WILD THANGZ by Winston Chapman (An Essence Magazine National Best Seller)

Chapter 15

On what was an extraordinarily beautiful Friday in the month of May, I received a disturbing phone call.

"Hello"

"Jazmyn, it's mom"

My mom spoke sounding somewhat distressed.

"What's wrong?" I immediately questioned, not able to get the answer fast enough.

"It's Tyisha. She's actin' all fast again and your dad's gonna kill her," mom said with urgency.

"What happened? Where's Dad? Where's Tyisha?" I rattled an onslaught of questions. "Tyisha's getting' calls from grown-ass men again.

Your father is on his way home. I'm scared what your father might do," mom confided in me.

I was afraid too, because I knew that my dad didn't play with shit like that. And, because of the fact that my mom called me for help, which she'd never do unless the situation was extremely serious. Not to mention that she actually cursed during her explanation.

"What'cha want me to do, mom?" I asked quickly, mindful of time because dad was already on his way home.

"Can you take your sister with you for a while? Just 'til things calm down," she asked. "I'm on my way. Tell her to get her things packed. We'll pick-up more tomorrow while dad's at work," I suggested, as I raced out of my apartment like a fire-fighter to the scene of the 9/11 emergency.

I knew if I didn't get there fast, it would be too late for Tyisha and she'd be crumbling down, just as hard and fast as the Twin Towers.

I was pissed-off at Tyisha, who was now 17 and had just finished her junior year in high school, as I weaved through traffic on I-20.

Also, I thought about how it was a good thing that Brea had just moved-out earlier this month. Otherwise, it would've been real crowded in the apartment, especially seeing as I had no idea of how long she'd be staying with Trina and me.

Trina didn't mind Tyisha staying with us. But I kinda knew she wouldn't.

Mom had been updating me over the past month about Tyisha's behavior. I just figured that it was a teenage phase that everyone went through.

Tyisha was my little sister, but in age only. She was now an inch taller than me; had C- cup breasts that seemed to be nearing Brea-size and a butt that was closer to Trina's than mine.

With the exception of her baby-fat face, everything about her looked full-grown. But she wasn't.

I made it to the house before dad got back. And just by talking with Tyisha during the drive back to my apartment made me appreciate my mom and feel guilty for what I must've put my mother through when I was her age.

The next day, on Saturday morning, I took my car to get a badly-needed oil change. As I returned to my apartment building, I saw a girl that looked like Tyisha walking back into the building with Alantra, a girl about the same age as Tyisha who lived in a neighboring apartment unit.

I parked my car and hurried to my apartment.

As I opened the door, I saw Trina in the kitchen making a sandwich. When Trina saw me, she had an uneasy expression on her face that clearly conveyed to me that it was indeed Tyisha that I'd seen.

"Tyisha!" I called her name. She was in my bedroom.

"What, Jaz?" she said coming out of my room wearing a white tank top and some ultra- short shorts.

"Where'd you just go?" I interrogated.

"I just went to the store, dang," she grunted.

"Alright, first of all, you betta change the way you talk to me," I warned her. "You ASK me, if you can go to the store. You don't just leave"