Always Gonna Be My Baby: A Hood Love Story

by Charmanie Saquea

  ___

  Aries used her key to let herself in her parents’ house. It literally seemed like forever since the last time she had seen or spoken to her mom or dad and that wasn't like her. Aries just had been so caught up lately that she didn't really have time to do anything.

  When she walked in, her dad was sitting in the living room in his favorite chair that had been there since she was little, with his favorite granddaughter curled up in his lap. Aries smiled because it reminded her of how they used to sit when she was Eternity’s age.

  “Excuse me, do I know you?” Terrance, Aries’ father asked as he looked at her funny.

  Eternity looked up at her auntie and smiled brightly. “Papa, that's TT Arie!” she told her grandpa.

  “Who?” Terrance asked as if he didn't understand.

  “Silly, Papa,” Eternity laughed.

  “Yes, he is very silly.” Aries playfully rolled her eyes.

  “I'm serious. I haven't seen you in so long, I was wondering if you remembered you had parents. I damn sure I forgot I had another daughter. I even see Ceon’s slick ass more than I see you,” Terrance told her.

  “Daddy, cut it out. You could never forget about your baby girl,” Aries said as she kissed his cheek and gave Eternity one as well. “Where is mom?”

  “In the kitchen with Treasure.”

  Aries walked to the kitchen where she found her sister sitting at the island and her mother cooking.

  “Look at my two favorite ladies,” Aries smiled.

  “I know that's not my other daughter,” Ariela said as she looked shocked.

  “I know, right? I haven't even seen her in like two weeks. You know how much she love coming over my house to get on my nerves,” Treasure said as she cut her eyes at Aries.

  “What's going on with my little Arie Pooh?” Ariela asked her daughter.

  “This wedding. Kevin decided to move the date up so I have to move some things around and rearrange some things around and it's just driving me crazy,” Aries sighed as she sat down.

  “Why?” Treasure asked with her face scrunched up. “There shouldn't even be a wedding,”

  “Treasure,” Ariela said, giving her daughter an evil glare.

  “I'm just saying, mom. You know like I know that Aries shouldn't even be marrying Kevin’s ass. You're going to sit back and let her make the biggest mistake of her life. She's not as happy as she portrays to be.”

  “Dammit. Treasure!” Aries yelled, slamming her hand on the island as she jumped up. “Why don't you just shut the fuck up sometimes? You act like you have everything so damn figured out but you don't! Don’t worry about why I'm marrying Kevin, worry about your failed ass relationship with Lorenzo and what went wrong with y'all. I'm good, believe that. If I wasn't happy, trust me. I wouldn't be with Kevin.” Aries yelled.

  “Now hold on, you two. Y’all are not about to act a damn fool like that up in here,” Ariela said as she stood between her two daughters.

  By now, Terrance had come into the kitchen to see what all the commotion was all about. Treasure stood there with a raised eyebrow, wondering where all this animosity from her sister was really coming from. She didn't say anything that didn't need to be heard about her and this bullshit ass marriage regarding Kevin, so for Aries to bring up some shit concerning her and Lorenzo that happened three years ago meant she had to be feeling some type of way.

  “Nah, ma, it's cool. Let the spoiled brat say what she got to say,” Treasure said.

  “What the hell is going on in here?” Terrance asked as he looked at them like there were crazy.

  “Aries was just getting some things off her chest, daddy,” Treasure told him. “Gone head, Arie. Speak that shit. We all listening.”

  Aries sighed as she ran her hands through her hair. She looked around at everyone and realized that she took things too far. She didn't mean to come at her sister like that, she just let her emotions get the best of her. She was tired of everyone speaking on her and Kevin’s relationship like they knew all the details when they didn't know shit.

  “Look, I…I'm marrying Kevin and that's just the end of that. Treasure, I need you to stop speaking on something that you know nothing about. Unless I tell you out of my own mouth that I'm unhappy, don’t think otherwise,” Aries told her sister.

  Treasure sucked her teeth at Aries before walking out of the kitchen. “Eternity, let’s go.”

  “Treasure!” Aries called after her sister but she kept going, ignoring her.

  Aries looked over at her parents for answers. Terrance just shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the kitchen behind Treasure. He never got involved in his daughters’ disputes because they always worked their issues out in the end. He left that madness to his wife.

  “You know your sister is stubborn. It’s no different than your fights back in the day,” Ariela told her.

  “I didn't mean it, ma,” Aries said.

  “You wouldn't have said it if you didn't, Aries,” she said.

  “But she just won't leave me alone about it. Every time I bring him or the wedding up, that's her reaction.”

  “Treasure just loves her little sister and has her best interest at heart. If she feels you’re not doing something right or something that's going to benefit you or make you happy, you know she has no problem speaking out on it. That's the way she's always been and the way she'll always be, Aries,” Ariela told her youngest daughter.

  Aries got quiet for a second before she asked her mom the dreaded question that was nagging at the back of her head. “Do you agree with her?” Aries asked.

  Ariela didn't answer her nor did she look up from her cooking. Aries stood there waiting for an answer but one never came.

  “Ma!”

  “What, Arie?” Ariela asked.

  “Oh my God, you agree with Treasure!” Aries yelled.

  “Now wait a minute, Aries. As a mother, I did my job in raising you as best as I could in hopes that I could steer you in the right direction. Once you turned eighteen years old, you were on your own. Any choices or decisions you made after that were completely up to you and I have no say in the matter. If you think Kevin is the one for you and you plan on spending the rest of your life with him, then you go right ahead and do that,” Ariela told her.

  Aries just held her head down because she knew her mother was avoiding the question. Just like Carol didn't too much care for her, Ariela didn't too much care for Kevin. Kevin didn't come around too much for Ariela to get to know him and every time Ariela asked Aries about him coming around, her reply was he was always too busy. Ariela felt like Aries was ashamed of her family because they were way less fortunate than Kevin and his family so she kept him away or he kept himself away for those reason. That alone let her know that Kevin wasn't the man for her daughter but she wasn't going to speak against her daughter’s relationship if that's what she really wanted.

  Twelve

  Treasure was baby free for the weekend thanks to Sheree who called to keep Eternity and her old best friend from her teenage years was back in town after moving away years ago so she saw that as a reason to go out and have fun. Treasure hadn't been out and had fun since before she had Eternity so tonight she was going to go out and get fucked up.

  “I'm so happy you decided to come tonight, Tres. Lord knows I didn't want to spend yet another lonely weekend in the house,” De De, Ceon’s girlfriend said.

  “De De, this is your man and his friend’s block party. I know like hell you wouldn't sit in the house when you're supposed to be out there representing,” Treasure said.

  “I never go out, Treasure. I’m always in the house while Ceon runs the streets and if you weren't going with me tonight, I wouldn't even be going to this block party because I already know Ceon gonna have me out here acting a fool tonight and I’m tired of the same old shit with him,” De De said through a sigh.

  “You and Ceon have been together since the Dark Ages. I can't believe y'all still together,” Amira, Treasure’s fri
end laughed.

  “Yea,” De De mumbled.

  Everyone that was on the outside looking in on her and Ceon’s relationship always thought that because they had been together since they were in middle school that they had the ideal relationship. Nobody really knew what happened behind the scenes of their relationship, and everything wasn't all peachy keen with them.

  “Desha, you know damn well you don't have to sit in no damn house all day. You can come over here and kick it with me and your niece. We don't be doing shit,” Treasure told De De. “Now let's go get fucked up.”

  “I hear that shit!” Amira yelled as she jumped up.

  “Fuck that nigga, De De! Brother or not, walk right past his ass like you don’t even know him tonight,” Treasure said as she checked her appearance one last time in the mirror.

  As the ladies were leaving the house and Treasure was locking up, her phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her purse and rolled her eyes at Lorenzo's name on the screen. Hitting ignore, she sent him straight to voicemail and proceeded to her car. Treasure didn't have anything to say to Lorenzo right now, especially after his last little stunt he pulled.

  He called himself calling her phone trying to check her about the company she’d been keeping around their daughter. Not that she was trying to hide it from him but word got back that she had been spending a lot of time with Benji and of course, Lorenzo wasn't with the shit. When she hung up on him while he was talking crazy about all what he was going to do to her and Benji, he thought it was okay to show up to her house and try to kick her door in. Treasure had to threaten to call the police on Lorenzo and she had never used those words with him. She didn't know what had gotten into him but she needed for him to get his shit together.

  “Treasure, where little Aries ass at? She not rolling with us?” Amira asked as they cruised the Miami streets on their way to the turn up.

  “Nah, her probation officer not going for that,” Treasure said, causing De De to chuckle.

  “Probation officer?” Amira questioned.

  “She means her fiancé. Treasure just don't like his uppity ass,” De De clarified.

  “Oh damn,” Amira said.

  Treasure wasn't saying anything else on Aries and Kevin's relationship or marriage. Her sister spoke her piece and told her to fall back so that's exactly what she did. She hadn't spoken to or seen Aries since that day at their parents’ house but there was no beef on her end. She wasn't mad about what Aries said for the simple fact that she was over her and Lorenzo’s situation.

  “Damn, Ceon and them brought the whole city out,” De De said as they pulled up on the block.

  “Sure in the fuck did,” Treasure cosigned.

  “Oooh, Treasure, wait. Turn it up real quick. This my shit!” Amira said as “Come Thru” by Jacquees came on.

  Treasure turned the music all the way up and let the song blast through her speakers as she parked and Amira got out and danced.

  “Come on, girl. You remember how we used to do!” Amira yelled.

  Treasure wasted no time getting out to dance and sing with her friend in the middle of the street.

  Girl your body is legit

  Mama made you thick

  Don't know why you wonder why them other hoes talk shit

  De De sat in the car laughing at them while they cut up like old times. It was always a celebration whenever the two of them linked up and it was obvious that not much had changed after all the years of Amira being gone.

  “Come on, De De!” Treasure said.

  “Oh no!” De De shook her head.

  “Ugh, bitch, come on!” Treasure said as she reached in the car and turned it off. “Stop acting brand new, tonight we’re young, wild, and free. Remember?”

  As the ladies walked up the block where the party was, it seemed as if Treasure immediately zoomed in on Benji and Choppa who were standing there with their boys talking to Ceon and his boys. She was shocked because she wasn't expecting to see him tonight. She remembered him saying they knew each other but she didn't know to what extent.

  “Keep walking,” Treasure said.

  “De De! I know damn well you ain't bring that ass out the house with that little ass, tight ass dress on!” Ceon yelled.

  De De heard him, damn near everyone on the block heard him but she took Treasure’s advice and kept walking. Ceon got pissed off because he knew damn well she wasn't going to walk past him at his own shit and not acknowledge him. On top of that, she was dressed in a way he didn't approve of.

  “Desha, don't let Treasure geek you into getting your ass whooped tonight. Come the fuck here, man!”

  “Girl, go see what it's looking like. I'll handle him,” Treasure told her. “Mira, go with her.”

  “Cool,” Amira said as they kept walking.

  Treasure turned around and walked back over to her brother who was posted up by his truck with the rest of the guys. He had a mean mug on his face but she didn't care, she had been dealing with Ceon’s attitude since she’d been on this earth, she knew how to handle him.

  “You always starting some shit,” Ceon said as he mushed her head before she could say anything.

  “Ceon, leave her alone, alright? She just wants to come out and have fun for once in her life since you seem to like to keep her ass locked away from the world. Let her live a little, please? No drama tonight?” Treasure asked.

  Ceon sighed as he rubbed his hand down his head. “Yea, alright. Where Aries? How the fuck you gonna come and not bring her?” he asked.

  Treasure rolled her eyes so hard Ceon thought they were going to get stuck in the back of her head. “Call her and see,” she said before turning away from him. “Heyyyy, Choppa! Long time no see!”

  “What up, sis? I see you.” Choppa smiled.

  Treasure walked over to Benji who was staring at her intently. As soon as she got into arms’ reach he grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her close to him, sticking her lips to his. Benji’s tongue invaded her mouth as Treasure tasted weed and mint in his mouth.

  “Damn, bitch, let her breath! What you trynna do, eat her face?” Choppa cracked.

  Hearing that caused Ceon to turn around and he had to do a double take. He was so caught off guard by Benji and his little sister swapping spit that it took him a minute to process it. By then, the kiss was over.

  “Yoooo! What the fuck is this shit?” Ceon yelled.

  “Beat his bitch ass, Ceon!” Choppa yelled through laughter.

  “What this?” Benji asked as he grabbed a handful of Treasure’s ass while kissing her forehead. “This mine.”

  Ceon’s mouth fell open and Treasure laughed while burying her head in Benji’s chest. Even though she told Benji she wanted to be friends and take things slow, she couldn't deny the fact that she felt something for him. It was crazy because she really wasn't ready for a relationship yet but she loved how things were between her and Benji right now.

  “Respect,” Ceon said as he shook Benji’s hand. “Just treat her right or I'll have no choice but to fuck you up.”

  “No worries,” Benji assured him.

  Treasure’s phone started vibrating and she wasn't going to bothering to see who it was but she thought it might be Sheree calling about Eternity so she pulled it out to see who was calling. Seeing that Lorenzo was calling again, she thought about sending him to voicemail but went against her better judgment.

  “Why are you calling me?” she answered through gritted teeth.

  “Yo, Tres, we need to talk.” Lorenzo said.

  “Lorenzo, I don't have anything to say to you right now. That was some bullshit that you pulled and you know it,” Treasure said.

  By now, everyone’s interest was piqued because they were wondering exactly what happened between the two of them. Especially Benji.

  “I know, Tres. That's what I want to talk to you about. You at Ceon party? I'm about to stop by.”

  “Yea, but—”

  “I'm pulling up,” he cut her off.

&nb
sp; Treasure looked down the street and sure enough, Lorenzo’s truck was coming down the street. She was wondering what made him think coming down here was okay when he knew him and Ceon couldn't stand each other.

  “Dammit,” she said.

  “What?” Benji asked.

  “Nothing, I'll be right back,” she said as she tried to walk away.

  Benji grabbed her by her belt loop and pulled her back. “Where you going?”

  “I'm just going down here to talk to Lorenzo real quick,” she told him.

  “That nigga here? At my shit?” Ceon asked, getting hype.

  “Chill, Ceon, it's only going to take a minute,” Treasure said before walking away.

  Treasure started walking down the street and met Lorenzo’s truck halfway. She looked back and could see that all eyes were on her. When she got to his truck, the passenger’s side door opened and Lorenzo’s head popped out.

  “Come here.”

  Treasure walked over to his side of the truck where his door was opened and he had a bottle of Hennessy in his lap.

  “What you want?” she asked.

  “I just wanted to say sorry for that shit I did. I shouldn't have come over acting like that. Especially with my daughter being there, but you know I'm not feeling that shit, Treasure,” Lorenzo said as he ran his hand along her bare thigh.

  “Okay, I accept your apology, Lorenzo, but do I act an ass whenever I find out you got a new bitch every other week? No, I don't. You know I wouldn't even have him around Eternity if I didn't think things between me and him were serious. I'm not the type of woman to have all type of niggas around my daughter. I don't play that shit,” Treasure told him.

  “You think things are serious?” Lorenzo laughed. “So just fuck me then, huh? Here I have been doing everything I can for the past three years to show you how much I love you and I've changed, then all of a sudden this new nigga show up. So shit serious between y'all, huh? How serious because I swear I was just fucking your brains out last week!” he yelled.