Chapter 8
Solana Thomas
The Next Morning
I couldn’t win for fucking losing in life.
I swear when I tried to start digging myself out of one hole I fell even deeper into another.
I had the next few months completely map out for myself.
I would work as much as possible over the summer and save as much as possible.
Then when school started up, I’d work during Sunshyne’s school hours and start my classes online.
I was anxious I’d already enrolled for the upcoming fall semester.
Now I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do.
If I thought there was any hope for saving my job, the text Carla sent me this morning confirmed I was jobless.
I had one more check coming and the little money Marlo had given me was all that I had to my name.
I was screwed, between feeding Sunshyne and myself and putting gas in the tank that money would be sent in a day.
I had no idea what I was supposed to do until I got my paycheck and even after that.
I had no idea how long Marlo was going to let me stay parked here or if he was going to charge me.
I didn’t even have the damn gas to leave if I wanted to.
It was even worse that I couldn’t even cry because Sunshyne was in my face asking a million questions when she noticed we weren’t parked in one of our usual spots.
I’d finally gotten her settled down after feeding her breakfast and putting on cartoons for her to watch.
I took a moment to myself stepping outside, I’d been leaning up against my skoolie with my eyes closed just letting the wind blow against my face.
I was trying to think of a way out of this mess.
So far, I was coming up empty fucking handed.
Heavy footsteps caught my attention and my eyes popped open.
An unfamiliar handsome face coming my way.
“What chu doin’ out here?” He asked me stopping a few feet in front of me.
I really had no good explanation with how I was feeling. I didn't care to explain myself. I shrugged my shoulders and adverting my eyes to the dusty ground.
“You can’t talk?”
“I can,” I replied with an attitude, but he weirdly smiled at me.
“Good, you too pretty to be actin’ weird and shit. Use ya words and look at me when you talk.” He commanded and I couldn’t help but crack a smile.
The stranger was handsome but that was about it. He didn’t give off big dick energy the way Marlo did. He gave off bitch vibes, or he was trying to be something he wasn’t. I couldn’t take him seriously if I tried. He could kiss my ass after I shitted before I listened to his Black ass.
“Can I help you? Is there something you need from me?” I sighed, folding my arms across my chest. I was still in my sleep shorts and over size Nike T-shirt. I was in no rush to get dressed today. What was the point when I couldn’t go anywhere?
“You a smart mouth ho. You on my shit gettin’ an attitude with me like you ain’t trespassing. I’m not the nigga to put my hands on bitches but I’ll call the police on ya ass you keep fuckin’ with me.” He spat, giving me an angry scowl.
“Ya mammy is a smart mouth ho. You look like the type of nigga to call the police. Fucking pretty boy.” One thing for sure two things for certain I might have been quiet, but when you pushed my buttons, my mouth was outta control.
“Who the fuck…”
“Meek what you out here doin’? As always Marlo’s deep voice caused goose bumps to form on my arms.
“Man, this bitch out here trespassing and running her…”
“Watch ya mouth.” Marlo checked the nigga and he had the nerve to look shocked.
Marlo looked at him like he was daring him to challenge him.
Like the bitch he was, he didn't say shit just pouted like a fucking kid as Marlo stared at him. “And she ain’t trespassing but fuck all that you ain’t even supposed to be over here fuckin’ with her.
I told you to pull that Camry over there,” Marlo pointed across the big lot.
“Go do that shit.” Marlo sounded aggravated with dude.
“Alright, G,” Meek said with his lips turned up into a frown. “Imma take care of that.” I didn’t like his tone, but Marlo didn’t seem phased by it.
We both watched Meek walk off. “My bad,” Marlo said, placing his warm gaze on me once Meek was out of ear shot. “Ion, know what the fuck wrong with that nigga.”
“He was finna get cussed the fuck out. Stupid ass nigga.”
“I see,” Marlo ran his eyes over my body, heating every spot they landed on. Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach I focused on anything but Marlo.
I had to so my words wouldn’t get stuck in my throat.
“I uh, if you can take me to the gas station, I can get some gas and be out of your hair. I’m sure I’ve taken up enough space long enough and I don’t want you to get in trouble with your boss for letting me stay.
” I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.
Obviously, Meek wasn’t his boss, but I knew Marlo had one and I didn’t want to be the cause of him not having a job like me. Not when he had a whole family to feed.
“You fried,” Marlo chuckled looking around at a lot of cars. “Do it look like we stressing over space?”
I shook my head, No.
“Do I look like a nigga that takes orders?” He asked me with his eyebrow cockily raised.
Again, I shook my head, No.
“So, what the fuck I look like havin’ a boss when I’m a boss nigga.
This my shit. Make that ya last time underestimating a nigga.
Imma take offense to that shit next time.
” Marlo stepped into my personal space, leaving a small space between the two of us.
He was so close I could smell his minty breath.
“Okay,” I meekly said, my normal smart remarks got lodged in my brain. Marlo, being so close to me was messing with my thinking. I couldn’t even formulate words to say; I was just lost staring in his eyes.
He stared at me intensely for a few minutes before he stepped back giving me space and freeing me from whatever hold he had on me.
“I ordered some pizza. I figured baby girl would be ready for lunch.”
“Thanks,”
“So, I was thinkin’...” Marlo said, staring at the door to my skoolie then looking back at me. “I need a secretary and you need a job. You tryna work for a nigga?” He gave me a boyish grin.
“What exactly will I have to do?” I asked skeptically. Besides knowing how to work a computer I had no idea about doing secretary work.
I still didn’t understand why Marlo was being so nice to me, but I also didn’t feel like I was in the position to reject any help.
Maybe if it was just myself my pride probably would have taken over.
However, with Sunshyne depending on me I didn’t have any room to be prideful.
I would take Marlo’s help until I got on my feet or he started moving weird.
Whichever came first. I had to play my cards the right way to get ahead.
I wanted to be able to offer Sunshyne more than I had growing up.
Living paycheck to paycheck wasn’t living.
I wanted to be able to go on vacation with Sunshyne.
There were so many things I wanted to be the one to show her.
To allow her to see how big and beautiful the world was my dream.
How we were living now, not to sound ungrateful because I wasn’t.
My skoolie had served its purpose, it was time for us to move on.
“Answering the phone, dealing with customers, keepin’ files and shit organized. Most importantly, not fuckin’ my brother.”
“Definitely not fucking your brother. I don’t even like the nigga.” I frowned thinking about Meek’s bitch ass.
“Meek ain’t my brother. That’s been my nigga for years. He cool, just goin’ through some shit right now.”
“Oh, well I’m still not fucking whoever your brother is. I ain’t stuntin’ no niggas right now.”
“Good,” I could have been tripping, however the way Marlo said good wasn’t in a normal way. He was saying good like he was happy I wasn’t dealing with anyone else at the moment. Even the way he was staring at me was saying he was happy I was single.
Swallowing the lump in my throat,” Uh, how much is the pay?” Not that I really cared, I’d take anything now.
“For you, we can start at thirty and dependin’ on how you do, we'll talk about a raise later.” He winked at me as I looked at him in shock.
I damn sure wasn’t expecting thirty dollars to be his answer but I was so thankful I was tempted to jump in his arms and kiss him.
“Arre you sure?” I asked with my brows furrowed. Marlo couldn’t be this fucking nice and not want anything in return.
“Yeah, just be dressed and ready tomorrow. What time Baby girl gotta be at school?”
“Umm, 12. But I can see if I can get the bus to pick her up from here.”
“Or you can take her. We got company cars you can use. You got ya L’s?”
“I do.”
“Then you straight to use the cars. Whenever, just don’t wreck my shit.”
I couldn’t not say what had been running through my mind.
I had to set my boundaries now. I didn’t want Marlo to get the wrong idea with me.
While I appreciated everything Marlo was trying to do this for me, I wasn’t about to be his glorified side bitch that fucked him because he’d helped me out.
I would rather leave here and figure out stuff on my own before I sold myself short.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me but if you doing all this thinking it’s going to get you some pussy. You can stop now. I’m not for sell and neither is my pussy.” I confidently said and Marlo busted out laughing in my face.
He really laughed at me like I had said something hilarious. I was confused as hell as to what he thought was funny. Marlo was pissing me off. Nothing was funny about what I said. I was dead serious. Niggas did weird shit for less and I wasn’t about to put me and my child in that kind of situation.
“Aye,” Marlo called out to me once he stopped laughing.
“You gotta stop fuckin’ with bitch niggas.
Let the next nigga you deal with be a real nigga cause them other niggas got you fucked up.
If I do somethin’ for you, I don’t expect shit in return.
I’m not that nigga that gotta do creep shit to get pussy.
Stop makin’ me tell you that. When I was out in the streets pussy fell in my lap.
I’m sure if I was still lookin’ it would still fall in my lap.
I’m that nigga, act like you know.” He winked at me as he once again left me speechless.
Fucking Marlo was going to drive me crazy and there was nothing I could do about it.
I kind of didn’t want to if I was honest. He’d piqued my interest. I wanted to know more about Marlo.
He wasn’t your average nigga. It was rare that you came across anybody that genuinely wanted to help with no reason.
I knew Marlo had a girlfriend and I respected that.
I wasn’t a homewrecker by any means. However, I wanted to at least become his friend.
I’d be a fool to pass up the blessing that came in the form of Marlo.