****
It was just like any other morning, but something was off !! My mom was in the kitchen cooking me, & my brother breakfast .. While my dad sat in his recliner reading the paper .. He had a couple lines of cocaine sitting in front of him on the table that he would sniff at every time he turned the page !! That was his normal routine before he headed to work down at the warehouse .. I couldn't remember a time he didn't do drugs ..
It started out small but the older I got the more drugs he did, the more he would beat on my mom, the more he would beat on my older brother Tay .. I think it was because we had different dad's and at one point my mom cheated on my dad with Tay's dad .. Tay was 5 years older than me, and he didn't live with us anymore but he would still pop up every now and then to check up on us !! My dad use to tell me the drugs were medicine, but as I got older and started listening to the kids at school I knew better !! My 13 year old self was curious, & smart as hell so it was no hiding it from me anymore .. My dad adored me, but no-one came above his habit and my mom and brother got the worst end of the stick !!
I looked up staring dead into his eyes as he peeked at me from over the top of his newspaper .. He seemed paranoid & fidgety just like your normal dope fiend but this time something was off .. He gave me a weak smile right before turning his attention back to his paper .. I glanced at my brother who sensed his off behavior as well and shrugged ..
I looked down and continued polishing my nails when not even minutes afterwards there was a loud crash .. I looked back at the door and seen it was completely off the hinges and two masked men dressed in all black was now standing in our living room with guns aimed !! My brother ran over to me and wrapped his arms around me as my mom screamed from the kitchen door .. I was horrified and too in shock to move ..
"What the hell are you doing ?!" My mom yelled at the gunmen
"Shut the fuck up !!" One of them yelled back at her while looking back towards us
I followed his eyes to see he was now staring at my dad who had a light trickle of sweat gracing his forehead ..
"Ole Tony Tone !! Today is payday nigga .. told you we was gonna come find you" One of the guys said pointing his gun at my dad with a smile on his face ..
"Where the money at ?" The other guy said
"I .. I .. need m .. more time man" my dad stuttered while holding his hands up
"You ain't got no more time man .. it's now or you dead .. what's it gonna be ?!" The gunman asked
My dad looked around the room in complete panic and tore my brothers arm's from around me pushing him towards the gunmen
"Take the boy .. a life for a life !!" He said staring at the guys
"Noooo !!" I yelled running over to my brother
"Get back Tia !!" My dad yelled my name grabbing my arm pulling me away from my brother
"It's ok Tia as long as you good im good babygirl !!" My brother said with a reassuring voice ..
"Fuck that .. the fuck we gone do with him ?!" One of the gunmen replied "How old is she ?" One of them asked while staring at me
"You leave her alone !! She's only 13" My mom yelled while running up to one of them with a knife
He slapped it out of her hand and punched her to the ground as I screamed and attempted to run to my mom .. but my dad held me back ..
"What's it gonna be Tony ?" The guy asked with a smile
My dad looked at me and back at the guys before pulling me aside and bending down so he was eye level with me ..
"Tia .. I need you to do a favor for daddy !!"
"Tony no !!" My mom yelled
"Shut up Tonya" he yelled looking back at her
He turned his attention back to me as I watched my mom begin to cry unconsolably into the floor ..
"You're gonna go with these men for a while then daddy will come get you ok"
I stared at him not quite understanding why I had to go with them ..
My brothers eyes were red with tears flowing down his cheeks as he glared at my dad "I swear to God if they don't kill you I will !!" My brother said to him
My dad rolled his eyes at him and turned to me .. "Be a good girl Tia & do exactly what they tell you to do ok"
I nodded as my dad walked me over to them ..
"Nice doing business with you" one of them said as they pushed me out the door ..
****
