Sex Empire II

6. Nasty Nas

"I have so much pain in my heart, but I pretend that everything is okay. Pain is good," Nasiree Stone

"I cooked for you, baby." Nasiree was greeted by her sexy boyfriend of three years. He was in the kitchen, shirtless, standing over the stove, spatula in hand, making her favorites. Breakfast for dinner, a loaded mushroom and spinach omelet, and a side of turkey bacon already plated up.

She grabbed a slice of the meat, then wrapped her arms around her man, kissing his neck.

The only thing that kept her sane from the fucked up world, was letting off some steam at home in her cozy high-rise condo in the Central West End neighborhood in the city of St. Louis.

It was not the hood she spent her youth in, the projects she was born in, or her granny's big house on Ruskin Avenue, but it was in the city she loved and had comfort and style. Half the Central West End looked like abandoned buildings, crack houses, and welfare single parents. On the other side, the Upper CWE, was gated, mini-mansions with private security and cops on alert.

The gun-toting radicals during the peaceful march were within walking distance from her building.

Upper Central West End was known for its sidewalk cafes, smart Italian and Asian fusion restaurants, chic boutiques, and antique stores. With its proximity to St. Louis University, her alma mater, the young and trendy spent their weekends up and down the shops.

Two major hospitals also flanked CWE, Barnes-Jewish and Children's Hospital. With the Metro train station running right to it, most employees used it as their main mode of transportation to work.

Also nearby, expansive Forest Park was the piece de resistance of St. Louis. Home of the all-free Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the History Museum, and the Science Center. So there was plenty to do around her.

Fuck what others said of her city, she was so St. Louis!

She would not move to Illinois, even if her favorite uncle was there. O'Fallon, Illinois was thirty minute drive away and she could see him anytime she needed fatherly advice. Because of him she even graduated high school. It was because of him she attended St. Louis University. Because of Lix, she continued to medical school specializing in the same field as him.

Gynecologist specializing in women's health. Not an obstetrician, she did not deliver babies. Something about being there when a child was born into this fucked up world she could not get down with.

Fuck her mother!

The only thing that lady did for her was to give birth to her, and she would not thank her for that. She hated her life growing up. Not only dirt poor but in some of the worst neighborhoods in St. Louis. Drugs, prostitution, drive-bys, kidnapping, and rape were rampant.

She made it out without falling into any of those. By the skin of her teeth thanks to Lix. He was the only parent she gave credit to her life turning out somewhat normal.

It was not easy being surrounded by others that questioned if she was Black or White. Hell if she knew what she was. Her mother was clearly Black, biracial, mixed, whatever they wanted to call it.

What did that make her?

To the kids that would see her in elementary school, she was the "wanna be" or the "you not Black" girl. The "you're lying that's not your mother" girl. The "just say you're white" girl. She did not feel white. She did not feel Black either.

She was just Nas.

"Food tastes good." She finished her meal in record time, wiping her mouth and hands. "But I'm really tired and about to hit the shower."