A Halo Like a Frisbee

How the Ice Grew

Blakeney was exhausted after the active day.

At thirty-six weeks pregnant, all she wanted to do was sleep.

Today was her baby shower that her mother, Marla, and best friend, Shana, threw for her.

The theme was Smurfs, which Blakeney loved.

She owned hundreds of miniature Smurf figurines that she had since she was four-years-old.

At twenty-four-years-old, they were showcased in the office of her home.

Her mother and father, Blake, were excited to be grandparents. Travis couldn’t be more over the moon since his daughter was pregnant with his grandson. Travis was what the streets called him because most called his daughter Blake as a nickname.

He was retired now, but the streets would always be in him. He was raised and taught the street life from his mentor Tiberius Kirk Jordan Sr. Rest in Peace.

One factor that Tiberius Sr. taught his workers was to diversify their money.

That was exactly what Travis and his girlfriend, now wife, Marla, did.

She went to school for her real estate license and had a very successful run straight out of the gate.

Eventually, B.M. Collins Real Estate Agency was born.

Three years after their agency started, they secured an apartment complex with one hundred units.

It took another two years for all the upgrades to turn them into luxury apartments.

One thing that the folks in Charlotte, North Carolina loved was luxury.

Now, eighteen years later, their apartment complex was at 96 percent occupancy.

The three bedrooms ranged from $2,800 to $3,400, depending on the square feet and whether it was on the lake side of the property.

The two bedrooms ranged from $1,800 to $2,600, and the one bedrooms ranged from $1,800 to $2,400.

They also added two salon suite buildings with thirty suites in each and eight rental homes that were used for short and long-term leases.

Everything Travis and Marla did was for their daughter, Blakeney.

They had tumultuous childhoods and didn’t want that for their baby girl.

Love, prosperity, and protection were what Travis promised to his wife and daughter.

He stood ten toes down barefoot on his promise.

By any means necessary, he would provide for his family all the things and he has shown that in many ways.

He was known in the streets as Grimm because if he came for you, it was guaranteed to be a grim day for you.

Blakeney developed her parents’ hustle from a young age.

It started with selling drinks and candy to the kids in the neighborhood.

During her teenage years, she couponed then sold the surplus on Facebook marketplace.

At twenty-one, she went to school for her real estate license to join her parents’ agency.

Real estate wasn’t Blakeney’s passion, but she was excellent at it.

She found her passion when in her fourth month of pregnancy.

She loved creating a peaceful and happy experience for expecting parents.

She had already helped two clients in three months, and she decided that was what she would do. Tiny Tots Curator was born.

“Girl, I can’t believe your mama found all of those Smurf party favors,” Shana said in Blakeney’s ear. “I was stressed like hell when your mother said the theme would be that. Like how the hell we find stuff for that old-ass cartoon?”

Blakeney laughed at the frustration in her voice. Shana called her best friend as soon as she got home. They had to rent a small moving truck for all of the presents that were gifted to Blakeney and Cory, the baby’s father. The streets showed up like Travis was still in the game.

“You act like there’s not a movie that came out in 2011. Girl, you can find stuff. What you can’t find, you get custom made,” Blakeney said with a titter.

They had been best friends since the eighth grade. Shana’s family was new to the Charlotte area. As a Charlottean, Blakeney took her under her wings. They had been two peas in a pod since.

“Well, shit. Good thing she knew who to go to for that shit. I was lost like hell.” Shana giggled. “I’m happy so many people showed up for the shower. Well, not happy about everyone. If Cory knew he was going to act funky, he could have stayed his ass at home.”

Blakeney didn’t want to think about how Cory acted.

Slowly but surely, she was growing tired of his recent attitude.

They had been together for two years. When they found out that she was pregnant, he reacted with excitement.

You would never think that with the way he acted at the shower.

It was so bad that Travis pulled him to the side and told him to get it together or get assigned to a plot in York Memorial Park.

Travis was not about to allow his daughter to be subjected to the deadbeat baby daddy narrative. He would rather her deal with a deceased baby daddy. At the end of the day, Cory was not a real factor in Travis’s mind.

Blakeney closed her eyes at the mere thought of her boyfriend. “I was so over him. He adjusted his attitude a little after he talked to my dad.”

“Just barely, but yeah. I know he better get right before Unc Travis go to his ass,” Shana said after she sucked her teeth.

Blakeney heard the alarm of her front door sound. She knew it was him. “Speak of the devil, and he will show himself. Let me go. He just came in the house.”

The best friends had a few more words before they disconnected the call.

Cory smelled like a pound of weed when he walked into the living room.

He knew that Blakeney hated that smell, especially now that she was pregnant, but that day, he didn’t care.

Over the weeks, his attitude had changed about her pregnancy and his son. He wasn’t ready, but it was too late.

Blakeney rolled her eyes. “Cory, why would you come in here smelling like that, knowing it makes me nauseous? It would be one thing if it was some good shit, but from the smell, I know better.”

Before she was pregnant, Blakeney partook. She got her product from her father, so it was top of the line. Cory rolled his eyes. “Man, whatever. I live here too. I don’t want to feel like I can’t be comfortable in my house.”

“It’s not about being comfortable. It’s about being respectful. You know since I’ve been pregnant and your weed vendor changed, I can’t take the smell,” she fussed. Her face scrunched.

He sat on the couch. Now the couch would smell like him. “Well, if your daddy would stop tripping, I could get my shit from him.”

Her head bucked back. “Nigga, first, there is nothing stopping you from getting the shit from my daddy’s people. You choose not to.”

Although Travis was retired, he still received dividends for his connection to the supplier. The supplier was particular about his trust issues, so it would take a while before he was able to pull himself completely out.

Now Cory’s head was bucked back. “Are you serious? I went to that nigga, and he told me it was $1,200 for a fucking pound. Who the fuck is going to pay that shit? I don’t ever remember paying for that shit before.”

Blakeney sat there with a tilted head and a blank stare.

He asked if she was serious, but she needed to know if he was serious.

“Cory, you didn’t have to pay before because I was the one getting it, not you.

Why the hell would my father charge me for weed?

One, I’m his daughter, and two, I’m a female. I wish I would pay for weed. The fuck!”

Travis had no problems with his daughter smoking weed as long as it was his, and she wasn’t a weed head.

When she and Cory got together, she started to ask for a pound.

Travis knew it was for both of them, but he didn’t trip.

Now that she’d stopped smoking, Cory was a regular customer, and he was charged full price.

“That shit is crazy. Nigga could give me a discou—”

His words were cut off. “You got one more time to bitch about some weed, and I’m gonna call my dad and tell him how you feel. You sound like a bum about to ask for a discount. Man up and pay like the other niggas out there. While you’re worried about weed, you need to worry about your son.”

He waved her off. “You do too much. I don’t even know if I’m feeling having a baby anymore.”

Blakeney’s heart dropped to her feet. The words replayed in her head for almost a minute before she could respond.

The shock was real. “What the fuck do you mean, you don’t know if you’re feeling having a baby anymore?

You said that dumb shit like there was a choice at this point.

At one time, you were more excited than me. Now you don’t know?”

She was livid. The fact was, she was more upset at herself than she was him. She knew something lingered in the air of her home that smelled like fuck nigga, but she didn’t want to admit it to herself. Now that it was in her face, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it.

“Man, you act like shit can’t change. Yeah, I was excited. Now, I’m not,” he said with a side eye. “Just like a bitch can change her mind about fucking, a nigga can change his mind about wanting a baby.”

Yeah, Blakeney would not play these games with Cory. She had allowed herself to play games with him for far too long when she knew better. Her parents taught her a long time ago to not take shorts from anyone. Cory had been coming short for a while. Now he was all gone.

She slowly stood from the couch that she sat on. “You’re absolutely right, Cory. Since you’ve changed your mind, you need to change your address. You can’t stay here with that energy. I need a man who’s about his business. Me and my son deserve more.”

Cory’s mind was blown. He didn’t expect her to react that way. He thought that it would be a little argument, she would go off and cry for a little bit, then just stay out of his way. At no time did he think she would kick him out.