home."
Tierra stood in the hallway holding her bag
as she watched her mother disappear into the
kitchen. She didn't know whether to be thankful
by her mother's words, or scream out that this isn't
the home or the life she envisioned for herself. And
she never understood why her mother settled for
this life either.
Growing up, Tierra always thought her mother
was the embodiment of beauty. She had inherited
her rich chocolate skin and the curves of a stallion.
Tierra remembered men constantly coming at her
mother hard, promising her everything, from fur
coats to diamond rings, but she turned her nose on
every last one of them. Her heart belonged to one
man, and always would until the day she died.
Tierra never forgot the knock at the door that
changed her life and that of her mothers' forever:
"Tierra, what dress do you think mommy
should wear tonight? This silver one or this red
one?" she asked, holding them both up for her
daughter to see.
"Ummm, I think you should wear the red
one. Daddy loves you in red."
"And how you know that?"
"Because I was with him when he picked out
this dress for you. The only reason he bought you the silver one too was because he knows it's your
favorite color, but he told me he hoped you would
wear the red one, because that color made your
pretty black skin shine even more."
"That's what your Daddy told you?" Tierra's
mother smiled, thinking how lucky she was to have
such a wonderful man in her life.
"Yes he did. He told me not to say nothing,
but since you asked me, I had to tell you the truth,"
Tierra shrugged.
"That's right, and I'm glad you did. It's been
decided. I'll be wearing this red number tonight.
Your Daddy ain't gonna be able to keep his hands
off of me. Maybe we'll make you a little brother or
sister tonight."
"Yeah, I want a little sister, so I can boss her
around and tell her what to do."
"I bet you do, with your grown self."
"I can't believe today is you and Daddy's one
year anniversary."
"Neither can I. It seems like yesterday you
were born, and now you're nine years old, we live
in this beautiful new house, and I'm married to
the man I've been in love with since I was in high
school. Life is good, baby!"
"It sure is, Mommy," Tierra grinned, wrapping
her arms around her mother's slender waist.
"Mommy, was that the doorbell?" Tierra asked, as
"The One I Gave My Heart" by Aaliyah dispensed from the radio.
"I don't know," she answered, turning the
music down. Then she too her the doorbell ring.
"Come on, let's go see who it is," she said, looking
down at the watch her husband had given her as
an early anniversary present. He told her it was
only the first of many.
"You think Daddy forgot his key?"
"No. When he called a little while ago, he said
he had one more stop to make, and he wouldn't be
here for another hour." But I wonder)Ao it is, she thought
as she looked out the peephole. "Oh, it's Calvin."
"Uncle Calvin, what are you doing here? Did
you bring me a present?" Tierra cheesed up, giving
her father's best friend a hug.
"How is the prettiest little girl in all of New
York? I don't have a present, but I did bring you
something," he said, pulling out a hundred dollar bill
and placing it in the palm of Tierra's hand. To Tierra,
this was normal. All she knew was the good life.
"Calvin, I'm sorry, but Terrance isn't here. He
should be home in about an hour. But then, we're
heading out. Since you were his best man, you know
it's our anniversary. He has some over-the-top night
planned for us, as only Terrance can pull off. But
you're welcome to come inside and wait for him."
Calvin stepped inside the spacious house
and looked around. Every piece of furniture, wall
decor to a simple light fixture, had Terrance's flamboyant touch to it. There was nothing simple
about the man. He hustled hard in the streets, and
lived life and spent money as if tomorrow wasn't
promised, because he knew it wasn't, being
Tierra stood in the hallway holding her bag
as she watched her mother disappear into the
kitchen. She didn't know whether to be thankful
by her mother's words, or scream out that this isn't
the home or the life she envisioned for herself. And
she never understood why her mother settled for
this life either.
Growing up, Tierra always thought her mother
was the embodiment of beauty. She had inherited
her rich chocolate skin and the curves of a stallion.
Tierra remembered men constantly coming at her
mother hard, promising her everything, from fur
coats to diamond rings, but she turned her nose on
every last one of them. Her heart belonged to one
man, and always would until the day she died.
Tierra never forgot the knock at the door that
changed her life and that of her mothers' forever:
"Tierra, what dress do you think mommy
should wear tonight? This silver one or this red
one?" she asked, holding them both up for her
daughter to see.
"Ummm, I think you should wear the red
one. Daddy loves you in red."
"And how you know that?"
"Because I was with him when he picked out
this dress for you. The only reason he bought you the silver one too was because he knows it's your
favorite color, but he told me he hoped you would
wear the red one, because that color made your
pretty black skin shine even more."
"That's what your Daddy told you?" Tierra's
mother smiled, thinking how lucky she was to have
such a wonderful man in her life.
"Yes he did. He told me not to say nothing,
but since you asked me, I had to tell you the truth,"
Tierra shrugged.
"That's right, and I'm glad you did. It's been
decided. I'll be wearing this red number tonight.
Your Daddy ain't gonna be able to keep his hands
off of me. Maybe we'll make you a little brother or
sister tonight."
"Yeah, I want a little sister, so I can boss her
around and tell her what to do."
"I bet you do, with your grown self."
"I can't believe today is you and Daddy's one
year anniversary."
"Neither can I. It seems like yesterday you
were born, and now you're nine years old, we live
in this beautiful new house, and I'm married to
the man I've been in love with since I was in high
school. Life is good, baby!"
"It sure is, Mommy," Tierra grinned, wrapping
her arms around her mother's slender waist.
"Mommy, was that the doorbell?" Tierra asked, as
"The One I Gave My Heart" by Aaliyah dispensed from the radio.
"I don't know," she answered, turning the
music down. Then she too her the doorbell ring.
"Come on, let's go see who it is," she said, looking
down at the watch her husband had given her as
an early anniversary present. He told her it was
only the first of many.
"You think Daddy forgot his key?"
"No. When he called a little while ago, he said
he had one more stop to make, and he wouldn't be
here for another hour." But I wonder)Ao it is, she thought
as she looked out the peephole. "Oh, it's Calvin."
"Uncle Calvin, what are you doing here? Did
you bring me a present?" Tierra cheesed up, giving
her father's best friend a hug.
"How is the prettiest little girl in all of New
York? I don't have a present, but I did bring you
something," he said, pulling out a hundred dollar bill
and placing it in the palm of Tierra's hand. To Tierra,
this was normal. All she knew was the good life.
"Calvin, I'm sorry, but Terrance isn't here. He
should be home in about an hour. But then, we're
heading out. Since you were his best man, you know
it's our anniversary. He has some over-the-top night
planned for us, as only Terrance can pull off. But
you're welcome to come inside and wait for him."
Calvin stepped inside the spacious house
and looked around. Every piece of furniture, wall
decor to a simple light fixture, had Terrance's flamboyant touch to it. There was nothing simple
about the man. He hustled hard in the streets, and
lived life and spent money as if tomorrow wasn't
promised, because he knew it wasn't, being
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