by LadyJ
“What’s the business?” Trent asked jumping to his feet. Nino didn’t reply he just grabbed his strap, and followed behind his big brother. “We need to go handle some shit going down at the spot?” Trent was proving trying to figure out what was going on.
“I’ll fill you in, in the car.” All three men piled into Meek’s truck and started up the car.
“Hold up!” Trent said and Meek slammed on his brakes as he was backing away from the curb. Trent got out of the truck, ran over to his car, and swung open the driver’s side door. Meek and Nino watched as he pulled his .9mm from underneath his seat and jogged back to the truck.
“You ready now nigga?” Nino asked once Trent closed the back door.
“Yeah blood, let’s get it.”
Six
“Girl, I know his ass ain’t no good but that dick is.” Carmen laughed out loud as Moe shook her head. They were sitting at the table at Wendy’s having lunch with Roshel and Kira.
“Eww, nasty! Don’t nobody want to hear all that.” Moe blurted with her face all screwed up trying to get the image of Carmen and Trent’s sexual encounters out of her head. “Saying that nasty stuff in front of my God Child like that.”
Carmen looked over at her baby sitting in the high chair munching on her French fries. “Girl bye, she don’t know what the hell we’re talking about.” Carmen waved Moe off.
“So Ro, what’s been up with you? Your ass over there acting all anti-social.” Moe asked Roshel who was sitting on the outside of the table. Ro’s face appeared sad and she was taking tinny bites of her food. She lifted her head and looked up at her friends who were both staring at her waiting on an explanation.
“Oh, nothing.” Ro lied, then fixed her eyes back on her burger and fries.
“Ro, you know you can talk to us about anything right?” Carmen said.
“Yeah, I know Carmen.” She replied not even bothering to look them in the eye.
“So, tell us what’s up then.” Moe added.
Roshel picked up her paper napkin, and whipped her hands and mouth. She sighed deeply as if she had something weighing heavily on her mind. “I don’t want to bother you guys with my problems.” She said then sat back in her wheel chair.
“Come on now Roshel Renee Marshal. We’ve been friends ever since grade school.” Carmen said reminiscing about how Roshel would follow her and Moe around the playground at recess. Although she was two years younger than they were; she still tagged along. “We’re practically like sisters. Whenever you have a problem, we all have a problem.” She reached over and softly rubbed Roshel’s shoulder. Ro took one look at Carmen and Moe and thought about all the bullshit the three of them had been through together. The more she thought about how lucky she was to have the two girls as her best friends; she let go of the tears she had been holding onto all afternoon.
“I love you girls.” Roshel forced a smile through the pain she was currently enduring at that moment.
Moe completely stopped eating, grabbed a hand full of paper napkins from the middle of the table, and moved around in the booth so that she would be seated closer to Ro. She took the napkins and dried the tears streaming down Roshel’s cheek. “Tell us what’s going on Ro.” Moe was genuinely concerned about her friends’ wellbeing. This was the second time she had shed tears in front of her, and Moe sensed that Ro was in the middle of a very deep depression and really wished she could help her out of it.
“Everything, I want to able to get out and live my life freely without this fucking wheelchair. I want to do normal things again. I want a family, I want children.” Ro stopped speaking for a while as the tears started to resurface.
“Ro, please don’t do that. You’re going to make me cry.”
“Moe placed her hand on top of Carmen’s hand to stop her from going any further. “No Carmen, let her get it all out.” Moe said. “Let it all out Ro. We’re here for you baby girl.” She always referred to Ro as baby girl because she was the youngest of the three of them. Roshel was twenty three years old, and at the time of the shooting, she was just a baby at age seventeen.
“Then on top of the way I’ve been feeling,” Ro started with anger in her voice this time when she spoke, “that stupid bitch Ann won’t quit fucking with me!” She slammed her fist down on the table.
“Wait! Come again?” Carmen and Moe looked at each other strange. “What the fuck you mean she want stop fucking with you?” Moe was about to pop a vessel when she found out someone had been picking on her home girl. “Why you ain’t tell us Ro?”
“You talking about that broke ass hoe who lives across the street from your Moms? What she messing with you for?” Carmen asked.
“I don’t know, she just does. I can’t even come out side and chill on the front porch like I used to do. She comes over to my mom yard and throws trash on the ground and she’ll toss empty bottles up on the porch and dare me to get up out of my chair and pick it up. That sick bitch laughs at me as if my disability is joke to her. I wish I could walk, cause if I could, I’d walk my ass right across that street and kill that bitch.”
“Oh, hell naw!” Moe hopped straight up out of the booth and backed Roshel away from the table. “Carmen, get Kira. We about to go check this bitch.”
“Moe, slow down!” Carmen yelled out as they sped through the Miami streets in Moe’s four door Acura sedan. “Ro’s wheelchair is going to fall out of the trunk if you keep on speeding over these pot holes like this.” Carmen swayed back and forth in the back seat. Moe glanced in her rearview mirror and saw her trunk flapping in the wind with half of Roshel’s chair hanging out. She knew the chair was too big to fit in her tinny truck but she didn’t give a damn; she never left Ro out.
Moe pulled up to Ro’s mother house and threw the car in park, jumped out, and pulled the wheelchair out of the trunk. She rolled the chair up on the sidewalk, then opened up the passenger’s side door. Carmen got out of the car and helped her carry Ro to her chair. After, Moe got Kira out of the back seat and placed her in Roshel’s lap. She pushed them over to the front porch, then turned the chair around to face the street.
“You stay right here. I want you to witness this ass whooping.” Moe jogged back over to Carmen waiting on the sidewalk. They looked themselves over making sure they were ready to bump. “Put your hair up. You know how you is about bitches pulling on your hair.” She tossed Carmen the extra ponytail holder she had on her wrist. “You ready?” She asked Carmen after she had pulled all of her hair up into one big ponytail.
“Yeah.” Carmen replied before they both marched their way across the street. “Looks like her mother is home.” Carmen said as they walked passed the Minivan in the driveway.
“I don’t give no fucks.” Moe strutted right up to the front door, and banged loudly as if she was the mad a hell. When the older woman opened up the door Moe put on her best front. “Hello ma’am is Ann home by chance?” She asked in the most polite manner.
“Yes, she’s in here. Hold on, I’ll get her.” The older woman replied. “Ann, there’s someone here to see you.” She called out while making her way back inside of her home.
Ann was a sloppy looking fat chick with a face full of pimples and big buck teeth that stuck out way pass her top lip. She came to the door in her house coat and slippers with a cigarette hanging from the corner of her mouth. “What y’all want with me?” Ann spat dumbfounded by the visit. She hit her cigarette and blew the smoke into Moe and Carmen’s face. Neither one of them replied to Ann’s question. Moe snatched her out of the doorway by her frail nappy hair and dragged her down the steps. She wasted no time calling out to her mother for help.
“Bitch, shut the fuck up!” Moe punched her again and again as Carmen kicked her repeatedly. Her mother came running outside to her defense screaming and hollering for the girls to stop the attack on her daughter. Carmen backed off and pulled Moe up off top of Ann.
“Let me find out you fucking with my little sister again. I’ll be back, you can bet that.” Moe tal
ked smack all the way back across the street. When they made it back to Roshel’s mother house, Ro was killing herself laughing at the beating they had just put on her bully. After all these months of being taunted by Ann, Ro felt as though justice was served.
“Y’all asses is crazy.” Ro was still laughing at her friends when they walked up on her front porch huffing and puffing form their fight. “I knew y’all fools was gone go over there and cut the fuck up.”
“Mannn, fuck dat bitch!” Moe yelled out loudly. “I know one thing, she bet not mess with you no more, and I mean that shit.” She walked over to Ro and looked down at her sitting in her chair. “You will forever be my baby girl. I’ll kick any bitch head off their shoulders for fucking with you.” She kissed the top of Ro’s forehead, “I love you babe.” She stepped back and smiled.
“Me too.” Carmen jumped in and hugged both of them tightly. “Umm, where’s Kira?” She asked Ro once she released them.
“Oh, I put her in the house. I didn’t want her watching the fight. You know, in case Ann hadda sat on one of y’all.” They all laughed. Their friendship was priceless. There was nothing these girls wouldn’t do for each other.
Seven
Lord, I come to you and place all of my burdens at your feet. I know that I wasn’t the best person, but what did I do to deserve this? I ask that you forgive me. My heart can no longer take the pain and my mind can no long handle the mental abuse that I’ve been fighting with. I come to you asking you to fix this feeling of worthlessness, and take this feeling of sorrow away. I know the things that are taunting me inside of my head is not in your favor, but it’s all I seem to think about. Why are you keeping me here?
Roshel reopened her eyes just as a single tear rolled down the side of her face. She laid there in her bed thinking of how hard the last five years has been on her. She constantly fought with the thought of taking her own life; every day was a struggle for her. It was struggle to get out of bed, it was a struggle to get a bath and clothed. She was tired of having to depend upon others to take care of her every need and she was slowly starting to hate the cruel world we live in, and herself.
“Ma!” She yelled as she tried to roll herself over the edge of the bed.
“What is it baby?” Her mother appeared in the doorway.
“Will you help me into the bathroom? I have to pee.” She said using her arms to pull herself up on the bed.
“Sure baby.” Her mother rolled Ro’s wheelchair over to her bedside. She stepped close to her and slid her forearms around her waist. “Ok, on the count of three.” She said then they both counted to three together.
“1, 2, 3.” Her mother lifted her up and sat her back down in her chair. “Whoa, girl what have you been eating? Feels like you’re a bit heavier than you were yesterday morning.” Her mother always joked with Carmen to keep her spirits up. She hated seeing her only child going through life like this, but she was happy that she had survived. She wheeled her out of her bedroom and down the hallway to the bath room. Because the bathroom was so small, Roshel’s mother had to stop outside the door and carry her inside. She sat her down on the toilet then hovered over her holding her up.
This was another thing Ro hated about her life. She had lost all of her independence and she couldn’t stand putting this responsibility on her mother. She had taken care of her all of her life, and it was evident that she would have to continue. She felt horrible watching her mother struggle to pay her medical bills; she worked all the over time the state of Florida would allow and still it wasn’t enough. Her mother had no social life. All she knew was work and taking care of her daughter.
Roshel’s mother cleaned her up and carried her back to her wheelchair. “You hungry suga?” She asked pushing her into the kitchen. She rolled her up to the table and sat a cloth napkin in her lap. She walked over to the stove and checked on the home made biscuits she had cooking in the oven. “The biscuits are almost ready.” She informed Roshel reaching up into the cabinet for two plates. She sat one plate in front of Ro, then placed the other one on the opposite side of the table for herself. Roshel watched as her mother glide around the kitchen fixing their plates and wished it was her.
“Mama, you ever miss dad?” Ro asked her mom catching her completely off guard with her question.
Her mother turned around and gave her a wired glare from the stove. “What on earth made you ask that?” She wondered, since it had been years since her daughter had asked her about the man who ran out on them when she was twelve years old. “Haven’t heard you mention your donor in a while.” Her mother took her seat at the table. She held Roshel’s hands as she led them in prayer.
“Amen!” Roshel replied as her mother released her hands. “I was just wondering if you ever get lonely Ma, that’s all.” She picked back up where she had left off. Dad was the last man I can remember you with. I haven’t seen you with a man in forever. You do still like men don’t you Ma?” She teased her mother.
Roshel’s mother giggled lightly at her statement. “Of course I still like men. And for your information, there were others after your father.” She shook her head at her daughter’s silly question.
“Well, why haven’t I seen you with one?” Roshel picked up her fork from the kitchen table and stuffed her mouth full of eggs. “You never bring a man around here? I never see you get all dressed up to go out anywhere other than work.” She talked with her mouth full of food.
“Just because I don’t date doesn’t mean I don’t like men. And stop talking with your mouth full.” She fussed while spreading butter over the top of her biscuits. “Why are you so concerned with my love life anyway?”
“Because, all I ever see you do is bust your butt at work, and take care of me. Mom, I want you to have life outside of me. You don’t always have to hang around here looking after me when you’re not working. Over the years I’ve learned how to take care of myself pretty good when you’re not around.” She threw her mother a hint at where she was heading with the conversation.
“What are you trying to say young lady?” Her mother asked giving Roshel her undivided attention.
Roshel finished chewing her food, then washed it down with the fresh, cold orange juice in the glass. She picked up the cloth napkin from her lap and wiped her mouth. For a moment she just stared at her beautiful mother not saying anything. She wasn’t sure if she should tell her how she was really feeling or if she should sugar coat it.
“Mom, If I had of died out there that night, what would your life be like right now?” She hypothetically asked.
“Well, I don’t know. I probably would have just sat around here and do nothing.” She answer.
“Well, I might as well had died then.” Roshel started to eat again as if she had just proven her case to her mother.
“Where on earth is all of this coming from Roshel? Don’t you ever talk like that again.”
“I’m just saying mom, all you ever do is sit around here doing nothing and I’m still alive so now what’s your excuse?” She watched her mother’s facial expression change as her eyes slanted up towards the ceiling. Cleary she was pondering on the question her daughter had just asked her. “See, you can’t even answer my question.” She lifted her empty plate form the table top and placed it in her lap. She then backed her chair away from the table and wheeled herself to the sink to put her dish away. She turned around to find her mother still staring off at the ceiling lost in a trance. “Mom!” She snapped her finger. “You still haven’t answered my question.” As she waited for an answer Roshel began to clean the dirty pots and pans on the stove. Her mother watched as she moved around the kitchen with ease.
“I don’t know Ro.” Was all her mother replied after a while of thinking it over. “I suppose I’ve just been too busy with work duties and my responsibly here I don’t have time for anything else.”
“Exactly!” Roshel shouted pointing in her mother’s direction. “You need to enjoy life more mom. Your whole world shouldn’t revolve aro
und me.” She told her.
“It doesn’t.” Her mother protested.
“It does. When was the last time you went out on a date with a man?” She rolled over to the table and collected her mother’s empty plate to clean it. “I bet you can’t remember.”
“Umm, I think it was,” Her mother started then stopped again to re-think about the question she was asked, “Hell, I can’t even tell you when the last time I’ve been out with a man was.” She stood and began to help Roshel clean the dishes.
“See, that’s what I’m talking about Mom. It’s time you to have a life. I hate seeing you moping around here when you should be out enjoying your life. You have already done your part with me. You raised me and I love you for that and so much more. I just think it’s time for you to do your own thing. Life is to short and I’m tired of seeing you unhappy.” She slightly turned in her chair and looked up at her mother who was staring down at her while she expressed her feelings. Her mother kneeled down so the two of them would be eye to eye. She put her arms around Roshel and hugged her tightly. Roshel count here her mother’s silent cries as she tried to hide her tears from her. She knew that she was a huge burden on her mother.