It is What it is: A Hood Love Story

by B. , Ivory

  “Meema you didn’t hear me calling you?” Keema turned to face him and as soon as she faced him he knew what the deal was right out the gate. Her face was puffy and her eyes looked as if she had cried a river. He looked down at her hands and noticed the papers she was holding. “Fuck! In his haste to leave the house earlier that day he had forgot to put that damn envelope in its rightful hiding place. He had remembered just tossing it under the bed thinking Keema would never notice it under the bed.

  “Meema I can explain…” he started but never got a chance to finish Smackkk! Was all you heard. “Muthafucka you ain’t shit!” Keema began to swing on him hitting him in the face and head. Jah ducked his head down and covered his face behind his arm, while swiftly grabbing Keema up by her wrist to calm her down. “You fucking liar! You got a kid? Jah a Kid! You a dog ass grimey nigga. I should’ve known.” Keema screamed on Jah she knew he wouldn’t say much, he never did. Jah was never the arguing type. He was more of a physical type, he had no time for arguing. However this one time she wanted him to say something, deny it, tell her that the papers were a fraud. Even though she knew these court documents were authentic something in her just hoped and prayed this wasn’t true. He stood there looking stupid. “Get the fuck off of me!” Keema screamed while twisting out of his grasp.

  “You had this kid keeping this shit from me all along? So what happened Jah? Why this bitch what’s her name? Bianca! Why ya baby mama taking you to court for child support? What she found out you gettin married and now she wanna take your ass to court? Or have you even told her? Nigga you been fucking that bitch behind my back!” Keema accused with jealousy and rage seeping from her eyes. “Ma, you know that shit not true Keema!” He walked up to her ready to throw his self on his knees if he had to. “Meema please.” Jah pleaded shocking himself at how pussy he was sounding. She jerked away from his reach “Get the fuck outta my house Jah!” She screamed with evil in her eyes “Nigga get the fuck out now! You that bastard ass kid of yours and your baby mama can go live happily ever after, cause we through. I don’t want you!” Keema screamed with tears streaming down her pretty face. “Meema,” Jah pleaded with hurt in his eyes.

  Keema turned away from him and stormed to the huge walk in closet. She started tearing what clothes she hadn’t cut up off the hangers. Hangers flew everywhere some even hitting her but that didn’t seem to faze her in the least. There were clothes all over the closet floor and upon closer examination Jah noticed that the clothing was sliced up like a damn tiger had attacked them. “Damn” is all Jah could say. She was crying hysterically, Jah watched helplessly as she filled her arms to capacity with his clothing and threw them from the top of the stairs. Clothes fell from the third level of the condo to the middle of the living room some making it to the bottom, other items of clothing hanging loosely on the stair case. Hangers and cut up clothing were all over the place. Jah looked on in disbelief damn she seriously kicking me out of my own shit I paid for. It was nothing though, if she wanted him to leave he would just dip until she calmed down and he could explain to her what was going on. Money wasn’t an issue what was his was hers, even though they weren’t married yet. He looked at Keema one last time to plead his case “Nigga I said out!” She screamed at the same time pointing her arm to the door as if she was a cop directing traffic.

  Jah turned and started taking the stairs by two he was frustrated and felt rejected, he knew he couldn’t talk to Keema right now she wasn’t mad she was irate. Keema was right on his ass I can’t believe this bitch ass nigga got a nerve to just leave like that after what he did. He real fucked up, he not even begging, he don’t even give a fuck. Keema’s thoughts infuriated her even more. She was mad and hurting she wanted him to hurt like she was. As soon as they made it to the bottom level she shoved him in the back hard. When he turned to look at her she mushed him hard in the forehead. “You dog! I fucking hate you, Jah it’s over! I should spit in ya fucking face!” Jah gave her a murderous glare. He knew he was wrong but she was on some other shit now threatening to spit on a nigga that is the ultimate disrespect. He had never put his hands on Keema but she was going to make him lay his pimp hand down and slap the shit out of her if she pulled some mess like that. Keema flinched at the look Jah gave her she knew what he was capable of and she knew it first hand, she didn’t just hear about it in the streets like Lucky heard about Los. How dare he threaten me when he in the wrong “Oh so you gonna hit me now? You gonna hit me now?” Keema asked again while mushing him again. “Jah fuck you, you ain’t shit and ain’t never gonna be shit.” Keema screamed. “I knew it though, that’s why when I got pregnant by your sorry ass I went and handled that quick, cause I knew you wasn’t shit and I didn’t want to have a baby by your fucking dog ahh..!” Before the word ass could even get out of her mouth Jah had yoked her up and shoved her hard up against the wall. Keema’s back slammed up against the wall and at that moment she realized she had fucked up. She had meant to hurt him but not like this. Jah had tears welling up in his eyes he snarled down at Keema on the verge of looking insane. “Keema you did what?!” Keema had to use the bathroom in the worst way, she didn’t know if it was the pregnancy or the fact that she was petrified. “Tell me you didn’t abort my seed Keema?” Jah’s words were so intense she could feel them run up her spine. He had his hands on her forearms pinning her up against the wall and she felt as if he were cutting off her blood circulation. Keema burst out in hard sobs. Jah gasped and jerked his head back as if he couldn’t believe what she had just confirmed. The look on her face and tears said it all. She had really killed his seed.

  Within a flash of light Keema saw Jah’s fist heading in her direction and her heart stopped. She felt wind whiz past her right ear and then heard a crash. Keema Turned her head to see Jah’s hand sticking in the wall. When he pulled his hand from the wall it was contorted in an awkward position and bleeding. “Oh my god! Jah!” Keema screamed with panic while trying to hug him “Get the fuck off me!” The next thing she knew Jah tore through the living room like a wild animal, knocking furniture over, breaking glass vases, tearing paintings down, and lamps. Keema looked around in disbelief at the total destruction he had caused in a matter of minutes.

  After Jah released some of his pent up stress and frustration from the surprise of a possible son, and Keema’s revelation of aborting his seed on the living room he decided to leave. As he walked towards the front door he grabbed a cloth from the kitchen and started to wrap his mangled hand in it. There was blood dripping all over the place. “Baby you need to go to the hospital.” Keema cried running after him trying to get a better look at his hand. “Ayo Shakeema you gon really make me hurt you, stay the fuck away from me bitch! I mean that shit,” Jah said with hate in his eyes. He stormed out of the apartment with the blood soaked rag on his hand. Keema ran to the front door wanting to follow Jah but heeded his warning. She stood at the front door looking down the hallway with tears flooding her vision. Nosey neighbors lined the hallway trying to get a better look at what was going on. That’s all they saw was Keema standing there crying in skimpy lingerie and Jah storming down the hall looking like a crazed man bleeding. All The neighbors went back into their apartments and closed their door. No one called the cops or even asked if Keema was okay they figured it was none of their business.

  Lucky was on her way home when Keema called her crying hysterically. Lucky couldn’t understand all of what Keema was saying through her sobs. She was able to get what was needed out of the conversation, to call Los and tell him Jah flipped out hard and put his hand through a wall and needed medical attention. Los was on the streets looking for Jah and Lucky was on her way to check on Keema. What her crazy dramatic ass done did now? Lucky thought to herself. Just as she pulled up to Keema and Jah’s high rise condo she noticed there was no parking on the street and she ended up having to park almost three blocks away. Lucky reached over into her glove compartment and grabbed her little pink and black 22 slipping it into her Hermes bag.

&n
bsp; Over the past year and change she been with Carlos he had taught her so much shit that she wasn’t ever exposed to before him. She even acquired her gun license and knew how to bust her shit if need be, thanks to him. Los still picked on her till this day about her first visit with him to the gun range and how the kick back on a glock nearly broke her wrist. She dropped the gun on the ground and screamed out in pain. Carlos had no sympathy; he made her pick the gun right back up and try again. She still had issues with her aim, she was never 100% with her target. Despite her target issues she still was able to obtain her license to bear arms. Knowing the real reason was Carlos’s money but that was fine with her. At the end of the day she had a legal right to split someone’s wig if she felt genuinely threatened. Although she hoped and prayed she would never be put in that type of predicament, she didn’t really think she could actually take a life.

  Carlos also fed her with a wealth of law info, things she didn’t even know. Like when cops really had a right to search and seize and when you had the right to tell them to beat it and call a lawyer. He had her hooked on shows like The First 48. She loved the days where her and Los would lay up all day and watch the marathons. She had learned so much from him but most importantly she learned the golden rule believe none of what you see and only half of what you hear. Any questions from detectives, the alphabet boys such as the DEA, FBI and ATF lawyer up. He had told her horror stories about how real thug niggaz got tricked into being snitches because they were uneducated about their rights, so they let detectives tell them all type of shit only to pay with their lives for snitching. Lucky never wanted that to be her fate so she stayed on her toes and knew never to talk to cops no matter what the situation was.

  Damn Lucky stood in the doorway before entering the condo. “Goodness Jah really wrecked shop in here,” she commented. Lucky could see all the hurt in Keema’s eyes. “Lucky that muthafucka had a baby on me.” “What?! Keema are you serious?” Keema was so hurt she couldn’t answer verbally she just shook her head. Lucky enveloped Keema in her arms and guided her over to the couch. “Lucky he don’t love me,” Keema sobbed. “Of course he does Keem.” If there was one thing for certain Lucky knew about Jah was that he loved Keema. You could see it all in his face when he looked at her or talked about her, not to mention the way he kept her. However, Lucky would have to admit he had really fouled up bad if he did what Keema was claiming.

  There was a hard knock on the door “Keema! Keema!” Ty screamed. As soon as Ty got in the house Lucky was officially chopped liver. Ty and Keema clung to each other as if their life depended on it, Lucky didn’t mind though that’s how it always been. Keema and Ty were the best of friends, they fought like cats and dogs but when shit hit the fan they acted as if that’s all they needed was each other.

  “Oh my god Keema did that muthafucka hit you?!” Ty screamed looking at Keema’s bruised arms. “No, no he didn’t, I thought he was gonna, I told him I had the abortion and he flipped Ty. He got a baby Ty a fuckin baby,” Keema burst into tears. Ty sat beside Keema for a second with her mouth wide open shocked just as Lucky was with the news of Jah’s love child. “Keem its gon be okay,” Ty said while hugging her best friend tight.

  Within an hour Tamika had come over too and all four women sat in the living room. Lucky had just finished trying to clean some of the aftermath of Jah’s wrath. She swept up large pieces of glass and mopped up blood stains in the kitchen all awhile calling Los every five minutes. The last thing Carlos told her about an hour ago was that he had found Jah and was bringing him to the hospital for his hand and Jah would probably need stitches. As soon as Lucky relayed the message Keema got totally out of control and started screaming and falling out. Lucky couldn’t blame her because she could not even imagine how she would react if anything happened to Carlos. Keema wasn’t breathing she was hyperventilating and hiccupping she really needed to calm down. “Lucky did you call Los again? I just wanna know if he okay.” “Keem I’m sure he’s fine. I called but the phone not picking up Carlos probably not getting service in the hospital.” “Uhhh huh huh huh” Keema burst into hard tears again.

  Keema’s emotions were all over the place, she felt as if she couldn’t live without Jah but at the same time his betrayal caused her to feel some type of disdain for him. But he was hurt, and all she wanted to do was be with him and make sure he was okay. Despite their current situation she was still deeply in love with him. Then she thought about his baby growing inside of her, it’s a shame that she would have to raise this baby as a separate entity and not as one with Jah. This was definitely the end; she tried to assure herself

  “I still can’t believe that bastard had a baby on me. I can’t believe it, I’m so through with him.” The entire room fell silent no one knew what to take of the situation. “Damn I can’t believe that nigga did it dirty like that, niggaz ain’t shit,” Ty spat. Lucky looked at Keema and her heart broke for her; she knew what it was like to have the love of your life hurt you deeply. “Keema it’s gon be alright,” Lucky said while stroking Keema’s hair. “I just don’t understand, I swear I don’t. We was supposed to be getting married, he fucked up and couldn’t even fess up. He tried to keep it from me, I’m so messed up right now. I don’t even know what’s real no more. I didn’t even mean to tell him about the abortion like that, I was trying to get back at him. I just wanted a reaction out of him, something to show me he gave a fuck. I knew he would get angry but not like this,” Keema said through tears.

  Ty went upstairs to try and get the bedroom clean enough for Keema to get some rest, she had enough action for one day and it was showing on her face. Ty witnessed the carnage first hand when she stepped in the room, it was in total disarray, “Wow now you know you ain’t right you done tore up his designer suits. Oh shit! Say it ain’t so, you done cut up the gators! Now what’s a playa to do without his gators?” Ty screamed from the bedroom now that really had everyone rolling even Keema chuckled “Girl look at this shit. She done cut these bitches to the soles.”Ty appeared at the top of the stairs and shook the gator the sole detached from the shoe and made a flopping noise the room erupted in laughter. Lucky was laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach. Ty accomplished what she set out to do lighten the somber mood in the house. She smiled as she went back to the room to finish cleaning up.

  “Ooohhh shit! Keema did you read these papers?” Ty screamed running down the stairs 5 minutes later. Everyone looked up with alarm. “Girl Jah ain’t have no baby on you, this boy is damn near four years old!” The entire room went silent. Jah and Keema had only reunited a year and a half ago so the baby was before Keema. “Are you serious? I didn’t read everything I… just,” Keema started to cry hard again. “Oh my god,” she said through tears. “Hole up now, this doesn’t mean shit cause he still had this baby all this time and didn’t tell you anything. He should’ve still told you when you guys got together,” Ty said. Lucky shook her head in disagreement “I don’t know, I really think he would of said something if he knew, the Jah I know would have. I don’t think he the type of dude to deny a child.” Keema began crying again as the realization of the situation started to become clear.

  Lucky’s Iphone rang, hearing Los’s ringtone she ran to pick it up. “Hey Daddy, how’s Jah? Ohh.” “What?! Lucky what?” Keema screamed. “Carlos hold up. Keem his hand fractured. And he needed 8 stitches, but he sleeping right now.” Keema let out a blood curling scream. Lucky flinched and put her hand over her free ear. “Dayum, Luck who the fuck is that? Is that Keema?” Los yelled through the phone “Yeah baby she been like this all night.” “Damn y’all miles well roll out the red carpet for baby girl. What she going up for best actress in a made for TV drama?” Lucky cupped her hand over her mouth and tried to laugh discreetly. That was Keema always the drama queen. “Baby you dead wrong, but I gotta get to Keema.” “A’ight, yo they shot this dude all up with tetanus shots, nigga liquored up, and acting up. So I’ma stay with him to make sure he good. I think it was the liquor and st
itches that put his ass down. He out like Snow White after she ate that apple.” Lucky laughed “Shut up fool. Where you at right now?” “Hotel, Jah don’t want me to say, He don’t want you to tell ya girl. He said he threw wit her monkey ass.” Carlos said while trying to imitate Jah’s voice. Then he started laughing. But Lucky wasn’t “For real he said that?” Lucky asked with concern. “Yeah but everyone know that nigga talking tough, he’ll be back home in no time.” Lucky took a deep breath “Yeah, well I hope it’s sooner than later cause Keema gonna lose her mind. You already know I’m crashing here tonight. I love you Pa.” “I love you too Ma, gimmee kiss,” Carlos demanded. Lucky laughed and blew a kiss over the phone. “Lucky Charms how I’ma sleep without you snoring beside me tonight?” Lucky laughed, “I don’t snore, you mistaken me with yourself. Oh wait baby I almost forgot I have to ask you something. Did Jah know about this baby for as long as he was with Keem?” There was silence on the phone. “Luck, I think he need to talk to her about it, but on a side note nah, he didn’t know shit until two weeks ago when he got served them papers.” “I knew it!” “Yo lil miss let them handle that. You stay out of it that’s not our shit to get into.” “Baby I know,” Lucky whined. “But I’ma still tell her. “You watch and see if I tell ya ass anything else again,” Carlos chuckled. “A’ight I’ma let you go tend to Keema, but what type of panties you got on?” “Uhh Carlos you so damn nasty,” They both laughed. “A’ight ma, love you. Y’all make sure them doors locked.” “I love you too Daddy,” Lucky blew another kiss through the phone then hung up.