LIVIN' JUST ENOUGH: SistaGirlz, Book # 1 ~ Rachael's Story Part 1

The following is an excerpt from my re-released novel, "Livin' Just Enough: SistaGirlz, Book # 1 ~ Rachael's Story"

Childhood Sweethearts...

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rachael Wallace, but my friends call me Baby Girl. Growing up, I was always the good girl next door. Never did anything to get in trouble. Mommy's little angel. That is until I finally gave in to Aaron Jones.

See, I had known Aaron since our first day of kindergarten. Through their many run-ins at parent-teacher conferences and single mother outings, our mothers became friends and, in turn, Aaron and I became friends. It seemed natural for us to grow from friendship into love. Unfortunately, while I was falling in love with Aaron, he was going down a negative path that introduced him to life on the wrong side of the law.

When my mother first heard through the grapevine that Aaron was a drug dealer, she thought she was telling me something that I didn't already have suspicions about.

"Baby Girl, I don't want you hangin' 'round Ron no mo'," said Mama out of the blue one late summer evening.

Taken aback, I stopped washing dishes and asked the obligatory, "Why not?"

"Somebody told me they seen that boy hangin' with some other boys dealin' drugs on the corner last week," she slurred, sloshing her glass of Jack and Coke onto the linoleum.

Since I wasn't facing her, I felt safe to roll my eyes without getting smacked in the back of my head. "That's not true, Mama."

Cuz he wasn't on the corner last week. He was with me in his mama's basement trynna get his hands under my skirt!

"He's only fifteen, Mama. Besides, didn't you say we shouldn't listen to gossip?" I said as I continued to wash the dishes. "I thought you and Aaron's mama were friends. Don't you think she would know if her son was a drug dealer?"

"Like Nessa know what that boy be doin'! She so busy runnin' her fast ass out in the damn streets, I'd be surprised if she even knew he was trying to fuck you," said Mama as she lit a cigarette.

Before she could finish her first puff, I did my fake cough to let her know how I felt about her smoking. We'd made a deal that if she didn't smoke around me, I wouldn't bother her about it.

"Baby Girl, I don't want you with that boy, ya hear me?" Mama said as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Yes ma'am. I'll stay away from Aaron."

That was the first time I ever lied to my mother, but it wasn't the last of me doing things I never thought I would do.

* *

"Baby, what took you so long?! I been waiting over an hour fa yo' sexy ass!" Aaron said as he pulled me into his arms.

Reluctantly pushing him away, I said, "My mama just left the house. I had to wait until she was gone cuz she said..."

When I hesitated, Aaron lifted my chin. "What did she say, Rachael?" he asked with concern. Only when we were alone did he call me by my given name.

"She said that I can't see you anymore," I said as I cried on his shoulder. He held me close as we sat down on his mama's front porch. "She said she heard that you were with some boys dealin' drugs on a corner." When Aaron didn't deny what I'd told him, I looked up at him. "You weren't, were you?"

"Baby, what you don't know won't hurt you," Aaron grinned at me.

Was my mother right? Was Aaron hanging with drug dealers? Was he a drug dealer?

Before I could ask him what he meant, his boy Kris Young walked up on us. Aaron released me to greet his friend.

"Sup Kris," Aaron said as he and Kris exchanged dap.