by Natavia
I opened the door and Ricardo was staring at us.
“Father!” Ricardo said.
“How much did you hear?” Benjamin asked.
“Enough!”
Ricardo went inside his father’s office and slammed the door. I shrugged it off and headed out of the building. Tinashe was around the corner standing by my truck, smoking a cigarette. Despite her having HIV, she looked the same since I was a youngin’ on the come-up. She had to be around fifty years old.
“He’s gonna help?” Tinashe asked.
“Yeah, good lookin’ out.”
“Anytime. I don’t know who this woman is but she’s one lucky bitch. Hell, if doesn’t work out, let me know so I can tell my niece to give you a call,” she replied.
“I’ll keep that mind,” I chuckled, and she waved me goodbye.
I got inside my truck and pulled off into traffic. Funny how life turned out. While I was cruising through the streets, I had a flashback of the day I had a talk with Tinashe…
I pulled up in front of one of my rental houses to collect rent money from a tenant. She was a few weeks behind. I got out of my whip and knocked on the door. She opened the door wearing a robe with a cigarette dangling from her mouth.
“Goddamn it, Governor,” she said, opening the door for me. I stepped inside the two-bedroom townhouse and it was tidy. She had two cats and they ran upstairs as soon as I stepped inside.
“Why did I have to knock on your door, Tinashe?” I asked when I went inside her living room.
“Cause my medical bills pilin’ up. I just don’t have the money right now,” she said.
“You straight?”
“Naw, I ain’t straight. I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I could’ve had me a decent man and a family by now. But, nope, I just had to live the fast life. Now I got sumthin I can’t get rid of,” she said. I sat on the couch across from her. Tinashe used to test out my product when I was a young nigga, but she got herself clean.
“I thought you had a man. Where he at?”
“Who, Benjamin? That muthafucka is the devil. He blamed me for givin’ him HIV because of my past. I’m not a fool, Governor. That man had that mess before he got wit’ me, he just didn’t think I was gonna find out. I wasted eight years wit’ that nigga and he can’t even put me in a house. That punk muthafucka ain’t about shit. It’s always the rich ones that’s twisted up in the head. I hope you don’t turn out that way,” she said, giving me the side-eye.
“Naw, never that. But you said the nigga name is Benjamin, right? I knew he looked familiar. He gave you the security deposit for this house.”
“Yeah, then left me to pay the rent by myself! That damn bastard needs to die already. He ruined my life,” she replied.
“Do me a favor and you can have this house.”
“Are you for real?” she asked, putting her cigarette out.
“Yeah, you need it more than me.”
“You’re an angel, you know that? But what do you need me to do?”
Twenty-six minutes later, I was pulling up to Olive Garden in Bowie, Maryland. I got out my whip and walked into the restaurant. The person I was there to meet was sitting at the bar. Her long blonde weave flowed down her back and past her ass. I sat down next to her and she looked at me and smiled.
“You’re late,” she said and slid me a menu.
“My bad, I had to take care of a few things.”
“I don’t like this look on you,” she said.
I couldn’t name one broad in Maryland that didn’t like for a nigga to wear casual clothes. Shorty thought I was supposed to dress like a street dude twenty-four-seven.
Damn, I’m glad I outgrew this silly bitch.
Rochelle
G overnor sent me a text a few hours prior asking me to meet him for lunch. To say I was excited is an understatement. I missed him terribly. Nucci was just someone to help pass the time but Governor was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
“What’s up with Alexi?” he asked.
“I heard she’s back home, but she still hasn’t reached out to me. I think the kidnappers traumatized her. Frost said she’s barely talkin’ to him and I can’t even see her yet.”
I had so much going on since Alexi been kidnapped that I had to stop and think about myself. My blood pressure was up, and I was getting terrible migraines. On top of that, I was stressing over Governor and Essa. I regretted any dealings with Nucci. His wife kept calling my phone, threatening to beat my ass when she saw me. One thing about Governor, I didn’t have to deal with any of his hoes in the past. While he was looking over the menu, I grabbed his dick underneath the bar counter. He pushed my hand away. If looks could kill, I would’ve been lying on the floor bleeding out.
“Chill, shorty,” he said.
“Since when is it a problem for me to touch you?”
“We ain’t on that tip anymore. A nigga can’t be platonic wit’ a female?” he asked.
“Since when have you been platonic wit’ a female friend? This is new.”
“I’m a changed man,” he said, and I rolled my eyes.
“Must be that bitch, Essa.”
“What she did she do to you?” he asked.
“She used to speak to me before she went behind my back and started fuckin’ my man!”
“Naw, it didn’t happen like that. I came on to her and, besides, we weren’t together. Look, fuck all that because I’m gettin’ bored wit’ this. We can never have a regular conversation. It’s always about who I’m fuckin’, what I’m buyin’ you or you just whinin’ for no reason. Let’s just nip that in the bud,” he said.
“What else is there to talk about? Your businesses? You bein’ legit? That’s borin’.”
“Yeah, I know. Only a real shorty can comprehend. Birds don’t understand the importance of that conversation. They only live for the bread,” he said.
“How many times have I talked to you about startin’ a family and us gettin’ married?”
“You want to be a wife but can’t support a nigga? You’re like the Tasha to my Ghost, shorty,” he chuckled. Governor didn’t take me seriously, but I wanted to get married and have kids by him. I knew I wouldn’t have to work and nobody else could offer me that life. So what if that seemed selfish of me.
“I know my worth and I’m stickin’ to it.”
“Tell me this, Chelle. How can you be down for a nigga but couldn’t tell me your mother is datin’ a cop? You know how iffy that is to me? Before you lie about anything, just come clean about the bullshit. That police officer your bald-headed mother is fuckin’ ain’t clean. Word around town is he’s robbin’ niggas. The same niggas you know. You wanna tell me what’s up with that?” he asked.
“Is that why you wanted to meet me? You think I’m settin’ you up?”
I’d thought about punishing Governor for how he moved on, but I couldn’t find it in my heart to bring harm to a man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
“Who said anything about settin’ me up? I’m just lookin’ out for you in case you get yourself into some shit,” he said.
“I don’t know what Ian is up to. We barely talk. Do you think he’s dirty?”
“Do you think he’s dirty?” Governor asked.
“I don’t know but he has asked me about you one time. He was wonderin’ if me and you were still datin’. I asked him why he wanted to know, and he said his partner was interested in me. This happened after Alexi was kidnapped from the strip club.”
“He’s bad news, shorty, and sumthin ain’t addin’ up,” he said with seriousness in his voice.
“What do you want me to do? You think I’m tellin’ Ian things about everyone?”
“I’m not sayin’ it like that but you definitely ain’t tell me about the nigga. You should’ve told me when he asked about me. That shit doesn’t look cool, Chelle,” he said. He got off the stool then went into his pocket for a few bills. He placed them on the bar counter, and just like tha
t he was out of the restaurant.
I can’t catch a break! What in the hell is goin’ on? I’ll figure out what the hell Ian is up to myself. If what Governor told me is true, my mother’s boyfriend robbed me. She’s sleepin’ wit’ the enemy. I gotta find Alexi and figure out what happened when they took her.
I paid the tab and rushed out of the restaurant. Frost said Alexi didn’t want to talk to anyone, but she didn’t have a choice. Who gets kidnapped and doesn’t call their best friend after they made it home safely?
Eighteen minutes later…
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I pulled up to Alexi’s home. She had a for sale sign in the front yard. I got out of my truck and walked up to the living room window to look inside. The house was empty but there were two unfamiliar cars in the driveway. The front door opened, and a middle-aged white woman stepped out along with a young black couple. That house meant a lot to Alexi, her father left it to her before he passed away from prostate cancer. I couldn’t believe she was selling it.
“Excuse me. Do you have an appointment for a walk-through?” the real estate agent asked after the young couple drove off.
“No, but I’m interested. I was drivin’ past and noticed the for-sale sign.”
“Would you like to take a quick look before the next viewer gets here?” she asked.
“No, I’m fine. I’m sorta in a rush. How long has it been on the market? I have been lookin’ for homes in this area and this didn’t come up.”
“For three weeks. It’s a very beautiful home. Are you sure you don’t want to come in?” she replied.
“No, thanks. Have a nice day,” I said.
What in the hell is goin’ on?
I rushed to my truck and sped off seconds after getting in. Since I couldn’t get in touch with Alexi, I decided to drive to Lanham, Maryland where her mother lived just fifteen minutes away.
There was only one car in Alexi’s mother’s driveway when I pulled up. I exited my truck, carefully watching my surroundings. Something fishy was going on and I hoped Alexi wasn’t in danger. It wasn’t like her to put her house up for sale. I rang her mother’s doorbell and waited for someone to open the door. She didn’t answer until after the tenth rang.
“Chile, you scared me,” Alexi’s mother, Crystal, said when she opened the door. Alexi and her mother didn’t look anything alike. She was lighter than Alexi and had dreadlocks. Crystal was also on the heavy side. Alexi got her good looks from her father.
“I’m sorry. I’m lookin’ for Alexi.”
“Come on in. Did you eat? I have some fried chicken and fried potatoes on the stove,” she said as I stepped into her junky house. Alexi always complained about her mother having hoarder tendencies and I believed her. Crystal had a bird cage in her living room and never had a bird. She thought it was for decoration, but it looked out of place hanging over her TV.
“Yes, I’m still full,” I lied. There was no way in hell I was eating from Crystal’s house. She told me have a seat in her living room while she called Alexi. Crystal’s house had an odd smell to it, reminding me of mothballs.
“She’s on her way,” Crystal said when she sat across from me on her old floral couch. The woman worked for the government and was making good money. I couldn’t understand how she could live so poorly.
“It’s been a while since I seen you. How have you been?” she asked.
“I’ve been okay,” I replied. I tried to mask my anger. I’d been trying to reach Alexi for a week, yet all it took was me popping up on her mother for her to see me.
“Why didn’t you go to Frost’s parents’ anniversary party yesterday? It was so nice; Alexi really outdid herself planning the event. The food wasn’t great but don’t tell her I said it,” Crystal laughed.
“Oh, I didn’t go because I wasn’t feeling too good.”
“She told me you were on vacation. But anyway, I’m gonna show you some pictures. Let me get my phone,” she said in excitement. At that point, I was sick of Alexi. That hoe was the only friend I had but she was up to no good. Crystal came back with her phone to show me the pictures I wasn’t interested in. Alexi’s mother was very jolly and would talk your head off. I knew I wasn’t able to just stop by without sitting for a few hours, listening to her run off with her mouth about nothing.
“And this is Alexi and Frost dancin’ to The Commodores. You know the song, ‘Three Times A Lady?’” she asked.
“No, I’m afraid I don’t,” I replied while she skimmed through her photo album.
“WAIT! Go back!” I said.
Crystal went back to the last photo, and I thought I was going to explode. My head was getting extremely heavy and my palms began to sweat.
“Who is that?” I asked, pointing at Ian posing with Frost and a few other men.
“Oh, that’s Frost’s cousin. He’s a cop and he doesn’t have any kids. I’m surprised Alexi didn’t put you on with him. He’s around y’all age I think, maybe a little older,” Crystal replied.
Crystal’s house phone rang, and she excused herself. If only she knew how much tea she spilled on her own daughter. Crystal left her phone behind, so I could finish going through the photos. I sent the one with Ian and Frost to my cellphone then deleted the message from Crystal’s phone. While she was running her mouth in the kitchen, I rushed out of her house. I backed out of her driveway like a bat out of hell before Alexi pulled up on me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I wasn’t completely naïve and knew what was going on. Alexi was helping her man set people up—they were working with the police.
What is he doing here?
Nucci’s Jaguar was parked behind my building when I pulled up to my neighborhood. I didn’t have time for any of his drama between him and his wife. Not only did I want to avoid him, I didn’t want the nosey people in the building in my business. Nucci got out of his car and I couldn’t front like I wasn’t feeling him. He had good dick and he didn’t mind dropping money on me, but in the long run, I wanted a man I could settle down with and Nucci wasn’t it.
“What’s good witchu?” he asked when I walked over to him.
“What are you doin’ here? Governor might find out about this.”
“Come on, shorty. That nigga doesn’t give a fuck about us. I came here so we could talk. You know I’ve been feelin’ you for a minute, right? Yo, I can’t stop thinkin’ about you,” he said.
“We were just a fling. Your wife keeps calling my phone.”
“I left her,” he said nonchalantly.
“Look, now is not the time. I have sumthin to do.”
“I’m standin’ here tellin’ you I left my wife and you’re tryna rush me off?” he asked.
“You left your wife for me because of the few times we fucked? You really want me to believe that?”
“Me and her had problems for a while. I’m not happy wit’ that broad. I’m gonna be at my penthouse later on. Come there and see me so we can talk,” he said, caressing my cheek.
Why I do I sorta like him? Wait a minute, Chelle. He was just a piece of dick while Governor was goin’ around slingin’ dick to bitches in the building.
“Okay, I’ll see you later.”
“I’m serious, Rochelle. Hit me up,” he replied. Nucci kissed me on the lips as Sinna’s friend, Chelsie, was taking trash to the dumpster. She waved at me and I rolled my eyes at her. That hoe didn’t like me neither. All those broads in that building were testing me. I was thinking about moving at one point, but I had to keep an eye on Governor and that Essa chick. I was finding it hard to believe he cared for her. Governor was a dog just like the rest of them, the only difference is he wasn’t disrespectful to women. Whatever him and Essa had was just something for him to do while he was at work with her.
“Don’t forget about me,” Nucci said when he pulled away from me. He got into his Jaguar and drove out of the parking lot. Chelsie was sitting on the steps behind the building smoking a cigarette. She was attractive, but she had a d
irty and whorish look to her. Her nail polish was always chipped and her hair was oily. She also wore a lot of body spray as if she was hiding a smell. My mother used to always tell me that women who wore too much perfume were whores, preferably prostitutes.
“You know you don’t have to spray the whole bottle on yourself, right? Soap and water costs a quarter.”
“Comin’ from the bitch who had an STD,” she laughed.
“Excuse me, sewer rat?”
