Hold U Down by Keisha Ervin

Syleena asked calmly.
    â€œWhat man, Momma?”
    â€œThat damn daddy of yours.”
    â€œHow many times do I have to tell you that I don’t even know who my father is?”
    â€œCome on, Ma, you were doing good. Try to be nice today,” Patience pleaded.
    â€œYeah, Momma, I missed you. I even brought you a present.” Unique opened up her purse and pulled out a small jewelry box. Opening it up, she revealed a white gold necklace with a small heart pendant attached. “See, here, it’s a locket. It has a picture of me and Patience in it.”
    â€œGet that damn thing away from me!” Syleena screamed, slapping the jewelry box away. “Patty Cake, help me! She’s trying to hurt me again!”
    â€œNo, she’s not, Momma. Unique’s trying to be nice. Please calm down.”
    â€œDon’t you see she’s the devil? She’s just like her father, a Satanist!”
    â€œMomma, no, I’m not. I wish you would quit saying that!” Unique yelled, aggravated and hurt by her mother’s words. “I love you. Why can’t you see that?”
    â€œYou’re a liaaaaar! You don’t love me. You’re out to finish what your father started. I’m not stupid. Patty Cake, help me! She’s out to get me! Please?” Syleena begged while holding on to Patience’s arm.
    â€œYou know what? Fuck this! I ain’t got time for this shit. I’m sick of you always treating me like this. I am not my father,” Unique snapped. She grabbed the jewelry box off the floor and left the room.
    â€œUnique, don’t leave,” Patience pleaded, following after her.
    â€œNah, fuck that. I hate her.”
    â€œYou don’t mean that, Nique. Calm down.”
    â€œYes, I do. I’m tired of this shit. I got other things to deal with besides having to deal with her crazy ass. Now go and finish your visit. I’ll be in the car.” With that said, Unique headed back to the car and cried for what seemed like hours.

3
    I Wanna Get 2 Know Ya
    It was two o’clock Thursday morning. Unique sat patiently in her living room, awaiting Bigg’s arrival. He was late. Tapping her foot, she sat mad as hell. They were supposed to be on the road by now. Unique tried calling his cell phone, but each time his voice mail would pick up. This was the very reason she didn’t work outside her circle. At least with the girls she had complete and utter control.
    The past week for Unique could be described as hell, to say the least. After the disastrous meeting at the clinic with her mother, more bad news came in. The doctors called and confirmed that Syleena indeed had brain cancer. The only thing Unique could do was break down and cry upon hearing the news.
    She regretted everything she’d said that day. She was just so frustrated by the news of her mother possibly having cancer and by her mother’s behavior that it all just became too much for her; but Unique, being the chick she was, managed to somehow bring it all back together. She and Bigg had a job to do, and she couldn’t let her mother’s illness get in the way and fuck up her head.
    Speaking of Bigg, after doing some background digging, Unique learned that before he got locked up, he was doing it real big. He grew up on the south side of St. Louis with Cezar. They both attended the same high school— Roosevelt. Bigg was a good guy. He played basketball his entire time in school, but his dreams of making it to the NBA were dashed when he busted his knee during a game. Bigg was crushed. Playing ball was supposed to be his ticket out of the hood.
    Since his dreams of playing ball were no longer in reach, he turned to the streets. Cezar was already in the game, so it was only natural that Bigg linked up with him. Cezar introduced Bigg to the drug game. They both sold girl and boy, but as time passed, Bigg gained more territory than Cezar. Cezar wasn’t the jealous type,