I was there for my girl.

Men were assholes.

“Chandra, why are you not in my wedding?”

“I can’t, Francine. Girl, I love you, but I can’t bring a storm cloud over your big day.”

I narrowed my eyes, wrinkles forming on my forehead.

“What storm cloud? You can tell me
anything.”

“No, I can’t. Some things are better left unsaid.”

“You’re not making any sense. Mama says you’re pregnant. You’re carrying that asshole’s baby?”

“Yes. He’s an asshole. That much I will admit. But I got to go.”

“Please come be my Matron of Honor. You’re my air. I love you like a sister…”

“I can’t.”

I was unnerved. She had never turned me down. Never. Whether we fought hoes over our men, fought bitches for jacking our dance moves, our hair styles or came down from Carol and
Liberty City to Goulds trying to run shit, we stuck together.

We dressed in the same clothes, rocked the same earrings and hair styles. We had ‘em all, from the Salt-N-Peppa look to the Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes” and Jill Scott “A Long Walk” looks.

We rocked the Era like fine wine. And now she turned me down?

Something wasn’t right in the milk I was about to drink, for real. “Why?”

“Because your Mama called me and said if I showed my haggard face at your house she’d have me thrown out.”

Chandra had huge tears falling down her face, the drugs tearing through her body, passing through her heart via the blood stream. Needles were
everywhere.

Her house used to a home, place of
refuge, her port from the storm and now it was a shell.

Her family detested her now. No one
wanted to deal with a drug addict. Her use of drugs sent the town on a tizzy. No one could believe one of the most beautiful women in Dade County was now a dope head.

She had no respect for herself. She dressed like she had no sense.

The question was: How did it happen?

Leaving me devastated and confused, Chandra clicked in my face. The phone went dead.

In my hands. With my heart.

Why would Mama threaten my girl? What was going on? Something wasn’t adding up. I didn’t like the feeling in my guy, made my stomach turn.

I could hear it bubbling, as my legs and arms started to get weaker…weaker. I had to sit down. But I didn’t. Everything always came back around to this heartless bitch!

Yea I called my Mama a bitch! She was one and she was acting like one.

Angry and infuriated, I intended to find out. Before the ceremony.

This bitch was just determined to ruin my big day…

The door opened and Prado, Samuel’s brother and best man came waltzing in the room.

He closed and locked the door...