Christmas in the Hood Read Online Free PDF Page A

How was this possible? How had he come to be in the club? Why had this happened to her?
    The man asked kindly, “Would you like to join the church?”
    “No, not today.”
    “Are you saved, young lady?” the deacon asked. “Yeah … Yes.”
    He smiled and nodded. “Merry Christmas.”
    “Merry Christmas to you,” Shante said. While she still didn’t know what she was going to do about getting Christmas gifts for the kids and paying next month’s rent, she wasn’t going to worry about that now. She felt God was showing her signs and that her life would never be the same.
    *  *  *
    As Shante was about to unlock the door to her apartment, she noticed a message on the door indicating she had packages at the rental office. She went back down to her car and drove over to the office.
    The apartment complex manager, an older white lady, smiled and said, “Hello, Shante. You have about twenty boxes in here.”
    Shante was surprised. “Really?”
    The manager lit a Camel cigarette. “Yeah, it appears you have a Secret Santa.”
    “Oh yeah?”
    “None of the boxes have a return address,” the woman said, before blowing out a smoke ring. “I’ll help you carry them to the car.”
    “Thanks.”
    The manager handed Shante an envelope. “Here, this is for you, too.”
    Shante tore into the envelope, which contained a note: “Shante Morgan, you are registered for the next session of the Lawrence Real Estate School. Paid in Full.”
    Shante wanted to cry, this time tears of happiness and gratitude. She looked at the manager and gave her a hug. “Have a Merry Christmas!”
    “You too, doll,” the manager said with a throaty laugh.
    One Year Later
    It was the night before Christmas, and Shante and her kids looked around their apartment. It was bare. “Mommy, how big is my room again?” Makayla asked.
    “As big as the living room and kitchen in this apartment put together,” Shante said with a smile.
    “And I’ll have my own room, too?” her son asked.
    “Yes, you will,” she said, hugging them both, tears in her eyes at the thought of moving her children into their own home.
    It had been nine months since she graduated from her real estateprogram, and even though she was only a sales agent, she had brought her hustling skills to the forefront and had the highest sales of anyone else in her office. High enough to have saved for a down payment on a home and bought a new Mercedes SL500.
    “Now hop in the car with me so we can go to the car wash before we go to church tonight.”
    Shante and the kids drove to a nearby car wash that serviced many luxury cars. She wanted her new ride to look as shiny and new as she was feeling these days.
    As they pulled into the car wash a guy stepped up to the car to take down the details of what she wanted done. Fumbling with her purse, Shante didn’t look at him right away.
    “Hey, shortie, what you need today?”
    That voice. Shante glanced up and right into Big Mike’s eyes. He looked a far cry from the successful player she once thought he was, in his dirty overalls with his ashy hands. Recognition slowly crept across his face, and he started to look fearful. But as he held her eyes, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
    “Damn, shortie, you’ve done well for yourself.”
    Not wanting to cuss him out with her kids in the car, Shante gripped the wheel and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes briefly and asked God for strength. “Was it worth it, Mike?” Shante asked quietly.
    Not expecting her to approach him in that manner, Mike looked confused. He thought she would go off on him.
    “Shortie, I was desperate. I did what I had to do.”
    “So it was worth stealing from my kids? What’s a man driving a Benz doing stealing?”
    “That car wasn’t mine, baby doll. One of our customers wasstoring it here while he did a bid, and I borrowed it on occasion. Shit, I usually take the bus,” he admitted.
    Shante looked at him again, and, instead of disgust, she