Tough Love

Chapter 4

Luna

I'm in bed now. Flicking through my phone. I ain't seen Virgil for about a week. Guess the shifts of a hoe and gangster in this area don't really cross. I always seen him driving away when I'm waiting on the street. I hate to say it but I kinda miss him.

I'm going to visit my baby boy today. I gotta be discreet about it cuz I really don't want anybody here findin out about where he lives. They use these girls families as a way a never letting em go and I can't have that happen to me. I can't let Jadyn be in danger like that.

I get dressed and do my makeup. I wear something more modest of a jeans and tank top than my everyday workin clothes. Feels like you gotta be almost naked just to get a date, and even then, majority of em are tricks.

I walk out, scared imma get in trouble for not looking my usual slutty self. But no one say a thing, they're all preoccupied in one way or another, and I just walk on past to the bus station and take it to my grandma's house.

***

I kiss Jadyn and my grandma when saying goodbye, she has tears in her eyes but tries not to cry, she knows that if she starts crying I'll start crying and if I start crying lil Jadyn gon start crying. I usually just save my tears for the bus ride home.

I shut the front door, I already miss my baby boy, I miss his hugs and his smile, I miss holding him and being his mom.

I get on the bus, no tears, but I got that feelin in my throat like I could cry for days.

I always got that feeling stuck up in my throat, it's suffocating.

***

I approach the trap house, I don't live here no more, I got another apartment. But I gotta come here for my shifts and shit.

I see Virgil. Flicking through a rack a money, wit a joint kept between his lips, as usual.

I walk on past, and he catches my eye in the process. His expression changes. On God I never seen a man's face drop so fast.

"Where the fuck you was?!" He say to me, shifting a lot o eyes and attentions on to me.

"What it matter to you? I ain't seen you for a damn week." I reply, everyone looks back at him, I roll my eyes and walk inside.

But he ain't done.

He walk up behind me, follow me into the house, so we can talk more privately, if that even fucking possible here.

"What's your problem Luna?" He whispers, staring at me wit dead eyes. He high as fuck. On the verge of a bad trip. And I know if I speak imma make it worse.

I sigh and let it go. I'm not getting invested in all this. It ain't worth my time. And I don't care, todays been hard, this man ain't about to make it harder.

"It's my time of the month," I lie, well half lie, I'm due tomorrow and I got cramps already "I'm going home."

***

I lock my front door behind me and take a deep breath. My eyes are so sore. I been tearful all day. I just wanna cry, and sleep, but most of all I just wanna hold my child. More than anything in the fucking world.

One day.

I head to the bed and just as I do there's a knock on the door. I look through the peephole. The fuck he doing here? He better not be here to beat me up or nothing.

I grab the bat I keep next to the front door and open it. "Hey." He says, slightly out of breath.

"Hi..." I reply, lowering my bat.

"You alright?" He says, wit a low voice, and low eyes.

"Yeah...just..." I look up at him "what you doin here?"

"I miss you."

"Shut the fuck up." I state and go to close the door but he grasps onto my wrist.

"I'm being for real."

I shake his hand off me and look him up and down.

"You here cuz you miss me? I ain't neva heard such a claim from nobody."

"Das bcuz everybody in this world fuckin stupid."

I scoff. And let him in.

"Where was you today?" He asks, taking a seat and spreading his legs.

"None of your damn business."

"Tell me Luna"

"Visitin someone, das all."

"You was visiting a man?"

I try not to laugh. "Don't be fuckin ridiculous...and even if I was, it should be no concern of yours."

"Is that so?" He stands up, towers above me, almost like a power move.

"Why should it concern you Virgil?"

He don't answer for a moment, he look between both my eyes, sighs and looks away. "I spose it shouldn't concern me..." he replies, oh. "But it does."

"You still haven't told me why."

"You know why. Stop playin."  He states, walking away abruptly to the door, and opening it to leave.

I frown at him, he's so weird.

"See you in a few days, for work."

Right. Course. For work. We ain't nothing more than business partners. The salesman and the product.

He slams the door shut without even a kiss goodbye. LMFAO, I almost thought he was gon say he's caught feelings for me or sumn. But I guess some things just ain't meant to be.