A Hustler's Queen

by Saundra

  I headed into the kitchen and grabbed two of the mini-sandwiches, poured me a glass of strawberry lemonade, and headed upstairs to my room. I needed a shower to get the traveling dirt off of me.

  No sooner had I kicked off my Gucci sneakers than Keisha’s name lit up on my phone. She had been calling when I was in Florida, but each time she called, I was busy. But she shouldn’t have been surprised, I was on a business trip. I didn’t have time for chatting. If it wasn’t about the crew, I wasn’t picking up. And since she wasn’t a part of that, the conversation was off-limits. But I had texted her two days prior to let her know I would be back in town today.

  “What’s up, Keisha?” I answered, prepared for her complaints that were sure to come.

  “Damn, well it’s about time you answered a bitch’s call.” She was sarcastic.

  “Don’t be salty. You know I been handling business. So what’s up?”

  “Nothing, been working my ass off. I need a break. You tryin’ to chill? Let’s go have some drinks or some.”

  No was on the tip of my tongue, but she would only complain, and whine, until I gave in. “Cool. Just hit me with the place. I can meet you in about an hour.”

  “A’ight bet.”

  After ending the call, I jumped in the shower, got dressed, and headed out.

  “Girl, shit, I’m glad you finally back from your long mini vacay.” Keisha stood up and gave me a hug. “How was it down in Florida? You know I been tryin’ to get my ass down there.”

  “It was cool, I almost didn’t come back,” I joked. “Nah, forget that, nothin’ beats Cali.” The waitress approached the table and I ordered a Long Island Iced Tea.

  “Aye, I can’t even hate. I can’t wait to get down there. I keep tellin’ Quincy’s punk ass to take some time off. Shit, work, work, work. I’ma end up going without his ass. I ain’t gone miss out on fun, fuckin’ wit’ him. I’m too young.”

  I laughed. I didn’t have anything to say to that. Quincy worked for me now and we were going through a bit of a transition right now. And I needed him to be all about work for a minute. “I looked at a few cribs though.” I picked up my Long Island Iced Tea and took a sip. “Ahh, now that’s good.”

  “Tell me about it. I had two before you even got here.”

  “You might want to slow down then. If you ain’t tryin’ to come in contact with LA’s finest.” I chuckled.

  “Shit, I’m good. You know I can toss them back and still walk a straight line. Fuck LA’s finest.” She spat with laughter. “But anyway, back to this Florida crib. I hope you cop one soon because I can use a vacation spot.”

  “Well, you know once I get it, you can use it anytime.”

  “Hey, what are friends for. How did business go?”

  I was surprised that she asked me straight up. It was true Keisha was my girl, but she had to understand that things were different now. My role was different. Certain things just couldn’t be discussed. The last thing I felt like dealing with was her being in her feelings. But I wasn’t stupid. She slept with Quincy every night, and while there was a code in the game there was pillow talk too, and I didn’t believe she was totally in the dark about what went on, so I kept it simple.

  “Everything is good, as you can see from the work in the streets.” That much I was sure she knew.

  The look on her face was blank, as if she had a question, but all she said was, “Quincy been working, so I guess it’s all good.”

  I quickly changed the subject. “So what’s up with the hair salon? Are you still tryin’ to get it open?”

  “Girl, yes, but it has been a challenge. Quincy was supposed to step up and help me, but like I said earlier, he too damn busy. And you ain’t gone believe this one. I tried to call you to tell you, but you was ignoring my calls,” she threw in, playfully rollin’ her eyes.

  “Don’t start that. Just tell me what happened already.” I knew before she shared that it was something juicy.

  “I got locked up.”

  “For what?” flew out of my mouth.

  “Bitch, I had to beat Quincy’s ex-girlfriend’s ass at Macy’s.”

  “Quincy’s ex?” I was shocked.

  “Precious, this bitch been callin’ and textin’ Quincy for weeks, and I knew it. Of course, I confronted him about it and he said it ain’t nothin’. Now you know I ain’t that chick that badger no nigga about no other female, so I let it go. So I go up in Macy’s to grab my Mac makeup and see this thot. I wasn’t gone say nothin’ to her, but this ho want to jump bad, and start mouthing off bout how she still fuckin’ Quincy and gone take him from me.”

  “Damn, she bold,” I commented.

  “Right, but I just laughed in the bitch’s face. I told her to have at it ’cause I wasn’t in the business of keepin’ niggas that didn’t want to be kept. So I guess when she saw I wasn’t gettin’ mad, she really got angry. This bitch picked up a display of Mac products and threw it at me. Mind you, I let the bitch talk shit and didn’t put my hands on her because you know that’s how I usually would have responded. But once she threw that shit, I attacked her ass, nobody up in there could get me off of her. So I beat that ass until the police got there and they threw me behind bars. But I wasn’t giving zero fucks.”

  “Wow, that’s crazy. Sounds like she asked for that though. What Quincy have to say?”

  “That nigga ain’t say shit. Talkin’ bout fuck that girl, this and that.”

  “Did you spend an entire night in jail?”

  “Damn near. They got me processed and out late that night. Bitch done made me miss hours of freedom. But like I told Quincy, if I find out he fuckin’ that hood rat, I’m gone fuck him up. Round here got these basic bitches trippin’ on me in public. I was embarrassed as shit walkin’ out of Macy’s in handcuffs.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. As usual, there was never a dull moment when I hung out with my girl Keisha. We sat and chatted for a bit longer before I had to leave. I had to check up on the dry cleaners. I wasn’t worried, Katrina always took good care of it. I paid her well to do that. But it was my job to make sure everything was on point.

  Chapter 28

  Three months had passed by quickly and things were still looking up. And I was feeling good and trying to get on with my life. I kept busy so I didn’t have much time to think or dwell on anything that didn’t include business. And as far as I was concerned, that was for the best. Keeping thoughts of DaVon at bay was a must. I missed him immensely. Today Keisha and I had decided to go to the gun range and kick off a few rounds. Honestly, I was still not a fan of guns, but they were now a reality for me, so I wanted to be solid when it came to using them. Keisha, on the other hand, was gun crazy; she had this look in her eye when she had a gun in her hand that said so. Shoot to kill. And she equally enjoyed watching me shoot as well.

  “Woo, you on track wit’ that shit.” Keisha was excited when I squeezed off a round. I was shooting an assault rifle and it was full of power. For every round I squeezed off I felt the full pressure, but I was on point from each angle. “I think you been foolin’ us. Your ass been shooting.”

  I laughed at her assumption. “Nope, I guess I’m just a natural beast.” I chuckled. “Real talk, DaVon used to bring me to the gun range with him sometimes. He used to say I needed to be able to lock and unload whenever possible,” I admitted.

  “Aye, bet, and he was right. Hell, I learned how to shoot when I was just fifteen. Look where we grew up. In these LA streets, you gotta be ready—no, let me rephrase—you gotta be ready to hit yo’ target.”

  I nodded my head in agreement. My dad had kept me so close to him that I sometimes forgot that LA was no joke. For some reason, I had always felt protected—that was until he was murdered and reality kicked in. I picked up a Ruger and squeezed off a few rounds before we packed up and headed out.

  “I think Rugers are my favorite to shoot,” I shared as we walked to our vehicles.

  “I don’t know, the way you was up i
n there bustin’, I would say you were a seasoned shooter and have love for all heat.”

  “You would say that.” I grinned. My cell phone rang and Maria’s name lit up. “Hey, Maria.”

  “Precious, I’m at your other house. I need you to come over.”

  “Sure, I can do that. Is everything okay?” I asked.

  “Yes, but I need you to come over.”

  “Okay, I’ll be there soon.” I ended the call. “That was Maria. She over at my old house and told me to come over. So I’ll call you later.”

  “Is everything cool? You need me to come along?”

  “Nah, I think it’s cool, but thanks anyway.” I jumped in my new Audi and sped off.

  When I arrived at the house, everything seemed normal; there was no danger, at least that I could see. I had my Ruger on me, so I wasn’t worried. I used my key and made my way inside. I yelled out for Maria and she announced that she was in the kitchen. I found her sitting at the kitchen table, shining silverware.

  “Maria, what’s going on?” I asked.

  “You had a visitor,” she announced plainly, but she looked to be curious.

  “Well, who was it?”

  “It was a girl.” I thought for a brief second What girl would be looking for me? The only females I talked to were Keisha and Katrina, and Maria knew both of them. So I was drawing a blank. “Did she say what she wanted?”

  “No, she didn’t say. Just asked if you were here. I said no.”

  “Did she at least give you her name?” I was puzzled.

  “No, but she did say that she would be back tomorrow.”

  Now I was really confused. Some unknown female showing up at my dad’s house looking for me, but didn’t leave so much as her name. Yet Maria called me over like it was Armageddon. Without saying much else, Maria put away the silverware and said she was tired and then left.

  I dialed up Keisha. “Everything cool?” were the first words out of Keisha’s mouth before I could say anything.

  “Your guess is as good as mine. I get here and Maria tells me that some girl stopped by looking for me.”

  “Is that it?” Keisha said like she was expecting more.

  “Yes, that is it, according to Maria. She didn’t leave a name or anything. Just that she’ll come back tomorrow.”

  “And you don’t have any idea who it could have been?”

  “Hell no. I don’t have a clue. And I hate mysteries.”

  “What you gone do then?”

  “I guess I’ll stay here tonight cause who knows what time she might show up tomorrow.”

  “Listen, since you don’t know what you facing, I say strap up. Might be some crazy psycho bitch from your past.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh at that, but I agreed it was definitely better to be prepared. Except for one thing: I didn’t have a past that included anyone but my dad. But I was strapped anyway.

  Chapter 29

  I stayed at the old house the next day and the next, but the mysterious woman never showed up. But I had businesses to run, so there was no way I could stay cooped up in the house waiting on someone who might never return. So finally, I left. When I arrived at the dry cleaners, I decided to tell Katrina about the whole thing and she said it was probably one of those women from the Census Bureau. According to her, one had just visited her, asking strange questions. I had never even considered that, and oddly enough, I had forgotten they used to visit our house occasionally when I was growing up.

  Keisha’s name lit up on my phone just as I finished up with a customer. “Girl, it’s been days and you ain’t called to tell me what happened. Did the girl show up? Who was she?”

  “Heck no, she didn’t show, and I waited literally for two days. Maybe I was the wrong Precious.”

  “Either that or some shady shit is going on.” Keisha laughed. “Wait, or maybe it’s one of DaVon’s old bitches, cause them hoes used to act up and it was hard for him to cut it off. They all loved his ass.”

  Surprisingly, I had never thought of that, but it was something to consider. “Well, I ain’t the one that they should be lookin’ for. And if that is the case, lucky for her she didn’t come back, cause I don’t do drama.”

  “I swear, bitches crazy these days,” Keisha added.

  “But why show up at my dad’s crib though?” I shrugged with uncertainty. That just didn’t make sense to me. I never knew any of DaVon’s past girlfriends, so I didn’t have a clue how they would even know me or where my dad lived.

  “Like I said, these bitches wacko these days.” Keisha sighed. “But I gotta go and take Shirley, you know, Buffy’s momma, down to the bail bondsman to see about bailing her daughter’s ass out.”

  “What Buffy do now?” I was not even alarmed to hear that she was locked up. Buffy was crazy. I could probably just pick something crazy she might have done and be right.

  Keisha grinned. “Now she one of them wacko bitches I was just talkin’ about. She done took her ass down to Harold’s car shop. You remember that shop, don’t you? It ain’t too far from your dry cleaners.”

  “Yeah, I know Harold’s.”

  “Precious, she done went down there and busted the window out this man’s shop and chased his wife down the street with a bat.”

  I knew it was not supposed to be funny, but I laughed so hard. “I swear, Buffy is wild.”

  “No, that bitch psycho. How you gone go postal on that woman when you messin’ with her husband?”

  “Girl, I know. That is bold as shit.”

  “And that’s ya girl Buffy in a nutshell. But I gotta go before Shirley blows my phone off the hook.”

  “Okay, hit me up later.” I laughed again and ended the call.

  Clip walked in the door as soon as I hit end on the phone. “What up, Precious?”

  “Hey.”

  “How business going up in here?” he inquired.

  “Actually, it’s really good. This new equipment and the advertisements have been a hit. Sales at an all-time high.” Clip was more than just my worker, he was a friend and I enjoyed talking to him. Plus I knew he really had my back for real. I never had to worry about him being a pretender.

  “That’s what’s up.”

  “I been thinkin’ about opening up a second location.”

  “Aye, I say strike while the iron is hot.”

  “My thoughts exactly. I just need to free up the time to get it done . . . Come on, let’s step in the back.” I walked around the counter and locked up. We had to talk business and I didn’t want to take the risk of someone just walking in.

  “Just wanted to update you on business. All the blocks are on lock, everybody meeting quota. And everybody eating, so ain’t no beef . . .” He paused, so I knew something else was up.

  “And?” I was not in the mood for procrastination.

  “One of Quincy’s spots came up short, but he handled that shit ASAP.”

  I glared at him. I knew exactly what “handled” meant, but money could not go missing and no weakness could be shown. Ever. I didn’t really want to dwell on it because I trusted them to handle it.

  “We can’t be fuckin’ up. Shit must stay tight,” was all I had to say. “Now we got a new shipment comin’ in just a few days. I know you will be on point as always, but I need you to double up for this one. Take Mob with you and have Quincy supply a few more workers because, as we talked about last week, the territory has expanded.”

  “Yo, no doubt. I got you,” he assured me. I knew without a doubt I could trust Clip to get it done.

  We touched on a few more subjects of transport and distribution, then he bounced. Time was money and we did our best not to waste any of it. I reopened the doors to the dry cleaners to get back to the business, back to the money. Not that I needed any, but it kept me busy and I needed that to clear my mind of DaVon.

  “How you doing, baby?” Mrs. Maxine, one of my dad’s old longtime clients said as she strolled through the door.

  I smiled at the sight of her. Se
eing her brought back good memories of the old days. I saw her and my dad laughing and talking in my mind’s eye. “I’m fine. How are you, Mrs. Maxine?” I walked from behind the counter and into her open arms to receive one of her huge hugs that she loved to give.

  “I been trying to catch you, but every time I come in, Katrina say you either just left or coming in later.”

  “I know, I’ve been so busy.”

  “Well, I been wanting to tell you that I love what you have done with the place. Your dad would be so proud.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Are you still in school?”

  “Yes and no. I had to take a semester off recently because I have been so busy and just kind of wore myself out. I really needed a little rest.” I hated to lie to her, but I had no clue what else to say. I couldn’t say I’m now a drug dealer and have to worry about supply and demand. So I missed too much school and had to drop out. The truth was that I really did plan to go back once I got all my businesses under control. But I didn’t know when that would be.

  “Well, you just make sure you finish, baby. Don’t let nothing else get in your way. Your education is the most important.” She continued to encourage me before leaving.

  Her words sunk in. It was like Dad was speaking to me, but my reality was something to be reckoned with. Thirsty, I walked to the back to grab a Coke out of the refrigerator. I heard someone come in, then a woman’s voice saying hello. I popped the top on my Coke and took a huge gulp before stepping back in the front.

  “Are you Precious?” I stalled at the sight of the young lady standing in front of me.

  “Yes . . .” I almost stuttered, but somehow managed to keep my words straight. “Can I help you?”

  “I came by your house the other day but you were not there . . . I was supposed to come back, but I kinda got cold feet.” She gave a nervous chuckle.

  The Coke can in my hand was ice-cold, but my hand was sweating. “Well, how do you know me? Where I live?” I questioned.

  “I’m Promise.” She said her name as if I was familiar with it. But I didn’t respond. I just stared at her. “I’m your baby sister . . . Well, at least by three minutes.” She gave the same nervous chuckle again and suddenly I was annoyed with it. I wanted to yell at her and call her a liar. But it was like I was looking into a mirror.