The Woods [Book One]

Three

"Happy birthday mama." I said as my mama opened the door to her house letting me in with the flowers and candy I had just bought her. She smiled brightly and brought me into a hug, a tight one.

"Gracías mijo." She said moving aside and letting me into her house while she closed the front door. "I'll take these." She said taking the flowers out of my hands. When she took the flowers away from me she vanished into the kitchen and I took that as the perfect opportunity to take my happy ass right on into the living room.

I plopped down on the couch and laid my head on the back of it after a minute or two I reached for the remote and turned on the tv. I flipped through the channels until I found ESPN and leaned back into the couch getting comfortable.

I waited for my mama to come back from putting the flowers in a vase because I wanted to take her out for her birthday. My nigga had just turned forty and I wanted her to spend some time with me since I barely could see her due to work and allat.

I quickly took my wallet out of my back pocket I opened it and slipped six one hundred dollar bills out of it and reached for her Celine purse that was sitting on the coffee table and slipped them into the side pocket and then quickly putting the purse back in its original spot. I stuffed my wallet back into my pocket and leaned back on the couch right before she came back into the living room.

"Ready to go baby?" She asked picking up her purse and grabbing her phone off the charger.

"Yeah, let's go get you pretty." I said grabbing her hand leading her out of the house.

Many people will say I'm a mama's boy, shit maybe I am. When you only grew up with your mother around you grow attached to her and that's what I did. My father was around in my life but he was always busy due to his empire. I try to spoil my mama while I can because she broke her back to take care of me alone while my dad was at work so I plan on doing the same thing for her. Even if that did mean slang rocks for a living.

I opened the door to my Escalade for her and she got in and I closed the door and made my way over to my side and got in. I started the truck and pulled out of her driveway.

"So mijo, how's everything? I haven't seen you in a while." She said.

"I know mama," I sighed. "I'm just trynna handle business ya know?" I said flicking my turning signal at the light.

"I know papa." She sighed.

Deep down inside I knew my mama didn't want me in the streets. She would hate when my daddy did and now her only son is doing it, she lost her husband and she's afraid she'll loose her son. I get it.

"So how's the store? I be seeing you on Instagram talking bout "Come check out Gloria's " I laughed and focused on the road.

She laughed and playfully hit my arm which made me laugh. Besides Johnny, my mama was my favorite person. We would always laugh and joke around and when Johnny came along it made it even better because he was the brother I never had and she treated him like her own.

"It's good thank you very much." She said sarcastically. "I just got a new shipment of clothes the other day and my girls working there are great."

"Well I'm happy for you mama, something you've always wanted." I said making a turn into the mall parking lot. I circled the lot once until I found a decent parking space and parked my truck and got out going over to my mama's side to open her door. She got out and wrapped her arm around mine and we walked into the mall going straight to her favorite store. Louis Vuitton.

I let her loose while I sat somewhere in the store going though my messages and emails. I texted Johnny back about meeting up with him later for the high school football game we were going to, then texted back one of the random annoying females in my phone yet again.

When I was finished with the business on my phone I slipped it back in my pocket and went searching around this big ass store for my mama. I bypassed people looking around for her when I finally found her looking at some button down shirts.

"Find anything you like mama?" I asked leaning on one of the clothes racks.

"Yeah," she held up two silk black shirts. One had gold lining and the other was just pure black. I liked that. "Which one?" She asked holding them side by side.

"The gold, it's nice." To be honest. "You ready to go mama?" She nodded her head and put the other shirt back and  we walked to the register with all this shit she had.

$7,849.00

How much I spent in one hour.

We walked all over the mall until she got tired and wanted to get something to eat before her hair appointment so we stopped and got something from subway in the food court. We sat down and ate and talked about things we missed in our lives and how we planned for them to go, something we had been doing since I was little.

When we finished eating we put our trash in the trash can and I picked up some of the bags she had while she carried some of them and we both walked out the mall and to my truck placing all her bags in the trunk. I opened the door for her and helped her inside before going back to my side and getting in starting the truck and pulling out of my parking space.

We listened to music and screamed lyrics to songs we used to play when I was a kid as we drove through the streets. It was times like these that I lived for, just to spend time with my mama and not have a care in the world. When I pulled up to the salon she always went to I helped her out of the truck and we both walked inside.

Gossip flooded the damn place and so did the smell of burnt hair. Women were everywhere and I do mean everywhere.

"Hey Gloria." Women said as we stood in the doorway. My mama waved and said hello back to them as she went to sign in.

"Hey girl? Toni's almost ready for you." I had to do a double take at the receptionist.

"Okay, should I go to her chair?" My mama asked. I eyes diverted around the female sanctuary seeing the young ones stare at me and the cougars whisper about me. It was nothing new, they knew who I was.

"Okay, thanks Miranda." My mama said moving away from the front desk leaving me and the lady to have a staring contest.

I won of course.

"Hey Gloria ! Ready for this flip?" My mouth dropped at the sight of Toni coming from the back tying a apron around her thick waist. Her hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and the black outfit she wore really brought out her sexy ass hourglass figure.

Lil baby was blessed. Literally.

"I sure am girl." My mama said. She looked over at me and motioned for me to come to her. I finally was able to shut my mouth and lick my lips and maneuver my feet to where she was. "Toni, this is my son Eric." My mama said.

Toni looked up from plugging in the flat iron and her eyes nearly popped out her head. I smirked and leaned on the stations counter.

She cleared her throat and placed the flat iron down on the counter and held her hand out. "Hi, I'm Toni." She smiled when I grabbed her hand.

"I know who you are." I smirked and winked at her.