Her Sweetest Revenge (Delphine Publications Presents) (25 page)

“
Baby, you up?” I started rubbing Hood’s back.

“
Yep,” Hood said in a stifled tone.

“
You want some breakfast? I could whip some up real fast.”

“
Nah, I’m cool.” Hood turned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I got to meet with Pig this morning; we got a run to make. I’ma grab something on the way. Matter fact, I need to jump in the shower so I can head out. What you got planned today?” he asked, getting out of the bed, headed for the shower.

“
Just lunch and some sho—” I got cut off by Hood’s phone when it started to vibrate.

Hood reached down and picked up the phone off the nightstand. “What’s good?” Hood spoke into the phone. “Yo, what’s yo’ point, nigga? A’ight, I’m on my way.” Hood hung up the phone and reached for the clothes he had on yesterday.

“
I thought you were going to get in the shower?”

“
Yeah, I know. Look, baby, I gotta go. I’ma holla at you later.” Hood got dressed so fast my head was spinning.

“
Is everything OK?” I asked a little worried. It wasn’t like Hood to put back on the same clothes he had worn the day before and leave without taking a shower.

“
Oh, hell, yeah,” he smiled. “Just gotta leave now. Got some shit to handle ASAP, but I’ll call you.” He gave me a quick kiss and was gone.

I wondered for a moment what that was all about, but I chalked it up it to Height Squad business. I grabbed my robe and headed down the hallway to make sure Monica was up for school.

The closer I got to the bathroom in the hallway I thought I heard gagging.

“
Monica?” I knocked on the door. “You OK?”

“
Yeah,” she hastily replied.

“
OK.” I started to walk away again, and this time I heard it loud and clear. Monica was in the bathroom throwing up. I tried to open the bathroom door, but she had locked it.

“
Monica, unlock this door,” I demanded.

“
A’ight. I’m comin’ out,” Monica said in voice that sounded less then OK. When she opened up the door her face looked terrible. She looked like she had been throwing up all night. Her face was pale, and her eyes were big and bulging. She clearly needed a doctor.

“
What’s wrong?” I asked her. “What did you eat last night?” I continued to inquire. Monica dropped her head like she didn’t want to talk to me. “Monica, what’s going on? Why didn’t you wake me up and tell me you were sick?”

Still no words from Monica. The more I looked at her, the more she seemed different. Something had changed.

“
Get dressed. You’re going to the doctor,” I said.

“
I don’t need to go to no doctor, Mya. I’m fine,” Monica tried to regain her normal voice, but she was outvoted by her stomach. She turned and made a quick dash for the toilet where she hurled again.

By the time we made it to the doctor’s office, Monica was exhausted from puking. Once we made it to the examining room, the doctor ran some blood tests on her and within an hour he came back with the results. Monica was pregnant.

“
Pregnant! What does that mean?” I shouted at the doctor.

“
It means that in nine months she is going to have a baby,” he answered in a sarcastic but polite tone.

“
Moni . . .” My chest started to rise and fall quickly. I thought I was going to suffocate. I couldn’t breathe. The doctor rushed over to me and grabbed my arm.

“
Just breathe. Take deep, slow breaths. You’re having a panic attack.”

Finally my breathing returned to normal.

“
Mya, I’m sorry.” Tears were pouring down Monica’s cheeks.

“
How? Who?” I tried to ask but a full question would not come.

“
Look, you two go home and discuss this. Monica, I need to see you at least once a month, but because of your age, I would like to see you more often. Stop at the desk and make your next appointment.”

On the way home the words still did not come. I was so upset I thought it was best that I didn’t say anything.

When I pulled up I noticed Hood had already returned. I thought he would be gone most of the day. I immediately wondered if he had finally used his key. Maybe him being there was a good idea to keep me from killing Monica.

When I opened the door to the apartment I noticed Hood sitting on the couch with his head buried in his hands.

“
Hood,” I said, instantly knowing something was wrong. I walked over closer with Monica on my heels. “Hood, baby,” I said again as I got down on my knees in front of him. “What’s wrong?” I pulled both of his hands from his face. His face was wet from tears. “What happened, baby?”

“
They done shot my nigga.”

“
Who? Pig?” My heart dropped. “Is he all right?” I asked. Hood didn’t say anything. He just gave me a look that told me everything I needed to know. “Why? What happened?”

“
I don’t know. I got a call from one of my trap boys this morning saying Pig didn’t meet him at four this morning and wouldn’t answer his cell. So I went over to Pig’s crib ’cause that nigga always answers his cell. That’s where I found him, still in his car with a bullet to the head, two to the chest.”

“
What?” I said still in shock. “Baby, I am so sorry.” I hugged him tight. “I know Charlene’s fucked up right now. Maybe I should call her.” I stood up.

“
Charlene, man, that bitch was nowhere to be found. I tried to call her and got no answer.”

“
What?” I said again, still shocked. “You think she’s all right?” I began to get worried about her.

“
Yeah, she’s all right, but she gotta answer to me, and if she had anything to do with what happened to Pig, she’s DEAD!” Hood said with certainty.

“
She wouldn’t have anything to do wit’ that,” I tried to defend Charlene. “Hood, I been knowing Charlene since I was in grade school. She may be conceited, but I don’t think—”

“
You don’t think?” Hood gave me a look that was full of anger and hurt. “Look, Mya, somebody gotta answer for this shit. The Brewster is about to be a war zone until somebody tells me what happened to Pig. Whoever I think’s guilty is a dead motherfucker walkin’.” Hood stood up pounding his chest while he was talking, but more tears started pouring down his face.

Immediately, Hood bounced back down on the couch, and I followed suit in his arms trying to comfort and console my man. Monica just stood there in disbelief.

“
I am sorry about your friend, Hood,” she said before scrolling off to her room. She had her own problems weighing on her shoulders.

There was just too much going on. Monica and I were still trying to get over the death of our own brother, and now she was pregnant. On top of all that, Pig was killed. Everything was just getting crazy instead of better. With all this heavy stuff on my mind, before I knew it, Hood had fallen asleep and I did too, but when I opened my eyes after a nice long nap, he was gone. I tried calling him but got no answer. The only thing I could do was lie back down on the couch and pray that he came back to me. Alive.

Chapter 40

Two days had gone by and I still had not heard shit from Hood. I stopped calling him yesterday. I had come to the conclusion that when he was ready to talk he would call me. I didn’t even bother going to his crib, even though I had two keys and all the codes to his alarm systems. I knew he wasn’t home. I had left him messages letting him know that I loved him.

I didn’t leave the house for anything. In fact, the only time I had been out of bed was to shower and cook for Monica. Since she was pregnant, I made sure she had breakfast before school, and I cooked dinner for her. I had called Pepper and told her I wouldn’t be coming into work or class this week. I just had too much on my mind.

I decided to call Rochelle to see if she had seen Hood. We had only talked briefly the day Hood had disappeared on me. According to her, Li’l Lo was tripping on killing niggas ASAP. I knew her hands were tied too.

“
What’s up?” I said into the phone when Rochelle answered.

“
Nothing. Just layin’ up watching TV. Li’l Lo gone, and Tiny over at Wynita’s house.”

“
So how you like playin’ wifey since y’all moved up in Li’l Lo’s crib?”

“
It’s cool. Ain’t got Wynita yellin’ at me all day, but I miss that sometimes.” Rochelle laughed.

“
I know, right?” I laughed at the thought of Wynita giving Rochelle the business.

“
So what’s up wit’ Hood? He still MIA along with my man?” Rochelle asked.

“
Hell, yeah. Li’l Lo been home?”

“
Nope. You know Hood got all them niggas combin’ the block. Until they get some info he ain’t gon’ let them outta his sight,” Rochelle said matter-of-factly.

“
That shit’s crazy,” I mouthed with irritation.

“
Well, anyway, I’m sick of sittin’ up in here. I’m ’bout to roll over to yo’ crib. Tiny gon’ be at Wynita’s all week. Ain’t no tellin’ when Li’l Lo comin’ home. I’m lonely.”

“
A’ight, then, bet. I’ll see you in a bit.” I ended the call and headed to the shower to throw on some decent clothes because I looked like Linda Blair. I joked about my appearance.

Rochelle was knocking on my door in no time.

“
What’s up?” I hugged Rochelle when she came inside the door. I didn’t realize how much I missed being around her until she walked in my house. We hadn’t been spending much time together since our lives had changed.

“
Girl, you look like you got shit on yo’ mind,” Rochelle said with a hint of concern.

“
Rochelle, what don’t I have on my mind? I think I just miss my dad so much,” I said, as tears started running down my face. Rochelle reached back over and hugged me again.

“
Talk to me, Mya. What’s up? I know I haven’t been there for you like I should, but I’m always a phone call away,” Rochelle said as tears started rolling down her cheeks.

“
I know. I’m cool. Damn, girl,” I said sniffling while wiping my tears. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” I started laughing, and Rochelle started laughing too.

“
Come on over here and sit down. I need to tell you something.” Rochelle and I both bounced down on one of my living-room sofas.

“
Go head. Spit it out,” Rochelle rushed me.

“
Monica’s pregnant.”

“
She’s
what?
” Rochelle said in almost a whisper.

“
Yep. I found out the same day that Pig was found dead. I had taken her to the doctor that morning because she had been sick.”

“
By who?” Rochelle asked.

“
Don’t know.” I hunched my shoulders. “We haven’t talked about it much, and when I asked her she wouldn’t tell me. I didn’t want to pressure her because the whole thing makes me want to choke her to death.”

“
Damn,” Rochelle said, shaking her head back and forth. “Have you told your mom?”

“
Not yet, but I will. Better yet, I’m going to make Monica tell her,” I said in a disappointed tone. “I still don’t have nothing to say to my mom. I just can’t believe that I have been around here tryin’ to make life better for us, and she messes up like this. Rochelle, I didn’t even know she was interested in boys yet. I mean, damn . . . am I that blind? I was supposed to be takin’ care of both Monica and Li’l Bo, but maybe I just messed up both of their lives.” My voice got choked up.

“
Mya, don’t say that because you know it ain’t true. Stuff happens. You can’t blame yourself. All you can do now is love Monica and help her get through this and make sure that she continues with her education.”

“
How can I do that when I don’t even know what to say to her? I can’t find the words, because I’m so full of anger.”

“
Don’t worry, you will,” Rochelle assured me.

“
Enough about me.” I repositioned myself on the couch. “Have you heard anything from Charlene yet?” I started wiping my face.

“
Hell, no. I don’t know what’s up with that chick. I’ve been callin’ her, and she won’t answer my calls. I called her mom’s crib yesterday, and they say she ain’t there.”