Streets of New York. Mark Anthony

outta him in the staircase, snatched his jewelry and money then took his sneakers for the fun of it. They arrived at Junior’s a half-hour later and counted up their take. The haul netted $7,000 cash, mad pounds of weed and cocaine to sell. The jooks came off damn good.

      Cash was divided, $1,750 each, and plans were made to hustle the weed off into the streets. Squeeze didn’t give a fuck about retaliation or repercussions. He felt that Nine and his crew were too soft for them niggas to come back on some gangsta shit.

      Promise took his cut of the money, jumped back into his X5, and headed back to Queens. Another day, another dollar.

      5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Promise was at the daycare faithfully to pick up his daughter, Ashley.

      “Daddy, daddy!” Ashley shouted out excited about seeing her father every evening when he came by to scoop up his lil’ girl. She jumped into his arms and it was routine everyday that he gave his daughter a hug and kiss.

      “You miss me?”

      Ashley nodded yes.

      “Go get your stuff. We gotta go.”

      She jumped out of her father’s arms and went to retrieve her book bag and other belongings.

      “Hey, Mr. Carter,” Ms. Ways said.

      “Hey, how was she today?” he asked.

      “She was good but she didn’t take her nap today and she didn’t eat much lunch. But she’s a good child, very attentive in class, gets along with the other children. She’s a sweetheart,” Ms. Ways informed Promise.

      “That’s my little girl.” Promise shook his head.

      “Daddy…Daddy, look what I drew in school today,” Ashley shouted out showing her father a picture of some animals.

      “Oh, that’s pretty. You ready?”

      Ashley nodded her head.

      “Okay.”

      “Bye, Miss Way,” Ashley said to her teacher.

      “Bye, Ashley. See you tomorrow. You have a nice night, Mr. Carter.”

      “You too,” he replied and walked out the door with his daughter.

      “Daddy, I want McDonalds,” Ashley whined.

      Promise sighed, shaking his head. “Ahight, we’ll eat McDonalds today.”

      After their small lunch together, Promise returned home and had his daughter do her homework right away, tracing letters and numbers and coloring some objects. Later he prepared her dinner, spaghetti and meatballs, one of her favorites. They watched TV together and Ashley fell asleep in her daddy’s arms.

      Later, Promise picked his daughter up and carried her inside the bedroom. He prepared her for bed, putting on her pajamas while she groggily complied. He covered her gently, and said a short prayer. Soon as he stepped out her bedroom, his cellphone went off.

      “Yeah, who this?”

      “Squeeze, nigga. You good tonight?”

      “Nah, my daughter’s sleep.”

      “Damn! I got a job for us,” Squeeze said.

      “Nigga…you gonna have to do without me.”

      “Big money in dis, nigga. You can’t get one of those bitches in your building to baby sit?” he asked, sounding annoyed.

      “I’m a fall back tonight. You got Pooh and Show. They can do work.”

      “But I need my right-hand-man.”

      “Sorry Squeeze. I’m a have to take a rain check on this one.”

      “Damn! Ahight, hit me up tomorrow. One, my nigga.”

      “One,” Promise replied, clicking off, and plopping his behind down on the couch, a little stressed.

      Taking care of his daughter 24/7 and doing what he did out there on the streets was definitely taking a toll on him. He massaged his forehead with his fingertips, squinted his eyes, and thought about shit. He missed his daughter’s mother so much.

      She made shit simple on him when she was still alive but now that she was gone, the burden of weight was passed to him and it was stressing him the fuck out. He wanted to live a normal life. He wanted to get the fuck away from the street but making that easy money while dealing with Squeeze was tempting, easy, and profitable.

      And besides, Promise thought, even if he did want to become legit and stay outta the life of crime and get himself a legit job, he had a criminal record and his background was tarnished from past mistakes. Yet, every night after placing his daughter down to sleep, he asked himself how long could this life style last?

      Everything comes to an end. He couldn’t risk losing his daughter because she was all he had that was important in the world. He wanted to see her grow to be in her life constantly. He wanted a way out and kept pondering on how. Promise ended up falling asleep on the couch dozing off while watching the news.

      Next morning they were running on time. He got Ashley up and ready for school early and was at the daycare at ten minutes to eight. Promise got out his Jeep a bit more cheerful today. He unbuckled his daughter from the car seat and allowed her to run up to the door and knock twice, indicating her presence.

      The school door slowly opened up and Ashley ran inside with Promise right behind carrying her book-bag. When he stepped in, he was stunned and completely taken back by a beautiful young female standing in front of him.

      “Good morning,” she softly announced smiling and peering down at Ashley. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees.

      “Hi,” Ashley shyly responded with her soft voice, peering back at the beautiful young woman who was a stranger.

      “And what’s your name?” the young lady asked.

      “Ashley,” she slowly announced her name.

      “Hi, Ashley. My name is Audrey.”

      “Hi, Audrey.”

      Audrey looked back at Promise, smiled and admired the handsome young man standing behind who she assumed to be Ashley’s father.

      “Hello,” she politely introduced herself to Promise, extending her hand. Promise couldn’t help but stare. She was gorgeous. Exquisite. He knew it was impolite to stare the way he was but he couldn’t help himself. His eyes were transfixed.

      “You must be her father?”

      “Um…yes…she’s my girl.”

      “She’s so cute. Oh, I’m Audrey,” she said extending her right hand.

      “Hey, how you doing, Audrey,” he responded holding her hand a moment too long. “I’m Promise,” he said blushing slightly which was something Promise rarely did.

      “Promise,” she smiled, “that’s a unique name.”

      “I’m a unique person,” he flirted.

      She smiled. Audrey’s golden brown complexion and deep brown eyes caught the eyes of many men. She had long silky hair, full luscious lips, and an hourglass figure with breasts so big they looked like balloons ready to pop. Promise glimpsed her breasts and smiled more widely. Enticing, Audrey definitely was.

      “Um, what happened to Ms. Ways?” Promise asked.

      “Oh, she called in sick this morning and today’s my first day.”

      “Oh, welcome.”

      “Thank you. I’m a little nervous,” she proclaimed.

      “Oh,