Lighter Shade of Brown (Urban Fiction) BWHM

Chapter 21

"Putt its cool," she said, cutting her gaze between him and the group of approaching foot draggers. "Go see about Juan, and y'all call me when you know something." When he hesitated, she sighed her frustration. "Please go, Putt. With everything goin' on, y'all don't need these problems. I promise, I'll be okay."

"He betta get his ass across those tracks, before I put him in a box my damn self," Liberty snapped as she dragged her towards the stairs. "And you..."she continued giving her a shake, "is far from being fine, especially, not when I put that leather in your life for lyin' on me. You ain't gonna be able sit for weeks, behind this shit."

As Liberty continued her rant, Cleo relaxed, in spite of her situation, when she saw the El Camino back out of the parking lot. At the top of the stairs, Liberty shoved her inside the still wide screen door. Stumbling over one of her mom's high heeled shoes lying in the middle of the living room, she fell face first into the run down love seat. Before she could turn over, she felt a sting slice across the back of her legs. Damn. She hadn't even noticed a belt in Liberty's hands.

"Now I know like hell," Liberty said, this time sending a lick across her back, "that was not my gun you had, because mine is still in my closet. So where the hell did you get that iron?" Grabbing her hair, Liberty flipped her over, to look in her eyes. Not sure which lie to tell, Cleo kept her lips pressed together, hoping that her mom's would be more satisfied with giving her a beat down than she would with answers. But she should've known better. Hope didn't deal with folks from the Ninth, and it wasn't about to start then. "You betta tell me something before I damn near your ass up in here. Who the fuck did that gun belong to?"

Tears of anger blurred her vision. She hated when Liberty, put hands or belt to her. What right did she have to discipline her? It wasn't like she was the traditionally caring parent. In fact she took care of Liberty more than she did her. Truth be sold, she should've been the one wielding the belt, whooping her ass. Just then the back of her mom's hand slammed against her cheek. "Girl, I will kill your ass up in here. Look at me like that one more time, I swear to god..." Swinging the belt again, the leather connected with the front of her thighs. "Tell me."

"I found it," she sputtered through sobs, as her mom's raised her arm to swing again. "In some bushes outside the Circle."

Upon hearing this, Liberty lowered the belt mid-swing and eyed Cleo through narrowed eyes. "What bushes?" She asked as she towered over her with hell in her eyes.

Nervously, her gaze swung from Liberty to the belt, as she tried to visualize the spot in her head where she'd once watched Taz hide his bomb of crack and gun. "The bushes next to the woods by the playground."

Liberty's expression blanked, as the belt slipped from her grasp. Without saying a word she walked to the door, and then rested her palm on the tarnished doorknob. "The next time I hear about you having a gun, I'll break you in two. Do you understand me?"

Cleo bobbed her head, while swiping the tears from her face with the heels of her hands. Satisfied, her mom's slipped from the house, leaving her to sit huddled in the corner of the loveseat, fingering the tender welts on her thighs. Not long after Liberty left, a knock sounded on the screen door. Hoping it was C's, she rushed to the door, yanking it open. Disappointment plunged itself deep into her chest and set up shop, when Tech's unwanted face greeted her on the other side of the screen.

"You alright, Lil' Mama?" The worried expression on his face somewhat pushed back the reluctant to leave disappointment.

Stepping out on the porch, she nodded. "Yeah. Liberty just wanted to ask me about something. She was only playin' about whooping me," she said, swallowing down the bitter taste of the lie.

"Figured as much," he replied, following her over to the balcony rail. "Just wanted ta make sure you was okay wit my eyes, instead of my head."

Cleo forced the fresh memory of Liberty wailing on her ass from her head. No need to cry over what had already happened. Especially, when it was her own stupid actions that cost her an ass stomping in the first place. Sniffling back snot, she shrugged. "I'm good. Just a misunderstanding that's all."

"'Bout Gianni," Tech said, more as a statement than a question. "Every time, I come around, you goin' through some ting, gurl. And he always be da cause of yer troubles. Aren't ya tired, yet?"

"What you talkin' about?" She asked, slicing him with a glare. "C's ain't have nothin' to do with what Liberty and me was goin' through. So you can keep his name out your mouth. Besides he wasn't anywhere around last night when I got myself into this mess. This time it was all on me."

"Humph, probably clubbin' it up at the City Limits as usual," Tech said, shaking his head as he gazed in the direction of the basketball court.

Aggravated, she raised her chin, to stare down her nose at him. "See there, that's what you get for thinkin' you know everything. C's was at a club called Cashes in Fort Walton. He wasn't stuttin' that ranky dank ass club down town."

"That's where you're wrong. Me and mine was in Cashes last night. All night, and I didn't see Gianni's ass," he said, giving her a side glance. "But hell, maybe I'm wrong. Could've just as easily left before I got der."

Doubt rushed her like a SWAT van full of jump out boys. That motherfucker had lied to her once again. Didn't he say, they didn't leave the club until the lights came on? Refusing to look dumb in front of Tech, she closed her mouth on the subject and let him believe what the hell wanted to about C's and her situation.

Taking the hint, Tech switched lanes. "Heard dat da ambulance was out der in the Circle this morning. I was so worried about ya, I almost came through to check in wit ya," he said, turning around to rest his back against the rail, so that he could stare openly at the side of her face.

"Yeah? What stopped you?" She asked, knowing got damn well that hell would freeze over before Tech stepped one toenail into the Circle.

The corner of his mouth hitched. "Da fellas hit me and let me know you made it back to the Ninth. Too bad it wasn't minus da bull shit," he said straightening from his lean on the rail to stretch, before skirting around her to descend the stairs.

After he jumped in his Cadillac and drove away, she spun on her heel to walk back in the house. Her thoughts feeding on its favorite food of choice, C's.