Once I drifted off to sleep, I was woke up by this loud roaring laugh coming from a nigga through these thin ass walls. I hated to be woken up out of my sleep, and I'm guaranteed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed ready to slap anyone who did it except my Mama.
I climbed out of her bed, walking fast as hell to the living room, where the laughing sounded the loudest. When I made it out there, standing near the front door with a few quick mart bags in his hand was someone I hadn’t seen in years, so I was really fuckin confused as to why this nigga was here. He got ran out of New York years ago.
“Crewshon, is that you baby?”
My Mama probably recognized it was me from the sound of my heavy footsteps.
“Yeah, it’s me, ma.” I turned back to him.
“Gio, what the fuck are you doing here?”
I reached back for my pistol, and he put his hands up in the air. I hadn’t seen Hov’s uncle in years, shit, since the funeral when we had to get at his ass when he shot at my nigga. I had no direct beef with the nigga, but Hov beef was always my beef and vice versa. Well, I don’t know about now on his end, but that won’t change the nigga I am.
“Chill, youngster, I come in peace. Just here helping your Mama out. Oh yeah, here goes that milk you asked for. You may want to put it in the fridge so it won’t get too warm.” He handed her the bag.
“Look, my Mama doesn’t need help from any fuckin body. Especially a nigga like you.”
“Crewshon, what is the problem?” My Mama asked with a shaky voice, and I knew then I was making her upset. I hated that shit. I could piss off anyone else and not give a fuck, but not my Mama. I always hated when she was upset with me. Though it never lasted long.
“Nothing, Mama.” I stared at the nigga so cold I’m sure he wanted to shiver.
“Debbie, I think your son may be worried about old issues I had with people close to him in the past, but I am over that. As I’ve told you on our many talks, I’ve tried to change over the years.”
“Fuck niggas don’t change; they just get older and grow fuck nigga gray hairs in their fuck nigga beards.”
He chuckled and shook his head.
“Crew, my bedroom now.”
“We not leaving this nigga out here. He looks like he is still a thief.”
“My bedroom now, Crewshon!”
I smacked my lips and grabbed my Mama’s hand that she extended out for me to guide her back to her room faster.
The door shut behind us, and I sat down on the bed in front of her.
“Mama, that nigga is not any good. He shot up his brother’s funeral because he got kicked out. You think that type of shit just leaves a nigga’s mentality?”
My Mama placed her finger over her lips.
“We didn’t come back here for you to talk. We came back here for you to listen. Gio has told me about his past, and where he didn’t go into detail, he did say he’s done some things he’s not so proud of. Now I know you don’t believe people can change, but they can, and that’s why in some cases you have to get to know people over and over again through the course of time.”
My Mama cupped her hand over my face stroking her thumb back and forth. I was heated at first, but this motion of her hands quickly brought me back down.
“I know I haven’t had the best choice of role models around here for you, baby, but now you are grown, and you are your own man. When I choose who I have around me now, I don’t have to think of you kids because you are all grown. All I have to think about is who makes me happy and is there for me through my blindness. Have you ever lost your sight before, Crew?”
“No ma, of course not.”
“Well then, I can tell you that it heightens your other senses.” She grabbed both of my hands in a tight ass grip. It always tripped me out how hers were so small in mine, but I would always let her feel strong.
“Crew, because I can’t see, all I can do is listen and feel, and Gio makes me feel good, and he makes me feel safe. The day I ran into him on the train, I was lost, scared, I didn’t want to bother anyone, it was my first trip to the market with my walking stick, and though me and Sarah had done it a thousand times, I still couldn’t find my way home.” A tear slowly streamed down her face, and I looked away. I hated that shit.
“But Gio helped me and brought me home and gave me the reassurance I needed to ever want to step out those doors again. And he’s checked on me every day ever since so all I ask is that you give him a chance. Love your mother enough to listen and put your pride to the side, son. I’ve made mistakes with men in the past, but I learned from them. I’m not naïve or dumb. I’m a middle-aged woman who knows what she needs in her life.”
I shook my head slowly.
“Alright, ma, but don’t be upset with me if he gets handled by other issues he has in the city. He left New York for a reason. Did he even say why he’s back in town?”
