Page 34 of The Hood's Finest: Jersey & Mylani
“You can’t do that!” I was infuriated that he was trying to play like this.
“The fuck you gone do about it? That nigga was clearly on a mission and ain’t gone stop until he accomplishes it. My son will be in my care until y’all get this shit under control.”
“Jersey, you can’t do that. Your life is just as dangerous,” my mom voiced.
“It’ll get worse if you don’t stay out my business.” He turned and walked out the door, leaving me there looking stupid. I didn’t want to put my sister out after what she just gone through, but I told her not to fuck up what I had going on, and she did just that. I’d wait until she was released and feeling better, but she had to go.
24
Tasha
I lay in the bed, in pain. My head was pounding, and my ribs hurt. I tried my best to keep away from Eric, but I guess he followed me one day. He kept popping up at my job until I had to get security involved. Apparently, he didn’t like that too much, because here I am. I left because he had a drug and hand problem. He would get mad because I wouldn’t give him any money to get high. In return, he would beat me and still take the money, just like he did today. Crazy thing was, he was spending my money on drugs that Jersey was more than likely supplying.
“Look, Tasha. I hate that this happened to you, but you have to hurry up and get yourself together. Jersey is tripping, as you can see, and now he’s taking Jerz. If he takes my son, then he won’t do shit for me.” I listened to my sister make this all about her as usual.
“Really, Shanna? You really gonna put me out knowing I have nowhere else to go?” She knew going to our mom’s was out thequestion. She had a boyfriend, and he claimed they needed their house to themselves.
“I told you from the beginning that I wasn’t gone let you mess things up for me. I have a son to think about.”
“Shanna, you can’t put your sister out like that,” my mom said, like she was any better.
“Let her come stay with you then,” Shanna countered.
“You already know Levi is not going for that. You have more than enough room at that big house of yours. That’s your sister. You should be a little more compassionate.” I couldn’t believe the gall of my mother and sister. I was their own flesh and blood, yet they were more concerned about what they had going on and how my life would mess it up.
“Y’all can cut it out. I’ll find a way through, like I always do. I promise not to be a burden to either of you much longer.” I was over it. I wished Eric had succeeded in killing me. At least then I’d know where I’d end up.
***
I’d been home from the hospital for a week. I had to stay two extra days because my headache wouldn’t go away, so they wanted to monitor me a few more days. I was now back at Shanna’s, locked in the room. I stayed out her way so that she wouldn’t keep reminding me I needed to find a place to stay before the month was out. She was more concerned about Jersey bringing Jerz home so that he could foot the bills for the month. She had another nigga, so I didn’t know why she was tripping. My ringing phone brought me out of my thoughts.
“Hello?”
“Tasha, don’t hang up.” Eric had a nerve calling me after the bullshit he did to me. I did nothing but love him, and he put me through hell. I wasn’t like Shanna. I wasn’t looking for the nextballer to wife me. I wanted to work and enjoy my man spoiling me and vice versa. When I first got with Eric, he did all of that. I rarely came out of pocket and spent my money on anything. Then one day he came home and said that they were moving his job, and he refused to relocate, so he became unemployed. Instead of looking for another job, he started using drugs. I chalked it up to him being depressed, but then it got worse. That’s when the beatings started. I dealt with his physical and mental abuse for a year and a half before I left and came to my sister’s. The way she acted, I might as well have stayed where I was.
“I have nothing to say to you, Eric. What you did was uncalled for. You left me for dead and trashed my sister’s house. Now, Jersey took her son, and she’s making me leave. Just leave me alone, please,” I pleaded, because that’s all I knew how to do.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You… you kept ignoring me, and I didn’t know what else to do.” He sounded as if he was crying, and I couldn’t lie; it tugged at my heartstrings.
“Eric, you need to go to counseling. That’s the only way I would consider coming back to you. You have to make some changes, because the way things are now, it won’t work.”
“I promise, baby. I’m gonna get some help. Please, just give me another chance. I promise I’ll do better.” I sat on the phone and mulled over everything that Eric was saying. I mean, he could very well be sorry. His tirades had never been this bad before. I wouldn’t give in so fast, but it wouldn’t hurt to give us another try. It wasn’t like I had many options.
“I’ll think about it, but I can’t make any promises.”
“That’s all I need, baby. I promise you won’t regret it.”
“I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Oh, okay. I love you, Tasha.”
“I love you too, Eric.” I hung up the phone and lay back on the bed. I had a decision to make, and it would not be an easy one.I took two pain pills and closed my eyes. Hopefully, sleep would take over soon, and I wouldn’t have to worry about how messed up my life was.
25
Mylani
I’d been spending most of my time at Jersey’s whenever I wasn’t working, and I decided to go to my mom’s today. I needed to get more clothes and check on Trinity. I talked to her every day, but I needed to physically check on her. Jersey was still letting me drive his car, so I no longer had to worry about catching Ubers or walking. I pulled up at my Mom’s and walked through the gate. I could hear a loud commotion going on inside from the walkway, and it caused me to rush inside. When I walked in, my mom and Trinity were going back and forth, yelling at each other.
