He pulled in front of my mama’s house, and jumped out. He skipped over all the steps to get to the top of the porch, and walked straight in the house, without knocking. Then I heard loud talking and yelling.
“Ray-Ray, I am so tired of you trying to run my house!” Tisha screamed.
I got out the truck to get a closer look. That’s when the screen door swung open, and out came Curtis’s dusty ass, flying past the porch and onto the ground. My daddy was soon on his ass like white on rice. He was kicking Curtis’s old ass, and I gritted my teeth for every blow. I really wanted some of that action. I even moved in closer and was able to get me a kick in, without my daddy noticing.
Surprisingly, Tisha, the woman formerly known as my mama, didn't try to intervene. I guess she didn’t want to feel my daddy’s raft. “Stop it, Ray!” she cried.
After Ray-Ray was satisfied with the ass kicking he'd given that grandpa, he told me, “Go get your shit, Raven! And hurry up, before I kill one of these muthafuckas out here!”
I did as I was told, because at that point any place was better than staying with Tisha.
“Where are you taking her?” Tisha asked him, as we hopped back into the truck.
“She going with me.” Ray-Ray told her.
“Oh, no she's not! She aint about to go stay at one of your hoes' houses!” Tisha was practically jumping up and down.
“Shut the fuck up.” Ray-Ray lashed, as he pulled away from the curb, burning rubber.
I assumed that Ray-Ray was going to drop me off at my grandma’s or something, but we got on the freeway and drove for what seemed like forever. All my family stayed right in Fifth Ward, so I knew that I wasn’t going to any relatives’ house, especially when I saw a sign that readWelcome to Sunnyside.
Finally, we arrived at this brick house with plenty of kids hanging around it. It was not all of that, but it was better than most of the houses in Fifth Ward.
“Where are we?” I asked, looking around.
“You home.” Ray-Ray simply replied. “Grab a few of the light bags. I'ma get the heavier stuff.” he ordered.
I didn't move as I stared at the house.
“Raven.” he called out.
“Huh?” I eyed at him, curiously.
“Daddy, got you, baby girl.” he promised.
I nodded as I eased out of the truck, and slowly tipped up to the house. I was a little embarrassed, because obviously there were people living there, and he wanted me to walk through some woman’s house, with all of my shit. He had not discussed this with anyone, and I knew my daddy. That was nothishouse.
As I struggled to the front door I was trying to walk extra slow, so that my daddy could walk in and lead the way. Right when I reached the porch, this young dude came outside. He looked to be seventeen or eighteen, with a dirty red complexion, a slim but cut build, extremely bowlegs, thick eyebrows, long lashes, and had fine hair that was freshly tapered faded. I can’t even front, he was fine, but I could tell that he was too old for me.
“Jahrein, help her.” Ray-Ray ordered, from behind me.
Jahrein. That was the cute boy’s name.
“Oh, shit. I aint know what you was doing.” Jahrein smirked, as he relieved me of all my bags. He sounded like he was high.
“Yeah, she gon be staying with us.” Ray-Ray told him. “Go in girl, with ya scary ass.”
I sucked my teeth, as I walked into the house. It was hot and stuffy. The furniture was alright, but it looked like it had seen better days. Actually, Tisha's house was much nicer on the inside.
On the couch was this slim woman, with a mouth full of gold, and to complete her ghetto look she sported loud honey blonde weave. She was a dirty red/brown complexion just like the boy, therefore I assumed that she was his mama.
“Baby, some wild shit just happened and I had to get my daughter away from that bitch Tisha. It’s cool, huh?” Ray-Ray asked the woman.
“Oh, this Raven.” she smiled from ear to ear. “She looks just like your ass. You know she welcomed here. Hell, she can stay before your ass can.”
“Raven, go put your stuff in the room where your daddy works out. He gon move all that shit out for you, and then put a bed in there.” the loud mouth woman told me.
Ray-Ray showed me the room, and quickly removed the workout equipment with the help of Jahrein, the cutie. I found myself watching his muscles flex as he lifted the heavy equipment. The temperature in the room seemed to rise a few degrees. Minutes later, they were setting up a bed for me. I was glad that I at least had a space to be alone, because moving into a house full of strangers was hella awkward.
