Honor Thy Thug by Wahida Clark Page A

deal?”
    “What about Daddy?”
    I didn’t know what to say, but I knew I wasn’t going to be lying to my daughter. And for real, at that very moment, I didn’t give a damn if I ever saw his bitch ass again. He’d better hope that I didn’t see him. “I don’t know about your father. We’ve gotta find out what’s up with him. I haven’t heard from him. But for now, you’ve gotta give Mommy some more love. Can I get some more love, girl? Mommy missed you so much!”
    Some lady was standing over us with tears streaming down her cheeks. The next thing I knew, she was down on the grass, hugging and squeezing Aisha and me. “Kyra, don’t you ever pull no mess like this again. Do you hear me?” She threatened, even though she was all choked up.
    Her voice. “Tasha?”
    She leaned back and looked at me. “Yes, it’s me, Tasha. Your bff. Oh my god. You don’t remember me? It’s me, Tasha. I’m the one who stopped you from drowning. Remember we were at—”
    “Seaside Heights!” I cut her off. “Tasha!” And then like a movieon fast forward, events with me and her raced through my mind. It was . . . awesome. Then some kids came running out of the house. The boys obviously thought we were playing and dived on top of us.
    “There’s my husband, Trae. And Aunt Marva.” Tasha said. With a glance I remembered them as well. I felt like I was back. My prayers had been answered.

5
KYRON
    “Ma, I’m good. Just get everybody out of my house, and I promise you I’ll be doing much better. Y’all are acting as if I’m a cripple.”
    “Your damn mouth is!” smart-ass Kendra, my first cousin had the nerve to say as she chuckled. “Look at you, you can barely talk, sounding like Whispers from the movie Hoodlum . You know your mouth is where all your strength lies.” She plopped down in a chair across from me just so she could talk shit.
    I gave her a look that said, You better get the fuck out of my face and fast. She obviously read my expression, because she got up and went into the kitchen.
    My mother touched my shoulder. “Kyron, go lie down and get some rest. I will get rid of everyone.”
    “Ma, what do you think I’ve been doing for the last fewmonths? Laying up resting. Trust me, I’m good. I just need to clear my head in my own house all by myself. I’ll be fine, Ma.” I grabbed her hand and kissed it.
    She sat down next to me. “Watch your tone, boy. You didn’t try to get rid of me when I was cleaning your behind.” She shot daggers at me, and I had to grin at the thought.
    “My bad, Ma. I know you just want the best for your son.” She smiled as I leaned over, kissed her forehead, put my arms around her, and squeezed her tight.
    “That’s your problem. You think you are the baby, but you’re not. You are my eldest, and I want you to start acting like it. Now, turn me loose so that I can get you settled.”
    I couldn’t do anything but surrender. Between the nurse’s visits, Mari, and family crowding my space, I was feeling suffocated. I was thankful when my moms eventually went to kicking everyone out of my apartment before finally putting on her jacket and snatching up her big-ass purse off the sofa. I stood up, and she stood right in front of me with her hands on her hips. I leaned over and kissed her cheek one last time. Mama was my heart.
    “Do you remember how to change those bandages?”
    “Ma!”
    “Do you?”
    “Yes, ma’am. I do.”
    “Good, and don’t get fresh with me, Kyron. I thought your brother was going to be the death of me, but now I see that it’s you. You shouldn’t have gotten yourself into this mess in the first place.”
    “I’ll call you each time I change the bandages. How’s that?” I needed to get rid of my mother as soon as possible.
    “You are the oldest, Kyron. You are supposed to lead by example. A good example.”
    “I know, Ma. We all make mistakes.”
    “Why don’t you want somebody over here with you?” My mother continued to