Celiné
"Momma!" I called out for her as I entered her home.
"I'm right here bab-.. Oh my god! Where was he!" She rushed over to me and took Chad out of my arms.
"He was with August at the shelter." I took my jacket off and sat the keys down. "That asshole dropped him off there."
"Derrick? Ugh!" She groaned. "Listen Celiné. You're done with that son of a bitch." She looked at me with stern. "I hate to cuss you, but I need you to know that I'm serious."
"I'm done with him momma." I sat down. "I just have to go back to the house and get our stuff."
"Isn't the house in your name? He didn't have a job before you two moved in there."
"Yes, it's in my name, but I don't want it. Too many bad memories."
"I knew I heard my daughters voice." My dad spoke as he came down the steps.
"Hey dad."
"What's the matter? Why y'all seem upset?"
"Céline." My mom looked at me.
I looked at my dads natural mean face and got scared. I've always known that he'd do anything for his girls - He doesn't play when it comes to us.
"Derrick threw her out yesterday and left Chad at the homeless shelter." My mom spoke.
"Mom! I was going to tell him!" I looked at her.
"Make it quick next time."
"Derrick did what?" His voice got deep.
"Dad don't do this in front of Chad, please?" I watched him turn angry.
"Oh, Derrick got one coming for hi-.."
"Greg." My mom stopped him.
"This is why I didn't want to tell him." I sighed. "You guys don't have to worry about it. I can handle Derrick myself."
They looked at me for a few seconds before looking at each other.
"You do what you gotta do but I swear Celiné if you give him another chance-.."
"I'm not." I cut my mom off. "It's just going to be hard to get this divorce." I played with my fingers.
"We're here if you need us baby girl." My dad patted my shoulder before picking up Chad. "Come on son, I got some new stuff to show you." He walked to his man cave.
"It'll all be alright hun." My mom kissed my cheek. "Want something to eat?"
"No, I'm gonna go for a walk." I spoke before getting up. "I won't be gone long."
"Alright." She spoke.
I walked outside and the sky looked good, the wind felt great, and it wasn't too sunny.
I put my ear buds in and played one of my favorite songs, Sunroof by Boogie.
August
Since everyone and everything was good at the shelter, I ended up leaving early so I could meet up with Lola. My brothers was up hea' anyway so they can hold it down.
I got in my car and turned on my A/C because a nigga was burnin' up.
I turned on the bluetooth in my car and let my phone connect to it before turning to my favorite song, Still thirsty by Boogie.
"This shit turned me into a different dude..." I bopped my head to the song while texting Lola.
I shook my head at her last message before pulling off from the driveway. I turned my music up a little more while driving. I stopped at the stop sign, looking all ways before going.
When I got down to the bridge, I seen a familiar face walking - Celiné. I rolled down my window and drove next to her real slow.
"Aye, what a pretty girl like you doin' walkin' these dangerous streets?" I yelled out the window.
She took out her headphones and laughed at me. "Are you following me?"
"I mean, I wasn't until I seen you walkin'." I admitted. "Whea' you goin'?"
"No where. I just like taking walks." She walked up to my car. "This isn't the same car you had last time." She ran her index finger across the window.
"You trippin'." I shook my head. "Get in though."
"No telling how many other girls done sat in that seat. I'm good." She smirked.
"No tellin' how many other dudes cars you been in. Get ya high saditty behind in this car."
"Touché chatte." It sounded like she spoke french before getting in the car.
"I don't know what the hell you just said but I'll let it slide." I spoke before driving off.
"What'd you make me get in this car for boy?" She tried to hide her smile.
"We gon' go walkin' togetha'." I spoke before turning on my signal light and turning left.
"Why couldn't we walk that street?"
"You new ta' Houston?" I looked at her fa' a quick two seconds. "That street should be renamed prostitute avenue."
"Oh my god, are you serious?" She sat up. "People would've thought I was a prostitute?"
"Hell yeah." I chuckled. "It look bad how I rolled up on you too." I laughed some mo'.
"August!" She dragged out while rubbing her temples. "What if someone saw? They probably think I'm a prostitute!"
"And I'm the pimp." I came to a stop. "You eva' came walkin' ovaa' hea'?" I took off my seatbelt while looking at her.
"Before I got pregnant, I'd always come over here..." She looked around. "But it looks so different."
"Yea, they added a few things, plus the water fountain cleaner."
"Yea." She giggled before getting out. "Is that your walking outfit?" She looked me up and down.
"I mean hell, it might as well be."
"Your outfits are always so... plain." She looked at me. "You don't like dressing up?"
"I have dressy clothes na', don't get confused." I shook my head. "I just prefer plain shirts and sweats."
"I was just curious."
"It's my turn to be curious - Whea' lil man at?"
"He's with my parents and his name is Chad by the way."
"Chad and Celiné... Ya like the letter 'C'?"
"No." She laughed. "His dad named him after his grandfather."
"Oh, aight. Have you talked to him?"
"No and I don't want to." She started to play with her fingers again. "I'm not scared of him or anything I just..."
"You ain't gotta explain." I stopped her. "I can't lie though, he know how to dress his son." I joked. "Lil man came through like he owned the building."
"Yea..." She laughed a bit. "He likes for us to have expensive stuff. How old are you?"
"Thirty." I lied while looking at her.
"No you're not." She looked at me quickly before I started laughing.
"I'm twenty-four."
"Oh, you're old." She laughed. "I'm twenty-two."
"Youngin'." I spoke before looking at my vibrating phone. Lola was callin' me.
"Am I holding you up from doing something? You seem real busy."
"Nah..." I shook my head. "I'm free right now." I put my phone back in my pocket.
"So uhm, I don't think I told you thank you."
"What you thankin' me fa'?"
"For everything you've done for me this past week. We don't even know each other and you've really been a big help." She looked up at me and smiled.
"It's all good. I help out strangers all day everyday." I smirked.
"Funny." She lightly pushed me. "And what did you end up saying to CPS?"
"Told them they had the wrong homeless shelter." I laughed. "They ain't leave quickly though."
"I look like a horrible mother to you, huh?" Her voice got softer.
I kissed my teeth. "Nah, you ain't know ol' dude was gon' drop ya son off at that place."
"You're right." She nodded.
"Plus, I don't know you like that, so I ain't got no right to judge you based off a small ass mistake."
"Mm." She looked me up and down. "You judged me when I tried to stay at the homeless shelter..."
While she continues to talk, I checked
my phone again and seen more messages from Lola.
"Look, if you got plans or something you can go. I'll be fine here by myself and if I don't want to walk home I can order an Uber."
"You sure?"
"Yea, I'm grown, I can handle myself." She spoke. "I'll see you around?"
"Maybe." I smiled.
"Bye then." She laughed before walkin' off.
Celiné
As soon as I got back to my mom's place, I went looking around for my son.
I walked upstairs to my old room and seen him laying down on the bed.
"He ate and went straight to sleep." My mom came up behind me, startling me a bit.
"Yea? Has he been bathed?"
"Nope. I decided to leave that part to you. That was a mighty long walk you went on." She rose an eyebrow.
"Well I ended up walking the trail."
"The trail? You walked that far? In the dark? Celiné anything could've happened to you!" She shouted quietly.
"No mom, I didn't walk. You remember the boy I was telling you about? The one who runs the homeless shelter..."
"Yea, what about him?"
"He ended up picking me up and taking me over there. He told me the streets that I was walking were where prostitution happens." I smiled, thinking about the joke he made.
"And you're smiling because you walked a prostitution street?"
"No." I laughed. "I-I don't know why I'm smiling."
"I think I know why." She looked at me. "You like that boy."
I looked at her for a few seconds before I started laughing.
"I don't like anyone momma. I don't have time for any of that right now anyway."
"It's okay to have a small crush on him baby. I do wanna meet him though."
"Why?" I frowned.
"Well, he kept my grandson safe." She smiled before walking off. "I'm going up there tomorrow."
I shook my head.
August
The next morning I woke up and I felt extra drained.
"Good morning sleepy-head." I felt Lola's finger go across my chin.
"I thought you was gon' leave last night?" I looked at her as she had the biggest dummy looking smile on her face.
"I stayed because I remember you always telling me how much you loved morning sex and-.."
"Nah, can't." I shook my head and got up out of the bed. "I have to leave so I can check out the shelter."
"Ugh, can't you give up your obsession with homeless people for just five hours?"
"Can't you give up your obsession for sex?" I got smart with ha'.
"I have to go anyway." She sighed. "I have work tonight and I can't show up late anymore." She put on her jeans.
"Damn.." I spoke while putting on my chains, trying to make it sound like I was interested in what she was saying.
"I can come back over after my shift." She came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me.
This was anotha' reason why I cut her off - Desperate.
"I'a think about it." I moved her hands away from the top of my basketball shorts.
-
When I finally got to the shelter, I smelled breakfast being cooked and that's one thing mama hated cooking.
"Yo G!" I got Guerra's attention as I shut the door.
"Aye what up Aug." He came up to me and gave me dap. "You'll never believe what's going down in that kitchen." He chuckled.
"It's always a surprise when I walk up in hea'." I laughed and shook my head. "Let me guess, them kids in thea' cookin'?"
"Nah, it's your friend and her mother." He smirked.
"My friend?" I looked at him, confused as hell. "Na' G, I ain't got no friends 'round hea' like-..."
"Son, it's the girl that showed up here the other day." He cut me off. "She said her name is Celiné."
My face went from a confused look to a surprised one.
I watched her come out the kitchen while dusting her hands. She looked up at me and started smiling.
"Hey, about time you showed up." She gave me a hug. "Me and my mom came down here to help out."
"Damn, you wanted to see me that bad?" I put my arm around her shoulder and walked away from G.
"Boy, bye." She laughed a little bit. "I even brought Chad with me since you so in love with him." She joked.
"Yea? Where he at?" I looked around then spotted him with Travis and some otha' kids.
"I think he likes that guy." She watched Chad laugh.
"That guy..." I laughed. "That's my brotha' Travis, and over there..." I pointed to where Melvin and Cha was. "That's my oldest brother Melvin and his wife Cha."
"Oh, so it's like a family thing? Y'all like to help out the community?"
"Something like that." I shrugged. "You must've met my mom? She don't let nobody in the kitchen unless she know you."
"Yea, sweet lady." She smiled. "Everyone was asking about you. They said you're not usually this late."
"I had some stuff to handle back at the crib." I pulled out a chair for her to sit down. "I be the first one up hea' cus they don't ever got they key."
"Mr.Guerra was nice enough to let me in this time." She sat down and crossed her legs. "Is he family to you too?"
"He might as well be." I sat down next to her. "He been with us since I first opened up this place."
I noticed her phone start lighting up in her hand and the name "Derrick" popped up.
"You got someone callin' ya." I spoke.
She looked down at her phone and I could tell her whole mood completely changed.
"I'm going to step outside really quick." She spoke before walking away.
Celiné
I closed the door before answering my phone.
"You got some nerve calling my phone." I answered.
"I do." He chuckled. "Look, I need you to come down to the office. There are some things we need to discuss."
"We can discuss it over this call."
"Celiné do you have to be so stu-.."
"Either you tell me over this call or you just won't tell me at all because I don't want to see you, and if you knew what was best you wouldn't want to be face to face with me - Ever."
"And why is that?" I could hear him laugh a little bit.
"You've caused a lot of anger in me Derrick. You're so fucking low, you drop your son off with strangers, you continuously cheated on me then came home and lied to me night after night. You should feel sick."
"I didn't call you to argue or to be insulted." He sniffed. "You can stop by office now or tomorrow. You know my business hours." He spoke before hanging up.
I sat down on the sidewalk and put my head in my hands. The whole situation was stressful and I've never had so much hate built up in me before.
"You aight?" I felt August hands on my back.
"I-I'm fine..." I sighed. "I think I'm gonna take Chad and go."
"I can tell something wrong wit' ya." He sat next to me. "Guessing that phone call wasn't a good one."
"You guessed right." I looked at him. "It was my ex husband."
"Hm." He nodded. "Technically he still ya husban-.."
"You're not helping." I groaned.
"Aight. What he say that got you upset?"
"Nosey much?"
"Very." He smiled. I rolled my eyes and laughed at him a little bit.
"I'm not going to tell you my problems. You already know too much."
"All I know is you gotta dick-head hus-.. Ex husband. That's not too much."
"He wants to see me to talk." I played with my fingers. "Told me to come either today or tomorrow and I already know that if I see him, I might kill him."
"Anyone who is a good mother would." He laughed. "You gon' go?"
"If I do, I'll bring my sister along. She's hated him since we first got together."
"Why?"
"I have no idea - She never told me."
"Well you know you got me if you need anything." He rubbed my back.
"I appreciate you." I gave him a small
smile.
"Don't let that son of a bitch get to you, you a good momma and plus stress makes you look older than what you really is." He laughed as he helped me up off the sidewalk.
"That's why you look about forty?" I joked.
"Oh we crackin' jokes now?" He laughed as we walked back inside.
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Translation: Chatte = Pussy (French)
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