His Love

Mano

"Where you going?" Mano asked as I slid out of bed.

"I have to go to school babe." I said leaning over kissing him.

"Nooooo, you have to stay." He said

pulling me back into him and snuggling into my neck.

"Mano you know I have school and then work."

He just squeezed me tighter.

Just then my phone started ringing.

"Are you getting ready for school?" James voice blared through the phone.

Shit!

"Umm yeah." I said sliding out the bed.

I looked back to see Mano rolling his eyes and getting out the bed.

"Well I need you to drop Renee off on your way."

"I'm not at home James call Annemarie."

"Where you at?"

"Not at home, now bye." I hung up and went to the closet to get something to wear.

"When you gone stop lying to them?"

I watched him enter the room with my clothes in hand.

"Not this shit again."

"I told you cursing ain't cute in females. And yes again. It'll be a year next month and we still sneaking around like some damn teenagers in high school. I'm 27 Yazmine, i'm looking to settle down and start a family. Not hide in the dark like somebodies boytoy. This shits getting old mami."

"What's that mean? Are you really willing...To...Let...me...go? Do you really think you could live without me?" I said between kisses.

"I haven't tried but maybe i should." He said pushing me against the wall. "This ain't good for neither of us mami. You got til next month. If we ain't out the closet by then leave my keys in my mailbox."

I shook my head knowing he wasn't serious and started kissing on his neck. "I love you Mano. I'm going to tell them."

He pushed me off him and grabbed some clothes out the closet. That was so rude. I grabbed a black and white hi-lo summer dress and my black studded sandals. When i came out the closet, Mano was putting on his Nike slippers.

"Where you going?" I asked putting my hair into a messy bun.

"To my madre's. My nephew's want to spend the day with their uncle."

"Am I gone see you when I get off work?"

"Nope i'm keeping them til I gotta work tomorrow."

"So!" I said staring at him pointedly.

"So nothing. Just like I still haven't met your nieces. I'm not going to let you meet my nephews and get them attached when this right here might not be going anywhere." He said standing up and grabbing his keys. He said it so unattached like he was already done.

"You don't have any faith in me do you. That shit hurts." I walked out the room and grabbed my keys. Before I could make it to the door his voice sounded behind me.

"How many times have you promised you were going to tell your family? Over a zillion. How many times have i been at your house? Twice out of a year. Out of those two times I was there your family showed up both times and you made me hide in your room. Thats why I don't have have any faith in you mami. You wanna feel bad? I'm not gone stop you, its your fault you feel that way."

Instead of responding I walked out and went to school.

After class it was straight to work. I have my Associates as a Vet. Tech so I worked at a private animal clinic downtown.

"That bitch think she better then everybody."

"Her and her sisters especially since one snagged Hood's fine ass."

"I can't believed he married that uptight bitch."

That's all I could handle.

"If you all have something to say I'm right here otherwise shut up. We both know neither one of y'all are froggy enough to jump stupid. And neither of you have animals so it's time to go."

As they made it to the door I spoke again.

"My sister can be an uptight bitch all she want but she still MARRIED the nigga all you hoes crying about. Bitch you 19 with four kids and 4 babydaddies. And you trick, have been all around the fucking hood and you only 16 i'd fuck both yall up if I wouldn't go to jail for it. Now step."

They looked like they were going to say something but then Mano stepped through the door with a shaking puppy Husky in his hands. Looking at his uniform and badge they both scurried out the doors.

I couldn't help but shake my head to be so young and to be known around the hood as hoodrats aint a good look. But I blamed the parents. How the hell you let yo 15 year old daughter bring a baby into the world and then 3 more after that? They just condoned the behaviour obviously. And the 16 year old hanging out with a 19 year old who everybody already knew had a bad reputation. I mean I know you can't choose your childs friends but you can steer them away from the wrong ones.

"Ms. Reed."

"What happened?"

"Found her on the side of the road like this."

I put on some gloves then took the dog from him.

"I have to go." Mano said from behind me.

"Well thanks for bringing him in Officer Diego." I said looking at him.

He smirked at me before walking out the door.

After washing the dog my phone rang.

Glad it was on vibrate cause the Veterinarian was right behind me. I silenced it then kept on working.

When my phone rang again I was getting ready to leave.

"What you doing sis?" Khiley's voice sounded over the phone.

"Getting ready to leave work, wassup Khi."

"The fourth of July is next Saturday and my moms is having a bbq since it's your birthday so it's a requirement for you to be there. And I was thinking after that we'd go catch the fireworks as a family thing at the vp fair then go clubbing, what you think?"

"I'm mad you just planned out my whole birthday." I said getting into my car.

"You love-Stop Quincy I'm on the phone." She giggled.

"It's just Yaz you talk to her ass everyday tell her you'll call her back." He said close to the phone.

"Eww Khi are y'all getting freaky. That's plain ole nasty."

Quincy just laughed. "She'll call you back tomorrow sis love ya."

They are so disguisting, I thought.

When I pulled up to my apartment I saw my lights on. I really didn't feel like dealing with anyone.

"Took you long enough." James said sitting his daughter on the couch.

"How long have y'all been here?"

"We just locked the door when you came in."

In James terms that meant coming into the house going to my room to make sure no ones here, making him something to eat, and then coming to lock the door.

"Damn I can't be by myself for 10 minutes."

"Nope." He said taking my bag and kissing my cheek. "Where was you at last night? I stopped by and yo ass hurried me off the phone this morning.

"I was with this dude."

"It must be a hood nigga cuz all y'all asses be scared to tell me. Which friend it's it this time?"

What if I said in your eyes it's not a friend it's foe? What if I said it was a cop?" I asked quietly sitting down.

He froze and looked at me with the most deadliest look on his face.