C.R.E.M.E

June

                                      June
5 months later

"Merry Christmas Ma! " I sung as I  greeted my mom.
"Happy Birthday Daughter and Merry Christmas." My mom said, standing at the stove, flipping pancakes. The kitchen smelled of  Christmas dinner, ham , baked macaroni, greens, dressing and chocolate cake but my mom was still making my birthday pancakes, which she made for May & I every birthday since I could remember, but of course May wasn't here. In fact every since that night Princess said she hoped in the car with Bronz she had practically moved in with him. He had bought her a Toyota to get herself back and forth to school and she had the flyest gear, often coming around to rub it in my face, but after the first few months she only came home once a week, after about the third month, we started to notice change in her attitude and weight. When my moms diamond bracket come up missing we knew something was off. She hadn't been home since.
"I can't believe your sister." My mom said "The heffa, ain't even called me." I could hear the sadness, that was her daughter, they had a good relationship not like the one May and I shared.
"Well we're grown now Ma, don't stress your self over her dumb ass decisions."
"That's still my daughter and your sister and she has a problem, we're family we will be here for her, It's that punk ass Bronz fought." She said putting my pancakes on a plate in front of me , I rolled my eyes and took my pancakes up stairs , I didn't give a fuck about her or this conversation , this bitch was driving a brand new car and I was catching the bus on my 18th birthday and I had to work, and she wanted to be a crack head I didn't feel bad at all.  I didn't mind working on my birthday though college would be starting that fall and I needed to have a good amount of money saved. I ate and prepared myself for work. I worked as a personal care assistant part time for a private black owned company and today I would be meeting a new client so I wanted to be early. I put on my coat, scarf and boots said goodbye to my mom and headed out into the snow, walked down to the bus stop with my headphones on, damn it was fucking cold.

The bus ride was a short one since this client actually lived by the bus station, I walked the two blocks from the station and knocked I waited to be greeted, an older black lady greeted me with a cup of hot chocolate.
"Take this baby." She said nicely, I accepted and stepped in the house.
"Thank you, Mrs.Moore I'm June I'm your caregiver for the day."
"Caregiver, I don't need no damn caregiver." She said. "Come get warm, baby." I followed her to her living room we're she had a fire place going she had a big grandfather clock in the corner with a big beautifully decorated real Christmas tree in the other, I could smell the fresh pines. She had  chestnut furniture with antiques everywhere, the living room was beautiful, somebody had some money. "I told them fucks if they sent one more white person to my house I was going to fuck some shit up." She said seriously, I chuckled.
"You don't like white people."
"I didn't say that, but no I do not ,and I don't like them muthafuckas in my house either, black owned but they got all these white folks working for them." I eyed her because why did I think the same thing. "I'm expecting family in a few, so I won't need you for long, but I do got a few things you can help with."
"Ok, that's cool."
"Can you cook" she asked, I liked this assignment already .
"Yes, ma'am."
"I knowed that." She said. "All them damn hips, there's an apron over there." I retrieved the apron, washed my hands and proceeded to help her peel potatoes for potatoe salad as Christmas Songs played from the radio. "By the way Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas to you to." I said.
"So what's a nice pretty young lady like yourself doing working on Christmas."
"It's actually my 18th birthday." I smiled, I had been waiting a long time to say that.
"Really, happy Birthday, God bless this baby with many more." She said.
"Thank You, young lady." I shoot her a warm smile. "You don't seem like you need a caregiver, if you don't mind me asking, do you need a caregiver ?"
"I had a stroke a year ago scared my grand babies, now here you are."
"You weren't scared." I asked her.
"Nah, if it's my time, it's my time, I had a good life thanks to my Husband and God, who was the head of our life, but I miss my King I miss him this life is not worth living without him." I smiled up at her, I could see the sadness behind her eyes but they were genuine, I hoped I could love someone like that, some day.
"How long we're you Married ?"
"45 years, married him when I was 15 back during segregation." She stared off, still cutting up potatoes.
     "Segregation." I asked mouth open.
" Times was hard back then, but hadn't it not been for The Lord My God, sending my King I don't know were I would be. He's been gone 6 years now, and I miss him as hard as I loved him. Enough about me though, today is a happy day." she said singing along to the Christmas music. "God ain't nowhere near it, but it is a happy day." I smiled at her as I felt my heart warm up, was this what it felt like to have a Granny. She went on telling me all about her husband Herb and there 10 kids, I just listened as she so Graciously filled my young mind with Knowledge, before I knew it a hour had passed.

     "Damn, it's really coming down out there, we suppose to get 10 more feet." She said referring to the snow, looking out the kitchen window. "How'd you get here ?"
    "I took the bus." I answered.
    "Oh hell nah, you ain't taking it back, let me call my grandson to get you home with your family, before the roads get real bad." She exited the kitchen to make a call , I actually felt kind of sad i enjoyed her company and believe me its not all the time you enjoy your clients. "Ok, he's on his way, he leaving his parents house from up the street now." She said as I joined her in the living room,  I reached for my coat and boots.
    "Thank you."
    " No, thank you, young lady Im going to call Tracy Tuesday and tell her your the only aid I want in my house." I smiled, I definitely didn't mind.

Beep, Beep !

"He's here." She said as she extended what looked like a Christmas card towards me. "Merry Christmas and Happy Happy Birthday." She reached in for a hug, I hugged her tight.
"Thank you, I love you already." I whispered in her ear.
"I love you too, baby."
"Have a blessed day I told her." As I stepped out on the porch. My smile turned into a frown as I noticed the burgendy caprice with the door open waiting for me. "I know damn well." I said under my breath as I approached the running car. I just stared at him.
"Damn." He said instantly noticing who I was. "Just get in, so my granny don't think no mess going on, please." I got in and closed the door.
"You can drop me at the station, I'll take the bus." I said with much attitude.
"I'm not letting you stand at no bus stop in a blizzard, Queen."
"Queen." I snapped, caught off guard by his genuine words who the fuck he thought he was. "You the last muthafucka should be calling somebody a Queen."
"And why is that, you don't know shit about me."
"I know you that fool that got my sister doing crack."
"Look at me." He said, and boy was I looking at his sexy ass. "I ain't on drugs, your sister a tell anybody she's a grown ass woman, she wasn't tryna hear shit I said, I'll always take care of her and I'm still good to her." I rolled my eyes at the last part, he was to good to her. "Happy Birthday and congratulations on getting in college, I might need a criminal lawyer on my team in the future." He smiled showing the single gold tooth in his mouth. I had to turn facing the window to hide my smile this muthafucka was as smooth as I always imagined he'd be.
"I wouldn't spit on you if you was on fire." We laughed. "Thanks though, I worked and prayed hard for this." I finally answered dropping the attitude I had plenty to celebrate today ,shit I didn't feel like up setting my own spirit concerned with May.
"Oh trust me I know, it annoyed your sister." I smirked, happy to know I was still getting under her skin.
"Fuck her hating ass, shit I'm doing this for her, when we were kids we promised we'd attend college together me a lawyer, her a judge." I looked out the window at the snow falling, boy did shit change.
    "She told me that to ." He said as he pulled up in front of our houses. "You take the bus all the time?" He asked, scrabbling on some paper.
    "Yeah, I can't drive my mom car till I get my license."
    "Here, take my number." He said extending it to me. "It's to cold for your fine ass to be standing at a bus stop, let alone walking and besides I'm sure I'm granny is going to be asking me a lot about you."He smiled, showing that tooth again,  I felt my virgin pussy get that heart beat as my breathing deepened, I snatch the number and hoped out the car before I took my own birthday present. "Happy Birthday, Queen." He yelled as I raced up the front stairs, with my Christmas card and his number securely in my hand.