Hood Life and Love: I Am What I Am

Chapter 23

His little eyes stared at me in something like awe, so much like Christian. In that moment it was as if everything froze. My gaze went from the woman to the child, back to Davita, back to the child. My fist clenched as I realized what I was seeing. I reached for my gun even as my throat tightened and I took one step at a time towards her. 

This bitch had been a constant in Christian's life from back in the day. Although it had been years there was a time I know she scratched an itch for him. He had cheated on me with this same bitch and now she shows up to our hideout with a child. A child who was, clearly, Christian's. 

"Anna," Joey called. 

I continued to walk towards her and felt laughter bubble up from my stomach when she tried to back away. There was no escaping the fate that awaited her now. Because...how dare she. How dare he! I palmed my pistol as I got only a few steps within swinging distance. 

Dimly I heard Terrance tell Tory to get the kid out of the room. I saw the door behind her close. She looked at the door and by the time she turned back to me her face met metal. My pistol collided with her chin with a satisfying smack. She hit the ground and I smiled as she crumbled to the floor. 

This was the Anna no one ever wanted to meet. The version of myself that few lived to tell about. It was what got me my reputation. It wasn't often these days I had to pull my crazy bitch out of my pocket. I knew when I saw Christian it would happen and it was as if I had been trying to stay calm on purpose just so I could save all my anger just for the moment I let her out. This was an unexpected bonus. 

I pulled my hand back to my ancestors and was going in for a home run when some bastard grabbed my arm. Without even looking I swung a fist. Joey caught it like he was expecting it. His eyes were pleading but understanding. He wanted me to spare her, to calm down. I took several deep breaths, before pulling away from him. Anger still riding me hard I began to pace. 

I was beyond pissed. I wanted to hurt someone and the object of my current have was lying on the floor four feet away crying. Trying to control my anger and lash out I screamed, "What the fuck is she doing here?"

Everyone shifted uncomfortably and the woman began to wail. "I want to know what she is doing here."

Her screaming was getting annoying and no amount of deep breaths were working. Someone better make everything make sense because I was on one hundred and I wanted answers. As if reading my mind Dale walked over to the woman with a chair. I watched as he helped her to the chair. Montel went to the bar grabbed a towel and threw it at her. Feeling a little more at ease, I slowed my pace. Joey fell into step beside me. 

"What are you doing?" I asked him, never looking away from Davita. 

"Stopping you from making a mistake. You won't get answers if you kill her," Joey said. I grunted because now that the steam had cleared I could see he was correct. "She may have answered since she knew to come here. She might be able to tell us where Christian is."

That hit like a bucket of cold water. I stopped pacing and rolled my eyes. He was correct again. Like always. Joey was my voice of reason all the time. Funny how that worked out since they always said I was the most level-headed. They had no idea how often they kept me level-headed. I nodded once, went and downed my drink, counted to ten, and stepped in front of the only rival I had ever had. 

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked much calmer than I felt.

"Could you give me a minute?" Davita murmured, "My ears are still ringing."

The audacity. I tilted my head to the side and laughed a little. I pulled my knife from my pocket and pointed it at her face. "Hold her."

In the next second two lil locs were at each shoulder. They both applied pressure and sat her up. 

"You don't have a second," I told her. "You have right now. I want answers and you are going to give them to me 'cause if you don't your ringing ears will be the least of your worries."

That woke her up she looked more alert and much more willing to answer.

"Christian," she said shooting daggers at me with her eyes. "I should have known this would have something to do with you. Even after all this time."

"I could say the same thing about you," I replied. "Where is he?"

"I don't know," she she hissed. "He ghosted me a month ago. He told me if he ever disappeared and I needed help I should come here and ask for Terrance."

My head whipped to Terrance and he stepped to my side. He shook his head and folded his arms. "You're lying," I told her. They bearly knew each other. Why would he tell you to ask for T?"

"Well that's what he said," she said rolling her neck. 

Fast as lightning I slashed my blade across her thigh. "The truth," I yelled. She began to cry and scream as she looked down at her thigh. 

"That is the truth," she cried. "I haven't heard from him in almost a month. He used to call regularly and send money. I just needed money for diapers and food. He told me to come here and ask for Terrance. I don't know why. He never told me anything."

"Bitch," I hissed, "I will cut you from your asshole to your appetite if you don't start sounding real."

I watched in astonishment as she began to pee herself. The stitch hit my nose before it even leaked onto the ground. "Please," she begged. "I have a son."

"She's telling the truth, Anna," Dale said coming to my other side. "She's terrified."

She was shaking like a leaf. Tears and snot covered her face. Up close she looked a good ten years older than she was. Her lips were dark and chapped. Her teeth were yellow and she looked deadly skinny. She looked horrible and this was the case before she ever looked me in the eye. 

"Is he Christians?" I asked slowly as I willed myself to hear what I already knew. 

"Yes," she said as her hands went up as if to shield herself from an impending blow. It would never come because I was past that now. All I felt was defeat. If she didn't know she was just another dead end and she had Christians child. My mind drifted back to how many times he told me I would be the only woman to carry his children. It had to be at least a dozen and yet I was looking into the eyes of his deceit. It fucking sucked. 

Reining in my emotions I relaxed my face and said, "If you ever come here again. I will kill you. I will do it without blinking an eye and no one will stop me. I will be the last face you see as you take your last breath. I don't care if that kid is sitting on two pounds of shit and your lights get cut off. Dont come here. Ever. Again."

"I won't."

I got up and turned my back on her. I made my way to my desk as Joey told her, "And don't even think of going to the cops. If you do nobody you care about will be safe."

I watched as she was half dragged, half pushed out of the room. You could hear a pin drop as we all got stuck in our thoughts. My stomach rolled as I found my seat and prayed for guidance. I still wanted to go find her. My eyes popped open as I realized once again I was fighting a losing battle. Christian didn't want to be found. He had secrets. Like the child with his eyes and a bitch that I thought was long gone. 

Even though I could compete with the baddest bitches and come out on top I should never have to. But a child. That child changed everything. He was a living breathing reminder that Christian had been the worst mistake of my life and while I wanted to rip the face from his baby mother she wasn't my enemy. She never had been. It had always been Christian.