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

by LaShonda DeVaughn

  “What the fuck do you mean?” I asked.

  “They had cameras on the back of the house where Paul was murdered. They couldn’t identify the killer during the investigation. They only had the tattoo on his neck with your name on it to identify him. Once I recognized it on TV last month, I offered the police the information. I don’t understand why you wanted to marry a killer when there are so many hopeful men out here. I did it for your own good.”

  I clicked the phone off and threw it into the passenger seat. I felt the butterflies cutting into my stomach. I wanted to kill this bitch! All that shit about me being the queen and her having all this respect for me was some bullshit. This bitch blindsided me, she was jealous from the beginning, she straight game faced me.

  A Hood Chick is thorough… designed to take no shit from no one! She’s LOYAL; she protects her family and is down for her friends. She can adapt to any environment like a chameleon… The hood taught her to see through bullshit and play you before you play her…

  But sometimes even Hood Chicks can’t see shit coming….damn Tony…FUCK you Ebony!

  Chapter 16

  The evidence was too strong. Ebony’s revelation was the statement the court needed to place Tony at the crime scene. His face was covered by his B hat but the tattoo was shown clear as day. No matter how much money I dropped on our lawyer, the state’s attorney got all the charges to stick.

  I couldn’t take it. I was a mess once the judge banged the gravel and said the word “LIFE!” I cried my heart out as I watched them take my husband away from me for good. He mouthed the words “I’m sorry.” I couldn’t do anything about what had just happened. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. Just when I thought shit was sweet, I got smacked in the face with a ton of bricks. Now I was married to an inmate, I had two kids to raise on my own and a baby by a baller who never even cared to see what the baby looked like.

  Anger overcame me and I had one destination in mind and that was to see this bitch Ebony.

  I sped to her house and waited. I kicked off my heels and tied my hair up in a tight ponytail. I didn’t care if I had to wait all night and I didn’t fear the consequences of what I was about to do. I just wanted blood. I couldn’t figure out why she would even think to cross me. Did she not fear the repercussions? She knew how I was, how I moved, and the way I handled things. She was a dumb ass bitch to think that I would let some shit that was responsible for ruining my family go. My family came first, you fuck with them, you fuck with me and the results were never pretty.

  Finally I spotted her running inside her house and returning with bags. Either she was moving or going to stay somewhere until she felt shit died down. Whatever the case may be, I was getting her first.

  “What up Ebony.” I said running up on her. I caught her off guard. Her eyes widened in fear. “Tiara, I have a knife in my pocket, I don’t want no trouble.”

  Tears consumed my eyes as I knew I had to hurt the chick I had just recently known as one of my closest friends. It hurt so bad looking at her. I really did love this chick. I would sell my last sock for this bitch and this is how she repaid me? I didn’t give a fuck about a knife in her fuckin’ pocket, it was game time.

  She backed up and struggled to take it out of her pocket. “Aaaaah!!!” she screamed as my fist pounded on her face like a boxing bag. I was giving it to this bitch. Left hooks, right hooks, jabs to her face and her body. I didn’t give her a chance to fight back. She didn’t have a chance in the world of winning what she was up against. I took everything out on her. I wanted to kill her and I had to raise off of her as I almost did just that. I sat on her torso knocking the breaths out of her screams until she stopped screaming. My fists were covered in blood and I felt the bones in her jaws break as I hammered down on her face with all my might. I never beat a bitch like that in my life, but she deserved it. Luckily no one was around and I got to get it in as much as I needed to. I stood up once I beat her defenseless and I spit in her face. “You’re dead to me bitch!” I cried. I got in my car and I shot to my crib.

  Chapter 17

  I patted my foot on my marble floors as I nervously sat at my kitchen table awaiting the police’s arrival. I dismissed the nanny and arranged for Tony’s aunt to stop by and pick up the kids just in case, since Smitty was locked up again. I just knew that Ebony was going to snitch and have me arrested. If the bitch could snitch on her own cousin, there was no telling what she’d do with me.

  I heard a knock on the door. Butterflies floated about in my belly as I moved with ease to the door. To my surprise it was someone who I hadn’t seen in over a year. It was Jeff.

  “What are you doing here? How did you find out where I live?” I asked.

  “It’s in the court documents Tiara, we do have a child together.”

  “Yeah we do, a child that you have never seen!” I lashed out.

  He pitifully put his head down. “Can I come in?” he asked.

  “No you can’t.” I shot out.

  He sighed. “Well can I see him?”

  I hesitated for a moment. At first I felt that he didn’t deserve to see him, but he was his father and I didn’t want to be a petty bitch. Plus, I wanted him to see the beautiful little boy he was missing out on. “Hold on.” I said closing the door. I placed my back against the door wondering if I was violating Tony by letting him see our son. Although he was locked up, I planned to still be devoted to him. The loyalty was natural. Then I figured if Jeff’s intentions were sincere, maybe he’d participate in the baby’s life in Tony’s absence.

  I ran upstairs. Shayonna was playing with the baby teaching him how to dance. I smiled at them, they were truly my world and all that I had left. I scooped the baby up and told Shayonna that I’d be right back.

  Jeff had his back to me when I opened the door. When he turned and saw the small mirror image of himself, he started bawling. He cried like someone died.

  “Yo, this is my little man.” He said. He covered his mouth with the top of his fist and shook his head.

  “I’m sorry Tiara. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” He cried. I almost cried too but honestly I’d been going through so much, I was all cried out.

  “I want to be a part of his life, a part of your life. We have to make something work for lil’ man’s sake.”

  He took the baby out of my hands and scoped my wedding ring on my left hand.

  “You’re married?” he asked surprised.

  I folded my arms and looked at him. It was none of his damn business. This nigga left me blowing in the wind after something life threatening happened to me and I still hadn’t forgiven him.

  “Is your husband home?” he asked looking behind me.

  “No.” I said.

  He nodded. “Damn, I lost out huh?” he asked. He kissed the baby on the cheek and kept staring into his face and after a while he handed him back to me. “If it’s okay with you and your husband, I would like to stop by more often to pick up the baby. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you are more than welcome to come with us. I just have to catch up on what I missed out on with my little man. I love him already.” He said tearfully.

  He looked away, “did you hear about what happened to K.D?” he asked. “He’s in jail for raping like five chicks.”

  “I’m not surprised.” I said.

  “God don’t like ugly.” He said looking in my eyes as if he was still in love with me and then planted a kiss on my cheek.

  “I’m sorry again for putting you through bullshit. I should’ve listened to you. But being in this business, there are so many girls screaming rape, it made me question you. As time went on, I felt stupid. You were the realest chick I’ve ever known. I was a fool to question your sincerity. Honestly, I’m still not over you and I’m glad that I have something in this world that still connects me to you.” He said pinching the baby’s cheek.

  “I’m gonna let you go. I’ll be around, I promise.” He said walking off and jumping into his black Maserati. />
  Aunty pulled up as he was leaving out. I already had the kids packed up and ready to send them off with her. When they headed out, I grabbed my purse and decided to hit up a local bar. I needed a drink because my mind, body and soul were exhausted. I felt like shit.

  While at the bar, my phone rang from an unfamiliar number.

  “Hello.” I answered.

  “Hey T, it’s Renee.”

  It was loud in the bar area and I took a sip of my long island and wondered what she wanted. Although she had attended my wedding, we hadn’t caught up for small talk since then. I could hear in her voice that she had something to tell me.

  “What’s good?” I asked.

  “Yo.” She sighed. “I was just calling to let you know that bitch Ashley is going around the hood telling niggas that her son is Tony’s baby. And on some real shit T, the little nigga looks just like him. The spitting image of that nigga.”

  “Huh?” I asked.

  Instantly I grew pissed. Ashley was the bitch I left Tony over. The bitch that fucked up our relationship. The same hoe that stole his money and made him get into it with that nigga Shawn. The same nigga that took my daughter’s innocence and raped her. I knew what I was hearing couldn’t be true, Tony wasn’t that stupid.

  “I’m about to text you a picture of the little nigga right now. I couldn’t believe it when I seen them T, I snapped a picture on my camera phone because I had to send it to you. You just got married, this shit is crazy.”

  “Aiight send it through now.” I demanded.

  I guzzled my long island waiting for this picture to come through. Thousands of thoughts trailed through my mind as I bit down on my straw. Yeah, Tony and I had been broken up. He was free to do as he pleased, as was I. But of all the bitches in the world, the hoe Ashley, the one that caused so much grief in our lives? I just knew that it couldn’t be.

  My phone alerted that the text came through and I was shaking before I opened it. Right there clear as day was a baby that looked like the boy version of Shayonna. “Ugh.” I couldn’t breathe. I almost threw up in my mouth. I couldn’t believe this was happening. The baby couldn’t be more than a year old which meant that they were fucking around recently. After everything that she put our family through, how could he?

  Chapter 18

  I called up to the prison to see if I was able to go visit Tony and they told me that visits started in two hours. I used those two hours to try to get myself together. I massaged my temples and tried to calm my headache before heading inside the prison facility.

  Tony sat on the other side of the glass and picked up the phone. His puppy dog eyes were so sad and defenseless. He was going through it. I was prepared to ride it out with him until I found out that he had violated me and Shayonna by fuckin’ with Ashley.

  “Someone just called me and told me that you have a child with Ashley.” I said.

  He bit his lips and looked away confirming that it was true. I sighed. “Unbelievable. You went back and fucked with the bitch that ruined our life? Tell me it’s not true Tony.”

  He still hadn’t met my eyes and I sat looking at him disgusted.

  “How fuckin’ stupid could you be Tony? She stole all that money from y’all, fucked up your relationship with Shawn and look what that nigga ended up doing to our baby? And that’s the bitch you continued to fuck with when I left? Really?”

  He sat there looking stupid. He showed no emotion nor did he have answers for his stupidity. Finally, he scooted his chair closer to the glass. “That was a mistake! You weren’t around T and I was vulnerable.” He turned his head as if the Ashley situation wasn’t something I should be focused on. “Listen, I’m in here for you! I’m in this bitch because I love you!” He pointed hard. “I did what I did for you and now I’m about to be in this bitch for life! Fuck an Ashley!” he snapped.

  “I know that Tony. I didn’t tell you to go do what you did. Nor did I say that I would ever turn my back on you while you’re in here. But betrayal is betrayal and it’s only right that I confront you.”

  “Fuck that! Fuck what’s going on in Boston, let’s talk about what the fuck is going on right now!” he griped.

  I nodded. “You don’t get it to do you? Our life could’ve been so perfect if you wasn’t always thinking about yourself. That Ashley bitch is why I’m here, that Ashley bitch is why I was raped, that Ashley bitch is why your daughter was raped, don’t you get it?”

  Finally I got through to him and he bent his head, breathing heavily. “Man you’re right, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for putting you through this and I’m sorry for putting Shayonna and little man through this.” He looked at me with the saddest eyes. “It’s over for me, I’m in this bitch for life T, LIFE!” he sniffed as a tear crept out of his left eye and then paused.

  “You were always too good for me, I never deserved you. You deserved a better nigga than me, but God does everything for a reason…so check it. Just put money on my books, keep me updated with photos of Shayonna and little man. I want you to move on.”

  “Tony?” I called out. A lump was stuck in my throat as he stood up. “Tony I...”

  He cut me off. “Hear me out baby. I’ve made my mistakes, it’s time for me to finally eat them like a man. Tiara you’re the realest chick I know, if I asked you to ride this bid out with me, you would. But you don’t deserve that. You deserve to be with someone who could do and be all the things that I should’ve been for you.”

  “Stop it Tony! What are you saying?” I cried. “I can’t just walk away from you.”

  “You have no choice boo.” He cried and was about to hang up the phone.

  “This visit is over.” The officer behind him hollered.

  “Look, I gotta go. Remember what I said. I’ll always love you. We T-N-T.” He smiled, but it looked like it pained him to smile. “We blew shit up, now it’s time for me to follow your little brother’s words. Don’t cry, just ride. I’m gonna ride this out T, but I can’t do it unless I know you’re happy. Promise me you’ll be happy boo.”

  I couldn’t stop crying.

  “Promise me.” He demanded.

  “Nooo!” I cried out.

  “Promise.” He said placing his hand on the glass.

  I put my hand on the glass against his. “I promise.” I cried.

  __________

  They ended up transferring Tony out of state. I called around to just about every prison facility looking for him but to no avail. I cried all the time thinking about him and all the time we shared. He made a lot of mistakes but our love was always real and I would never forget him. He was the love of my life.

  When I finally heard from him it was in the form of divorce papers in the mail from his lawyers. I cried like a baby signing them. But I knew it was him telling me that he really wanted me to let go.

  Jeff was now back in my life full time. Although he had once given up on me, he made up for it by being a wonderful father, both to our son and to Shayonna. We became inseparable and soon after, I found out that I was expecting baby number three, another boy. I had a small baby shower and that’s when Jeff proposed to me and I accepted. I now had three kids and I put my heart into my family. Though shit didn’t turn out the way that I wanted it to, in the end, I had finally gotten what I wanted. A family, security and a good man. I would never forget where I’ve been and I just hoped that things in my life would remain positive.

  __________

  Tony wrote me a letter letting me know that he was transferred back to the area and asked if I could visit him. Jeff was so understanding, he encouraged me to go. I was so nervous, but super excited to see him. I sat waiting nervously in the open visiting room waiting to see Tony.

  He came out to the visiting room smiling. He had dark stubble on his cheek and he looked older. I embraced him with a light hug and we sat and chatted. I took out pictures of Shayonna and the baby and he couldn’t believe how big they had gotten.

  “You okay in here? You need anything.”

&nb
sp; “I’m good.” He said.

  He stared at me and then rubbed his hand over my cheek, “you look good.” He said.

  “Thank you, I just had another baby. That’s him right there.” I showed him in the picture.

  “Oh wow, lil’ man’s a G.” he said.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m sorry for what I put you through Tiara.” He apologized.

  “Tony don’t worry about any of that, it’s the past.”

  “Yeah but I put you through some shit and I never meant any harm.”

  “I know Tony.” I sat rubbing his hand.