"Double up, three or four times I ain't tellin' no lies
I just run it up, never let a hard time humble us" - Nipsey Hussle
"Word around town is that you have yourself a girlfriend, son." Watching ma dice potatoes for potato salad, I sat at the bar—quiet and observant. Head laid in my arms, only thing I could think of is Lauren. What I know about her, in addition to what I don't know. I want to know her biggest fear, her long-term goals in li what makes her smile. I haven't spoken to her in two days. After the whole blow up at the crib with Lauren and Mariah—my sister, Lauren pretty much walked out. I tried calling her but she kept forwarding my calls.
"Something of that nature." I respond to her.
"Where you planning on telling your father and I, or leave her in the dark like you done your daughters mother?" Breanna is the mother of my child—and wife. We were eighteen and fresh out of high school when we chose to get married. I hustled to get by. Breanna was in and out of jail for shop lifting. After Destiny was born Breanna decided to move to Washington, taking my daughter with her. Breanna and I are cordial, because of Destiny. I do regret marrying the woman. My sister adores Breanna while my parents hated her guts. I fucks with her from a distance, but never are we in love. My dumb ass sister is what I'm dealing with. Her spoiled ass is the type who cherishes the finer things in life, and if she doesn't get what she wants, she'll blow up your joint until you give her what she wants. Mariah is my world. I love my sister. At times, she can become a headache.
"I was ma. Lauren and I are chilling."
"And what the hell does that mean, boy? You know I hate to meddle into your business, nor your brothers. Tell me about this Lauren character? What is she like?"
Beautiful.
Admirable.
Ambitious.
When I didn't respond to her right away, she turns to face me fully. And just like that, I feel like that ten-year-old kid that used to get in trouble day in and day out. I kept my grades up in school. At home I was a totally different child. I acted out for attention. It seemed that my parents were busy all the time, so we were mostly with the Queen B—our grandmother. Gramz ain't give a fuck what we did as kids, as long as we stayed out black asses outside and not interrupt her soap operas.
"You like her, don't you?" Ma continues with the interrogation, head cocked to the side.
"She's different, ma. The complete opposite from Destiny's mama. Breanna will forever be the knuckle headed ass street kid that I met on the streets. I do have love for her. Shit, she given me the best gift a man can ask for. But Lauren...I can see myself growing old with her. We might not know each other, but I have a strong feeling about this one."
"I see." She hums, looking me dead in the eyes.
"How can you possibly like some one without knowing them? Do you know her middle name? Last name? Birthday? Have you met her parents? What does she do for a living? Hell son, does she have children that you are not aware of?"
"Well...no. But—"
"You don't know shit about that girl boy. All your horny ass thinks about is sex. Your sister told me how you was caught with your butt cheeks exposed. And to know that she is your daughters nanny, tells me a lot about the fast heifer."
