Becoming A D-Boy

Prologue

Prologue

September 2000

I remember just watching her. I don't know why I sat there and watched her but I did. I couldn't quite understand what was going on but I was sure that it wasn't good. She looked like she was in some kind of hurry but I didn't know why. She was packing bags but I didn't know where she was going.

"Tre why are you still up? I told you to go to bed." She said looking at me weakly. She had been weak a lot lately but I had to keep close to her. Something inside of me was telling me that something wasn't right. Every since the day dad left it's like she's been disappearing. I was worried but back didn't I didn't know how to express that. I was ten and she was my mother, my only support system, the one thing that I was certain about in this world.

"Momma whatchu doin? Are we goin' somewhere?" I questioned as most children would if their mom was packing everything she owned into bags at 11pm.

"No baby, I'm not goin anywhere. I'm just cleanin up." She replied with a half smile. She came over and rubbed my head gently before kissing my forehead. I still remembered the way her cracked lips felt on my skin. At one time she was the most beautiful woman I knew but lately things had been changing. "You need to get to bed. You have school in the mornin."

"Are you ok momma?" I watched her eyes. She looked confused and uncertain but she just sighed before smiling weakly again.

"I'm fine baby. I just need you to get up and go in that room." She lifted me from my spot on her bed and sat me on the floor. Of course I was almost as big as her but she always still tried to lift me for some reason. She wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"Tre baby, if anything ever happens to me promise momma that you will take care of Makayla." She whispered into my ear while she still embraced me tightly.

"I promise momma but why would ya say that nothin gonna happen ta ya." I replied. She pulled away and smiled.

"Let's go get you in bed." She held my hand tightly as if our hallways were unfamiliar but then I didn't understand anything. Kayla was already knocked out. She had been sleeping since around 7 when momma put her to bed. I climbed into my bed and my mom tucked me in before setting the alarm clock she had bought me when I came home telling her I knew how to read a clock. She smiled at me.

"I don't want you sleeping in. You have ta go ta school tomarra." She leaned down and kissed my forehead again.

"Ok momma. Good night."

"Good night baby." She walked over to Kay's bed and kissed her forehead before walking to the door and closing it. I remember thinking that something was wrong. It didn't feel like good night. It felt like good bye but back then I was only 9 how would I know what it felt like. Two months shy of my 10th birthday.

I remember waking up and feeling the need to look for my mom. It was something I had never felt before but this morning I felt the need to make sure she was there.