Hoodlum Tragedies (Old Version)

S T E P H E N S H E P A R D

Stephen placed his plate in the sink after quickly gulping it down. He growled after he checked his watch, already highly annoyed that he was an hour late meeting with Jose. He made way to slip a light jacket over his arms and tie his tennis shoes on but the sound of his lover clearing her throat made him pause.

"Going somewhere?" She questioned. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her lips pressed together tightly. He knew she was about to scold him and he didn't want to hear any of it. He wasn't in the mood.

"Uh." Stephen began, scratching his neck to try to spit out a believable answer. "Y'know.. I'll be back soon, Glo."

Glorianna quickly shook her head and dragged him to the side. "I thought you were supposed to be stopping this gang shit!" She yelled in a hush tone so she wouldn't grab their kids attention as they ate their lunch.

Stephen bit his lips and took in a frustrated breath. He felt like the conversation was a bit redundant, they had this talk at least once a week, if not more. The empty promises were frustrating Glorianna and he knew that, but he couldn't find a way to tell her that he couldn't abandon the Garcias. He was the leader and he didn't get there just by banging the founders sister. He had known the rough-neck Garcia boys ever since middle school, and since then Stephen made sure to prove himself worthy to them and became the best damn dealer Tulsa had ever seen. Which is why they promoted him and gave him the title of co-leader. It was something he knew Glorianna wouldn't understand as a woman, she held onto the thought of her brother Angel leaving to achieve a side hustle and living without the gang. She swore religiously that it was just as easy for Stephen to do it. She missed the obvious fact that he didn't want to.

"You keep it up, and your kids won't have a daddy. It ain't like they know nothing about you now, you're never home. Curly's scared of you!"

"Quit it with that shit, Glo." Stephen said while flashing her a dirty look. "I'm doing what I can for this family, and for my Ma. Least I put food on the table."

Glorianna shifted her weight and he could see the anger rising on her face. It was obvious she was beyond furious with him and it made him feel guilty. Not because he made her this way or because of the gang, he was guilty because he didn't care. "You're just greedy! You swore that you'd stop once the twins turned five, now they're seven! And what the hell's your Ma ever done for you but whoop your ass around the block? The kids don't even know she's alive."

Stephen clenched his jaw and pushed himself off the wall, moving passed Glorianna and walking back into the living room to see Tim, his oldest kid helping Curly and Angela get their shoes on.

"But we ain't even have the rest of our dinner!" Curly protested as Tim tied his shoe.

"Who cares? Tim said we're gettin' ice cream." Angela smiled.

Stephen could hear Glorianna stomping off and slamming the door. Curly frowned once he noticed Stephen standing over them and they stared at each other, waiting for the other to say something. Tim hadn't even turned around and Stephen could say he was used to receiving the cold shoulder from him. He was older than the rest of them and he understood what was going on, he could hear every argument and he knew about the rumors going around town circulating about Stephen. Stephen was embarrassed to have not spent any time with either of his sons, nor bonded with them. They were different than he was. He couldn't stand to be around Tim's picky attitude and Curly's over explosive temper. The only one he could ever feel slightly comfortable around was Angela.

"Tim said we're getting ice cream, Daddy." She said brightly.

When he looked at her he wondered. He often wondered about all of his kids and what they'd turn out to be. He wondered if Angela would take a good path, smart in school, preppy like those kids he used to go to school with. Prudish enough to not let a guy touch her until they had been dating for quite some time. God, that's what he hoped but the dreadful thoughts always kept edging in. Would his boys be selling? Dead before they turned 18? Would Angela be knocked up by the time she was 15?