Pushing The Limits

Chapter 2: False Greetings

Jackson Street.

The supermall was excessively crowded as people ambled in and out of stores, grabbing and purchasing items like there was no tomorrow.

I use to love shopping more than most but after having two children, my budget had to simmer down. Kids were expensive.

"I want these, Mommy." Maya grabbed pink sparkly shoes from one of the middle shelves.

"Baby didn't you-"

"Yo, mama check these out," Khalil calls out, rushing toward me with a box in hand.

I glanced over at the shoe brand, shook my head, and continued browsing through the shirts rack.

There was no way in hell that I was about to buy another pair of Jordans. Khalil had at least six pairs of Jordans and each has hurtled my pockets.

Once I received my paycheck and paid bills, I decided to take my kids across town and get them some items for school.

However, they maneuver their way into getting other things too. I didn't mind buying them toys and stuff but sometimes these kids can push a mile more than an inch.

"Come on Mama, these are the new-"

"No."

"Please! My friends at school got them." He whined.

"Boy I don't give of fu-" I snatched a couple of shirts from the rack, throwing them in the basket and turned around to face him. "I can careless what everyone else got okay? You're not getting them. End of discussion. Now go put those back."

"Fine." He let out a harsh breath then trudged to the opposite direction of the store.

"Lose the attitude too."

The buzzer of my cell phone went off and I madly retrieved it from my purse, answering the call right before it ended. I was expecting the person on the line to be either my best friend or one of the store managers from my job but was greeted by someone else.

"You have a prepaid collect call from 'Robert Williams' an inmate at Eastern State Penitentiary ... do you accept the charges?"

"No." I grumbled and ended the call.

There were many dumb decisions that I have made in my early years of life and messing with Robert was one of them.

He wasn't so kind and gentle to my body or soul. I was too young and naive to understand the meaning of love and he took advantage of that.

Sometimes he would be the most sweetest man and then those were times where I was getting my ass beat from the sunrise to sunset.

Nothing good came out of our relationship except my daughter and even she came with a hefty price. We all eat lies when our hearts are hungry.

Khalil rushed toward me, holding a fresh pair of nikes in the air.

"Mama what about these?Please? They go with all my outfits."