Concrete Rose: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

Seven doesn’t care about Red or about Maverick graduating—all he cares about is refusing to eat pureed peas and carrots. He keeps spitting the mush out, sometimes onto Maverick’s face, and saying “Da-da-da.” As Maverick tries to feed his son, he thinks about telling Ma that he can’t graduate. If she kills him, he reasons, he won’t have to worry about Red. Finally, as Seven offers Maverick a handful of baby food, Maverick decides to give Seven his favorite rice cereal. A bit later, Seven goes to sleep easily.

Maverick paces while he waits for Ma to get home and thinks that Ma can never find out he’s going after Red. As Maverick’s thoughts race, he realizes he needs proof that Red killed Dre before he does anything. Keisha was on the phone with Dre when Dre died; maybe she heard something. Maverick will see her this weekend, since she’s meeting Maverick and Lisa for lunch after Maverick’s Valentine’s Day surprise for Lisa, the tour of Markham.

Ma gets home and lets herself in quietly, but she greets Maverick when she sees he’s still up. She asks how his conversation with Mr. Clayton went. Maverick wants to tell the truth, but instead, he tells Ma a half-truth: that Mr. Clayton told him what he needs to do to graduate. Ma says she has faith in Maverick and asks if the light bill came. Maverick says he paid it and the water bill already. Ma thanks Maverick for helping and asks about Seven. She chuckles when Maverick says he was naughty—she says it’s payback for how Maverick was as a baby.

Annoyed, Maverick gets up to go to bed, but Ma asks him to sit down to talk about something “long overdue.” Ma says she has a date for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, but it’s not with a man: it’s with Moe. They’ve been in a relationship for a few years, and Pops knows about it. Maverick is shocked. Ma explains that Granny knows but isn’t accepting, and Aunt ‘Nita knows too. She says that she’s always liked women, and Pops knew that from the beginning. Maverick thinks back to Lisa telling him to pay attention and realizes that Ma is always happier when Moe is around. He asks Ma if she loves Moe, and Ma says she does, her eyes sparkling.

Maverick asks if Ma loves Pops too. Ma explains that she’ll always love him, but she also needs to love and take care of herself. Pops’s life is at a standstill because he chose to sell drugs, and she shouldn’t have to compromise because of his decisions. Tears fill her eyes, so Maverick hugs her and tells her it’s okay. He asks if she’s happy, and Ma says she is, which is all that Maverick cares about. As Maverick holds Ma, he thinks that she’s right: they’re both living their lives while Pops is in prison, waiting on visits and calls. He realizes that he’s been horrible to Pops. Maverick heats up dinner for Ma and thinks that she deserves this moment of happiness. He doesn’t want to ruin it.