Hood
Page 25
Her fingers tingled from his energy and she took a deep breath as Robb Hawk came up for the last verse.
Her road to recovery had been rough and lonely. She’d gotten her GED, enrolled in community college, she was making meetings…and she was clean. But she’d been wrong to come back here so soon. Her heart was still open. The wounds still tender.
She opened her purse and pulled out a much-folded piece of paper as Hawk put his flow down on the third verse.
Son of the slums, my block ain’t got Jags on it!
Just crack, gats, and deadbeat dads on it!
Young bucks like to wild out and spazz on it,
Every other hour there’s another body bag on it!
Egypt unfolded the letter and stared at the single line of writing before her.
You have tested negative for the virus that causes HIV and AIDS.
It was her third test in fourteen months, and each one had come back negative.
Egypt sighed, reaching inside herself for her newly gained peace. So much had happened that it still seemed unreal. Sackie and baby Andreka gone. Hood turning his back on the drug game and going for his music career full force. Zena living on the streets and smoked out, totally crazy with grief…
Robb Hawk was onstage cutting up, and she refolded the small sheet of paper and stuck it back in her purse as she turned her attention back to the show.
She was drawn to him, of course. And he was drawn to her. Their eyes met again. There was still a lot of love there. And a lot of pain too.
Egypt let go first. She turned away, sparing him.
His eyes were heavy on her back as she pushed through the bouncing crowd and quickly disappeared from sight.
Hawk was finished slaying his verse and it was time for the hook again.
Hood lifted his mic to his lips and joined his boys. Spitting with hard-body fire, he tore the hook all the way down, reciting the words that he’d written from his heart…for the woman he would always love.
No regrets cause life is sacred! Never let go of what you put your faith in! Times get hard, gotta keep your patience! Hold on till your dream comes true and embrace it! Face it!
“Stay strong, E,” Hood whispered softly. He nodded in her direction with mad love shining in his eyes. “No regrets, baby. Just hold on to your dreams.”