When Roddy got arrested, I was almost nine months pregnant. I met Kevin months later. He was at the flea market selling mixtapes and dope. I was pushing Carlito in his stroller, checking out the vendors, dressed like a tomboy.

“That’s a cute lil’ man you’ve got,” Kevin called out from his booth. “Ma, come here; check out my tapes.” He was being a salesman.

I know I was looking down in the face. That was where I was at that time. Depressed. Depressed about my state of affairs. Roddy. My mother who was my best friend. It was all wearing me down. Kevin picked up right away, and I appreciated that. I looked down at Carlito’s fat cheeks and headful of curly, black hair. He was a beautiful baby. Kevin made me feel grateful. For the first time in a long time, I smiled. “Thank you,” I said, and I went over to his table.

“Is he your first?” Kevin was just trying to make conversation.

“Yes.” Suddenly Carlito began spitting up, and I hurried to get him out the stroller, so he wouldn’t choke. He suffered from GERD; he would throw-up all of the time.

Before I could get the baby out the stroller, Kevin had rushed from behind his booth, took him from me, and was gently patting his back until he cleared his air passages. Kevin walked him back and forth until he dozed back off to sleep.

“You’re a professional. How many do you have?”

He laughed. “Nada.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Seriously. I can’t help it if I’m a natural when it comes to the babies. My sister has an army.”

“If you’re such a natural, why don’t you have one?”

“Not the right time. I got moves to make.”

Those were the magic words. Moves to make. I ended up staying at his booth until he closed up shop. That evening, Kevin took me to Cold Stone for some ice cream; we clicked and kept in touch. We ended up becoming homies. He was doing his thing, and I was trying to make moves. From that day forward, we teamed up and had been rolling as thick as thieves ever since.

That’s my history with Kevin. We vowed to keep our relationship strictly business. And so far, it had been working. Hooking up with Kevin was the best thing that could have happened to me. He was loyal, trustworthy, and had a wealth of information. Yes! His family, his sister’s husband, and friends used to be big in the game, but according to him they quit to go legit, but I didn’t believe him until the baby shower. The energy, their swag; I wanted that. And I wanted more.

Chapter Twenty

KYRA