Chapt 1 "Im Coming Elizabeth!"

The last day of my life was the best day of my life. I finally rid myself of a lot of baggage I had been carrying around for years. Its like I had a new lease on life. That was until, I was gunned down by my so called Best Friend, in broad daylight . That fucking bitch!!, I thought to myself as I laid in a pool of my own blood. Rock always told me bullets hurt, but this shit fuckin HURTS!!. "You wanna disrespect me bitch!?"...."you fuck with me bitch"..."you fuckin with the best!" screamed my former Best Friend LaDonna, as she stood over me, with the barrel of her piece still smoking. You would think this bitch thought she was Scarface, I thought to myself. "Bitch you betta finish me off, cuz if u don't, it's lights out for your ass!!", I yelled. "no problem trick!!", she shouted. The moment she raised her nickel plated 45 cal. towards my head, I slid my gun out my purse and caught her with two shots to the chest. "BOOM!...BOOM!", my 50 cal. screamed, as it tore a fuckin hole through that bitch's Prada Top. She just hit the ground like a bag of ice fresh out the cooler. She didn't make one sound. She just laid there. That's when all the noise from everyone screaming kicked in. "Oh my god!!!!", "There are two women shooting each other in the mall!!!" yelled a lady dressed in all black, as she spoke to who I'm assuming was a 9-1-1 Operator. She was running so fast she dropped her phone and it broke into pieces. She didn't even stop to pick any of that shit up she was so scared.

"Come on London, Get up!" I repeated to myself, as I willed my way up on my ten toes. I staggered across to the Electronic Store display window and propped myself up against the glass. God please don't let me die this way, I kept thinking. "OH!!! OH!!! "Its the Big One, Lamont", "Its the Big One", "I'm coming Elizabeth!!" "I'm coming sweetheart". I couldnt believe my ears. Fred Sanford!!!?? That's my show. Hell, That's my favorite part, I thought. I watch Fred waddle across the screen, as he tried to once again fool Lamont into thinking he was having a Heart Attack. All I could do was laugh at the irony of all this. Rock wanted me to come over to his spot to watch Sanford and Son with him. I figured all he wanted to do was feel all on my behind. So I told him I was busy running errands. He begged me to come, but I guess I should have went. "Ma'am are u OK??", asked one of the employees from the Electronic Store. I hate when people ask dumb questions. "No I'm not"....."I think I'm about to die", I said as the room started to spin. That's was the last thing I remember.....

Chapt 2 "If I'm a bitch, ya mommas a bitch!"

When I was 14 years old, My Mom and Dad were murdered in cold blood. My dad's name was Donny, he was a construction worker who ran a Liquor house on the weekends. My Mom's name was Linda, she was one of the Best Hair Stylist in town. They weren't married, But they been together since they was in High School. The year my dad asked my mom to marry him, they were both killed because of an argument that went down at my Dad's liquor house. From what I was told some of the local troublemakers that frequented my Dad's illegal establishment were becoming jealous of my Dad's hustle and ambition. He had a decent 9 to 5 with benefits, an Equally Ambitious and Beautiful Black Woman by his side, AND!!! he had a Successful hustle. It wasn't long before the bitterness and envy started to show its ugly face. My dad never liked my mom hanging around the liquor house, because he knew anything could happen when you get a bunch of Drunk and High people together in the same room. But...the money was good. Shit! Too good at times. My dad was never flashy with the money he was making, but even with that been said, people still knew Donny had deep pockets. Me and my mom never wanted for anything. I always had the Best toys and clothes. My dad helped my mom open up her own shop near the house. We never were hungry and we always had a roof over our heads. He even started a Small delivery service to drop off hot meals to the local seniors who couldn't afford a decent meal. His hustle generated enough extra money for my dad to open up a second liquor house across town.

One day my dad was restocking and patching up his Main liquor house. He told my mom to go over to the second house and pick up the money from the till, so he could go to the hardware store and replace the drywall that had been damaged during a recent brawl. On her way out of the second establishment, one of the local hustlas grabbed her arm. Till this day nobody knows what the man said to my mom, but someone overheard her scream " If I'm a bitch, ya mommas a bitch!!" The man spit in my mom's face and proceeded to smack her around like an disobedient prostitute, that was late with her man's money. I guess my dad realized his mistake at the last minute, sending his woman to a place full of knuckleheads, who were ready to start shit at the drop of a dime, so it was not the smartest move in the world.

When my dad pulled up to the liquor house, he saw what he assumed was another couple drunk out of their minds fighting outside again. The girl that ran the liquor house started beating on my dad's car window screaming "That man over there beating on Linda!!". My dad jumped out the car, ran square up on the man, and knocked him to the ground with a well placed hay maker to the jaw. The Man was out cold, or so it seemed. My dad picked up my mom in his arms, walked over to his car, and sat her down on the passenger side seat while he nursed her wounds. Around that time, the man that was on the ground rose to his feet, stumbled over to his vehicle and grabbed his pistol. He walked over to where my parents were and let off eight shots. Five of the bullets struck my mom and dad. They died in each others arms. The Man was killed trying to escape from the police two weeks later. My life was never same.....

Chapt 3 " A closed mouth don't get fed"

For about a year and some change, I bounced around from house to house, mostly family. You would think family would gladly help their own. WRONG!!! They didn't want anymore to do with me than some complete stranger. My Social Worker, Mrs. Wilson knew what would happen to me, if I went into the State ran Foster Care System. So she made a couple of calls and put me with this lady named Millie Anderson, she lived in Georgia. Mrs. Wilson said she was a Godsend, she would take in stray girls that would otherwise be shuffled into the system. I didn't care too much, I just wanted to finally have a bed of my own. Mrs Wilson was always cool like that. She always said she was so tired of seeing Young Girls falling by the wayside, and she would do whatever she legally could do, to make sure every girl that passed through her office, was given a fair chance to become a productive and responsible Young Woman. I always liked Mrs Wilson. She stayed lookin out for a sista. She would bring me food, clothes, books and sum pocket money. Thanks Mrs. Wilson, I will never forget you.

I arrived in Georgia by Greyhound, and it was cold as shit! There were all types of people walking by as I sat and waited for my ride to my new home. I was so thirsty and hungry from the ride here. I spent my little pocket money on something to eat earlier, but the bus broke down and we were stuck longer than expected. Now I'm hungry all over again. Shit! Wheres my ride??!!, I thought. I wish whoever is coming would hurry up, I'm starving! I happened to notice to my right, on the other side of the bench I was seated on, was an Old White Man fast asleep. He had a unopened bag of hot chips in his coat pocket. Damn I sure would like to get a handful of them chips right now, I thought to myself. Fuck it! I eased my way down the bench towards the sleeping man. As I got closer I could hear him snoring, which kinda put my nerves at ease, cause I didn't want to go to jail for getting caught picking somebody's pocket. I was so hungry, it was like I could smell the hot chips through the bag. I slowly reach over, and gently pulled the bag out the man's pocket. I slid back down to my side of the bench, grabbed my purse and stood up. It seems like as soon as I took my first steps to freedom, the man let out a loud snore and woke up. "Excuse me", the man said. I was paralyzed with fear. Damn!! I thought he was sleep, did he see me?? "Hey little girl, Excuse me", he said again. I slipped the bag of chips into my purse and turned around.

"Can I help you", I said. The man grabbed his jacket and bag off the bench, stood up and began walking towards me. I clinched my purse as if he was about to snatch it off my shoulder and retrieve his shit. "I thought you might be needing this after you eat those Hot Chips", he said sarcastically. He reached into his bag and pulled out a can of Strawberry Soda. "Go head, take it", he demanded. I was in complete shock. The only thing I could possible say at that moment was Thank You and I'm Sorry. "Let me give you a word of advise", he said as he zipped up his bag. "A closed mouth don't get fed, if you want something open up your mouth and ask", he continued "Oh yeah enjoy the chips", the man said as he turned around and disappeared into the bus station. I sat back down on the bench and began to enjoy my stolen snack. As soon as I took my last swallow of soda I heard. HONK! HONK! HONK! "Young Lady, can you come her please" was what I heard coming from behind me. I turned around and seen the Ugliest, Oldest Station Wagon I'd ever laid eyes on. The crazy part was there was this Little Old Black Lady sitting behind the steering wheel. She could barely see over the dashboard. I walked over to the Station Wagon and leaned over into the passenger side window. "Were you talking to me", I asked. "I know I'm old, but I'm not blind, I don't see any other Young Ladies sitting around here stealing folk's food, do you?", she asked with a motherly tone. " I've been sitting here for bout 15 minutes watching you, and I happened to see you take that man's food", she said. "But I was hungry and my ride is late", I blurted out with the typical teenage attitude."So that gives you the right to take what doesn't belong to you?", she interrupted. "NO!!", I replied. "No Ma'am, is the correct way to address a Lady", she snapped.

By that time I was boiling over inside. Who the fuck this old bat think she talking too?, I thought. "First off, I don't know you and I don't have to answer your questions, Second, You not my momma", I yelled. "I am now, nice to meet you, and I'm going to assumed your London, I'm Mrs. Millie Anderson", she said with a great amount of pride. The embarrassment I felt at that moment cannot be express in words. Well maybe they can.....I'LL BE DAMNED!! "Mrs. Anderson, I am so sorry, I didn't know it was you", I said. "Of course not child, you didn't ask", she replied. "But how did you know who I was", I asked. "You will soon come to find out child, I know everything", she snapped with old lady attitude. "Plus Mrs.Wilson told me to look for the little girl that looks like she could use a hot meal", she said. We both laughed. I will admit I was a po' little thang back then. I didn't know how to cook. My dad took us out to eat most of the time, and my mom burned everything except the hair she had to do for that day. "Get in the car child, you making me late for church", she yelled. I didn't know what it was about her, but I knew I liked her. For the record, Mrs. Millie couldn't drive worth a damn. You know how most old people drive slow. Not Millie! She drove like she was running from the police. I can't tell you how many times I held my breath, cause I just knew, we was gonna run somebody over.

We pulled up to a huge building with a statue of some white man out front. "Who is that", I said. "Who is who", she replied. "That statue", I said. " Baby that's Jesus, haven't you ever been to church, or read a bible", she asked. "No Ma'am", I replied shaking my head. "Lord have Mercy on my everlasting soul", she said in a high tone. "Baby I know you don't have a father on earth anymore, but the Lord is our Father in heaven, He's just as much as your father as he is mine, and he loves us dearly. My father?, I thought. My father was murdered, I'm not sure who she is talking about, but my daddy is dead. "It's alright child, we got some work to do with you", she said. "Here take this, it's your new house key for the front door", she said. Damn! I get a house key?, I thought with excitement Usually I would have to either knock on a window or bang on a door to get in the house, sometimes I had to wait outside for hours before anybody came home."See that pink house with the flowers in the yard down the street, that's your new home", she said. "I have Bible Study and you need to eat, and by the way you smell, you might need a bath too", she said as she laughed at my teenage funk. "I'll be there in an hour, let yourself in, the girls know you on the way", she said as she slid her small frame out of the car. The girls, damn!! I forgot I'm gonna be staying with house full of them, I thought. "Yes Ma'am", I replied. She gave me the Biggest hug and slowly walked toward the building. I took a deep breath and headed home. How long would this be my home? I had no idea.....

Chapt 4 "I can't feel shit!"

"London, London", a young woman sobbed as she gently pull her hair away from her face. "Girl you got us all out here scared to death, girl please wake up", the young woman whispered with a face full of tears. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't move.It actually felt like I was floating over my body. I could see people in my room standing near my bed, but I could not see their faces. All I could hear were voices. Damn! Why everybody looking so sad?, I thought. I'm gonna make it through this bullshit, I been through too much in my life, to let something like this take me out. "Where the fuck is she, is this her room!!?" a man yelled as he violently burst through the door to my room. "Get the fuck off me bruh.....Take ya fuckin hands off me dawg!!", the man demanded. "Sir, you need to lower your voice and calm down!", the security guard advised. "Fuck you fake ass cop!", the man yelled jerkin his arm away from the security guard's firm hold. "That's my heart over there laid up in that bed fighting for her life, and you tryna stop me from seeing her!", he snapped. "Look man I'm just doing my job, but I don't want any trouble, I got problems of my own, handle ya business", the guard said as he proceeded to walk out the room.

The man now focused his attention on the crowd gathered behind him. "Where the fuck was yall at!", the man yelled as he inched closer towards my bed. "How the fuck she get shot and all yall supposed to be together!" "Ain't yall supposed to have her back?", he screamed. "Vanessa, you the loudest one in the bunch, Why the fuck you all quiet now?", he asked. "Look Rock, London was not with us, So you need to get ya facts straight before you go running off at the mouth!", she snapped back. "I was out with momma buying food for the house", she continued "London told me she was at the mall with Regina" Rock interrupted "Regina what the fuck happen!", Rock asked. Regina was never the one to hold her composure together when put on the spot. "London told me to take her card and go into Neimann Marcus and pick up the outfit she ordered online", Regina cried. "She said she wasn't feeling too good, and she was going over to the Food Court to get a Ginger Ale", she continued. "So I went", Regina said reluctantly. "When I got to the Customer Service Desk, I gave the lady London's name and handed her the card", she continued. "That's when I heard-. At that moment, a man in a Bright White long coat walked into the room. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but everyone began to cry. Damn it!!! I wish I could just get up out this bed and tell them I'm fine. "I can't believe this shit, I just can't believe it", Rock cried. "Has anybody talked to King, that dude is going to fuckin lose it, yall know London like his flesh and blood", Rock said as he began to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Please don't get him involved, he is in enough trouble as it is", Vanessa replied. "Ms. Millie have you talked to King today?", Rock asked. "No baby I haven't talked to him in 2 weeks.", Mrs. Millie replied. "We need to pray and ask the Lord to heal this situation, God knows best", Mrs Millie sobbed. "We need to leave it in his hands.", she said as she began to pray to herself. "Why ain't she answering her phone?", Regina said. You have reached the phone of "LaDonna Simpson", please leave your name, number, and brief message, and I might call you back, if I feel like it, bye.

Regina closed up her phone, walk over to my lifeless body, gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked out the room. "I'm going to get something to eat, I'll be back", she said. Why in the hell was she calling Donna!, don't they know that trick shot me?? "Ever since LaDonna hooked up with Courtney, she been real messy, ain't no telling where she is and what she doing", Vanessa snapped. "I can't stand her funny acting ass", she shouted. "Hush up child", Mrs. Millie said. "We don't need no more negativity today, let her be.", Mrs Millie said in a somber voice. "Excuse me, I need to change Ms. Grier's bandages, I'm gonna have to ask you all to step outside please.", A nurse instructed as she was standing in the doorway. Everyone in the room began to leave. "As soon as I'm done, I'll be sure to let you all know", the nurse advised. The nurse began to clean my wounds and mess around with the machines that where keeping a sista alive. "Oh Mercy your IV drip is low...I'll fix that for you right now", she said in the sweetest voice. OMG!!! I don't know what was in that stuff she gave me, but I'm pass cloud nine right now. I can't feel shit! It feels like I'm having the craziest dream right now. but I'm so ready to wake up though!! "Ms. Grier you are very lucky to have such a loving family, they were about to kick everybody's butt to get up here to see you, even though its way past visiting hours", she laughed. "Your mother prayed over my hands, and ask the Lord to bless me with the gift of healing", she said. "I hope he heard her, cause it would be a shame to lose someone with so much to live for.", she whispered in my ear. "Fight baby Fight as hard as you can.", she said. "You get sum rest now Ms. Grier, I'll be back to see u later.", she said as she grabbed her clipboard and walked out the room.

That was just like Mrs. Millie to do something like that...If anybody was gonna fix it, it was gonna be the Lord. She always said that during many of her lectures on having faith in him. I love her so much, I thought as a warm feeling came over me. Just then my room door slowly opened up. A large figure began walking towards my bed. I couldn't see who it was, but I could tell he had on a hat. The man placed his hat on a table that was near my feet, and sat down in the chair beside me and began to cry. He didn't say a word, he just cried. A bright light sweep across my eyes and before I knew it I was standing behind him. I reached out and touch his shoulder. He quickly snapped his head around. What the....Felt like somebody touched me, he thought to himself. "London baby its me..It's King". he cried. "Why you doing this to me. you know I can't lose you right now. I'm supposed to be laid up in her, not you.", he sobbed. "Open ya eyes babygirl, do it for me, please" he cried. No matter how much I tried I just couldn't open my eyes. I was frozen solid, all I could do was think and my mind was racing non stop. Why did this happen to me? I know I've done some things in my past that were wrong but did I deserve to go out like this? Why now? I changed my ways? I became angrier and angrier with every passing thought. "Fight girl! Fight! Fight! Fight!", I screamed in silence. "Wake the fuck up, London Grier!", I screamed in rage. At that moment with every ounce of might I had left in my body I squeezed King's hand. "London?", he said in amazement. "babygirl can u hear me?", he cried out. "Open ya eyes, Let me see them pretty browns". I just squeezed harder every time I heard his voice. King pressed the button that was near my bedside and called the nurse on duty. "Nurse!" "She's moving", he screamed. "I think she's waking up". "Hello!?", he said.

Just as he turn his attention back to me, the nurse came running through the door. "Did you say she was moving", the nurse asked. "Yea look she won't let go of my hand", King said in excitement. The nurse got on the intercom near the wall and called for the on call doctor to come to the room. I guess with all the commotion going on my family must've seen it, and before you knew it, they were right there in the room. "King!, we been looking for you man", Rock said. "I went to handle some business and LaDonna called me talking about she was looking for London and not in a good way.", he answered. Just then the doctor came into the room. "Whats the problem nurse", he asked. Look at her hand Doctor Rubinstein", she said as she pointed at my grip of death on King's hand. "What's the problem, isn't this good news", King asked. "King, come on outside so we can talk baby", Mrs Millie interrupted. "Naw, I'm not leaving her side, plus she got my hand, she don't want me to leave.", he replied with tears forming up again in his eyes. "King, I said come on boy, Don't make me tell you again, Mrs Millie demanded. "What is it, just tell me.", he screamed. "Sir", the doctor said as he placed his hand on King's shoulder. "Ms Grier suffered massive blood lost, she wasn't receiving enough oxygen to her brain...So technically It's great that she is squeezing your hand", he continued. "That's shows signs of life, but she's not supposed to be moving at all...she's brain dead....