by S. L. Walker
“Hey sister,” she said in that naive, happy-go-lucky voice she had when I first met her.
“Merry Christmas. What you up to?” I mimicked her, getting up and walking towards the back patio. My mom had left me to my privacy to finish cooking in the kitchen, but I needed more privacy for what I was about to say.
“Oh, just watching TV. They have great Christmas movies on at this time-” she started to say.
“That’s great, look bitch, don’t think this is over between me and you. I told you shit in private and you went and told daddy!” I fussed at her, causing her to go completely silent. I could imagine her face stuck and immediately thought about daddy being right there. “Don’t say a fucking word right now. Let this be a lesson, if you ever speak on me again, including this conversation, I will personally make your life a living hell. I might even tell your little Eminem boyfriend about your sick little crush you have and THEN I’m gonna kick your little ass. Got that?!”
“Haha! You’re so funny, yeah totally do!” I could feel the nervousness in her voice, but she played it off nicely.
“Hope you have a great Christmas and I will send you a present soon! Tata!” I then hung up. That felt so good. The little brat will know her place even if I have to snatch her up and show her.
“You off already?” My mom peaked around the corner when she heard the patio door close.
“Yep,” I smiled in satisfaction.
CHAPTER 34
Treach was at his wits end with Raven. She wasn’t saying a word and he couldn’t continue to fuck her up and anymore beating to Deon would sure kill him.
“Fine!” He was done playing with her. “Nine, get Sergio on the phone,” he told Nine. Nine pulled out his cell phone and West went over and dragged the bruised up Raven and sat her in a folding chair, handcuffing her to the railings. “I told you this was on you,” Treach said to her.
“How’s it look?” Nine said to a male voice on the phone. He then put it on speaker. A male Puerto rican accent came over the phone.
“We are sittin’ in front of the casa now. It is the mom and little girl,” he said with a heavy accent. Raven’s ears burned. Her attention turned towards the voice in the phone. Who were they talking about?
“Wha…What are you doing?” She said, faintly to Treach.
“Oh, you know, paying a small visit to your friend Eva,” he told her, taking the phone from Nine. Raven’s eyes widened, horrified.
“No, no, no,” she shook her head.
“Yes, yes, yessssss,” Treach shook the phone in her face. “What’s it gonna beeeee?”
“T, what the fuck?” DJ walked in, his eyes first in disbelief at how badly messed up Raven was.
“Oh, nice of you to join us, DJ,” Treach laughed, knowing DJ’s feelings for Raven were beginning to irk him, especially after he warned him to fall back. “Didn’t I tell you to stay in the front and keep a lookout?” Treach wanted DJ out of his hair. Even though DJ was his boy, he knew pussy could turn a man upside down and around, and by the way DJ was acting, he knew he had smashed Raven somehow.
“Cash is here,” DJ relayed.
“Oh goody,” Treach said.
“What do you want me to do?” Sergio asked, still on the phone.
“Hold on,” Treach answered and then turned to Raven. “So, do we get her here your way or mines, Vee?” He gave Raven one more chance. Raven looked at all of the cowards in the room, even DJ. She then looked at her brother who had slumped back over. She refused.
“Fuck all y’all,” she said with so much force and so loud Sergio could hear her, too. DJ closed his eyes in shame; wishing she would just give in.
“Do it,” Treach hung up the phone, insulted by Raven’s bravery. Raven cried and cried, not knowing what she had just allowed Treach to do.
VICTORIA
It felt good not to deal with Treach and running for just a moment. My mom and I went and got makeovers and our nails done before they had closed early for the day. She had let me get some blonde highlights in my hair so now I had really light brown hair with streaks and she had cut it in almost a bob. I looked like a young lady. I couldn’t wait to show Lance. My nails were a bright pink matching my bright pink timberland boots. My mom looked like money, too. She had on a black Gucci sweater dress with a long V-neckline showing off her perfect cleavage for her age. She had on black Gucci knee length boots and a long peacoat she buttoned when she got out of the car pulling up at home.
We had chatted and had girl time all day. I had told her about Lance and how I met him. I didn’t tell her I was rolling in money from all the runs but that I was just window shopping. I told her who his dad was and that they were nice people. She was happy for me. I was happy, despite everything else.
“All the women in my family can never stay single, honey. I am just warning you now. Lance maybe your first, but he won’t be your last,” she told me during our manicure time. I didn’t want there to be anyone else. I wanted Lance and I to last forever.
She gave me as much advice as she could about men. That they pretend to be someone else at first. It’s only after a few months, a man shows his true colors and that’s when you let him in. Until then, you let him do all the giving and you all the taking. She said she wished she had that information when it came to my dad. He was so charming and now look.
I reminded her of the $100,000 we just won from him and she was thankful all over again.
We heehawed and snickered still in conversation as we walked into our holiday decorated house. She had food cooking in the crockpot and the smell greeted us as we walked in. I had an eerie feeling, though. You know when something is going too good; or maybe you are having too good of a day that you just know something is going to go wrong? That’s how I felt. Things were too perfect. I don’t know what made me put my shopping bags down in my room and grab my gun out of my music box, but I did and kept it on my hip.
CHAPTER 35
They dragged Eva down to the room where Raven was blindfolded and gagged. She was crying and screaming, but her words were all muffled. Raven’s eyes lit up with relief.
“Eve!” She called out to her, letting her know she was okay. Eva tried to mumble Raven’s name, recognizing Raven’s voice. Sergio, who had snatched her up, removed the blindfold and gag.
“Chingada!” Eva snarled at the man. He had been unnecessarily rough with her and on top of that had beat her mother’s ass. She wasn’t sure if she was alive or not. Eva then turned to Raven, ignoring Treach, West, and Nine in the room. “Raven! You okay?!” She ran over to her and hugged the cuffed Raven.
“I’m good. Your mom okay?” Raven asked her, afraid for the worst.
“I don’t know!” She glared at the man. “I swear to you punto if my mother-” Eva stormed towards the man but not before Nine lifted her up and dragged her back. Treach grabbed another folding chair and Nine slammed her down in it. Treach put his gun in her face.
“Sit yo ass down and shut the fuck up!” Treach barked. “Is the mom okay?” Treach looked at Sergio.
He shrugged. “Yeah, should be.”
“See, she should be,” Treach turned to Eva who had hatred written all over her face. “Now, Raven, let’s get your spice girl, Victoria here,” he told her trying to give her the phone. “This time, I don’t give a fuck what they do to the mom.”
Raven clinched her jaw and turned her head away.
“Ugh. Bitches is stubborn!” Treach, yelled impatiently. He dialed the number to another Puerto Rican man who was on stand by at Victoria’s house.
“Si?” He answered.
“Que Paso! What’s the word?” Treach confirmed.
“They just came home from shopping,” he also said, with a heavy accent.
“Look, Vee. I got contracts on all y’all. Men at every one of your houses ready to do what they need to do to get you here. Now, Cash insisted he take y'all the way he wanted, but I insisted y'all didn’t need to be done that way. So, page Victoria, tell her to get h
er little shoppin’ ass down here,” Treach said as calmly as he could. “He is waiting on his merchandise.”
“Merchandise? You sorry motherfucker!” Raven gasped as soon as she put two and two together. Treach was going to sell them.
“Aight, do it,” Treach gave the go again, done playing games with Raven. Cash was waiting patiently and he knew before long Cash would get impatient. He was used to being in and out with his transactions, but was willing to do it Treach’s way because he was getting a good deal on some good bred girls.
“Wait!” Raven gave in. She knew Treach wasn’t playing. And at least if they all arrived here safely, she could think of a plan. “Give me the phone,” she told Treach.
“Holup,” Treach smirked. “That a girl,” he gave Raven the phone. She dialed as best she could handcuffed.
“She’s usin’ the telefono,” the Puerto Rican voice relayed on the other end. Treach’s phone rang and he held it up to Raven’s ear.
“Tori, it’s me, Vee, I need you to come down to Treachs' right now,” Raven said calmly.
“Girl, I can’t. My moms is all in my face right now. She just went to use the bathroom. Is everything okay?” Victoria asked, oblivious to what was happening on the other end of the line. Raven looked at Eva who was trying to hold back the rest of her tears.
“You gotta come, Tori. Now,” Raven tried to put a little more urgency in her voice. She wanted Tori to know something was wrong but to not call the cops.
“She will get suspicious,” Victoria fussed.
“Little girl, get your ass to this warehouse!” Treach was over the bullshit. He snatched the phone back and demanded Victoria to come. “There is a nigga outside of your house, waiting to take you or take you and your mom! You choose!” He hollered right into the phone.
Victoria looked at her phone as if itself had yelled at her. Her heart pounded as she tried to look out the kitchen window for anyone suspicious.
“Ok ok,” she didn’t argue.
“Go down the street and he will pick you up,” Treach demanded.
“Okay,” she said, fearfully.
She checked for her burner gun, putting it in her sock and yelled to her mom she was going to give Raven her present and be right back. She grabbed her jacket and ran out before her mom could answer her back. She didn’t even get halfway down the street before the man pulled up in his car and screeched next to her, snatching her in.
“Go tell Cash, we are almost rounded up here,” Treach ordered DJ. DJ and Raven locked eyes before he left the room; both speaking volumes to each other.
“My brother needs a doctor, Treach,” Raven wasn’t done looking over her brother. Every chance she could she’d peak in the window and see how he was doing. He was still slumped over, but breathing.
“Ahhhh, he will be okay,” Treach waved him away. “You just worry about looking cute for Cash.”
“We aren’t going with him,” Raven said confidently. She would kill Treach. Then she would blow the brains out of West. Then she would kill Nine and then beat the shit out of DJ.
Treach couldn’t help but laugh at her brave stupidity. He had it all planned out and he wasn’t about to argue with the inevitable.
“Now, we save the best for last. My little green eyed firecracker,” Treach could’t wait to get Angel in front of him. Although he was hurt he had to let her go, Cash offered more money for her than the other girls. Besides, he knew keeping Angel around wouldn’t work after he offed her friends. He knew he’d never be able to make Angel totally his, but the soft spot he had for her just wouldn't leave.
ANGEL
I was in my room watching the tv show Friends, not paying full attention to what was really going on. Being home numbed me. It didn’t feel like Christmas and after my mom kicked my dad back out, I was refusing to speak to her. She interrupted my thoughts with a knock and let herself in.
“Hey Angie, are you gonna make your famous chocolate chip cookies? I am almost done with dinner,” she damn near whispered to me. I didn’t even look at her but acted as if I was more interested in what was on TV. I knew not speaking to her was breaking her heart and the fact that Christmas was tomorrow.
“Well, you know your grandma loves them,” she tried to detour the conversation. I stayed in silence. She sighed and was about to say something else, but gave up and closed the door. I wanted to cry. I didn’t want to be this mean to my mom but all I could see was my father’s broken face when she told him to get out. He didn’t even put up a fight. He just grabbed a bag and slowly left. He didn’t even say goodbye to me. I wanted my mom to give him another chance; for me. I had yelled and screamed it for the world to know, but she refused.
A single tear escaped my eye and fell onto my pillow. I wiped it, refusing to cry again. I then looked over at Sam’s gift I had wrapped sitting on my nightstand. I shot up as if I had just had an idea and threw on my white hoodie and jean jacket. I slipped on my white sketchers and grabbed his gift. I hadn’t seen him since that night my mom was blowing my phone up and I missed him. Plus, I knew he’d make my day better. I slipped out of the house while my mom was in the kitchen. She didn’t even hear me leave. I got a weird feeling someone was watching me and turned around fast behind me as I was about to hop on my bike. The only thing in the distance was the wind in the winter trees and a couple of birds flying by. I immediately thought about my gun and Raven’s warning to keep it on me at all times, but I didn’t want to risk going back in the house to get it and my mom question me. I’ll be fine. I shrugged off the haunting intuition and made my way to Sam’s house.
He welcomed me with open arms and smiled at the gift I got him. His parents waved to me as they were decorating their Christmas tree.
“This is nice!” He glowed at his black Calvin Klein jacket he pulled out of his gift box when we got to his room. “Dang girl!” He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. “I didn’t know you liked me this much.”
“It’s nothing,” I blushed. It really wasn’t. It was literally on sale for like fifty dollars at Macy’s and compared to the $10,000 I had still sitting in my room, that was lunch money. “You deserve it. For always being there for me,” I told him. He shut his room door and grabbed a small white and red wrapped gift box and gave it to me.
“So do you. Merry Christmas,” he sat on his bed, eagerly waiting on me to open it. I carefully unwrapped the gift to reveal a small vintage shaped oval mood ring. “It’s real silver. None of that fake shit,” he gleamed, proud of himself. I wasn’t sure how to react. It was beautiful, different, and thoughtful.
“I love it,” I looked at him with love in my eyes. I put it on my ring finger and smiled. It instantly turned green.
“Oh shit. Just like your eyes,” he pointed out. I chuckled. “There’s a slip of paper that tells you what all the colors mean,” he motioned behind the box. I took out the paper and read my color that had popped up.
“Love, Acceptance, Calm, Greedy, Romantic,” I read out loud.
“What could you possibly be greedy about?” He walked slowly over to me and wrapped his arms around me. He looked into my eyes and mine his.
“I can think of something,” I melted. With Sam I was safe. Nothing could tear me away.
Suddenly, his mom entered the room. We separated from each other quicker than oil and water.
“Hey darling, you staying for dinner? I am about to set the table,” his mom asked with no clue. She was a nice lady. A little chubby, full breast, hair in curly braids, with a soothing, mom voice. She was always sweet to me; his dad, too.
I looked at the time on Sam’s night clock and knew I couldn’t leave my mom by herself.
“Thanks, Mrs. Watkins, but I have to be getting home to my own dinner. I just stopped by to give Sam his gift,” I told her.
“Awee, okay hun. Sam get ready for dinner please,” her soft voice became stern and she closed the door back giving us privacy. My mom would never had let us close my door.
“I wish you could stay,�
� Sam looked at me with puppy dog eyes.
“I know me too,” I agreed as he opened the door and walked me to the front door. He closed the door behind us leaving us in the chill air.
“You are coming to the Christmas party tomorrow right?” He put his arms around my shoulders, preparing to kiss me goodbye.
“Heck yeah, I didn’t buy that dress for nothing,” I held onto his arms. He kissed me softly and once again I got the haunting feeling someone was watching me. I ignored it, feeling safe in Sam’s arms. He finally released me.
“Let me know when you make it home. And I’ll call you after dinner,” he said out to me as I hopped on my bike. I waved and headed back to my mom who I knew would soon be paging me.
About five minutes into my ride, a black town car screeched in front of me causing me to yelp and fall off my bike.
“Ah! Are you crazy?!” I yelled at the tall male driver when he hurriedly got out the car. I thought he was getting out to see if I was okay, but by the time I realized that wasn’t what he was doing, he grabbed me so fast and gripped his hands over my mouth so I couldn’t scream. My legs kicked and I hollered inside a moist napkin as he threw me in the back of the town car with him. I felt my head get woozy and caught a blurry glimpse of him before I passed out.
CHAPTER 36
When Raven saw the drowsy Angel get dragged in along with Victoria, she wanted to cry.
“Angel!” Victoria and Eva yelled out.
“Aye! Shut the fuck up!” Treach yelled at them. “What’s wrong with her?” Treach asked concerned.
“I just gave her a little chloroform. She was feisty,” he said in a heavy, Spanish accent. “Come on, bonita, wakey wakey,” he slapped her face lightly as she tried to come to.
