Page 12 of Desperate Times

“No! Yo momma foul, and you know it. I’ve been struggling, giving her money I didn’t truly have, and for what? Just for her to tell me all my things are ruined?! Y’all let this lady say and do anything, that's crazy to me!”

“You lucky I gave you a place to lay your head.”

“You didn’t give me shit!” I finally snapped. “I paid you, ain’t no handouts over here, never has been!”

“I saved you from that trifling baby daddy of yours. So thirsty to open your legs and he doesn't give a damn about you or that damn baby! I ain’t ever even seen him before. Tell him you don’t have nowhere to stay and watch how he gives you his ass to kiss.”

“Really?!” I choked out, shock and rage slowly but surely consuming me. “You can fix your mouth to say that to me?”

“Just like your mother. Laying up with a man and can’t even get a dime out of him. Lil girl, free pussy gets you nowhere!”

“Yooo! Ma!”

Blacking out, I ran up on my auntie. But before I got to her, Venus grabbed me.

“No, you won’t, Crim! Stop!” Venus yelled as I struggled to get away from her. “Listen to me, stop, Crim, stop!”

“Let her go, Venus! I’m ready to give her an old school ass whooping!” Auntie Ruby yelled.

“Mama, chill!” Rashad interjected, attempting to calm her down.

“Let me go, Venus!” I pushed out of her grasp. “I’m done. Auntie Ruby, I won’t ask you for shit else. Don’t worry about me or my baby. We good, understand that! Running that house like it’s a damn Airbnb. That's my grandma's house! It fell into your hands when you and Rashad didn't have a pot to piss in. My mama’s insurance policy paid that house off. It's damn near mine. You remember that the next time you wanna talk about my mama not having a dime. Bitch!”

I tossed Scarlett’s diaper bag over my shoulder, the weight pressing into me as I reached down and lifted her car seat. The emotional storm raged inside me once again, competing with one outside. The rain hammered against the porch roof while thunder rumbled through the skies. With each crack of thunder, I was brought closer and closer to my truth: She really hurt my feelings.

Blaming me for having a trifling baby daddy? Sure. Exerting her usual greed? Fine. But dragging my dead mother into this? That was crossing the line. She had absolutely no right. I swore to myself I’d never speak to Ruby again. Hell, I didn’t even know what her issue was with my mama in the first place. I’d heard the rumors, whispers that my mother had stolen Auntie Ruby’s boyfriend back in the day and that I was the product of that scandal. The most disturbing rumor, though, Rashad and I had the same father, making us half-siblings and cousins. Either way, I could never put any of those rumors to rest, not when I’d never even met my father. But if Ruby’s hatred toward me was because of some The Boy Is Mine drama from decades ago, she ought to be ashamed of herself. Then again, blood wasn’t always thicker than water.

“Where are you going, girl?” Venus asked, stepping onto the porch.

“I’mma get an Uber and get a room at the Mulholland Suites. I’ll figure out the rest of this shit tomorrow.”

“You can’t stay there, that motel is dangerous.”

“Ain’t nothing more dangerous than sleeping with one eye open because your so-called family is jealous of you. Fuck her, and fuck y’all, too, if you defend her.”

“I’mma let that slide because you’re emotional.”

“You don’t have to let shit slide. I’m tired of you straddling the fence. I mean it’s clear whose side you’re on so just say that!”

“You know I love you, but you gotta learn to stop reacting so much to Ruby. She be looking to get a rise out of you. Let me grab my keys, and I’ll take you to the motel.”

Venus had both of her parents, who were loving. She didn’t know what it was like to live in a house, knowing muthfuckas didn’t want you there. Venus tried her best to be supportive on the drive over to the motel, but everything she said went in one ear and out the other. Especially since she called herselfdefending Ruby. I hated folks who didn’t know how to be impartial. Silently, I prayed for her to shut up. Venus no longer knew what to do with me. Her man was home, and she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. But she had better be careful because Ruby was loyal to no one. It was only a matter of time before they started bumping heads.

I’d just finished texting my manager at the bank informing her of what happened. I never used PTO, not even when Scarlett was sick. I always knew an emergency would come up, and here it was. Relief washed over me when she replied to my text, approving the next few days off. It was Wednesday. I needed the rest of the week, and the weekend to get my ducks in a row. I meant it: I wasn’t asking Ruby for shit else. It was time to hustle, whatever that looked like.

My stomach growled as the hunger pushed past my anger. I’d been waiting on my Uber Eats order for a whole damn hour. Niggas couldn’t get shit right, especially in the hood. Hell, they were probably circling the block, scared to drop food off because of the location. The Mulholland Suites didn’t have the best reputation, but it was home for the night.

Finally,I sighed, hearing a knock at the door.

“It's about ti-Jahsir?” Shock hit me hard. Seeing him tonight was not on my bingo card.

“Crimson, you're really starting to upset me.” He shrugged, breezing past me like he paid rent. “Hey, lil mama. Mommy got you in this car seat?” Scarlett showed her gums and started whining, somehow pissing me off and warming my heart at the same time.

No, she was not trying to act like she was having a hard time. Trying to make me look bad, I guess.

“Sh sh sh sh, mommy being hard-headed and making you suffer in the process, huh?” He cooed to her softly.

“What?! Jahsir, don’t piss me off. I'm starving, and I thought you were my food order.”

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