Free Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven by LaDonna Robinson Page B

cold. You just gon' laugh in a brother's face like that?”
    "So, now that you've met the whole clan, are you ready to jump on the first available flight?"
    “It ain't as bad as you think it is. They all love you. That's for sure."
    "Big Mama does, and I know Uncle Meestake does. I can't speak for Niecy or Mama."
    "I think your mother reacted the way any mother would if she heard her daughter was living with a man. Don't you?"
    "I guess. I don't really care what she thinks."
    "Hey Bari, what's going on?" Niecy asked, coming out on the porch and standing next to Seven.
    "Nothing, Niecy," I smiled. "What's up with you?"
    "I've missed you so much, Bari," she lied.
    "Why didn't you come to Daddy's funeral?" I asked.
    "Mama was sick." She was lying.
    "Where's her husband?"
    "She ain't with him no more. It's just me and her."
    "You still live with Mama?" I asked. She nodded. "How is she?"
    "She's fine," she said quickly. I knew she was lying. "She really is."
    "Niecy, Macy and I really missed you when you left. Daddy did, too."
    "I'm going in, Bari. I'll see you when you come in," Seven said.
    "I missed y’all, too, but Mama needed me. She was on drugs, Bari," she whispered. I stared at her in disbelief. "It's the truth. Her husband didn't even know. That's why he left her, but hell, he was an alcoholic. It was a mess," she said with tears in her eyes. "I hated it, Bari. It was just like you and Macy said it would be. I was working two jobs when I was sixteen years old. I didn't finish school. Bari, Mama didn't tell me that Macy and Daddy both died. A girl I work with is from L.A., and she reads the L.A. Times every day. She was reading the paper on her break and commented on how messed up it was that this man and his daughter had been killed in a car accident. She was getting ready to throw the paper away, and I told her I wanted to see the want ads first. It was there on the second page. I went home and told Mama, but she already knew. Big Mama had called her and told her."
    "Big Mama told me that she didn't know where Mama was all those years."
    "She really didn't at first. Then Uncle Meestake saw Mama, and they talked. She gave him her phone number, and he gave it to Big Mama when Daddy and Macy died. Mama and I just started back talking. I was so mad at her."
    "Why didn't you ever call us?"
    "I did. I called a few times, but some lady named Trish, that I later found out was Daddy's new wife, told me you didn't want to talk to me," she said sadly.
    I moved to the top step of the porch and motioned for Niecy to follow suit.
    "Niecy, there was never a time when I didn't want to talk to you. I missed you so much when you left. I waited every day for you to call, or to write, something, and it seemed like you forgot about us. Trish is evil."
    "I know she is. I had to check the bitch a couple of times."
    "I went through hell with her. She's angry about Daddy's money."
    "What do you mean?"
    "Daddy left me all his money, Niecy, and she's mad about it."
    "That's messed up, Bari. He was your father. What did she expect?"
    "I don't know."
    "So how long have you been living with Seven?" She asked.
    "One day."
    "Huh?"
    I nodded.
    "It's a long, long story, Niecy. He's the only person that's even tried to help me, really.
    Everybody else has motives. I don't trust anyone."
    "Well, you must trust him. You brought him to meet Big Mama."
    "He wouldn't take no for an answer," I laughed. "Big Mama invited him, and after that, he didn't care if I didn't want him here or not."
    "Put this on, Bari," Seven said.
    He came out, handed me his big light blue hooded leather jacket and went back inside.
    "Bitch! I mean, girl, that's Gucci!" Niecy exclaimed.
    "So."
    "What do you mean 'so’?"
    "I don't care about that, Niecy."
    "You are straight trippin', Bari."
    "Clothes are clothes." I said.
    "He likes you a lot."
    "No, he doesn’t," I said defensively. "He feels sorry for me."
    "Whatever," she responded, with a wave of her hand. "Hey. I'm sorry for not