Episode III : The Golden Boy & The Black Sheep

  "On behalf of the state of Texas and of the South Texas college of law, I; Dean Mackey present Lawrence Raymond Monroe with the certified Criminal Law degree of Texas, congratulations Mr. Monroe." The dean announces handing over the framed certificate and shaking Lawrence's hand, sounds of clapping from hundreds of people in the crowd echoes throughout the school auditorium. Lawrence's mom Layla is among them clapping and crying with tears of joy. "I am so proud of you Lawrence, you're the first one in our whole damn family who's ever went to college you really broke the chain in our family, we were all in the streets either banging or dealing, but you just gave me hope that we can change." Says Layla to Lawrence praising him as they enjoy a nice meal in the food court of the South Dallas mall. Lawrence leans over the table and kisses his moms cheek. "The golden boy as they say." Lawrence replies with  adoration. Layla and Lawrence finish eating and walk outside the mall to the parking lot. "Sebastian called this morning." Layla says to Lawrence with hesitation. Lawrence loosens his tie and grabs his car keys from his suit jacket pocket, with a look of aggravation. "What happened this time, is he back inside?" Lawrence asks Layla. "No nothing like that, apparently he's been robbing trap houses he called me to give him an alibi in case the cops stop by, now I haven't been in the game in a long time but I know exactly what happens to stick up boys and so do you." Layla explains. Lawrence bites down on his bottom lip in anger. "Ma, why do you even bother with that nigga he ain't shit, he ain't ever been shit, and he ain't ever gone amount to sh-" Layla interrupts Lawrence with a hard slap to the face. Lawrence looks down in shame instantly regretting his words. A nosy couple walk past staring at the two, Layla notices. "Mind yo fuckin business before your faces end up on the fuckin ground." An angry Layla tells the couple as they scurry away. Layla turns her attention back to Lawrence, her puffy Afro blowing in the wind. "I don't care if he burned down a fuckin church, he is still my son and he is still your brother...we are a family." Layla says to Lawrence. "Ma I know, but I've been covering his ass since we been in diapers I don't know how to help him anymore, it seems like no matter how much I do for him he just takes it for granted." Lawrence explains. "Just please talk to him son, he's needs your guidance." Layla asks kissing Lawrence's cheek leaving a faded imprint of her dark red lipstick on his freshly shaven face. Lawrence puts on a slight smirk "Ok ma." Says Lawrence. "Thank you baby." Says Layla hugging him tight with a joyous smile on her face, Lawrence hugs her back with a slight smile, his disappointment in Sebastian turns his smile into a scowl.  "So where can I find him?" Lawrence asks.

     "Nigga this is the last fuckin time ima ask you, where the fuck is the shit at!?" Sebastian angrily asks aiming a .38 revolver at a surrendering dealer that has his hands in the air. "It's up yo mamas dirty ass pussy." The bold dealer responds. Sebastian forms a scowl upon his face, presses down the hammer on his revolver,  sticks the revolver under the dealers chin and pulls the trigger blood splattering upward onto the ceiling of the poorly protected trap house. The dealers corpse slumps over on a old, and dirty  couch. "Talk that shit now bitch." Lawrence says to the dead dealer spitting on his corpse. Sebastian spends several minutes searching the trap house for the stash, and he finally finds a brown paper bag like the ones at grocery stores in a ceiling compartment, containing a 2 tone glock 45 pistol all black frame and silver slide, and bundles of cash. "Jack. Fucking. Pot."  Sebastian says to himself satisfied with the gun and money. Sebastian rolls the bag closed as he approaches the corpse of the dealer he killed snatching a shining gold-link chain from his neck shoving it in his coat pocket. "You ain't gone need this where you headed nigga." Sebastian says disrespectfully as he dashes towards the front door. As he exits, 2 corner boys kick in the backdoor guns out noticing their dead homie slumped over the couch and barely seeing Sebastian leave. "Fuck! Let's gets this nigga cuz." A black 92' Mercedes pulls up to the trap house as Sebastian is leaving, Sebastian recognizes the car is Lawrences and hops in quickly. "Go! I got niggas chasing m-" Sebastian is interrupted by a gunshot, a bullet pierces through the passenger window from one of the corner boys guns but misses Sebastian and Lawrence, pieces of glass decorates his 3 piece suit. "Oh shit!" Lawrence yells speeding away, tires screeching. Sebastian hangs out the shattered window firing multiple shots at the 2 corner boys from his revolver hitting one of them in the shoulder as the 2 brothers escape riding off in broad daylight. "Fuck man...the fun never fuckin ends with yo ass." Said Lawrence brushing the glass of his suit. "Aww I done gone and messed up that pretty suit." Said Sebastian sarcastically concealing his revolver in the pocket of his black colored puffer jacket.

        Sebastian & Lawrence arrive in downtown Dallas and pull up to a medium sized vacant office building, the brothers exit Lawrence's Mercedes and walk toward the office, a for sale flyer hanging on the glass double doors. Lawrence rips the flyer off and digs in his pocket grabbing a set of keys unlocking the door to the office with the biggest key. "So this is it huh? your very own law firm, shit man that's impressive especially in our fucked up family...I'm proud of you big brother." Said Sebastian. "Don't bullshit me nigga." Says Lawrence ignoring Sebastians praise. Sebastian sighs. "Come on Law, how long you gone hold a grudge? it's been 5 fuckin years." Sebastian says to Lawrence in frustration. "This isn't about what happened at the spot, even though I still haven't forgiven you for that...this is about mom." Said Lawrence. "What about mom?" Said Sebastian. "She's the reason why I knew where to find you, now if a nigga is after you for his money from you robbing all these traps out here...they gone go after Ma because they know where the fuck you lay your head." Sebastian sighs removing his beanie. "Look man I'm-" Lawrence walks off from Sebastian not letting him finish his sentence, he walks outside the office to his car opening the backseat door grabbing the brown paper bag full of cash with the gun on top that Sebastian robbed. Lawrence tosses Sebastian the bag. "By my estimation there's about $20k in there, that should be enough to buy an apartment or house away from Ma." Sebastian looks into the bag grabbing the 2 tone glock. "I'm sorry I couldn't make the ceremony...this is my graduation present to you." Sebastian hands Lawrence the gun, Lawrence grabs it and stares at the gun with a puzzled look. "I love you Law...and I know I've been a fuck up since grade school but...this street shit is who I am bro, and nothing's gonna change that....this is the only thing I was ever half way decent at, I got Zack killed, almost got 2 family members slaughtered by that crazy cartel bitch...it all started after dad left us, it's never been the same since." Said Sebastian a tear rolling down his cheek. Lawrence places the gun on an office desk, and a saddened Lawrence hugs Sebastian with tears in his eyes remembering how hurt they both were the day their father left them, it's a subject that both of them have always agreed on. "Fuck him, I got you ok? I'll take care of you like I always have...I'll never abandon you again little brother...that's a promise." Said Lawrence in a sad and angry voice hugging Sebastian tighter.