Sweet Thang [COMPLETE]

Damn Good Friends

Shayne

"Mama, you alright?" Zaya asked for what seemed like the 50th time as I flipped a few pancakes on the skillet in front of me and I just nodded. I hated what my reality had become in the last week or so. Instead of me checking on my three-year-old daughter intermittently, it was her checking on me almost every thirty minutes like clockwork. Just last Saturday evening Zaya walked in on what I promised myself my child would never have to see. I felt like trash for not living up to my own expectations but... at least I fought his ass back.

Darnell, my husband, had been fucking up his meds for a long time now. And even then he was doing alright. But running into his mother, Faye, who he hadn't seen since he was nine years old, just as high as she was the night she walked out on him and his younger brother— leaving them in the care of their abusive alcoholic father, Arnold, sent him spiraling down a hole he couldn't climb out of. If I'd just gotten out of his face like he'd asked me to I probably could have spared myself the trouble. But I just wanted to be there for him like I'd watched my Mama be there for my Daddy. Before I lost my bearings I fought a good fight. But Darnell knocked the wind out of me with one mean blow to the throat. I just remember laying on the ground trying to catch my breath as he shouted, "You wanna leave me just like she did now, right bitch?! You wanna walk out too, right?! Right bitch?!" as he threw punch after punch.

Dealing with my husband's comorbid PTSD and bipolar depression was never easy. But I loved him through it and that was never difficult. Him putting his hands on me... was making it hard. When I realized a man putting his hands on his wife wasn't normal, I promised my young heart that if I ever found myself in that predicament I'd walk away without hesitation. But now that I'm four years and a kid into this marriage... I'm realizing that's a lot easier said than done.
"Mamaaaa," Zaya whined, snapping me out of my thoughts and I looked down to see her hugging my leg.

"Yeah, Zaya?" I asked and she kissed her teeth like I was getting on her nerves. "You so dry mama. When we gone play?" I chuckled while shaking my head.
"Good morning, Nugget!" My fraternal twin brother Shakur greeted my daughter as he lifted her up above his head. "Hey uncle Kur," she giggled before her mean little pout returned to her lips.

"Why you got your face all balled up like that kid? Don't make that face. You look like yo Mama," Shakur said as Zaya kissed his cheek and laughed so hard. My head snapped and I rolled my eyes. "Put my child down and mix me. Hell you tammat nigga?" I dropped all my stuff and bucked at Kur.

"AHHHHH! Mama!" Zaya jumped to her feet laughing so hard she was bent over.

"Mama actin' like she don't wanna play with me." I laughed. "I ain't actin' lil girl." Zaya gasped before sticking her tongue out at me and I stuck mine out right back at her as I took the last of my pancakes off the skillet and put them in something. "Sweetie, where's Mama?" Shakur asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "She asked me to finish breakfast, she said she had some business to take care of."

"Uncle Kur, please play with me?" She begged and I knew Shakur was gonna give in. That's why that little girl is spoiled now. "You wanna wrestle?" He asked.

Zaya's face lit up as she threw her arms in the air before squealing, "Wrestleeee!" Zaya punched him and then ran into the den. "Here." I looked over to see Shakur counting out fifties. "What's that for?" Shakur shrugged. "Just take that. It's all the money in my pocket. Get a place or put it away. I'm gone kill that nigga." I mugged his ass. "Man my daughter in the other room dawg. Don't do nothin' stupid, Shakur."

"Put his ass in the dirt." He left me a big ass stack of money on the counter and went to play with Zaya. I slid it all in my pocket before going about my business making plates and cleaning the kitchen. I knew if my mother came back to dirty pots and pans she'd be due to go off like a teapot so I decided to nip that in the bud immediately. My dad came in the kitchen and he pulled me in for a hug and a kiss on the forehead.