Free Choosing Sides by Treasure Hernandez Page A

her edges.
    â€œWhere the hell is this girl at?” Mimi muttered impatiently.
    â€œAre you sure this is all right? Your daddy won’t mind it if I stay the night?” Halleigh furrowed her eyebrows together in worry. She pondered over her situation. Who was this woman whose father would allow her to bring a stranger home? He must be a nice man, or why would Mimi even offer to allow this?
    Mimi looked her up and down again and smirked. “Nah, like I said before, he won’t mind. My daddy will be happy to have you. He’ll help you figure everything out.” Mimi’s last sentence was said in a sing-song tone.
    Just as Halleigh was about to reply, a caramel-colored girl with long layered hair pulled up in a Toyota and honked the horn. “Mimi, get in!” she yelled.
    Halleigh anxiously waited near the curb while Mimi strolled over to the car. “Come on, Hal,” Mimi called.
    Instantly Halleigh picked up on the fact that Mimi had already used her nickname, as if they were friends. As if she’d known her forever. A sense of security swept over Halleigh, like everything would be okay. She began taking steps toward the car.
    â€œMimi, get your ass in the car!” the girl shouted from inside the car just as she noticed Halleigh making her way over to the car too. “And where the fuck she think she going?”
    Halleigh stopped in her tracks as she looked helplessly at Mimi.
    â€œTasha, chill! She needs our help. She needs to meet Daddy.” Mimi spoke through clenched teeth.
    Tasha peered out at the girl who was standing beside her car. It was obvious that the girl had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was shivering, and her arms were wrapped around herself as if she were afraid. “Tell her to get in,” Tasha said with an attitude. Heaving a sigh of resignation, she put the car in drive.
    â€œSee, I told you everything would be cool. Get in,” Mimi said to Halleigh as she opened the back door for her.
    Halleigh got into the car and rode silently as she watched the city streets pass her by. She could feel Tasha’s eyes on her as she glared at her from the rearview mirror. She kept feeling her stare and started feeling uncomfortable in the confinement of the car.
    â€œYou know Manolo about to trip on you, right?” Tasha asked as they pulled into the driveway of a ranch-style home on the city’s South Side.
    â€œHe’ll be cool once he sees what I got for him.” Mimi shuffled dollars together from inside her purse.
    The three girls exited the car and entered the house. There were several girls scattered throughout the house. Some were lounging in the large living room, others were getting dressed and rushing about as they prepared to leave, still others walked freely throughout the house wearing nothing but their underclothes. Most of them had high-perched breasts, smooth thighs without cellulite, and round cantaloupe-shaped hips. There appeared to be about five women in all.
    â€œThis your daddy’s crib?” Halleigh asked, scanning the large rooms with wonder.
    â€œYeah, he probably in the back,” Mimi replied.
    Halleigh noticed Tasha roll her eyes as she followed them down a long hallway in the five-bedroom house. They entered the room, and Halleigh saw a tall, well-built man sitting in a recliner in the corner of the room and puffing on a blunt. The first thing that she noticed was his long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
    â€œHow did you get locked up?” was his first question as he stared directly at Mimi.
    â€œIt was all a misunderstanding, Daddy. I promise it will never happen again,” Mimi replied. She didn’t give him a chance to respond. She just rambled right into her next sentence. “This is my friend, Halleigh. I met her outside of the jail when I was waiting on slow-ass Tasha to come pick me up.” Mimi stroked a piece of Halleigh’s hair and then pushed it behind her ear.