idea of standing on a corner making drug sales. It was nerve-racking enough doing it from the comfort of Grandma’s apartment. Plus she had seen how badly things could turn out when her ex-boyfriend went to jail, and she had vowed never to put herself in that position.
“Do it for Grandma,” Andrew pleaded, knowing good and well Gigi would do anything for her.
Gigi sat thinking for a while. She thought about all Grandma had done for her and was still doing for her despite being sick. She tried to think of another way to get the money, but she couldn’t come up with anything else.
“Well, if we plan on making twenty-five grand, we need more work than that,” she said. “We gotta get our hands on some more white.”
“I’ma step to Chico.”
“There’s no way he’s gonna do it,” she said. “He know Grandma don’t want us hustling unless she approves of it. And you know she ain’t.”
“Quit tripping,” Andrew said. “It don’t hurt to ask.”
Thinking of a way to get their hands on the product they needed, Gigi’s ex popped into mind. Asking him was almost as bad as hustling. She sighed and turned to her cousin.
“Let me holla at Rasheed first,” she said. “If it doesn’t work out, then you can ask Chico.”
“A’ight … bet,” Andrew said.
* * *
Gigi got up really early on a cold Thursday morning and spent hours trying to sleep as she traveled to Attica. After making her way through security, Gigi waited anxiously in the drafty visitor’s area of the prison.
Not wanting to hear anyone’s mouth, she had lied and told Grandma and her boyfriend, Mel, that she had to work when she really had the day off. She shivered as she wondered why it was taking longer than usual for them to call Rasheed’s name. It had begun snowing hard a few minutes after she arrived, so she was ready to get her visit over with and get started on the long trip back home.
She still couldn’t believe she was asking her ex for his help. The thought of having to rely on Rasheed didn’t appeal to her, but she figured with her ex’s street connections, he would be able to get her what she needed.
Finally, Rasheed walked into the visiting room sporting astate-issued orange jumpsuit. Gigi noticed the angry expression on his face as he sat on the plastic chair facing her.
“What’s good?” Rasheed mumbled.
“What’s up wit’ you?” Gigi asked, adjusting her chair closer. Rasheed shrugged. “I keep hearing you too good for my money now.”
Although she and Rasheed weren’t together anymore, he still tried to look out for her. He had his people bring her money a few times a month, but she always refused to accept it. Since she lived with Grandma, her expenses were low, so the money she made from her part-time job took care of all her needs.
“I don’t need any handouts,” Gigi replied, leaning in closer, “but I do need a big favor.”
“What?” Rasheed snapped, annoyed she wasn’t there for the sole purpose of seeing him.
“I need you to hook me up with one of your connects.”
“Why?” Rasheed asked more out of curiosity than concern. “You wanna be a hustla all a sudden?”
Gigi shook her head. “This is serious. I gotta pay for Grandma’s kidney transplant,” she answered with a concerned expression. “She’s real sick.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rasheed said, immediately changing his attitude. “Don’t worry. I’ll set it up for you.”
They talked a few more minutes before a corrections officer tapped Rasheed on the shoulder, advising him the visit was over. They hugged each other good-bye.
When Gigi got home late that night, Grandma was alreadysleeping soundly. She checked Andrew’s room and was surprised to find him holed up in there flipping through the TV channels.
“Hey,” she said.
“What’s up, Gigi?” he said, never taking his eyes off the TV screen.
“It’s done,” she said simply, as she stood in the doorway.
“What’s done?” he
“Do it for Grandma,” Andrew pleaded, knowing good and well Gigi would do anything for her.
Gigi sat thinking for a while. She thought about all Grandma had done for her and was still doing for her despite being sick. She tried to think of another way to get the money, but she couldn’t come up with anything else.
“Well, if we plan on making twenty-five grand, we need more work than that,” she said. “We gotta get our hands on some more white.”
“I’ma step to Chico.”
“There’s no way he’s gonna do it,” she said. “He know Grandma don’t want us hustling unless she approves of it. And you know she ain’t.”
“Quit tripping,” Andrew said. “It don’t hurt to ask.”
Thinking of a way to get their hands on the product they needed, Gigi’s ex popped into mind. Asking him was almost as bad as hustling. She sighed and turned to her cousin.
“Let me holla at Rasheed first,” she said. “If it doesn’t work out, then you can ask Chico.”
“A’ight … bet,” Andrew said.
* * *
Gigi got up really early on a cold Thursday morning and spent hours trying to sleep as she traveled to Attica. After making her way through security, Gigi waited anxiously in the drafty visitor’s area of the prison.
Not wanting to hear anyone’s mouth, she had lied and told Grandma and her boyfriend, Mel, that she had to work when she really had the day off. She shivered as she wondered why it was taking longer than usual for them to call Rasheed’s name. It had begun snowing hard a few minutes after she arrived, so she was ready to get her visit over with and get started on the long trip back home.
She still couldn’t believe she was asking her ex for his help. The thought of having to rely on Rasheed didn’t appeal to her, but she figured with her ex’s street connections, he would be able to get her what she needed.
Finally, Rasheed walked into the visiting room sporting astate-issued orange jumpsuit. Gigi noticed the angry expression on his face as he sat on the plastic chair facing her.
“What’s good?” Rasheed mumbled.
“What’s up wit’ you?” Gigi asked, adjusting her chair closer. Rasheed shrugged. “I keep hearing you too good for my money now.”
Although she and Rasheed weren’t together anymore, he still tried to look out for her. He had his people bring her money a few times a month, but she always refused to accept it. Since she lived with Grandma, her expenses were low, so the money she made from her part-time job took care of all her needs.
“I don’t need any handouts,” Gigi replied, leaning in closer, “but I do need a big favor.”
“What?” Rasheed snapped, annoyed she wasn’t there for the sole purpose of seeing him.
“I need you to hook me up with one of your connects.”
“Why?” Rasheed asked more out of curiosity than concern. “You wanna be a hustla all a sudden?”
Gigi shook her head. “This is serious. I gotta pay for Grandma’s kidney transplant,” she answered with a concerned expression. “She’s real sick.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rasheed said, immediately changing his attitude. “Don’t worry. I’ll set it up for you.”
They talked a few more minutes before a corrections officer tapped Rasheed on the shoulder, advising him the visit was over. They hugged each other good-bye.
When Gigi got home late that night, Grandma was alreadysleeping soundly. She checked Andrew’s room and was surprised to find him holed up in there flipping through the TV channels.
“Hey,” she said.
“What’s up, Gigi?” he said, never taking his eyes off the TV screen.
“It’s done,” she said simply, as she stood in the doorway.
“What’s done?” he
Similar Books
