by Renee, Mimi
Covering his mouth, Larry said, “Oh, my bad, I'm sorry, baby, I didn't know,” he said regretfully. “I see ole Unc like running around like he the big bad wolf or something,” he said, getting serious. “But I told you though, he ain't gone run us,” Larry said like he had a bad taste in his mouth. And he meant that.
Hearing her mother's footsteps coming closer to their direction, Bright said, “Okay baby, but please don't mention him to Mama, it will only upset her,” she warned. Larry hurriedly nodded his head in agreement. “Got you baby.”
Joining them in the hallway, Rosette said, “Now what's going on with all this you’re afraid of your Uncle stuff that Larry is talking about?” she said, looking in between the two of them.
“Ma, Larry was talking about his uncle,” Bright said, looking at the time. “Aren't you gonna be late for work?” she asked.
Rosette looked at her wristwatch. “What, he bothering you or somethin’?”
“No, Moms, everything is alright, Bright's just afraid to meet my uncle because I told her how mean and grumpy he was,” Larry said, covering up for Bright. “Everything’s all good though,” he assured her.
Changing the confused expression on her face, Rosette grabbed her work and lunch bag then proceeded to the door. “Y'all had me going for a minute there, because my brother is dead and has been even before Bright was born,” she affirmed, then opened the door to leave. “I'm gone, Queen Bee; take care of my babies,” she said, proceeding to exit the apartment. Then before closing the door behind herself, she remembered what she wanted to tell Bright earlier. “I don't know what’s going on with Deja and Cordell, but they both done turned into street runners. When they get home, tell 'em I want them to stay in. I don't want them getting into any trouble.”
However, what Rosette didn't know was that the trouble had already begun. Cordell and Deja were officially out experiencing street life.
Though Bright had noticed how they had both begin to spend more time outside of the house then they did in, she figured they were probably hanging with friends. “Got you, Ma,” she said, then she closed the door behind her mother.
“Isn't that wild?” Bright said, directing her attention back to Larry. “She swears she's never talking to her brother ever again in life,” Bright said with a sad face, nodding her head in disbelief.
“Wow,” Larry said, “if you hadn't warned me, I would of believed Moms didn't even have a living brother.”
“Yeah, I told you,” Bright said, leading Larry to the kitchen to make him a plate of her mother’s dinner: smother chicken, rice, and fried corn.
After dinner, Larry helped Bright straighten up the apartment, rubbed her sore feet for a while, then left to go to work. But he told her he was going home to study.
“I love you Larry Lane,” Bright yelled out her front door as Larry made his way down to his Mustang.
“I love you more, Pretty Bright,” Larry yelled back up to her, then he got in his car and sped off before he was late for work.
********** At five months pregnant, Bright laid on her back in Terrence bed with him on top of her pumping away. Disgusted, Bright wished he would hurry up and bust a nut so that he could give her some money and take her back home. Being pregnant made her hate having sex with Terrence; she felt degraded. The only man she wanted inside of her was Larry, but it was the money that kept her in and out Terrence’s bed and on her knees in his truck when she was too lazy to fuck. Bright wanted to cry; his every stroke, kiss, touch, and moan made her skin want to jump off of her and crawl away. But how else would she buy the things that her babies and Larry needed? Or keep fresh clothes on her back and money in her pockets? She had outgrown being broke and had become
accustomed to having lots of money in her possession. She didn't want her babies to lack anything, and she certainly didn't want her future husband working a low-paying job that would demand his time from her, school or basketball practice and end up losing his chances at getting drafted into the NBA. She couldn't let that happen, so instead of dumping Terrence, Bright decided to hang in there just a little bit longer. Hurry up! she cried to herself.
“What the fuck is up with you?” Terrence climbed
off of Bright and stared at her. This bitch is always crying about something, he thought. “I told you since I've been pregnant that it hurts me to have sex and you don't care, all you wanna do is bust a nut,” Bright whined. The truth was that her pregnancy made her see the ugly truth that was called her reality, and it hurt her deeply to lay in bed and let Terrence nut on her and Larry's babies’ heads. She wished she could just suck his dick and get it over with, but he just had to have the pussy, no matter how much she complained it hurt her. She even went as far as telling him that she had a high risk pregnancy, and that the doctor told her to abstain from having sex to avoid having a miscarriage, but Terrence didn't care. All he wanted was pussy, pussy, and more pussy.
“A'ight beautiful,” Terrence sighed, seeing that Bright was really being affected by having sex. “If the dick is too much for you to handle right now, a nigga can jack off until we have the babies,” he said disappointedly. “Nigga still like his dick sucked though,” he smiled, stroking himself. It turned him on knowing that he was tearing the pussy up.
Bright nodded her head in agreement. “This shit ain't no joke, Ice.” She called him his street name to stroke his ego. “I love making love to you and everything baby, but I don't wanna lose the babies over it either. So we gone have to take it easy.” She acted as if she was in pain.
“You alright, baby?” Terre nce asked, then tossed two bundles of money to her on the bed. “I bet that'll make you smile,” he said, holding his dick in his hand, ready to get it sucked. He knew that money would shut her up.
As usual, Bright lit up like a Christmas tree and smiled. “I can suck it, but the coochie needs a break baby,” Bright climbed across the bed to let her mouth meet Terrence’s rod. Bobbing her head up and down his penis, she devoured him until he yelled, moaned in ecstasy, and came inside her mouth. After she spit it out, she took a shower, then Terrence drove her back home.
The second Bright stepped foot out of Terrence's truck, Treasure yelled out her name as she made her way up the street. “What’s up, bestie?” Bright responded once she closed Terrence’s truck door.
She hadn't kicked it with her girl in a minute and was in desperate need of catching up and smoking a blunt. She had such a sickly pregnancy, and the only time she could eat or hold anything down was if she smoked a blunt. She just kept it a secret from Larry because she knew he'd flip out. He had already told her that he didn't want her consuming any weed or alcohol while she was carrying his babies. Terrence, on the other hand, didn't mind Bright smoking weed while she was pregnant. His mother smoked her whole term while pregnant with him and he turned out fine and didn't have a problem with it. It was alcohol that he had a problem with, and he and Bright had an agreement that she wouldn't indulge until after she had the babies.
“I been missing in action, so I decided to come holler at you, since you been too busy for me,” Treasure teased with attitude. “And you know you the only friend I have since Nicole and Suge been out the picture,” she added.
Bright hugged Treasure tight. “Girl, I been m issing you,” she smiled. “But every time I called your house you were either asleep, busy, or gone, so I thought you were too busy for me, BF,” Bright teased. “I spoke to Suge the other day too and she doing good!” Bright smiled.
“I got a lot on my mind,” Treasure said, pulling a bag of Kush out of her purse.
“You know I need some of that too,” Bright said, walking into her courtyard. “My mom getting ready to go to work so give me a minute so we can get high!” Bright laughed.
“Yeah, but you really need to stop smoking weed, Bright,” Treasure said out of concern for her unborn babies. She had told Bright time and time again, but she never listened.
Bright turned to look at her with a pitiful expression on her face
. “Girl, I told you this is the only way I can eat, and I gotta feed the babies,” she said, carefully climbing the stairs to her apartment.
“Yeah you always sick...Or crying,” Treasure added, falling into laughter. “Straight drama queen.”
Once inside the apartment, Rosette said, “Queen Bee, make time to catch up on some of the class work you missed while you were out of school last week,” she said the second her daughter walked inside the apartment. She didn't want Bright using her sickly pregnancy as a reason or escape from finishing high school.
Bright flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “Already done, Ma, me and Larry had a study date last night and he helped me with all the work I needed help with,” she said proudly.
Rosette smiled. “Good...I sure love that boy, he's awesome,” she said, nodding her head. “Hey Treasure, baby,” she greeted with a warm smile on her face.
“Hello, Miss Rose,” Treasure greeted back. Treasure liked Rosette, her spirits were always up even when things were down.
“Well, you girl's gone on ahead and do whatcha do, I'm taking the night off, Queen Bee. I've been feeling awful, so I'm calling it a night. But when Vince get here, just send him to my room please,” she said, making her way down the hallway.
“You need to go to the doctor Ma,” Bright said to her mother. She had been under the weather for three days now, and Bright was growing concerned.
“Just over-exhausted and not enough rest, I'll be alright,” she said, then closed her bedroom door.
“I told her the same thing,” Deja added, coming out of the boys’ room with her new running buddy, Veronica. “She was throwing up and complaining of a headache earlier, not to mention she losing a lot of weight.” Deja was concerned too.
“This is getting serious,” Bright said, storming off to her mother’s room. Then she opened the door without knocking. “Ma you’re going to the doctor tomorrow, and I'm staying out of school to go with you,” she said with her hand on her hip. Seeing her mother slumped over on the side of her bed with her eyes closed, Bright freaked out. “Maaaa!” she yelled running to her side to see if she was breathing. “Help, call 911, Mama needs help!” Bright yelled, pulling her mother’s eyes open and checking to see if she had a heartbeat.
Quickly, her mother snatched her head out of Bright's hold and caught her breath. “Girl, are you crazy or something? I'm just saying my prayers,” she said, snapping out of an intense prayer.
Holding her chest, Bright sighed of relief as she tried calming herself down. “Well Ma, you scared the crap out of me, I ain't ever see you pray on your knees before,” she took a seat on the corner of her mother's bed.
Rosette laughed to herself looking at her frantic child. “Well that’s probably why I always feel like I'm drowning out here, so I decided to pray a couple of times a day. I'm even considering seeking a home church,” she smiled proudly.
“Oh Lord, Sister Clark is on a mission again,” Bright laughed, then took off out of her mother's room before she started preaching the word of God to her. Because Bright didn't understand God and his laws, she didn't like having spiritual conversions because it scared her to death. The only thing that she did understand was that she was a sinner, and that her punishment was waiting for her in the pits of hell. So when it came to God and religion, Bright avoided talking about it as much as possible.
“Close my bedroom door back, Queen Bee!” Her mother yelled after her.
In the hallway both Treasure and Deja were on the floor in tears busting up laughing at Bright’s reaction to her mother praying.
“Whatever, bitches,” Bright gave them the finger, then went to close her mother's bedroom door.
After changing her clothes, Bright sat with Treasure in the front of her building, talking and smoking a blunt. “So what’s been up with you, Treasure? You still cool on Reggie?” Bright asked, passing her back the blunt.
“I speak to him every once in a while, but that’s it.” Treasure was over dudes that just wanted to fuck.
“You just being stingy with the coochie,” Bright teased, since she knew Treasure was on this new celibacy kick. “When I'ma get the chance to meet this Monster cat, though?” Bright asked, choking on the weed.
Treasure no longer felt comfortable bringing Bright around any guy that she had interest in; things always seemed to get crazy when she was around. So whenever Monster would try to get her to hook his homeboys up with her friends, she would always tell him she didn't have any friends. She was really starting to feel him too. “Monster is cool, he respects my celibacy and still enjoys being around me,” Treasure smiled. “He's out of town right now though.”
Bright cut her off laughing. “What you won’t do, the next female will, so you better quit playing and give yo man some of that good ole coochie before you lose him,” she said with the flare of the eyebrow. “And I can bet my last dollar that another bitch is already throwing that shit at'em,” Bright said seriously to her friend. She didn't believe in all that sex after marriage celibacy crap, but what she did believe is that the gold mine between her legs kept her paid.
“Naw, I'm cool, I'm saving this good cooch for the dude that I commit to and settle down with. Ain't like I'm having orgasms like that anyways, Lil Boo was the only dude to ever make me cum, but after all that shit he said about you, I'm cool on him too,” Treasure said. She wanted to get down to the nature of her visit and fish for answers.
Bright snapped her neck. “Did that nigga tell you that mess?” Bright asked with attitude and a flared up eyebrow.
“I mean, no, he didn't admit it, he said no, but why would Nicole just lie?” Treasure said, guiding the conversation right where she wanted it.
“Cause that bitch was tryna steal my bestie, that’s why!” Bright snapped. “Ole fat jealous bitch,” she added then hit the weed.
Treasure put out a fake laugh. “So what did happen that night after I went to sleep anyways?” she asked.
“Treasure, I didn't fuck him, on my life, on my Mama, I wouldn't lie to you,” Bright said persuasively, looking directly in Treasure's eyes.
Treasure smiled, “I believe you, Bee.” I just want to know what happened after I went to sleep. I was faded, remember?” she added.
Bright squinted her eyes to recall the evening, then a smile appeared across her face as she thought about all that good dick Lil Boo had served her that night. “Lil Boo gave me a blanket and towels to shower with then he went back upstairs,” she shrugged. “That was it?” Treasure asked, holding back the mug that Bright's response had given her. Lil Boo said y'all smoked, so why would he lie about that? This bitch is lying, Treasure thought.
When the ring tone, Ghetto Superstar, blared from Bright's cell phone, indicating that it was Larry, she hurriedly answered the phone. Treasure had caught her off guard with her question, and since she didn't know what Lil Boo had told her, she was happy to have gotten the interruption. “What’s up, Daddy Lane?” She answered in a flirty tone. Bright smiled, “Wait, hold on baby, let me tell Treasure bye.” She removed the phone from her ear. “I'ma hit you later, bestie, I been waiting to talk to baby daddy all day,” she smiled.
Treasure thumped the last of the blunt to the ground then stood up. “Call me when you get off the phone, I wanna finish talking to you,” Treasure said.
“Soon as I get off the phone,” Bright said, nodding her head. Once Treasure made it off of Bright's street, Bright went inside the house, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then laid in her bed talking to Larry. Treasure had called her twice, but Bright ignored her calls, and she planned to do so until she personally spoke to Lil Boo.
********** The next day Bright and her mother went to Universal Care Clinic in Bellflower for her mother to get a doctor visit. “I don't like you missing school for me, Queen Bee, so afterwards, I'm dropping you off to school,” Rosette said.
“That’s fine, Ma, I just wanna make sure you’re alright,” Bright said, pulling her mother's car into the clinic's parking
lot.
“You’re a pretty good driver, too,” her mother laughed. Rosette had been teaching Bright how to drive ever since she was eleven years old, and she was proud of her expert driving skills.
“I get it from my mama,” Bright laughed, remembering the few times she had to drive her mother and siblings home when her mother was too drunk to drive from one of her friends’ get-togethers.
Inside the doctor's office, they discovered Rosette had high blood pressure, and that was the cause of all the headaches she complained about. After the doctor prescribed Rosette some blood pressure medication, he told her to back off smoking cigarettes and drinking beer and recommended that she get more rest and exercise. Back inside the car, Bright asked her mother if she could drop her off at home and then pick up her missed work from school since the school day was almost over.
“Well, I guess so,” Rosette said, relaxing her head on the headrest of the passenger seat. “I'm tired, but you be careful, you have a permit, not a valid driver's license yet and I can’t afford to have my car impounded,” she said, then closed her eyes.
“Ok; you not going to work tonight, are you Ma?” Bright asked.
With her eyes closed Rosette shifted in her seat. “Well, who else gone pay the bills? Of course I'm going to work,” she answered quietly.
Bright looked at her poor tired mother. She worked around the clock and even though it made it easier for her to do what she wanted to do, she didn't like to see her overworked and burnt out. “Ma, why don't Vince help you out sometimes?” she asked, starting the car up.
“He didn't father any of y'all, so I don't put my responsibilities on him. Besides that, I don't like asking men for money because then they start thinking they own you,” she replied, trying to get back comfortable in her seat. “Been there, done that, and I hope you understand that,” she added, opening her eyes, to give her daughter direct eye contact.
Rosette had lived the high-roller lifestyle. She had been the mistress to a rock star for many years and had Bright. She had been the girlfriend of a big time, Mexican drug-dealer, and had birthed Deja and Cordell...And he used to beat the shit out of her. Finally, there was Ramon and Ryonna’s father, who thought he owned her. So after all that, she figured that if she relied on nobody but herself, she could avoid suffering any further mental anguish. But now her independence was wearing on her health and she knew she'd have to make some changes in her life...And quick.