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

by LaShonda DeVaughn

  I squatted on the bed and I could tell that Aunty had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was all over the place.

  “I’m sorry about what you had to witness today. I didn’t want you coming in here feeling uncomfortable, especially since you have that baby here.” She began. “Smitty promised he was going to get help for his drinking, he really is a good guy.”

  “Well, not to be in your business or anything… but I left Boston because I was in a similar situation. Tony wasn’t a drunk but he was putting his hands on me. Aunty that is not okay, and no matter how many excuses you can make for a man, domestic violence isn’t acceptable.” Aunty lowered her head.

  “I saw more fear in your eyes than love in just the one day that I’ve been around you two.” I felt myself acting like I was a damn relationship pro. I was in no position to lecture anyone after all the shit I put up with dealing with Tony, but Aunty was too old to be acting like that.

  “You know what? You’re right. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s finally time for me to put Smitty behind me and turn over a new leaf. I always went back to him because I don’t have anybody else. I never had any kids of my own. It’s just me, and I have a fear of being old and dying alone.” She wiped her tears. “I’m too fabulous to be alone honey.” She said snaking her neck.

  I chuckled. “You’re right about that Aunty; you’re too fabulous to be alone.” I pointed to her closet that was filled with name brand dresses and designer shoes. “Look at your wardrobe, you’re styling on em’. You got swag and you have the sweetest personality. You will not be alone for long. You will find your king.” I testified.

  She smiled, seeming to appreciate my encouragement.

  “Staying positive is the first step and it seems like your mind is right. I’ll help you get through it Aunty, you’re no longer alone. You got me and Shayonna.” I said.

  Aunty stared at me and nodded. “That knuckle-head nephew of mine don’t know what he lost, you are a diamond Tiara, just precious.”

  “Aww, thanks Aunty.” I said as she took me in for an embrace.

  Our talk seemed to go over well. I hoped that she would really be strong and realize that she didn’t deserve to be with a drunk. But everyone has their own breaking point and hopefully, Aunty was at hers.

  Chapter 3

  It didn’t take long for Ebony to arrive at Aunty’s house. She hit me up when she was outside and I let Aunty know that I was stepping out.

  I slouched in the passenger seat and exhaled. It was such a relief to get myself out of the awkwardness I felt being in Aunty’s house. I felt like although we talked the situation over, Aunty and I were still fairly strangers. I had only known her a day and there I was throwing shit at her boyfriend. She probably thought I was crazy.

  “So what happened this morning?” Ebony asked.

  “Girl what didn’t happen?”

  Ebony drove away giggling and shifting her Chanel glasses closer to her eyes. “Yo, Aunty and Smitty are like the old Bobby and Whitney. No matter what the nigga put her through, she could never leave him. And he’s a straight bum too, he don’t work and he lives off Aunty’s social security. Company is all he is.” She explained.

  “What?” I asked shocked. “Yo on some real shit, from the outside looking in, she seems like she got herself together and is all about her family. She got pictures of everyone all over the house.”

  Ebony laughed. “Yeah she’s family oriented but just scared to be alone. Don’t be shocked if Smitty comes back.”

  “Well if that’s the case, I hope I find an apartment quick because I’m getting up out of there ASAP.” I said.

  “Oh, I got you.” She said maneuvering her way out of Aunty’s neighborhood.

  Shayonna was in the backseat with her headphones on so I was able to talk more with Ebony about my new city. I needed to know the good, the bad and the ugly.

  “Ebony, tell me why I took Shayonna to the corner store today and it seemed like I was in crackville.” I said.

  Ebony almost spit out her gum laughing. “Girl, don’t walk to the store around here. Girl Aunty lives in Southeast. This is the worst part of DC, crime is high and drugs are higher.”

  “Well that explains why every house we walked by including Aunty’s, look like the projects.”

  Ebony pointed out the window, “You see all these brick row houses, they look small from the outside but some of them are actually really nice inside.” She said.

  “Well they all look like projects to me.” I said as we passed the old fashioned brick homes. The whole scene was so different to me and I was trying to digest it all. Boston had one, two and three family houses. The duplexes in Boston seemed way bigger than all the row houses in DC. Not to mention they all looked run down and busted.

  “Well Southeast is like living in Boston with all the killings and fighting on the street corners. Oh and the crackheads that walk around here are scary looking, they be PCP’d up! I had to move my ass to Maryland. My mom only sent me out here to live with Aunty for school because they have the best private schools and black colleges out here. I lived in the dorms at Howard after high school and I was not moving back with Aunty after that. I moved to PG County and girl I love it. Some of the richest black people in the world live out there. But where I’m going to take you to first is Virginia because I think Alexandria would be perfect for you and Shayonna.”

  “Why Virginia?” I asked. She seemed to be convinced that I would love it out there.

  “Well for one, their schools are supposed to be the best in the country and for two, the contrast between you living there versus where you grew up in Boston would fare well for you. No inner city drama at ALL. Plus you’d be 15 minutes to DC or MD if you ever wanted to party. You’ll have the best of three worlds.”

  Ebony was right, it seemed like we hit the highway, drove a few exits up and we were in VA. Looking around, I could tell right away that I was going to like it out there. I didn’t see any row houses, only luxurious apartment complexes and townhouses.

  The townhomes that we pulled up to were all painted white and were identical, but none were connected like the row houses in DC. They each had their own private backyard and the front lawns were outlined with beautiful green grass and adorned with rose bushes surrounded by mulch. Scattered on the streets were couples walking their dogs, pushing their babies in strollers or taking jogs around the neighborhood. It actually felt like the neighborhood catered to the wealthy. There were absolutely no signs of police sirens or ambulances racing through the streets. I knew right away that this was the perfect area to raise Shayonna in. I smiled as we pulled up to the rental office.

  “I like it already.” I told Ebony.

  “Girl these are nice, they are expensive but to me they are worth it.” She said placing the car in park.

  “Ooooh Mommy! Look at that playground!” Shayonna shouted, pointing in excitement.

  Right next to the rental office was a humungous playground filled with swings, slides, jungle gyms and picnic tables. Although I only saw a few black people in the park, I felt like I would fit in with this crowd. I wasn’t trying to live there to make friends anyway. I just wanted to provide Shayonna with everything that I never had. And parks where I’m from sported crack heads and old needles on the ground and all the swings and slides were broken and rusty.

  We headed into the rental office which was made into a floor model of what the inside of the townhouses looked like. A Chinese woman with a large nametag that read Rita greeted us. She told us to feel free to tour the house and if we had any questions she would help us out.

  “Mommy I like it!” Shayonna said skipping around the furnished living room. She was already in love with the playground. How the house looked really didn’t matter to her, but it was very nice. The kitchen was small and it opened up into the living room. The stairs were off to the side where it led up to the bedrooms and full bath. “I like it.” I told Ebony.

  “Me too, I ca
n see you and Shayonna in one of these.” She said as we scoped the master bedroom which was spacious and boasted new carpet. Rita walked up behind us. “Do you ladies have any questions?”

  “Yes, how much are the two bedrooms going for?” I asked.

  “Two bedrooms are 1500 hundred dollars a month.” She said.

  Ebony bucked her eyes. The price was indeed steep and I didn’t have a job yet. I mean, I had a good chunk of money stored away from selling my house in Boston but I wasn’t tryna live off of savings and go broke over a damn apartment.

  Other people walked in full of questions for Rita.

  “I’m sorry ladies, it’s hectic in here. We only have one other employee and she called in sick. I have to go help these folks out, if you would like an application let me know. I’ll be downstairs.”

  “Ok.” I told her.

  “Mommy, are we gonna get it? I like it here.” Shayonna begged.

  “That price is kinda crazy.” Ebony said with her forehead squenched up.

  I suddenly got an idea and headed downstairs to chat with Rita.

  I waited for her to hand an application to an Ethiopian couple and then I approached her.

  “Hey Rita, are you hiring by any chance? I had my own real estate company in Boston and I’m also a recent landlord. I’m very skilled in rentals.” I told her.

  “Yes! We are absolutely hiring.” She said reaching for an employment application. “We could use a skilled applicant.” She stated.

  I filled out the application as Rita hurried around helping other visitors. She appeared frazzled as if she couldn’t handle it all on her own. The rental office definitely needed assistance because it was too busy for just one person to handle. The rush died down a bit and Rita told me that if I could start right away, she’d check references later. I couldn’t believe how shit was working itself out for me. Her offer had me excited. The icing on the cake was when Rita whispered, “Employees get half off their rent.” My heart smiled and Ebony folded her arms as a smile gleamed across her face too. This was a true blessing and she seemed happy for me. It was a win-win situation. I finished the employment application and one for the two bedroom apartment. Rita said she’d call me soon.

  During the ride home, I kept daydreaming about starting all over. I loved the neighborhood and I was possibly going to be employed. Boston and my troubles were behind me. I prayed that my blessings would continue. I prayed hard.

  Chapter 4

  Aunty had dinner waiting for us when we got back. The smell of collard greens, barbeque chicken and cornbread had me excited. Aunty seemed to be in high spirits. Once again, I felt a sense of comfort staying there with Shayonna, now that Smitty was gone. Aunty said she’d wash the dishes and insisted that I prepare us for bed. I really felt bad for her because I’m sure she missed Smitty. I guess she used cleaning to compensate for her loneliness. The house was spotless when we got back home and she was still at it after she did the dishes.

  As I prepared us for bed, I smiled thinking about the townhouse and the job offer. I kinda felt bad knowing that I was gonna leave Aunty alone after she had just confided to me her fear of loneliness. My loyalty was always so deep for people that I had to keep reminding myself that I left Boston so that I could finally think of MY future and not put my life on pause for others.

  Feeling bad for Aunty was cut short the very next morning.

  I woke up to the smell of fresh pancakes, eggs and bacon. “Shayonna baby, wake up. Go brush your teeth and wash your face.”

  She stretched and rubbed her eyes. “Okay Mommy.”

  We entered the kitchen and was met with some shit I didn’t see coming.

  “The food smells good Aun-” before I could get my words out, I spotted Smitty sitting at the kitchen table going in on his plate.

  “He’s back?” I asked sarcastically. “You let him move back in, just like that?” I sassed.

  Smitty lifted his face from his plate and shot me a devilish grin. That nigga knew he had won and I was disgusted at the site of that damn woman beater.

  Aunty flipped over the bacon, put down the fork and tried explaining her way out of her dumb decision. “It’s not like that baby, he came by late last night and apologized. Everything’s going to be fine.” She said, looking stupid.

  I gave her the dumbest look. I didn’t understand how an older woman who was supposed to be a role model could be so naïve. I had absolutely no words for her. Point blank, I had to go. I took Shayonna by the hand and retreated back into the bedroom. I promised my baby that I’d find a McDonalds for breakfast because we were leaving. I hit Ebony up and asked her to text me her address. She had told me that she worked from home, so I knew she’d be there. She agreed to let me stay with her until it was confirmed that I got the townhouse, and I was out.

  As I trudged my luggage past the kitchen, Aunty insisted on trying to convince me to stay but I had had enough of her already. I didn’t have time to help raise an old lady. Smitty grinned as we walked past. He waved and said “bye,” smiling largely. I wanted to throw something at his big nappy head.

  I put Ebony’s address into my GPS and I was off it. I hoped that the rest of my time in the DMV would be pretty uneventful. I didn’t come this far to not be happy.

  Ebony’s one bedroom loft was extra fancy and glamorous just like her personality. Shayonna and I definitely couldn’t stay there long. Her couches were white, carpet was whiter and all of the living room fixtures were crystal and looked pricey. She had oak and glass cabinets with lights that spotlighted her fancy dishes. The house was definitely not kid proof and I didn’t want to burden her with us staying there anyway. After all I was just warming up to her.

  “Let me guess, Smitty is back?” she asked.

  I looked at her and rolled my eyes, “I told you; if that nigga ever came back that I was out. I don’t get why she’s putting up with him. He’s old and ugly, lives off of her, he’s a drunk and a woman beater. She’s tripping on something.”

  “Girl, I stopped trying to figure it out a long time ago. My entire family out here loves her to death because she is so sweet, but no one messes with her like that because of Smitty.”

  “Well as much as I hate to say this; as of now, Aunty is cut.” I stated with sincerity.

  And that’s exactly what I meant. For the duration of my stay with Ebony, I didn’t contact Aunty at all. Luckily I only had to stay with Ebony for two weeks before being called for my apartment. The only other phone calls I received were from Tony. Day and night, night and day, he didn’t let up. He begged to know where I was, but I didn’t plan on talking to him until I was settled down and comfortable.

  I was all smiles as I walked into my new townhouse. Everything was freshly painted; you could smell the fumes from the shellac on the hardwood floors in the living room. Our bedrooms were full of sunlight because the windows were enormous. It didn’t take me long at all to furnish my new home. It was small and cozy, perfect for only Shayonna and me. The upstairs held our carpeted bedrooms and one small bathroom. Downstairs, the living room was quite spacious and the kitchen was separated from the living room by an island.

  I loved cooking dinner while watching Shayonna laugh at the Disney characters on TV. She was my heart and soul, and she became my sole purpose for living. That’s all I did daily; work, take Shayonna to school, help her with her homework, take her to the park, cook, clean and sleep. I found a pediatrician who I trusted to monitor Shayonna’s progress in recovering from the rape. As far as they were concerned, she was recovering just fine.

  When I started working at the rental office, I felt right at home. Properties were my thing and it was like a walk in the park. The pay wasn’t all that, but the fact that I only had to pay half of the normal rent was an advantage.

  I enrolled Shayonna in school and she boasted about all the new friends that she’d made. Life was good at last. I even changed my phone number so everything in Boston was officially cut off. I wrote Tre a letter letting him kn
ow where I had moved and that if he needed anything, I was only a phone call away.

  My life was becoming pretty routine and I didn’t mind because it was drama free. I didn’t know what to do with myself when I had a day off, so I normally I just shopped. Every day on my way to drop Shayonna off in the morning, this one guy, who was the only black dude working with four Mexicans painting the house next door would always wave hello. I never paid him any mind. I would wave back and keep it moving. But on this particular day, he spotted me struggling to bring my grocery bags to my front porch. He ran over and asked if I needed help.

  “Hey beautiful, looks like you could use a hand.” He offered.