High Price Hoe

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 10

"Really mema?" I said to her laughing walking back into the living room.

"I am so serious baby. I rather you not do that but if you somehow do decide to do some mess like that don't sell yourself short. Always told your momma that but she didn't pay me any attention. Sitting here pining away for your dad." My grandma said to me shaking her head.

"Mema, why did my dad leave? My mom won't tell me anything she always starts to cry whenever I bring him up."
"Your dad was an ass my child. He was a weak little boy. I just pray that he's a better man now." My grandmother said to me as we sat on the couch in the living room.

"I know that they say that you can't miss what you never had. But I really miss him mema."

"it also said that God takes people out of your life for a reason. I know that you miss him baby. Just pray that one day yall meet again."

"I have been doing that I have so many questions to ask him"
"I am going to change the sheets on your momma bed and try to get some sleep. Are you going with me to her first appearance in the morning?"

"Yeah I am." I told her as she got up off the couch.

"Okay baby goodnight I will see you in the morning."

My grandmother said as she walked into my mother room. I sat on the couch thinking about what my grandmother said. Not that I want to be like my mother and sell my body but I could make money without doing that. There are other ways to get money out of men without having sex with them. I went to my room to go to bed to get ready for court in the morning. I lay in the bed as I thought about the next steps I was going to make.

My grandmother and I sat in the courtroom waiting for them to call my mother name. I kept wiping my hands on my pants because it was sweating so badly. I was so damn nervous and scared. My heart started beating out of my chest when I heard them call Toni Smith. I watched as my mother walked into the courtroom with her head hanging down. Lifting her head she spotted us and smiled as she walked up to the podium. She stood there as the judge read of her charges. Resisting arrest with violence, 3 counts of drug possession were her charges.

"I remember you from last time Ms. Smith." Judge Robinson said to my mother.

"Yeah I remember you too."

"I told you the last time I saw you that I did not want to see you in front of me. I guess the leniency I should you last time didn't open your eyes. You are heading down a destructive path and I would hate see you die because of it." That's right my grandma said muttering her agreement.

"I have been trying to change your honor."

"You said that the last time and I see that you have been trying hard enough. The state wants me to give you a year and day."

"What a year and a day that's crazy your honor I just had a couple of pills."

"I wouldn't call 30 pills a couple Ms. Smith. I think that a year a day id too less of a sentence. The last time I cut you a break you did not make the best of it. So I think that three years is enough time to dry you out and to give you time to think about your actions."

"No I promise I have learned my lesson. I swear that I will not use anymore your honor. I will take the year and the day." My heart was breaking as I heard my mom pleading with the judge.

"I have heard that before and I really don't think that you mean it. Toni Smith you are ordered to serve a sentence of three years in the state correctional prison." Judge Robinson said as he banged his gavel on his bench. My mother knees buckle as she pleaded to the judge deaf ears. Two officers came to take her to the back as she started to cry uncontrollably.

"This is exactly why I don't want you following behind your mom Teria. Look at where she is." My grandmother said to me as we walked out of the courtroom.

"I know that mema and I won't be like her. I would never do drugs not after seeing how it hurts my mom."

"I pray that you don't my child. I know your birthday Friday and you're going to be 18 and you are graduating. I hope you have you mind on track because your mom is gone for three years. So I was thinking that you might as well come to stay with me."

"I was thinking that maybe I can try to make it on my own."

"How are you going to do that you don't have a job? You don't have any income coming in."

"I have enough money saved up to pay the bills for a couple of months."

"What are you going to do when that runs out?"

"I will get a job or I will figure something out mema."