Ghetto Love Bird

Grammy

"Mommy!"

"Hey Sweet heart! Check your room, I've got surprises for you." Sorayah squeals and runs to her room.

"Hey sis," Tera says as she enters the room with Sorayah's bag and I grin, taking them from her.

"Oh no, what did you do?"

"Nothing, why?" I bite my lip, and she shakes her head.

"You seen him again, didn't you?"

"What?" My face drops, "how'd you know?"

"b***h it's all over your face, did you get d**k?"

"I-"

"Honey," she grinned at me and I roll my eyes.

"Girl it's nothing like that, it's just s*x, a girl has needs."

"Did he pay?" She stared at me, knowing damn well he didn't.

"I mean, he bought me $900 shoes and stuff for Sorayah

"Before or after s*x?'

"Before?"

"So you paid him, huh?"

I couldn't help but burst into laughter, and so did Tera.

"Do you like him?" She asks, as we sit outside and I scrunch up my phone.

"Girl, f**k no. You know damn well, we don't like niggas over here. And by we, I mean me because you're practically married."

"Okay, but if it's nothing more, why is he taking you out shopping? And getting free s*x?"

"Not to mention he took me out to eat,"

Tera shifts in the chair, her face resembling one of suspicion.

"But it's nothing like that, T. You know the last thing I want in my life right now, is a man."

"Alright sis, just be careful."

"About being careful, Oman confronted Roman at the restaurant."

Tera sucks her teeth, "what did Roman do? I hope he didn't put a bullet in him."

It was clear that she was being sarcastic, but I shook my head.

"He did not," I reply and she pouts, "Roman is from the west side, Tera, and Oman is on the East, you know damn well that one of them hurting the other would only lead to war. And that's the last thing we need here. The crime rate is already too high."

"Ugh, I just wish someone would shut him up."

"Every dog has it's day."

"Damn right," she nods, "anyways, don't forget dinner at my place on Saturday, you're welcome to invite lover boy."

"I havent forgotten and thanks for the extended invitation but the only faces you'll be seeing is Sorayah's and mine."

"I have a feeling this isn't exactly true," she smirks and I roll my eyes.

"Go home," I point to her vehicle, "by the way, where's Eastern?"

"With his dad. Western wanted to take him out, I guess for bonding?"

"Aww," I smile and she scrunches her face.

"Aww what? It's his child, that's how it's supposed to be."

"Sure but, he still deserves his credit."

"Whatever, I'm gone. Peace!"

I watch her leave before heading inside. I couldnt find Sorayah in her room, and looked into the kitchen. Maybe she was hungry?

She wasnt there.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I noticed my mom's door was open. Why would Sorayah be in there? I walk towards the room, and listen for whatever it was that she could have been saying.

" . . . You don't want to be like you mon, Sorayah. Accepting gifts from unknown men, giving up your body —"

"Give me my child," I snatch Sorayah from her room, and frightened, she takes a step back.

Sorayah looked utterly confused, and all I felt was rage.

"How dare you?!"

"Mommy, I just wanted to show Grammy my new shoes," Sorayah says, perhaps trying to defend her grandmother. I knew she was too young to understand, so I quietly sent her to her room.

"You listen to me well, you don't pay not a damn thing in this house, I don't ask you to clean, I don't ask you to cook, I barely say anything at all to you so don't have s**t to say to my child. Do you hear me?" She just stood there, as if I had told her to suck a d**k. And then she started with the crocodile tears.

"Nobody values me in this house!" She yells and I roll my eyes.

"First of all watch who you talking to —"

"You're a w***e!" She screams, "a no good, disposable prostitute! You think any man is going to value, nd love you? Do you really think —"

"How dare you try to call me a w***e? This is what you did too!"

"This is what I did?!" She scoffs in disbelief.

"Don't act dumb now, you don't got amnesia. Lady, you taught this to me, remember? You showed me how to do this, I was twelve and you were bringing in men to do whatever they wanted to me, so don't f*****g call me a w***e, when you were one first!"

I left, in a daze, walking quickly into Sorayah's room. Sadly, she stood outside of her door, peeking down the hallway while hugging her teddy bear.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I pick her up, wiping the tears that silently feel from her eyes, "do you want icecream?"

She shakes her head, no.

"Well, let's go to the park."

"Its night time, mommy," she says and I gulp. My mother continue ranting in her room, and all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there. I grabbed my phone from my room, as well as a coat for Sorayah.

"Let's just grab some McDonalds, yeah?"

"Okay."

There was a branch not too far from where I lived. I grabbed my protection keychain, as well as my taser and threw it in my handbag.

I left my mother, slamming pots and cursing both Sorayah and I. I shut the door behind me, and let out a big huff.

"Why is she so angry, mommy?"

"I don't know."

My childhood was so chaotic, the last thing I wanted was the same for Sorayah. She already wasn't growing up with the fatherly love that she needed and I feel like I failed her for that, so the least I could do was ensure that her childhood was somewhat normal.

So I sent her to a school out of town, where no one knew me, where no one could bully her for her mother being a prostitute, and I ensured that I could provide her with everything she needed and wanted, without spoiling her, so that she would never need anything from another person.

Sorayah was going to be everything she wanted to be, and I was going to stand right behind her through it all because I had her back, always.