Chapter 4
STONE
1967-1969
Shelly sat on the filthy bathroom floor with her back against the dingy wall. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down her ashen face. She looked down at the numerous scars on her arm before focusing her attention on her protruding stomach. A powerful contraction caused her to wince in pain.
“Shit!” Shelly yelled out, causing Mareba to come and check on her.
“You finna have that baby,” Mareba stated, matter of factly.
“Aaauugh! You got some shit? I need something for the pain,” Shelly stated.
“No, I ain’t got no dope, and if I did I wouldn’t give it to you. I saw you shootin’ up earlier today. That baby probably dead in yo stomach,” Mareba said.
“Aaauugh! I don't give a dam if it's dead or alive. I just want it out of me!”
Mareba watched as Shelly’s face twisted in agony. Mareba was 22 years old and that made her two years older than Shelly, but at that moment she thought that Shelly looked old beyond her years.
Shelly scooted away from the wall, reached under her dress and slid her panties down her legs before laying flat on the floor.
“Reba it's coming! I can feel it!” Shelly panted.
“You can’t have no baby on that nasty floor. C’mon let me help you get to the bed,” Mareba stated.
“I ain't getting up Reba.”
“Well, I'm gon run down and see if Ebby got some clean towels he'll give me,” said Mareba, before dashing out of the room.
Shelly yelled out in pain as she felt her uterus stretching. She instinctively pushed and felt herself defecating. After struggling to catch her breath, Shelly continued to push, as the excruciating pain caused her to feel as if she were being ripped in two.
Ebby owned and ran the Grier Hotel, which was a rundown roach-infested strip of rooms rented mostly by prostitutes. The chipped paint on the walls and tacky floral printed curtains had seen every explicit act known to man. Ebby would rent by the month, week, day, or even by the hour. Truth be told, the eyesore was a gold mine. Ebby had managed to save a small fortune while at the same time enjoying the benefits of being in constant contact with ladies of the night. Anytime one of the girls needed a room but did not have the money on hand, a deal could be worked out.
Ebby had just listened to Mareba’s plea for some clean towels.
“This ain't no damn hospital. Shelly trifflin ass. I'm holdin you responsible for cleaning that mess up.”
After the quick tongue-lashing, Ebby came from behind the counter and walked through the back area where an aged pool table centered the room, and entered a closet. He returned with four mothball-scented towels.
“Thank you Ebby,” Mareba said.
“Thank me when you pay me,” Ebby responded.
Maraba entered the room and was greeted by the screams of a newborn baby. She made her way to the bathroom and saw Shelly holding the baby up staring at it as if it were a foreign object.
“Shelly, what the hell are you doing?” Mareba asked.
“I'm tryin to figure out which one of my customers he look like,” Shelly responded.
“Give that baby some damn milk! Ain't no way you gonna figure out who the daddy is. All the tricks you done turned. But I wouldn't be surprised if that low down Eldawg is the daddy,” Mareba said..
“ Eldawg?” Shelly questioned.
“Yeah bitch, Eldwag. Ya’ll been going at it like rabbits when he brang you that shit to shoot up in your arms.”
“You think so?” Shelly asked.
“Do it matter? Give that baby some milk!”
“I gotta get some.”
“Yo titty, crazy ass girl!”
“I ain't finna have no damn baby suckin on my titty,” Shelly stated.
“Ebby said you was trifling. Look at that poor baby. You been using junk the whole time you carried him. Poor thang probably born stoned,” Maraba said.
“Well… that's what I'm gon name him... Stone,” Shelly announced.
“You can't do that,” Mareba said.
“I just did,” Shelly stated.
Mareba entered the small living room carrying the home cooked meal of fried chicken, cabbage, and macaroni and cheese. She handed the plate to Ladell who was sitting on the worn sofa in front of the small black and white television.
Ladell’s large calloused hands reached out to receive the delicious smelling offering. After working all day pouring concrete under the hot Florida sun, the cozy atmosphere of Mareba’s small one bedroom shack seemed like heaven. Ladell was chubby, brown skinned, and strong as an ox. Ladell was also Mareba’s number one regular paying customer. He paid Mareba weekly like he paid his taxes. Truth be told, it was his weekly contribution that allowed Mareba to move into the house. It had been only a year since she had stopped living in motel rooms.
Ladell’s wife of ten years had died of cancer. After her death, Ladell mourned for a year not touching another woman. Late one night, he found himself with a burning desire for female companionship. As fate would have it he was driving down the strip on Cervantes street when he spotted Mareba’s well toned bow legs looking extra long under a red mini skirt. He pulled over, she got in, and for the rest of the night she made him feel like a man again. Their arrangement seemed good to both of them.
“This food is delicious,” Ladell complimented.
“Wait till you taste dessert,” Mareba stated seductively.
A greasy-lipped smile spread across Ladell’s face as he imagined Mareba being his desert.
A knock at the front door caused Mareba and Ladell to look questionably at each other. Mareba walked towards the door while calling out, “who is it?”
“It's me Reba,” a familiar voice responded through the door.
Mareba opened the door to see Shelly standing with a shirtless eighteen-month-old Stone on her hip. Shelly's hair was sticking up uncombed and her nose was running.
“Reba, could you do me a favor and watch the baby?” Shelly asked.
“Bitch, this ain’t no day care. I'm working,” Mareba stated.
“Ain't nobody in there but Ladell fat ass. He ain't no customer, he yo boyfriend.”
A car's horn blared out causing both women to look toward the 1963 Eldorado parked in front of the house. A dark-skinned black male leaned his head out of the window and yelled “hurry up Shelly! Drop that damn baby off and come on!”
“I see you still fuckin’ wit dat no good ass nigger Eldawg,” Mareba stated.
“Everybody ain't lucky as you Reba. I ain't got nobody like Ladell that care bout me. Please watch the baby for me,” Shelly pleaded.
Before Mareba could respond she felt Ladell standing close behind her. She turned and looked him in the eye.
“It's okay. Keep the baby,” he stated.
“You sure? This is your time, Daddy.”
“I'm sure. It's okay,” he assured her.
Mareba turned back to Shelly, “give me the damn baby.”
Shelly handed the baby to Mareba and started trotting quickly toward the Eldorado.
“Bitch, where the milk and pampers at?” Mareba yelled.
“Ain't got none!” Shelly hollered out of the window as the Eldorado pulled off.
Mareba looked down at the wide-eyed bundle of innocence, shook her head slowly back and forth, and said “poor baby,” aloud to herself.