Around the Way Girls

by Chunichi

  “Be safe, baby girl. Call me or text me when you get in the crib, so I know you made it home safe.” Jamal smacked Nina on the ass as she walked through the door.

  Once home Nina texted Jamal to let him know she’d made it home safely. Although Mouse was nowhere in sight, the mere idea of being home brought the aggravation she felt earlier. Plagued by the unfinished argument she’d had with Mouse earlier, Nina couldn’t think of anything else. There was only one thing left to do. Call him up. Nina knew she wouldn’t be able to rest until she got the feeling of frustration off her chest.

  She dialed Mouse’s number, and the phone rang out to voice mail. Knowing that the club was loud and maybe he couldn’t hear his phone, she called his office phone. Again, she got no answer. She decided to give him a little time to call her back, so she hopped in the shower.

  After a fifteen-minute shower Nina still hadn’t received a call back from Mouse, so she tried again but still couldn’t reach him. Feeling helpless, she put on her clothes and headed for the club.

  “What the fuck is this?” Nina said to herself as soon as she walked through the doors of the club. Her heart began to race. It was pounding so hard, it felt like it was gonna jump out her chest.

  Once again she’d caught Mouse and Mercedes in the act. No, they weren’t in the midst of a sexual act. In fact, it seemed like it was only an innocent conversation, but Nina knew, when it came to Mercedes, nothing was ever innocent, especially when her man was involved.

  She forced her way past Mercedes and jumped in Mouse’s face. “What is going on?”

  “Nothing. We’re having a conversation. What does it look like, Nina?”

  Nina pointed her finger in Mercedes’ face. “I don’t even want you talking to this bitch.”

  “Bitch?” Mercedes smacked Nina’s hand out her face.

  “Bitch, have you lost your fuckin’ mind?”

  Mouse grabbed Mercedes by her neck before Nina could even react, surprising Nina and Mercedes alike. Sure, Mouse and Nina wasn’t feeling each other at the time, but Nina was still his wife, and there was no way he was gonna let some bitch disrespect her.

  “Yo, yo, yo! What’s going on here?”

  A familiar voice caught the attention of Nina and Mercedes both.

  Mouse released Mercedes’ neck and focused his attention toward the man that towered over him. “Fuck you mean? Who are you?”

  Mouse thought the guy’s face looked familiar, but before he could respond to his question, security was already surrounding them and grabbing him.

  “Everything good, boss?” the security asked Mouse.

  “It’s cool, homeboy,” Jamal said, realizing this man before him was probably Nina’s husband. “I don’t mean no disrespect. I just wanted to make sure my girl was okay.”

  “Your girl? Oh, you mean this bitch?” Nina darted her eyes toward Mercedes. “Yeah, she’s all right, for now anyway, but she better stay away from my man.” Nina shot Jamal an eye.

  He knew exactly what that meant too. Although Mercedes and Mouse may have thought she was referring to Mouse, it was actually Jamal she was referring to.

  “Okay, well, if you all don’t mind, we’re just gonna take a seat in VIP and enjoy our night.” Jamal threw his arms around Mercedes and walked away, shooting Nina and Mouse a taunting smile.

  “Yo, don’t ever pull another stunt like that again,” Mouse said to Nina. He then walked to his office and shut his door.

  Minutes later, Maurice came in. He always had Mouse’s back.

  “Yo, you okay, duke?”

  “Yeah, man. I was just in the middle of a little mix-up between Nina and Mercedes.” Mouse sipped his Hennessy on the rocks.

  “So what the fuck was that nigga Jamal Smith from the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers talking about?”

  “Oh, that’s who the fuck that was?”

  It was like a light had just gone off in Mouse’s head. It all made sense now. This had to be that mysterious Jamal.

  Not wanting to move too quickly, he decided to act oblivious to the situation and just monitor what was going on from his office.

  While Mouse monitored Nina from his office, she was monitoring Jamal from a bar seat in the corner. She was burning up inside as she watched him shower Mercedes with lots of love and attention. It killed her to see her constantly smiling and laughing while wrapped up in his arms.

  “Charge It to the Game”

  Li’l Man left Rochelle to dream about him and headed back to the club. He was sure to make it back in time to enter the gambling game he’d heard so much about.

  Maurice spotted Li’l Man as he entered and pulled Mouse by the side to point him out. “This is one of the niggas my boys sent over for us to set up tonight.”

  “A’ight, a’ight,” Mouse said, looking forward to the profits he was sure to make from the game later in the night.

  After the club closed, Li’l Man stuck around for the classic game of blackjack, where the goal was to get a higher score than the dealer but not exceeding twenty-one.

  Maurice and Mouse came up with the plan of counting cards. They knew exactly how many Aces, Queens, Kings, Jacks, and Tens they had, and where they were. Not one time did Li’l Man become suspicious or want to shuffle up the cards himself.

  Game number one led to game number two, and before you knew it, Li’l Man was on game number ten and losing big. He finally folded up his cards and gave up on attempting to win some money from these niggas, his losing streak costing him one thousand per game.

  He stuck around to watch some more games. As he watched closely, he couldn’t believe what he saw. “These niggas cheating,” he said to himself.

  His first instinct was to go to his truck and shoot the whole place up. Then he thought about it. That wouldn’t get me my money back, but it will definitely get me back in the penitentiary. Not wanting to ever see the inside of another cell another day in his life, he decided to be a man about the situation.

  He grabbed Mouse and asked to speak to him on the side. “Yo, man, I know y’all niggas cheating on the card games. I ain’t trying to blow up your spot or nothing. All I ask is that you just give me back my dough I lost.”

  “I don’t know what you talking about, duke.” Mouse began to walk away.

  Li’l Man jumped in his face. “I’m trying to settle shit on a cool tip, my man, but if you want to diss, we can take shit to another level.”

  Not in the mood for Li’l Man’s bullshit, Mouse signaled for security. Within moments, they were at his feet. “Escort this nigga out of my club.” He pointed at Li’l Man, and minutes later, Li’l Man was out the door.

  Pissed off, Li’l Man decided to make a phone call as he sat in his truck, attempting to cool off a bit before driving.

  “What’s up?” Jigga responded.

  “Yo, Jigga, that nigga Mouse lying about what he don’t got. This club brings in at least thirty grand a month. Shit, bartenders alone make three fifty in tips on a bad night, and the strippers be bringing in at least fifteen hundred on a bad night. Not to mention, this nigga be hustling cats out their loot on some gambling shit. I peeped all that shit out tonight. Meanwhile, you’ve been sitting patiently for your money.”

  “Appreciate the update,” Jigga replied before hanging up the phone.

  Right after hanging up the phone with Li’l Man, Jigga dialed Mouse’s number. Mouse only had a few measly thousands to give to him, which wasn’t good enough. Jigga wanted all of his money up front, and to be done with Mouse once and for all. The next nigga wouldn’t be so lucky. Trying to give niggas time to pay only gets your ass laughed at on the streets. Mouse needed to be taught a golden lesson—If you don’t have money to play with, don’t fucking borrow it on credit.

  The next day, Li’l Man showed up on Rochelle’s doorstep with flowers, candy, and a Fendi bag. He ate her pussy, and they fucked in six different positions.

  After a hot shower, cuddling, and a massage, Rochelle was putty in Li’l Man’s hands. He fe
d into her weakness of being needy. Rochelle was like most chicks, but what she craved most was someone to be constantly by her side.

  They were now lying in bed after they’d smoked two blunts.

  “I didn’t tell you what happened last night.” Li’l Man shook his head.

  “What happened?”

  “Mouse got me for ten grand. He wasn’t playing fair with those cards.”

  “With all the money he makes, playing you was being fuckin’ greedy.” Rochelle rubbed the top of Li’l Man’s head.

  “Yep.” He nodded.

  “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “Rochelle, I could really use that money back. All I need to know from you is where he lives, and if he makes any drops to a bank.

  “I can’t do that.” Rochelle got up from the bed.

  “No one will get hurt. If you’re willing to get that little bit of information, ten grand plus a shopping spree will be waiting for you. It’s only fair. That nigga is taking from my kids’ mouth. Back to school is right around the fuckin’ corner. My baby mom’s ain’t trying to hear no bullshit.”

  “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. He’s married to my best friend.”

  “No one will get hurt, baby girl. You got my word. I’m just trying to let that nigga know, you rob, you get robbed. He gotta learn to play fair.”

  “Okay. But you gotta promise me no one will get hurt.”

  Times were hard, so ten grand sounded like music to Rochelle’s ears. After all, he did promise no one would get hurt.

  “Thanks, baby. Rochelle, this really means a lot to me. It lets me know you got a nigga’s back.” Li’l Man caressed Rochelle’s arms. “I’ll always have your back in return.”

  “I’ll write his address on a piece of paper. Mouse usually makes the deposits as soon as he leaves the club in the night drop box at Bank Star on Military Highway. Also he has a safe in his office in the bottom floor of his house.” Rochelle grabbed a pen and a piece of scrap paper and jotted down the address.

  “Deadly Consequences”

  Quite tipsy and dog-tired, Nina refused to leave until the very last person walked out the club. There was no way she was gonna take the chance of letting Mercedes get another taste of her man. Who cares if she was occupied with Jamal at the time? All that stank bitch needed was a good ten minutes to give a little head, on the sneak tip.

  “What’s your problem?” Nina walked up to an angry Mouse.

  “Nina, I pay every motherfuckin’ bill in that damn house, and you chose to fuck another nigga! Another nigga who already got somebody at that! All you are is the chick on the side. This is the gratitude that I get? I’m not even touching on the damn nagging and complaining I put up with on a consistent basis.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nina figured the less emotion she showed, the more innocent it made her appear.

  Mouse struck a nerve with Nina about being the chick on the side. Despite everything, she was a far better selection than broke-down, pussy-popping Mercedes. You would think most niggas would rather have a T-bone steak over two-day-old bologna.

  “That’s cool. Act like you don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about. Keep on.” Mouse nodded and walked away.

  “And what? Mouse, you are the first to know my work schedule. In fact, I’m scheduled to leave for Atlanta in a matter of hours. You would think, with the little time I have off, I could get a little time with my husband, but we both know it’s never possible. You worship this damn club, and I’m sick of it.” Nina held her hands up.

  “I got a fuckin’ business to run. Everything costs, from the light bill to employee payroll. Every month, I got to make that. I’m carrying the weight of the world, and you have the luxury of working when the fuck you get ready.” Mouse cut off the lights in the club and began to head out.

  “Mouse, you never listen to me and could care less about my feelings. I’m outta here.” Nina headed out of the door before him.

  She hopped in her car and sped out of the parking lot, never looking back. Tears dripped off Nina’s face as she drove through many lights. She was tired of bickering with Mouse.

  She really needed Jamal now, but she was sure he was with Mercedes. She hit her steering wheel many times, just thinking about them together. She still couldn’t help but wonder what the fuck niggas saw in Mercedes.

  After hours of driving and looking at her phone for the thirty-second time to see if Mouse bothered to call, she pulled into the La Quinta Hotel to try to get some rest. With her mind racing, she didn’t close her eyes until five in the morning.

  The alarm clock awoke Nina two hours later, at seven thirty. Not knowing how to turn it off, she ended up ripping the cord from the wall and throwing it across the room.

  After a hot shower and a bite to eat from the complimentary continental breakfast, Nina headed to the Norfolk International Airport to board a flight to Atlanta for a two-week work assignment. She didn’t even bother to go home and pack, or say good-bye to Mouse. She figured she could buy a few uniforms and underclothes when she arrived at her destination.

  After spending hours at the airport due to delay from heavy rain and thunderstorms, her flight was eventually cancelled.

  She decided to go home and face Mouse. Since she had cooled off, she figured they could have a decent conversation. Despite the fling she’d had with Jamal, she still loved Mouse and wanted their marriage to work. At the time, divorce wasn’t an option.

  Feeling hopeful of the future and with a positive attitude, she pulled into her driveway, only to see Mercedes’ car parked in her spot.

  Immediately Nina’s blood began to boil. She felt like she was gonna burst a blood vessel. What the fuck is the bitch doing at my house? As far as Nina was concerned, Mercedes was supposed to have been with Jamal. Her head was spinning, and her heart was filled with rage. For the second time, she had been fucked over by Mercedes.

  Without thinking, Nina found herself holding Mouse’s Glock .45 in her hand. Quietly and slowly, she crept into the house. No one was on the first level. She began to move up the staircase, quiet as a mouse.

  Once she reached the top floor, she crept into the master bedroom, only to discover Mercedes and Mouse butt-naked in her king-size bed. Her body was numb, and her mind went blank.

  Minutes later, when Nina came to, she was cowering in the corner with the gun by her side. She stood up to see Mercedes and Mouse covered in blood.

  When she heard tires screech, she rushed to the window and peeped through the blinds in time enough to catch a glimpse of a black, tinted-out Range Rover and a BMW X5 speeding off.

  Frantic, she quickly cleaned her fingerprints off the gun. Then she emptied the clip and whipped each bullet out, counting the bullets as she popped them out the clip.

  In total, Nina counted seventeen bullets. “Seventeen? How could there be seventeen?” she said out loud. She knew the extended clip carried sixteen bullets; plus, the one in the head would account for seventeen. There was no way she could have shot Mouse and Mercedes.

  As the reality began to set in, Nina began to examine the room then the house. She noticed Mouse’s safe had been tampered with. That’s when it hit her. Someone had come to rob Mouse. That would explain the trucks she saw speeding off.

  Sure, Mouse had a few enemies, but Nina never expected somebody would kill him. She thought back to the conversation she’d overheard Mouse have on his cell phone, and what he’d said to her about watching her back because he owed someone some money.

  She rushed back downstairs and replaced Mouse’s gun then dialed 9-1-1, and within minutes, police cars were scattered on her lawn.

  After the forensic team came to collect bullet casings and gather other evidence, a detective questioned Nina.

  Tears dripped down her face again as they carried Mouse’s lifeless body out of their dream house in a body bag.

  Once everyone was gone, she dialed Rochelle and Mariah on a three-way call. Both of them answered.

>   “Mouse is dead,” she said.

  “What?”

  “Mercedes is dead too. They were both shot in the head.”

  “What?” Rochelle cried out. “Nnnnnooooo!”

  Mariah said over Rochelle’s sobs. “Oh my God, Nina! Are you okay?”

  “It was a robbery.”

  “I’m coming over.”

  “On the way,” Rochelle replied before hanging up the phone.

  What seemed like only minutes later, Rochelle and Mariah both were at Nina’s house.

  “I’m so sorry,” Rochelle said as soon as she walked into the house. She hugged Nina tight and wouldn’t let go.

  Mariah joined in on the group hug as they all wept.

  “This is my fault,” Rochelle whispered.

  “What do you mean?” Mariah asked between sobs.

  “Li’l Man begged me to tell him where Mouse lived. He said Mouse got him for thousands in a card game. He just wanted his money back and promised no one would get hurt.”

  Smack!

  Nina smacked Rochelle so hard, her hand started to sting. “How could you? I trusted you! If I hadn’t of left last night, I would be dead too, bitch!” she said, screaming at the top of her lungs.

  “Nina . . .”

  “Get the fuck out of my house!”

  Mariah didn’t know what to say. All she could do was shake her head. She knew the friendship between the three of them would never be the same again.

  Diamond in the Sky

  by Karen Williams

  Chapter 1

  “Like a Diamond in the Sky”

  On this day, I should have known my life as my young ass knew it was doomed. But I was far too young to know what life meant, or the word doomed, for that matter.

  “Come on, Diamond.”

  I was seven years old, staring at my dad’s girlfriend after she took her time bathing me up, careful not to wet my hair she had just pressed out ’til it was bone-straight and hung down my back in a ponytail. She couldn’t stop staring at it. After my bath, she held out the towel for me, and I stepped into it, pulling my feet out of the tub one at a time. Then she took her time drying me off.