Releasing the months of pent up anger and guilt by a death that has haunted them both.
* * *
“What time is it?” China yawned.
Clay checked his watch. “A little past six. Why?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Just asking.”
Clay sat with his back against the wall, while China’s head rested in his lap. His butt was numb and his leg was a little sore, but he didn’t want to move afraid that any sudden moves he made could destroy the bond he was trying to restore.
“Clay.”
“Yeah,” he yawned.
“How long have you been back?”
“A couple of months.”
“Well, what made you stop by and see me? How did you even know I would be at the club that night?”
Clay sighed. “You really wanna know?” China nodded her head yes. “Your mother called me.”
China sat up and looked at him. “ What ! Are you serious?” she asked giving him a sideways glance.
Clay laughed. “Why are you so surprised? You know how your moms is.”
“You’re right, Pearl is always in somebody’s business.” She stretched and leaned back against the wall.
“China.” Now it was his turn to ask the questions.
“Huh,” she said her eyes remained straight ahead. She had a feeling she wouldn’t like what was coming next.
“How long have you been using?”
China sat there for a moment stuck on mute. Damn is it that obvious, she wondered. Should I tell him the truth ? After a few seconds of thought, she decided to be upfront.
“A few months after Dre died,” she whispered. “How did you know?”
“Your mother told me, and its all in your face China. You’re a beautiful girl, but your skin has lost some of its color and your hair ain’t the same as it used to be. And you’ve lost a lot of weight.”
“That obvious huh?”
“That obvious,” Clay agreed. That ass used to be real phat, no pun intended , he thought to himself. “I hate to say this but you know Dre would have a fit about this shit.”
“I know Clay, but after he died I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I was so fucked up. The only way I could cope is with the drugs.”
“No it wasn’t ma. It might have been the easiest way, but it wasn’t the only way. I’ll help you if you let me,” he said taking a hold of her hand.
She looked at her hand engulfed in his and felt a sense of security that she hadn’t felt in a long time. For some reason she felt like a strange burden had been lifted off her shoulders. “I would like that.”
“Anything you need from me I got you. I promised Dre I would take care of your stubborn ass and I plan to do just that. I just wish I would have been here sooner. I’m sorry for being selfish and jumping ship the way I did. It just seemed after Dre died I was lost my damn self. I just needed some time to think.”
China nodded her head in understanding. “It’s cool I know exactly how you feel. Besides I doubt I would have welcomed ya’ black ass with open arms.”
They both shared a laugh.
“It was just hard for me to adjust to fact that I would no longer have the special someone in my life.”
“I know ma.”
“Oh, I meant to ask you something,” she said looking at him sideways.
“What is it?”
“Have you been sending me money?”
“Yeah I have. I figured I could at least be there for you financially since I couldn’t be there for you emotionally.
“Thank you,” she replied sincerely.
Since picking up her habit she had fallen on hard times, and other than drugs she had another addiction, shopping. When Dre died that’s all she did was shop and do drugs. It helped to keep her mind off of him. Within a matter of months she spent Dre’s entire savings and life insurance money.
“Well are you still hustling?”
“No, not anymore,” Clay shook his head. “I own a couple of
* * *
“What time is it?” China yawned.
Clay checked his watch. “A little past six. Why?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Just asking.”
Clay sat with his back against the wall, while China’s head rested in his lap. His butt was numb and his leg was a little sore, but he didn’t want to move afraid that any sudden moves he made could destroy the bond he was trying to restore.
“Clay.”
“Yeah,” he yawned.
“How long have you been back?”
“A couple of months.”
“Well, what made you stop by and see me? How did you even know I would be at the club that night?”
Clay sighed. “You really wanna know?” China nodded her head yes. “Your mother called me.”
China sat up and looked at him. “ What ! Are you serious?” she asked giving him a sideways glance.
Clay laughed. “Why are you so surprised? You know how your moms is.”
“You’re right, Pearl is always in somebody’s business.” She stretched and leaned back against the wall.
“China.” Now it was his turn to ask the questions.
“Huh,” she said her eyes remained straight ahead. She had a feeling she wouldn’t like what was coming next.
“How long have you been using?”
China sat there for a moment stuck on mute. Damn is it that obvious, she wondered. Should I tell him the truth ? After a few seconds of thought, she decided to be upfront.
“A few months after Dre died,” she whispered. “How did you know?”
“Your mother told me, and its all in your face China. You’re a beautiful girl, but your skin has lost some of its color and your hair ain’t the same as it used to be. And you’ve lost a lot of weight.”
“That obvious huh?”
“That obvious,” Clay agreed. That ass used to be real phat, no pun intended , he thought to himself. “I hate to say this but you know Dre would have a fit about this shit.”
“I know Clay, but after he died I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I was so fucked up. The only way I could cope is with the drugs.”
“No it wasn’t ma. It might have been the easiest way, but it wasn’t the only way. I’ll help you if you let me,” he said taking a hold of her hand.
She looked at her hand engulfed in his and felt a sense of security that she hadn’t felt in a long time. For some reason she felt like a strange burden had been lifted off her shoulders. “I would like that.”
“Anything you need from me I got you. I promised Dre I would take care of your stubborn ass and I plan to do just that. I just wish I would have been here sooner. I’m sorry for being selfish and jumping ship the way I did. It just seemed after Dre died I was lost my damn self. I just needed some time to think.”
China nodded her head in understanding. “It’s cool I know exactly how you feel. Besides I doubt I would have welcomed ya’ black ass with open arms.”
They both shared a laugh.
“It was just hard for me to adjust to fact that I would no longer have the special someone in my life.”
“I know ma.”
“Oh, I meant to ask you something,” she said looking at him sideways.
“What is it?”
“Have you been sending me money?”
“Yeah I have. I figured I could at least be there for you financially since I couldn’t be there for you emotionally.
“Thank you,” she replied sincerely.
Since picking up her habit she had fallen on hard times, and other than drugs she had another addiction, shopping. When Dre died that’s all she did was shop and do drugs. It helped to keep her mind off of him. Within a matter of months she spent Dre’s entire savings and life insurance money.
“Well are you still hustling?”
“No, not anymore,” Clay shook his head. “I own a couple of
Similar Books
