URBAN: Chosen By A Kingpin (16 page)

“I’m guessing she’s not that nice.” Giselle sighed. “That’s really the last thing I need now.”

“Yeah…”

“Today just keeps getting worse.” She spoke to no one in particular. “It’s going to be a long year.”

“You’re 17.” He put the pieces together.

“For a whole year.” She smiled for the first time and he smiled back.

“Well, welcome to the building. Good luck with Ms. Rita. You’re really going to need it.”

Lionel went back inside the apartment. He peeked at the new resident and saw her ring the doorbell. He knew what awaited her in there. She was going to get treated like trash while Ms. Rita went on to cash her money for drugs. At least she didn’t have to stay there for longer than a year. When he saw her walk inside, he hoped for the best for her.

“Lionel!” His mother yelled. “Come here and eat some breakfast!” She set down the plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. “Boy, don’t let me start screaming again.”

“I’m here already.” He went and kissed his Mom on the cheek. “You know you don’t have to do this right? I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m a man.”

“Man or kid, you’re still my son. A mother can’t cook for her son anymore?” She sat next to him. “Besides, isn’t today the day of your big interview? You can’t expect to wow your hiring managers if you’re starving. Trust me if there is one thing I know, it’s how to get a job.”

“Oh boy, here comes to the whole speech.”

“What speech?”

“The one about how you had me and you worked throughout most of your pregnancy and went right back to work after only six days.”

“Boy hush and eat your food.” She laughed. “You know I’m proud of you.”

“I know Mom, but I know you’d be prouder of me if I went to college.”

“You have to find your own path.” She started eating huge fork loads of the food.

“You have to go back to work?”

“Yup. I’m technically not here. I’m only working so hard because I want to buy a house. I’m so close.” She took another forkful. “I got to run.” She kissed his forehead and she was out.

Lionel ate breakfast alone. He’d grown accustomed to it. He missed his Mother a lot when he was younger, but after the death of his Uncle, she cut back a lot of hours from work. She tried to make sure she squeezed in some time with him. She took him to some games when she could and if it was something as simple as dinner at home she did it. After he graduated high school and turned 18, she took some more hours so that she could save up for a house.

His cell phone ringing made him drop his dirty dishes in the sink. He knew how much his mother hated it but he would always be home before her, so he’d just washed them then.

“What’s up?” He greeted his friend Antwon once he saw his name flash across his phone.

“Nothing much kid, just checking up on my boy. What’s good with you?”

“Chillin’ son. I got this big job interview today.”

“Oh yeah, what is it?”

“Just something in a retail store. Some shipping position.”

“How much does that pay?”

“Minimum wage.”

“Damn son, why you being a sucka?”

“A sucka? Is it the eighties again?”

“Whatever nigga, I’m just saying now you know you can make more bread with me… You and me take over the block, push some products, and make way more money than that.”

“Aww…”

“Come on, son. I got your back and you got mine. It’ll be like how it always been, but this time we making paper.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“A’ight.” His friend sighed. “So what’s up with you and Renee?”

Lionel laughed. He knew that word would get around but he didn’t think that it would take only one day.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He brushed it off.

“Oh yeah, shorty is going around bad mouthing you.”

“What is she saying?”

“What do these bitter chicks always say when it’s over?”

“He can’t fuck me.” Lionel joked in a feminine voice.

“He plays too many games.” Antwon mimicked in the same tone.

“He wont wife me up.”

“He won't let me fuck his homeboy.” Antwon mimicked again.

“You really think you funny.” They both busted out laughing.

“Nah, but for real, hit me up when you get done with that job interview. If you get the job, we party tonight with alcohol and bitches.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then we heal your wounds...with alcohol and bitches.”

Lionel checked the mirror in the men's’ bathroom. It was a couple of minutes before the interview. The bright white shirt and dark blue slacks transformed him. He was so used to seeing himself in casual street gear. He leaned close to the mirror and looked at himself one more time. He didn’t want to psyche himself out.

“May I please see Mr. Taylor?” The hiring manager said just as he came out of the bathroom.

“I’m right here.” He followed the woman to the room. He sat down on the chair that was right across from the desk. He looked around the teal room and put his sweaty palms against his knees.

“Good morning.”

“Hey.” He closed his eyes. “I mean, good morning.”

“Don’t be so nervous Mr. Taylor.” The woman looked down at the paper. “May I please have your resume.” He handed her his resume. “I see you haven’t worked anywhere else.”

“Yes, I was hoping that I’d get my start at this company.”

“I see.” She looked at the resume once more and then placed it down. “So why would you like to work for this company.”

‘“I think I’d make a great employee.”

“Everyone here thinks they’d make a great employee. Why do you want to work for the company?”

“I am a big asset.”

“According to who?”

“Excuse me.”

Then the hiring manager continued to belittle Lionel, at least that’s what he felt like she was doing. Whatever answers he came up with, it didn’t seem good enough for her. He could sense that he wasn’t getting the job. As she went on and on, he just let everything wash over him. He knew what he had to do. He was sick of feeling like he was a burden to his mother.

“That will be all.” She told him after handing him his resume back.

“Whatever bitch.” He crumpled it and dropped it on the ground.

When he stepped outside, he loosened up the tie and opened up the first two buttons. He took out his phone and dialed up Antwon.

“Tell me that we’re partying with alcohol and bitches tonight.” Antwon laughed. “I say we hit up Manhattan and just go crazy.”

“Nah, don’t look like I got the job...at least not with them.”

“So are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yeah man, let’s get into business together.”

“Giselle, if you’re going to be living in this house, you have to take out the trash every night.” Ms. Rita told her by her bed with a cigarette dangling from her lips. “You’ve been here for a week and you haven’t done that yet.” Giselle groaned and looked at the time it was 7:00 a.m.

“It’s too early for this.” She complained.

“Too early? You uppity bitch! You are staying in my place. don’t you forget that?” She screamed waking up the seven other foster kids that lived in the two bedroom apartment. “You’re lucky that I haven’t let you share your bed yet, but with that fucking attitude…” She walked out of the bedroom without finishing her sentence.

“What’s her problem?” Giselle asked one of the young ladies that were in the room.

“What’s today?”

“Um, Tuesday?”

“Hmm, Tuesday is cocaine day.” The young lady told her. “Yeah, she’s a bit of a bitch when she’s coming down from coke. She’s much better when she’s coming down from crack. She’s fidgety. It’s kind of funny to watch.”

“Wow, she’s on drugs. She shouldn’t be a foster mother if she’s on drugs. She needs to set an example.” Giselle sat up straight in bed.

“Oh gosh. You’re so cute.” The girl laughed. “I can tell by the way you talk that you’re not from here. Ms. Rita has been doing this for years. She takes the money that we’re suppose to get and she buys her drugs. And then when it’s time for the government to check up on us, she cleans up and makes everything looks perfect.”

“Why doesn’t anybody say anything?”

“What’s the other choice? I’ve been bouncing around foster homes. This is not even the worst that I’ve been in. At least this place is somewhat clean.” She shrugged her shoulders. “What’s your name?”

“Giselle.”

“Laura.”

Laura got into the foster system after her mother abandoned her at a fire station. She always wanted to know why, but the more pregnant teens she met, she got the sense that her mother just wasn’t in the position to take care of her. Although she made peace with it, it didn't stop her from being curious. So one day, she snuck into the office and looked at her records. She found out what fire station she was left in. Once a year she would go to that fire station and hope to bump into her mother. Maybe she could recognize her face amongst the crowd. It has been seven years since she started, and she’s seen nothing yet.

“How long have you been in this foster house Laura?”

“It’s been two years.” She got off the floor. “But this is my final year. I have applied for numerous scholarships and I’m hoping that one of them can take me far away from here.”

“What are the scholarships for?”

“Well mostly for my grades, but it doesn’t hurt that I’m trying to get one through my soccer team.”

“You play soccer?”

“Yeah I’m pretty decent at it too. Here’s to hoping it’s what gets me out of here.”

Giselle and Laura spoke the whole morning. Laura gave Giselle a few tips on how to stay out of Ms. Rita’s way. Giselle helped Laura make breakfast for everyone. They helped the younger children get ready for school seeing how they were the only ones. They then gathered all the laundry and separated them by color. They left the huge bags Laura told her that she would have to drop them off across the street, and Laura would pick them up later after school. Laura taught Giselle how to take out the trash. Giselle didn’t love her new home, but at least Laura was helping make it bearable.

“Look at the time, I have to get ready for school. I have soccer practice every morning by 8:30. Did they tell you what school you go to?” She was gulping down some coffee.

“It’s the high school down the road from here.”

“Wow.” Laura chuckled. “You are really country. No one here says ‘down the road’. We all say, ‘down the block.”

“Well I ain’t a New Yorker.” Giselle stuck her tongue out. “Go on and get out of here. I’m going to wash the dishes and then wash up.”

“Ok.” Laura was about to get out but she stopped. “Whatever you do, try to be extra quiet. Ms. Rita is probably taking a nap right now. So do your best not to disturb her.”

“Is she cranky when she gets up?”

“Crankiness is the least of your worries. There is a whole bunch of spare keys by the door in the bowl. ” She closed the door softly behind her.

Giselle got to work. She cleaned up all the dishes, wiped down all the counters and table, and then she brought the laundry across the street. She came back to the apartment and tiptoed around. She washed herself up and opened her suitcase looking for an outfit for school. She hated the first day of school, she hated it even more knowing that it was the senior year, so almost everyone were already friends. She was the new girl, in a new school, in a new city; the least she could do was look good.

She got dressed and spun around. She was covered head-to-toe in designer labels. Her father did spoil her and looking at the outfit just reminded her of her parents. What she would do to bring them back. If she could cash in all her outfits to bring them back, she would do it in a heartbeat.

“You uppity bitch.” She heard Ms. Rita say behind her. She turned around and saw that she was lighting another cigarette. “Where the fuck do you think you're going? You think you’re going to a fashion show or something?” She laughed cruelly. She inhaled the cigarette and blew it in her face. “You dumb bitch.” She flicked the ashes at her.

“I’m just going to school.” She tried to walk past her but Ms. Rita blocked the entrance.

“You don’t think I know that bitch.”

“But you asked me…”

“Shut the fuck up!” She slapped her across the face.

Besides the pain, one of the first thing Giselle felt was shame. She’d never been hit before. Even back in North Carolina, she has managed to sweet talk her way out of every fight. She put her hand on her cheek.

“You can’t hit me.” She held her face. “You’re not suppose to hit me.”

“I do what the fuck I want.” She slapped her again. This time Giselle stumbled a couple of steps back. Her cheek felt hot. Without meaning to, she started to cry. She didn’t want to but to think of what her life had come to, she couldn’t help it at all.

“Stop fucking crying. I’m sick of you guys crying!” She screamed. “I’m just…” She walked away again not completing the sentence.

Giselle was still tearing up. She looked at the mirror and saw the red mark that the slap left behind. She dug into her suitcase and looked for her makeup. She found her foundation and covered it up. She grabbed her things and headed off to school.

New York City high school was very different than North Carolina. She wasn’t used to the tighter hallways, overcrowded classrooms, and the old buildings. The teachers were overworked and the students were restless. Just on the first day, there were three fights that broke out, and people were making fun of her accent. She wanted to fit in but every time she tried, it seemed like everyone had their minds made up.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Laura came up behind her in the hallway.

“What a day. This place is nothing like back at home.”

“I can imagine. What class do you have next?”

“Um,” She fished in her pocket for her schedule. “I have survey sports. What’s that?”

“It’s basically every sports class in one.”

“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m guessing that you’re not that into sports.”

“Not really. But it’s just another thing that I have to get used to.” She sighed.

“Listen, why don’t you just cut out of here?”

“Cut school? No, I couldn’t do that.”

“It’s just one day and it looks like you could use the day off. Just take a day, get to know the city.”