Chronological Order (Not Edited)

I

Blistering winds glided through the holes of Tiffany's blue sweater. She rummaged through her purse, looking for her keys for the building that stood in front of her.

"You needa get in ma? I can open the door," A man eased his way between her, and the door. Pulling out keys and inserting them into the lock.

"Yea open this door, but how am I gonna get in my damn place," Tiffany sucked her teeth, still rummaging through her purse.

"Damn ma, I just tryn' be a good person and all." The man pushed open the door, he walked through, holding it to see if Tiffany would walk in after him. After she didn't move, he gave up and continued on with his day.

"Three days," she mumbled, as the door came closer to closing, she slid her foot in between the crack.

The hall smelled like pee, split milk, and wet dog. Tiffany cursed as she reached her apartment door; and, still couldn't find her keys. The rustle of the contents she moved around her purse echoed down the hall. The light flickered, on, and, off, repeatedly.

She finally gave up, and tried to think of where she could've left them. After the call, she went straight to the police station without hesitation. She couldn't remember if she left her keys at her desk, or at the police station, or if she dropped them somewhere.

She kicked the door, a chorus of curses left her mouth as she pulled out her phone. She quickly dialed in her roommate's number.

"Yo," the roommate answered the phone, three rings later.

"You inna house?"

"Just got out the shower, why?"

"Lost my keys somewhere. Open the door,"

"Ight,"

Footsteps could be heard from the other side of the thin walls. Soon the door unlocked, on the other side a female wrapped in a towel.

"Addison, I'm going to jail."

"Aren't you supposed to be at ya job?" Addison seemed to not care for Tiffany's words.

Tiffany groaned and walked passed Addison. She threw her purse on the wooden counter and walked to the worn down sofa.

"I got a call today," Tiffany scratched her throat, she brung her hands to cover her face.

"Before you start this story, I gotta get dress. It's too cold and all for all stories to be told."

"This is important!" Tiffany clenched one of her hands.

"Fine. If I get sick, pay my docta bills, cause I don't have that kind of dough," Addison walked to the worn sofa, she threw herself on the opposite end, adjusting herself to listen.

"I was on my lunch break, I went to get a, like a, dirty man dog. In line I got this call, and well I thought it been a normal friend and all. So like I answered my phone like normal. It was this grown man." Tiffany's voice hitched as she remembered the moments that happened earlier that day. "And he said, this is the police department of so and so. I thought then, that Jamal, member my brother? I thought he done got caught again. But.." Her voice trailed off, a tear ran down her cheek.

"Tiff? But what? Don't make some bull either." Addison readjusted her towel.

"He said, he said.. he needed me to come look at a body. A dead body. Son, I was so scared. I left the line, and I hopped on the B bus and went straight there. It was him Addie," Tiffany wiped her eyes as the tears kept rolling down. 

"J? It was J?"

"They killed my brother! They put the shots in him! I never thought a black person could be so pale! There been a hole in his chest, and one in his stomach. The morgue guy said he had prob bleed out. Why he ain' call me? Why he been so stupid?"

Addison crawled over to Tiffany, she wrapped her in a tight hug and tried to soothe her tears.

"They took him man, my family." Tiffany's hands were shaking, even as Addison held them down.

"You called ya people's?" Was the only words that Addison could think of saying.

"I. What. What do I say? They son is dead! They not gonna care. They told him to go cause he been in the streets. All they can say is.. he deserved it. I was the only blood he had,"

"What about his baby moms?"

"I never liked La'Toya, I'll just tell her that Jamal skipped town."

Addison frowned at this, pulling strands of Tiffany's braids behind her ear. "Diamond gone grow up with no daddy?"

"Diamond probably didn't know Jamal been her pops. All the men the hoe bring round' her? I hope she'll be ight,"

"What you gone do bout' his body?"

"I gotta find the money to pay for his casket and stuff I guess. I'll phone my mom's soon, right now I needa go see Slime. I need to know why my brother dead," Tiffany stood up, her balance wavering. She wiped her face and straightened her work shirt.

"Are you crazy? You must be. You not right in the head right now. I can't let you go to that side, what if you get shot up next?"

"You'll know where I'll be if I don't come back."

"You don't even have ya keys to come back. Think straight, ya eyes all red, ya clothes now all wrinkled. You not leavin Tiff, and trust and believe, I'll whoop ya tail right here so you can't go."

Addison quickly stood up, she got in front of Tiffany, crossing her hands over her chest. Through her thick eyelashes, Tiffany glared at her, not wanting to be stopped. When the look didn't alter Addison's stance, Tiffany turned and stomped to the door that led to her small room.

"After I find my keys, I'm meeting slime." The door slammed shut.

"Shit bout' to happen, shit bout' to happen," Addison repeated a couple times. She went into her own room. "Shit bout' to happen."