FIFTEEN
It was much later when Coco reached her block. She immediately spotted her mother parlaying with street hustlers of the hood. The crowd was about a stone’s throw away from the corner store. It was the crack spot. Rightchus was in the center of the mix. Coco boldly walked over to the abandoned building where they were scrambling and yanked on her mother’s arm.
“What da hell…” Rachel Harvey spun around still furiously sucking on the glass stem. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The veins in her face protruded as if someone had a vice grip on her neck, choking her, cutting her circulation. Her eyes rolled back in her head when she realized it was her daughter. Coco smacked the pipe from her mother’s ashy lips and hauled her away from the group.
She led her mother across the street and away from the disciples of crack. They entered the building and got on the elevator.
“Ya gotta enjoy life before you go six foot under. Life’s short ‘fore you know it, you da next one dead,” Rachel Harvey drawled.
Coco looked at her mother’s face, which was completely powdered from by her high. They got off the elevator and Coco half carried, her half dragged her, through the door and into the apartment.
“Mom, is it fear that makes you go get high?”
“Coco,” she slurred. “I don’t get high, girl. That’s your thing.”
“So what d’ya call what you were doin’ just now?”
“I was only buggin’ with Rightchus an’ them. They the ones gettin’ all high an shit. They droppin’ purple pills, blue ones and all kind a shit…”
“And poor ol’ you weren’t doin’ anything right, ma?”
“I wuz lookin’ out, you know Rightchus, he big timin’ an’ such. He got a lot of connections and his connections gave him much, much crack… real good stock too…”
“Ma, I’m warning you, you better stay away from that damn crack head cuz he’s gonna take all your money.”
Her mother chuckled.
“Yes, house warden. I’m alright. No need for you to get yourself all excited…” Rachel offered and closed her eyes. Coco sat next to her and clicked on the television. Rachel Harvey watched and laughed for a moment. Before long, her mother was snoring. Later Coco heard her mother rise and in zombie-like fashion roamed the apartment, going from room to room. Coco kept a keen eye as her mother drank glass after glass of water. Mrs. Harvey’s journey ended in the bathroom.
“Ma, you okay in there, yo?”
“Coco what did I tell you about using ‘yo’- when you conversatin’ wit me? Ain’t you supposed to be asleep already? It’s way pass your bedtime.”
“I’m staying up to keep you company.”
“Don’t do me any favors. Now take your ass to sleep. You know you gotta go to school early in the morning.”