The Best Version Of Me

Chapter 2

"MARCELLL!" Ma walked in the house screaming my name.

My friend, Dante and I jumped off the couch grabbing all of the drugs and stuffed them inside the couch cushions until the coast was clear again. I couldn't let Ma find out I see drugs. She is a christian woman and will kill my black ass.

"Yea Ma." I call back so that she doesn't come looking for me.

I hear her footsteps getting closer making Dante and I hide the product faster. Once everything is hidden, I rush to meet her so she won't try to sit on the couch. As soon as she rounded the corner to get to the living room, I was right in front of her.

Trying to play it cool, I slung my arm around her and walked her into the kitchen. She didn't protest which is good for me. She was smiling and happy and that made me happy. She went to the cabinent grabbing a glass to pour water from the tap inside. After a long gulp of water, she turned to me.

"I got a gig!" She said excitedly.

"Aye fa real? That's good ma. That's so good." I said geniunely happy for her.

Ma started her own catering business last year. Life was rough as hell for us. Not knowing when the next meal would come was getting tiresome. Ma was working 2 jobs that paid like shit and all the money from both jobs went on bills. It was hardly ever any extra.

I ain't like to see her struggling like that so I had to do something to help. I was in community college on a bullshit scholarship and living in a small rinky dink ass apartment that had no bedroom. I was interning as an architect too.

One day I got a call that Ma had passed out on her job. Doctor said she was stressed, dehydrated, and wasn't eating properly. She was in the hospital for a week and the bills were expensive. Her jobs fired her from missing work so everything fell back on me. Dante got me started with selling drugs which is bringing in good money for us. I didn't tell Ma that I dropped out of college and I don't intern anymore. That would just make her stress more.

About two months after Ma got out the hospital, some man came to her house saying my dad died and blah blah blah. Ma cried but I didn't. I felt no sympathy or grief at all. He left Ma when I was 4 . The worst part about it was she was pregnant for him again and he just up and left. He didn't tell her he was leaving. We got home to find all his shit gone, he stole the savings ma was saving for the baby, and the bastard stole our only fucking TV.

We never seen or heard from him again so imagine our surprise when the man told him she was his sole beneficiary. He didn't have much but the $3,000 that he did leave her was enough to carch up on the bills, buy food, and start her catering business. So for that, I am grateful. The best thing he did for us is die.

"I'm going to need so much help. Do you think you can ask a couple of your friends to help serve food at the party?" She pleads.

"Yea Ma. Don't worry. We got you. So you excited?"

"I'm so excited. This is my first big gig. It lasts for three whole days! It's on the other side but it pays amazing. You guys would have to dress nice; white button down, blacks slacks and girls the same." Ma says.

She was all over the place. I can tell this meant a lot to her and I was determined to help the best way that I could. After talking with Ma a lil longer, she had to leave to go meet the host of the party, her employer. I went to my dingy lil apartment to catch some zs.

The next day ma, laid down all the rules to me and a couple of friends for at the party. Just listening to her I could tell this party was for some rich snotty bitch. She paid Ma to have all her employees nails cleaned to perfection. Girls had to wear their hair in a tight bun and the men had to have a short trim for hair and face. If it wasn't for Ma, I would piss in this lady soup.