Saving Gracie// Nba Youngboy Story

.25

Kentrell

March 17, 1995

4:10pm

"Baby" Gracie called out to me as she walked into the bedroom. I looked up from the tv at her and saw that she had two cans in her hand "chicken noodle or ravioli?"

"Neither" I shook my head "Ion want shit you cook"

She frowned and dropped her hands "Why not?"

"Cause you can't cook"

Gracie rolled her eyes and walked off, causing me laugh. Every since I got out the hospital, Gracie has been staying with me cause she says she wanna make sure I'm okay, even though I tell her I am. But I can't lie I love having my babygirl by my side all day and night.

"You know what, I'm just gonna order another pizza again since you apparently don't like me enough to eat my food" She mumbled as she walked back into the room and sat on the bed beside me, grabbing the phone

"It ain't you. It's yo cooking" I responded and she smacked her lips, hitting my in my good arm

"My food is good"

"No it ain't. You know who can cook? Yo momma. Matter of fact, see if she cook somethin"

Gracie looked at me some type of way as somebody knocked on the door and we both looked at each other

"You ain't gonna get that?" She asked me and I made a face while I looked at her

"Oh you tryina be funny? You know damn well I can't move"

She grinned and got up, walking out the room. After a minute, I could hear her talking to somebody as they made their way into the room. When I saw it was her momma, I smiled

"Waddup momma" I greeted her and she walked over to the bed and gave me a hug before sitting on the bed beside me

"I knew Gracie was gonna try to cook for you again so I just brought y'all something to eat. It's in the kitchen"

"I'm glad you read my mind cause ion want whatever she burning" I told her and she laughed before looking at Gracie, who apparently didn't like our jokes

"Gracie, Sophie told me to tell you to call her. So how bout you do that while I talk to kentrell for a second"

"Sure. But keep my name out y'all mouth" she pointed at us two before walking out the room, causing me to smack my lips. Once she was gone, her momma looked at me

"What's wrong?" I asked her as I tried to sit up a little

"You ain't gotta move. Don't hurt yourself, I just wanted to talk to you... about Gracie"

"What happened? She did something wrong?"

"No Kentrell" she laughed then took a deep breath before grabbing my hand "I just wanted to tell you thank you"

"Thank you? Fa What?"

"For helping Gracie. You did something I couldn't do, and that was to get her out of that dark hole she was in when Darren died. I don't know what you did, but I really appreciate it cause..." she sighed and I saw the tears building up in her eyes while her voice croaked a little "... cause I thought I was gonna lose my daughter. She was in this dark place and nobody could help her. Me nor Sophie. And I thought that maybe bringing sky back to live with us would help some but it was you. I don't know what you're doing or what you did, but I thank you soo much Kentrell"

"You ain gotta thank me ma. Like I told Gracie from the beginning, I got ha. All I needed her to do was trust me"

"And I'm glad she did. I've never in her life seen her this happy before. It's like when you come around or when somebody mentions your name, she gets the biggest smile and her eyes light up. Sophie tells her it's annoying but I think it's the cutest"

I smirked and chuckled a little

"Well I'm glad cause I really do love yo daughter. A lot"

When I told her that, she started smiling hard as hell.

"I knew you did"

"Momma! Why didn't you tell me sophie was only calling to cry about that stupid Forrest Gump movie?" Gracie fussed as she walked back into the room, throwing the phone on the bed. I burst out laughing and so did her momma

"Cause I was tired of hearing it, baby joe just started ignoring her and sky left this morning with Ben so I told her to talk to you cause you'd care"

"She gotta have this baby soon!" Gracie mumbled before crossing her arms and looked at the both of us "What y'all talking about"

"Grown folks business" I answered which made Gracie frown up her face

"Okay GROWN MAN! Remember that when you need help with your school work"

"School work?" Her momma asked, looking at me funny and I nodded while Gracie smiled like a proud parent

"Yeah Gracie done talked me into going back to school to get my GED"

"And he starts his classes as soon as he's healed" Gracie spoke after me, sitting on the side of the bed as well but closer to me. Her momma started smiling yet again.

"I'm so proud of you Kentrell!"

"I told Gracie the only way I was gone get my ass back in school was if we had a black president but I guess Bill Clinton the closest ima get" I told her and they both started laughing

Little did they know, I wasn't playing

"Well you know if you ever need help with some work or something, ask Gracie for help"

"Excuse me but my services ain't free"

"Don't worry, I gotcha in advance when I heal myself" I told Gracie with a little grin and she started giggling

"Listen, as long as y'all don't bring no baby in my house ion care what y'all do"

"Okay, ma. Don't you have a boyfriend or two to go see or something?" Gracie asked her and she nodded

"You right. Let me get on out of here. Y'all two better be safe and Gracie, please don't burn kentrell's kitchen down tryina cook some chicken noodle soup. I made enough food for the day so all you have to do is microwave it"

"Good. I already almost died once and I ain tryina let it happen again" I muttered and I guess Gracie heard me because she smacked her lips and hit me

"Bye momma"

"Ight ma"

"I'll check on y'all later" she responded before leaving out the room. Once I heard the front door close, I looked over at Gracie

"I fuck witcho momma"

"I bet so. She cook for you almost everyday every since you got out the hospital"

I chuckled and rubbed my chin then looked down at my left arm which was still in a sling "I'm ready fa this shit to heal up so I can fuck some shit up"

"No! You're not Kentrell. I need you safe and here with me"

"Fuck you mean no? If I wouldn't have turned around, it would've been you instead of me Gracie"

She sighed and nodded "I know. But let your ex tell it, I apparently set you up"

"Who said that?" I asked, raising my eyebrow

"Chasity" she mumbled lowly, pushing a loose piece of hair from her ponytail behind her ear "she came to the hospital the night you got shot and-"

"Fuck Chasity! It was her fuckin brother that was driving that car when I got shot. Him and Tamia bitchass brothers"

"So she probably the one that told them to come after you, all because you don't want her no more?"

"Ion give a fuck what the reason was. All I know is that I got something planned fa all of em. Every single one of em and everybody they associated with" I told Gracie with all seriousness in my voice. Since these niggas wanna play with me and my girl, ima play right back. I ain showing no mercy to them niggas and ain't NOBODY safe nomo