Careful of the Company You Keep by Angie Daniels Read Free Book Online

for me and rarely let me see my brother and sister and screened my calls. I heard him once say he didn’t like me because “she acts like her damn daddy.” I found that ironic since I didn’t even know my real daddy. He had been murdered when I was too young to remember.
    Our relationship has been strained ever since, and while Lisa was alive she did everything she could to try to bring me and my stepfather together. Even when she was struggling with ovarian cancer, she made me promise to reach out to Paul and I tried, for Lisa, but now that she’s gone, I wrote him off like a bad debt. As far as I was concerned, I couldn’t care less if I ever saw either of my parents again. Although it would be nice to at least know that my mother was okay.
    I pulled into the garage then stepped into the house where my kids were sitting at the dining room table playing a game of Monopoly.
    My sixteen-year-old daughter, Tamara, sprung from the chair. “Mama, you ready to go driving?”
    I rolled my eyes. I’ve been slowly teaching Tamara how to drive, but after she ran my car through the garage door two weeks ago, I don’t think my nerves could take it. “Tomorrow. I’ve been out drinking.”
    She turned her nose up at me. “You’re always getting drunk.”
    â€œGirl, be quiet. I ain’t had a drink all week.” I’ll admit I’ve been drinking a lot more lately. Shit, I’m stressed. But what the fuck? I’m married to a fag.
    I looked over at my tall eighteen-year-old son, who was probably stealing money from the bank while Tamara’s back was turned. “Quinton, I thought you were working tonight.”
    â€œI was, but it was slow so they sent some of us home.” He worked at Popeyes Chicken.
    I shrugged, grabbed my mail from the table, and let them get back to their game.
    â€œMama, John called my cell phone looking for you!” Tamara called after me.
    Ugh! I wish that booty bandit would leave me alone. I fell back on my bed with a scowl and stared up at the ceiling fan above me. What I needed was some dick. It was time for a girls’ night out.

5
    Danielle
    I spent Friday evening arguing on the phone with Mama. It’s been five months and nothing has changed. I still can’t understand how she could take sides with Portia when it was clear who was in the wrong. Is Mama not understanding what she did? My daughter had lied about sleeping with my boyfriend and had pretty much ruined my life. No, she can’t come back and live with me. Is she crazy? That would be like Portia getting her way. As far as I’m concerned, she can just keep on staying with her daddy.
    As promised, Alvin filed rape charges, and just as I had been trying to tell his dumb ass all along, Portia waited until the day before the case was to go to trial to admit she had been lying. Told you so!
    Ron was released, which was a good thing. I was all prepared to testify on his behalf even though he doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.
    My friends think I’m stupid for turning my back on my daughter, but I don’t agree. Portia’s lies caused me to lose my soul mate. I would do anything to have him back. Really. If Ron called and told me he’d take me back, I would have him. I know he isn’t perfect, but Ron is everything I love in a man. A thug to his heart. He knows the streets, and let’s not forget the brotha is no joke in bed. Sure, he had a bunch of kids, and bitches be calling me at all hours of the night. I dealt with the BS because I believed my man was worth it. The only reason we weren’t still together was because my daughter had described my man’s dick. Not too many brothas running around uncircumcised, but Ron was one of the few. Not that it affected his performance in any way.
    The last five months have been miserable. I feel lost without him. Even though I have a new man in my life, all I think about is