Page 7 of Baby, You're My Weakness
The bell above the door alerted the cashier to my arrival. I put on my best smile, walking up to the counter. “Hi, how can I help you? See anything you’re interested in?”
“Hi.” I pointed behind me to the open window. “I noticed the hiring sign. Is the position still available?”
She climbed off the stool. “Absolutely. I just need you to fill this out.”
She took a piece of paper and a clipboard from under the desk. “I’ll look over it as soon as you’re done.”
Another person came inside, so I moved out of the way.
I didn’t take me long to complete everything else. However, when I got to the part about criminal history, I stalled. Biting my corner of my lips, I wondered how I should respond.
Either way it goes, the shit can end up bad for me. If I lie, I’ll probably get the job, but I’m sure they’ll find out down the line. I can also tell the truth now and just hope for the best.
Ugh! Fuck it!
I circled ‘yes’ next to the question ‘Have you ever been convicted of a felony?’
After double checking everything else, I passed the clipboard back to the cashier.
It took her all of two minutes to deny me. I can even pinpoint when it happened. I watched as she skimmed across the paper before she paused on criminal history. She tried to be discreet as her eyes roamed up and down my body, but she’s clearly judging me, even without knowing the full story.
Now that she knows, I suddenly looked like a convict in her mind. I huffed out a breath and walked out without a second glance. I know she felt disgusted, because her face said what her mouth wouldn’t.
4
LOVE
Monday ain’t coming fast enoughfor me. Since Lauren told me about Baby’s case, I’ve been waiting anxiously to see her.
Now I’m sitting here in the office backed up with paperwork and tired as hell. I’ve been up and moving since five-thirty this morning, taking care of my mama. My parents met in high school, and mama almost gave up after the doctors told her she couldn’t have kids. God had other plans though and blessed them late in life. She got pregnant with us on Valentine’s Day when she was 36 years old. That’s where she came up with the names for me and my brother. Love and Valentine Hamilton.
Since my dad died in a car crash almost four years ago, she ain’t been right in the head. She forgets where she’s at sometimes, other times she doesn’t recognize us, which is why I chose to move her into my crib.
It seems like I’m the only person tryna help her either, because other people don’t wanna be bothered. Besides my dad’s sister, Delia, my mama got cut off completely from his side of the family. As soon as his ass was lowered into the ground, they treated us like we ain’t even exist.
She’s the reason I quit selling weed and went back to school to get my degree. I had to step up and do what needed to bedone. My brother, Valentine, was supposed to be looking after her, being the oldest, but he could barely take care of himself.
Ever since we were young, I had to play the big brother role. We may be identical twins, but we couldn’t be more goddamn different. He rocked dreads while I got my hair styled in a brush cut. We got the same skin complexion, with the same birth mark on the back of our arms. But Valentine was unreliable and hot headed. Those two things just don’t fucking match.
We ain’t been close for about three years now. I think he resented me for getting out the drug game while he’s still knee deep in it. I wanted better for myself, but he the type of nigga that don’t see nothing wrong with the shit he does.
I eyed Baby’s file in the corner of my desk for the 5th time in ten minutes. It’s nothing in there I ain’t seen already, so I know it’s just me torturing myself at this point.
Since it’s Friday, I decided to leave work and go home to change, before meeting up with Messiah. That’s my brother from another, been down with me since the sandbox. He left the streets at the same time I did, but unlike me, he was dragged right back into the bullshit. His brother got murked by gang members, so he was hellbent on getting revenge.
On another note, God was on my side today because Lauren ass was nowhere around. Whatever she got going on, I’m glad it’s keeping her occupied and outta my face. I had my suspicions about this bitch being unstable. I should’ve realized it sooner, especially after she hid under my desk claiming she tryna surprise me. If that ain’t deranged bitch behavior, I don’t know what was.
It took me fifteen minutes to pull up to the crib. When I graduated from college, the first thing I did was buy this house. It ain’t nothing special, just 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a car garage. However, the shit was sold to me dirt cheap, so a nigga ain’t have no complaints.
I walked in and the first thing I saw was Valentine spread out on my couch, with his feet hanging off the edge. He spends more time over here than he does at his own shit. Him and his girlfriend, Princess, probably going through it again.
They moved in together almost two years ago, and their relationship is the most toxic I’d ever seen. She caught him cheating multiple times, even called me for advice once or twice. But it ain’t nothing I can tell her, that she doesn’t already know.
“Sorry ass nigga,” I muttered out in passing.
My words were drowned out by his loud ass snoring. This is what he’s doing when he’s supposed to be watching mama.
“Ma,” I called, opening her bedroom door slowly, before peaking my head in.
