Thug Love like No Other

Chapter Fifteen

>Two Weeks Later<


-TJ-


"Aye Nigga! Where you been at?" I could hear him in the phone. I smirked. "With my girl yo." I said as calm as possible. I didn't want to do this. Of course I wasn't all the way out of the game, just taking a break and slowing down for a little I suppose.


"Well, we need you out here man! You know we gotta have your ass out here keeping order! After Andre left you need to be on top!" He said with enthusiasm. It was odd how he talked about Andre as if he just moved away.


I closed my eyes thinking of him laying in my arms, struggling to stay alive. Then I my mind flashed to Monica, her beautiful smile looking up at me, her squeals from when I would chase her around the house trying to get my hat back, she was perfection.


"The fuck wrong with you? You still there TJ?" I could here Monte shouting with frustration into the phone.


"Who the fuck you talking to like that?!" I snapped. Just because I hadn't been around for a little doesn't mean he can disrespect me.


I was young, that's for sure, but I ran shit. Or at least I was next in line after Andre, he made that clear when he was still breathing.


I listened as Monte huffed but didn't reply. "I'll see you guys at the trap house on north side in an hour" I said into the phone then hanging up.


"Who was that?" I could hear a stern voice behind me. I turned around to see her in my boxers and a shirt. Her eyes still puffy and hair going in every direction.


I had no reply.


I just stood there looking at her with sorrow.


And with that I left, I needed to leave now if I wanted to get to the house on time.


"I love you Monica, more then I've ever loved anything ma." I said softly before closing the door.




-Monica-


I stood silently staring at the door for a while after he left. But it wasn't the door I was looking at, it was the images my mind was showing on the door.


Andre, my father, TJ, it was all too much.


I had went to the funeral the week before. It wasn't a loving family supporting eachother. In fact most of the people I hadn't seen in years. The gave me looks and said their "I'm so sorry"s even though I know they didn't mean it.


I then broke out of my thoughts.


I went into the living room climbed up to stand on the couch and pulled on the large vent, revealing a relatively large compartment.


Guns, about 5 in this stash, loads of weed, some envelopes, and some already rolled blunts. Not touching anything else I grabbed two of the blunts and went into the room.


After a little while I wasn't feeling as pained as I was before. I whipped up a dinner and waited for TJ to return.




-TJ-


It was late afternoon when I pulled back up to the house and the second I opened the door I could smell strong weed and something else really good. But what was the most surprising was what I saw in the kitchen, it was Monica and she was smiling.


Of course it wasn't what I was expecting, it's been awhile since she had smiled but I smiled back and immediately went in for a kiss.


"I'm sorry" she whispered as I hugged her. "For any heartache and getting in the way of things. You don't have to change for me" she continued. Before I could say anything she made me go quiet and guided me to the dinner table.


-Monica-


For the first time in weeks I was smiling. Maybe it was the weed, but maybe I was just becoming numb, maybe a little bit of both.


I knew where TJ had been that day, considering I heard the phone call. I also knew the money was running low so I said nothing.


I just smiled.


My brother is gone, but TJ is here.


My father has left, but TJ has stayed.


It seemed he was all I had left.


As we sat at the table eating I could hear him make sounds of satisfaction.


He looked up at me as if trying to read me a few times but I would just look back and smile.


-TJ-


She got ahold of my weed, that I know but even that can't make her happy.


I know the smile wasn't true happiness I was just hoping she wouldn't become numb. I know what it's like to be numb. And it's worse then getting hurt.


"Monica don't do this." I finally muttered.


She looked at me in confusion so I continued.


"Don't be numb or try to forget, it will change you. Please don't do that ma. I want my Monica back. I'll do anything for you to just be truly happy."


She dropped her eyes, looking down almost as if she was ashamed.


I shuffled through my pockets until I found the ring I had placed in my pocket earlier.


The ring was gold with small diamond all around in a little circle. My grandma gave it to my crackhead mother. My mother never wore it, she threw it in a drawer and didn't think of it again but I did. At only 6 I got it out of the bottom of the drawer and hid it my room. She never noticed it was gone in fact she probably never remembered getting it. My grandmother died months after giving it to her and we never even went to her funeral.


At that age I kept it, I wanted to give it to Trinity when she got older. My baby sister, I could still remember how I adored her but she never got to be the age to wear it.


And then I looked at Monica. Sitting infront of me at the dinner table with her head down and a tear slipping down her cheek.


"Monica" I said getting her attention. She looked up at me with pain in her eyes.


I pulled my hand from my pocket and placed the ring into her delicate sorrowful hand. She looked at it and widened her eyes.


"I want you to have this." I said softly. I then took it back and slipped it on her finger.


She said not a word, just looked at me as deep as she could.


And with that I began my story. I told her everything, about my mother, the bleach and god knows what else burning my skin on my back, which explained the scars. I knew she noticed them but she never said anything.

And then I told her about Trinity, my sweet little baby sister.


Looking up I could see tears in her eyes making mine feel heavy, wanting to cry so bad. Longing to release the pain, sadness.


She tried to give it back, deeming herself not worthy but I was sure of the fact that i wanted her to have it. That was no doubt.


-Monica-


When TJ finished speaking, telling me his sorrows. I looked down at the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly on my finger but it wasn't just a ring, it was him. It was TJ, his sorrows his anger, his baby sister. It was all that and he wanted me to have it.


In only moments I was snapped back into reality. I wasn't the only one with pain in my life.


I closed my eyes. But this time instead of seeing my fathers blood I saw him laughing as I would play with my toys at a young age. Instead of seeing my brother in the hospital bed I saw him riding around me on his bike as I was still riding with m training wheels. Instead of seeing myself being brutalized and raped I saw TJ kissing me and loving me in our bed.


I looked at him TJ who was looking back at me waiting for a reaction.


I let out a slight smile, this time though, it was real.




AUTHORS NOTE: Long awaited but very short. I'm getting back on a regular schedule with you guys I promise!!