The Diamond Syndicate

The two of them stood there staring each other down. Diamond’s eyes glared with authority, and Dante lowered his and took a step back. Diamond was satisfied as she continued to tongue-lash her son.

“So what if I slept with one or two of these dudes out here? But I bet you a dime to a dollar them muthafuckas are sprung. They throw money at me, Dante. I can get them niggas to do whatever I tell them.”

“Ma, in the streets they call that a ho. I can’t take that.”

“A ho? No, Dante, a ho is somebody who goes out there and looks for dick so she can get paid. I ain’t a ho! The dick comes to me, and just so happens because I got the bomb pussy, they make it rain dollars on me.”

“You know what, Ma? I can’t take this shit no more. I had to deal with you acting like this all my life. I was always the one who got cracked on and picked on because of the way you are. I got into fights every day in school because somebody said something about you or called you a ho. Why can’t you be like the other mothers and just act normal?”

“Because I ain’t like these trifling bitches out here!” Diamond was now inches away from his face. “You have no idea what I had to go through to raise you. You took away my freedom. I gave up my life to raise you, and this is the thanks I get?” She pointed her finger in his face, tapping him on the forehead with each word.

“Maybe you shoulda kept your legs closed that one time and I wouldn’t have been born for you to lose your freedom!”

Diamond brought her hand back and let it go across Dante’s face.

He grabbed the side of his face, looking at his mother. It had been a couple of years since she’d laid a hand on him.

Diamond came at him again, but this time he grabbed her arm, stopping the smack from connecting.

Diamond’s eyes grew wide when she realized how strong her son’s grip was. She snatched her arm free, eyeballing him, still shocked that he had touched her. Reaching down into her bra, she pulled out her gun and placed it square against Dante’s temple. “Anytime you feel froggish, little nigga, I want you to leap!” she said through gritted teeth. “I don’t have a problem taking you outta the world that I brought your black ass in to. Now if you ever think you can take me, I beg you to try me. Because, muthafucka, I will become your worst fucking nightmare! Do you hear me?”

Dante stood there shaking in his Jordans, sweat glistening across his face as he twitched.

“Do you hear me?” she yelled.

“Yeah, Ma,” he said in a low voice.

“Now get the fuck outta my face before the side of your head starts leaking from this bullet I’m tempted to put in it!” She pushed Dante on the side of the head with the gun.

Walking into his room, tears formed in Dante’s eyes. He slammed his door and locked it. Dante wanted to die. He couldn’t believe the woman who raised him actually held a gun on him because he was concerned about what people were saying about her. He loved his mother, and never in a million years would he cross her, but it didn’t seem like she had the same unconditional love for him. No matter what, he still felt he owed her for raising him and in his eyes being the rock of their small family. He felt that she raised him alone doing whatever she had to do to keep a roof over his head, clothes on his back and food in his belly. If Diamond didn’t have it, by any means necessary she went out and got it. Dante knew this and admired her for it. Yes, there was the abuse, but he had grown up with it thinking this was the way she had to be to teach him how to be a man. This was why he continued to take her abuse and still love and respect her.

EIGHT

Days Later

Diamond got out of Pop’s car and sat down on the front steps of her building as he drove off.

“Hey, babysitter,” Tammy teased. “I see the kindergartner took you out today,” she said from her position in front of the window.

“Go to hell, Tammy!”

Tammy laughed. “Don’t get mad at me.”

Diamond smiled. “I ain’t mad at you. You just nosy as hell.”

“I was sitting here in my window minding my own business. You the one flaunting around town with the boy you babysit.”

“That’s the problem, Tammy, you always got your nosy ass sitting in the window.” Diamond laughed. “Did you think about what I asked you?”

The smile disappeared from Tammy’s face. She’d been ducking Diamond because she didn’t know how to tell her she didn’t want any part of her welfare scheme.

“Uh, no, not yet,” she said. “Uh-oh, here comes another one of your playmates.” Tammy was happy for the interruption.

Diamond looked up the street to see Trey walking toward the house. She sucked her teeth. “Shut up, girl! That’s Dante’s friend.”

Tammy snickered. “What that mean? I thought they all were his little classmates.”

“Hey, Trey-Trey,” Diamond said, smiling at him playfully.