Chapter 3
“Little bitch, you must think you’re slick.”
I barely had my eyes open when my aunt barged into the living room. I almost thought it was time for school until I saw it was dark outside. It was then that I realized I fell asleep after coming home and finishing my chores.
“What did I do?” I asked as I lifted from the couch.
“Don’t try to play games with me, bitch.
You went crying to those little hood boogers, and now they are on my porch making threats.
You and them have me fucked up. Ain’t nobody about to tell me how to run my household.
I didn’t have to take your little ass in, and you have the nerve to be ungrateful. ” She huffed, puffing on a cigarette.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to cause any trouble. They asked about my clothes, and I mentioned that I hadn’t been able to wash them.” I tried to plead my case, but she shook her head as if she didn’t believe me.
“You’re a liar! I’ve gone out of my way to let you stay here, and you have the nerve to complain because you don’t want to follow the rules. If you have a problem with the way I run my house, you can pack your shit and get the fuck out.”
Panic set in because I had nowhere else to go. Neither Logic nor East had their own places, so it wasn’t like I could move in with either one of them. All of my friends lived with their parents, and I was sure no one wanted another mouth to feed.
“Wait! Please, Auntie. I don’t have anyone else.
I wasn’t tryna cause problems, I swear.” Tears blinded my vision, and my stomach grew sick with worry.
When I heard the banging on the door, I thought it was the caseworker coming to take me to foster care like they did the night Tone was killed.
It wasn’t until I heard a familiar voice that I realized the boys were still outside.
“You need to go out there and set the record straight because I don’t appreciate your brother’s goons coming to my house to try and intimidate me.
” She fussed as she pressed her lips. Nervously, I headed outside to see a stone-faced East and an irritated Logic.
The moment they laid eyes on my tear-stained face, I could see the shift in them both, and it scared me.
“I told you to go get her, so we can make sure we all have an understanding. Why is she standing out here crying?” Logic questioned. His fists were clenched, and his nostrils flared.
“I’m about to call my man over here. You two are getting real disrespectful, and I don’t like the way you’re talking to me.” Aunt Trina’s voice trembled as she spoke, which shocked me. Nothing ever seemed to rattle her.
“We haven’t raised our voices at you one time.
We simply came here to get an understanding.
You agreed to look after Lyric in Keynauri’s absence.
We give you enough money to take care of your household and provide for her needs.
There is no excuse for her to be walking around wearing dirty clothes.
You are her legal guardian; nobody should have to tell you to make sure her clothes are cleaned when you clean yours.
I’m sure the people at the welfare office would love to know about the undocumented income you’ve been receiving on her behalf,” East expressed calmly.
“Are you threatening me, mothafucka?”
“Naw, I’m only stating facts. Based on your household size, I know for a fact that the money we give you would disqualify you from receiving benefits, not only for Lyric but for your entire household.”
“What my patna is tryna say is that, if you don’t do right by Lyric, she won’t be the only one suffering.
I have a homegirl who works for the city, and all it takes is one phone call for you to lose everything.
Yo’ nigga living it up with his wife, so I doubt he’ll be too helpful when you and your slow-ass kids end up on the streets.
“Here is three bands. This is enough to pay your hundred dollar housing voucher, put some gas in that beat-up ass van, and make sure Lyric has new clothes and shoes to replace the ones you sold. Don’t bother lying about it because you sold two pairs of her shoes to one of my cousins.
I’ve met a lot of grimy bitches in my life, but you and your crunchy wig-wearing sister take the cake.
She’s already going through enough, but you want to take the little bit she does have.
You are even more pathetic than I thought. ” Logic scoffed.
“You don’t know shit about what I have to deal with. I didn’t ask for her to come here, so I don’t think it’s fair for you to sit here and try to judge me. At the end of the day, I’m allowing her to live here, and that’s another mouth I have to feed.” Aunt Trina crossed her arms over her chest.
“You want a cookie? I know you don’t think you’re about to get any sympathy from either of us.
You’re doing the bare minimum, and if we’re being honest, you ain’t even doing that shit right.
My life is too busy to babysit a grown-ass woman, and I won’t start now.
Either you gon’ make this shit right, or you gon’ suffer the consequences,” East warned.
I was embarrassed by the way my body reacted to East’s threats. He and Logic had been looking out for me since my brother was taken away, and it made me feel safe. I hadn’t felt that way since the night Keynauri got locked up.
“You two thugs have a lot of nerve trying to threaten me. The two of you deserve to be in jail right along with my nephew. With the kind of lifestyle you live, I’m sure it will only be a matter of time.
You can get the fuck off my porch. I’m sure you have a community to poison,” she spat, snatching the money from Logic’s hand.
“We have business to tend to, so we’re gonna head out. You have an hour to return her phone because if I call that mothafucka and don’t get an answer, I’m coming back and airing this place out. You don’t pay the bill on that mothafucka, so you have no reason to be touching it,” Logic warned.
“Fuck you! Just wait until I call my man. You’ll be lucky if he even lets you come back to my house after the way you spoke to me.”
“Don’t get mad at me because you’re shaped like a wisdom tooth.
You’re calling that man your nigga as if you aren’t borrowing him like a book from the library.
We just saw him at Lydia’s Cafe with another bitch who was built like a box of Cheerios.
Ol’ boy loves him some awkward shapes,” Logic ranted.
My jaw dropped, but I quickly fixed my face as Logic continued to roast Aunt Trina. He was a fool and never cared what came out of his mouth.
“I’m about to call the police if you don’t get away from my house!”
“Aye, I don’t want no problems. My job here is done. L-boogie, call me if you have any issues.” Logic wrapped me in his arms, kissing the top of my head. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, making me laugh.
“If Chip Skylark’s tooth gives you any more issues, call me.
I’ll stick a pin in her overstuffed bbl and deflate her miserable ass.
I love you.” He gave me one last hug before he turned to leave.
East passed me several shopping bags without uttering a word.
I could tell he wanted to say something, but for some reason, he decided not to.
It kind of made me feel some type of way because he hadn’t even spoken to me.
I watched as they sauntered to East’s car and pulled off.
My aunt slammed the door before she stepped back into the house.
I was afraid to move because I wasn’t sure how she would react.
Twenty minutes passed, and I thought it might be safe to go inside, but the moment I stood up, I saw my aunt storm out of the front door, throwing a trash bag full of what I assumed were my belongings.
“Wait. What’s going on?” I shrieked frantically.
Aunt Trina ignored me as she continued to throw things down the porch steps. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the items belonged to me, and I was completely devastated. I sobbed uncontrollably as she mumbled under her breath about how ungrateful I was.
“Aye, what’s going on?” Mr. Nathan inquired.
For once, I didn’t cringe at the sound of his voice.
In fact, I was grateful to have someone who could help calm her down.
Aunt Trina was always a different person whenever Mr. Nathan was around.
Those were the only times she treated me like the rest of her kids or ignored me altogether.
She would be so wrapped up in him that she would forget about everyone else.
“Baby, what is going on?” he asked for the second time.
“Get away from me. I’m tired of all of you.
Everybody always wants to complain about what the fuck I do, but nobody bothers to help.
I gotta deal with my ungrateful ass kids and their stupid ass daddy.
You’re always running the streets, fucking on every bitch with legs while I’m here being loyal to your ass.
” She attempted to hit him, but he grabbed her and held her in a bear hug.
“I want this little bitch out of my house! After all I’ve done for her, she had the nerve to have those thugs come to my house and threaten me. If they care so much, they can take care of her. I’m done!” Aunt Trina screamed.
Mr. Nathan never let her go as he whispered in her ear.
I thought she would fight against it, but it only took a couple of minutes before she melted in his embrace.
I watched in disbelief as a smile broke out on her face.
Mr. Nathan grabbed her hand and led her into the house.
Before he closed the door, he popped his head out to speak to me.
“Give me a moment to handle her. I promise I’m gonna get her to calm down and let you back inside. When I do that, I’m gonna need a favor from you.” His words, mixed with the weird look in his eyes, frightened me. I had no idea what kind of favor he needed from me, but I guess I would find out.