Tears of a Hustler 2 Read Free Page B

right along with you,” Skip told him.
“Aight, aight I feel you. I ain’t gon slip,” Knowledge said, pulling hard on his cigarette. “We just gonna go out here and get this money, maybe even some pussy if we get lucky,” he said, laughing hysterically, nudging Skip the whole time.
Skip did his best to block out all the ignorant shit Knowledge was talking about. The only thing on his mind was his wife April. “I wonder what she’s doing right now,” he thought as he cruised along the dark highway. His thoughts were rudely interrupted when he felt Knowledge nudging him again.
“Yo these country bitches be having the stupid fat asses, know what I’m saying?”
“Yeah,” Skip replied emptily as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed April’s number.
* * * *
    “Come and eat,” April yelled as she piled spaghettion two plates and set them down on the table.
“What you cook mommy?” Little Michael asked, licking his lips for extra emphasis.
“Your favorite; spaghetti and meat balls,” April answered as she poured her and him a glass of apple juice. “Bow your head for prayer.”
After a short prayer, April and Michael began attacking their food like animals. “Damn I think I out did myself tonight,” she boasted, looking at Little Michael for a compliment. “Is something wrong?” She asked, sensing something waswrong.
“Is daddy coming home for dinner?” Little Michael asked innocently.
“Not tonight sweetheart,” April answered quickly. She knew this conversation would present it self sooner than later.
“What about tomorrow?”
April cleared her throat before she spoke. “Michael your father won’t be coming home for a while. He has to straighten out a few things in his life. He’ll be back. And ifI know your father like I think, he’ll be back sooner than we both expect.”
“Are you and daddy getting a divorce?” Little Michael asked, twirling his fork around in his spaghetti.
“Damn these kids are too fucking smart nowadays,” April said to herself, looking around the kitchen formulating a response. “No baby we’re not getting a divorce. Meand your father are just working out a few things. Once everything is worked out, your father will be back, I promise.”
“Okay, can I go to my room now?” Little Michael asked dryly.
“You don’t want to finish eating your food?”
“Okay go empty your plate,” April said as she watched Little Michael empty his plate and stomp off to his room. Times like this, April wished Skip was home so he could be the one to answer their child’s questions, instead of her always having to be the bad guy. Before April could get up from the table, she heard her cell phone ringing. She looked at the caller I.D. and saw Skip’s name flashing across the screen. April was about to answer it, but then decided to just send Skip straight to the voicemail. April loved Skip, but she knew he stillwasn’t ready to give up his lifestyle. Until then, she had nothingto say to him.
* * * *
    “Damn,” Skip cursed loudly when he got April’s voicemail. Please record your message after the beep beeeep…
“Yo when you gon’ stop playing these fucking games? I know you see my number on the fucking caller I.D. You know what? Fuck you!” Skip said, ending the call.
“Problems at home?” Knowledge questioned.
“What else is fucking new?” Skip huffed. “Bitches ain’t shit but problems,” he said out of frustration.
“Don’t sweat it. It happens to the best of us.”
“But I don’t get it; I buy her everything she wants. She lives in a nice ass house and drives two nice cars. She don’t have to do shit but go to school,” Skip hissed. “Iwould love to stay home all day and get token care of. Shit if a bitch is paying for all my shit, you wouldn’t hear a peep out of me. As long as she ain’t out selling her ass, I don’t care. Smell me?”
“I feel you. But you know chicks don’t think like that. They be wanting all that romantic bullshit,”