Down by Law

by Ni-Ni Simone

  “Yeah, right. Sure you did.” She smiled and then twisted her lips. “School’ll be starting back up in a minute and you haven’t chilled with us since your birthday. You just forgot about your friends.”

  “No, I haven’t. I just been spending some time with my baby.”

  “Yeah, I know. Yvette told me and Munch that you had a new man named Fresh you met in the park. She also said that ever since you started kickin’ it with him, that you changed.”

  “Changed?”

  “She said you was a whole other chick, straight feelin’ yourself. And that it was almost like she ain’t know you anymore.”

  I frowned. “A whole other chick? She don’t know me anymore? Yvette said that? You sure?”

  “Ask Munch. She was there. Yvette also said had she known that Fresh would stop you from bein’ wit’ us, she woulda never gave him to you. Did she really give him to you? How did that go down? Y’all sharing boyfriends now?”

  “Umm, no, we’re not. First of all, she didn’t give him to me. She liked him, but he liked me. She told me to go out with him. But now she’s taking that and stabbing me in the back wit’ it? Word.” I was pissed.

  “She just misses you, that’s all.”

  “Then she should’ve said, ‘I miss my cousin.’ Not all that other two-faced mess. I don’t appreciate that. And second of all, y’all family and no dude could ever come between us. Period.”

  Cali hesitated. “Well . . . it did seem like you was no longer chillin’ wit’ us.”

  “I hate that you was thinking that.”

  “Me too. But anyway, I missed you.”

  “And I missed you.”

  “You better. ’Cause I got a bunch to tell you.” Cali popped her lips.

  “Like what?”

  “Well, remember how Munch prided herself on being the virgin out the bunch?”

  “Yeah.” My eyes grew wide.

  “Well, that cutie she met in the park, she let him bust her cherry in the backseat of some busted Pontiac.”

  “Say word.”

  “Word. And her period is late. If Cousin Shake find out she been gettin’ busy, it’s gon’ be World War III up in that piece.”

  My mouth practically drooled. “I can’t believe Munch gave up the goodies.”

  “Yup. And Yvette. I don’t know wassup wit’ her.”

  “Whatchu mean?”

  “She back to messin’ with that bum.” Cali pointed across the street.

  I looked up and we both watched as Flip speed-walked over to one of the corner boys and copped some dope. Then he continued walking up the block.

  “And she know he dirty.” I shook my head. “Yuck! I can’t stand him. And I don’t know why she hooked up with his old behind.”

  “Me either.” Cali shook her head. “And she keep lying about it, but one day, I busted her.”

  “How?”

  “’Cause I went up to y’all apartment looking for you, walked into y’all room, and they was tearin’ them sheets up.”

  I couldn’t believe this. I was gettin’ sick to my stomach. “Don’t tell me no more, Cali, ’cause you making me wanna throw up. I tell you what though, if he ever do anything to my cousin, I’ma slice his throat. And I put that on everything I love.”

  “For real though. Just call me before you slice, ’cause I bring guns to knife fights.” She held her hand out and I slapped her five. “Now, let’s get back to you and yo’ boo. So y’all a couple now?”

  I blushed. “Not yet, but soon . . .” I stopped mid-sentence and pointed at the dude crossing the street. “Cali, is that K-Rock?”

  “Oh my God!” she said, waaaaay too excited. “I knew there was something else I meant to tell you. He was over here the other day shootin’ hoops, and soon as me and Munch stepped outside, he stopped balling to ask us where you were. I think he feelin’ you.”

  I squinted. “Why you say that?”

  “’Cause the moment Munch said that you was with yo’ man, he looked disappointed. But let me ask you this: since you got a man, can I chill wit’ K-Rock?”

  “No.”

  “But, according to Yvette, you all down for passing a man around and all I’m saying is pass him over here.”

  “No,” I mumbled as K-Rock got closer.

  “Is it because I’m white? You got something against the swirl? Is that why you doing this to me—”

  “I forgot you was white. I thought you was Mexican.”

  “You lie.”

  “Would you stop being silly. And shhh, here he comes,” I said, trying to wipe the blush off my face.

  “Quick,” Cali said. “Act like you don’t see him.”

  “How?”

  “Let’s act like we asleep.”

  I looked at Cali like she was crazy and I couldn’t help but to fall out laughing.

  “Let me in on the joke,” K-Rock said, the moment he stepped in front of me. “I wanna laugh too.”

  “It’s nothing, really. What’s up with you? What you doing here?”

  “I came to shoot some hoops and then practice some boxing at the community center. I was checking for you the other day, but your homegirls told me you was out with ya man.”

  “I was.”

  “Oh.” He nodded. “That’s wassup. So how he treating you?”

  “Good. Like I’m Isis the grown woman and not Icy the lil sis.”

  “So what does that mean? Y’all gettin’ busy or somethin’?”

  Oh nooooooo, he did not just nose-dive into my business like that. He must be tryna get popped dead up in the mouth. “Slow down. Do I ask you who you boom bustin’ it wit’? Did I question you about that tree branch and whether or not you diggin’ out her coochie?”

  “Tree branch?”

  “The chick you showed up wit’ at Face’s party.”

  “Face’s party?” K-Rock squinted. “What party?”

  “You knoooooow what party!” I swerved my neck.

  “No, I don’t. Face been locked up for three years. What party?” He paused. “Wait a minute. Hold up. Are you talking about Face’s welcome home party?”

  “Yop.”

  “Do you know how long ago that was?”

  “And? Your point?”

  “Why you sweatin’ that? I don’t even know where that chick is at.”

  “Whatever.” I held back a grin. “I thought for sure y’all would’ve been married with two and a half kids and a St. Bernard by now.”

  “Umm.” Cali smiled. I’d completely forgotten she was sittin’ here. “What y’all really arguing about? Me and Cousin Shake was watchin’ Sally Jessy the other day and this doctor said that when two people arguing, like this, that you need to dig deep and find out what the real issues are.”

  Me and K-Rock both looked at Cali like she had lost all control.

  “It was a dope show though,” she insisted.

  “Catherine,” I said, calling Cali by her government name. “You have lost your Mexican mind.”

  “Okay. Okay,” she said, like she was throwin’ the towel in. “I’ma let y’all breathe. Give you two a moment, only. ’Cause technically, I was sittin’ here first. But I’ma go upstairs and see what’s takin’ my sister, Munch, so long to come down. Maybe her period came, or something. But hopefully, when I come back, you two would have worked things out, and I can have my seat back.”

  “Later, Cali,” I said.

  “Later, Isis. Later, K-Rock.” She tossed a hand up behind her as she walked away and into the building she lived in.

  K-Rock hopped up and sat on top of the park bench, beside me. And given the way his eyes drank me in, I wondered what he was thinking, so I just asked him. “Wassup? You okay? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “No reason. You just look real pretty today.” He stroked my hair and tucked it behind both ears. “You not the same Icy I used to call my lil sis.”

  “Well, thank you.” I laughed and then said in a playful exhaustion. “I’ve finally made it outta th
e lil sis zone.”

  “Yeah, you grown up now.” He flicked my chin.

  “I am,” I said, waiting for him to follow up with something, anything that would let me know he’s wanted to be my knight in the ghetto all along. But he didn’t say a word. He just sat there quietly, looking as if he was fumbling through his thoughts.

  After a moment of silence that lasted way too long, he said, “I went to see Face the other day.”

  My chest tensed up, but I played it off by giving K-Rock a careless shrug. “So. And?”

  K-Rock looked taken aback. “So? And? Wassup with that? You mad at him or something?”

  “Pissed off.”

  “Why?”

  “’Cause I am.”

  “What he do?” he asked, completely confused.

  “He knows what he did.”

  “Well, fill me in, ’cause when I saw him, he asked me to check on you—”

  “So that’s why you here? To babysit me for Face?”

  “Whoa, I’m not a babysitter and I’m here because I wanted to see you myself.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah, really. Now finish telling me what your problem is with your brother.”

  “’Cause it’s like Schooly died and they forgot that I existed. Face went to prison. Daddy ran off with a new family to Baltimore. Queenie went to the store and never came back, and I’m stuck here wit’ Evilene, queen of the flying monkeys.” I paused. Hesitated. Then decided to take a chance and reveal this thought: “And you left me too.”

  He arched a brow.

  I continued, “Yeah, you.”

  “Icy, I was young and headed for either prison or the grave. Settin’ up drug dealers, hustlin’ here and there. These streets is grimy. Trust me. And when Face got locked up, I knew I had to bounce and get myself together. And that’s what I did.” He lifted my chin and locked into my gaze. “But I always thought about you. Always.”

  He leaned into me just when everything in me told me to daringly give him a kiss, I heard, “Isis!” ring in from the street.

  I knew it was Fresh without even having to look. I dropped my head, pulled myself together, and then looked toward the street.

  “That’s your man?” K-Rock asked.

  “Yeah.” I hopped off the bench. “I gotta go.”

  “Be easy.”

  “I will,” I said, as I walked nervously over to Fresh’s car. I could only imagine what he probably thought he saw . . . but oh well . . . maybe this’ll help him get his mind right, make me his girl, and stop playing.

  I leaned in through the passenger window. “Hey, baby, wassup? What you doing here?”

  He frowned. “Oh, I’m your baby, huh? Wassup? What I’m doing here? What you tryna play me? Who is dude over there? That’s your man?”

  He pointed over to K-Rock, who was still sitting there watching us.

  “That’s my homeboy. Psst. Please. He’s like a brother to me. I don’t have a man.”

  “Oh, you don’t have a man? Oh. A’ight?” Fresh drew in a breath and then hit me with a smirk. “I tell you what, I need you to get in the car now.”

  I wanted so badly to break into a smile. Fresh’s face was filled with jealousy. And green was such a cute color on him. “Now? I wanted to kick it with my friends for a minute.”

  His jaw clenched. “I said get in. Now.”

  I held back my smile, as I opened the door and slid in. Fresh immediately raced up the street, made a sharp left, jumped the curb, and pulled into a vacant lot. He shoved his face into mine and gripped my chin. “You tryna play me?”

  I snatched my face away. “I understand you mad, but don’t grip my face like that unless you tryna get cut.”

  “Yo.” He mushed the tip of his index finger into my forehead, causing my neck to jerk back. “I don’t believe you! Here we been cold rockin’ it, all month. I put all other chicks to the side and devoted mostly all of my time to you and this is what you do? I don’t know who you think you playin’ wit’.”

  “And I don’t know who you think you talking to, but it ain’t me. So you need to chill and stop trippin’.” I swatted his finger away.

  “Stop trippin’? I wake up, go to reach for you, and the only thing next to me is a blunt? Word. You don’t wake me up? Nothing? You just jet. And then I come over here to see wassup wit’ you and you sittin’ in the courtyard wit’ a dude. That you telling me is just a friend.”

  “He is. And anyway, look, I’m not about to sweat you. I been layin’ up in your crib all month, doing everything for you, and you ain’t asked me yet to be your girl. How long did you think I was gon’ go for that? I need a commitment or we need to relax.”

  “Oh, you wanna relax? Is that what you want?”

  “No. But I’m not stupid and I’m not getting ready to assume that we a couple and you haven’t asked me to be.”

  “I need to ask you? You already know you my girl.”

  “I don’t know that.” I folded my arms across my chest. “Ask me. Write me a note or do something. Otherwise I’m straight single.”

  Fresh gave me a crooked grin. “A note?” He chuckled a bit. “Saying what?”

  “A note asking me if I wanna be your girl and then you put a yes box, a no box, and a maybe box.”

  “First of all, I’m not about to write you some lame note and if I did, I damn sure wouldn’t put a no box or a maybe box.”

  “And why not?”

  “’Cause your only option is to say yes.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “What? You wanna say something else?”

  I thought about continuing my stubborn routine, but by the smile that was on my face, there was no need to. So, I slid my arms around his neck and pressed my lips against his. “No, baby. We would only need a yes box.”

  “I thought so,” he said as we started to kiss. “All you better ever tell me is yes . . .”

  26

  Walking with a panther

  Fresh was everything black love was made of.

  Kind.

  Gentle.

  Caring.

  Had his own money.

  And from what I could see his feelings for me ran deep. He loved spending time with me and I loved being with him too, but I was starting to miss my crew.

  Plus, I was growing tired of Fresh’s pager always going off, his house phone constantly ringing, all night long, and the midnight knocks on his apartment door, with random girls kicking, pounding, and begging to get inside.

  Although he swore that it was all about me, I wasn’t no fool. And one thing I knew for sure, real hustlers didn’t have no customers calling their house phones or banging their doors down. Why? ’Cause there was a difference between your crib and your corner. And since I knew my man wasn’t sloppy in the streets, it was crystal clear that he had a few other chicks besides me.

  And yeah, I knew other chicks was part of the game but still... I didn’t like it smeared in my face. So I knew I needed a break. Today.

  Fresh and I were in a custom leather boutique called La-Shae’s in New York City. He stepped out of the dressing room and the tailor turned him toward a trifold mirror before taking his measurements.

  Fresh had donned a black leather kufi, tilted to the left. Dark black and square-shaped shades shielded his eyes. He wore a double-breasted black suit, with the matching vest, and on his feet was black and red British Knights.

  “Word to the mother, that whole ensemble is what’s up,” I said. “You look soooo dope, baby.”

  Fresh nodded in agreement.

  I carried on, “You make the Treacherous Three look like they need to add one more. You even flyer than Colonel Abrams and Kool Moe Dee put together!”

  Fresh slid his shades down the bridge of his nose. “What you want?”

  “I’m just giving you your props, baby.”

  “You been kind of quiet since we got here and I think I know what it is.”

  “What?”

  “You want one of these, don’t y
ou?”

  Umm, no, but I wasn’t about to turn down no custom leather suit. “Of course I want one. My baby look fly so I gotta look fly too.”

  “You ain’t said nothin’ but a word.” Fresh smiled and looked down at the tailor. “I want you to make my girl one of these, but trim her collar in mink.”

  “Are you serious?” I squealed.

  “You know it.”

  The tailor’s assistant took my measurements and I was grinning from ear to ear. Afterwards, I ran over to Fresh and hugged him extra tight. “Thank you.”

  “Anything for my girl.”

  Fresh paid the tailor and for the next few hours we strolled through Midtown, where the city streets was filled with loads of traffic. Yellow taxis honked. Drivers cussed. Bicycles danced figure eights around the cars. Crowds of people bustled up and down the sidewalk; and here I was in the center of it all, carrying more bags than I’d ever carried before. Fresh even let me get some gear for Kamari.

  I held Fresh’s hand and squeezed it. “You’re the best,” I said. “And I’m soooo grateful to have you as my man.”

  “Thank you, baby,” he said.

  I continued, “But I wanna tell you something and I don’t want you to get mad. I want you to understand.”

  “Depends on what it is.”

  “Promise me you won’t get mad.”

  “You know I’m not gon’ promise that.”

  I sucked in and pushed out a deep breath. “I wanna go home tonight.”

  Fresh came to a sudden halt, stopping midway to the sidewalk. “Go home? For what? Why? I know you not tryna kick it with that same, punk ass motherfu—”

  I placed a finger up to his lips, stopping him mid-sentence. “I told you K-Rock was a family friend. My homie. That’s it.”

  He roughly brushed my finger from his lips. “Why you defending him?”

  “’Cause he’s like a brother to me.”

  “Like a brother, and being a brother, are two different things. And don’t ever put your finger up to my mouth and try and shut me up again.” He mushed me on the side of my forehead.

  I took a deep breath. “Look, I been staying with you for a month. But you not my daddy! And I ain’t had no curfew and nobody sweatin’ me in forever. I’m grown. And it’s not that I necessarily wanna go home, but I do wanna hang out on my side of town with my girls. Maybe stop by and see my cousin so I can see wassup with her and give her what I have for Kamari.”