It is What it is: A Hood Love Story

by B. , Ivory

  “Mommy who is that Mommy?” Jah heard a little voice ask. “Baby its Jah.” “Is that my Daddy?” Jah was shocked and angered. He didn’t think she should be telling her son that he was his father with the verdict still out. “Ayo why you telling him shit like that?” Jah snapped. “What? Why I’m telling him shit like what? I didn’t tell him that you were his father Jah. He’s getting to the age where he wants a father. Every man I talk to he assumes is his father. That’s why I’m going through with this. He needs and deserves his father in his life,” Bianca huffed, she was getting upset.

  “Mommy I’m hungry.” “Okay baby we are leaving now. I’m taking him to get something to eat. You know if you’re not doing anything you should come.” That shocked Jah, he sat on the phone silent for a few seconds but his curiosity got the better of him. He really wanted to see this boy. “Where you taking him to eat?” “Friendly’s down in Center City.” Hell nah that is too close to home. Keema would kill me if she ran into me with some chick. “Yo I think they got one on West Plamade go to that one and I’ll meet you there,” Jah suggested. And the meeting was set.

  Jah walked into the restaurant bracing himself. He spotted Bianca sitting at the table with her son. As Jah approached he took note of the way she stared at him lustfully. He wasn’t trying to hear that shit, he didn’t need any additional drama added to the mess he was already in. Bianca rose and hugged him. He noticed the way she hugged him a little too close and pressed her body up against his. On natural response Jah’s dick rose and he knew she felt it so he backed away from their hug quickly. Jah had been backed up for days. He knew Keema was pissed but he had too much on his mind. The fact that he felt like he was deceiving Keema really fucked with him and his guilty conscious enabled him to even look at Keema. That’s why he came home so late every night hoping that she would be asleep by then.

  Jah sat down and looked over at the boy taking him all in. “Jah this is Taj, we call him TJ, and TJ this is my friend Jah.” The little boy looked up from scribbling on the menu with crayons and Jah got a better look at him. He was a really good looking kid, and his mom had him fresh to death, but he looked nothing like Jah. The complexion was the only resemblance that anyone could say they shared. Jah was a shade darker; his caramel complexion was a little richer bronze than Tj’s. Tj’s eyes were brown nothing like Jah’s dark colored eyes. Jah stared at the boys face and carefully examined his head, ears, nose, and mouth. Nothing like me Jah thought to himself. He looked over at Bianca though and could see the boy all in her. It was definitely her baby and Jah’s maybe?

  Bianca smiled nervously, “So how have you been?” She asked probably more out of nervousness than interest. “Fine and you?” “I’ve been doing okay.” Jah turned to the little boy “And how you been lil man?” TJ smiled and shook his head no. They all laughed at TJ’s response. After ordering food and striking up meaningless conversation the tension was still thicker than a video chick. Jah really couldn’t eat much he hadn’t had an appetite since this drama popped off. Mid-way into their lunch TJ spilt his entire juice on the table. Jah reached over and picked him up right before the juice rolled off the edge of the table all over him. “Oh shit! TJ,” Bianca shrieked. Jah just laughed “Damn ma it’s okay, it’s juice. Yo dude was finished anyways that’s why he tipped the juice over. He was bored,” Jah said looking down at the child who was smiling mischievously. Jah took his hand and rubbed on the child’s head. Bianca glared at TJ with her lip poked out. She had expectations of asking Jah some more personal questions like was he still single? She had been in a relationship with a woman for the last past two years and honestly even though she loved her girl, she missed the feel of a real dick. Seeing Jah had stirred up some old feelings. She always was head over heels for him but knew he wasn’t looking for anything serious at the time they were messing around. Jah reached over and pinched her cheek playfully “Ma it’s juice relax.” when he did that her panties creamed immediately. Jah only then noticed the mistake he had made when she gave him the eye like she wanted to fuck him right there and then. Aww hell nah, he thought to himself. “Mommy I wanna go to the park.” There was an open park across the street with a huge playscape and Tj was itching to go and play. Jah reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and peeled off a couple of c-notes to pay the bill and leave a tip. He scooped the little boy off the floor and threw him over his shoulder all awhile avoiding eye contact with Bianca.

  Jah played with TJ on the playground for over an hour. He pushed him on swings held him up while he climbed the monkey bars and caught him at the end of the slide. “Damn, maybe I’m gettin old that lil dude got way too much energy,” Jah said while breathing hard as he sat down on the bench beside Bianca. Bianca laughed “Oh please you’re still a baby. You got enough energy to run around with TJ.” Bianca looked over at him “If he’s yours does he have any siblings?” “Nope, not that I know of. This the only one that’s been blamed on me so far,” Jah said with sarcasm in his voice. Bianca chuckled and shoved him playfully in the arm. She wrapped her arm around his, we actually look like a real family Bianca thought to herself.

  “Jah I know how we were in the past but…you think we can give something more serious a try if he’s yours?” Jah looked over at her in sheer shock; he hadn’t expected her to come out so blatantly with her ambitions. He knew that she wanted him, it was obvious from the way she looked at him. But damn for her to be plotting that they share some life together on some ole Cosby family shit was crazy. He had to let her down easily, he didn’t want to hurt her but there was no way in hell he would leave Keema for her or anyone else for that matter.

  “Yo B if that’s me right there,” Jah pointed to Taj who was turning a steering wheel on the playground. “I’ma handle mine. I’ll make sure he straight no matter what and I’ma look out for you too. But there ain’t gon be no me and you ma. I’m engaged about to get married.” That blew her right out of the water she could not believe the news. Jah never ever came off as the marrying type. “Your getting married?” Jah shook his head with a proud look on his face. “Damn this chick really must be good to lock ya wild ass down. Well I’m really happy for you that is so nice.” He could tell by her facial expression she wasn’t happy but he said thanks anyways.

  They walked back to the parking lot of Friendly’s and Jah walked her to her car carrying TJ. TJ had really outdone himself on the playground and now he was knocked out. Bianca unlocked the car doors to her Camry with her keys. Jah placed TJ in the car and strapped him in his boaster seat. Bianca watched on in amazement surprised Jah knew how to buckle him in. “You sure you don’t have a bunch of kids running around here? You pretty good with them car seats,” Bianca joked. Jah laughed “I’m positive I got a niece they about the same age,” Jah said referring to Kynah. They said their goodbye’s before Jah headed over to his Porsche Panamera Damn I hope this nigga is Taj father. I’ma get his ass trust, he’ll come around.

  The More Things Stay the Same

  Keema looked around the huge high rise luxury condo and felt overwhelmed. The house was a little messy, the maid only came twice a week and unfortunately she wouldn’t be there for another two days. The condo was what some people would consider just a couple of things out of place, not really a big deal but to Keema it really bothered her. Being that she grew up in such unlivable conditions the slightest mess made her paranoid. Her grandmother was just nasty plain and simple, she never cleaned anything and from early as Keema could remember she had the responsibility of cleaning the entire house. She could still remember till this day scrubbing the bathroom and the kitchen all awhile choking on bleach fumes as her grandmother fussed about her hurrying up. The things she remembered most about her grandmother’s house was it smelt of moth balls, mice droppings everywhere in corners and in the closets, roaches, and clutter. The roaches were so bad at one point Keema had to sleep with tissue in her ears because she was too afraid one might crawl in her ears

  Sister G’s home was clutt
ered with a multitude of old things she was a pack rat or better yet hoarder. The more clutter that grew the more places they had for their pets to hide. Pets is what Keema called them the usual roaches and mice. Keema’s room was the only room in the house that stayed clean at all times. It may not have had the best furnishings and bedding but it was clean and neat.

  Keema looked at the doorway and noticed two pairs of sneakers. She blew air in frustration no matter how many times she fussed at Jah about taking his shoes off and leaving them right in the door way he did it anyways. There had been many times she came in the house and tripped on his sneakers nearly killing herself. The other thing she hated was that he would come in the house and leave clothes where ever he took them off, Shirt on the couch or his jeans on the bedroom floor. Today was no exception he had shit all over the place. “Humph this damn man driving me crazy with leaving shit all over the place,” Keema huffed as she walked over to the couch to pick up a shirt he left behind. Every time Keema fussed at Jah about cleaning he would tell her to just relax, it was no big deal to have a couple of things out of place, and she didn’t have to clean, that’s what they had a maid for. He would tease her about being a neat freak but he knew that her always making sure everything was in the right place ran deeper, he saw the way she grew up. And he did everything in his power to ensure Keema that she would never have to live like that again.

  Keema walked over to the large windows in the tri level condo that was one thing she loved about the condo, instead of a wall blocking out natural sunlight there was a floor to ceiling window that covered the length of an entire wall looking onto the busy streets of Center City Philadelphia. When she was little she would walk down those same streets she was looking down on and look up at those huge buildings and wonder who lived there? Now she had to wonder no more.

  She went into the kitchen to start making a large Sunday dinner. Fried chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, collard greens, potato salad and corn bread. The one and only thing her grandmother taught her and she appreciated was how to cook. After almost four hours of slaving over the stove she was almost done. The collard greens were still on but everything else was done. She ran upstairs in a hurry to take another shower and get dressed and do her hair.

  Keema looked in the full length mirror in her closet and appreciated the view. She was a very pretty woman she never wanted to toot her own horn but she was. Her hair hung long and silky with little tints of high lights in it. She had just gotten her hair washed and set with flexi rods by Tamika the day before so her hair was tight. Her shape was flawless, any man that loved nice sized perky tities, long thick legs and a fat ass she was their dream. She laughed at how Jah would go Ape over her body. She ran her hand over a flat stomach wow I don’t look a day pregnant but she knew that in a couple of months that would be a different story. She smiled to herself oh well it will only be temporary then I’ll shrink right back to size. “I think.” she said aloud.

  The day was winding down it had been a nonstop day for Keema. She looked down onto the streets as the sun died down and darkness started to take over the streets. People walked up and down the streets carefree with shopping bags. Horns beeped and the sound of car stereos could be heard. As she watched the streets being littered with red tail lights she waited on Jah to come home. He had promised to make it an early night considering he had been letting the sun beat him home lately.

  “Oh shit, let me go and get the pictures from the sonogram,” she said aloud. She wanted to show him the pictures that Dr. Lynn had taken. They were upstairs in her purse Keema smiled as she thought about the little captions Dr. Lynn had typed on the photos. Hi Daddy. As she was reaching for her purse that was lying on the chaise lounge of their spacious bedroom she noticed a manila envelope sticking slightly from underneath the bed on Jah’s side. Suspicious of its content she walked over and opened the envelope. At first she thought that someone must have been playing jokes on her but as she read the bold black legal print on the papers her heart sank. Keema became lightheaded she thought she would faint for a second she grabbed at her chest and stumbled backwards. Reading the papers in any further detail was impossible her vision had become too blurry with tears; she had read what she needed to, enough to let her know that Jah had a baby.

  Keema flopped down on the bed and started crying, she cried so much she couldn’t breathe and started to cough trying to catch her breath. She fell on her side and buried her face in a pillow to try and muffle her cries. Even though she was the only one in the home the sound of her own cries alarmed her. She cried until her stomach began to ache. Keema was devastated she could not believe that yet again she had managed to be hurt by Jah. She lay on the bed half hour later curled up in a fetal position thinking to herself. Damn just when I thought Jah had changed the more he had stayed the same. So there she was broken hearted and pregnant again this seemed like déjà vu at its best. After all the shit he had put her through in the past she had even questioned her own sanity to even be back with him. Especially when she thought back on their past relationship. But Jah seemed so genuine when he said he loved her and always had, he had changed and the things that happened in the past happened because he was a child and did childish things. He claimed to be a grown man now, not the same lying cheating sneak that he was as a teenager, now he seemed to be the same ole Jah.

  The more she thought about Jah’s betrayal the hurt she was feeling transformed into anger. “Nah fuck that, it’s not going down like that. He ain’t gon play me like that,” Keema hissed talking to herself. Keema shot up off the bed and rummaged through the dresser drawers locating what she wanted a box cutter that Jah would use sometimes to cut open his dutches. She ran into the closet and went to work cutting up anything she put her hands on. Leathers, suits, jeans, shirts boots, and even that nigga’s boxers. But she wasn’t done she wanted the ultimate revenge she went downstairs to their guest room going straight for Jah’s sneaker closet.

  She looked around and frowned, Jah was worst than some women with shoe fetishes. His sneaker closet was a sneaker headz wet dream. As she looked at all his expensive sneakers neatly on racks with coordinating fitted’s and snapbacks to match she got angrier. Keema grabbed a pair of retro throw back 1985 J’s and ran the blade across each sneaker. Gucci sneaks “Oh yeah nigga you don’t need em!” Keema sneered as she cut up about three pair. Throw back Bo Jackson’s limited editions in all flavors she cut them up too. Air Yeezy’s cut them up too. Classic throw back Patrick Ewing’s, Keema Stepped up on the lower shelf to get them bad boys and cut them to shreds. She could remember her and Jah being in New York and niggaz going Ape asking him how he got them? You ain’t got em no more. His several pairs of Prada kicks weren’t safe either; she grabbed two pairs of Louboution sneaks and cut them too. In the end a pile of sneakers of all assortments lay at her feet sliced and diced. Keema had caused some major damage to the tune of thousands. “Now nigga let’s see you get fly for that bitch,” Keema spat she knew she had temporarily lost it. She stood in his sneaker closet that was once filled with sneakers galore neatly on display shelves with boxes and bags even on the floor of the closet with sneaks that had been delivered from sneaker boutiques that he’d never worn or even took them out the boxes; those weren’t even safe she cut them too. When she was too tired to go on she dropped the box cutter on the floor and walked back into her bedroom collapsing on the bed from her workout in the closets.

  Jah walked in the house tired. He had promised Keema to come home at a decent time tonight. He knew deep down he was wrong for dodging her like he had been but he just found it hard to look her in the eyes. Jah knew the depth of Keema’s love for him. She loved him with every fiber in her body and she always had. All the women that he had throughout his life never compared to her, and even if they loved him it wasn’t the way Keema had. That’s why he really didn’t want to let her down. Two weeks had passed and in his mind all he had to do is make it to this court date file a motion for paternity. God willing the kid w
ouldn’t be his and then life with Keema could be back to normal. For some reason Jah felt that TJ wasn’t his son. It was really hard to explain but he didn’t feel any connection with the little boy. When he told Real about his thoughts Real told him that he was probably forcing himself not to feel anything, but he doubted that. He couldn’t put it into words but he just didn’t feel for the boy that’s all he could say.

  The house smelt of good home cooked food. Damn Keema really done her thing as usual he thought to himself as he walked through the house. He noticed that the stove was still on low as he walked in the kitchen lifting the pot on the greens then turned the eye off. The inability for him to have an appetite for the last two weeks had finally caught up to him his stomach growled loudly. “Damn,” he said aloud. “Meema!” he called out for Keema having a sudden urge to go and hug her up. He wanted to be close to his girl he remembered how good she looked this morning and how she was trying her best to have him pay her some attention. “Meema!” he looked all on the lower level and didn’t find her. He climbed the stairs to the second floor checking the guest rooms and the theater room nothing. Finally when he reached the third floor that was dedicated to their entire master suite he noticed Keema was standing there looking out the window. The first thing he noticed was her attire his dick stood at attention to Keema. She was the truth, perfect body; she looked like she belonged on the cover of KING magazine. He took notice of the outfit all the way down to the slippers with the heels. “Oh hell yeah” he thought to himself.