They moved past the freshly painted white wooden gate, up a short flight of stairs to the porch. As Kat fiddled through her key ring to unlock the door, Tonya scanned the neighborhood. There was a notable absence of drug dealers on the street. She had grown accustomed to them being a permanent part of the landscape, at least in her own neighborhood. This alone let her know that she was now in an upscale neighborhood.

Kate unlocked the door and they both stepped through the threshold. “Listen,” Kat said. She stopped in the hallway. “I don’t allow no shoes or sneakers on in my house beyond this point. I got wall-to-wall carpeting. Na’mean?”

“I understand,” Tonya replied and slipped off her shoes.

“Thanks,” Kat said. “Gotta keep my shit intact. Niggas will fuck ya shit up!”

Carpet was like a foreign substance to Tonya. At home all they ever walked on was bathroom tile and wooden floorboards. She enjoyed the cozy feel of it against the soles of her feet. Her toes sunk into it as she followed Kat down the hall.

Before either of them could get any further, they heard “Mommy!”

“Hey, li’l man!” Kat greeted her son Eric with open arms.

They embraced, kissing each other numerous times.

Tonya could see the love and affection that these two shared. The little boy looked well taken care of. He was dressed in blue Sean John jeans with a matching shirt and dark blue Timberland field boots. Everything he had on was new.

The boy’s father was incarcerated in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary and, by giving him everything, Kat was trying to make up for the absence. Eric Sr., had participated in a botched bank robbery that left two armed guards dead. He received a sentence of forever and a day. She exchanged time for money and divided her maternal duties between her mother, an ex-stripper, and her older sister, Jackie, also an ex-stripper, who was now married and a born-again Christian.

“Aiight, li’l man, it’s time to get down. You gettin’ heavy now,” she told him. “Pretty soon you gonna be carrying me.”

Her son smiled and wiggled out of her arms and onto the floor.

“Katrina? Is that you?” Jackie called out from the living room.

“Who da hell else could it be?” Kat answered with an attitude. If it was one thing she hated more than stupid people, it was stupid questions.

“Well, why you gotta curse? Especially on the Lord’s day. Show some respect,” she said.

“Look, dis is my house! I cursed ’cause I felt like it,” Kat exclaimed.

As they entered the living room, Jackie exclaimed, “Anyway, it’s about time you came home. You only a day late, what happened to Saturday?”

Tonya looked around at the living room furnishings in amazement. Big screen TV, massive stereo with surround sound, beige Italian leather living room set, mirrored wall, and a bearskin rug.