Write About Me

Chapter Nineteen: Protagonist's New Foe

January 11th, 2005 - Harlem, New York

Christopher Brown.

"Hey Mama, you ready to go?" I asked walking into Mama Fenty and Phabi's apartment.

Today she and I were gonna go out for the day. Trey, he went to Manhattan earlier for this job interview. Phabiola is probably in her second class of the day by now.

"Yeah, I'll be right there!" Her Barbadian accent boomed through the apartment.

I smiled at it. She was the closest thing left I had to my mother that even reminded me of her. And I haven't had much time to really spend with her because we both busy. But, that's still no damn excuse. She came from the bathroom, all wrapped in the coat I bought her for Christmas. I cheesed so hard seeing her wear it.

"You look beautiful Mama." I complimented her.

"Thank you baby, I'm ready now." she told me.

We walked out her apartment and she locked it up, and we were on our way.

"So where are you taking me Chris?" She asked as we walked down the street towards the bus stop.

"Well, first we're going to Waffle House. 'Cause I know I didn't eat breakfast. I don't know about you." I chuckled.

"That's fine, when we get there are we going to talk?" She looked up at me.

"Of course." I wrapped my arm around her.

"I love you Mama." I told her as we stepped onto public transit. I swiped my metro twice.

"I love you, too Chris."

The bus ride wasn't dull at all because she was with me. We bonded more on the bus than normal. Which I couldn't be more happy for. We then ventured off to a conversation about my little Edgar Allen Poe. How I loved to talk about her. I could never get tired of it. She was such a magnificent person.

"So, did you hear about her scoring the highest on her literacy mid-term?" Mama asked me.

"She did?! She didn't even tell me! I would've took her somewhere or got her something. Good grades and good behavior-"

"Always gets the treats from Chrissy!" She said quoting Phabiola.

"Chrissy! Chrissy!" A nine year old Phabiola came running to me from her class.

I came to pick her up from school as usual.

"Ew lil' bit quit calling me that gay nickname!" I groaned in my fourteen year old puberty struck voice.

"Guess what! Guess what!" Phabi exclaimed jumping up and down.

I chuckled at her eagerness. She was only this way with me.

"If I ask will you stop bouncin' around like a crackhead?"

Her face fell and she immediately stopped jumping.

"Hey! Not funny!" She pouted.

I looked down at her, sighing.

"Okay..what is it Phabiola?" I asked as we began walking out of the campus of her school.

"I got my report card today, all A's!" Phabi waved the piece of paper high in the sky that she'd been holding.

"Really?!" I grabbed it from her, scanning my eyes over in unbelief.