Chapter Five
āBut you canāt keep us hidden forever.ā
Dai
I slid into my pocket and grabbed out the crumbled fifty dollar bill that was given to me for emergencies. I reached over the torn grey leather seats and handed the bill to the man in the driver seat. Ā He straightened it out and peered back at me while licking his chapped, dark lips.
āYou need me to wait for you, shawty?ā I shook my head, and opened my door. āWhat about your change?ā
āKeep itā¦You need it more than I do, go buy some Carmax.ā I stuck my nose in the air and grabbed my phone off of the cushion that was beside me. I slammed his dirty ass door once I slid out of his stank ass cab.
āAlright bitch, get that stick out your ass or you wonāt survive out here. Thatās real talkā¦ā Ā He shouted out the window. I rolled my eyes and flicked his greasy ass the bird.
Before he could even respond to what I had done I was trekking up the pathway to the entrance. I had to watch every step that I was taking since it was getting dark out. Once I made it up to the metal gates I punched in the code that I saw on a post-it note in my fatherās office, and the gateās opened allowing me to walk through.
I glanced at all of the stones that I passed, feeling quite gloomy. So many people have lost their love ones and I know that they were feeling the same pain that I feel almost every day. Just the thought of me not being able to have shopping sprees and girls day out with my mom like the other girls that I know have with their own makes me feel abnormal. I wish I could feel that motherly love just one last time.
āDaisyā¦Is that you?ā Someone asked from behind me.
I stopped walking, and stared ahead of me nervously. I didnāt know who the hell would know me from all the way out here. I knew it wasnāt Skully because it was a femaleās voice. I turned my body as soon as it dawned on me that they could easily attack me from my back being towards them. Once I saw who it was I swore my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. I hadnāt seen this woman in years.
āā¦Titi Keisha?ā I squinted, trying to get a better look at her.
āYes baby, itās meā¦ā She said after clearing her throat. She got closer to where I was standing. Ā I scrunched up my face at how much she had change since I had last seen her. She looked a hot fucking mess, and I was ashamed that I was even related to her in that moment. I could tell life had definitely taken a toll over her.
āWow Izzy, you look just like her.ā I rolled my eyes at that stupid ass nickname my motherās family had given me. I didnāt get it, it sounded like a name you would give to a can of pop.
āI guessā¦ā I said softly, while looking down at the freshly cut grass. I didnāt want to look at her, it hurt to know my beautiful auntie had turned into something so hideous.
āDoes D know youāre out here?ā I bit down on my bottom lip, and shook my head. She laughed and I looked up at her to see what was so fucking funny. āWell now we know youāre definitely Aleshaās child.ā I furrowed my eyebrows at the fact that I didnāt know what the fuck she was talking about. Duh I was her child. I popped out her pussy, what the fuck.
āEnough of the small talk, where is her headstone?ā I snapped. I was getting irritable from being around her. I could tell by the way she presented herself and talked that she wasnāt the same person I once knew.
She let out a loud sigh before digging her nails in the arm I saw multiple dark marks on. I shook my head and waited for her to lead the way to where my mother had ben buried. She took her sweet time and when we finally made it my aunt drop down to her knees in front of the granite stone. She closed her eyes and spoke under breath, it sounded like she was reciting a prayer. After she was finished she pushed herself off the ground and stood beside me.
āHow many times have you been out here?ā I found myself asking out of curiosity. It seemed like this was sort of ritual for her. Ā
āAlmost every dayā¦ā She answered, and pulled out a lone dandelion from out of her pocket. She placed it in front of her headstone and a smile stretched on her face. āShe was my best friend, I canāt believe sheās gone.ā I kissed my teeth, and tried to fight the water works from falling.
āThat aināt shit, she was my fucking mother.ā I spat angrily and shoved my aunt from beside me. She looked at me completely baffled.
I wouldnāt have been surprised if she tried to fight me since I knew of her past. What I had just done wasnāt appropriate nor did I mean to do it. My emotions were just all over the place that I didnāt know how to handle this moment.
I bit down on my bottom lip while my tears clouded my vision.
āI lost my mom tia. Sheās fucking gone. Esta mierda duele tanto. (This shit hurts so bad.)ā I cried, Keisha gripped my arm and brought me into her. As soon as she wrapped her arms around me I felt the same comfort that I once did with my mother.
āI know Daisy, but you canāt let this effect you the way it is. All your mother wanted from you was to be carefree and loving just like she was. Itās going to be hard for you to do that with you letting her death fuck with you like this. Baby, sheās gone and never coming back. You need to realize that and move on with your life.ā She rubbed my back, and held me close. I had finally mourned for the death of my mother after so many years. This was definitely well overdue. āIām going to give you this day, donāt be a stranger okay?ā
I nodded and backed out of her embrace. I sniffled, and dried my wet face with the back of my hands. Aunt Keisha left a kiss on my forehead before disappearing and leaving me out here on my own. I sat down in the grass in front of my motherās headstone and found myself smiling once I read the message that was engraved.
āThe sun shined brighter because Alesha was here
And the world is a richer place because Alesha once lived.
Here lies a beloved Mother, FiancĆ©, Daughter, and Sisterā
āI really miss you, you were with me since the day I was born. It sort of seemed like I was glued to your hip. Where ever you went, I was right there with youā¦.well except for the times you came out here.ā I sighed, trailing my finger through the grass. āDad isnāt around like he used to be, ever since youāve been gone. Itās like heās scared to get close to me, and it hurts because it feels like Iām doing something wrong. He gives me things but it doesnāt compare to the love that I want from him. You know, I just wish you were still alive. At least I would have someone actually here for me, to love me for me. All the people that surround me come around for only two things, the materials and the physical. I deserve more than this. I mean someone has offered me the love that I have been dying for. Iāve been distancing my way from them thoughā¦since the person Iām talking about is a she.ā I covered my eyes with my hands, and started to break down again. I hated that I couldnāt get a response from her, it kind of felt like I was talking to a brick wall.
āDamn Little D-Block, you got issues.ā Someone startled me. I looked back to see Skully, some Chinese looking nigga, and a baby doll built bitch.
āWhat the fuck, how the fuck did yaāll find me?ā I groaned, slapping my hands on my forehead.
āNext time you fucking try to run up out of my crib unannounced donāt forget to get all of your shit.ā Skully barked, throwing a balled up piece of paper at me. I opened it up and huffed at the piece of paper that had this address on it. I had found it in my fatherās office a while back. Ā āNow get your stupid ass up, and letās go. Got me running around these fucking streets looking for your childish ass. I donāt know who the fuck you thought you were dealing with but-ā
Skully had stopped lecturing, and now had his eyes fixed on the headstone in front of me. We all looked at him confusingly. The Barbie doll stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around him, trying to get his attention.
āBaby, are you okay? Snap out of itā¦ā She had the squeakiest voice Iāve ever heard. I didnāt expect a nigga like Skully to be dealing with a broad like her.
āā¦how do you know her?ā Skully gazed over at me, while he pointed at my motherās headstone. I screwed up my face and looked at her engraved name once again.
āShe gave birth to me, so for you to come out here disrespecting me like this-ā
āShe told me she didnāt have kidsā¦ā I heard Skully whisper, stopping me from finishing what I was trying to say.
āWait, what are you talking about? You know my mom?ā Skully ignored the questioning looks from his friends, and sat beside me on the ground. He nodded his head and then looked down at his folded hands in his lap.
āYeah, I knew herā¦She used to be my babysitter and she worked with my momā¦they were close friends.ā He let me in on some of his past but something just wasnāt adding up. From what I remembered of my mother, she had never worked a day in her life. She used to be my fatherās wings in this drug business but from the sidelines. My father didnāt want my mother lifting a finger, because like always he was concerned for our safety. So, What Skully had just told me just couldnāt have been the complete truth. Maybe he knew another Alesha, because this one didnāt need to workā¦she was basically a queen in an empire.
āYou sure this is the right woman, because she has never worked. If you really know my dad you know he would never make her do any labor.ā I spoke with a chuckle, confused about this whole situation.
āNo this is her, Alesha Santiagoā¦she worked at Advanced Direct Security with my momās.ā I swore my chest dropped to my stomach once he had said that. This shit was way too fucking fishy. I hopped up off the ground and paced around her tombstone.
āI need a fucking shovelā¦ā
Skully
āOh shit, this some scary movie type shit!ā Ty shouted. āThat bitch aināt in this fucking casket!ā
I stared down into the empty casket with my mind heavy with thoughts. The sudden feeling of deception rushed over me. It felt like everything that I once knew was all just a lie. None of the shit that I have been told and have learned to accept is adding up at this point. The trick was on every nigga that believed she was dumped in the ground. Alesha was out there either living her life or out there getting tortured by some ruthless niggas while everyone thought she was resting peaceful in this casket.
āIt was her!ā¦.Fuck!ā Dai cried with tears pouring out of her eyes and her hands interlocked on top of her hand. I furrowed my eyebrows and licked my lips. This broad had been trippy all night. I still didnāt even know what made her want to dig up Aleshaās grave. She must have some information that none of us niggas know about because we were all just staring at her as if she had lost her damn mind.
āGirl, spit out what you know! Iām tired of standing out her freezing off my pussy lips and shit.ā CeeCee snapped, crossing her arms to her chest. She glanced up at me and I quickly looked away. I knew she would want me to wrap her little ass in my arms but I just wasnāt up for that mushy shit right now. This Alesha shit was really fucking up my head.
Dai stopped crying and sniffled before sending a nasty mug in CeeCeeās direction. She started pacing around the ditch while playing in her hair and looking down at the ground.
Ty elbowed me in my side, I sent a dirty glare his way. He nodded over towards little mama and I huffed. I trekked my way over to her.
āBaby girl, you gotta calm down.ā I said softly, stopping in front of her small figure. She looked up at me and inhaled. I placed my hands on her shoulders. She looked at both of my hands and then up into my eyes. I read her easily like the cover of a book. The walls that she once strongly built were crashing down. I could tell that at that moment I was getting through to Daisy and not Dai.
āSheās the one that broke into our house Skully. She took all our stuff.ā
āWait man, you sure?ā I asked, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Some things started to piece together and I looked up at the dark sky in disbelief. This woman was playing the hell out of everyone and she didnāt give a fuck about who she was hurting in the process.
āI know I was praying that I get my mom back. But this isnāt what I was talking about. This isnāt what I wanted!ā Daisy stressed and closed her eyes.
Once they fluttered open one lone tear trailed down her cheek. I bit down on my bottom lip and sighed. She scrunched up her face to try to stop any other tears from falling but it didnāt work. I brought her into my arms and held her to closely to my body. She tried her best to wrap her arms around my body but couldnāt quite make it. She opted to just grab onto the back of my shirt. No words were exchanged, all that could be heard was our breathing. I shut my eyes and stuck my face into her neck.
I hadnāt felt comfort from a female like this ever before in my life. I hadnāt even felt this connected to my mother. This was my very first opportunity to share my pain with another person. I had never had the opportunity to give ease to someone and get it in return.
āYaāll just going to continue to be all hugged up out here or we actually gonna go see what the fuck is going on?ā Ty asked jokingly while he walked up to us, this nigga could never be serious.
Daisy let go of the back of my shirt and sniffled.
āI needed thatā She said lowly into my shirt. I stepped away from Daisy while rubbing my nose and looking down at the grass. I was trying my best to avoid eye contact with her. I could feel her eyes boring into me but I just couldnāt take it there with her. I decided that to break the awkward moment we were in I would make my way over to CeeCee.
Once I actually looked up from the ground I regretted even thinking about going to check up on my girl. She had the deadliest glare that could have probably killed me.
āSo you just gonna forget you have a whole fucking girlfriend? That bitch has a shoulder to cry on but I do as well. Donāt ever disrespect me like that.ā CeeCee complained. I rolled my eyes and rubbed the top of my head while looking away. āDonāt forget who the fuck knows all about your fucking secrets. It would be a shame if all that shit were to be spilt out into the streets.ā She spat harshly and poked me roughly in the chest.
āYou trying to threatening me right now, Crystal?ā I snapped my focus back to her, and stepped up to the broad with my fist balled up to my side.
āOh baby, fuck with me and it will be a promise.ā She switched up, and gave a nigga a little sweet act. She stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed me on the cheek. āI will fucking burn this world down before you leave me baby. I love you.ā She whispered in my ear.