The Struggle

R.I.P. Unc

They both stared at me with hurt in they eyes.

"Baby, my brother died," said Ma, tears forming in her eyes.
"Uncle Raymond?"
"No baby, his brother," she said pointing to the other person in the room.

I took a long look at them, and suddenly realized who they was.

"Wait a minute, you're the little boy from the bus!" I said in realization.

The little boy nodded his head, and he was crying.

"So you're my unc huh. What's yo name little man?"
"Jermell."
"So Jerome died?"

Jermell started crying even harder, and I apologized for being so insensitive. I was lowkey irritated because Ma never told me about my other uncles.

I decided to leave the two of them alone so they could have they little cryin party, and went to my room. I laid in bed and texted Tyrese and Byrin the news of my newfound uncles. They quickly replied askin tons of questions, makin me realize I didn't even have all the information I wanted.

I woke up to my school alarm, and got up to get ready for the day. I walked out my room and into the bathroom to get ready, when I realized something was off.

"MA!"

I ran to Ma's room and found her laying in bed still. I ran over to her bedside and shook her, telling her to get up. She finally awoke, holding her head.

"Ma, where's breakfast?"
She playfully punched me in my chest, and replied with, "Boy that's yo main concern?"

We both chuckled. Ma got out of bed and went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. I peeped that there was an unusual lump in her bed, but decided to not invade her space.

I finally got ready and ate Ma's delicious cheese and sausage biscuits. Her biscuits are so buttery and fluffy, they practically melt in your mouth. And the sausage was juicy and nicely seasoned to perfection.

I told Ma "peace" and started to head out the door when she told me to wait.

"What's up Ma? I got to go!"
"I need you to take your uncle with you, and make sure he gets off at the right stop."
"He still here?"

Jermell staggered into the room, ready for school.

I really needed to talk to Ma about us havin another mouth to feed, but didn't want to do that in front of Jermell. I decided to be a good influence and do what Ma said.

"Ight lil man you ready to go?"

Jermell nodded his head and I motioned for him to get out the house. I closed the door behind me, and walked Jermell to the bus stop.

We got on the bus, and I told George, the bus driver, about Jermell bein my uncle. His eyes opened wide at what I just told him and he smiled cheerfully at Jermell, shaking his hand.

Me and Jermell met Tyrese and Byrin in the back, and sat in the usual seats. Tyrese and Byrin both said "what's happenin" to Jermell, but Jermell still nodded. This is when I decided to have a teachin moment with him.

"Jermell, I know life hard right now for you, but when people try to be nice and speak to you, you gotta have manners and speak back."

He forced smiled and said, "Okay."
"That's wassup!" I said pattin Jermell on the back. His school stop came a stop later, and I told him to get off, and remember to come to the same place to get on the bus. He said "ight" and hopped off the bus. Eventually we got to Rosey High, so me and my niggas got off the bus as well.

The rest of the day went by smoothly, and the last bell rang. The end of my school day came quick. Probably because it was finally friday. I met up with Tyrese and Byrin at the bus stop, and the bus came on time today. I got on, and found Jermell in the back. I smiled at him and gave him a high five for listenin to my instructions.

Byrin, Tyrese, and I all made plans for the weekend, and agreed to meet on Main Street, since it be jumpin on weekends.

Jermell and I got off the bus at our stop, and walked a block home. We walked inside to the welcoming arms of Ma. She hugged us both and then her face saddened.

"What's wrong Ma?"
"Jerome's funeral is tomorrow, and I was hoping you would come."

I stared at her for a couple minutes, shook my head, and started to head to my room to work on my homework. Ma grabbed me by my arm, and looked at me with hurt in her eyes.

"Please, do this for me."
"Ma I don't even know him!" I said uneccesarily loud.

Jermell stared at me with big puppy eyes, and a tear went down his cheek. I rolled my eyes and mumbled.

"What you say?" Ma asked.
"I said fine I'll go."

Thanks baby," Ma said hugging me. "I'll make yall a after school snack now."

She went into the kitchen and started going through the fridge. I looked down at Jermell, who was smiling sweetly now, and the went into my room.

I called Byrin and Tyrese, askin if they was ready to meet up. They said they was, so I went into the kitchen to let Ma know. She wasn't there.

I casually walked to her room, and saw the door was closed. Assumin she was sleep, I walked out the house and met Tyree and Byrin on Main Street.

When I walked over to them, they had a stereo and mic equipment set up.

"Niggas, what is all this?" I asked with my arms stretched out.
"Yo, Longchie, we finna go in nigga!" said Tyrese.
"What the..."
"Bruh, trust us. We most definitely gettin discovered tonight," said Byrin cheesin.
"We ain even got nothin wrote. Even NWA had somethin wrote before they started performin."
"Yea but we DM nigga! We just say real stuff from the heart, you know these things," Tyrese pointed out.
"He right Omar. Just go wit it. We gon be ight. Trust us, me and Trippy do this all the time."
"Here they come!" Trippy yelled wavin to whatever, or whoever was behind me.

I turned around, and saw a huge crowd of niggas and shawties walkin toward us. They was all chantin "Stingy! Trippy!"

I stood there with my mouth wide open, and started to get butterflies in my stomach. Byrin gave me a pat on the back and said, "Let's do this."