fashion killa.

4. Calls Home

SoHo, New York.
Sunday, May 7.
Mid-Day.

Snapping my head towards my nightstand in my bedroom, I recognized my phone's familiar ring as I went to pick it up. If I wasn't shitting myself, I knew deep down that I wanted one name and one name only to be flashing across my screen at the moment but that wasn't who it was. I was happy though considering it was Uncle Trigga, and I haven't heard from in a while.

"This call will be recorded monitored," the monotone voice said on the other end. I had money on Unc's books, making sure he always had access to me if he wanted to call. "I have a collect call from Clayton Doe, an inmate at Calipatria State Prison. Would you like to accept the call?" Pressing 4, as prompted, I let the sounds of the mechanical rings from the other end flow through my ears. I felt guilty, knowing it had been well over 5 years since I had visited my Uncle. I had way too much going on in my life, to the point where I was too caught up to think about anyone else. I had shared this fact with him and with him being the understanding man that he is, he completely understood what I meant.

Hearing my uncle's deep, melodic laugh on the other end, I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face. It had been two or three months since I had talked to Unc, hearing news of some type of big incident at the prison he's at. They ran a tight ship over there from what I tell, and his absence was justified.

"Hey my baby Bird!" Uncle said, the smile evident even over the phone.

"Hi Unc! I miss you!"

"I miss you too. I'm so sorry I ain't been able to speak to my baby girl lately, you know how these niggas do over here. How've you been? I saw you on TV the other day," he said, I assume referring to me on the red carpet at the Met.

"I've been okay. Going through things, just as anyone else does."

"You looked so beautiful on TV! My girl is really grown up now, huh? I see you still got that impeccable sense of style. I see I've taught you well."

With a slight laugh, I said, "You know it. Working at Vogue has been a dream and never in a million years did I think I'd be in the position to do this at the age that I am now."

"You got that spirit just like your damn daddy. Even as little kids he did whatever he could to get what he wanted, and out of all your sisters I see that the most in you. I'm proud of you, little girl. Keep that spirit forever, my baby Bird. I have to get off the phone now but I'll be calling soon. I know how busy you are, but when you get the chance try and visit me, alright?"

"Alright, Unc. I'll catch ya soon. Love you."

"Love you too, Baby Bird." And with a mechanical click, he was gone. My heart felt like it was being tugged at, with me yearning to go back home to California. When I became of age, I left as soon as I could 'cause I knew I was ready to spread my wings elsewhere. LA had nothing for me anymore, and I needed to get my feet wet in other places before I could even think about going back and even visiting. With my sisters now living all over the world, it wasn't easy for me to keep in contact with them either, not like we had a super close relationship anyway. For all of my childhood and a lot of my adolescence, I basically worshipped them and everything they were with me getting absolutely nothing out of it. It took for me to get to where I am now for them to even acknowledge me in the way sisters should, but at this point I was over it. I hardly talked to Jay anymore, with her only really caring to hit me up when she needed a little extra change when her much older "boyfriend" didn't deliver enough at that time. The whole family wasn't blind to what was going on, with it being only blatantly obvious that he was her sugar daddy, nothing more and nothing less.