Page 34 of Terrez and Shalene
“From the cradle to the casket, my nigga.”
Now, I was heading home to tell Shalene the good news. She’d been on my ass about stepping back from the streets, so I knew her little ass would be head over heels. Since my mother was at work right now, I planned to tell her tomorrow when she came over for the block party. Every year since I’d been partof DP, they requested that my mom make a few pans of her homemade peach cobbler and ice cream. She enjoyed doing it and this year would be no different.
“Shalene,taste this and tell me if it’s missing anything,” my mother called out after pulling the cobbler from the oven.
“I’m sitting right here. Why you ain’t ask me?” I asked, acting slightly offended.
Since Shalene and my mother had that initial meeting, the two of them had grown close. My mom would call just to check on Shalene and Amayah and they’d even gone out for girls’ day a few times. I appreciated my mother for going above and beyond for my lady, but I was also happy Shalene was receptive. I never wanted her to think my mother was trying to step in and be a mother figure to her, because it wasn’t that. My mother was a kindhearted woman by nature and had been through her fair share of things. She only wanted Shalene to feel comfortable and leave the lines of communication open.
“You always taste it. Shalene has never tasted my cobbler, so I feel like she’ll give me a more honest answer than your greedy ass.”
“That’s not true. If anything, I’m gon’ be the one to give you the real. Shalene may be scared to hurt your feelings,” I joked.
When Shalene stood from the couch, I smiled because my baby was really taking her fitness journey seriously. She was in the gym with or without me at least four days out of the week. She kept up with her meal prep during the week and made sure to not go overboard on her cheat days. Outside of a glass of wine on Friday nights, she stuck with water only and theresults were shining through. She’d lost twenty pounds since we’d been together and I could tell she was happier. She was more confident and that was what I loved most. Those little insecurities that showed when I first met her were no longer coming up as frequently.
Her hair was even thriving. She had long hair when I met her, but these days, it felt like those curls wouldn’t stop growing. I didn’t think people realized that being healthy was the answer to a lot of their problems most of the time. Last night, when I came home and told her all the news, she was more excited than I thought she’d be. I didn’t eat a lot of sweets, but she’d gone out and gotten me a small cake. She also gave me flowers, which I’d never received before. I wasn’t sure how to take it at first, but my mother reassured me that men should be given their flowers as well.
“Tell me what you think,” my mother said to Shalene as she took the first bite.
“Oooh, this is good. The only thing I think it’s missing is a little more cinnamon. Everything else is perfect.”
“Thank you, baby.”
When Amayah pointed at the plate in her mother’s hand, my mom sat her on the bar stool next to me and gave her a small piece of her own.
“Lord. She’s about to be hyped up.”
“That’s okay. She’s about to be outside running and playing her little heart out. Gammy is gonna make sure of that,” my mom countered.
“Terrez keeps telling me that there’s a lot for the kids to do. So I’m hoping she has fun.”
“Girl, the event is mainly for the community’s kids. Bounce houses, face painting, and all that stuff. One year, these fools even had a couple pony rides for the kids. They truly do it big for the block party. Amayah will be just fine.”
Not even an hour later, the three of us were leaving my mother’s house and packing into our cars. I told my mother she could ride with me, but she insisted on driving her own whip. Apparently, she and Andrew had plans this evening so she’d need to leave at a certain time to make their reservation. When we pulled up to the building, residents and other people from the community were getting everything ready. Several DP members were scattered about, setting up basketball equipment for small street games to be played. There were also a few men setting up tables and bringing out chairs.
The sound of my name being called from across the lot had me turning to see Mike’s ass standing next to Little. I hadn’t seen Mike around much lately, but figured it had a lot to do with Kassir and Suleem giving him a real job. I wasn’t sure what changed their minds, but the lil nigga was now in the field. I wouldn’t speak on it because it had nothing to do with me, but as long as he never came to me asking for work, we’d be cool. I decided to stay down and help while my mother, Shalene, and Amayah went upstairs to prepare for the festivities.
Now, the block party was in full swing and the crowd had gotten larger. As I passed out ice cream, I watched my mother sitting with Amayah on her lap getting her face painted. From the way it looked, they seemed to be making her a ladybug. I didn’t care what she chose as long as she was having fun. Her mother was around here somewhere with Pat. There was a booth with adult drinks, so I assumed that’s where they ran off to. A sigh of relief came over me when I realized where my life was. I was content for now.
If I were being honest, I thought I would have more problems out of Brevin’s bitch ass. He’d gone from disrespecting Shalene to barely talking to her. When she first moved out, he would get Amayah every other week, but he hadn’t been doing that lately. Luckily, Amayah hadn’t noticed. She’d been occupied betweenbeing at her granddad’s house and now my mother’s. Shalene expressed reaching out to Brevin and having a conversation about him slacking on his fatherly duties but fuck that nigga.
There was no reason anyone should have to call a grown ass man about his child. He knew where to find his child, so we’d cross that bridge when he came back to his senses. On another note, Shalene and her father’s relationship had gotten back to a good place. We alternated weekends with our families for Sunday dinners. He and my mother got along well and she’d even brought Andrew to a few of the dinners. I’d asked Mr. Thompson on some man to man shit if he thought he’d ever date again. He expressed to me that he wasn’t ready for that right now, but he wasn’t sure how Shalene would take that when the day came.
I gave him my word that when he was ready, I’d do my best to help her sort through her emotions. Her mother would never be replaced, but her father had fulfilled his assignment with her. He took an oath under God and completed it. He was a good man and I only hoped he had the courage to love again.
“Baby, did you want me to fix you a plate?” Shalene asked, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Nah, baby I’m good for now. You enjoying yourself?” I questioned, looking between her and Pat.
Pat couldn’t keep her eyes off Little and I could already tell their relationship would be nothing but a bunch of back and forth. In the beginning anyway. They’d get it together eventually though. My brother was a persistent man and that’s what awarded you the things you wanted in life.
“I’m good, I just need to stay away from the margaritas. I’ve already had three,” she vented as she held up three fingers.
Looking over my shoulder and seeing who was in charge of the liquor, I shook my head because Shalene and Pat wouldsurely be drunk as fuck if they kept going for more. Without saying a word, Pat walked in Little’s direction.
“Welp, I guess our time is over,” Shalene joked as she took a sip of the drink in her hand.
“That’s cool. You probably need a break anyway.”
“I’m glad you convinced me to participate in this. I think it’s pretty dope. I’ve never seen gang members this involved with the community.”
“Niggas lost the plot. Back in the day, gangs were there to protect and provide for their community. Mafuckas weren’t running around just killing people for the fuck of it. Morals and values are why I’ll always claim DP. Whether I’m deep in it or just helping with events. These men are good men.”
“That’s true. From the cradle to the casket, huh?”
“Girl, don’t be reppin’ my set,” I joked. “But from the cradle to the casket. I love yo’ ass, girl.”
“I love you too.”
The End
