Hood Ornaments

Before he knew it, Dell was in the back of the truck again with his uncle and Dre. He decided to take advantage of this time to start writing to Tori. Since the drive was inevitably going to be bumpy, he decided that he would draft in the notepads first.

***

The first day of school. Ugh I hated it. Mom told me that I had to go over to Ms. Trudy’s house so that I could walk with you to school. It was still warm out so Trudy dressed you in a denim jumper, and your hair was in pig tails with a lot of colorful mini balloons on them. I know now that you all called them ball-balls, but that didn’t stop me from teasing you and calling you “balloon head”. But you took it like a champ and called me some sorta chimp or something. You said it with a smile though. I didn’t hate goin to school for a while after that.

***

“Chu doin back there youngin? You awfully quiet.” Dre asked through a half yawn.

“Just writin.”

“May I ask what?”

“Nothin much yet, just takin some notes.”

Of course Sticks had to interject.

“Thought you didn’t enroll this semester, Nephew?”

“I didn’t.”

“So what kinda notes you takin?”

Dell sighed, “It’s personal.”

“Too personal to tell your uncle?”

“Leave the youngin alone, Sticks. He is entitled to a personal life.”

There was a lull of silence.

“As long as he ain’t writing no love notes to some ghetto chick.”

“Nah, Unc. You never have to worry bout that. I have a future too look forward to.”

That last statement brought a long, hard silence into the truck, and everyone took time to contemplate on their futures.

Dre was proud of his future. He, for the first time, will be able to take care of Tori. Not only that, but she will truly know how much he really loves her. To him it was an insignificant price to pay.

Sticks was, well, gonna do what he needed to so. No, scratch that, what he was supposed to do. This was a miniscule payment towards the large debt that would surpass long after his death. He thanked the Universe that he had the means to do so. Even though it was those means that put them where they were.

Dell had to revisit the past in order to solidify his future. He was going to write it into existence. That’s what the journal was for. He was going to do the same for Tori.

***

Michael took the long way home to clear his mind as well as waste some time. He would have to wait a full week or more to see Victoria. She must be scared to death, and it’s a damn shame that one of the sweetest people he had ever known had to go through all of that fear.

All of that pain.

No one should have had to go through all of that pain.

His eyes casually glanced over his street as he made his way up the walk. He saw his mother on the porch sipping a mug of coffee. There wasn’t a speck of dirt let alone a leaf on the porch. Despite his earlier dismay, he just smiled softly as he kissed Lucia on the cheek.

“Good to see somebody smile round here. Your father has been tramplin all through the house yelling into that damn phone bout that murderer girlfriend of yours.”

“Victoria?”

“You got more than one of em?”

The tone of that question made them both laugh. It was good that the tension was finally broken.

“I apologize Michael, I know this must be hard on you as well. She’s a beautiful girl. Intelligent. Talented. I can see why you love her. But this here…”

“This here I can’t talk about.”

“I know…”

Just then Reginald came to the front door startling the both of them. He opened it and handed Michael his business phone.

“Give it back to me when you are done, but don’t be long”

Michael held his breath as he took the phone from his father and walked inside.

“Hello?”

“Michael.”

His stomach dropped when he heard her voice.

“Hey you. I tried to come see you today, but they told me I needed to be on the list. But you never put me on the list, so I had to fill out a request and I didn’t expect you to call me so soon….”

“Michael.”

“Cuz I wrote you a note, but the lady told me that you wouldn’t see it for another…”

“Michael!”

Victoria got butterflies because she heard the nervousness and Love in his voice, but she couldn’t put him through this.

“I’m sorry baby. I didn’t mean to ramble. I’m just so happy you called me. How are you?”

“I am fine Michael. I was speaking with your father about things, and I asked him to relay a message to you. He insisted that I do it myself; so I am grateful he passed the phone to you.”

Her voice had no life.

No emotion.

Michael was worried.

And perceptive.

“Victoria, talk to me.”

“I will, but I need you to listen.”

“Of course.”

“Forget about me.”

Michael objected.

Victoria overruled him.

“You do realize that this is it for me. For now on this is going to be my life. You deserve better than this Michael.”

“But I love you…”

Sustained.

But it stung.

“I understand, and I Love you too. That’s why I am stopping this now before we hurt each other.”

“I would never hurt you.”

Silence.

“Look Victoria. I get that you don’t want to see or hear from me right now. It’s too much. But I’ll be damned if I forget about you. When this is over, and you are ready you know how to get in contact with me. Can at least have that.”

Victoria nodded and wiped the tears from her face.

He was nervous by the silence, “Baby…”

“I nodded.”

He chuckled and went to say a proper goodbye.

She knew it, but hearing the words would tear her apart. So she hung up.

And did her damndest to keep herself together.

Little did she know, very soon, her life was going to be more scattered than ever