Wife of Legend

Marcos

May 2011

Living with my aunt and uncle had been cool the past few years, but now that I was turning 21, it was time to move out.

As hard as it was for me to finish school, I managed to graduate. I knew it was something my father would've wanted me to do.

However, I didn't go to college the way we had always talked about. My aunt and uncle had made it clear that they were disappointed in me, but I didn't care. I hadn't been the same since my dad died. Hell, nothing would ever be the same again. Mateo had moved out a couple of years ago. He had graduated and gone to community college to get a degree so he could cut hair at the barber shop. He was actually doing really good for himself. I was proud of him.

He had also been trying to encourage me to go back to school, but that wasn't something that I saw myself doing.

I started selling dope on the corners a couple of years ago. I worked for this dude named Juan . Even though I was only a block boy, I had been peeping game as to how Juan ran his business.

I wanted to have my own dope dealing empire one day, so I paid close attention to where he got his drugs from and shit like that. I knew that if I wanted to ever make it in this game, I had to have the most competitive prices and the best products.

However, I had to study that shit. Now, just wasn't the time for me to start trying to build my empire. In time, everything would fall in place.

My aunt and uncle had two kids, Sophia and Valentína. As much as they tried to make me feel at home, the truth was that this could never be my home. My home had always been with my dad and brother, and I missed that life.

Between my dad's death, my mother's disappearance, and Mateo out doing him, I felt alone. I know that sounded crazy considering that I lived with six other people in the house, but that was how I felt. I just felt as if I didn't belong there.

My aunt, uncle and cousins were pretty cool, but they could never take the place of my brother and dad. I knew that my aunt knew that I was out in the streets doing some illegal shit, but she couldn't prove it. On more than one occasion, she had expressed to me that if they ever found out I was doing drugs or something like that, I'd be outta there. Well, since that was somewhat the case, I figured I'd better find my own way out. I had been saving some of my money, but was waiting until I turned 21 to shake the spot.

My aunt and uncle had money that was set aside from my dad's life insurance policies for my brother and I. I wasn't sure how much it was, but I knew that Mateo turned 21 last year, so he was given his share.
My 21st birthday was coming in about six months, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on those funds. Until then, I was going to remain at their crib. When my brother showed up at their spot one afternoon, I was happy to see him. It had been a while since he had come around, but I wasn't trippin'. I knew he had a demanding job and an ol' lady, so I was just happy to see him.

"Waddup son!" he greeted me with a huge hug. "Hey," I said, returning the love. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" "I just decided to surprise yo ass. Whatchu up to?" "Nothing much. I miss you man." "I miss you too. That's kinda why I'm here. I need to talk to you about something, so I need you to come take a ride with me," he said. "Yea, sure." "C'mon," he said. I didn't need permission to leave the house or anything, so I just grabbed my jacket and followed him outside. "Damn boy! Who car you stole?" I asked my brother as I smiled at the shiny black on black Dodge Challenger in the driveway. "Boy this my ride!" He said smiling proudly. "Yours?" I asked. "I thought you had another car... that um, Impala. What happened to that one?" "I traded it in for this one. Aye, I'm making good money at the barber shop, so I might as well get the vehicle I really want right.

By the way, did Aunt Celina give you yo money yet?" "No, not yet." "You need to ask for that shit," he said. "They said they'd give it to me for my birthday because they don't want me to be irresponsible with it. Anyway, take me for a ride in your new whip," I said as I made my way to the passenger's side door. I slid in and clicked the seatbelt in place.

As I admired the interior of my brother's car, the LED lights, the stereo and navigation systems, I smiled. I was so proud of him and I knew that dad would be too. "You did good bro. Dad would be proud," I said. "Yea, you think so?" he asked as he started the engine. "Hell yea! You did what you set out to do in spite of our struggles." "You know, it ain't too late for you to go to college." "Nah, I made up my mind and that's not something I wanna do," I said. "Well, maybe one day you'll change your mind." "I don't see that happening. I kind of like the direction I'm headed in."

"Working for Juan ?" he said as he side eyed me. I should've known that it would only be a matter of time before he found out. And that was what worried me because if my brother knew, that meant my aunt and uncle probably knew too.

"Who told you I was working for Juan?" I asked. "Bro, this is me you're talking to. Did you think you could do that shit and I wouldn't find out? Why are you doing it is what I wanna know," he said.

"I know you may not agree with how I make my money, but I like what I do. One day, I'm gonna take over this whole city."

"And how you think Juan is gonna feel about that?" "Does it look like I care how Juan will feel about it?" "Bro, you can't just take over someone's territory and expect them to not react. That shit could get real messy," Mateo said. "That's why I'm making sure I have all my ducks in a row before I make my move. Don't worry bro. I'll be fine," I assured him. "You gon' get me wrapped up in some shit. I could see it happening already." "You should have more confidence in your little brother."

"I have confidence in you bro, but that's some shady shit you trying to pull.

That nigga gon' be out for blood when he finds out." "Then I'll just have to put him to sleep." "Do you hear yourself right now? What has gotten into you?"

"It's been a while since we last seen each other. I'm not the same kid I used to be. I have goals of becoming a boss and making money moves to get there." "Bro, you're still a kid..." "I'll be 21 in a few months. I'm no longer a kid," I said as I smirked at him.

"Age don't make you grown," he said. "Nah, but my status will. I bet by the time I'm 25, I'll be running my own business." "Aight, bet." "So where are we headed?" I asked. "You'll see. We're actually almost there. How are things at Auntie Celina and Uncle Jorge ?" "It's straight. I just do my thang and they leave me alone." "Well, what do you think about coming to live with me?" "Live with you? You mean like roommates?"

I knew my brother had gotten his shit together, but didn't know where he was laying his head at night. We never really chilled at his place before. Hell, we both been busy, so we rarely chilled much at all. I wouldn't mind living with him as long as he understood that I was grown, and he wasn't the boss of me. "I'm about to show you," he said.

He drove toward Westheimer Road in a really nice area not that far from the Galleria. My eyes shot up as I stared at the properties around us. I had rode by these complexes before, but never been in any of them. He pulled into one of the newer apartment complexes off the highway. "The hell! You live here?" "Yep." He drove around the building and pulled into a garage. How the hell could my brother afford to live here? As we got out of the car, I followed him inside. It smelled good as hell up in there, like somebody was cooking and baking and shit. "Damn! It smells good in this muthafucka! Don't tell me you got a maid too." I said as I looked at him sideways with a smirk. "Hell no!" Before he could finish answer me, a chick walked in and kissed him. "Hey baby," she greeted. "Hey," he said with a smile. "Bro, this is Bailey , my woman. Bailey, this is my brother Marcos.

Remember I told you I was gonna ask him to move in?" "Oh yea." She moved over to me and reached for a hug. "I've heard so much about you. It's nice to meet you!" "Nice to meet you too." Damn, she was fine as fuck!

My brother had really done nice for himself. I was proud of him. We made our way throughout the apartment as he showed me around.

Yea, I was digging his pad. I just didn't know how I felt about leaving from where I was. I mean, our aunt and uncle had done a lot for us over the past few years and walking away from them now just seemed a little wrong. But who knew that some shit would jump off once we got back home? That shit made it much easier to leave.