Victorie (Urban Fiction)

Chapter 6

When I returned home everybody was sleeping except Joy. She was sitting in the living room in front of the TV when I walked in.
" I put the baby to sleep, so that mama could go to bed. I need to talk to you," she said in a shaky voice.
"Why you wanna talk to stupid ole me Joy? I'm dumb as fuck remember?" I whispered so that I wouldn't wake mama.
"Please Vickie," she pleaded.
"Ok let's go into the kitchen," I said.
When I turned the light on, I could see a red mark on the side of Joy's face where I'd hit her.
"Talk," I demanded.
"Please don't tell mama about tonight," she said.
"I might and I might not," I said. "What lie did you tell her?"
"I told her that I was out with Masika," she confessed. "And I told her some pollen must've got on my face which is why it's red."
"How long have you been having sex?" I asked. "And don't lie to me."
"I lost my virginity three months ago," Joy said.
"Is that your boyfriend?" I asked.
"He was," she said. "We'd been together for four months."
"You've only been together for four months, and you're letting him fuck you raw Joy?" I huff. "What the fuck is wrong with you? And wait a minute, what do you mean he was?"
"He broke up with me tonight, ok," she cried. "He said he don't have time to be sneaking around with a lil girl."
"How old is he, and why weren't you using protection Joy?" I continued to question her.
"Soon after I started having sex, Masika's sister took us to the clinic to get birth control so we wouldn't get pregnant," Joy said. "She said nobody would know we were fucking and that we wouldn't get pregnant if we took our pills. He's 18 Vickie, and he said it felt better without the condom."
"Joy, baby wake up!" I said. "A baby is the least of your worries. Don't you know that nigga could've gave you a disease that you can't get rid of?"
By the look on her face, I could tell that she never gave it any thought.
"You're better than that, Joy," I said.
I then reached to pull her close. She laid her head on my shoulder, and hugged me so tight.
"I'm sorry Vickie," she apologized. "I love you."
"I love you too Joyous Amari Rich," I said calling her by her full name. "Now go to bed."
"Ok," she said.
I was angry that Malika, Masika's older sister, thought that it was cool to encourage my sister and hers to get on birth control and continue fucking.
She was supposed to be cool with me and CeCe, but she obviously had life fucked up. I was definitely gonna check her tomorrow.

I climbed into bed after a shower, but sleep wouldn't find me. I looked over at Zuri sleeping peacefully in her crib. I made a promise to always protect from the things that I could, to warn her about the things that I could not, and to always make her feel comfortable enough to come to me about anything. As I climbed back into bed, I heard gunshots followed by sirens a few blocks away. I knew that part of me protecting my baby girl was getting her away from here. I said a quick prayer for my family asking God to bless us and keep us until we are able to make it out. Sleep didn't find me until the sun came up, so I shot Mrs. Ora a text letting her know that I wouldn't be able to make it today at 10. I was exhausted mentally and physically.

I slept for about 3 hours before I was awakened by Zuri's gibberish and laughter. "Good morning Mama's favorite girl!" I tickled her. "Let's get you a bottle, and then get us all cleaned up and looking pretty." My mom was sitting in the kitchen when I walked in.
"Good morning," she greeted. "Are you feeling ok? I thought you had to work today."
"I called in," I said. "Had a pretty rough night. How'd you sleep?"
"I was sleeping good until them damn gunshots and sirens woke me up. Then I started praying hard for the mother that lost her child," she said.
"How do you know the person died?" I asked.
"The helicopter baby," she answered. "When they're whirling, it's usually before death."
"Man," I said. "This place is sad. Too much death and destruction."
"Give me the baby so I can comb her hair while you get yourself together," she said.
I handed her the baby and headed to the bathroom.

After leaving the bathroom, I went to my room and plugged up my phone which was dead because I'd forgotten to charge it last night. I slipped on a cami and a pair of tights. Inside of styling my hair, I opted to just wear my locs down with a knotted head scarf. I powered my phone on, and noticed that CeCe had been blowing me up last night. I quickly called her back since I haven't talked to her since the party.
"I been blowing your phone up all night!" CeCe cried soon as she answered. "They killed him Torie!" She was now sobbing.
"Killed who CeCe?" I asked. I was now nervous as hell because if CeCe was this upset then I knew it had to be someone close.
"They killed Darren!" she sobbed. "He was standing outside last night, and them niggas rolled up on him and shot him up! They could've hit my baby, Torie! A bullet came through the wall of my room!"
Darren was CeCe's older brother who was only four years older than us, which meant that at just twenty-four his life was over before he really got to live. Damn!
"I'm coming over baby! I'll be there in a minute ok," I said with tears running down my face.

"Ma, I gotta go," I said. "CeCe needs me. It was Darren. He's gone." I quickly grab my keys. Right before I closed the door, I hear her lowly say, "Lord have mercy."