Sisters Keeper

2

Kids drove up and down the sidewalks in yellow and red toy cars as their mothers sat on the stoops. Women sat outside fly swatters in hand as gossip about the one neighbor that wasn't around poured from their lips. It was crazy how things changed but stayed the same all at the same time. On the corners, her employees were now replaced by their little brothers. She didn't recognize them but they all knew her. The petite woman with the permanent scowl had once been the partial leader of one of the most feared gangs in the area. She hadn't been the number one queen pen in the city nor was she the distro for the region. That type of shit was for movies and TV. Her life wasn't that. It was about having nice things and not living in a duplex apartment where she shared a porch with someone else. However, pulling up in front of Ryan's home that's exactly what she was walking into. Looking around the apartment she did her best not to turn up her nose at her surroundings. Ryan's furniture had seen better days it paled in comparison to the white leather sofas she had in the penthouse. The oil-stained stove adorned the relatively spotless kitchen. While her nieces' toys provided a breadcrumb trail from the living room to her bedroom. Inhaling the scent of black love incense she was ok to make this home for the time being. Lucy was determined she was going to do things right.

"Thanks for letting me stay here," Lucy spoke softly looking around the place.

"I know it's not what we had but it's mine. What's mine is ours."

Missing one another the two shared a sisterly hug.

"Lucy?"

"Yes."

"I love you and I am so happy that you are back ...."

"What?"

"You smell stale right now, so I need you to get in a shower and throw away that five-year-old sweatsuit." Ryan laughed holding her nose.

Dressed in one of Jah's old hoodies and sweatpants it had been autumn when she went in just like it was now. She had worn his clothes in as a comfort to her since he hadn't been with her

Lifting the top to her nose Lucy frowned at herself as well a shower was necessary she smelled packed away which is what she had been.

"Besides you have to get dressed any way Aunt Irene is giving you a party."

"I told y'all I didn't want that. I just want to go to sleep."

"It's just a dinner to get some food in you. Then we will come back here for the real party. I invited all the homies they missed you."

Giving her sister a dead face, she wasn't even remotely interested in that on her first day back home.

"Don't give me that look. You are going to these get-togethers and you are going to like them. If not for you for me I get the whole weekend without your niece."

"Speaking of where is Christian? I kept all the pictures you would send. The girls used to swear I had the cutest baby. I had to handle a girl one day who tried to steal her picture and say she was her daughter."

"She is with her father who is bringing her to Aunt Irene's to meet her auntie."

"Aren't you concerned about him being alone with her...."

"Boo is not a child molester."

"I'll beg to differ," Lucy stated holding her hands up in outrage.

"I know you don't like him, but he is a great father. You promised me y'all wouldn't fight."

Nodding her head Lucy reminded herself that she needed to be humble in his house. "You're a guest here." She said to herself as a reminder of her place.