Page 20 of Tangled Hearts
Chuckling to himself, he shook his head. Mae Lou hadn’t cooked anything for him in God knows how long, but as soon as Knycole stepped foot in her house, she wanted to be nice. It was beyond comical. He respected it because for one reason or another, his granny took a liking to her. Knycole had that type ofpower over everyone she came into contact with. She was rare. That alone made him even more upset with her bitch ass daddy.
“Why you watching me sleep?” Knycole asked while wiping her face.
He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re pretty as hell, girl.”
Her chin creased when she smiled. “I know, right?”
Jokingly, he mushed the side of her head. “You want to talk about what happened last night?”
“Nah, I’m good, but I heard Mae Lou say she cooked. I didn’t eat last night, and I need to put something on my stomach so I can take a pain pill for these damn cramps,” she dismissed him.
Rock grabbed her arm when she got out the bed. “You know you ain’t gotta act hard with me, right?” he asked.
Her eyes connected with his. “Yea, and I’m good. I promise.”
There was something in her eyes that told him she wasn’t, but he didn’t push. Besides, he was just as messed up as her and really couldn’t offer much advice on a subject where he wasn’t equipped with much knowledge. Instead, he decided to leave it alone until she was ready to talk about it. In the meantime, he was going to close his eyes before the block started jumping again. He’d watched her sleep all night, and it was catching up with him.
Knycole sat out on the porch letting the setting sun’s rays hit her skin and warm her heart. She was too young to be dealing with what all she had going on. Her life as a sixteen-year-old was more than a grown adult could deal with, and she did that shit gracefully.
“You okay out here, baby?” Mae Lou asked when she stepped out on the worn porch, causing it to creek.
She looked back at the well-aged, round woman. “Yes, ma’am. Just sitting out here thinking.”
“Mind if I ask, what about?” Mae Lou pried. She was nosey, but there was something about Knycole that had her smitten with the intelligent hood princess.
Knycole didn’t really feel like talking, but it wouldn’t hurt to get it all out. “I feel like I’m being punished, and I don’t know what I could’ve possibly done to the powers that be. Like, Nick is on drugs bad, but he ain’t never did me like that.”
“You’re looking at the situation all wrong. Whatever Nick has going on, has nothing to do with you, and the Man up above ain’t punishing you. Look at where you are now… not on the streets. You have a roof over your head and food in your belly. Look at the positive things and stop focusing on the negative. Your future is bright, baby, and this is only showing why you need to keep your nose in them books.” Mae Lou rubbed her back.
“But I’m here because of Rock. I don’t want to have to depend on him forever because he don’t always do my heart right. You know what I mean?” Knycole confessed.
“I know exactly what you mean, and you’re right to feel that way.Don’tdepend on him so much, baby. He’s only a man and a man will let you down. Look to God, andHe’llguide you. That’s my grandson, and even though he thinks I don’t, I love him. But I also know he don’t know how to love you right. Y’all are young right now, so I won’t get on y’all too much. Just don’t let this be the soundtrack of your life. Go to school and do better than all of us. If you continue to do that, you’ll always have a home here… just don’t bring no babies up in here. You on birth control, right?”
Knycole laughed. “Yes, Ms. Mae Lou.”
“Good, baby. See, you ain’t as dumb as I thought.” She laughed.
Knycole looked at her upside her head and laughed with her. Ms. Mae Lou was alright with her. The mean woman had always been nothing but sweet to her.
“What y’all laughing at?” Raquel asked, walking up from the bus.
“None yo’ damn business, gul,” Mae Lou teased.
Raquel rolled her eyes before looking at Knycole. “I thought I heard you last night, but I was too tired to get out the bed to see. You staying with us?”
“Yea, for a little while. You cool with that?” Knycole smirked.
“Yea, as long as you let me wear your stuff and don’t try to take my place with my granny.” Raquel put her fist in the air.
With her hands up in mock surrender, Knycole agreed. “Deal.”
The three of them sat out on the porch laughing while talking about people who walked by. For Knycole, it felt good to somewhat feel like a teen again. The peace and serenity she got from Ms. Mae Lou’s house was something she wasn’t ready to give up yet, and she hoped she could enjoy it a little longer before Nick came back to get her.
Rock and Hov hugged the block like they usually did. Although the first of the month had come and gone, the smokers were still out in abundance. Some trying to get something on credit, while others hustled up the money and were willing to give a leg for the potent drug. The two of them copped most of their work from a guy a little older than them named Christian. His drugs were the best in the city and kept the clientele growing.
“You trying to fall through the club this weekend?” Rock asked, puffing on a fat blunt.
Hov passed a baggie to one of his customers before responding. “Probably not. That shit ain’t even my scene, plus, it’s so much money out here when niggas like you be hugging the walls at the club.”
