’m already mad! You don’t tell me what to do with my money. When I tell you something write it in the Bible because it is the truth! Do you hear what I’m sayin?
Me: Yes ma’am.
Granny D: You testing me for real tonight chile! You probably stressed the fuck out being a mama to three kids while teaching yourself how to be a young lady. You need a damn break, I can recognize it now.
Me: I’m fine. I take my breaks when the kids are asleep.
Granny D: Chile I had nine kids, I know you need a damn break. I don’t care how good they are. You need some time to just be a teenager for a while.
Me: Granny I’m fine I promise.
Granny D: I will take care of that shit too. Don’t fear your Granny D is here!
I laughed again while shaking my head.
Granny D: Now take your half white ass to bed. Holla atcha lata! I love your stern ass!
Me: I love you too Granny.
When the call was disconnected I surely had a headache but I was smiling and laughing at the same damn time. That woman was a big ass horse pill to swallow. She gave you the biz straight with no chaser in sight. One thing is for sure and another is for certain: she was damn right I needed a break. I fantasized what I could do by myself on a Saturday. And, Angel certainly needed an ass whippin. Pronto.
26
“Just because she’s not being a mother doesn’t make my situation better than yours Maya. I begged my mom to leave him because he hits her and cheats on her. She says she’s not giving him up. I can’t catch a case for putting something on his cowardly lion ass while I’m trying to get into a good school so I can marry and take care of you.” He never took his eyes off the TV.
By his tone of voice, I could tell he was dead serious.
“So you think I’m going to be okay with you seeing all those fast ass girls and then turn around and marry your ass? Psst…I need you to wake up out of that dream homie!”
“You can shut shit down with one word.” He was too serious.
“This is enough for me. I can’t add a boyfriend into the mix.” I confessed.
“You can’t get rid of a man that wants to be with you no matter what you do. Get some sleep beauty. See you in a few hours.”
I got in bed and pulle
d the covers up to my chin. In the next second I realized how I’d been walking around the house. My hair was in a ponytail on the top of my head. I had Proactive zit cream in the form of three dots on my face. A tank top with a bra underneath and short- night shorts were the remainder of my get up. I looked a hot ass mess.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard Johan Gild breathing heavy but not snoring while sleeping on the floor beside my bed. No matter how bad it got, Johan made it better. It wasn’t a money or gift thing between us, instead he listened to me vent. He heard all the curse words I used with Angel but never in front of my siblings or at school. He allowed me to soak his shirt with my tears. He hugged me and held me tight when I was overwhelmed. Angel brought shady characters to the house all the time and never thought about the sleazy men looking at her teenaged daughter. Johan came through with the gun. I couldn’t even recall all the things he’d done or said that he didn’t have to be concerned with.
27
I rolled over in my bed to give the blaring alarm clock the evil eye. It was Friday morning and that was the only thing I was excited about at the moment. My week had been hard. I slammed the off button and looked up at the ceiling mentally preparing myself for the day. Despite my threats, Angel had not returned home in the two days I had given her and now it was my time to show and prove. I looked at the space to the left in my bed, everything a teenaged girl needed to be successful in school was there. A laptop, headphones, books, paper, pens, pencils, my cell phone, and binders were all beside me. I’d fallen asleep getting ready for the last day of finals before our Spring Break was to begin after the release of school that day.
The break was needed and deserved by all four of the Stevens children. We wouldn’t receive report cards until we returned to school but I was sure we’d all done well on our testing. The next week would start their Spring Break and unlike most of the kids from our school, we weren’t going to be vacationing with our parents to exclusive tourist’s attractions. Me being the girl that I am, I had some things planned for the kids that they did not know about yet.
When the younger children returned to school they would have fun stories to tell their classmates about the good time they too had over the break just like everyone else. Even though the four of them had the opportunity to be bad kids, we were well mannered and well- rounded children, about to live the life most kids couldn’t even dream of. I had more than a few surprises in store for the kids over the next two weeks. Our lives would be completely changed. The excitement gave me the kick I needed to hop out of bed and get my day started. Johan’s blanket was folded and sat under his pillow at the foot of my bed. I had no idea what time he’d left that morning. It didn’t matter. I would see him in an hour anyway.
I strained my ears to pick up any signs that Angel had returned like a thief in the night. In return I got nothing but silence and for the first time in years, I was okay with that. There was nothing that could change the events that were about to take place and the joy I felt in my spirit. I only needed my plan to fall into place flawlessly as I’d dreamed. I crank up my iPod sitting in the speaker system. Today was going to be a good day. My cell phone began to vibrate. I had no doubt who it was…the same person I had been avoiding since Angel left- Rob.
Rodney Westin was a black man who was the only man that ever claimed all four of us as his legitimate children. The only problem was that he was needing and wanting to parent from the penitentiary. Just like everyone else had all week, he was going to have to give me my space. When he found out that Angel was the mouse all his boys had told him she was, it was too late- she was pregnant with the twins. It was his third time getting her pregnant.
Rod was a good guy, the only bad thing I had to say about him was that he wasn’t a present parent. He talked to us, motivated us, and gave us guidelines to follow. In other words, he was doing more than Angel ever did. I entertained him just on the strength that he said we were his kids and he took a genuine interest in us. I’d given him tests several different times and he’d passed them all. He was good people but he wasn’t going to like my plan so he had to wait.
28
With bed hair and all, I made my way out of my beautiful, uncharacteristically clean room for a teenaged girl into a mess of chaos in the hallway. Since Angel had been gone, I’d been able to keep the entire house clean because she didn’t lift a finger to clean up her own messes, let alone anyone else’s. But in order to keep the house clean, Angel would have to first have to spend some time at the house trying to keep it clean. I looked down at the designer silver suitcases lined up and down the hall. I shook my head…putting the luggage in her bedroom obviously would have been too hard for her to do, I was I guessing.
Just anything to piss me the fuck off…don’t make no damn sense!
My first stop was to the boy’s bedroom. I opened the already cracked door to find them still sleeping peacefully in their bedroom decked out in the theme of under the water sea ocean life. Everything in the room was either navy blue, appropriate for preteen boys. There were fish and sharks of all kinds painted onto the walls. I have to admit, if I were ten and loved everything about sea life- it would be a cool room to have. It only took me a weekend to get it all done for them.
I turned off the nightlights and turned on the brighter lamps on the bright overhead lights. I began to gently shake them both at the same time. Trae and Taj, identical twins were the most handsome young men I had ever seen. Their bi-racial genes kept the little girls on their game at school. It was cute and funny to me because the only girls the boys liked were their sisters. All the others weren’t worth their time or attention.
Keeping the Stevens’ girls were worth all their time, attention, and chivalry. They were mild mannered boys who were on the fast track to be child genius prodigies. They had video games and iPads but their idea of fun was a science fair or some kind of exhibit. None of the kids gave me any problems but I ran our lives by a schedule from the start so order was all they knew. Angel was so blessed and she didn’t even know it.
“Morning Mama…” the boys mumbled as they tried to shake the sleep off of their bodies.
“Good morning my loves!” I kissed them both on the top of the head. “Your clothes are at the foot of your beds, don’t forget to straighten those beds before you get dressed. Come to my room when you are done so I can do something to ya’lls hair.”
“Okay Mama.” They both recited at the same time.
After making sure both twins were fully awake and standing up right, I made my way further down the hall to the diva’s hot pink and zebra printed throne. My baby sister Zina was a twelve year- old trendsetter in the fashion game and a pre- teen social butterfly. Zina possessed all of the material things that would back up her diva status. Her room was beautiful and reflected her love for all things pink and girly. I noticed that although Zina was a mini prima donna, she slept like an old man who worked twelve- hour night shifts.
Since she got out of her baby crib I could not figure out how she was able to stay in the bed all night. Zina tossed and turned, going from the top of the bed to the bottom several times during the night. I knew for sure that I had tied up Zina’s hair up last night in a silk head wrap, but the head wrap was now on the floor beside the bed. I stood beside her bed watching her chest rise and fall while she was lying on her back, mouth wide open. If I was a practical jokester I would have dropped something in her mouth but that wasn’t my personality.
29
It wasn’t hard to tell that Zina was exhausted as well, as she continued to snore too loudly. So much noise for such a small person, she took her petite size from Angel. I called her name a few times to bring her back to life. Zina slept too wild, there was no way in hell I was going to put my hands on her. I had no desire to be swung on at six in the morning. The children all had different personalities, but the one trait they all had in common was that they all had genuine, respectful, and pure hearts.
All the kids knew that they
all had a good solid hour before we would have to leave for school. Diva Zina would need every second of the time to bring herself to perfection fit to be seen in public. When she realized she was awake and that her big sister was standing over her, she smiled a big beautiful smile showing perfect white teeth that needed a toothbrush as soon as possible. I kissed her on the forehead and then exited the room. I smiled to myself as I walked out of the room which was also very clean and orderly.
Once in the hallway, I eyed Angel’s luggage again. I looked around before I lunged for the specific bag that I knew she kept all of her stolen items in. It was the only luggage piece with a lock on it. Many of the people Angel dealt with didn’t even know her real name so there was no way to know her real birthdate, but I knew every truth about her. I lined up the month, day, and last two of the birth year and popped open the box. I didn’t pay attention to the big score she’d completed. I only had a few seconds to get what I needed and disappear. There was a small bag full of diamonds.
One day somebody is going to kill her ass for the shit she does!
I grabbed three of the stacks of cash with the bank tabs still on them which was a cool thirty thousand dollars. I locked the case, scrambled the numbers up, and sprinted back to my bedroom.
My cell phone was going bananas and I knew exactly who it was by the ring tones. Johan was ‘My Boo’ by Usher and Alicia Keys. No one knew that except Zina who had made the change herself. According to her, Johan was to be my husband. I always came back at her with that I didn’t have time to go to the movies with a group of friends how was I going to entertain a boy. She always rolled her eyes at that point- always. At twelve, I was four soon to be five years older than her but I could tell already that she was going to give me a run for my money when it came time for her to date.
Jesus be a fence, I mumbled to myself.
30
Then the song “Never Would Have Made It” by Marvin Sapp began to play. That was the ring tone for our Grandparents, Angel’s Caucasian mother Cora and her African American father Johnny who were financially responsible for their four grandchildren whom they loved dearly but were too up in age to manage them on their own. Even they lived in a swanky elderly community that had registered nurses and aides on duty twenty- four hours a day and even on Jesus’ birthday.