Cartel Dreams: A Love Story Read Free Page A

have been a big deal to some but it was everything to me. Momma was in tears with happiness for me when I graduated with my Bachelors degree in pre-law.
    I stared down at the one thing that stood out to me, which was the bright red A+ posted right at the top next to my name. My eyes were filled with nothing but pride and I could think of nothing but the glimmer in momma’s eyes when she told me how proud of me she was at graduation last month. She used to tell me that it was always better to be more book smart than street smart but a real queen always knew both.
    I just wished my dad could have lived to see it. Since his death, life had been hard for me. He died in the middle of my senior year of high school, in a catastrophic car accident on the way to their 20th anniversary party one rainy night. He was running late from work and everyone was waiting on him to get there. The police answered his phone to let us know what happened. The news described it as one of the bloodiest in the history of Chicago. The car was wrapped around a pole near King Drive so badly that stormy night that it took nearly 3 days to clean up the guresome crime scene.
    My mother’s parents were both dead so she relied heavily on her friends and I for support. Naturally my fraternal grandmother didn't want to have anything to do with her own son’s funeral or us. She blamed the entire thing on what she called my “whore of a mother”. Momma was far from what she thought she was. That was five years ago and I was now a twenty three year old college graduate trying to decide if I wanted to go to graduate school for a masters, law school or if I just wanted to take a break and work.
    “I know momma. I just don’t have time for men right now. They’re all full of shit, always lying about having another woman or not. Ain’t nobody got time for that.” I waved her off.
    “Well all I’m saying is those child bearing hips ain’t getting no younger.” Momma winked as she left the room.
    I snatched my IPhone from the other side of the table when it vibrated. Embry, my best friend since freshman year of high school sent me a text. If ever there was a ghetto chick that had never seen any parts of the ghetto it was she. Her parents where kind of wealthy and took care of all of her needs. All she had to do was go to college. That was done but Embry had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.
    Embry: What’s Good chick?
    Me: Shit, thinking. What’s good with you?
    Embry: I was going to swing thru but I’m thinking like you should come down here. Parties tonight. Let’s do this.
    Me: You know that nigga you fucking with got his bitch coming to my house cause you got him dropping you off over here and shit. This is the third time I’ve had to whoop a bitch’s ass for you. I ain’t doing the shit no more. Next time I’m giving them your address.
    Embry: Damn. My bad. Well, you don’t gotta worry about him no more. I canned his ass. Too much drama, not enough dough. But you know I can’t have the hood niggas at my parents’ spot. We live too good. Hood niggas find out you stay downtown and they’re ready to rob you and shit.
    Me: So you send them to my house bitch? Naw, find you another house for that.
    Embry: Awe, Daisy. I said my bad. Sour ass. Anyway, are you coming my house or not?
    Me: Embry, I’m so not playing with you and I don’t feel like partying. Go whoring by yourself.
    Embry: What are you scared of? Giving that virginity away and actually have some damn fun for once in your life?
    Me: Ugh, bye Embry.
    She texted me back but I didn’t answer. Instead I headed up to the stairs towards my room. As I passed by, I noticed momma in her room preparing for yet another hot date with the new guy she’s been seeing. I was happy that she had finally gotten her grove back and being dating for the past six months. She was a good woman who deserved to be happy. Since I was the only child, she and I were always close but since becoming an