Hood Math (HDLY#4)

Chapter twenty

Cassandra didn't know why she was here or even what made her come but she knew that she needed answers. She was sitting in the living room of someone that she never met or even heard of but it was too late to turn back.

She accepted the cup of coffee the person gave to her and watched as the young lady sat on the small loveseat across from her.

"I'm sorry, Miss..." Cassandra tried to remember the name.

"Tonya," the young lady smiled. "It's cool. I see you're nervous. I get that."

Cassandra nodded and took a sip of the coffee. "Yes, very. Sorry if it seems that way but..."

"Look I don't know what Tamel has done to you but I can assure you that's not me," Tonya reassured.

Tonya pointed to her son who was in the corner section of the room playing with Cassandra's son, Adon. "That's the only connection I have to him but that's all."

Cassandra nodded again. "I see. He's adorable by the way."

"I can say the same about your little cutie," Tonya smiled again. "I'm sorry to hear about his father."

Cassandra put her head down. "I am too. I mean I was. I mean I really hated Drama for what he did to Jahiem. I mean Bundles was an asshole and he was far from being a good man let alone a decent father but he still was Adon's father."

Tonya understood. "I get that.'

Cassandra took another sip of the coffee and then a deep breath, "I mean I didn't know what to do when he showed up in my house of all places. I thought he came to finally finish me off. I mean I never said anything to the cops except that one detective that tried to use it to blackmail me."

Tonya nodded.

"I don't even know why I'm here," Cassandra looked around. "I mean I don't even know why I even came. It's like...it's like..."

Tonya got up and sat down on the couch next to Cassandra.

"It's okay," Tonya said rubbing Cassandra's back. "Just let it out. Listen I know Tamel can be a bastard. You don't have to sugarcoat that from me. That's why I left him."

Cassandra looked at Tonya sincerely. "It least you had the option to leave. My option was taken from me."

"You got dealt a wrong hand," Tonya responded. "Shit, we all go through it. But it's the decisions that we make after those fuckups that determine who we really are and how we survive."

Cassandra let out a dry smile. "I guess you're right?"

"So what happened?" Tonya asked.

Cassandra finished the last of her coffee and placed the coffee on the end table beside the couch.

"I'm just tired of looking over my shoulder," Cassandra confessed. 'I just want to raise my son without any more trouble."

"Okay," Tonya said.

"Well, like I said," Cassandra continued. "He came to my house unannounced I might add again talking about he wanted to make amends and that while he wasn't sorry for what he did, he had a reason for it. I was so nervous. I tried to put a good front but I really thought he came for me to end me. But he just said his piece and left this." She picked her purse beside her and pulled out the manila envelope that Tamel had left in her house. "At first I didn't even look at it thinking it was one of Drama's tricks. It just sat on my shelf untouched and unnoticed. I actually forgot it was even in there until I went to go look for something and saw it."