Page 7 of Tangled Hearts

Knycole rummaged through the cabinets, looking for her favorite spaghetti pot.

School had been daunting, but regardless of the type of day she had, she still had to come home to cook and clean, or it’d never get done.

All day, her stomached cramped, which was a tale, tale sign that her monthly cycle was about to rear its ugly head.

Picking up her phone, she dialed her best friend.

“Hello?” Noir’s pained voice came through the phone.

Knycole removed the pack of ground beef from the fridge and placed it in the pot. “Hey, boo. How are you feeling over there?” she asked.

“I just popped another pill, but other than that, I’m good. Thanks for dropping my school work off for me. I know it was a lot since I know how you get when your period is about to start,” Noir said.

“I’m over here dying.” Knycole grabbed her stomach. “I was about to ask you if I can get some pads until I get some money from my daddy, but now that I think about it, I don’t even feel like walking to your house. It’s easier for me to just go to the corner store.”

“You sure? ‘Cause I just bought a new box.”

“Yea, girl. As a matter of fact, let me go ask him for a few dollars since it is the first, and I know he got it. You ate today?” Knycole inquired.

“Junk, yes. What you cooking?” Noir knew without a doubt her best friend was at home throwing down.

“Something light… just a pot of spaghetti. I might get some garlic bread to go with it if Nick gives me enough money.” Having to fend for herself for years, Knycole had learned her way around the kitchen and could throw down on the basics.

“I might come over to get a plate, but these pills are kicking in, so I’ll talk to you later.” Noir said her goodbyes and hung up.

Once the pot was turned down low, Knycole went to use the restroom. As soon as she pulled her leggings down, she noticed the spotting. “Damn.” She grunted.

She thought she had a few more days, but mother nature had other plans. Rummaging under the sink, she searched for a pad but came up empty handed. Knowing all too well about the struggle, she wrapped a heap of toilet tissue around her hand and placed it in her panties.

She needed to go find her daddy quickly because not only was the tissue uncomfortable, she wanted to shower as well.

When her monthly cycle was on, she bathed at least two times a day, regardless of the hot water working or not.

Knycole slipped her feet into her slides and headed out the door, in hopes of Nick being close since her meat was still cooking.

She was well aware of the dangers of leaving food on the stove and was willing to take the risk.

After walking outside for a few minutes, she spotted her father sitting up under the chill tree. The chill tree was a hangout spot for drunks and druggies alike. Knycole had a strong feeling that she would find him there, especially with it being the first of the month.

“Nick,” she announced once she was close enough to gain his attention.

Nick’s grin fell once his eyes took notice of his daughter. No matter how addicted to drugs he was, there was always a part of him that hated when he looked into Knycole’s eyes and saw pain and disappointment. “What’s up, baby girl?”

Once upon a time, she loved when he called her that, but now it repulsed her because there was no way in hell she was his baby girl. The way he carried her was like a grown ass woman who had to fend for herself.

“I need some money,” she said as her body shifted from side to side.

Nick looked around before focusing back on her. “I don’t have it,” he lied, scratching his unkept hair.

Knycole couldn’t believe the lie he was telling her. It wasn’t like she asked him for much, so when he flat out refused to make sure she was straight, it pissed her off. “Stop lying. I need some money to get my feminine products.”

“Damn, you can’t get it from your little boyfriend?” Nick asked, pissing his daughter off even more. His cracked out friends just sat back and watched the two.

“It’s not his job to give me money… it’s yours.

But you know what? Don’t even worry about it.

I’m going to fix your ass one way or another.

And when you come in the house, don’t even think about eating any of the food I bought with the money my little boyfriend gave me!

I can’t believe you!” Knycole yelled before stomping off in anger and frustration.

Nick only shrugged his shoulders before turning back to his fake friends.

The group of addicts were only friends when one had money, and since it was the first of the month, a lot of them had it.

Still, he would rather spend his money with a group full of fake friends than to make sure his only child was well taken care of.

With anger coursing through her body like hot lava, Knycole grunted and grumbled to herself.

She was almost certain the conversation would go the way it went.

For some reason, she always held out hope that the only family she had on earth would finally do right by her.

Epic fail. Still, she was going to take matters into her own hands and do what she needed to do because walking around with tissue in her panties for four days wasn’t going to cut it for her.

Pushing the phone to her ear, she listened to Rock’s phone ring until the generic voicemail picked up. Sighing, she pushed her phone back into her pocket.

Walking into the house, she immediately went to the pot of meat she had on the stove and dumped it into a strainer in the sink.

While she let the grease drain, she filled the pot up with water and placed it on the stove so she could cook the noodles.

Everything was going well, so she rushed into her father’s room in search of some money.

It didn’t take long for her to find money under his mattress.

Knycole removed forty dollars and rushed down the street to the corner store.

Inside the store, she grabbed up everything she needed. Forty dollars in the hood store could go a long way, so she was able to get two boxes of pads, garlic bread, a carton of eggs, and a few hair products. After she paid for her things, she walked briskly back to their tiny apartment.

The water rumbled on the stove, and she added the noodles before going to the bathroom to take a quick shower while they cooked.

Knycole had multitasking down to a science.

Rock had paid the bill, so she had hot water, which was always a luxury.

Without him, she didn’t know where she’d be.

Because of him and his risks, she had decent clothes, food, and hot water.

He was truly a saving grace to her. The water hitting her pecan-colored skin felt better than living at the moment.

Oftentimes while in the shower, she would dream of a different life.

A life where her father wasn’t addicted to drugs, and the love of her life wasn’t hustling.

Deep inside, she knew she needed to leave this place and never look back in order for her dreams to come true.

“Knyc!” Nick hollered, startling her.

Hastily, Knycole dried off and wrapped her body up in the PINK bath robe Noir got her for Christmas last year. “Huh?” she answered, trying to rush into the kitchen to check on the food.

“Did you take some money from me?” Nick didn’t waste any time.

“No,” she lied, keeping her focus on the food. Knycole wasn’t good at lying, and her eyes were a dead giveaway.

Nick grabbed her by the shoulder to spin her around. “Don’t you lie to me, Knycole! Did you take my fucking money?”

“No!” she yelled back.

“You a got damn lie! Give me my money, little girl.”

“I don’t have it! I told you I needed to get some personal things, and it’s really my money that the state gives because my mama is dead!” Knycole shot back at him, speaking nothing but facts. Without that check, Nick wouldn’t be able to buy anything.

His dark skin grew three shades darker. “You little bitch!” He charged at her.

Knycole’s eyes bucked because he’d never called her out her name, not even once. “Daddy!” she squealed when he yanked her up.

“That is my fuckin’ money, and I need it in order to pay them niggas ‘round the corner. Do you know what they’ll do to me if I don’t get them that money?

Knycole, I am your daddy, and you will abide by my rules, or you’ll get the fuck out!

” He barked at her. His eyes held nothing but the devil in them.

“I don’t have it. Daddy, please stop, you’re scaring me,” she cried.

He let her go. “If you don’t have my shit, get out my damn house.”

Knycole just stared at him.

“Now!” he hollered, causing her to jump.

“Where am I supposed to go?”

Nick shrugged before commencing to putting her out. “I don’t know, but not here.”

“Wait,” she tried to stop him from pushing her out the door. “I don’t have on any clothes, Daddy, wait!”

Her pleas fell on deaf ears. “You shouldn’t have put your hands on my shit.”

Outside, people watched in horror as Nick continued to guide his only child to the streets in nothing but panties and a robe. The drugs were in his system so good that every rational thought he had was out the window.

Down the street, Hov watched as a crowd of people started to form. For him, the hood shenanigans didn’t faze him one way or another, but when he heard someone say Knycole’s name, he had to see what was going on.

“Daddy, please!” Knycole begged and pleaded with tears running down her angelic face. If she knew he was going to treat her like that, she would’ve just used the tissue method for a few days until she could get some pads from Noir.

Nick looked at her with hatred in his eyes. He was pissed beyond measure and scared of what the youngins’ on the street were going to do to him. Honestly, he had enough money to pay them, but that wouldn’t leave him any money to buy more drugs for himself.