URBAN: In Love with A Boss Nigga (45 page)

My dad and I look just alike. We share the same curly hair, bronze colored skin, and hazel eyes. We have dimples so deep you could probably fit a quarter inside of them, and a smile that makes all the ladies melt. We have the same body shape, except his muscles are more profound than mine, and he stood six feet, four inches. At ten, I was only five foot, six inches which is still tall considering my age. My dad was my role model. Unlike everyone else, he didn’t let where he lived define who he was and he wanted to raise his kids the same way.

My mom came outside to tell us that lunch was ready and then returned to the kitchen. I was starving, so we ended our game of catch and got ready to go inside to eat.. Just as we were walking inside, a black suburban with tinted windows pulled up in front of the house. The guy in the truck rolled down the windows and yelled my dad’s name.

“Go inside Terrell,” my dad told me as he walked towards the truck. I was hesitant but by the look on my dad’s face, I knew I better follow his orders. I went inside of the house and stood in front of the door to keep watch. The guy looked dark-skinned, kind of heavy set and wore sunglasses. He looked as if he had a long black beard but it blended in with the darkness on the inside of the car, so I couldn’t tell. He and my dad talked for a while, but I was too far away to hear their conversation. It had to be a heated one because my dad looked as if he was yelling. Then all of a sudden, my dad stepped back and put his hands up. That’s when I saw it. I ran onto the porch causing the door to slam. My dad looked in my direction, the look on his face showed his fear.

“Please don’t do this. Not in front of my son,” My dad begged. Unfazed by my appearance, the man in the truck took six shots. I screamed and ran to his side, calling for my mama. I watched as my dad fell to the ground, his blood was splattered all over the grass. I sat down beside him. He was hit three times. Once on the left side of his chest, once in his right side, and once on his right arm. Blood was steady flowing out of his body and I didn’t know what to do to stop it. I kneeled next to him as my mother came next to me. I heard her let out a cry.

“Dad you’re going to be alright, just don’t die,” I cried. He placed his left hand on my cheek and wiped the tears that was running down my face uncontrollably. “Somebody please call 911!”

“Son,” He breathed heavily. “Take care of your mom and your little brother. I’ve taught you well, now it’s your turn to protect them.” I shook my head. He wasn’t going to die. He couldn’t leave me, not like this. I needed him. We needed him.

“No, dad just hold on. The ambulance will be here soon. Don’t give up,” I begged. I picked his head up into my hands and laid my hand on his bloody chest.

“Son, I love you. Take care of your mama for me and don’t let anything happen to your brother,” he demanded. “Protect your family at all costs. Do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”

“Dad,” I whispered.

“Son, promise me you’ll keep them safe. Promise me!”

“I promise,” I said quietly. And with that he was gone. The tears on my face had stopped falling. It was time for me to be a man now. I whispered to him that I loved him too. My mother had left my side, the sight was too much on her. She now sat on the porch, crying hysterically. The neighbors surrounded her, desperately trying to console her. The ambulance finally arrived but it was too late. My mom followed as they took my dad to the ambulance. I looked across the street and caught the eye of Romello, my best friend, who had been crying also. His dad left before Romello was born, so my father took him in. My dad was the only father he knew. We stared at each other for a while, both hurt, but we knew what we had to do. My dad had raised the both of us as protectors and providers and we would protect our families at all cost. I watched as Romello leaned into his mother and wrapped his hand around her waist, and then buried his head on her stomach.

I returned into the house and walked into the room I shared with my younger brother. He was still sound asleep in his bed. He looked so peaceful and happy, unaware of the tragedy that just took place. Tears began to fall down my face again. My brother was a split image of my dad as well. Same curly hair, bronze skin, and dimples, but he had my mother’s honey-brown eyes. I rubbed his face, it was so smooth and so warm. I love my brother and no matter what I would never let anyone hurt him. There was a part of me that wanted so desperately to run away and to never look back. It just wouldn’t be the same without my dad. He was my best friend. I knew he wanted to me to be here for them, though, and if I was to do so, I had to remain strong. My little brother needed me, and so did my mother. Montrell began to wake up and I had to regain my composure. I didn’t want him to see I was crying. Crying was a sign of weakness. He stretched, rubbed his eyes, and looked at me. A smile spread across his face.

“Hi Rell,” he said in his cute four year old voice, which made me crack a slight smile. It didn’t last long though because I had to prepare myself to tell him the bad news. I sighed and rubbed my hand through my brother’s hair.

“Come here Trell,” I told him and helped him climb up into my lap. I held him firmly against my chest.

“What’s wrong?” He asked and stared at me with those honey-brown eyes of his. He looked so innocent and happy. I didn’t want to break his happiness but he needed to know that we had a job to do. I held him in front of me and looked into his eyes,

“Something horrible happened today while you were sleeping,” I told him and sighed. He stared at me waiting for me, listening intently. “Daddy was shot and he died.”

I watched as the words sunk in, and his smile faded.

“Where’s mommy?” he asked.

“Mommy’s fine, she was inside with you. I want you to know something though. We are all she has now. So we have to protect her. Since I’m the oldest, dad left me in charge and told me that I have to be the man, but I can’t do this alone. I need you to help me,” I explained and he nodded. “It’s not going to be easy without daddy around but we need to stay strong for mommy and make sure she knows that we love her. I made a promise to protect you guys, and I will stick to that promise. I won’t let anything happen to you or our mother. You hear me? I won’t let nothing happen to you. Nothing. I promise.”

A tear rolled down his face and I wiped it with my hand. I assured him that everything was okay, but he wasn’t the one who needed it because there were more tears running down my face then there were his. He leaned in to hug me and I held him tightly against my chest. I kissed the top of his head and told him it was going to be okay and that I loved him. I swore on my life that I would never let anything happen to him. I made a promise and nothing was going to stop me from keeping it.

Montrell, Romello, and I sat on moms porch reminiscing about growing up. We were celebrating Montrell’s acceptance letter to Townsend University in Alabama. He got a full ride to play basketball in the fall. I was so proud of my dude and the man he had grown up to be.

Moms was inside cooking up a nice meal to celebrate, while Romello was rolling a nice blunt for our smoke session.

“Aye, you remember that one time Sydney tried to say she was pregnant with your baby?” Trell asked. Of course I remembered. How could I forget? She was one of the craziest females I ever met. The girl was so obsessed with me that she went around spreading this pregnancy rumor, when I never even touched the girl. In fact, until the rumors started getting around, I didn’t even know who the girl was.

“Bitch, was crazy,” I chuckled.

“You know, she really did have a baby though?” He asked. “And guess who the father was.”

“Who is the man insane enough to get that broad pregnant?” Romello asked as he was sealing the blunt.

“Ronald’s ugly ass,” Montrell said.

“Ronald an old flock ass nigga for real,” I said. “He would get that hoe pregnant. I bet she ain’t the only one neither.”

We continued to chat about old times. Like the first time Montrell took a girl on a date. I took him shopping the day before and he bought a whole outfit for the occasion. He bought a black Ralph Lauren button up with a white horse, he had the black 501s Levi’s, and the all-white forces on his feet. He wore the gold chain I bought him for his birthday around his neck and the gold watch I got him for Christmas on his wrist.

“Ya boy was too fresh,” Montrell said remembering the occasion. His girl was too. He had a beautiful girl for his first date. A bad redbone with grey eyes and long curly hair. She was skinny but she was thick too. She played ball like he did, so at school she usually just wore jeans or sweats. She almost never dressed up and her hair was almost always in a ponytail. Imagine how surprised he was when she came in a dress and her hair was down. “She had on a tight ass dress and a push up bra. Her chest and that booty was looking right.”

“She was looking right huh?” Romello asked then looked at me. “Aye Rell you got a light?”

I reached in my pocket and handed him a lighter. He looked over the blunt one last time to make sure everything was right. He then stuck the blunt up to his lips and lit it. He must’ve hit it too hard or the weed was too good because he couldn’t even hold it. He went to choking like he was dying. Montrell and I started laughing.

“You good bruh?” I asked. He nodded, took another hit and then passed it to Montrell. “Montrell was nervous as hell to take that girl out. As soon as she came down the stairs that nigga just froze.”

“I was stunned. Baby girl looked like she should be on the cover of a magazine she was so fine. Fucking beautiful,” Montrell admitted.

“You get the booty?” Romello asked.

“Fuckin’ right I got the booty, “ Montrell bragged. He passed that blunt to me and I watched as some dude I ain’t ever seen before started walking up to the house.

“Who that is?” I asked

“Don’t trip, he’s here for me. I’ll be back,” He said and walked over to the dude. I kept my eye on my brother while he was talking. I didn’t know this nigga, ain’t ever seen him before, and honestly I don’t trust dude. I had to admit though, I was proud of the man my brother grew up to be. I basically raised that man like he was my own. Showed him right from wrong and now look at him. Nineteen years old going to college to play ball. He a better man than I could ever be. Pops would be so proud of him. I wish he was here to see it.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of screeching tires. I looked up to see and 1969 all black convertible Camaro pull up in front of the house. In the passenger seat of the car sat a black dude. He was kinda skinny and he wore some all black shades. He pulled out a .45 revolver and shot out six shots. I called out to Montrell but it was too late. Montrell was shot and fell to the ground. Romello started shooting at the car and I ran to my brother’s side. I pulled my brother into my arms. He was only hit with one bullet, right in the middle of his forehead. Blood rushed from his head and I took my shirt off and ripped it, making a bandage to wrap around his head. I applied pressure to the womb in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He was a lot bigger now, but holding him reminded me of the time when pops died and I had to break the news to him. He looked at me with those honey-brown eyes again and it was like he was four all over again. Then, just like that, he was gone. Tears were flooding down my cheeks. Not my brother man. Not Montrell. He had so much going for him. A whole life ahead of him. Why not take me instead? I deserve to be killed for all the wrong I did. All the lives I took. Why my dude?

My head was spinning. I felt faint. My little brother didn’t deserve this. Instantly, I was seeing red. The ambulance came and took my brother out of my hands and laid his lifeless body on the stretcher, covering his face. I couldn’t move but I felt my body temperature rising. I was hot and I was going to find who did this. I looked back at the house. Romello had my mother in his arms trying to comfort her but she was crying hysterically. The scene looked all too familiar. I went over to them, took my mother out of his arms, and held her tightly against my chest.

After her tears had slowed, I walked her inside the house and took her to her room to lay down. I helped her get undressed and into the bed. Then I sat on the bed beside her and rubbed my fingers in her hair, the same way I did Montrell when pops died.

“Rell, why?” she asked, but I didn’t have an answer for her because I was wondering the same thing. I knew my mother needed me now, but there was no way I was going to let whoever did this get away with it.

“I don’t know ma, but I do know one thing. Too much blood was shed on this property alone. First pops and now Trell. I’m going to get you away from this death trap if it takes the life of me. I promise,” I told her but my promise felt so empty. “Get some rest, ma.”

She closed her eyes and I kissed her on her cheek. I asked one of the neighbors to watch over her for me. As much as I wanted to be there for my mother, there was something I had to take care of first. I was going to find the person who did this and he was going to pay.

“They ain’t gon’ get away with this bro. Ain’t no way. I risked my life trying to protect my little brother and they come and take him from me? That’s bullshit. I’ma get them back for this, no matter what it takes,” I told Romello. I was pacing the floor, heated. It’s been about two hours since my brother was taken from me and I was hot.

“I feel you bruh,” He assured me. “Montrell was like my brother too and you know it. Let me handle it though. Your mama lost her husband and her youngest son, she don’t need to lose her oldest too. You all she got left.” He was right. I was all she had left but I couldn’t let him take on this task for me. He was his mama’s only child. She needed him as much as my moms needed me.

“Look obviously somebody has it in for my family because every time something goes right, someone gotta come and take it away from us. I gotta make sure the family I have left is safe. I need to let these bitch ass niggas know what’s up. That they can’t fuck with my family and if they do they asking for a death sentence straight up,” I stated as I put a full clip into the handle of my semi-automatic pistol and stuck it in the front of my pants. “Now are you with me or not?”