“Now don’t be throwin’ ya new stuff in da washer machine!” Goldie said jokingly. “This ain’t that hood wear. These fabrics iz delicate. So handle with care. Send them to the cleaners …”

“Stop playin’!” Tender countered, while chewing on a piece of steak. “I’ma take care of my things. Trust me, when you neva had nuttin’, you treasure everything …”

“Clothes ain’t nuttin’. You can get whateva you want if you focus. You just gotta be willin’ ta do whateva. Know no limits.”

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER
7

GLORIA,” her mother whispered gently, as she lovingly brushed her hair in preparation for school. “I have something for you.”

“What, Ma?”

“Just close your eyes and I’ll give it to you.” Ms. Cruz reached into the pocket of her housedress.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

Ms. Cruz removed a 24K gold, herringbone chain with a matching crucifix. “Oh, Mama, thank you! It’s beautiful. This is a gift for doing well in school?”

“Give it to me. Let me put it around your neck,” her mother said. She fastened the clasp. “Mama, I love it. I’m never gonna take it off. Not even when I’m married …”

“Gloria, one day you are going to make some man very happy,” her mother promised. “You’ll be a gorgeous bride. Watch! … Just always remember what I tell you. Books …”

“… No boys!” Gloria said, finishing her mother’s sentence. She heard it all before, at least a million times. So much so, she was sick of it. She knew her mother was only trying to protect her and guide her right.

But young Gloria also knew that something else motivated her overprotective thing. Her mother had a thing against boys. She never had anything good to say about them. But how bad could men be? she often thought. After all, she wouldn’t be here in this world without one.

Goldie often dreamed about this and other happier times in her life. This was her way to escape the present reality. Her mind trips, more often than not, also often took a turn for the worse. They took her back to the bad moments as well, bringing back the pain and tears.

She tossed and turned on her bed.

“… No, Mami! No!” She threw her hands up to block an imaginary blow.

The room was moonlit enough that Tender could see the commotion from a few feet away. These screaming episodes and bad dreams she’d seen before. It had been occasional but they were becoming more and more frequent. Gloria was waking up from nightmares so often these days that it was beginning to affect Tender’s own sleeping pattern. Kat was a heavy sleeper, though, and on top of that she slept way down the hall. So she missed the drama.