with a tag hanging from it that read From a friend . It was evident that both of his tattoos had some kind of meaning. She had been curious about them since the first time they’d made love, and she would finally get around to asking him the story behind the wounds and tattoos.
Two hours later he rose from the bed.
“Jamal, I have a few questions to ask you, and I hope I don’t offend you.”
He looked at her and wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Whatever you want to know, ask. I don’t have any secrets. What else do you want to know?”
She smiled slightly. “I noticed you have a couple of scars on your stomach and side. Did you get shot or something?”
“I’ve never been shot but I was grazed by a stray bullet when I was twelve.” He had pointed to the wound on his stomach first. “Then when I was seventeen, I got stabbed right here by my mama’s boyfriend.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, the mu’fucka was beating on my mama once when I walked in on them. I had to take it to his ass. When I turned to walk away he pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed me in the side. Opened me up pretty good. I had to get twenty-eight stitches.”
“Did he go to prison?”
“Naw, I dropped the charges because he and Ma got back together.”
“That’s crazy.”
“That’s dysfunctional, but that was how things went down in my household.”
Dream’s eyes stretched with surprise. She could only imagine the kind of pain and suffering Jamal must have endured as a child. She wondered if he was capable of having a functional relationship, or whether she was simply fascinated with his imperfections. “What about your tattoos, what do they represent?”
“I got these while I was on the inside; the one on my back is kind of a metaphor. It represents a friend betraying me, stabbing me in the back. After I was locked up, I found out from Dawg that one of my so-called friends had started fucking my ex-girlfriend.”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“What about this RIP Black etched on the tombstone on your arm?”
“My homey, Black, got shot by some Jamaicans. It was a case of mistaken identity,” Jamal said with tears forming in his eyes. “I got the tattoo kind of like honoring the nigga because we was cool. We were the same age, and we did a lot together. He was there when I got my first piece of ass, you know what I mean?”
“Not really, none of my friends have been killed. Not to say that I don’t know people who’ve been killed, just none of my friends.” “Then consider it a blessing then.”
Dream walked over and put her arms around Jamal who was silent. “I will,” she finally said.
***
Jamal and Dream went to San Diego for Labor Day weekend. The California scenery was picturesque. The sky was Carolina blue with huge clouds, and a gentle breeze made the palm trees sway.
Horton Plaza was a huge conglomerate of shops, restaurants, and boutiques. It was like a mall without a roof. Dream and Jamal paraded through all levels of the plaza. After about an hour, Jamal had accumulated several bags, and Dream had turned down all his offers to buy clothing for her until they reached the Dolce & Gabbana store. She saw some hip-hugger jeans that she just had to have. The jeans led to a blouse and a pair of shoes. She came out of the dressing room wearing the whole ensemble. Jamal had the same look on his face that he had when they made love. “Girl, you look good enough to eat,” he said when she spun around.
“I’m gonna remember that tonight,” she replied. She loved looking sexy for him. She liked feeling desirable.
They left Horton Plaza and headed to Birch Aquarium, a popular tourist spot in San Diego. The aquarium had one of the most extravagant sea-life exhibitions in the country. It contained a huge kelp forest and live sharks.
“I didn’t know you were a nature freak,” Dream said.
“I’m just a freak,” Jamal said, laughing. “Besides, I am taking your advice, I’m trying different
Two hours later he rose from the bed.
“Jamal, I have a few questions to ask you, and I hope I don’t offend you.”
He looked at her and wiped the sleep from his eyes. “Whatever you want to know, ask. I don’t have any secrets. What else do you want to know?”
She smiled slightly. “I noticed you have a couple of scars on your stomach and side. Did you get shot or something?”
“I’ve never been shot but I was grazed by a stray bullet when I was twelve.” He had pointed to the wound on his stomach first. “Then when I was seventeen, I got stabbed right here by my mama’s boyfriend.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, the mu’fucka was beating on my mama once when I walked in on them. I had to take it to his ass. When I turned to walk away he pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed me in the side. Opened me up pretty good. I had to get twenty-eight stitches.”
“Did he go to prison?”
“Naw, I dropped the charges because he and Ma got back together.”
“That’s crazy.”
“That’s dysfunctional, but that was how things went down in my household.”
Dream’s eyes stretched with surprise. She could only imagine the kind of pain and suffering Jamal must have endured as a child. She wondered if he was capable of having a functional relationship, or whether she was simply fascinated with his imperfections. “What about your tattoos, what do they represent?”
“I got these while I was on the inside; the one on my back is kind of a metaphor. It represents a friend betraying me, stabbing me in the back. After I was locked up, I found out from Dawg that one of my so-called friends had started fucking my ex-girlfriend.”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“What about this RIP Black etched on the tombstone on your arm?”
“My homey, Black, got shot by some Jamaicans. It was a case of mistaken identity,” Jamal said with tears forming in his eyes. “I got the tattoo kind of like honoring the nigga because we was cool. We were the same age, and we did a lot together. He was there when I got my first piece of ass, you know what I mean?”
“Not really, none of my friends have been killed. Not to say that I don’t know people who’ve been killed, just none of my friends.” “Then consider it a blessing then.”
Dream walked over and put her arms around Jamal who was silent. “I will,” she finally said.
***
Jamal and Dream went to San Diego for Labor Day weekend. The California scenery was picturesque. The sky was Carolina blue with huge clouds, and a gentle breeze made the palm trees sway.
Horton Plaza was a huge conglomerate of shops, restaurants, and boutiques. It was like a mall without a roof. Dream and Jamal paraded through all levels of the plaza. After about an hour, Jamal had accumulated several bags, and Dream had turned down all his offers to buy clothing for her until they reached the Dolce & Gabbana store. She saw some hip-hugger jeans that she just had to have. The jeans led to a blouse and a pair of shoes. She came out of the dressing room wearing the whole ensemble. Jamal had the same look on his face that he had when they made love. “Girl, you look good enough to eat,” he said when she spun around.
“I’m gonna remember that tonight,” she replied. She loved looking sexy for him. She liked feeling desirable.
They left Horton Plaza and headed to Birch Aquarium, a popular tourist spot in San Diego. The aquarium had one of the most extravagant sea-life exhibitions in the country. It contained a huge kelp forest and live sharks.
“I didn’t know you were a nature freak,” Dream said.
“I’m just a freak,” Jamal said, laughing. “Besides, I am taking your advice, I’m trying different
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