Page 44 of Love & Vendettas

“I can’t complain. Mr. Pepperdine, this is Zaire, the young man that I told you about over the phone,” she explains, gently resting her hand on my shoulder and ushering me forward.

The man steps back from the door, opening it wider, and I step inside and then aside so that Ms. Brew can enter.

I watch as he watches her ass as she leads the way to the kitchen, a place I presume she’s been several times before. I follow him and her as she gives him a rundown of what’s happened to my family in the last thirty-six hours.

He listens intently as we settle around a table. The man explains that all the children are at school, as it’s the middle of the day, but they’ll be back in about three or four hours. He gives me an explanation of how the program works, introduces me to a few other staff who work in the home, and then provides me with a sheet of paper that has the rules.

I’m told that I have to sign it; it’s a behavior contract. I didn’t sign up for this shit, but one look at Ms. Brew’s hopeful face, and I’m signing that dotted line like a muthafucka. I can’t disappoint her. Not right now, at least, but I know that a time will come when I will. It can’t be helped.

I owe a bigger allegiance to my family than I do to her.

She stands and smiles at me. “Okay, well, I’m going to leave you two to it for now. You can get to know one another better. Zaire, I’ll be back this weekend to take you to see your mother, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I mutter, forcing a smile to my lips.

She smiles broadly back at me and then pats my shoulder before she’s off. Mr. Pepperdine walks her to the door, I’m sure just to be in her presence a little longer and to watch her ass.

When he returns, he waits until the woman cooking, Pauline, leaves the kitchen before he speaks. “Look, I know your kind. Ms. Brew might believe in you, but I can already tell that you ain’t gon’ be shit. Don’t think you’re about to come in myprogram fucking it up with your street thug ways because I don’t play that shit. You got me?”

“Man, you don’t even know me to judge me already,” I snap.

“I know your kind. I’ve kicked a dozen of them out of my program. If you can’t get with what I’m saying, you might as well walk out those doors right now.”

Laughing, I stand and say, “You ain’t said nothing but a word, big homie.”

Shaking my head, I make my way back down the hallway that I came down.

“Don’t know how you think you’re going to survive on the streets. You can’t even face your challenges like a man.”

“You know nothing ‘bout my challenges,” I say, continuing toward the front door with him on my heels.

I guess he thought he’d call my bluff.

“You’re running at the first sign of trouble.”

“Not running. I had no plans on staying here all along. But seeing as how you’ve given me every reason not to, I’ll execute my plan sooner,” I say, pushing the door open.

“Young man, wait!” he shouts.

“Why?” I ask, turning back around on the second step down. “To make sure you that you get that monthly check for me being here?”

His eyes narrow, and his mouth grows grim.

“I’ll pass,” I say, jogging down the final steps.

When I reach the end of the drive, I pull out my wallet and check it. Not that I need to because I already know that there’s three hundred twenty-one dollars and forty-two cents in there. Not enough to survive on, but enough to get me to the other side of town. Parker has my product.

All I need to do is reach him, sell what I’ve got, and re-up. I’ll be back in business in no time with a more definite goal in mind.

21 – BAYLEIGH - RAINY DAYS

Sun. Beaches. Drinks with tiny umbrellas. Yeah, that’s not our reality right now. In fact, it’s just the opposite of that.

They’re sitting on Riley’s bed, and it’s raining outside. I have a bottle of water in my hand, Trina’s sipping a Diet Coke, and Alicia has tea.

Oh, and Riley? She’s curled up in bed. Crying.

That’s right. We’re here in Miami for a weekend getaway, and my baby sister is crying. What the fuck?

---