“Chica, have you lost your mind? The rose bedroom is the second best bedroom in the house.” She grabbed my hand.
“It is not wise to upset Gabriel like this.” I turned around opening the front door ignoring her. I was sick and tired of her being so worried about upsetting Gabriel. I swear if she said that one more time I was going to scream.
With a little pushing, shoving and begging, I finally got her in the truck. Once I told Jerome where we were going and what had happened. He told us not to worry about anything, and that he would have the car out of the pound without a problem.
However, when we got there the car would not start. So, we ended up grabbing a few of her things. Jerome assured us that he would have the car towed to his mechanic.
“Where can I take you ma'am?” He asked when he got in the car from talking to one of the officers who turned out to be a good friend of his.
“The nearest ho--” Gabrielle began.
“You can take us back home Jerome. Gabrielle is going to be staying with us for a while.” His eyes connected with mine in the rearview mirror.
“Are you sure miss?”
I smiled at him. “Yes, I am.” Thankfully he didn't say another word.
“I'm telling you Yasmin, Gab--” I put my hand on her arm stopping her.
“Let me handle Gabriel.” She looked at me, letting her eyes travel down my five-foot five frame. Then she once again began speaking in Spanish.
I smiled. “Everything is going to be alright!” I told her. However, twenty minutes later I wasn't so sure.
When we walked in the door, Gabe dressed in some black designer jogging pants, a white tank top and a pair of black and white Jordan’s, came flying down the stairs. Kenny, Mercedes and another man I didn't recognize came trailing behind him. Mac rushed from the door that led from the basement.
“Gabe calm down!” He yelled, running toward his friend. But Gabe wasn't paying attention to nobody but Gabrielle.
“Hell no! Get your sh*t, you know damn well you can't stay here!”
“Wait, Gabriel!” I said stepping in front of him, putting my hand on his chest, trying to use all my strength to stop him. But I don't even know why I bothered, he was too damn strong. His strides didn't even change. He reached down to pick up the bag that Jerome had just put down and threw it out the door.
“Take this sh*t and bounce!”
Gabrielle started crying as she began to gather her bags. I felt that rage that I had awaken with, bubble up to the surface. I didn't care how big he was, or how strong. He was just a damn bully—period.
“Gabe, she don't have nowhere to go!” I yelled up at him. He looked at me as if I was an insignificant ant.
“So!” He went to reach for another bag. And I don't know what happened, but I just lost it. I shoved his hand off the bag. He looked up at me surprised. The big bully probably ain't never had anyone stand up to him.
“What do you mean so, it's your mother and she needs your help. You... you…!” I searched for the right words. I wasn't big on cursing, none of the people that raised me used foul language. But I had been in New York long enough to have picked up on some things. Plus, I watched my fair share of TV, so bring it on!
“You big… a$$ clown!” I yelled.
He blinked down at me, probably just as surprised as I was that I was cursing. Eww, man it felt good! But his surprise quickly faded and his anger was back in place.
“Frankly, I don't give a fu…” I put my hand over his lips. Then I pointed at him with the other.
“Now you listen to me! I have had enough of your disrespect toward your mother!” He moved my hand.
“And I've had enough of you butting your nose in situations you don't know sh*t about!”
“I don't need to know about what's going on to know that you dead wrong!” His frown grew. Then he turned to face me full on, trying to bully me with his big size. I put my hand on my hips standing my ground. I’ll be damned if I let this heathen continue to push me around.
“That just shows how foolish you are to make a judgment before you know what the hell is going on!”
“And that just shows how stupid you are, because you don't even know on what ground I made my judgment!” As I spoke my head moved in a way that use to drive my pa-pa crazy. He would say, there she go rolling that neck just like her mama. Gabriel folded his arms across his meaty chest, causing his muscles to bulge out.
“You ain't got no ground to stand on. Once again, let me remind you that you don't know what you’re talking about!”
“I'm standing on the ground that one of the Ten Commandments say for you to honor thy mother and thy father so that your days can be longer on the earth. But you so damn disrespectful that the ground liable to open up and swallow us all for being foolish enough to be standing here with you.”
“Hmm… she makes a valid point!” Kenny muttered before he took a few steps away from Gabriel.
“Mac step back man, don't try to be a hero!”
I was so mad, I know I wasn't making much sense but I didn't care.
“Yeah, well, pray for me because she can't stay here!” Gabe went to reach down for her bag.
“I said she can!” I told him standing my ground. He laughed.
“This ain't yo house!” I had been waiting on that sucka to say that! He knew it too, he wanted
