by U. E. Wynn
It took close to ten minutes to wrestle one of the suitcases from under the heavy duffle bags with his good arm. He had no idea how much money it was but figured it was over a million dollars by how much it weighed. If it wasn’t, he could always come back for more.
Before walking out he made a mental note to come back tomorrow with two duffle bags for the drugs which brought about his first decision as being one of the five Heads. Who would be his lieutenant?
Since whoever he chose would deal directly with him, it had to be someone he could trust with his life, which left only two people: Jay or Kwan. Jahad’s childhood friends and his surrogate brother as a kid. At the time they were in charge of passing down the drugs to their own personal lieutenants. It didn’t matter which he chose, both were trustworthy, so he decided to leave the decision up to a flip of a coin.
He wrinkled his nose when he stepped into the hallway, catching a strong whiff of marijuana. He sniffed at his clothes, wondering where the smell came from. The mystery was made known when he entered the kitchen and saw Emma sitting at the dining room table smoking a joint the size of a cigarette.
“Mrs. Harris! What you doing?!”
Emma looked up with a grin. “What’s it look like? I’m getting my smoke on as young people say.”
Koran laughed so hard tears ran from his eyes. “Ah man! You something else Mrs. Harris. Now I see why you always keep a smile on your face. You be toasted.”
“Ain’t nothing wrong with smoking a little marijuana. I told Jahad the same thing. Besides, it’s good for my eyes. Helps me see better.”
“I bet it does. I’ll be back tomorrow around one o clock.” He walked around the table and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll bring you something for your eyes too. You’ll have Superman vision.”
“Hold on baby, take this key. I’ll probably be at church,” she said and handed Koran a silver key on a heart shaped key ring. “And listen, baby. If you’re gonna be in them streets, then you have to play by the same rules the street play by. You can’t chance nothing or put nothing past nobody. Remember that, baby.”
He nodded, lodging the information in his mind. Don’t chance nothing or put nothing past nobody. In his situation he couldn’t afford to do neither or it could cost him his life.
After leaving Emma’s, he dropped the suitcase off at his apartment, then called a cab since Serenity had his truck. He needed to scout for some stash houses and cruising in a cab was a low key way of doing it. Unlike Jahad who always used apartment buildings, he would use brownstones. From experience, he knew with apartments, there was always a chance the super would come snooping around when no one was home. Something he and Jahad had to stop their own super from doing when their apartment had been remodeled.
For nearly three hours, the cab driver chauffeured him around the South Bronx until he located four vacant brownstones. Still in the cab, he called Valentino to handle the paperwork giving him four of his ex-girlfriends names as host to rent the brownstone. The only thing left to do was have them furnished which would be done over the next couple of days.
By the time he made it home it was going on eight o clock. A sharp, tangy aroma smelling of steak and beans smacked him in the face when he entered his apartment. His nose led him to the kitchen where Janet stood over the stove dropping diced shrimp into a pot of what looked like gumbo. Serenity sat at the dining table, cradling the phone with her shoulder while chopping up a green pepper. Both women sported mirco cornrolls. Serenity’s idea, Koran thought. The style suited them perfectly, showing off their heart shaped faces.
“What you whipping up Janet?” he asked, giving Serenity a wet kiss on the lips.
Janet turned from the stove with a smile bright enough to blind him. “Hi Koran!” She wiped her hands on a towel, then gave him a quick peck on the lips under Serenity watchful eyes. “I’m making Shrimp Asopao just for you. It’s a Puerto Rican dish my father taught me how to cook. I think you’ll like it.” She winked turning back to the stove.
Koran blushed and Serenity shot him a warning scowl before she spoke into the phone. “Koran just walked in cutie… alright alright. Here he is.” She looked up at Koran, the scowl still on her face. “Jamel wants to talk to you. And we need to talk when you get off the phone,” she said briskly.
He gave her an innocent grin and grabbed the phone. “What up, Kay? You being good?”
“Ka-wan Kawan!” Jamel shouted happily.
“Yeah, Kay, it’s Koran. How you feeling the country?”
“I come home, Ka-wan. Bug bite me. I come home.”
The sadness in Jamels’ voice broke Koran’s heart. “You don’t like Nana, Kay?”
“Nana like. Bug no like and bad doggie. Kay home!”
A second later, Michelle picked up the phone. “Koran this boy is a mess. He gets bit by one little mosquito now he won’t go outside. Every time we try to take him out he curses us out like he’s grown. Who taught him how to curse like that? You know that ain’t right. I washed his mouth out about ten times already. Then there’s my poor poodle. Either he’s chasing her with that plastic bat of his or she’s chasing him. I tell you, it’s a job putting up with him. Dej’a is the only one he’ll halfway listen to.”
Koran laughed. “I’ll send Sin to come pick him up this weekend. He said he don’t like it down there anyway.” Until the beef was over Jamel could stay with Emma. She’d like nothing better.
“You’ll do no such thing!” Michelle snapped. “My grandbaby won’t be going nowhere until he gets use to it down here. I don’t care how many times he tells you he doesn’t like it. He’s gonna learn to like it!”
“I’m saying, Ma. You already got Dej’a, you gon…”
“What are you saying! Yes, I have Dej’a and she’s staying for the summer. Janet and I had a long talk about it. She’s coming to stay with me too. So I have Dej’a and Jamel and they’re both staying for the summer. Now, what were you saying?”
“Nothing, Ma.”
“That’s what I thought. Now you listen to me. Tomorrow when you take Janet to see Jahad, you make sure that boy acts like he has some sense, you hear me? That girl’s been through enough already. Don’t let him hurt her again. Tell him if he does I’m coming up there to knock some sense into him.”
“I’ll tell him Ma. This whole thing is crazy though, right?”
“It’s not crazy. Everything happens for a reason, Koran. Maybe all that’s happened will make Jahad change his life, at least I hope so. And you, you know better. What got into you? You turned down a scholarship to one of the best…”
“C’mon Ma, not now.” Koran cut her off and closed his eyes. With all that was going on with the M.G’s he knew he had made a mistake by ever getting involved. A mistake that was too late to change. And he wasn’t in the mood to have it rubbed in his face.
“Koran Copeland! You better watch how you talk to me! I’ll still beat your ass,” said Michelle, furious. She ranted for a full two minutes loud enough so that Serenity and Janet could hear her while Koran held the phone away from his ear.
“You hear me!”
Koran rolled his eyes as he placed the phone back to his ear. “Yeah, Ma. I hear you. I’m sorry.”
“Um huh, you better be sorry. Now, here’s that bad butt boy of yours. He’s standing here with his arms folded over his chest, looking like he’s ready to jump on me. I love you.”
“Love you too, Ma,” he smiled, shaking his head. His mother was a trip.
“Ka-wan Gan Ma mean. I come home,” Jamel said as soon as Michelle passed him the phone.
Koran knew his little face was probably balled up. “Give her a chance Kay. Tell her to take you out for ice cream.”
“No ice cream! Fuck ice cream! Kay home!” Jamel cried.
“Kay, what I tell you…” Koran paused when he heard a scuffle with the phone.
“Well, that ends that conversation,” Michelle cut in after she snatched the phone out of Jamel’s hand. “By the time he gets back
to New York he’s gonna like the taste of soap.”
“Don’t be too hard on him, Ma. He’s homesick.”
“He’ll be soap sick before too long,” she said chuckling.
“Ma, don’t…”
“Don’t what? This boy is too fresh and needs to be taught some manners. Now here’s Dej’a.”
“Hi Uncle Koran,” Dej’a said with a smile in her voice.
Koran laughed. “Go head with that uncle stuff, Dej’a. Makes me feel old. So you spoke to your Moms, huh?”
“Yes, I spoke to Mommy. She’s coming to stay with Nana for the summer. Nana said she’s gonna try to talk Mommy into moving in with her for good. I think I’ll be able to persuade her. I wanna talk to my Daddy too.”
“Don’t worry. I guarantee he’ll call you tomorrow,” Koran said, wondering how Serenity would feel about Janet and Dej’a moving down south. For seven years she had been Dej’a’s mother, now Dej’a was about to be snatched from her life. “So how you feeling the south?”
“I love it down here. It’s not so crowded and everybody is so nice. Nana’s the best too. She’s teaching me how to cook soul food. I can make cornbread from scratch.”
“So next time I see you, you gonna cook for me right?”
“You bet. Nana said when Mommy gets here I can cook the whole meal. I’m thinking fried chicken, cabbage, mash potato’s, string beans, fresh baked rolls and a chocolate cake for dessert. Then, when my Daddy gets out the hospital, I’m going to cook for him too,” she said, bubbling with happiness.
“Go head with your bad self. Dej’a do me a favor. Try to keep Kay outta trouble. Mom is putting mad pressure on him.”
“I know, but he keeps cussing everybody out. I keep telling him to watch his mouth. He’s so stubborn though. I can hear him in the bathroom now cursing Nana out. He just won’t listen Koran.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, feeling sorry for Jamel. It wasn’t his fault. The little guy was homesick. “You wanna speak to you Moms before I hang up?”
“Yes. I wanna wish her luck. She’s going to see my Daddy tomorrow. You think they’ll get back together?” she asked hopefully. “When I asked her, she said they had some problems that needed to be worked out.”
“I can’t say Dej’a, but Uncle Koran will try to work his magic, a’ight?”
Dej’a giggled. “Alright Uncle Koran. Love you.”
“Love you too pretty lady.” Koran smiled as he passed the phone to Janet. “Your baby girl wants to speak to you.”
Serenity grabbed his hand, no sooner than Janet took the phone and led him to the living room. The sofa and loveseat were covered from one end to the other with large shopping bags from Macy’s, Saks, and Apollo. Serenity cleared the bags off the sofa then motioned for him to sit down.
“What up, Sin?” he asked as she sat beside him. “And why you giving me the screw face all crazy for?”
“Because you’re acting too friendly with my sister and I’m telling you to stop!” She kept her voice low, but it was laced with anger. “Every time you get around her you get that stupid, silly grin on your face like a lovesick puppy.”
“What the hell you trying say?”
“Stop playing my sister so close. She’s stuck on Jahad and you look so much like him that it’s messing with her mind. It’s not helping that you’re being so friendly either. I see how she looks at you. It’s not an innocent look either.”
Koran’s temper flared. “You think I wanna fuck your sister? You gotta be joking. Are you comparing me to that nigga Trouble or some other bum ass niggas you use to fuck with?”
“No, but…”
“But what!?” he barked inches from her face. “Janet is my fucking brother’s baby mother, so I look at her like family, and you coming at me with this bullshit! You got me fucked up for real!” he said angrily as he jumped up.
Serenity reached for his hand as he stood. “Koran I…”
“I ain’t trying to hear shit you gotta say!” he spat storming off to his bedroom murmuring curses under his breath. He couldn’t believe she would question his loyalty about something as crazy as trying to sleep with her sister. If she could think that, then she really didn’t know him at all. It also made him question how well he knew her. Serenity came in a few minutes later, while he sat on the edge of the bed rolling a blunt. He glanced up, rolled his eyes, then went back to twisting up his blunt. Well, at least the best he could with one hand.
“A yo, Sin, whatever you gotta say, save it. I ain’t tryin to…”
“Boo, I’m sorry,” she interrupted crossing the room to him. Before he could speak, she kissed him softly, her hands circling his waist. “I got kind of jealous seeing how you two flirted. Janet is so pretty and the thought of you being with any woman besides me drives me mad. I mean, I’ve never felt these type of feelings before. No one has brought them out of me the way you do.”
Koran bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. “Stop trying to gas me up yo.”
“I’m serious Koran.” She looked deep into his eyes. “But I should have enough trust in you to know you wouldn’t do something like that, so I apologize.”
“Yeah, you should trust me. And yeah, Janet is pretty, but to me you’re prettier. Now about your apology. The only way I’ll accept it is you gotta show me just how sorry you are,” he said with a sly grin.
“You want me to show you?” She ran a hand over his crotch. “How about I kiss it and make it better?”
“That’ll work as long as you don’t bite it.”
She slipped her hand inside his jeans just as Janet opened the bedroom door. “There you are, Dej’a wanted... oh sorry.” Janet giggled, closing the door. “Dej’a wanted to speak to you, Sin. I’ll tell her you have your hands full at the moment, ” she called out laughing.
Serenity was flushed with embarrassment. “Damn! She messed up the mood.”
“Yeah, she did. It’s cool though. You can apologize later on tonight. You know Dej’a is…”
“Staying with your mother,” she finished for him, her eyes welling up with tears. “She told me she doesn’t want to come back Koran. She’s gone!” she said, sobbing on his shoulder.
“Whoa, Sin. C’mon, you know that ain’t true.”
“But she’ll be way down there in North Carolina and I’ll be here. I’ll never get to see her.”
“How bout we move there?” The words came out before he realized what he had said.
Serenity looked up at him wiping her eyes. “You for real?”
“Yeah, I guess I am. I’ll probably keep this apartment so I’ll have somewhere to come when I get homesick. But yeah, we can do that.”
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she squealed, covering his face with kisses.
“You can do all that tonight. Now c’mon before I change my mind and stretch you out right now.”
She grabbed his arm before he could stand. “Wait a minute. Did you do what we spoke about yet?”
“What’s that?”
“You know, about Hector.”
“Nah, not yet. I ain’t feeling getting you mixed in this. We dealing with some dangerous ass dudes on both sides. I don’t wanna chance it back firing in our faces.”
Serenity blew out a frustrated breath. “We talked about this already Koran. I know exactly what I’m getting into. This…”
“Do you really?”
“Yes, I do. Stop cutting me off too, and listen. This…”
“If I don’t, what?” Koran smiled as she covered his mouth with her hand.
“Stop it! You wanna play when there’s someone trying to kill you. Now shut up and listen!”
Koran held up his hands, grinning. “A’ight, Sin. Damn.”
She glared at him a moment before continuing. “This is the best way period and you know it. I can’t approach Hector directly. He’ll probably know it’s a set up. I have to make him come to me.”
“I never said it wasn’t a good plan. I’m saying I don’t like pu
tting you in danger.”
“Putting me in danger? I’ve been in danger ever since I started messing with you. I’m not about to leave you though, so we have to do something to eliminate the danger.”
Koran nodded, hating to admit that she was right. Her plan was for him to inform the Heads that he found out through someone in his projects that she was Hector’s sister. Serenity supposedly didn’t know that he knew. He was to go on to say that he checked into it and found out that Serenity and Hector weren’t close, but he still planned on killing her just for being Hectors’ sister. If one of the Heads was the snake, then the assumption was Hector would soon contact Serenity in hopes of using her to set Koran up. Four or five days after he passed this information off, if Hector didn’t contact her, then Koran would focus on the Heads lieutenants and tell the Heads what he knew. Although he would still be taking a chance, the odds would be in his favor.
If Hector did contact Serenity, Koran hoped to find out who supplied the information. If not, he would kill Hector and still know one of the Heads were behind the plot. One thing was for sure, and it was something that had been on his mind since Emma told him not to chance nothing. He wasn’t about to waste time trying to figure out which Head or lieutenant was trying to kill them. If Serenity’s plan didn’t work, then he would kill the Heads and their lieutenants to eliminate the threat. Whatever guilt he felt afterwards he would deal with it. All he knew is that he would kill a million people if he had to if it meant protecting his family.
Chapter Twenty Four
Koran devoted the next three days to handling his duties as one of the Head M.G’s. The first two he spent transferring the money and drugs from Emma’s apartment to the four stash houses. It was a job that took Serenity’s help. He cleared everything out except for one army duffle bag which he planned to keep for himself. The Heads still didn’t know the whereabouts of the stash houses and until he found out who was trying to kill them, he wanted to keep it that way. So far no one had asked about it so he didn’t volunteer the information.
