Free Doing My Own Thing by Nikki Carter Page A

He presses a button to unlock his SUV.
    â€œHop in, Sunday.”
    I get in on the passenger side, while Big D gets in on his side. He slumps in his seat a little. It’s such a small movement that if I hadn’t been paying attention, I wouldn’t have seen it. But it was a slump, and it looked weary.
    â€œWhat in the world is going on, Big D? You look twisted, for real.”
    â€œYour father came to see me.”
    I can feel my face going into contortions. My father? The man I haven’t seen since my seventh-grade promotion ceremony? What in the world? How does he even know Big D? He doesn’t even know me really, but he knows my producer? Get the heck out of here.
    â€œMy father? You talking about my biological father?”
    Big D nods. “Yeah, Jonah Christopher, your biological. He says that he needs to be in on the decision making for your career.”
    â€œIs he crazy? There’s no way he’s going to have anything to do with my career! How do you even know him?”
    â€œThat’s the thing. I don’t know him. He knows Bryce and LaKeisha. He was in business with them on some things.”
    â€œWhat kinds of things?” I ask, already knowing the answer is something illegal.
    My father has been in and out of jail since I was born. I guess my mom just has a thing for men with that thug quality to them. Not me, though. I see my mother every day, by herself and lonely because of dealing with these dudes. My daddy and Carlos. Although, Carlos was supposed to be different. He was supposed to take care of my mom and me. Now he’s gone too.
    â€œThey’ve got some real-estate thing going, where they buy foreclosed houses at a huge discount, and then resell them or rent them out. Then they take out a loan against the equity in the house and use the money for other investments.”
    â€œIs it on the up and up?” I ask.
    Big D shrugs and then drums his fingers on the steering wheel like he’s stalling for an answer. “They haven’t been arrested yet.”
    â€œNo arrests have been made. Wow. Did you tell him to kick rocks?”
    â€œSunday . . . I told him I’d set up a meeting with the two of you. He really wants to see you.”
    â€œWhy would you do that, Big D? You could’ve asked me first.”
    â€œYou don’t exactly say no when the person asking is carrying a gun.”
    My eyes stretch wide open in surprise. “Did he threaten you? OMG. I don’t believe this.”
    â€œHe didn’t exactly threaten me. He just made it clear that he intended to meet with you whether I wanted it or not.”
    â€œThis dude owes my mother thousands of dollars in back child support! He can’t be a part of my career. My mom is gonna freak out when she hears this.”
    â€œMaybe you shouldn’t tell her,” Big D says.
    â€œMan, stop playing. I don’t keep important secrets anymore, remember? That was the agreement. I tell my mom anytime anything crazy is popping off.”
    â€œI wouldn’t necessarily classify this as crazy.”
    Let’s see. My dad, who I haven’t seen in more than five years, pops up and wants to manage my career. AND he’s kicking it with Bryce and LaKeisha, the ones responsible for my mother’s boyfriend getting shot.
    No. That’s not crazy. It’s not crazy at all.
    Blank. Stare.

10
    â€œM om, I’ve got something to tell you, and I think you should sit down.”
    My mother looks at me with narrowed eyes, and puts her hand on her hip. “Sunday, don’t play games with me. What’s going on? Are you pregnant?”
    â€œWhat! Where did that come from? Mom, for real. This is important, and no, I’m not pregnant. I don’t have a boyfriend and I’m not having sex.”
    My mother still gives me a suspicious stare-down as she sits on the couch in our living room. I had to wait all day until Aunt Charlie and Manny decided to go to