June 2008
Harlem, New York
Omniscient
David had been on the block the entire day. While everyone was completing summer homework packages . David was trying to stack to $50k by the end of the summer .
He had opened a PO Box and bank account . Since he was a junior , his checks said David Brewster. Two summers ago , he'd start writing his mother letters from his "father" . He basically explained that he knew she struggled and that he had traveled out of the country for a better job opportunities. He would send her $2,000 every month by check to help with the bills . Because she was still in love with her children's father , she believed it . She even started looking forward to her letters every month. Unbeknownst to Lisa, her son was her sole provider .
Dave would lead her to believe it , because he was tired of seeing his mother struggle . She even quit 1 of her jobs since the money started coming in . Dave also purchased a BMW , that he put in his big homies name . He parked it in an underground garage about 7 blocks from his house . He didn't want his mother to find out about it . Brae was holding about $10k of his money at her crib and he had about $10k under a floorboard under his bed.
He walked in reeking of marijuana , his eyes low he walked through the dark apartment . Once he got to his room , he saw a body in his full size bed . Flipping the light on , his mother got out of the bed holding his silver safe.
"What the fuck is this David?",she asked . As his eyes adjusted to the light he just stared at her speechless. " I can not hear you , cat got you tongue why was this under your bed", she rose from the bed walking toward him .
"Ma, it's late and I'm tired . Can we talk about this in the morning ?", he replied not really knowing how to explain himself. "Sandra told me a couple of weeks ago , she saw you getting out of some BMW with that girl you been sneaking around with. And I told her not my son , that boy ain't driving no car. Are you making me a liar , what is in this safe boy?", she asked .
He grabbed the box and opened it , revealing stacks of $100 bills . "Here's rent , gas and electric, water, Christmas, Birthdays and clothing ", he said throwing each stack emphasizing every word.
Tears rolled down his mother's face as she watched all the money on the bed. "What you really thought that nigga was giving you money?", he asked with his nose flaring . "He's a junkie , he begging me to serve him every other day. But you still in love with him after he left us for dead ", he continued . "You work 3 jobs everyday and we barely ate Ma . I couldn't see you live like that, I had to do something . So no I have not been playing basketball, haven't played in about 6 months ", he told her picking up the money putting it back in the safe . He brushed passed her and slid it back under the footboard .
"You gotta go, leave my house now. I ain't getting my damn house raided for you . Take that filthy money and you leave . Don't come back until you get your life together ", she yelled as she left the room. Dave sat on his bed and sighed . He never wanted to make her cry , he was trying his hardest to hide his secret . He loved her more than life and wanted to pay her back for the sacrifices she made for him and Ryan.
It was 1 am and he could think of anywhere to go get a hotel for the night, until he could think of something else to do. As he scrolled down his IPhone , his thumb stopped on Brae's name . Hitting the call button, the phone rang 3 times before she picked up sounding like she was fast asleep . "Hello", she answered . "Brae, I need you. Can you sneak out if I come and get you ?", he asked apprehensive that she would say no.
She paused ," Yea , give me 20 minutes", she told him .
After packing a duffle bag of clothes and taking some money out of the safe and putting it in the bag . He made sure he had his Glock and phone . He walked into his mother's room , seeing she was fast asleep. He kissed her softly on her forehead and continued to exit the apartment. He would give his mother time to cool off and come back for the rest of his things later.
Within an hour , he had grabbed his car from the garage and drove to pick up Brae . She stood at the corner with a duffle bag waiting for him . A smiles graced his face as he opened her door from the inside . From that night he knew she was a rider , and she would always be there when he needed her..
