Ghetto Girls Too

by Anthony Whyte

  Its shadowy pasture gave the place the feel of a farm outside. Although there was some amount of gardening done, the produce was mostly used for the participants in the drug rehab program. Staff members and residents shared in the duties of taking care of the property. It was supposed to teach self-reliance to the residents. That was part of the goal of the program.

  Rachel Harvey had been involved with recovery for the past six months. She had spent the last two months as a resident. Time and time again, Mrs. Harvey had expressed how much she hated staying there. She wanted out but stayed at the behest of her daughter, Coco.

  Rachel left the conference room and walked through the lounge area. It was the shortest route to the reception area. She wore a blue silk dress that Coco had bought her for her birthday. Her stay had improved her diet and with that, she had gained a few necessary pounds. She walked with a youthful prance through the assembly hall then through the adjoining hall where there were several phones.

  “Your daughter is on line number two,” the receptionist said as she made her way past the reception area. Mrs. Harvey picked up line two and heard Coco’s voice on the other end.

  “Coco, whatcha doing calling me in the middle of my meeting? If it was so damn important, you should’ve brought your black ass over here. What is it, child? Coco? Coco? You there?”

  Coco was surprised by her mother’s reaction. She did not know quite what to say.

  “Coco, why did you call? If it’s to hang out at some damn party, the answer is hell no. You’re not hanging out during the week from Monday to Thursday. Hanging out is not in your dictionary so hang it up.”

  “Ma, have you seen the news yet or heard anything?”

  “No why? You won the lotto or sump’n, child? Stop playing and tell me what I missed. Don’t tell me you got arrested ‘cause I’m not coming down to no damn central booking. And if I find out that you’re pregnant then God help you. You heard me, Miss?”

  “Nah ma, it ain’t none of that.”

  “Then why the hell you be calling outta the blue if this ain’t no emergency? Do you know you’re disturbing me at my meeting, girl? My spirit is weak and I’m doing all I can to get out of here.”

  “I’m sorry ma. Listen, I’ll call you later. Take care. I just wanted you to know I’m all right, okay?”

  “Okay Coco. I really really don’t have time to talk to you right now but I’ll call you later. Okay, honey?”

  “Bye, mommy.”

  “Bye, Coco.”

  Rachel Harvey hung up the telephone and mumbled under her breath as she walked back to the assembly hall. She looked at the television but failed to notice the evening news regarding Eric Ascot as she went past the reception area. Rachel Harvey had only one thing on her mind and saw another reason why she had to leave this place for good.

  That daughter of mine is going insane. Poor girl probably just miss me. She always trying to be so hard. I guess she gets that from me. I miss being there for her but most of all, I miss my freedom.

  Rachel’s thoughts were riveted on not being where she couldn’t be or who she was. She had failed to utilize her environment. The place she had been confined to for the past six weeks was a residential treatment program for drug addicted mothers. The stay proposed by her welfare worker was six week to eight weeks. Rachel was mandated to attend the program or be kicked off the welfare roll after one of her weekend binges landed her in the hospital.

  Doctors told her that the ventricles to her heart had shrunk due to crack abuse and warned that repeated abuse could result in a fatal heart attack. Her medical condition along with the doctor’s advice scared Rachel so she decided to enter the residential treatment.

  From day one, she resented being at the center. She wanted to do outpatient but went along when the doctors told her she could die with the next heart attack. It made her think twice about the habit. Come Monday, it would be six weeks. It was time for her to leave and there was no time for what she considered to be Coco’s idle gestures.

  The things my daughter goes though to keep me off her trail, Rachel mused. She didn’t want mommy to worry. That’s Coco, that’s my daughter and that’s her father. Rachel Harvey was convinced that her daughter wanted to do everything to make her stay at the center but Rachel wanted to leave the place.

  “That girl going crazy and she’s gonna drive me crazy right along with her if I stay here,” Rachel Harvey said to herself. “I’ll find out the real reason she called and when I do…” Rachel never completed the thought. She just shook her head and went back to her meeting for the day.

  NINE

  Coco tried to appear confident despite feeling a little disconcerted. Her attempt at explaining the shooting incident to her mother had resulted in failure. Over and over, it crossed her mind that her mother would eventually learn of the shootings from the news then she would call everyone hysterically searching for her.

  I could’ve prevented all that, Coco thought and stared blankly at the television set. There wasn’t much left to do now except to wait and face the music. Intellectually, Coco sped through the process. She’ll scream at me and then curse me and compare me to my dad and tell me I can’t go out ever again. What the hell! Coco’s musings hummed so loudly she didn’t hear Deedee return.

  “Hello? Earth to Coco,” Deedee said. Coco immediately snapped back to reality.

  “Uh, my bad, I didn’t even hear when you came back, yo.”

  “What happened? Were you able to speak to her?” Deedee asked and gave Coco a glass and a bottled water. “What did she say?”

  “Me and my mom…” Coco started and shook her head. “I don’t know, yo.”

  “Does that mean you didn’t actually tell her?”

  “No, we spoke but she did all the talking. She told me that she knew why I called. Madukes be OD’ing sometimes, yo.”

  “But you still got love for her. Me on the other hand, I don’t even know where my mother is.”

  “I guess you could say me and mines have grown to understand each other.”

  “My uncle is all I’ve got. My mother’s behavior was so shameful.”

  “Yeah, that monster crack’ll make you do wild shit,” Coco said and both girls sipped.

  Deedee thought about it then asked, “Coco, what would cause you to disown your mother?”

  “What are you asking?”

  “I’m just saying, you’ve stood by your mother through a lot.”

  “I feel like she’s part of me. That’s what I’m supposed to do, you know? I think if it was the other way around, she would’ve stuck by me too.”

  “So you’re always gonna be sticking by her no matter what?”

  “I mean, yeah, but it’s like I’m not trying to ruin my life in the process. I’m definitely a hundred percent in her corner though.”

  “So there’s nothing that would make you ashamed to call her your mother?”

  “Why? C’mon Dee, we’re all human and we all have our faults. She’s my flesh and blood, my mother. You know you can’t be ashamed of that, yo.”

  “I hear you, Coco. I hear you, girl,” Deedee said and thought briefly about her mother. She let the thought go when she heard the voices of her uncle and Sophia.

  “They sound like they beefing. Is that what they doing?” Coco asked. She could also hear the voices in what sounded like an argument.

  “They’re deciding on where to spend the night.”

  “What’re the choices?”

  “Well, it’s between a hotel or Sophia’s apartment. The hotel is leading so far.”

  “What’s causing the hold up?”

  “Everything. I don’t think my uncle wants to go there. They’re arguing about space at Sophia’s apartment.”

  “Why?”

  “She has a two bedroom apartment. Her home office occupies one of the bedrooms which leaves only one other bedroom and there are three of us.”

  “That ain’t that big of a problem.” Coco nodded and lit a cigarette. “I�
�m saying, you could stay at my place if you want,” Coco puffed and saw a curious hesitation on Deedee’s face. “I mean my mother ain’t there so you’re welcome to stay and that would leave your uncle with his fiancé.”

  “Nope, it’s not happening,” Deedee said and wandered over to the huge mirror. She fixed her shirt and pulled the collar closed. “My uncle isn’t going to let me off the leash after all this, Coco. And then you know your area is like Vietnam. My uncle would rather leave his fiancé’s side than see me in that area. Sorry.”

  “I guess you’re right, yo. Ain’t nada sweet in da hood, you know what I’m saying? Damn place is even too dangerous for peeps who are from there much less your type,” Coco said with a snarl in her tone. It served as a forewarning to Deedee. She had stepped on a time bomb again. Deedee slowly backpedaled.

  “Um, Coco, I didn’t mean nothing. I’m just saying Uncle E, he’s not gonna send me anywhere. That’s all I really meant to say.”

  “It’s all good, yo. I’m gonna get up out of here,” said Coco.

  “Where are you going?” Deedee asked.

  “To da hood where I’m from,” Coco said and began a street bop. She turned and looked at Deedee and said. “Back to the ghetto, ya heard?”

  “Look, if I offended you, I’m sorry.”

  “You didn’t. You just told the truth is all you did. See, I ain’t scared when in my hood. I’m used to the roaches, the mice, and the crack heads. They all know me. I ain’t got to front like I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. You feel me? I’ll holla at you. Peace out.”

  “Coco, you’re taking this way out of context. I didn’t say I was scared of anything happening. It’s just that my uncle wouldn’t send me anywhere after today especially…” Deedee stopped short and her voice trailed off. She looked down on the floor and then the tears welled in her eyes. “Coco, we’ve…”

  “Look Dee, me and you, we different. We cut from the same cloth but I’ve got different patterns.”

  “Coco...”

  “Let me finish, yo. See I know where I’m from, the people are poor and it’s the ghetto. The crime rate is high and a whole lot of shit be popping off but that’s what I rep and I can’t change that,” Coco said and paused as if she needed time to formulate her thoughts. “You can stay chilling in your ivory tower thinking that you’re safe ‘cause you’re here and not there, yo.” Deedee stared at her, shocked.

  “Coco, you’ve got it all wrong. My uncle is in charge of me and I have to do as he says. I mean, I would go back to your mother’s place with you but my uncle wouldn’t let me even...”

  “Even what?”

  “He’s just not gonna let me.”

  “And if he did let you?”

  “I’d go, yeah, but I’d be scared. You’re used to the rats and roaches. I don’t feel safe…”

  “Aw c’mon, they got rats and roaches all over the city,” Coco said and paced back and forth before she continued. “You ain’t got to front for me, girl. You don’t wanna come to da hood, that’s all. You could just say it like it is,” Coco said.

  Deedee frowned and looked away. Maybe she’s right, Deedee thought but my uncle wouldn’t send me anyway.

  “You know what, you’re right, Coco. I wouldn’t feel safe there.”

  “Even if it’s just like an overnighter, yo?

  “No, I just don’t think Uncle E would let me and if he did and I had the choice, I’d rather spend the night at a hotel than in the hood.” Deedee was decisive and Coco knew there was no point arguing the issue. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to after seeing this side of Deedee.

  “I can’t blame you. I wouldn’t leave my nice, safe pad for the ghetto either but that’s where I live and that’s where I’ve got to go. I don’t have a nice apartment somewhere downtown.”

  “You don’t have to go there like that.”

  “I’m just saying my mother and I live in the hood. If we lose our apartment then we’ll probably wind up in a shelter or sump’n. I ain’t got no rich uncle or...”

  “That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

  “So whatcha saying, yo?”

  “I don’t know. I just feel safer around here,” Deedee replied and thought about it after she had said it. Maybe it was too harsh but it was what she felt and she thought she could be honest with Coco. She did not expect a verbal backlash but felt that one was brewing.

  “How could you feel safe around these people and not feel safe around your own?” Coco asked in a tone that barely disguised her anger.

  “I don’t know,” Deedee said pausing to think her answer through clearly. It was the only one she had. She didn’t want to say anything that might further draw Coco’s ire but Coco’s flared nostrils alerted her to the fact that she already had. Coco’s response was swift.

  “I hear you. I’m out, yo.”

  “Coco, Coco, wait up,” Deedee shouted after Coco but the girl had already retrieved her jacket and was out the door. Sophia and Eric were at the foot of the stairs when Coco rushed by bidding them goodbye in a hurry.

  “I’ll see y’all.”

  “Coco, is everything all right?” Sophia asked as the disgruntled teenage girl bolted for the front door.

  “Everything is good. Just got to go home and take care of some things.”

  “I’ll drive you there if you want.”

  “No, it’s aiight. Good looking out, Sophia, but I got it,” Coco said and with a nod of her head, she was through the door.

  TEN

  Sophia locked the door and turned to see the look on Deedee’s face. She knew something had gone wrong between the girls.

  Deedee’s expression changed to disgust as she slowly made her way down the stairs to stand next to Eric. He was in the midst of drinking a beer and examining the damage to the den and the kitchen. Sophia joined the two near the kitchen. Deedee’s arm was wound about her uncle.

  “We could probably fix it all for about 20 grand or so,” Eric said looking at the furniture and assessing the damage to the apartment. This had been his dream home he had specially built after his first million. He had wanted to shout out something to the whole world. From his fortunes made in the music industry, Eric owned a two million dollar, six-bedroom apartment that came complete with a half a million dollar recording studio. It was worth every penny to Eric.

  Eric knew that with his talents and business savvy, there were always fortunes to be made in the music industry. Eric Ascot had enjoyed his fill. With his cup still running over, he could afford to indulge in excess. Eric owned a summer home in the Hamptons along with a Florida pad. He was not lacking for places. He was-n’t living life lavishly but he had the means to do that.

  He grew up thinking of the day when he’d have enough money to do whatever he wanted to do. When his brother had been killed and Deedee’s mother was strung out on drugs, Eric Ascot had bought this place. Deedee was coming to live with him and he wanted to move out of the old neighborhood. He was really proud of the place.

  That was up until a half hour ago before uniformed officers and crime lab people descended. They left yellow taped off sections and now his dream crib had been transformed into a nightmare. It was a crime scene.

  What had occurred in his apartment had been the result of a fatal mistake. Maybe he could erase it but Eric had to talk to Busta. That was important. Somewhere deep in his mind he knew that this was only the beginning of it all.

  “Or we could sell it. You know the board is gonna rule against any further stay,” Sophia said. She moved closer to Eric and Deedee. “Besides, my skin crawls whenever I look around this place. It just doesn’t feel right anymore.”

  Eric embraced Sophia and kissed her lips cutting off her protest. He rubbed her forehead lightly with his lips. Deedee stood apart and watched.

  “Uncle E, I thought you said we could fix it up?” Deedee asked and stared as she waited for an answer.

  “Deedee, you don’t understand but he’s got to sell the place,” Sophia
addressed Deedee. She turned back to Eric and said, “Promise that you’re gonna sell.”

  “Sophia, do we have to sell our home? I mean like Uncle E says, it can be fixed and it won’t cost a lot of money to do so,” Deedee offered in protest.

  “It just stirs up this creepy feeling every time I think I’ll have to come here. I don’t want have to think of what happened. Furthermore, the board of trustees probably will vote against him staying.”

  “Well, we could still live here until...” Deedee started but her uncle raised his hand averting any ensuing argument.

  “You know what? Sophia is right. I’ll sell the place and we’ll buy another one that’s better,” Eric decided and moved to embrace his fiancé and niece. No sooner had he said the words than Deedee dashed off. Sophia turned away from his hug.

  “What’s with Dee?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe she really likes it here. It’s a nice place,” Eric said and looked at Sophia for a response but got none, at least not immediately.

  She hugged herself before saying, “It was a nice place, Eric.” Taking a sip of his beer, she asked, “What do you make of what happened here?”

  It was her turn to wait for an answer. Eric gulped his beer until it was gone. All the time, he knew Sophia’s almond shaped eyes, though soft brown at times, were peering at him. Eric felt the sting of her scorn when she added, “Eric, we’re not taking it back to the streets,” Sophia said. “Are we?” Eric said nothing. Sophia continued, “We’re no longer street people. We can’t take it back there. I won’t let you ruin me, yourself, or Deedee.”

  “C’mon, Sophia, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Listen, you’re just speculating. I’m saying, why couldn’t this cat want to just straight up rob me? Or someone out there could be hating and coming at…”

  “Did it have anything to do with Busta, huh, Eric?” Sophia dropped the bomb of a question on Eric. She saw his eyebrows draw closer together causing a wrinkle in his forehead. Eric took a detour from his answer and speculated.