"boy you got 5 minutes to explain yourself, I'm at work and I gotta hear you acting up, boy if I come down there imma beat the breaks off your ass, you hear me." I said "man momma they trippin man, I wasnt doing shit." broderick said "broderick joseph brown, if I hear one more time you acting up, you better pray you gonna have legs to walk, because when Im done with you, you gonna think twice before you wanna act like a clown, na hand the dam phone back to the lady." I said he handed the phone back. " I'm so sorry about that, he gonna straighten up, I'll make sure you won't have anymore problems from him." I said "ok, this his last strike so one more times and he'll be suspended for 3 days." she said "ok I'll have a talk with him,when my husband comes home. but thank you for informing me." I said "ok you have a good day mrs. brown, ok bye bye." she said hanging up the phone. "you can report to detention, tae you next." she said. meanwhile natalia class ended. as she got up to walk with Tina, tavier grabbed her arm. "bae where you going beautiful." he said "I'mma go hang out with tina." natalia said "you forgot, bae we got a dinner date tonight." he said "aww, y'all are so cute, I wish I had a man like that." tina said. "oh yeah, sorry bae, my mind been on so many thing with exams coming up." she said "we can hang out another time girl, catch you later." tina said. "ok girl."natalia said. as tina walked away, he slowly stopped smiling. "so you think you can just go out with out asking me, you trying to cheat on me." he asked "what, no, I was just gonna hang out with tina and watch a movie." natalia said "man don't play with me, I know how you hoes be thinking." he said "what did you just call me." she said "man get your ass back to the dorm, you not going no where unless I say so bitch." he said pushing her forward. natalia just shook her head. "go on bitch, imma b there later and you better have gotten something for me to eat when I get back." he said "so I can't go nowhere but you can, that's not right." she said traveir slapped natalia. "bitch imma do wat the fuck I wanna do, don't question shit, now get your ass in that dorm, stupid ass bitch." he said walking off. natalia was crying as she walked to the dorm. as soon as she got in and sat on the couch, she then seen her phone on the dresser. she dailed marks number. "what's up niecey, haven't seen you in a mintue, man your brother brod trippin hard, but how you doing." mark said "hey unk, I'm okay I guess."she said as her voice sounded shakey. "that's my niece, nanny love you baby." candice said in the background "hey, I love y'all." she said "we love you to babygirl, what's going on." mark said "unk I don't wanna be here anymore." she said started to cry. "why you crying boo, what going on." mark asked "traveir been hitting me and calling me out my name, he don't let me go no where, please come get me." natalia said "oh fuck no, he fucking with the wrong one, pack your shit, I'm coming get you, candice call nate, tell him to meet at Harvard." mark said walking towards his truck. "What happen, what's going on?" candice asked "Man call nate." mark said getting in his truck and peeling out the driveway. nate was calling mark phone. "yeah, what's up, you on your way?" mark asked. "yeah, im almost there, what going on." nate said "niggs hitting on my niece, gonna go get her and pay that nigga a little visit."mark said "so what we doing nigga, Im loaded your heard me." nate said "shit,imma make sure that nigga won't be able to put his hands on no fucking female." mark said"shit, shoot a nigga hand off in that bitch." nate said "fucking right, he fucking with the wrong one today, Im pulling in na." mark said "ight I'm right behind you, bye"he said pulling up beside mark. natalia hears someone knocking, she goes to open the door. "you alright, you good, let me see."mark said looking closely. the tears from natalia eyes showed the black and purpleness from her beaten eye. "the fuck, how you let this nigga best on you man, why you didn't call me." mark said "I couldn't he didn't let me have my phone." natalia said "dam, nigga we gotta get that punk ass." nate said "get your shit , imma about to handle this nigga, where he at." mark asked " he always hang out at the stadium with his friends." natalia said "bet, you got her." mark asked. " yeah, she good." nate said "bet." mark said walking out the door and towards the stadium. he sees traveir and his friends sitting down on the bleachers,listenin 2 music on a beat wireless speaker."say nigga, you like beating on women." mark asked "who the fuck is you?" traveir said "your worst motherfucking nightmare nigga, putting your hands on my niece, thats a problem." mark said "what, she lyin, what she told you." he said mark pulled out a gun. "what nigga." mark said "woah, chill, she ran into the cabenit, I tried to catch her before she fell back." he said mark took his gun off of safety. "you got five minutes, you better start talking, before this bullet go through your head." mark said "say man chill out, traveir wouldn't do that shit, he love her." one of traveir friends said "man shut the fuck up punk, I didn't ask you, speak nigga." mark said "we got in an argument and it went to far but I didn't mean to hurt her man, please don't shoot me." traveir said mark started to laugh, then shot traveir in the arm. "iiiiii, fuck, iiii." traveir said in pain. "don't ever come around natalia, next time I won't be so nice, it'll be your life nigga." mark said walking away. "did you get everything."mark said as he got to his truck. "yeah she got it, you good nigga." nate said "yeah let's go, before the pigs come." mark said "for sho." nate said getting in his car and pulling off. natalia and Mark got in Mark's truck and follow behind. "you good boo?" mark asked natalia did nothing but cry. "how long he been doing this shit?" mark asked natalia still didn't answer, she couldn't get anything out. "come on niecey, talk to me." mark said "since I left for college." she said "why u ain't said shit." mark asked "I was scared he was gonna kill me if I told." she said "you ain't going back to that school, you finna find somewhere close to home, so I can keep an eye out, you know I gotta tell your momma right." mark said "nooo please."natalia pleaded "what you mean no." mark said "I don't want her to hate me." natalia said "for what, you her fucking daughter, what that nigga did to you ain't right, no nigga should be putting his hands on you." mark said as he dailed my number. "what do you want mark, dam I'm at work." I said "why the attitude, shit I'm sorry for the other day, but I got something to tell you." mark said "like what, I'm already annoyed, broderick school called, talking about he acting out, I don't have time for this, what it is." I said "I got natalia with me, nigga been hitting on her and shit, but I fix that nigga." mark said "what! oh my God, is she okay, is she hurt?" I asked concerned. "she got a black eye, look like he been beating on her for a mintue, I see some bruses." mark said "why she didn't call us." I said "she say she was scared." mark said "put her on the phone." I said "ight, here you momma wanna talk to you." mark said handing the phone to natalia. "hello." natalia anwsered "baby why you didn't tell me he was doing you like that." I asked "I was scared he was gonna come after y'all" natalia said crying. "Its ok baby, you alright, you safe now, alright, imma have food for when you get home, I love you my sweet baby, don't you ever be scared to come to me for stuff, I told you to call us, you too beautiful to deserve that, that's not love honey, ok baby, don't cry no more, your safe, unk mark gonna make sure of that ok, I love you, let me talk to him." I said. natalia handed the phone to mark. "yeah, I'm on my way to drop her off." mark said "ok, thank you mark, you really are a good person." I said "I told you at derek funeral, I got y'all, I'm not gonna let nothing happen to y'all." mark said "I love you big bro." I said "love you too sis, we'll be there in a minute." mark said "ok, marcus should b home by now, ok bye." I said and hung up the phone. lawd have mercy these children of mine. if it ain't one thing it's another. tyson is my golden child, I rarely even fuse him, only to take a break and tell him to be a child, then study all the time. tyson was the peace maker in our family, guess he got that from me. marcus hears the doorbell as he's in the kitchen making dinner. smother pork chop, with butter corn bread, and some greens. lawd I don't know how we don't have a football team, it's so manly and sexy for a man to cook for his queen. "natalia, what happen, where your car."marcus said" unk dropped me off, dad I'm so sorry." she said crying. "babygirl, come here, why you crying, what happen to your face." marcus asked hugging her. "traveir hit me." she said. "What, Why you didn't call me, I would of came got you." marcus said "he didn't let me talk to anyone, he forgot my phone was on the dresser and I took it and called unk." she said "let's get you inside, you hungry, making your favorite, here let me get that, you go and fresh up, your mom n brothers should be here soon." mark said marcus had just finish cooking and was setting the table as natalia was showering. I was just picking up the boys. "hey momma." tyson said "hey baby, how was school?." I asked " Good, remember kali, the girl I like." tyson said "yeah that cute girl with the glasses." I said "yeah, I asked her to homecoming and she said yes." tyson said excited. "that's good baby, can't wait to take pictures." I said broderick get in the front seat and slams the door. "uh-uh, don't slam my door, you done lost your mind, acting like you grown, ya daddy told me where you was, for now on that door getting taken down n that window gettin boarded up, and cameras getting put up, play with me and imma give you something to cry about." I said pulling off and on the way home. "man y'all trippin."Brodrick said "you right, because I'm not gonna have my son out here in the streets or being killed, you have a great mind to be somebody in life, why throw it away and for dam sure you not in any shape or form ready to be a father. " I said "I make good grades, why is it never enough for you." broderick said "Using foul language in class, being disruptive, how is that good for your education huh, sneaking out the house at night, how are you setting a good example for your brother " I said "man it ain't my fault the teacher dum, and tyson a weak ass bitch, he couldn't last a day in my shoes." broderick said "you a bitch no good for nothing." tyson said I pulled over the side and stopped the car. "shut up momma's boy." broderick said "you shut up." tyson said "hey! both of y'all shut up, broderick, hm, boy imma tell you this one time, if you don't get your fucking act to tegether and be nice to your brother, you going to bordering school, do you hear me, now apologize to your brother." I said "man.." broderick mumbled "Boy what the fuck did I just say." I said "sorry." broderick said "you don't sound sincere, you sorry for what." I said "sorry for calling you a bad name and momma's boy." broderick said "sorry I called you one too and for saying your good for nothing." tyson said "give me your phone." I said holding my hand out. "why?" broderick asked "boy if you don't give me that dam phone, I'm the parent, you the child, stay in ur fucking place." i said broderick handed his phone to me and i zipped away in my purse. " this bullshit." broderick said as I pulled back on the road. " you behavior is bullshit, you gonna go down the wrong path if you don't straighten up." I said as we pulled into the driveway. broderick quickly got out and walked inside and sat on the couch mad at the world. tyson and I walked in. " ooo that smells good. " I said "hey boys, hey baby, dinner ready." marcus said "hey ma." natalia said "oh sweet heart, are you okay." I said hugging her tightly. "hey sis." tyson said "hey ."natalia said as she looked over my shoulder. "well, y'all come eat, broderick, come on." marcus said "Not hungry." broderick said turning on the tv. "boy if you don't get your ass in this kitchen, talking. about you aint hungry, as much as your ass like to eat." marcus said broderick sucked his teeth and walked to the table. we all gather at the table. it was so queit, all we heard was dishes being tapped. "so babe, tyson got a date to the dance." I said trying to break the ice. "really na." marcus said "yeah, I asked at lunch." tyson said "that's good son." marcus said giving tyson a wink." man can I please go, I got somewhere I need to be man. " broderick said "oh yeah, like where." marcus said "I got a fucking job alright, I'm actually making money under the table, not out here chasing girls and scribbling in a notebook, my rap career gonna come through, just wish you can actually be proud of me instead of hold me like a hostage." broderick said walking off and walking out the front door. " y'all eat, imma handle this." marcus said he ran after him before he left the drive way. "look, your momma and me work our asses off for you to have a good life, we provide food, shelter, clothes, if you can't abide by our rules, then you can live with you unk, I'm trying to make sure you don't fall in the same cracks as you unk derek, choice is urs son, only you face the consequences, but in my house, you gonna do right or leave, this right here ain't my son, the son I know, is a dam good football player with high hopes of being some one, not this, I don't even know who you are." marcus said broderick looked down and looked marcus in the eyes. "I'm me." as he walked off down the road. marcus shook his head. broderick arrived at tae house. "wats up, I got your bag in the kitchen, come on in, want something to drink." tae said pouring a glass of crown. "nah I'm good man, where your pops at?" I asked "you know, making deals with the bags and making money off his hoes." tae said taking a sip of his drink. "hey broderick, where alexis at?" Keria asked "Shit, forgot moms took my phone man, say bruh I can use your phone right quick." broderick asked. "dam your people really trippin man, here." tae said broderick dailed alexis number. "who this?" she answered "man it's me bae, I had to use tae phone, moms took my phone." broderick said "oh where you at?" she asked "at tae house, come outside man , Keria over there, imma come meet you so i out can come hang." broderick said "I Kno and I'm not walking in that hot ass sun, not in this wig." she said " man just come outside, I be there in 5 minutes. broderick said "Hurry up, shit." she said hanging up the phone. "say man I need a ride." broderick said. "I got you playboy, think you deserve it for all the had work you been putting in, here, just don't get caught. " tae said handing him the keys to a black Cadillac, tint windows with red leathers seats, clean like a baby's ass. "appreciate it boss." broderick said giving him a brotherly hug. he walked out side to see the car, sitting nice on the curve with big wheels. he got in and started it as it softly purred like a new born kitten. he pulls up to alexis house as she got in. "Dam bae, this nice." alexis said "I know, wanna go to the mall, get my baby that chanel, maybe out to eat." broderick said "oooo, ok, my baby stacking." she said "Shit yeah, I told you I got us, we finna blow up when my album drop, got a session already lined up." he said "I know that right, sing to me."she said leaning over to the driver side. "girl let me lay you right hererrreee, don't you dare be scareeeed, this is what it made forrrrreeerrr, so come here baby let's exploreeee ohoowaooo." broderick sanged " I love it with you sing to me." she said kissing him slowly. "I got you baby." he said pulling off. "where he at?" I asked " he walked off, give him some space to think, he'll be back."marcus said "be back, where he going?" I asked "Look, I got this okay, don't worry about it." marcus said "don't worry about it that's my son marcus."I yelled. "he mine too amayla, I already talked to mark on the phone, he on his way to get him, chill out " marcus said eating his smothered the last of his pork chop. I just signed. what will happen, he out there walking all alone. "he wanna be man, let him, he'll find out what good for him." marcus said getting up and putting his dish in the sink. broderick and alexis arrived at the mall, broderick bought alexis and himself both iphone 11, her a chanel purse and clothes and him some fresh new jays and outfit, he even bought her a chain to match his, it was iced with chocolate diamonds. after all the shopping he decided to get them something to eat, at LaRo Maldu, the best and expensive place on the block who also serves caviar. "bae I had fun today." alexis said "oh yeah, so is you gonna be my woman then, might as well be, spending all this money on you." broderick said looking at her sexually. "yes daddy, I'm all for you." she said "hm, come here." he said slowly kissing her across the table. they had lobster, crab cakes, fried fish with red beans on the side with patron to wash it down with. then broderick had payed for a 10 star hotel. he was laying on the bed throwing money at alexis as she twerked her ass on the floor. "shit, let a nigga inside that thing momma." broderick said " you so silly"she said climbing on top of him. "tell your cousin, thanks for them fake IDs, shit my baby the truth." broderick said "Anything for my baby, just don't ever change." alexis said "you ain't gotta worry baby, I got us, as long as you hold me down." broderick said "you know I will, stop playing." alexis said leaning him back and kissing on his body. "shit, you gonna make a nigga crazy fucking with you." broderick said "shut up." she said playfully. mark show up at tae house. he bang on the door. "say what's up mane, why you knocking on the door like the dam police with yo stupid ass." tae said rubbing his eyes. "man fuck all that, where my nephew at?" mark asked. "shit probably by alexis, the fuck I look like keeping up with a nigga were abouts." tae said "he better be over there. " mark said " "yeah whatever nigga." tae said closing the door. broderick just out the shower while alexis was sleeping naked under the covers. he got dressed and grabbed his bag and leaned over to kiss alexis on the forehead. "where you going." alexis asked with her eyes half way opened. " finna go make some money right quick, imma take you home when I get back." he said grabbing his keys. " bring me some waffles." she said back to sleep. "ight, I'll be back." broderick said walking out the door and into his Cadillac. as he was riding down the road, he pulled at waffle house and got out. mark was passing through and happen to see him walking in. "the fuck." mark said and made a u turn and pulled into waffle house. "yeah let me get the waffles, eggs, and sausage." broderick orderd. "man what the fuck you been at, looking like new money, I know you ain't got no job, at least not a legal one."mark said " man what you doing here, you following me." broderick asked "your pops sent me to come get you, I know dam well you ain't walk here, so what car you stole." mark said "man stay out a nigga business man, that's my car." broderick said " shit, don't make me bust you in here homeboy, you selling?" mark asked "man stop playing unk, I got a job at footlocker in the mall man, manager so cool he paying me under the table." broderick said "how you get the car"mark asked crossing his arms. "man you asking too many questions with yo noisy ass self, my little partner gave me that car, he ain't want it." broderick said grabing the food. "I don't know what you into but if I find out you selling, imma bust your ass so bad, you not gonna talk, on my brother I ain't giving you no mercy, meet at my house." mark said