From Ratchet to Riches Read online

  “I don’t know if I should hug you or slap you.” Mecca smiled before walking over and helping Danielle back in the bed.

  “Well, don’t slap me. I been through enough.” Dani joked, but there was nothing but truth behind her words.

  “How you feeling?” Mecca lovingly asked, pulling the chair from the corner closer to the bed.

  She watched as Danielle sighed deeply, staring at the ceiling as if she was trying to find the right words to say.

  “I’m good, I guess.” She finally replied.

  Feeling like she beat around the bush enough, Mecca got down to business.

  “Why Danielle? Why did you do that to yourself? I know our life is hard but damn Dani.”

  Mecca felt herself about to cry but held it back the best she could. She needed to be strong, not only for herself but for her sister too.

  “Mecca, it’s so much going on that you don’t know about.” Danielle replied, lowering her head.

  “Tell me. Tell me. Please. That’s why I’m here. We best friends.” Mecca sympathized, truly wanting to know what was eating away at her sister.

  Just as Danielle was fixing her mouth to reply, there was a knock at the door and in walked an older nurse.

  “You must be big sister Mecca. I’m Nurse Peaches. You see our girl doing better.” She stated, walking in and pulling the curtains back, allowing sunshine in the dim room.

  “Yeah, she’s a G.” Mecca laughed, glancing over at Danielle who starred off into space.

  “Well, we both are happy you are here, but I’m goin’ to have to ask you to give us some time alone, so I can go over a few test results with our strong patient here.” Nurse Peaches explained.

  “No problem. HIPPA, I get it……I’ll be in the hall.” Mecca stood to her feet and replied.

  “NO! It’s ok. My sister can stay.” Dani quickly objected, grabbing Mecca by the arm.

  Both Nurse Peaches and Mecca looked at each other briefly before Mecca sat back down. Nurse Peaches removed her reading glasses from the top of her head and placed them on her face.

  “Well, if you suggest…” She paused before continuing.

  “All your lab results came back good. You got some fight in you.” She smiled before taking a deep breath.

  “Another result came back positive and that was a pregnancy test.”

  The entire room fell silent. Mecca, Danielle, and Nurse Peaches simply stared at each other with blank looks on their faces.

  “Wait. Wait. Wait. That’s impossible. Danielle is a virgin….. right Dani?” Mecca turned to her sister and asked with tears in her eyes.

  “Listen, I’ll give you two some time to talk. I’ll be out here if you need me.” Nurse Peaches said, dismissing herself, leaving the sisters alone with their thoughts.

  Once the doors closed, Mecca began drilling Danielle with question after question.

  “Dani, what she is talking about?”

  “How are you pregnant? There has to be a mistake.”

  Mecca allowed Danielle time to answer, but instead, she broke down crying.

  “I know it’s a mistake. Where that damn nurse go?” Mecca asked, standing to her feet again, ready to charge out the room.

  “IT’S NOT A MISTAKE MECCA!” Danielle yelled, causing Mecca to freeze in her tracks.

  “WHAT THE FUCK IS YOU SAYING DANIELLE? YOU TRYING TO END UP LIKE YO MOMMA? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? I THOUGHT YOU WERE A VIRGIN!!”

  “It’s a long story…..” Dani sighed followed by a slight roll of the eyes.

  “Well give me the short version cuz this some bullshit.” Mecca hissed.

  Taking a deep breath, Danielle sat up in the bed and turned to her sister.

  “I had sex one time with Brandon.” Danielle lied.

  “BRANDON? BRANDON OFF DOUGLAS? I know you fucking lying.” Mecca cursed.

  “I wish I was. Look Mecca, it happened one time and…..”

  “And why the fuck didn’t you tell me? Is this why you tried to kill yourself?” she questioned.

  “Yes it is and I’m sorry Mecca, but I don’t know what I’m going to do…..”

  “What you going to do? Like, what choices do you really have? Look at the situation we in now. Dani, what the fuck we gon’ do with a baby?”

  Mecca could literally feel her blood boiling. She couldn’t believe the stupid ass decision her little sister made. A part of her feelings was hurt because she thought they were closer than that. She knew when the time came for her to lose her virginity, Danielle would have been the first person to find out. She now was wondering why that wasn’t the case with her.

  “Look, I’m going to holler at Brandon. He needs to be held liable just like you.” Mecca stood to her feet a third time.

  “MECCA NO! I haven’t told him yet.” Danielle replied as another set of tears fell from her eyes.

  “Well that motherfucker gon’ know before the day over….” Mecca mumbled, storming out of the hospital room on a mission.

  8

  It had been two days since Danielle was released from the hospital. Usually people would be ecstatic about going home, but it was the total opposite for Dani. Her life there was horrific before finding out she was pregnant, so she could only imagine how things were going to be now. Mecca never uttered a word to Melissa about their discovery, and Danielle would be forever grateful for that. It still didn’t take away the fact that she was dealing with some real shit, but like Madea use to say, “one thing at a time.”

  “You want me to go get you a cup of water or sum?” Yana looked up from the Barbie dolls she was sitting on the floor playing with and asked.

  Danielle smiled at her little sister before shaking her head no. Yana called herself helping out as much as she could. She was too young to understand suicide, so they just told her that Dani got extremely sick, hence the reason she was playing nurse.

  Since being back home, neither Melissa nor Dame said anything to Danielle, which was perfectly fine with her. Even Kay’s mom stopped by to check on her; something her own mother didn’t even bother to do. Melissa’s actions hurt Dani, but her actions were nothing new. As long as Danielle had Mecca in her corner and Yana and Coby were straight, she was able to handle anything that came her way.

  “DANIELLE NICOLE YOUNG! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!” Mecca busted in the room and yelled, causing everyone to jump.

  Once her heartbeat slowed down, she hesitantly rose to her feet before slipping on a pair of dingy white flip flops from Old Navy.

  “What? Why you comin’ in here hollering and shit?” Danielle finally asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

  Instead of replying, Mecca turned around and walked out of the room. Danielle slowly followed her to the porch but instantly regretted doing so when she got out there.

  “Wad up Danielle?” Brandon spoke as he climbed the rest of the porch steps.

  Brandon stood in front of her wearing a crispy white wife beater and a pair of Nike basketball shorts. Danielle glanced down at his feet where there sat a fresh white pair of low top Air Force Ones. Dani always thought B was fine but something about him with his fresh cut made him finer at that very moment.

  “Wha—What’s up?” She stuttered, looking down, fidgeting with her fingers.

  “I went and hollered at B about you and he seemed not to have a clue what you are talking about?” Mecca folded her arms across her chest before shifting her weight to one side.

  “Yeah man, yo sister come on my block on some tough shit, hollering about me getting you pregnant.” Brandon recanted, giving Mecca a dirty look before focusing his attention back on Danielle.

  “I-I -I…”

  Danielle froze. She knew the moment Mecca left out that hospital room she was going to talk to Brandon. She just never got to actually prepare for the moment that she would be caught in her lie.

  “Look, I fucks with you and all Dani, but you know damn well I ain’t piped you.” Brandon jumped in and stated.

  “So, who lying?” Mecca questioned, p
ointing her finger back and forth between the two.

  Danielle thought now would be the perfect time to come clean, but she was too embarrassed. Niggas usually lied on their dick, not the other way around. Yet, here she was, pinning a child on a man that never touched her.

  Danielle felt her eyes begin to water. She knew she was on the verge of a breakdown but now was not the place or time.

  “Look, Imma let y’all handle this. I’m out.”

  Brandon dismissed himself, leaving the sisters staring at his back as he hopped in the car.

  “What the fuck Danielle? What’s going on with you?” Mecca spun around and asked her.

  Danielle stared into her sister’s eyes and noticed the tears building.

  “Listen. I’m good Mecca. I got this.” Dani replied, turning to walk away but Mecca tugged at her arm.

  “How can I help when you won’t talk to me?”

  For the first time in years, Danielle witnessed her sister’s hurt. Hurt until the point she was in tears. The last time Dani could remember Mecca crying was at the hospital when Madea died. Come to think about it, she didn’t even shed a tear at the funeral.

  “I don’t need any help.” Danielle finally replied after emerging from her thoughts.

  “Like hell you don’t…. We need to think of ways to come up with money for an abortion. In the meantime, I’ll look for a job, but I need for you to do the same.” Mecca spoke.

  “And what about Yana and Coby?” Danielle turned and looked at their front door briefly and then back at her sister.

  “We will have to work some things out but that’s the plan for now. You already six weeks, we don’t have long.”

  Mecca’s plan sounded good, but something was tugging at her heart about leaving Yana and Coby home with Melissa and Dame.

  “I don’t think it’s the best…..”

  Danielle stopped when she noticed Mecca was no longer standing on the side of her. Mecca was on the last step, prepared to take off down the street. Wanting to stop Mecca but not wanting her to address the lie with Brandon, Danielle remained quiet. Dani thought she was off the hook until she heard Mecca say: “What’s done in the dark gon’ always come to the light lil mama….. remember that.”

  Danielle smacked her lips and rolled her eyes before storming into the house. Mecca was like the mother she never wanted but the big sister she definitely needed.

  After tripping over a few toys upon entering, she bumped into Coby who was running towards her at top speed.

  “Dannnnnnniiiiiii…… Yana cursing and she won’t let me play with her doll car.” He cried, colliding against her knees.

  “Come on lil man.” She sighed, rubbing the top of his curly afro as they walked side by side into the bedroom.

  The door was slightly opened, and Danielle could see Yana playing with two dolls in the middle of the floor. Both dolls were undressed, one laying on top of the other. Yana acted like the dolls were fucking and it made Dani sick. Unable to stomach anymore, she barged in the room, ready for an explanation.

  “WHAT THE FUCK YOU DOING?” Dani yelled, walking over to her, snatching the dolls out of her hand, and throwing them both across the room.

  Danielle stared down at her younger sister who busted out in tears.

  “Oh my God Yana! I’m so sorry. Come here.”

  Danielle picked Yana up and carried her over to the air mattress. Taking a seat, she placed Yana in between her legs and stared into her innocent face. Wiping the tears from Yana’s eyes, Dani waited until she was calm before the interrogation process began.

  “I’m sorry for scaring you, but I seen what you were doing with your dolls, and I need to know where did you get that from?” She questioned her little sister calmly.

  Yana began to cry again; same as last time, Danielle comforted her until she stopped.

  “You can tell me. I promise I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. Please tell me Yana, please.”

  Danielle found herself pleading to Yana how Mecca was pleading to her just minutes ago on the porch. This had been the quickest them tables ever turned.

  “Did someone do that to you?” She continued, referring to the sexual act with the dolls.

  Yana slowly shook her head no before dropping her head low. Danielle lifted her little sister’s chin, looked her in the eyes and asked again.

  “Who showed you how to do that?” she grilled.

  “Dame….” Yana’s soft voice whispered.

  “DID THAT MOTHERFUCKER TOUCH YOU?” Danielle jumped to her feet and screamed, startling Yana and Coby this time.

  “NO!” Yana screamed out.

  Danielle stopped what she was doing and counted to ten in her head. She had never been so mad in her life. It was one thing to fuck with her, but Yana was a baby, an innocent baby.

  “Yana, tell me what happened.”

  Dani took a seat back on the mattress, pulled Yana close to her, and tried it again.

  “Dame said he would play house with me. He said he was gon’ show me how to play with my dolls first and then next me and him will be the dolls.”

  “Did he touch you?” Danielle asked slowly.

  “Touch me, huh? How?” A confused Yana looked at her sister and asked.

  “Your poo-poo. Did Dame touch your poo-poo?”

  “Ugh NO Dani!” Yana answered, relieving Danielle for a brief moment.

  “Listen to me. Never, ever allow anybody to touch you down there. OK. I don’t care who it is. Do you understand me?

  Yana shook her head up and down. Danielle pulled her into a tight hug and silently said a prayer. Dame had her fucked up if he thought he was going to rob Yana of her innocence like he had done her. She made a vow that day to never ever allow anyone to harm her siblings.

  9

  Life was coming at Mecca in full force. She was eighteen and supposed to be getting ready to venture off to college; but instead, she was trying to come up with abortion money. She called around to a few places with the help of Kay and got some prices. Luckily for Danielle, she was still under Melissa’s public aid and received a Medicaid card; with that, the prices were nearly cut in half, but it was still nothing they could afford.

  “You can’t think of not one person to borrow that money from?” Kay asked from her seat on the porch.

  “Not one person. The cheapest I heard was two-hundred and fifty dollars but ain’t no way in hell I could borrow that from someone.” Mecca explained.

  “I can’t believe Danielle.” Kay said, shaking her head in disgust.

  “Me either… but what I can’t believe even more is that she’s lying to me about who she’s pregnant by.”

  “Maybe she’s scared Mecca.” Kay stated, now sounding as if she sympathized with Dani.”

  “Scared my ass. We been through so much shit in life and….”

  “And everybody not built like you Mecca. I keep telling you that.” Kay said, cutting her off in mid-sentence.

  Mecca sat quiet and allowed her best friend’s words to marinate. She didn’t look at herself as being different from others. She was a bitch who grew up in the hood and wanted to get out. To her, they all had the same story.

  “Maybe I can get a job. Use my first check to get the abortion.” She thought aloud.

  “Yeah but with most jobs, you don’t get a check until two to three weeks. By that time, Danielle will be too far along.”

  Kay was right; getting a job and going through the rigorous hiring process, that shit could take forever, and the last thing Mecca had was time.

  “Is having a baby the WORST possible thing?” Kay asked, causing Mecca’s head to snap in her direction.

  “BITCH HELL YEAH IT IS!”

  Hearing Kay chuckle at her reaction caused her to laugh a little, but she was dead serious. Having a baby was not an option; therefore, speaking on the possibility was pointless.

  “Look, maybe y’all can….”

  Mecca waited on Kay to complete her sentence, but instead, she just smiled. Follo
wing her eyes, she noticed Kay looking at Jay who had just pulled up and parked.

  “I ain’t know he was coming over here.” Mecca stated.

  “Me either but how I look?”

  Kay began to fix her already perfect outfit before pulling out her phone and using it as a mirror.

  “You look fine girl.” Mecca chuckled, playfully rolling her eyes.

  When they were in school, Kay would go the extra mile just so Jay would notice her more than he already did. She didn’t understand her friend nor did she understand why she allowed niggas to drive her crazy, but that was Kay for you.

  “What up Kay? What’s good Mecca?” Jay approached them and spoke.

  The two spoke to him in unison before he introduced the guy that was with him.

  “This my cousin Capone. Capone, these my homies.”

  Just like before, the ladies spoke to him as well. Mecca noticed the look on Kay’s face when Jay introduced her as his “homie.” She knew that was going to be a conversation they had later because Kay loved Jay way too much to be titled as a homie.

  “What y’all up to? It’s hot as fuck out here.” Jay said, wiping the beads of sweat that formed on his head with the back of his hand.

  “Nothing. Sitting here talking. What y’all on?” Kay replied, never taking her eyes off Jay.