A Hood Chick's Story pt. 3: The Final Chapter

by LaShonda DeVaughn

  “So if we will not be going back to Boston, when will we see Daddy?” she asked splashing in the bubbles.

  “You’ll see him soon baby.” I said, actually unsure of when we would really see him again.

  “When Mommy? Can we call him? I want to talk to him.” She whined.

  I honestly didn’t know how to answer my baby. I couldn’t deny her access to her father. At the end of the day, he could stop being my boyfriend but he would always be her father.

  “We’ll call him before you go to sleep tonight, okay”

  “Thanks Mommy, yaay!” She said with a huge smile.

  While I pulled on her Hannah Montana pajama dress, I thought of ways to explain to her that she couldn’t tell her father our whereabouts. If Tony knew that I was with his aunty, he would be on the first thing smoking to DC. Shayonna helped me stretch the sheets across the bed before we jumped in. The comfortable full size bed was the only piece of furniture that occupied the old hardwood floored spare room. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to break my innocent daughter’s heart. No matter what words I used to explain the situation to her, it would still be painful. Tears almost escaped my eyes, but I managed to keep it together. I was an emotional mess because everything was still so fresh.

  I got up to shut off the light and then snuggled back up next to Shayonna.

  “Mommy, I thought we were calling Daddy.” She reminded me.

  I reached for my cell phone which sat on top of my suitcase next to the bed and held it in my palm.

  “Shayonna, I have to talk to you about something very important.”

  “What’s wrong, Mommy?” she asked.

  “Nothing is wrong baby. I just have to explain why we aren’t going back to Boston.”

  I sighed deeply. “Okay, right now, Mommy and Daddy are taking a break away from each other.”

  “What do you mean a break?” she asked sitting up in the dark.

  “Well, remember the big fight that Mommy and Daddy had when we left the house in Boston?”

  “When Daddy was choking you?” she asked. I was taken aback. I knew that Shayonna had witnessed her dad placing his hands on me, but I had hoped that she wouldn’t remember the specifics of that night.

  I hesitated. I had to choose my words carefully.

  “Yes baby.” I exhaled and continued. “Sometimes, when a mom and dad fight too much, they have to take breaks away from each other.”

  “Well Daddy’s sorry Mommy, I know he is. He loves you and he loves me too.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat, it was hard for me to continue but I had to.

  “He will always love you Shayonna, he will never stop.”

  “He will never stop loving you either Mommy.” She interrupted.

  “That’s right baby, he won’t.” I told her. I lifted up my cell phone but before I called him I had to make sure that Shayonna didn’t tell him where we were staying.

  “Please call Daddy. I just want to talk to him. I won’t tell him where we are.”

  I almost cried. She was so smart and perceptive. It was shocking how mature she was. I didn’t even have to say anything. She already knew not to tell him where we were.

  “I just want to tell him I love him.” She pouted.

  “Okay baby.” I said kissing her plump cheek. I dialed Tony’s number and put the phone to her ear.

  “Tiara!” I heard him yell out.

  “No Daddy, it’s me.” Shayonna said in her sweet voice.

  “Oh hey Daddy’s baby girl.” His voice resonated through the phone, I heard him as clear as day and I felt weak. Butterflies shot through my stomach, he was the love of my life.

  “I just wanted to tell you good night Daddy, me and Mommy are safe.”

  “Where are y’all, where’s your mom?” I heard him ask. “Mommy is right here Daddy, we are about to go to bed.”

  “Okay,” he said. “Tell your mom that I love her and that I’ll be waiting for you both to come back home. Tell her there isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t give up for her to bring you back home to me.”

  “Okay, Daddy, I love you. Good night okay?”

  “Good night baby girl. Make sure you tell your mom what I said.” His voice broke as he ended the call.

  I was glad that the room was dark because my face was saturated with tears. Hearing his voice made me miss him so badly. But no matter how hard I missed him, Tony just wasn’t right for me. So that night, my heart cried. I really missed Tony, but I was moving on.

  Chapter 2

  I woke up to loud screams coming from the living room.

  “Mommy what’s that noise?” Shayonna asked. The noise had awoken her out of her sleep.

  I suddenly heard loud thumps and a whole bunch of hollering.

  “Stay right here baby.” I cautioned as I rushed on my sneakers. “Do not come out of this room, you hear me?” I instructed. Shayonna nodded her frightened face in agreement.

  I heard Aunty screaming “Stop!” and I had no idea what the fuck was going on. I shut the door to the spare room so that whatever was going on, Shayonna wouldn’t have to witness it in any form.

  Aunty’s screams grew louder as I got closer to the living room and I heard Smitty’s voice echoing loudly. I sped into the living room and spotted the duo. Smitty was wearing the same cream boxers from the day before with no shirt. I noticed he had a sharp object in his hand and was holding it up to Aunty’s face. He had her pinned against the wall by her neck. A bunch of pictures fell to the carpet as Smitty kept slamming her head forcefully against the wall. Aunty’s cheek was swollen, so it was obvious that he had put his hands on her already. I couldn’t believe I was waking up to this bullshit.

  “What are you doing?” I shouted.

  Smitty turned and spotted me. He threw the sharp piece of glass to the couh and released his hand from Aunty’s neck. He didn’t say a word. He just rushed past me, storming out of the living room.

  Aunty held her neck with both hands trying to catch her breath. Once she was able to breathe she mumbled, “Don’t mind him, he’s just a dang drunk.”

  “Just a drunk? He had a piece of glass to your face Aunty!”

  “He wasn’t going to hurt me. Smitty is just being Smitty.” She said.

  I was in shock. I didn’t understand why she was being so naïve.

  “Well Aunty where I’m from, shit like that doesn’t go down. We need to be going in the kitchen, grabbing the biggest pot that you have and going upside his head.”

  “No!” she came to his defense. “Smitty just has a problem when he drinks too much, no need to do none of that baby.”

  Smitty stormed back into the living room and flung a glass cup towards Aunty’s head.

  “Ahhhhh!” I screamed ducking to dodge it. This nigga was crazy.

  It cracked against the wall and pieces fell into both mine and Aunty’s hair.

  Aunty also ducked and then stood frozen against the wall. She was shaking and appeared terrified.

  “Where is it Shirley? Where’d you hide my bottle of gin, bitch?” he demanded with a slur.

  “I ain’t giving you that bottle Smitty. Stop all this nonsense!” she shouted. But her shouts weren’t effective.

  I took a steady glance at Smitty’s hand and realized that he held another glass. Just then, he flung it against the other wall, shattering it onto the carpet.

  Shayonna screamed loudly from the bedroom. Once I saw that Smitty’s hands were empty, I had to let him know that this shit was not going down! Not while I was staying there.

  “Listen, I know this isn’t my house, but you’re gonna have to leave. You’re scaring my daughter and putting your hands on my aunt, you gotta go!” I shouted.

  “That ain’t yo got-damn-aunt!” he muttered.

  I felt disrespected and wanted to choke his old ass. She wasn’t my real aunt but shit, she was still family. She was Shayonna’s family and if this was the house I was going to be staying in, this nigga was NOT gonna disres
pect me!

  “Mind yo’ business. You can take yo’ mufuckin’ ass and yo’ daughter and get on out of here. That’s what you can do!” he slurred.

  That was it for me. I turned to Aunty who was still scared stiff against the wall. Fear had completely dominated her face. “Aunty please forgive me for this, but I’m not the one.” I picked up a fancy large blue vase beside the couch and aimed it fast and hard at Smitty.

  Smash!!! It shattered at his feet.

  “What the fuck!” He shouted, just barely dodging the vase.

  “YOU get the fuck out! Old drunk ass nigga!”

  He stuttered furiously, trying to cuss me out and I just kept throwing shit at him. Next thing I knew, I was chasing him down the hall throwing shoes that were left in the hallway and anything else I could pick up. I had so much anger in me and I was releasing it all on his ass. I didn’t have time for this shit! I couldn’t believe that I had walked into someone else’s drama this damn soon. The anger I held inside from everything I was going through had me wanting to hurt him bad.

  He slammed Aunty’s bedroom door and locked himself inside.

  I banged on the door. “I hope you’re in there packing your shit. You gotta go! You fucked up her face and you’re throwing shit at us? I take that as a fuckin’ threat and I don’t take threats too kindly!”

  I rushed back into the living room because Aunty was going to have to grow some balls, and quick. I hadn’t known her a day and could already see that she was extremely weak. She let that nigga run her. And if this was something that happened often, then the shit wasn’t healthy and she was going to have to change things today!

  “Come on Aunty, you need to get his things and get him out of your house.” I said tugging on one of her arms. She resisted, snatching her arm away from me. I was confused, this nigga just threw glass which could’ve cut up both of our faces and she was acting like they just had a simple argument.

  “Tiara, let me figure this out okay? This is my business.” She said.

  “Your business? Well you invited me to stay here and if he is going to stay here too, then I can’t be here with my child. You hear her in there crying?” I asked.

  The worry etched in Aunty’s face showed that she was thinking about what I had just stated. She rose off the wall and slowly headed toward her bedroom. She stood in front of the door seemingly hesitant to knock. She tapped it twice lightly.

  “Smitty, open up.”

  I left her there to reason with Smitty. I scurried to the spare room to check on my daughter. She was curled up at the headboard.

  “Baby, everything is okay, don’t cry, okay? I’ll be back in here in a minute.” I kissed her to assure her that things were fine.

  “Okay.” She responded in a shaky tone.

  I shut the door and returned to Aunty’s room. To my surprise, Smitty had his things packed and was pulling his bags through the hallway. Aunty walked behind him whimpering. I rubbed her shoulder to assure her that her decision was warranted and that she was doing the right thing.

  Just before Aunty shut the door, Smitty turned and dropped his things.

  “You’re really kicking me out? For her?” He asked pointing at me. This nigga was really bold. But I didn’t trip; he was getting what he deserved. Forced out on the streets.

  Aunty stared at us both hesitantly. It was as if she wanted us to switch places, like she wanted me to leave, instead of him.

  She took a deep breath and I actually thought she was about to reconsider. I couldn’t believe I found myself once again convincing her to get rid of this fuckin’ garbage.

  “Aunty, look at your face, you can’t let a man do that to you.” I preached. Her bruised cheek was beginning to turn purple.

  “Smitty, just go before I call the police,” she cried and slammed the door. She paused briefly and then stormed into her bedroom shutting the door behind her.

  I frowned at the closed door and didn’t understand why that drunk ass nigga had such a hold on her. I quickly collected myself because I had to go and comfort Shayonna. This was not the environment that I was expecting to have her in.

  I dressed us both quickly and hoped that Aunty had cooled off. I planned to ask her for Ebony’s phone number so that she could come get me. I didn’t want to disturb Aunty because I knew she was probably in her bedroom crying. I managed to catch her before she headed into the bathroom and she gave me Ebony’s contact info and directions to the nearest corner store because I promised Shayonna some candy for being so well behaved throughout the whole ordeal.

  “Thank you Aunty.” I said registering Ebony’s number into my phone.

  Shayonna grabbed her sweater and we headed off to the store.

  My baby never left home without her iPod and as soon as she planted her headphones in her ears, I immediately called Ebony. I had to tell her how crazy my morning was and to explain what type of shit Aunty was on.

  “Hey what’s up, it’s Tiara.”

  “Hey Tiara.” She answered.

  “Ebony, please come get me. I gotta get out of that house.” I told her.

  Ebony was laughing on the other end. “What happened? Did Aunty and Smitty get into it?” she asked.

  “Yeah, why is that funny?” I quizzed. I didn’t think the shit was funny at all.

  “Because all they do is fight. That’s an everyday thing. That’s what I was trying to tell you yesterday. It’s always drama at Aunty’s house. She’s the sweetest, smartest lady I know, but when it comes to Smitty, she’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.”

  “Well you wouldn’t believe what I woke up to. The nigga was throwing glass against the wall trying to cut Aunty and some more shit. I finally convinced her to put his ass out.”

  “Whaaaat!” Ebony shouted loudly through the phone. “She put Smitty out?” The shock in Ebony’s tone was thick.

  “Yes, but honestly it seemed as if she wanted to put me out instead. Yo, it was like I almost had to force her to make him leave.”

  “Shit, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did put you out instead of him. They are always at it and she always takes him back. Mark my words, he’ll be back.”

  “If that nigga comes back, I’m packing my shit and I’m leaving. I don’t have time for the bullshit Ebony, you know how I am.”

  “Well listen, I’m dropping off some paperwork right now. When I finish up, I’ll come by and pick you up and show you around. We can go apartment hunting.” She said.

  Her suggestion sounded like music to my ears. “Thank you Ebony, I appreciate it. Hit me when you’re outside.” I said.

  “Alright I will.”

  I tossed my phone into my purse and then spotted the store just steps ahead of us. Shayonna took her white iPod earphones from her ears. “Eww, Mommy is this the store?” She smirked. I cuffed her hand to make her feel more comfortable. The dingy brick corner store looked as if it should be condemned. Shit, the stores in Boston were grim and gutter but this particular store in DC took the cake. Not to mention, the crackheads that filled the outside and inside of the store. They looked like zombies. The lady behind the register was even cracked out. I saw the track marks on the insides of her arms and she kept sniffing and wiping her nose with her hand. I mean, I wasn’t out of my element because I grew up in the hood but their hood was on another level. I didn’t realize until that very moment, just how deep in the hood Aunty lived. And the slang was tripping me out. I heard dudes inside the store greeting each other like “what up young”, or “what’s good Joe.” Their accents were off the chain. I couldn’t understand some of the words them niggas were saying. I didn’t realize how country DC was, but I mean it is almost the South.

  “Are you merrd?” This dusty looking nigga with brown teeth, a black skully leaning to the side and Nike boots on his feet asked.

  “Excuse me?” I asked. “Am I what?”

  “Are you merr’d?” he repeated. “Do you have a huz-bin?”

  “Oh, am I married?” I pronounced, finally
realizing what he was asking. His accent was over the top country. “Yes I am.” I lied as I rushed Shayonna to the register. I was already over the trip to the store and was so ready to head back.

  We made it back to Aunty’s house in one piece. Aunty was cleaning up all the broken pieces of glass from the fight. She looked up and gestured for me to come into her room to talk. I opened up Shayonna’s donuts and orange juice and turned on the Disney Channel to get her comfortable before I chatted with Aunty.