Not My Mother's Footsteps (4 page)

Phoenix sat on her couch in silence, she could not get Terrell off her mind, and she just kept seeing his sexy face and the way he smiled at her. “Damn he is fine as hell, I would drink his bath water” she said out loud to herself as she thought about how her body reacted to just seeing him. Phoenix laid her head back on the couch and pretended Terrell was whispering in her ear, and it was funny how even her thinking about him sent chills through her body.

‘Click’ was the sound of her front door being unlocked and seconds later in walked Geno, and reality sat back in. “Ugh so much for a fantasy” she said in a whisper.

“I hope you ready, cause I got shit to do, and I need you and butter at the same spot tonight” Geno said rudely without so much as a hello.

“Yes I’m ready” Phoenix said as she stood from the couch

“You sure don’t fucking look like it” Geno said as he looked her over, and saw that she was wearing a pair of seven7 jeans, a pink V-neck shirt and a pair of pink, grey, and black air max 90’s.

“I have my stuff in the bag” Phoenix said careful not to say with much attitude though she wanted to, but knew she risked the fact of being hit.

“I have fucking told you about already being dressed, you never know when you may get a client, next fucking time you aint dressed right, something aint getting paid” Geno said with seriousness. Geno liked for the girls to wear a little to nothing, the more they showed the better. Phoenix didn’t even respond to him, she knew not too, she just picked up her duffle bag and walked out of her apartment.

~

Terrell finally answered his phone after the fourth time of Renz calling “Yo?” he answered sounding annoyed because he was trying to get to know Phoenix, but couldn’t.

“Where are you baby boy?” Renz voice blared through the phone.

“Leaving my sister crib, why what’s up?” he asked merging onto I-64.

“Where that’s at?” Renz asked hoping he would get an answer

“Nigga fuck you want?” Terrell replied ignoring his question, though he and Renz was best friend he never told anybody where his family laid there heads the less people knew the less likely anything would happen to them.

“Can you meet me at my spot?” Renz asked ignoring the fact that Terrell didn’t tell him where is siter lived.

“Yea give me about an hour” Terrell said hanging up the phone as he headed to Hampton, VA to Renz house.

~

“It’s a older cat up in there who, paid good fucking money for both of yall to turn a trick. So imma let both yall hoes know this yall better put on one hell of a show, whatever he wants yall fucking do it, yall got that?” Geno asked as he leaned his head on the headrest of his Range Rover.

“Yes daddy” Butter said from the back seat without hesitation.

Phoenix wasn’t as accepting as Butter, one she still hated the fact that she was fucking and sucking random niggas, and here she was now about to fuck a stranger and fuck a female at the same time. Geno could see the hesititaion on Phoenix’s face so he reached over to her and began to rub her face “Sweet Honey, you have to go in there and make this money” he rubbed his hands down and between her breast sexual and then he snapped wrapping his hand around her small neck tightly “don’t fuck this up! Get your ass in there and do what the fuck he wants you to do” he hissed in her ear, with venom in his voice.

“Okay” Phoenix said barely audible as she tried to breath as he continued to choke her.  

“Good” he said lightly smacking her face as he released her neck with the other hand.

Phoenix climbed out the truck with Butter in tow, she hated her life and she wished she could end it more so now than ever.

~

Geno sat in his truck as he waited for Phoenix and Butter to finish turning there trick. He reached under his arm rest and pulled out a small bag filled with cocaine, which happened to be his best friend and worst enemy all in one. Using his long pinky nail Geno scooped up the substance, putting it to his nose and quickly sniffed. Sitting there for a moment Geno allowed the substance to take over his body and soon mind.

Sitting there continuing to get high Geno drifted back to a time when his life wasn’t so bad
“Eugenio?” His mother called him from the kitchen. Eugenio was his real name but everyone called him Geno.

“Yea mom?” Geno said as he appeared in the doorway, with the house phone glued to his ear.

“Your aunt Susan will stay here for a while, so she will need your room could you please sleep on the couch?” she asked as she washed dishes.

Geno wanted to shout no but he could never tell his mother no, they were all each other had. Geno had already lost his older brother to the streets, and his dad was in prison serving two life sentences for murdering lots of people. “Okay” he simple said as he retreated back to his room, well her room for now.

“Thank you Eugenio, I love you!” She shouted behind him

“I love you too mom” he said before closing his door.

~

It had been two weeks since Geno’s aunt had moved in with him and his mother, and she had already had the house turned upside down. All times of the night, there were people calling, coming by, or looking for her. It had gotten so bad that neither Geno nor his mother were able to get any sleep, not only that Geno’s mom and his Aunt Susan always would argue no matter what.

One night Geno was walking home after he had been out with friends, and as he neared his street, he began to see police lights flashing, the closer he got he could see ambulance, fire trucks, and lots of people standing outside. He continued walking thinking it was unusual for them to be there because they lived in a pretty quiet neighborhood.

It wasn’t until he was about three houses down when he realized they were at his house. Geno picked up his pace as his heart began to speed up, when he got closer he could see his aunt crying hysterical saying “Why did she try to fight, why didn’t she just give them what they wanted?” It became clear to Geno that she was talking about his mom; he just didn’t know the severity of it.

“What’s going on?” He asked his aunt, but all she could do was look at him and cry harder. Turning to a cop Geno asked again “What’s going on?”

“And who are you?” the officer asked as he continued to write on a notepad.

“I’m Gen-” he started but realized who he was talking to. “I’m Eugenio, and I live here, is my mother okay?” he said afraid to ask.

“Son can you come with me” the officer said, but it was pointless because it fell upon deaf’s ear because Geno took off running inside the house.

When Geno made it inside the house, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. All of the furniture was turned upside down, there was a trace of blood, and when he followed the blood it led him to the worst sight he would never forget. “Noooo” Geno cried as he dropped to his knees beside his mother dead body. She had a single shot to the head, and her eyes were still open as she lay there lifeless.

The officers were trying to get Geno off the floor to ask him questions but it was pointless, because he just held his mother’s hand as tears fell from his eyes.

Geno sniffed, and the effects of the cocaine drained down the back of his throat intensifying his high which brought him back to present day. Geno wiped the corner of his eye, because without even realizing tears were welling up. Ever since that day, Geno hasn’t seen his aunt and he never wanted to. Geno continued to get high as he waited for the ladies ‘Eugenio was killed the same night my mother was’ Geno thought as he snorted more coke.

He always said because his mother was killed like she was nothing, he would never treat anyone with respect and so far he has lived up to that.

Terrell pulled into Lake Ridge apartments in Hampton, VA where Renz lived, after finding a parking spot he hopped out his truck and headed up to Renz apartment.  Before Terrell could reach the door, Renz swung it open with a blunt hanging out his mouth. “What’s up baby boy?” he asked as he gave Terrell a fist bump.

“Can’t call it” Terrell said as he stepped inside.

“I hear that” Renz said as he simultaneously answered his ringing phone and handed Terrell the blunt.

Terrell sat down on a futon as he puffed the blunt, he began to comfortable, Renz house was like his house and vice versa. Renz place was a true bachelor’s pad.  He had a huge living room, that was decorated with futons, a gaming chair, and the only decoration on the wall was a huge naked Marilyn Monroe clock.  The kitchen was a nice size, but pointless because it’s never used; he didn’t even have a table. He had two bedrooms; one was his bedroom and was a little simple with a king sized bed, a dresser, a huge walk-in closet and bathroom attached. 

The second bedroom, which was the ‘put it down room’ as Renz called it, had a color scheme like the scene in belly where everything glowed in the dark. Two solid gold stripper poles were in the middle of the floor, mirrors surrounded the entire room. Lastly there was a queen sized heart shaped bed, that had hands and feet bondages connected. 

Terrell continued to smoke the blunt, as Renz continued talking to who Terrell assumed was a woman by the way Renz was talking. “So baby boy, any leads on who fucking up in the camp?” Renz asked as soon as he disconnected his ass.

“Nah not at all” Terrell said as he handed the blunt to Renz.

“Well baby boy, I know who it is and I don’t think you gonna like it.” Renz said as he puffed the blunt “I was adding some shit up, and checking some things out and I hate to break it to you, but” Renz took a deep breath and inhaled the smoke before continuing. “Old School got them sticky fingers” he said as he blew out the smoke and shook his head because it was hard for him to give that information.

The look Terrell wore wasn’t anger, pissed or pain, it was simply blank and Renz couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Terrell’s jaw was tightening by the second, but even though he was beyond mad, something about the revelation of Old school stealing from him, just didn’t sit right with him. ‘
Could Old School really fucking steal from me, after all the shit we have been through?’
Terrell thought as he sat there with his jaw still tightening.

“So how we gonna handle this shit?” Renz asked as if it meant nothing, that a guy they have been friends with for years, a guy they left the game with wasn’t just revealed as the thief in the camp.

“You sure it’s Old School?” Terrell asked in utter disbelief

“Da hell? Hell yea I’m sure” Renz said sounding insulted. So how we gonna handle this shit?” He asked again, ignoring the confused look on Terrell’s face.

“This shit will be handled, I just gotta figure some shit out” Terrell said still unable to process the news he just received. He sat there as he continued to smoke the blunt, he could see Renz out the corner of his eye, and for the first time in their entire friendship he hopped he was lying.

Terrell sat there letting the smoke fill his lungs, as he thought about the first time he met Old School ‘Terrell was 15 years old and was just tried and sentenced as an adult to six years in Virginia’s penitentiary, for a felony gun charge, two drug charges, and a few misdemeanor. Terrell had actually gotten off pretty good, only have to do six because he was facing thirty, but he had an amazing lawyer who just so happen to make shit disappear.

Terrell rode with his hands and feet shackled as a bus with him and other inmates headed to Nottoway Correctional Facility, as the bus came to a screeching halt, and on stepped two correctional officers (CO). “Listen up fella’s my name is officer Simms, and this is officer Butler, this is how this is going to work, we will escort you off this bus take you each to a room, strip you down to a full search, cavity and all.” Officer Simms said with a smile that was disturbing and then he continued, “once the search is complete you will be wearing a state jumpsuit, that you must wear at all times. You will also be issued a state number that is how you will be recognized, so at this point to us you no longer have a name only a number, now let’s move” he said as he stepped off the bus waiting for all the inmates to step off the bus.

~

Terrell calmly walked in a single file line behind the other inmates as they were all being assigned to a cell. He had heard all the horror stories about prison plus he had seen ‘Lockdown’ one to many times to know how it goes. As he was roughly pushed inside his cell Terrell balled his fist ready for a fight, but was surprised when he saw a man whom looked to be in his early forty’s on his knees praying. “Da fuck?” Terrell said confused.

“Either get down here with me and pray, or stand there and shut up until I’m done” the Man said firmly as he continued to pray as if Terrell was not standing there.

“Nah, I’m good” Terrell as he stood there with his fist balled, though he was scared shitless he wasn’t about to show it; he wasn’t going to be nobodies bitch.

“You can unball ya fist, and fix ya face lil fella, I aint the one you gots to worry about, but trust if I wanted ya little ass I could get ya, but I don’t indulge in that shit” the older gentleman said with a chuckle as he stood to his feet. Terrell looked comical to him, he was tall with no meat on his bones, and he could tell he was no older than 16 maybe 17.

“Which bunk mines?” Terrell asked kind of dropping his attitude but not getting to comfortable, he still couldn’t be too careful.

“Top one. By the way my names Sherman but everybody call me Old School” he said as he placed his bible under his pillow. Terrell didn’t say a word, he continued to look at Old School with a look that read ‘I aint here to make no friends, I just want to do my time and go the fuck home’.

Terrell placed his thin blanket along with the extra jumpsuit he was given on the top bunk he then stood in the middle of the floor of the looking at the 6x8 foot. “Yea it aint much, but you gotta make due with what ya have, and let me tell ya one thing, you doing right by protecting ya self, but its best to make at least one person you can call a friend because it gets real up in here. Old school said before climbing on his bunk.

‘Yea one friend my ass, I aint got time for no fucking friends’ Terrell thought as he climbed on his bunk.

~

Terrell had been in lockup at Nottaway prison for almost four months, he managed to stay to himself and not cross the wrong path but today that was about to change. “Yo, you got another cig” this Beanie Sigel looking dude with a strong New Jersey accent asked. Terrell looked at him and continued to puff his Newport ignoring the shit out of him. “Mother fucker I know you hear me” The Beanie Sigel look alike said as he stepped closer to Terrell.

Puffing the cigarette one last time before throwing it to the ground Terrell said “I hear you pussy, but I aint giving you shit, you can suck my dick.” (Now anyone who knows anything about prison will tell you, if a man tells another man to suck there and nothing is done, he is considered a bitch and everyone will be on his ass.)

“Fuck you say?” the guy asked with his mouth twisted

Terrell stood tall in firm as he dug his hands inside his jumpsuit pocket “You heard what the fuck” Terrell started and stopped as he swiftly pulled the shank out of his pocket and slashed the guy across the face, followed by a quick right and left hook. There wasn’t much either could do because just as quick as they started they were stopped by the numerous of guards that came rushing over. Terrell was tackled to the ground by one of the guards which caused the shank (homemade knife) to fall from his hands. With quickness his roommate Old School appeared and picked up the shank and disappeared without being noticed. Terrell was clueless as to why Old School had helped him when he had been nothing but rude to him since he met him.

~

After spending a month in the hole for fighting, Terrell was escorted back to his cell, it was like déjàvu because Old School was on his knees praying. Instead of Terrell saying anything to him this time, he too got on his knees and prayed with him. “Why did you help me man?” Terrell asked confused, when the prayer was over.

Standing to his feet Old School stare at Terrell as if he was searching for the answer “You’re young and had they found that shank you wouldn’t see the light of day any longer” he stopped as if what he said hit home. Terrell was about to ask what he meant but he didn’t have to because Old School continued “my son didn’t have anybody as generous as you do on the inside, he was sentenced to two years but after the shank incident was charged with attempted murder and has to serve 32 years.”  Terrell could see when Old School turned around he had tears welling in his, eyes but he couldn’t and wouldn’t dare let anyone see him cry in there.

Terrell was a bit shocked but what he had just found out, but at the same time he had a newfound respect for Old School because he had pretty much saved his life in more ways than one.

‘I have to dig deeper into this shit, I just can’t see Old School doing me wrong in anyway, he’s like a pops to me’ Terrell thought as he was now back in present day.