Bread: A Hood Love Story

Epilogue : Five Years Later

Gabrielle

Five Years Later

It's funny just how much life is like a roller-coaster. I never could've thought, in that one summer that changed my life forever, that I would be where I am now.

I'm walking with Melanie down the street with our arms linked together. She wanted to go sightseeing around Chicago, which is where we're at now, but we had to start heading back to the United Center for our show before it got too dark, and she was starting to get tired.

I have to help her walk around sometimes when her feet start to swell, since now her and Nelson are expecting another baby. A smile comes to my face when I think about how exciting this is. They want to be surprised on if it's a boy or a girl, but both of them have their minds set on what the baby will be. It'll be a little under 2 months before we find out.

"Don't be laughing at me, chiquita, you know how I get when my feet hurt! This little boy is driving me crazy."

"You wanted to wear those heels, Mel!" I laugh. "And isn't Nelson supposed to be the one pushing for a boy?"

She huffs as we pass through the front doors of the arena. "Girl, you wouldn't believe. He's excited as hell for one, and while I would want a girl, I feel it in my gut. It's gonna be a boy."

I laugh some more as we come to the backstage doors. Once we do, Bishop whips open the door and kisses his teeth.

"And where the hell were y'all two at?! Only two hours until the show start, and y'all out here shopping and shit."

I put my other hand on my hip. "We're grown women, Bishop, we can go out sightseeing if we want to."

Melanie grins, putting her hand on her hip, too. "You damn right! Just cause you Head of Security now, you done went and got a big head!"

Bishop steps back to let us in, closing the door behind us and following. "I do not! Y'all know Mike and Nelson would rip me a new one if anything happened to you two. I got to be on watch."

Melanie rolls her eyes as I help her up the few stairs. I just shake my head. Bishop should know not to play that card with her.

"Well Nelson can kiss all of my ass, 'cause I can watch myself, and don't try and tell a pregnant woman what to do if you don't wanna catch these hands!"

I burst out laughing, with Bishop rolling his eyes back. "Whatever! Won't be long until you can't use that excuse no more!"

All three of us come to the girl's room, and Bishop steps forward to unlock the door for us. Once he does, Melanie shoos him away, while I'm too busy gawking at how big the room is.

"Yeah, yeah, B, I hear you. Go and tell the boys we're getting ready, aight?"

I try to stop my smile, waving at Bishop and sending him a silent thank you. He nods back, shaking his head and mumbling under his breath about bossy women and whatnot.

Melanie takes her arm from mine and motions to the chair in front of a big mirror with a sink next to it. "Aight, girl, let me do your hair."

She starts to pick up a bottle of conditioner, but I lightly tap her hand to make her drop it.

"Melanie! We don't have time for that! Besides, you have to get off your feet after walking around in those heels all afternoon."

She ignores me, bending down and picking up the bottle again while going to drag a stool from the corner of the room. "Stop worrying so much! You'd think you were my mama the way you've been fussing over me. I know what I'm doing, and we're gonna make time, so sit your butt in that chair."