in the beginning

In
the beginning

            The
day my mother stop making sure she was looking good was on February 27, 1996 on
my seventh birthday. I thought it was going to be the best day of my life for
me, Maliyah. It turns out to be one of the worst days of my life. No soap
opera, but the life that I was thrown in, but let’s get back to the birthday. I
walked into the house and, there was smoke everywhere and Michelle had her pipe
in her hand with the house smelling like baking soda and, her eyes were glossy
and her mouth was open, the music was blasting though the speakers and,
Michelle yelled with such hatred and disgust in her voice that it gave Maliyah
chills.

            “Where
are you coming from, little bitch? Thinking that you are cute, with your ugly
ass”.

            That
hit Maliyah like a ton of bricks. Lately all Michelle wasn’t combing my hair or
washing my clothes, and the kids were beginning to tease me and, the teacher
were asking about my home life and, Michelle and, I don’t know what to tell
them.

            “Momma
it’s my birthday, don’t you think I’m pretty.” Maliyah said with a toothless
grin. That it looks like it was touching one ear to another.

            Michelle
sat up with a disgusting look on her face and spat “hell no”.

             Mailyah closed her eyes, and wanted to cry but
she tried not to but, when she closed her eyes an opened them. Tears were
running down her face. That was because Michelle was so disgusted by her which
hurt her more than words can express. Michelle never really loved me because,
she was losing her life. As I begin to speak I here’d a knock at the door and,
Michelle looked spooked Michelle and spoke softly.

            “Maliyah
go in the room and, get under the bed for a little while okay, and don’t make a
sound.”

 Maliyah answered her mother matching her tone
quite tone. “Yes ma’am”.

            Who know this would be the last I
here’d of from Michelle, because what went on in the living room, I was not
prepared for my eyes to see.

            “Who is it”, Michelle said. Then I
here’d a baritone voice coming from the other side of the door.

            “Bitch open the mother fucking
door”. I here’d Michelle say something under her breath but I could not make
out what it was. Next thing I knew Mac came busting though the door.

            “I got you now Michelle’. Mac said
upon entire as he walked into the living room. Mac began to speak and was now
standing in front of Michelle.

            “Michelle, why have you been
avoiding me?” Mac asked already knowing the answer to his questioned but he
wanted to here a response from Michelle.

            Michelle looked confused and
puzzled, and spoke with a peaceful tone.” No I haven’t been avoiding you Mac, I
been right here getting ready for Maliyah birthday party. Well not really a
birthday party but more of just cake an ice cream a gift I had got her.”
Michelle tried to smile. Mac began to laugh uncontrollable.

            “You don’t give a damn about that
little girl Maliyah, you make it very clear of that every time you come into
work, and buy them damn rocks you smoking.”. Maliyah never here’d anyone else
say out loud what her mother said to her in their home.

Michelle spoke
with a slight chuckle and said, “Well since you know that why the fuck you here
for.”

Mac stared at
Michelle like she had lost her mind. Mac was looking at Michelle like he was Michael
Meyers and she was his prey. “Well then since it’s like that I’m here for my
money. So pay me in cash or pay with your life. Which one will you choose?”

Michelle looked
Mac straight in the eyes “I been dead for seven years. So it would not be
anything new.”

Mac shot her
without hesitation. Mac laughed at himself “Michelle had more heart then
nigga’s.”

Maliyah here’d and
saw the whole thing, from the closet door. Maliyah here’d the door close and
ran out to her mother and called for her but, there was not an answer. As she
got closer to the body, Maliyah realize her mother was dead.