Family Tithes

Freedom At Last

We both bust out laughing. 

"Man, I miss you. I wanna do something today," I say.

"I gotta work today. You know we chase the bag first, but I'm free tonight. Me and Phor was posed to be seeing Max perform at the club tonight," She says.

I hesitate. Ace said Angel knew what club I worked at. I wasn't trying to step back in there, especially not after getting Tony killed. 

"Nah, I ain't tryna mess around and beat one of them hoes up for talking shit about me and Ace. What y'all doing after?" 

"You know us. Getting into trouble. You down?"

"Girl, do you even have to ask?" I say.

...

The hours in the day tick by so slowly, now that I have plans tonight. So far, I've had ample amount of time to plan my escape from not only Mama but Ace too. As far as I could tell, he had been in his room the whole time. I could see Paryis going in and out of his room with food and snacks so she was enjoying playing his little nurse. That was fine and all but Paryis was a lil' snitch. She didn't rat to adults, but she did bid us against each other to get whatever she wanted. She was a snitch, but she was a finesser too. She was Daddy's daughter that way. 

Now, I was in my room, staring at the outfits laid on my bed.  I didn't know what club they were heading to after Pink Fantasy, so I didn't know how to dress. I decided on being sexy-cute. I choose the hot pink tube top and matching skirt. I spend the extra time rolling my hair with flexi-rods. My hair was naturally curly, but it was unruly curly. I wanted it to be tamed for tonight. Before I knew it, Chantal was texting me letting me know that they were getting ready to leave the club and scoop me up. 

I was already dressed. The only thing was getting around Ace's guard dog. I stared into the hall for fifteen minutes, waiting for her to cross. After another five minutes of no movement, I figured she was holed up in the room with Ace. 

I ran down the steps as quietly as I could. I was on my way out of the door when her tiny voice came through the darkness loud and clear. 

"And where you think you going?" 

"Paryis, I hope you remember this when you get older," I say.

"Mhm. Mama know you leaving?" 

"Yeah," I lie.

"Ace?"

I roll my eyes at the way she just assumes I have to answer to Ace. He is not my father. The people in this house is going to have to realize that sooner or later. 

"Yes," I say.

"Well let me go ask him," She twists  her lips to the side and stalks off, ready to ruin my night.

"Alright, damn. What you want?" I ask.

"Fifty."

"Fifty what?"

"Dollars."

I laughed. She turned back to run up the stairs. 

"Aight, damn," I reach into my fanny pack and pull out a twenty.

"I'll give you the rest when I come back. I thought us girls were supposed to stick together?" 

She rolled her eyes and went on about her business. I silently prayed she wouldn't do no hoe shit and give me up to Ace before I got home. Cause there was no way I planned on giving her the other thirty dollars. 

Outside, Chantal raised down the window to her olive green Jeep. The music from her aux flooded the street. It was ironic that she was playing it so loud cause the music was tip-toe music you'd hear off a SpongeBob episode. I stopped in the middle of the street to flick her off and so did the music. When I started walking back to the car, the music started again too. We all laughed as I climbed into the backseat with Max.