Page 10

Chapter Ten

KOSHA

W as I proud of my baby for getting her diploma without any hiccups?

You damned right I was.

I couldn’t tell you how many tears I shed that day seeing her walk that stage.

She accomplished half of my wants from her, and I was hoping she could obtain the other half just as easily.

She was such a smart girl, and I hoped she knew that.

However, my happiness was overshadowed by the anger I felt in my heart for Houston.

That nigga really didn’t have the decency to show for my baby.

She looked for him the whole day ‘cause my foolish ass told her he was coming. He didn’t call her, send a simple text, or anything.

He just didn’t give a fuck.

I hoped she got with the program and realized the only person that had her back was me and gave me the respect I deserved.

She had tears in her eyes when he didn’t show, I didn’t know how to cover for him.

Disappointed and hurt.

That was all I saw on her face that day.

I wanted to call Houston’s job and cuss his ass out for playing with my baby, but I kept my cool.

He was just missing out on someone great.

“Mama, I’m ‘bout to walk down the street and grab something to eat from Subway,” Mel said standing over me. For some ridiculous reason, she wanted to come to the shop with me today.

“Okay. Grab me a turkey sub and please, no avocado. I’m allergic.”

“I know, Mama. Can I have your card? You took mine, remember?” I rolled my eyes and gave her thirty dollars from my apron instead. I wasn’t a fool.

“Go and come right back!

” I said in a stern tone.

She walked away with attitude, and I would’ve snatched her ass back if I wasn’t in the middle of cutting a client’s head.

Fussing and fighting with that girl was not in my plans.

I didn’t feel well either so going heads up with her just wasn’t in my deck of cards for the day.

Finishing my client’s lineup, I stepped back and admired my work.

He had become.

A regular and I knew exactly what he wanted.

A simple low taper with a two line design in the back.

He never steered away from the same cut.

I applauded him for having a routine.

He was a salt I was losing this fight the longer his hand stayed around my throat.

I could feel myself growing weaker and weaker as the seconds flew by.

Chrome, baby, please hurry.

“Chrome! Chrome!” I could hear the girls yelling for him.

It was faint, but I heard them.

However, the sound of a gun going off and Houston’s screams were very loud and clear.

I watched a bullet pierce the arm that had me hemmed up.

I didn’t know who made the phone call, but I was glad they did.

“ Ahhhhh ! My fuckin’ arm!” Houston screamed in agony.

Finally, I was released and greedily gasping for air as I fell to my knees.

Turning my baby against me was something I couldn’t swallow.

He came to Eastlake for one reason, and I’d be damned if he didn’t accomplish it.

Any ounce of respect my daughter had left for me was completely tarnished.

He knew how much she loved him, and he used that to his advantage.

“Fade. Fade!” Chrasmere was squatted in front of me with his gun resting on my cheek as he assessed the damages Houston done.

Just like a young nigga to protect but not have any awareness of shit in the moment.

“I’m… fine… Chrome,” I spoke barely getting it out.

I was still trying to find some kind of composure.

I was nauseous, emotional, and weak all at the same time.

He had to give me a minute.

“Aye, somebody take her home for me. She ain’t gon’ want to see this,” Chrome ordered.

He stood and pressed his barrel to Houston’s temple.

He wasn’t but so tall but that didn’t stop him one bit from challenging him.

I was helped to my feet seconds later, but I knew to protect Houston from Chrome or else Melanie would never forgive me.

He wasn’t shit and deserved whatever was coming his way…

but her love for him was all that mattered.

I just couldn’t let him kill someone for me and I couldn’t let him take away my daughter’s father regardless of how less of a man he was.

“No! He’ll leave,” I reasoned, as I stretched my body in front of him like a human shield.

Chrasmere’s head fell to the side with a devilish look surfacing.

“ Ooouuu , I just knew this shit was coming. You protecting that nigga? You still love that nigga or something?” Chrome inquired with a glare that screamed he would clear the block if he had to, me included if I answered wrong.

“He’s the father of my child, Chrome. Melanie will never forgive me if I let you do you. Ain’t shit in Eastlake for him. He’ll leave, just don’t kill him.”

I felt less than as I pleaded for this fuck nigga life.

I knew it probably made me look stupid as well, but I was simply protecting my relationship with my child.

She already hated me; I didn’t need this added to the list of reasons why.

Chrome didn’t understand it because he wasn’t a father.

As a parent, you did a lot of shit you didn’t want to for the sake of your child.

This was one of them.

“That’s right, baby. Protect me,” Houston commented followed by a light chuckle mixed with groans.

“Would you shut the fuck up, Houston? I don’t even know why you’re here!” I yelled.

“Because you fuckin’ begged me to be. What? This lil’ nigga wasn’t hitting it right or something? I mean, you always did say I was the best you ever had.” Houston just kept running his mouth and the longer I stood there, I realized me protecting him was a horrible decision.

“Begged, huh? Tuh! One of y’all take her to the hospital and make sure she straight. BMG let’s get the fuck up out of here. Apparently, we not doing nothing but interrupting shit.” He glared at me with so much disgust.

I was used to this man admiring me, now it was like he wanted nothing to do with me.

“Chrome, that’s not what this is. He’s her father,” I said in a hushed tone.

Tears were forming because I knew how he was taking this and that wasn’t the case at all.

I had a child to protect which meant protecting her no good father as well.

“I’ll take her, Chrome. Y’all go ‘head and head out. The police are on the way.” Henny volunteered her time. Chrome didn’t object. He grabbed his crew and got the fuck on before the police could turn the corner.

“I can take myself, Henny.

Y’all just hold the shop down,” I said finally peeling myself from in front of Houston.

“Leave before the cops get here and I press charges on your ass.”

“Nah, that lil’ nigga ‘bout to go to jail for shooting me,” Houston taunted.

“You might want to opt out of that before you lose your life. His aunt’s the police chief, I doubt he’ll be processed. And while we’re at it, since you want to lie to my daughter so bad and be father of the year, take her with you. I got her through grade school, you get her through college.”

“Nah, she can’t come back with me. My woman don’t want her there,” he voiced.

“Really Daddy? She doesn’t want me there?” Melanie questioned with tears in her eyes. I hated that she loved him at all. I wanted her to let him go the same way he did us and move on.

“What? So, you bring yo’ bitch ass up here, get my daughter hyped up, and you can’t even take her back with you because of yo’ bitch? Houston, stay the fuck away from me and stay the fuck away from my daughter. Melanie let’s go.”

“Daddy… you’re not gonna fight for me?” I could hear her heart breaking in two as she stood there. I’d be damned if I let her go through the same heartbreak as I did.

“Let’s go, Melanie!

” I yanked her by the arm and dragged her ass through the shop and out the backdoor to the alley.

I didn’t bother parking in the hotel deck today and I was glad I didn’t.

I needed to get the fuck out of here and somewhere I could think in peace.

Melanie hopped in the passenger seat as I climbed in the driver’s.

Neither one of us bothered to put our seat belts on.

I peeled out the alley and didn’t look back.

Hopefully, she learned from this.

I didn’t keep her from that nigga, he cut ties.

He made it to where she was no longer a priority for him.

I was the only one who had her back.

I was praying she saw that.

“Dammit Melanie! Why the fuck don’t you ever listen to me? You think I move the way I do because I want to hurt you? Huh? I do this shit because I know niggas and the biggest heartbreak you can ever experience is from your father when he stops caring. I try my best to protect you and make sure you have everything you need because that nigga doesn’t give a fuck about you enough to spit on you if you were on fire. You might not like me, hell, I’m sure you fuckin’ hate me now, but that doesn’t stop how much I love you. I don’t make sacrifices, I make decisions. Decisions that’ll keep a smile on your face and a roof over your head. You better wake the fuck up and soon because the only bitch that’s gon’ ride for you, is me.”

For the first time in a long time, Mel had absolutely nothing to say back.

All she could do was sit her want to be grown ass over there and cry.

She saw the real Houston today.

That was the man I got when I found out about his infidelity and I knew then, me or mine wasn’t gon’ sit around and waddle in our feelings.

Real women made sure nothing harmed their child but sometimes you had to let them skin a knee to see life isn’t all peaches and cream.

I regretted going there with Houston, but Mel needed to see who he really was.

I would’ve loved for my daughter to have both her parents in her life, but that nigga just didn’t care to be, and I wasn’t gon’ make him.

I made sure she had me but that wasn’t good enough.

“Look, I’m ‘bout to drop you off at the house. You gon’ be alright?”

“So, you leaving me, too? Figures,” she whispered.

I didn’t think she would want me around at the moment, but I thought wrong.

Melanie wasn’t nothing but an over emotional teenager realizing life don’t always go the way you want it.

I cared enough to always be there.

I guess now she was realizing I was the only one willing to be.

“Did you ever get the food?” She shook her head no and I pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot at the light.

“What you want? A ten piece.”

Nodding, I pulled up to the intercom and got her meal with a cone on the side and me something as well.

Dipping her fries in ice cream calmed her down.

I knew that because I was around enough to know my child.

She yearned for that nigga but all he did was give her his ass to kiss.

Houston broke her heart today and he’d never get the chance to do it again.