Chapter 1: The Beginning

The summer of 1975 would forever change the life of 18 year old Sharaye Brown. Her first child would be born in the midst of the biggest drug war the city had ever seen. The only daughter of Kenneth and Stacy brown, Ray as she was affectionately called knew her days of being a free spirit would soon come to an end. She would be a mother soon after graduation and raising a child in Philadelphia’s rough streets wouldn’t be an easy task. She had gotten pregnant by Slick Mack.
Slick was one of Philly’s up and coming crime bosses. Slick at the tender age of twenty-four had it all…money, homes, cars, jewels, the finest clothes and plenty of women knocking down his door for the chance of being his arm candy. Ray had caught Slick’s eye at a high school football game he attended to watch his younger brother, Shawn, play. Ray was always the starring attraction anywhere she went. Standing five-feet-seven inches tall with a body like Pam Grier in Foxxy Brown, the face of a black goddess; she commanded attention without even trying. Slick was hooked at first glance and there was nothing short of death stopping him from making Ray his lady.
While Ray and her girlfriends, Nica and Kisha, watched the game, Slick sent one of his boys Donny to invite her to join him.
“Excuse me miss,” Donny started.
“Yes,” Ray said, nonchalantly and without a glance?
“Sorry to interrupt, but a friend of mine would like to make your acquaintance,” Donny continued.
“Well, tell your friend if he would like to make my acquaintance, it would best serve him to come over here himself,” said Ray in a sarcastic tone.
“Yes ma’am, I’ll be sure to relay the message,” replied Donny somewhat shocked at her strong remark.
“Yes, you do that,” Ray said swiftly. Donny turned and walked away swiftly as if he just be confronted by an upset viper.
“Ray, that was cold girl,” said Nica.
“Yeah, Ray, you sure told that nigga,” said Kisha. “Do you know who that was girl?” That was one of Slick Mack’s boys,” Kisha replied.
“How do you know, Kish,” asked Ray.
“Well, Miss Thang, if you had bothered to look up, you would have seen the Broad Street Kings tattoo on his neck…He was fine too!,” Kisha said with a sexy smirk.
“Ray, what could Slick Mack want with you girl?,” Nica inquired with concern.
“He prolly wanna tap that virgin ass just these other niggas been trying to,” said Kisha. “Baby girl think she got gold between her legs.” Ray shot Kisha a fake smile before responding to her friends comment.
“Whatever girl, I ain’t giving my pussy away to every nigga thinking he’s ‘The Mack’,” said Ray with a stern tone… “Especially to a nigga named Slick Mack.”
“You gotta give it away one day girl, girl,” said Kisha. “Sex is apart of life, Ray. When my pussy gets wet, I go find her some attention ASAP!” Ray and the girls share a hearty laugh.

“Hey Mack baby, baby girl said you gonna have to go over there yourself my nigga,” reported Donny.
“Did you get her name, Donny?” asked Slick.
“Nah brah, she didn’t give me a chance to ask. She didn’t even look at me Slick. Baby got a real mean mama game wit’ her. Watcha gon’ do? Slick ran down the angles in his mind.
“Playing hard to get… I like that in a woman. It’s the challenge of being a man. If you want something you gotta go get it. It’s no different than getting this money my nigga. You gotta be assertive and know when to be aggressive. You gotta know how to play your even when you got funnies and shit. When you can do that, then you own the game. It all depends on how bad you want it, dig what I’m sayin’?”
“Slick,” Donny said with a hint of sarcasm, “that shit sound good, but how you gon’ pull baby? She’s a fox! I’m telling you Mack, she’s no regular broad. She a Philly queen, Mack, and she knows it.” Slick looked at Donny with a stare of impatience.
“See the difference between you and me is;” said Slick in a cool voice, “you see things as they are and ask why; I see things that never were and ask why not. I’m no regular nigga. They don’t call me Slick for nothing.”

As Slick and his entourage made their way over to Ray and the girls, Nica spotted them.
“Oh shit, Ray,” Nica said in a hurried and excited voice, “here comes Slick and his boys’ girl, whatcha gonna do?”
“She betta handles her business,” said Kisha, “that nigga fine, paid and laid!”
“I got this ya’ll,” said Ray. “Yall bitches be trippin’. He’s just another nigga. Get a grip!” Just as Ray finished her sentence, Slick approached her.
“Excuse me miss, my name is Slick. May I ask your name?”
“Slick, huh? Your mama named you that,” asked Ray.
“Baby,” Slick began, but Ray cut him off swift and hard.
“Baby,” replied Ray sharply, “I ain’t your baby, nigga! I don’t even know your real name… lying ‘bout what ya mama named you ain’t a plus in book ‘SLICK”, Ray said with a fiery tongue. You have to come betta than that with me.” But it was already too late. From the moment she peered into Slick’s eyes, she was gone. Her sass was merely an attempt to throw Nica and Kisha off. Slick was pleasing to her eyes. At six-feet three, he was handsome in his golden brown skin. His tailor-made suit was cut perfectly to show his solid frame. His look was one of sophistication. If he was a drug dealer, he sure didn’t look the part, Ray thought. In fact, he didn’t act the part of a drug dealer either. He was quite the gentlemen, and it surprised her that he was so mannerly.
“I’m sorry, did I catch you a bad time,” Slick replied with a concerned look on his face. “You seem to be having a bad moment. Maybe I’ll catch up to you some other time miss… I’m sorry; I never caught your name.”
“I never caught yours either,” Ray snapped back!
“My mother named me Trey,” Slick said with an inviting smile that made Ray’s heart skip a beat.
“My momma named me Sharaye, but ray is fine.” Just then, Ray noticed she slipped up and hoped Nica and Kisha didn’t pick up on her attraction to Slick.
“Nice to meet you Ray,” Slick said smiling knowing he was breaking down her act. “I’d like to take you out somewhere; some time if that’s alright with you?” Ray had to fight the urge to say ‘Yes’. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she held back with all that she had.
“I don’t know Slick; you’ve got quite a reputation. I’ve heard about you with all your drugs and women.” Slick interrupted quickly to stop her tirade before she got too started.
“Whoa, whoa miss Ray. You gonna give me a chance or you just gonna go by the ‘he-say-she-say’ the hood put out there,” Slick asked politely. Without giving her a chance to answer, Slick handed Ray one of his business cards.
“I’ll tell you what… you decide, and if you’re interested, give me a call. It’s been a real pleasure meeting you, Ray. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the game. I came to see my little brother play, so I must be getting back to my seat now. Take care of yourself, Ray. Hope to hear from you soon,” Slick said with all the coolness he could muster.
“Yeah, you do the same,” Ray said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Damn girl, what was that,” Kisha said with a tone of disapproval of how Ray handled things.
“Look I know how to handle myself, Kish. No nigga is just gonna have his way wit’ Sharaye.”
“You keep actin’ like that girl, no nigga gon’ have you, replied Kish. At least with that nigga you’ll be ahead of the game.”
“Thank you Kish, now can we just watch the game? I got this okay?” Ray said hoping not to get into a spat with Kisha.
“Yeah girl, I got ii,” said Kisha. “I got it”
Ray sat there in a daze pretending to pay attention to the game. Her mind was racing from the excitement of the moment. Her heart fluttered and she knew she was gone. She drifted into her thoughts soon forgetting about the girls and the football game. It was as if she there alone.

Slick and his entourage made it back to their seats. Before they even sat down, Donny was in slick’s ear.
“Yo Slick baby, I told you that broad was a piece of work. Seem like she gotta real nigga problem. She is cold brah. She doesn’t fuck wit’ niggas like us.”
Slick just listened to the nonsense Donny was talking. Donny was a good guy, he just didn’t have any luck with the sista’s. For whatever reason, he had a hard time pulling them. To Donny, every sista had more game than him, and he didn’t like it. He’d swear up and down that they were nigga haters, but it never stopped him from trying. So Slick always had to break it down.
“Donny, nigga you gotta understand the nature of a female. She is a player, ya dig? She owns the stock in the game. Her nature is to play you, but she really wants to be played. She needs to be played. Why? I’ll tell you why. Because every female deep down inside wants to be loved. To be loved, she has to be played. It’s an emotional thang. It’s the nature of the game.”
Slick had a way with his words. He could always seem to make sense out of the things other people didn’t understand. When he spoke people would listen, and that’s what made him special. He had the gift of gab, able to talk his way in or out of anything. That’s how he rose to the top of the game so fast. He was likeable, a good listener, and most of all, a great earner and the big boys over him like that. Slick was a born leader.

The next morning Ray awoke with more that her usual thoughts. She found herself thinking about Slick and if she would call him. What would think of her little performance? Did she go too far? Common sense told her not to get involved with a guy like Slick, but for some reason she couldn’t just dismiss the thought. She kept thinking about him and until she did something about it, she knew she would keep right on thinking about him. A knock at her bedroom door startled her and broke her thoughts.
“Ray, you up yet baby” her mother asked tenderly.
“Yes mama, replied Ray.
“Breakfast will be ready in a few baby,” her mother said as she made her way back down the hallway.
Ray put on her robe and made her way to the kitchen. Her father was at the table. When he saw her he lit up like he always did.
“How is my angel this morning?” he asked in a caring voice making Ray smile.
“Just fine daddy,” she replied.
Ray found her place at the table as her mother fixed their plates. Mrs. Brown noticed the especially bright smile Ray was wearing this morning.
“What’s the big ol’ grin you wearing already this morning for?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing mama, I’m just in a good mood this morning, that’s all.”

As Ray sat at the table her thoughts once again began to drift to Slick. How could it be that in such short of time he had captured her every thought? What was it about this mysterious gentleman she met last night that made her yearn for more? The fact that he was at the game last night to support his younger brother showed some good in him. Even though the way he made his living wasn’t right, it was sort of normal to her. A lot of the guys she grew up with hustled, but she never really dated them either. Slick for some reason seemed to be different. Maybe it was because he had done exceptionally well for himself. Unlike most of the hustlers she knew who hustled for show; Slick had sophistication about him. He seemed to know what he wanted out of life, and he was getting it. Even though his method was unconventional, he was making his dreams come true. Her thoughts rambled on and she never touched a thing on her plate. Her mother’s voice jolted her.
“Ray, baby is you alright?” her mother asked.
Ray snapped out of her daze.
“You haven’t touched a thing on your plate. I’ve never seen you like this before. What’s on your mind baby?” Mrs. Brown asked in concern.
Ray never lied to her parents, but she couldn’t possibly tell them that she thinking about dating Slick. They would never approve, and her dad would blow his top if he found out she were.
“Oh, it’s nothing mama,” Ray replied. “I met a really nice guy last night at the football game last night. We really hit it off, that’s all”
“Well, some fellow this guy must be to have my baby girl all starry-eyed this morning,” said Mr. Brown. “What is his name?” he asked.
“Trey,” Ray said in a soft sheepish voice.
Ray felt a little guilty. She didn’t exactly lie, but she didn’t exactly tell the truth either. For now it was good enough, and it would also buy her some time until she figured out what she would do.
“Mama, Daddy, I’m gonna pass on breakfast this morning. I’m not really that hungry. I’m gonna meet Nica and Kish at the mall for lunch; I’ll grab something then.”
“Alright, baby, tell the girls I said hello,’ said Mrs. Brown with concern in her voice.
“I will mama,’ Ray said as she got up from the table.
She kissed her dad on the cheek and went to her room to get ready for her day. While going through her closet looking for an outfit she thought to herself, “What could one date hurt?” “You’re in control.” “It’s only a date.” And with that thought etched in her mind, she headed for the shower.

Slick spent all of his Sunday mornings the same. It was like a ritual for him to do things a certain way. At 8a.m. sharp, he held a top-of-the-morning to discuss any business with his top associates. At 9 o’clock, he had a conference call with his accountants and stock brokers. At ten, he read the Sunday paper while smoking a cohiba cigar. At eleven, he was off to visit Shawn at their Uncle Trevor’s house for lunch. Shawn stayed with their uncle Trevor ever since their mom had passed away. Because of his lifestyle, Slick wouldn’t allow Shawn to live with him in fear of the consequences that could occur. Slick made it a point to take care of his younger sibling. He made sure Shawn had the best of everything. He was all he had left in this world besides Uncle Trevor.
As Slick was taking the drive to have lunch with Shawn, he thought about Ray. It was just a matter of time before she called, he thought to himself. His “G” was strong. He knew by now the curiosity of him had long since set in and began working on her mind. He sensed it through all the shade she tried to throw at him. He saw something in her eyes that wanted to know more. He’d just have to sit back and be patient now. Good things came to those who waited, and to Slick, Ray was a good thing. Maybe even the best thing. Only time would tell.