Reggie

As I looked down at Tae I couldn’t help but to kiss her while she was sleeping. I wanted to wake her just to tell her I loved her. It's been eight months since we’ve been together and she was just as beautiful as the first day we met. Her curly jet black hair, cute oval-shaped face, and full pouty lips made me wanna fall in love all over again. I leaned down and pecked her lips a few times before leaving a kiss on her forehead. She stirred in her sleep, but didn’t wake up. When I went to sleep and woke up her and Royal was gone. I cursed myself for sleeping so hard, but I knew she had an early class and then she had to drop Royal off at daycare. I looked over at the clock and saw it was late morning, so I hopped up and went to shower and get dressed. 

I’ve been dreading this day for about a week now, but I might as well stop by before I headed to work today. As I was driving to my destination I ran my hand down my face. Everything on the home front was great. Tae and Royal been keeping a nigga on his feet, but it’s cool cause I’ll do anything for them. Anybody who really knew me would tell you I was a straight-up good dude, so me heading to Tina’s mama house was out the kindness of my heart. When I pulled up to her house her car was gone. After a few minutes waiting, I finally saw her green Honda Accord pulling into the driveway. I hopped out the car and met her halfway. 

“Hey, baby how doing,” Ms.B said hugging my neck.

“Good good, how bout you.” 

“I’m good as it gets. Come on in the house. I promise I won’t keep you long.” I walked inside the house and shut the door behind me. 

“Lock it up for me baby,” she said sitting her purse down on the small table by the front door. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to sofa by the back wall. Ms. B had a nice lil house. She had pictures of her and Tina everywhere. Tina being her only child and all. She didn’t waste any time getting straight to the point. 

“ I remember a time when you and my daughter was so happy. I kinda knew she wanted to talk about me and tina, but that shit didn’t exist anymore.

“Ms. B,” I tried to stop her before she even got started. She couldn’t have talked to her own daughter in a while if she didn’t know what’s been going on with her. 

“No baby let me finish,” she started up again. I thought for sure you and Tina was gon get married and have me some grandbabies running around here. I jumped off the couch when she said something bout kids. I immediately got heated. Her bitch ass daughter killed my kids.

“Nah, Ms. B!” I blurted kinda loud, but didn’t really mean to. I can tell by the way she was looking at me she was shocked.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to get loud, but have you talked to Tina," I said. 

“Well I haven’t talked to her today, but when I did she told me you cheated on her, had a baby on her, and shacking up with the whore you had it with. I shook my head and repeated respect your elders, respect your elders. Nowadays I didn’t even know if that still applied to some of these young grandmas’. You know the ones that thought they could talk to you any kind of way and get away with it. 

“You have a good day Ms. B,” I say before turning around and walking off. 

“Wait a minute baby. I didn’t mean no harm.” she apologized before her phone started to ring. I stopped walking while she took her call. I noticed her teary eyes and overhead her say yes Tiffney I’m at home why. After hearing that I started walking off again. Tiffney was Tina’s first cousin, so I figured it was nothing. 

“What you mean you walked through the door and found her passed out!” Ms. B screamed. I turned around concerned now. 

“Everything’s good Ms.B,” I asked.

“No everything’s not. Every since you left my daughter been going downhill. I got to get over there.” 

She ran out the door leaving me behind. After she hopped in her car I hopped in mine right behind her. Tina stayed right around the corner from her mama, so it only took a few minutes to get there. Ms. B hopped out and ran inside. After I parked I saw her running back out the door holding her phone. When I got close enough I saw she was dialing 911. I walked inside my use to be home and looked around for Tina. The house was trashed. Old food, trash, and drug paraphernalia were everywhere. I ran up the stairs and into the hallway bathroom where I saw Tina lying on the floor unconscious. 

“What happened to her?” I asked Tiffney who was crying on the floor. 

“I don’t know. She was like this when I showed up. I told her I was coming over after I got off work. The door wasn’t even closed all the way. 

“Why didn’t you call the police!” I yelled. 

“I don’t know. I called auntie that’s why,” she said smartly. 

“Are you stupid? What if she died or something?” I paced the floor before kneeling down by her side. I stared at Tina not knowing what to say. 

“Fucccckkkk!” What the fuck is wrong with you man? I screamed to her pulling her up by her shirt. She was already small framed, but she looked even smaller. I looked around the bathroom and pills and shit was all over. I couldn’t believe this shit man. This the kind of shit you would see on tv. Thank god my grandma took me when I was a lil boy. I didn’t have to see shit like this. After a while, the ambulance had shown up and checked her out. They said she was barely breathing and had to rush her to the hospital

 

 Shanta

I reached down to grab my laptop bag when I overhead Zane talking on the phone. We were just packing up our things. The class was letting out thirty minutes early today. I didn’t wanna seem like I was eavesdropping though, so I avoided eye contact. After our lil ice cream date with the kids, we form a relationship and started talking on the regular. Not a romantic one, but really on a friendly level. He was cool to talk too and I loved Aaliyah so that was a plus. 

“What the fuck you mean she running a fever and you can’t go get her!” He yelled. After the person on the phone said something else he continued. I figured it was his baby mama. Zane told me all about her. Bitches like her didn’t deserve to be mothers. She needed her ass whooped if you asked me. 

“Man get off my line,” he said then hung up. 

“Is everything ok?” I asked concerned by the expression on his face. 

“Nah I gotta go pick Liyah up from the daycare. They had call Amber over 3 hours ago, but she didn’t answer. 

“Well, I’m not doing anything. I can go with you.”

“Cool cool,” he said letting me walk in front of him out the door. When we got to the daycare he went to sign Liyah out while I peeked in on Royal. I didn’t want to go inside because I already knew she would’ve started crying if she saw me. Meeting back up front with Zane I saw he was holding a sick looking Liyah. Every time I saw her she would be smiling and talking to me on sight. She had her head down in the crook of Zane's neck. I felt her forehead and she was burning up. 

“We got to take her to the Emergency room. She is burning up.”

“I know. I’m mad as fuck right now man. That bitch ain’t good for shit.” Zane said out loud walking out the door. He was heated and couldn’t blame him. We hurried and got back in the car. When we got the ER I took Liyah and sat down while Zane went to the front to sign her in. After waiting for almost thirty minutes she was called to the back. At first I told Zane I would stay in the front, but Liyah starting crying for me to come back so I went. In the back there was a separate waiting area, so I went there while she was being tested. 

“What you mean nobody can’t go back?” I heard a guy yelled. 

“Her stomach gotta get pumped and it’s all your fault.” A lady screamed at him. Wow, these people crazy. I thought. 

“Aye the doctor finished you can come back now,” Kane came back out and told me. I got up and walked around the corner only to freeze right in the middle of the hallway.

“Look, man, I don’t know what the fuck going on just like you don’t. I would always have love for Tina, but….” he stopped mid-sentence when our eyes met. 

“Reggie?” I spoke with a confused look on my face. Zane looked at him like he knew him from somewhere.

“Tae,” he said my name. Whaatt are you doing here?

“No what the fuck are you doing here...