Becoming A D-Boy

Chapter 5

November 2000

I looked at the letter. They were going to come to our house to check on me and Kay. Both of our teachers felt that something wasn't right in our household.

"This can't be real."

"What's wrong?" Kay asked looking at me with big eyes.

"I was good today."

"It wasn't you Kay." I walked back and forth trying to think of something.

"Shit."

"Tre what's gonna happen?" Kay was starting to get upset and I know it was my fault but I didn't know what to do.

"Nothings gonna happen. I got us. I'm gonna figure it out. For now go do your homework." She nodded and went into the kitchen. Seriously what was I gonna do. They would come here and clearly see that our mom wasn't here. I looked around. I had been slacking on cleaning, since mom wasn't here I didn't think it mattered but now I wish I would have been. I got up and started picking up trash and straightening the games that were everywhere into neat piles. At least if the house is clean I can say our mom was at work or she stepped out but that wouldn't keep them from coming back. I needed someone to pretend to be our mom. I vacuumed the carpet and looked around satisfied by the cleanness.

"Tre, I'm done with my homework."

"Go clean your room." She looked at me confused.

"The house is too dirty and I'm tired of looking at it."

"You sound like mom."

"Just do what I said Kayla." She pouted before stomping off toward her bedroom. I went into the kitchen and started cleaning there too. I looked in the cabinet and we didn't have much dish soap left and I was holding on to every dime of money we had especially since King wouldn't let me even make runs for him anymore. I used the last of the dish soap.Maybe if I ask him then he'll let me make at least two or three runs a week. That thing only happened once and I didn't plan to let it happen again.

"Tre I need the vacuum." Kay said coming around the corner.

"Let me check this room." I started walking toward the back.

"Why you need to check?"

"Because if you just put everything in the closet or under the bed you gonna take it all out and clean up for real." I said as she followed me down the hallway. She blocked me from getting into her room.

"I'm not done yet."

"Get it done then." I went back to the kitchen and finished cleaning before I decided what we would have for dinner. Mac and cheese and hot dogs sounded good. I cooked as I thought. What was I gonna do about these people.

"Tre what's wrong with you?" Ty asked as me and Kay approached the bus stop. I looked at Kayla.

"I'm gonna go play with Krissy." She said and took off running. Ty and Kev fell in at my sides.

"Kay's teacher send a letter home and they want to come visit our house to check on us."

"Shit man what you gonna do?" Kev asked.

"I don't know."

"You can just tell them your mom isn't home when they come." Ty suggested.

"But then they gonna keep coming back over and over. I thought about that." I said.

"True." Both of them sighed.

"Hey did you think about getting someone to pretend to be your mom?" Kev asked.