by Natavia
“Why is everyone so defensive? Essa must be insecure because she always catches an attitude when I talk to Governor and that is not my problem!” Malorie said.
“Oh, it is your problem. And lower your voice, Sis. We don’t mind actin’ a fool over family,” Baby Head Poo said, and I agreed.
“Can’t we just enjoy the moment?” my father asked.
“You’re right, Uncle Henry, but I feel disrespected right now considerin’ she was sending my man nudes and nasty videos. The nerve of her to lust after him in my face during a time with MY family,” Essa said.
Ohhhh shit!
“You are lying!” Malorie said.
“I know every tattoo on your body. Including the ice cream cone on your hotbox,” Essa said.
“What in the ‘I need my popcorn’ is goin’ on here?” Baby Head Poo asked.
“I’m out of here,” Malorie said, grabbing her things.
“And you better be gone out of my house when I get back! We’re over!” Kendra said.
“Mayor fucks better anyway!” Malorie said while she was leaving the hospital room.
“Why y’all lookin’ at me?” Mayor asked.
“Can y’all just go for a second,” I said to everyone.
“I’m sorry,” Essa said.
“We don’t bite our tongues, and nobody was fightin’, so it’s cool but I need to talk to Mayor.”
Everyone left out of my hospital room. It was just me, Zaliya and Mayor. He was sitting on the couch next to my bed rubbing his head.
“Mannn, Kitty, that was old. I was like twenty years old and it was before she got wit’ my mother,” he said.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Do I know everybody you slept wit’ before me? And, besides, my mother’s happiness comes before mine. She knew Malorie was a stripper and accepted her, so what did I need to ruin that for?” he asked. He got up and leaned over the bed rail, staring me in the eyes.
“I love you and I was plannin’ on askin’ you at dinner back at the house, but you went into labor,” he said while going into his pocket. Mayor pulled out a black ring box and opened it. There was a gold ring with a big diamond in the middle and smaller diamonds on the band.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
“Only if we can have a leopard print wedding.”
“Aight, bruh. Anything you want,” Mayor replied.
He slipped the ring on my finger and I was too excited. Mayor slid into the bed with me and took Zaliya from me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed me again. I noticed he had on a pair of my tiger stripe socks because he was wearing joggers.
“You got my socks on?”
“Naw, why you asked that?” he chuckled.
“Don’t play wit’ me.”
“I was rushin’ when your water broke so I had to grab sumthin. These joints comfortable though,” he said. The nurse came back in to take Zaliya so she could get checked while a patient care tech helped me clean off and change my gown. I was a little stiff and told Mayor to leave the room, so he didn’t have to see it. He left and it was just me and the PCT.
“That ring is so bomb,” she said.
She was a light-skinned girl with pretty blonde jumbo braids. She looked to be around twenty years old.
“Thank you.”
I was the happiest woman alive! But there was no doubt in my mind that I still had some growing up to do. I was prepared for it all: motherhood, marriage life and life changes. One thing was for sure, me and Mayor was going to get through it together. [NS2][MT3]He promised to be out of the streets within the year and I was grateful for that because he lived a wild life and I was becoming worried about him.
Rochelle
M y mother was lying on my couch in tears. Ian, his partner, Joshua and Frost had been missing for months. There were posters all over the city about it. Even the mayor spoke out about finding the two officers. They weren’t so much concerned about Frost. I somewhat felt bad because I had a feeling Frost went missing due to that picture I sent Governor by mistake. Alexi questioned me about it, but I denied it. She must not have believed me because she stopped talking to me and even changed her number. Alexi was hot anyway and I was relieved she didn’t come around anymore because who knows, someone probably knew she was in on it, too. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught in a street beef.
For five months my mother had been depressed and even moved into the house with me and Nucci. I left Governor’s building and didn’t look back. I also heard he moved Essa into a house, but I didn’t know how true that was because me and Governor lost contact. The last time I talked to him, he told me to respect his relationship and stop calling his phone, so I did just that.
“Tell me something, Rochelle. Do you know anything? What are the streets saying?” my mother asked.
Ian is a dirty cop and he deserved whatever happened to him.
“I don’t know but rumor is that he was a dirty cop, so maybe it caught up wit’ him. I hate to tell you this but maybe he’s dead. They found his car with blood inside.”
“He is a good man!” my mother said. She picked up the liquor bottle and finished the rest of it off. She turned into an alcoholic and even stopped paying her rent which is why she was sleeping on the couch. I rolled my eyes and went into the kitchen to get a soda. She was irking my nerves. I couldn’t dare stay in her apartment with her and Ian because she was too insecure. Well, hell, I was, too. My mother was dating younger men to feel young. I also didn’t like how she walked around the penthouse with small clothes on. What bothered me was that I caught Nucci staring at her ass a few times.
This hoe needs to get the hell out!
I went back into the living room and sat across from her. The least she could do was pay rent since she was lying up on my brand-new Italian leather sofa.
“We need to talk, Ma.”
“Not now,” she said.
“Yes, we do! You need to pay rent! You cannot live here for free.”
“I’m your mother!”
“And? You didn’t want me around your dirty cop boyfriend so what makes you think I want you around Nucci?” I asked, and she chuckled.
“That man is gonna cheat regardless if he wants to. He is never home anyway! He got you in this nice fancy home and doesn’t even take care of you like he promised. You’re only chargin’ me rent because you’re broke!” she said.
“No, I’m not!”
“Then why aren’t your toes done? What about your nails? You looked like a movie star when Governor was in your life,” she said.
I missed Governor so much and couldn’t stop thinking about him. Nucci spoiled me for the first four months in our relationship but then something changed. I knew there was another woman in the picture somewhere, but I didn’t care. What I cared about was my funds.
“I don’t love Governor anymore. He moved on and so did I. Starting this month, you will give me money for stayin’ here.”
She went into her purse and wrote me a check for three thousand dollars. My mother was sitting on a nest egg, but she was playing the victim role. She wanted everyone to feel sorry for her because her lame boyfriend went missing.
“I hope you get your hair done,” she said.
My mother pulled the blanket over herself and turned her back towards me. I grabbed my boots and coat by the door, so I could catch the bank before they closed. I headed to the salon afterwards and it was somewhat crowded. My hair was a mess and I was too embarrassed to be seen because I was always up to par. I saw an ad in the window and they were looking for a shampoo girl.
Bitch, you ain’t never worked in your life! Don’t you even do it. You better stop lookin’ at that ad! You’re too pretty for that. Go back to what you know and be the best you can be while doin’ it. You’re pretty, your body is on point and you can dance.
What did I have to lose? Stripping was what I was good at; making fast money and meeting new hustlas while doing it. My pussy got wet just thinking about how much money
I’d be making. Someone called my phone and I answered it. It was a collect call. I accepted the call as soon as I heard Nucci’s voice.
“What happened?” I asked with a straight face.
“Yo, I got jammed up for some dumb shit. They tryin’ to charge me for murder. They keep askin’ me about Frost and those two cops that’s missin. Do me a favor and take some money to my attorney. It’s in the vent by the bed inside our bedroom,” he said. I cared for Nucci, but he messed up when he didn’t keep the end of his bargain. He promised to take care of me, but he failed. I didn’t have any use for him.
“Okay, I will.”
“And tell that bitch, Alexi, she wrong for lyin’ on me. Frost is my right-hand man. I’m hurt that he’s gone,” Nucci said and I rolled my eyes.
That nigga robbed you, dummy! Let him eat worms wherever he’s at.
“Me and Alexi ain’t friends anymore.”
“Look, just do that for me. All he need is ten stacks right now, aight? I love you,” he said.
“Love you, too, baby. I’m ready to go there right now. What’s the address?”
Nucci rambled off the address before we hung up the phone. I rushed out of the salon. My hair could wait. I needed to see what kind of money Nucci was hiding. Someone blew their horn at me while I weaved in and out of traffic. I almost broke my ankle by the time I made it inside the penthouse. My mother was snoring on the couch when I ran past her and up the stairs to the bedroom. I went straight to the vent by the bed and pulled it out of the wall. There was a grocery bag full of money. It took me a while to count it, but it came up to half a mil.
Fuck Nucci. He’s still married anyway. They can keep his sorry ass and let his wife deal with him. I’m rich now and can’t nobody stop me!
Sinna
“H ow are you holdin’ up?” my mother asked.
“I want to come home.”
“You will shortly. You have to get better first,” she said.
“But these people are crazy!”
I was in a mental facility with women who killed their children, saw demons and many other things. All I did was stab my roommate and the hoe didn’t even die. The place was pumping me with all kinds of medications and the food was horrible. I ended up having a miscarriage but that’s what I wanted anyway.
“Honey, you have issues you need to short out,” she said.
“I was faking it, and nobody believes me!”
“Ssshhhh, don’t say that! Get well for Ranira. She needs her mother,” she said. My parents refused to bring my daughter to see me. They said it was too unsanitary for her and they were right; the place did smell. I was so tired of it. Nobody believed me when I told them I faked it. They drugged me every time I went on a rant about it, so I could mellow out. They were making me insane.
“I can’t take it!”
“You brought this on yourself. I love you dearly, but you need help. Obviously, something happened for them to put you here. They don’t just admit people who ‘fake crazy.’ Something is goin’ on and you need to figure it the hell out and get well for your child. You had a relationship with someone in your head. That isn’t normal, Sinna.”
“I want him so bad, Ma. What do you want me to do? I’ve tried to see it for a lie, but he looked at me like he loved me,” I replied.
“I’m not comin’ back until you realize that man was never in a relationship with you. I hope you get well, and I’ll kiss Ranira for you,” she said. My mother got up and walked out the visiting area. I went back to my room and cried until I couldn’t anymore. The nurse came in and told me it was time for me to take my noon pill.
“Please don’t give me that!” I screamed.
“Calm down, we’re trying to help you!” she said.
“Get away from me!” I yelled.
I hit her in the face and more nurses rushed into my room and strapped me down. I screamed, kicked and cried while they stuck a needle in my arm. My eyelids grew heavy and their voices were fading out. I had no life and I blame it on Essa, Governor, Chelsie, Wayne, Ricardo, Rochelle and my mother. All I wanted was a family of my own because my parents didn’t love me. They favored my brothers more as if I wasn’t good enough. I thought I had something special with Governor, but he thought Essa was better than me. Ranira deserved a loving father but everyone ruined it for her, and now I was stuck inside oflplace for God knows how long. My life is over, but I’m going to get them all back if they free me.
Governor
March 1st 2019…
“S shhhhhh!” I told Essa while I was deep inside her. We were inside the dressing room of Neiman Marcus. I had her against the wall while her leg was wrapped around me. I covered her mouth while I fucked her G-spot. Her essence was splashing everywhere, and I couldn’t stop. She was addictive, and I found myself staying at her crib opposed to mine. Her pussy squeezed my dick and I almost moaned like a little bitch, but I caught myself. I placed my mouth on her neck instead, and she got wetter. Essa’s eyes fluttered, and her leg got lazy on me while she came on my dick. I grabbed her ass cheeks and pressed my body against hers, so I could make her cum harder. I was balls-deep inside her, hitting that gushy spot in the back of her pussy. My dick throbbed before exploding. Essa fell into me after I pulled out.
“I don’t want nothing I picked out. I just want to leave,” she said while fixing her clothes. My dick area was soaked and sticky. I ain’t going to lie, I felt nasty myself, but Essa started it. Shorty was always provoking me, and it didn’t matter where we were at.
“I’ll pay for it and you can pull the whip up.”
“Ricardo should be at the house in an hour when he drops off Ke’Ari,” she said.
Ricardo and Essa were cordial. They had an agreement; Ricardo picked up Ke’Ari every other weekend because he lived a few hours away. I know the nigga didn’t want me around his son, but he couldn’t do nothing about it. But I respected him and didn’t overstep my boundaries.
“We got enough time,” I replied.
Essa walked out first, and I followed behind her. Our clothes and shoes were behind the register. The shorty at the cash register had a smirk on her face and I wondered if she heard me and Essa.
I see why Essa dipped so quick. Shorty knew they heard us cause she was too loud.
I gave the young woman my card after she rang everything up.
“Do you have a brother?” she finally asked.
“Yeah, he engaged though.”
“Umph,” she said.
I took the bags from her after I signed for the purchase. Essa was parked in front of the store. I got into the passenger’s seat after I put the bags in the trunk.
“Those bitches were lookin’ at me funny when I walked out. I heard one of them say I can’t take dick. They’d be surprise if they were in our bedroom,” she said.
“You stay talkin’ shit, but your knees stay bucklin’ on me. It’s all good though, lil’ mama.”
“Did anyone say anything to you?” she asked.
“The cashier asked if I had a brother.”
“Oh, that was respectful cause I’ll turn this truck around,” she joked.
I took a blunt out the ashtray and fired it up. A nigga was looking younger and feeling healthier. My phone didn’t ring all hours of the night from people looking for some work, and I didn’t have to stress about my door getting kicked in or losing out on my businesses. I had two old buildings that were getting worked on, so I could turn them into apartments. I didn’t have the time to wear tennis shoes and sweat suits like I used to because I was always meeting with investors. I wanted to build the whole city if I could, and with Essa encouraging me, I knew I could do it over time. Being young and rich was one thing but I wanted wealth. Once I reached a comfortable level, I planned on asking Essa to marry me. Shid, I wanted her to give a nigga some kids, too. Essa turned up the radio and started singing off key.
“Pleasseeeee me babbbyyyy,” she sang.
“Naw, shorty. This kush is too good for you to blow
my high. I love you and all that but no!”
“Tinka and Baby Head Poo told me I can sing,” she said.
“I’m worried that you believed that.”
“See, you always gotta start. I was gonna cook you some spare ribs tonight and massage your back,” she said.
“Oh word?”
“Word,” she spat.
“Sang that shit then, shorty. Pretend I’m not here,” I said and turned the radio up louder.
