Grace

Chapter 3

Andre in the MM.

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"Rico look at me!" I laughed as I FaceTime my son on Sarah's phone. I don't know how my little brother got an iPhone and I'm not gonna question it. My baby is talking a lot more and is developing a little accent and he's tanning.

"Mom! I love Jamaica," he laughed. He just came from school and he's in his cute uniform.

"I love Jamaica too," I smiled at him. Sarah sat next to me with a Cheshire smile on her face as she looked at us interact. Rico has never met anyone other than his father and I. Now his grandmother and aunts and uncle. Sarah and Tre know more about Rico than his father probably does.

"Why you leave?" He asked and I made a face.

"I'll tell you when you get older," I know my mom is behind him asking me that question because they all want to know too. As soon as I got my visa I got the hell out of Jamaica. I wanted to get an education and live a good life so I can support my family back home and hopefully bring them up here.

"Mommy! We going to the beach, I'll talk later," he said and his growing accent sounded so cute on him.

"Bye baby! I love you!" I said and he quickly said it back and hung up.

"You miss him don't you?" She smiled at me and my eyes teared up.

"It's been two months, that's a long time," I wiped my eyes and laughed.

"It's okay," she rubbed her belly. "You're strong. Did what you think is best for your son even if that meant sending him away," Sarah doesn't know about the abuse but she knows that I work all the time and it's hard for me to properly care for him. While Andre was in jail Rico and I were happy and doing well. I knew how to balance time and everything so well but it's like Andre got out of jail and fucked my life up. He came back a changed man and not in the good way.

Pre-prison, he was so loving and caring. He did everything for us and we both had jobs but when we had days off, we'd just talk and talk and talk for hours about absolutely nothing and now all that is washed down the drain.

"Thank you for letting me use your phone," I hugged her and started putting my shoes on. I bent over to push my heel into my ugly nursing shoes.

"What the hell is that?" Sarah exclaimed behind me. She touched my back and I jumped. "Does he hit you?"

"No, I fell," I lied easily. She gave me a look and purses her lips. "I'm serious, I fell," which was true, I fell..... from his blows to my back.

"You're our friend, you can tell us anything," I looked around for Tre and he is no where to be found.

"Sarah, I'm fine," I sighed and she shook her head.

"Please be safe," she warned. I smiled then rubbed her belly. "Two more months,"

"Can't wait for my little baby," I laughed. "Alright see y'all later," I left their house and waited at the bus stop. I didn't have any more money for über rides so I'll take the bus for a few bucks. In order to get home, I'll have to transfer from this bus to another.

Two black SUV's passed by me and then three more, all tinted windows. They circled back around. "Oh my God I'm gonna die," I whispered to myself. Soon I heard gunshots and I ducked down under the bus bench.

"Boss!" A familiar voice yelled out. I opened my eyes to see Reno. A group rushed over to an older man with blood pouring out of him. The nurse in me made me run over to them but the little black girl in the back of my head is screaming "girl are you a damn fool?". Guns pointed in my face.