Page 16 of Always Been You
My phone buzzed, and Chante was calling to confirm our lunch date. I damn sure was going to have to cancel. I couldn’t afford to spend a dime right now.
“Where are we doing happy hour?” she said as soon as I answered.
“Girl, I’m sorry. I can’t.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Your mom?” she questioned, knowing the situation all too well.
“Yeah.”
“Well, look, you definitely need this happy hour then. Don’t worry about it, I got it.”
“No, Chante, you're always covering for me. I can’t keep doing this,” I felt myself about to break down. I was so fucking stressed out.
“Well, I’m bringing happy hour to you then. I’ll meet you at your house in twenty minutes. You can’t tell me no either.”
She hung up, and just as she said, she made us mixed drinks, and we were sitting on my bar stools, laughing 30 minutes later. She really had a way to make me laugh when everything around me was falling apart. I don’t think she even realized how special she was to me.
“So, what’s going on with your mom and Trina?”
“Same shit. I swear it’s always something!”
“I’m praying it gets better.” She came around to the barstool beside me and sat.
“Am I wrong?” I asked.
“Right off the top, I’m a say hell naw, but since you haven’t told me what you are talking about, I will wait until you do.”
“It’s like I feel so bad about how things are going. Am I a fucked-up person because I don’t want my sister to live with me? My mother would start so much shit with me over that and make my life a living hell. I mean, don’t get me wrong, push comes to shove, I will do it in a heartbeat, but it’s not what I want. I feel like maybe that’s why Trina hasn’t come.”
“Welp! I’m gone repeat it. You ain’t wrong boo. You don’t want to be a parent to a child that you didn’t create. Trina is a teenager, and I know for a fact that you wouldn’t leave her out there to fend for herself, but you deserve a life, Dyami. You gaveup your childhood to practically raise your sister, and now you want it to be your turn. There is nothing wrong with that.”
“I feel so guilty for feeling like that. I want to run away from it all.” I admitted.
“Fuck running, just put your foot down with your mother and Trina, too. You love your sister, but she knows what she is doing. She will call crying for money, and when you tell her to come stay with you, it’s always an excuse. It would be easier for you if she stayed, but she wants to do what she wants to do. That’s not uncommon for that age, but I don’t think she is blameless. She is playing the system like any teen would. Trust me, I have three knucklehead ass siblings, and I’ve seen every trick. It’s just unfortunate about your mom.”
“Girl, like, really what the fuck? I was supposed to be far away from here by now.” I shook my head and sipped some wine.
“Fuck all the drama. You called that Marcos yet?”
“Not yet,” I replied.
“Why the hell not? You couldn’t stop talking about how happy you were to see him. I know we discussed you getting new dick. That’s a good starting point.”
“We were friends, and it’s been years. I’m not on that type of time with Marcos?”
“Why not?” She frowned.
“Because we were friends back in the day. Like real friends. Not the type of chicks that call a nigga their brother and still fuck him. I’m sure he got somebody anyway, as fine as he is,” he damn sure looked good as fuck. He was way more than I remember. I didn’t want anything to ruin our memories. The friendship we had was the highlight of my teenage years.
“Girl, you don’t know what the fuck that man got.” Chante countered.
“He has always been a hoe, and I’m sure that ain’t stopped now. That nigga been on me since the beginning of time, but I never let it go further for a reason. I just can’t take finding out he is just like these other niggas around here.” I added when she was too busy sipping to respond.
“So, what are you trying to pass him?” Chante said, and when I snapped my head in her direction, she was doubled over in laughter.
“See, stop playing.” She said, after catching her breath.
“I just doubt he's single. What I looked like getting another attached nigga. I may have never been able to prove it, but I know Jay had someone in the bushes.”
