Undercover

PART 3

20 Years Ago

"Child, why are you in such a rush? That's all you kids do! Rush...rush...rush. And to what?" my grandma Nettie Mae says fussing at me. "I'm not rushing grandma. I just want to make a great life for myself and going off to college will afford me that opportunity. Is it a crime to want more, Madea?" I ask as I fix us both breakfast. Over recent years, her health has declined greatly but by God's grace she's still fighting. She's the only thing I have. "It's not a crime. I want the best for you..I do. I just want you to slow down and thunk about the decisions you're making that's all" she says grabbing my hand. "I have thought it through. I'll be close by. I can come visit whenever. It'll be like I never left. I promise" j say tatting to comfort her. By the look on her face, it's not working. "Yeah? Well your mother said the same thing and look how she ended up. I lost her to these streets. I've done everything in my power to ensure that you head down the right path. I know you're capable of succeeding, Monica. I just want you mindful of the choices you make once you're out in the cruel world alone" Madea says giving me a gracious smile. "I know. I WILL make you proud. I promise" I say as I rise to kiss her on the forehead. Two weeks later, I'm packed in a vehicle with two of my closest friends as we head off to our first semester in college.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Who the hell is it!?" my high school best friend and college roomie Ginelle yells. It's the Saturday morning after midterms and we drunk ourselves into a coma last night. Realizing that Nelle wasn't going to get up, I throw on my fuzzy pink robe and ake my way to our door. "You Monica? Monica Washington?" a lady from student affairs asks me. "Yes, that's me. Something wrong?" I ask drly. "You have a very important phone call. Pay phone is right down the hall" she says. I stubble through my room until I find my slippers and I make my way down the hall to the payphone. "Hello?" I ask still half asleep. "Monica? This is your great uncle Elbert. How are you doing sweetie?" he asks. Perking up I say, "Uncle Elbert! Hey! I'm doing ok! You? Are you guys headed to see me? If so, I'll get myself dressed and maybe show you guys around campus. I know Madea has been waiting to do so." "Monica, listen. Your grandma Nettie passed away over in the night. I went to check on her this morning and found her in her bed. She went peacefully, sweetie" my uncle Elbert says slowly. "Wait...what? She...what? She's probably just sleeping hard. Sometimes she does that. She's a heavy sleeper. Go give her a big push!" I say. The line goes silent. Just as I fix my mouth to say hello again, Uncle Elbert says "Sweetie, she's really gone.

No hard sleeping. The coroner came and took her this morning. She's now at the funeral home over on Jones Street." I drop the payphone and slowly back away until my back hits the wall. "Hello...hello?" I hear Uncle Elbert yell through the receiver. I slowly slide down the wall and onto the floor. I just wrap my arms around myself.

One week later

"It's all going to be fine, you know that right?" Ginelle says to me. "How is it going to be fine, Nelle? How? I don't have a mother, don't know who my father is, and my main lifeline just passed away!!!! Nothing about this is fine, dammit!" I yell. Breathing hard and trying to hold back my tears, I apologize to Ginelle. "It's fine. Come here" she says pulling me in to comfort me.