My Mama's Drama

by La Jill Hunt

  “I know, I know. I ain’t gonna do no revenge porn. Don’t worry.” He laughed.

  “If I were you, I’d put up a sign just to be safe,” I suggested.

  “A sign? What the hell?”

  “It can be a small one somewhere outside the front of the house.”

  “A’ight, but that shit’s gonna be damn near microscopic.”

  “Hey, as long as you got something up that says video surveillance in progress, you’re good,” I told him.

  “Bet, that’s what’s up. Now, how you want your money, in big bills or what?” Malik got up and walked over to a safe in the corner of the office.

  “Well, I would prefer a check made out to my business, but cash is fine.” I sighed. This was the downside to doing business with my friends whose professions were illegal in nature. They paid me exceptionally well, but I couldn’t count it as legitimate income to establish my business credibility, which was why I tried to maintain a balance between my clients.

  “I really appreciate this, bruh. I ain’t felt safe since those motherfuckers came in here and took my shit.”

  “Even with Skeet out front?” I took the stack of money he held out and put it into my workbag. I knew I didn’t have to count it, and it was probably more than I quoted him.

  “Hell yeah.”

  Malik took one last glance at the screen where Tey was putting lotion on Kareema’s back. “Damn, I shoulda listened to Dell and had you come hook this shit up a long time ago.”

  * * *

  I stopped at the bank and was headed home to take a quick shower before heading over to the hospital when Dell called.

  “What up, D?” I answered.

  “Chilling. Where you at?”

  “Just finished getting Malik’s crib straight and I’m heading home right quick. What’s good with you?”

  “Nothing, man. I been meaning to catch up with you to tell you who rolled up on me the other day.”

  “Please don’t tell me it was one of your good ol’ blasts from the past. You don’t need that type of drama in your life right now, and neither do I.” I laughed.

  “Naw, I told you I’m on the straight and narrow for right now.”

  “That’s good to hear. So, who was it?”

  “Unc.”

  “Oh, Lord. Don’t you give him no more damn money, D. If you do, I’m out of it this time,” I said. “I told him last time that y’all don’t need to do business no more.”

  “Get this: he ain’t ask for no money. He wanted to talk business, and he wasn’t alone.”

  “What kind of business, and who the hell was he with?” I really didn’t want to know about my uncle and whatever misdeeds he was trying to involve Dell in. I had warned both of them, and I was officially out of it.

  “He was with Diane, old girl’s mother. And you were right. She is a fucking trip. She actually came on to me, but I shut that shit down,” he told me.

  “What? Diane? Are you sure?” The fact that my uncle was hanging out with Diane was not surprising, but I was shocked that she was talking to Dell about business. They were both birds of a feather, I guess.

  “Hell yeah, I’m sure. They came talking about they had ten grand and wanted me to flip it for them.”

  “Where the hell did they get—shit, the donations for Avery.” I answered my own question.

  “Bingo, bruh. I can’t believe the two of them.”

  “So, what did you tell them? I hope you ain’t gonna do it.” I frowned.

  “Hell naw, I ain’t gonna do it. I ain’t no religious man, but I do believe in karma, and what they’re doing is dead-ass wrong on a whole other level, taking that girl’s money while she’s still recovering. I told him I was in the process of leaving the streets and I would make some calls and get back with him. Old girl had the nerve to ask me for a donation for the cause before she left.” He sighed.

  “That’s ridiculous, man. I don’t know who’s worse: her for doing all this shit, or Patrick’s ass for helping her. I hope they know if they get caught using that money for stuff that it ain’t intended for, they’re both getting locked up,” I told him.

  “Man, don’t I know it. That’s why I ain’t touching it with a ten-foot pole. I just thought you should know, though. You gonna tell Kendra?” he asked.

  I thought about the emotional roller coaster and stress that Kendra was already dealing with. The last thing she needed to be bothered with was this. “Nah, I’m gonna handle it myself. But I appreciate you telling me, though, D. Good looking out.”

  “Hey, you know how we do. But for real, Marlena been hounding me about having y’all come through for dinner so we can meet her. What’s up with you and her for real? I mean, she got a lot going on, and you know how you feel about chicks with drama.”

  Dell was right. Drama was something I avoided at all costs, especially when it came to women. Although Kendra had a lot going on right now with her sisters and mom, it wasn’t through any fault of her own. I liked her—actually, more than liked her. It was like she filled an empty space in my life that I hadn’t even realized was there. It wasn’t just that I wanted to be with her; I needed to be. I felt like I had to protect her, even against whatever her mother and my uncle had going on.

  “I’m really feeling her,” I admitted.

  “Word?”

  “Yeah, I am.” I found myself smiling.

  “Let me find out you in love and shit.” Dell laughed. When I didn’t protest or deny his accusation, he added, “Oh, damn, B. You are!”

  “Whatever,” I told him.

  “Well, then we def gotta make this dinner happen soon. I gotta find out what this woman is all about. But you need to get a hold of Unc and see what they’re up to.”

  “No doubt. And, D, thanks again.”

  “Holla at me later.”

  I hung up the phone and dialed my uncle’s number. As usual, he didn’t answer. I decided to call the one person who could track him down.

  “Hello,” Fatima answered my mother’s phone.

  “Hey, where’s Ma?” I asked.

  “Where’s my phone, Bilal?” she asked.

  “Look, I don’t have time for this right now. I need to talk to Ma.”

  “For what?”

  “Because I’m looking for Uncle Pat.”

  “Oh, he was just over here a little while ago. Had some woman with him, and it wasn’t Aunt Nikki either,” Fatima stated.

  “Why was he there?”

  “Came to bring Ma some money for her to give Tiesha’s nagging ass. But I heard the lady telling him to hurry up so they could stop by her house and handle business.”

  “A’ight, bet. That’s all I needed.”

  “What about the phone, Bilal?” Fatima whined.

  “I got you.”

  “You keep saying that.”

  “I know, but I really do,” I promised, then made an illegal U-turn and drove toward Diane’s house.

  When I pulled up to the house, Uncle Patrick’s car was parked in the driveway like he lived there. I got out, walked to the front door, and rang the bell. I had to stop my uncle from getting into some shit that I wasn’t going to be able to dig him out of. The street life wasn’t like it was back in the day when he was a small-time hustler. These days, dudes would shoot you if they thought you were short-changing them a dollar, and they wouldn’t think nothing of it.

  I waited a few moments before ringing the bell again. I could hear music coming from inside, so I knew someone was there. I was about to ring a third time when the door opened. Diane stood there, smiling at me with a joint in her hand.

  “Well, damn. Look who’s here.” She took a pull from the lit cigarillo and blew into my face.

  I tried not to stare at her naked body, which was clearly visible under the open silk kimono she was wearing. Her body was tight and sexy, just like Kendra’s.

  “I’m looking for my uncle,” I told her. “I need to talk to him.”

  “Well, he’s a little unavail
able right now, if you know what I mean. You wanna join us?” She winked and reached her hand out to touch me, but I stepped back.

  “Make him available. I need to holler at both of y’all, as a matter of fact,” I told her. “So, go get him.”

  “What the hell do you need to talk to me for? If this is about your little girlfriend, you can go ahead and save it. Kendra made her choice, so now she gotta deal with it. She wanted to be a grown-ass woman, so now she is.”

  “This ain’t got nothing to do with her. This is about your little plan to steal Avery’s money and what you’re trying to do with it. It ain’t happening. So, go get my uncle, and put some clothes on while you’re at it.”

  She frowned at me for a second, then said, “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but this is my house. You don’t run shit here. I don’t have to do shit. As a matter of fact, you can get the fuck off my property.”

  “Look, I ain’t tryna argue—”

  “Then leave now,” she said. “As a matter of fact, I’ll leave. What the fuck I look like, standing here talking to you anyway when I got some perfectly good dick waiting for me in my room? I’ll let your uncle know you’re looking for him.”

  She shut the door in my face, and I heard the locks click. The thought of banging on the door crossed my mind, but I knew it was a lost cause. I turned and slowly walked back to my truck. I was getting in when I heard the door open again, and I looked up to see Diane standing on the porch, robe hanging open as she waved goodbye. I started my engine and drove off so fast that my tires spun.

  Kendra

  For the first time since getting the call that my sister was missing, I was able to breathe. Avery was finally awake, and it seemed as if the worst was over. At first, she would drift in and out of sleep for a few minutes at a time, but now, she was finally fully awake and talking. She had improved to the point that the doctors had given the okay for her to be moved from ICU and into a regular room. I was elated. Even though her hospital room was full of stuffed animals that people had sent along with their good wishes, one of the first things she asked me for was Tubby, a stuffed whale which had been her favorite since before she could walk.

  “I’ll go home and get Tubby for you, Avery,” I promised her.

  “And some ice cream too?” she asked with a smile. Her face was still bruised and swollen, but she was getting back to normal.

  “I didn’t say all that. We have to ask the doctors,” I told her.

  “Okay,” she said. “Kendra, is Mama mad at me?”

  “What? No, she’s not mad at you. Why would you ask that?” I held her hand.

  “Because Ashley said the police were looking for me and found me. And she said if we made the police come to her house, she was . . .” Avery’s eyes were filled with pain as her voice drifted off.

  “No, she’s not mad at you, Avery.” I shook my head.

  “Is Aunt Celia mad?”

  “No, she’s not mad either.”

  “I lost my phone that day, and she’s upset. Mama said that’s why she’s not here and hasn’t been to see me.” The fear that had been in my sister’s eyes moments before was now replaced with hurt. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t tell her that the reason Aunt Celia wasn’t there was because Mama wouldn’t let her be there. Hell, I barely had visitation privileges myself, and if I shared that information, I would be banned too.

  “No, Avery, she’s not mad. And she has been here. She was here the moment they brought you in here,” I explained in an effort to make her feel better.

  “She was?” Avery blinked away her tears and turned to look at Ashley, who was sitting quietly on the other side of the bed.

  I gave Ashley a nod, and she said, “Yeah, Avery. She was here before.”

  “Yes, she was. And I’m sure once you get moved and settled in your new room, she’ll be back.”

  “And you’re gonna go get Tubby for me?” she asked.

  “Yes, Avery, I’ll go and get Tubby for you.” I laughed.

  “You sound like a three-year-old,” Ashley teased. “You gonna go and get Tubby for me?”

  “Shut up, Ashley. How does that sound?” Avery snapped.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. My sister was definitely on the mend. The doctor and a nurse came in and said that they were ready. They gave Ashley and me the room number where she was going to be moved, and we began packing up her things while they were transporting her down.

  “Kendra?” Ashley asked.

  “Yeah?”

  “Here.” I looked up and saw her holding out her set of house keys. “So you can go and get Tubby for Avery.”

  “I was just going to tell you to bring Tubby when you came back tomorrow,” I told her.

  “No, she really wants him, and I want her to have him. Can you please just go now?” she begged.

  “I don’t know about all that. What if Mama’s home?”

  “I’ll call and see where she’s at.” Ashley took out her cell phone and made the call. “Hey, Ma. Yeah. They’re moving her now. Me and Kendra are moving her stuff down there. Yeah. No. Room four ten. Uh-uh. Ma, what time are you coming back? I’m hungry, and Avery wants some ice cream. Okay. Yes, ma’am. Bye.”

  “What did she say?” I asked.

  “She is out with Mr. Patrick taking care of some business, and they’ll be back before nine.” She held the keys out again. “But she did say she ain’t bringing me nothing back to eat, so can you get me and Avery some McDonald’s?”

  Bilal sent a text saying he was finishing up with a client and would meet me at the hospital in a few. I sent him a quick response, telling him I had an errand to run, and I asked if he’d stop by McDonald’s on the way to grab some food.

  Then, I took the keys and told Ashley, “Fine. Aunt Nikki will be here in a few minutes. Tell her and Avery I went to go get Tubby and I’ll be back in a little while.”

  * * *

  I thought I was seeing things when I saw Bilal walking away from my house. I blew my horn to get his attention, but he sped off. I glanced over to the front porch and saw my mother standing in the doorway, waving at him, and my heart sank. She had on her familiar silk robe, and I could see her naked body from where I was. As soon as Bilal pulled off, I parked the car in front of the house and jumped out.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she said, a surprised look on her face.

  I could hear the sounds of Bobby Brown’s “Tenderoni,” and the scent of marijuana hit me.

  “Why, Mama? Why would you do this? You already kicked me out, but you had to go and do this?” I cried.

  “Kendra, what the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Bilal, Mama? You had to have him, huh? You have to have everybody’s man, don’t you? Aunt Celia’s, mine . . . Is it because you can’t keep your own man? Is that what it is?” Tears streamed down my face.

  “You’re out here acting crazy about your little boyfriend? I knew you were fucking him. Poor thing.” She laughed and went to turn around, but I grabbed her by the arm. “Kendra, if you don’t get your fucking hands off me, I swear—”

  “You swear what, Mama?” I said angrily.

  She snatched away and said, “Don’t act like I won’t whip your ass out here, Kendra.”

  We stared at one another briefly, as if we were each daring the other to make the first move. And then, I laughed. “You know what? You are pathetic. Look at you, around here too busy fucking dudes my age to spend time with your daughter, who’s awake and talking for the first time in days. It’s sad, really, that you have to stoop to this level to prove something. But to who? Not me. You didn’t have to do this to show me how low you’d go to hurt me. I already knew that when you kicked me out in the street. You want Bilal, you can have him—and any other man you need to screw to get ahead in life. I hate you.”

  From the look on my mother’s face, I could see that my words stung. She stepped back and pulled the flowing robe around her. I braced myself for what she was about to s
ay, but she didn’t speak at first. Instead, she simply smiled, then turned and opened the door. But just as she closed it, she said, “Stay the fuck away from me and my children. If you come anywhere near me or your sisters again, I’ll have you arrested. Don’t believe it? Try me.”

  I stood on the porch, sobbing as I listened to the door being locked. The woman who had given me life had somehow now taken everything I loved away from me, and I wanted to die.

  Celia

  “Hey, Auntie!” Seeing Avery’s face on my phone and hearing her voice was like heaven to me. My prayers had been answered, and she was going to be okay.

  “Hey, Avery Boo. How is my baby doing?” I gushed at her. “It’s so good to talk to you. You feeling better?”

  “Yeah, my leg and my side hurts, but I feel okay,” she told me.

  “That’s great, and I know your leg and side are gonna get better really soon,” I said.

  “Auntie, I’m sorry.” Her face was full of sincerity.

  I was confused. “Sorry for what? Why are you saying that?”

  “You’re mad at me because I lost my phone. I didn’t mean to lose it, Aunt Celia. I promise. You don’t even have to get me another one. Ashley said she’ll just share her phone with me,” Avery told me.

  “Yes, Auntie, we can just share one phone.” Ashley’s face appeared beside her sister’s. “Don’t be mad.”

  “I’m not mad at her. What are y’all talking about?” I shook my head in confusion. “Who told you that?”

  “Mama,” Ashley said before Avery could answer. “Because she lost her phone in the ditch.”

  “You’re not? So, you’ll come and see me?” Avery asked, ignoring her sister.

  “I’m gonna try, sweetie. But listen, I am not mad at all. I’m very proud of you, and I’m going to have Aunt Nikki bring you something special from me. I promise,” I told her.

  “Okay.” Avery seemed slightly disappointed. She asked, “Are you mad at Mama?”

  “Avery, no one is mad at anyone. Everyone is just happy that you’re better. Now, give Aunt Nikki the phone. I love you. Kisses.” I blew a kiss at her, and she blew one back.

  “Love you, Aunt Celiaaaaaa,” Ashley called out.