CheckMate (Play At Your Own Risk)

by Mickens, Tiece

  “Oh, so you only cook for yourself, now?” Monty asked as he grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet, and then walked over to the pantry for a box of Captain Crunch cereal.

  “Yeah, something like that.” Mona hadn’t said a whole lot to Monty since Candy left almost three months ago. He hadn’t slowed down one bit and was still running the streets even more than ever. He hardly ever stayed home. Mona felt like he should’ve been moping around the house missing Candy, but he was doing the total opposite and enjoying life with her being gone.

  “I’ll be glad when you start school again. This spring break thing is lasting way too long. That way, I don’t have to look in your ugly face all day,” Monty said as he poured the cereal.

  “Whatever. You don’t be home anyway, so shut up. Yeah, about school, I know I haven’t been the best sister in the world to you lately, but I do appreciate you paying my tuition for school. I’m also sorry we haven’t been as close with one another, but I really miss Candy and have been taking my anger out on you. I feel better, though, after being able to go spend time with her. She looks good and is eating very well.” Mona giggled. “She’s getting bigger, too. She told me she’ll be coming back home sooner than later. Did she text you the sonogram pictures?”

  “Yeah, she did. I tried to call her as soon as I got them, but she still won’t answer. Man, I miss her and it made me so happy to see those shots of my son. He already looks just like me.” Monty smiled.

  “Yeah, like you can tell that already,” Mona responded. “I did want a little cute niece, but a nephew will do just fine as long as his ways are nothing like his father’s.”

  “Whatever! Shut up, you ugly girl. I can tell how he looks and I can’t wait until she comes back. I’m going to be good to her this time, and take care of my family and stay outta the streets.” Monty became very serious.

  “Well, only time will tell. I hope for Candy’s sake that you’re serious. She really does love you, but she ain’t taking your shit no more.” Mona got up and put her plate in the dishwasher.

  “I will and you’ll see. That’s all I can say right now. You will see,” Monty said as his phone began to ring. “Hello,” he continued while eating his cereal.

  “What’s up, bruh?” Rico said. He sounded worried.

  “Hey, man. What’s up?” Monty asked as he noticed Rico’s tone over the phone.

  “Man, I don’t know. But, I think something bad has just happened and I don’t know what to do,” Rico nervously explained.

  “What happened, man?” Monty became concerned.

  “I seriously need to talk to you, right now. So, if you’re doing something, please put it aside. I need you right now, man. I just don’t know what to do.”

  “What are you talking about? Quit beating around the bush and just tell me what’s up.”

  “Paris is pregnant,” said Rico.

  “What? Did you just say Paris is pregnant?” Monty asked as he was shocked. “Didn’t I tell you to wear a condom, man? What in the hell are you thinking about! Paris is a married woman.” Monty grew a little upset with Rico for being so careless.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking about, man. But, that ain’t the whole story…”

  “Well, what the hell is the whole story, then?”

  “Well, first off, Paris and I decided to not have the baby. She has an appointment set for next week to have the abortion. She doesn’t want her husband to return home and find out. I never had a problem with her having the abortion because I knew better than that shit from the get go. But, at the time, I was only thinking about the good pussy I was getting and not about the consequences that were sure to come later.” Rico sighed heavily in the phone. “Well, her husband came home yesterday and surprised the hell outta her. Didn’t even call and tell her he was coming home. Guess he didn’t have to if it was supposed to be a surprise, huh? Funny thing, she text messaged me last night. Told me what happened. But, just a few minutes ago, she called me crying.” Rico’s voice was really trembling.

  “Why was she crying?”

  “Her doctor called to explain some things about the pregnancy. He wanted to put her on some kind of prenatal vitamins, but her husband answered the phone and the doctor congratulated him on being a father.”

  “What?” Monty asked quickly.

  “Yeah, man, she never told the doctor she was having the abortion and now her husband knows about the baby and it’s not his.”

  “Damn, man! Are you serious? What the fuck! That’s some wild shit right there, dawg. What the hell did he say?” Monty was really tripping off of the news and not in a good way.

  “I have an idea of what he might have done, but I’m hoping I’m wrong, man.” Rico sounded as if he was about to cry.

  “Man, calm your ass down. What are you talking about?”

  “Monty, man I’m so scared right now because while she was telling me this, I suddenly heard a real loud bang. It was so loud, I dropped the phone and my ear began ringing with a tingling feeling. When I picked it back up, she was gone. I don’t wanna believe that I heard a gunshot. But, in my gut, that’s what I’m feeling.” He sounded nervous and scared.

  “Calm down, man. Just calm down,” said Monty. “Did you try to call her back?”

  “Yeah, I did, but her phone is now going to the voicemail. What should I do, man? I really don’t know what to do right now.” Rico’s voice continued to tremble.

  “Damn, man.” Monty was really shocked by what Rico had told him. “She’s alright. I know she is. Tell you what. I’m coming over there and pick you up. We’ll ride by her house and make sure everything looks alright before you start making assumptions. It could really be nothing, ya know? Just sit tight and calm down. I’ll be there before you know it.” They ended the call. Monty poured the milk down the sink and grabbed his keys as he rushed out of the house to go pick up Rico.

  He pulled up to the house and Rico rushed out the door, and then got in the Tahoe with him. Monty pulled off as they headed over to Paris’ house to make sure that everything looked okay.

  “Man, I know something is not right. She would’ve called me back to explain the loud noise. I just know it,” said Rico as he was really looking upset.

  “Well, just calm down, man. Maybe she couldn’t call you back. You look like you seen a ghost. I ain’t ever seen you look like this before.”

  “I ain’t ever felt like this before. I knew the shit was wrong from the start, but this shit really done went too far.” Rico buried his face in the palm of his hands. Monty reached over and tapped him on the back. He realized it was a serious situation.

  “Now, you know we can’t go over there. But, we can ride by their house and just make sure it looks normal. He doesn’t know who we are, so there’s no harm in doing that.” Monty said as he drove down Walton Way toward Paris’ neighborhood.

  “Monty, man. I know something isn’t right. I just know it.” Rico was shaking. “That noise was so loud, my ear went deaf. I couldn’t hear anything out of it for a few minutes or so. You don’t reckon he…”

  “Don’t think like that,” Monty quickly cut him off.

  Monty turned into the Beverly Estates housing complex, and then drove down the long street of huge houses until he reached the street Paris lived on. As he neared her house, they immediately saw police lights and neighbors standing around. All of a sudden, Rico yelled out.

  “No, man! This shit can’t be happening right now!”

  “Just calm down. We don’t know what really happened, yet,” Monty said.

  He pulled up a little more, but the police were directing traffic to turn around and go back out the other way. Monty let his window down as he spotted a nosy neighbor standing by the curbstone, and he immediately questioned him. “Excuse me, do you know what’s going on over there?”

  “It’s sad, man. That woman’s husband came home yesterday, and for some strange reason, he shot her in the head and killed her a little while ago,” the nosy neighbor said just
as the police walked out of Paris’ house with her husband in handcuffs.

  Rico began to nut up as he hit the dashboard over and over again. Monty tried to calm him down, but, then Paris’ lifeless body, covered in a white sheet, was rolled out of the house on a gurney. Rico really went crazy, so Monty immediately backed up and headed out of the neighborhood as fast as he could. Monty pulled up to his house, then looked over at Rico, who was still in shock and was silently staring out the window.

  “Damn, man, he didn’t have to do that shit. She wasn’t even going to have the damn baby,” Rico cried as he felt bad that Paris was dead all because of their carelessness.

  “You didn’t know this was going to happen, man. Just, please, try to calm down.” Monty felt even worse knowing Paris’ clingy ass was no longer with them.

  “Man, I should’ve just left that woman alone. I knew she was getting attached to me, but I figured it was all a game to get back at you. So, I played along, but at what cost, man? She’s gone and there ain’t nothing I can do to bring her back,” Rico said as the tears fell from his eyes.

  They sat in the vehicle, both very shocked over the ordeal. Monty began to think about Candy and how he wanted to just end all ties with his pawns because he’d hate for something else bad to happen and it be over him.

  “I’m getting out of the game, man,” Monty said. He was very serious about letting it all go. “I don’t need this kind of shit hanging over my head and I don’t wanna get caught up in no bullshit like this. All my pawns are married or have boyfriends except for Monica. She acts as if she doesn’t fall in love with no man. But, it’s been about three months now since we’ve been kicking it and she wants me over her crib damn near every night.” Monty realized the severity of the situation and tried to talk about his problems, hoping Rico could focus a little less on his and what just happened.

  “Man, I’m telling you, this shit is not worth it. I’m writing off all married women. I’m hurt man. I mean, I’m really hurt that Paris is dead. This shit seems so unreal. I know she was clingy, but I wouldn’t ever wish death on her.”

  “Yeah, I know, man, and I feel bad as hell, too.” The men sat in the SUV as they thought and contemplated on their life’s decisions. Monty then began to talk more about his problems while Rico still shook his head from the thought of knowing Paris was gone. “I still haven’t told Monica about Candy. But, I’m going to have to because she’s coming home soon to have our son and she is the one that I want to be with. Monica needs to know that we can’t rekindle nothing. What we had was a long time ago and things have truly changed since then. I can’t lie. I’ve racked up over sixty grand, plus a few business propositions by just fucking around with her. She has even given me the titles to a few buildings that I’ll fix up and rent out when I’m ready, but I know that she has a motive behind giving me that much money. I have to end it before somebody really gets hurt.” Monty was beginning to consider the decisions he’d made in life and if those choices were good moves or bad ones.

  “Damn, man. I just can’t believe this shit. It done happened so fast until I can’t think straight. I hear what you’re saying, and I agree with you about chilling out and leaving other men women alone. I don’t wanna fuck with nobody else’s old lady again. You can pass the torch on to someone else. I don’t want it,” Rico said sadly.

  “I can’t do this shit no more. I just can’t,” Monty continued as his cell phone beeped.

  Hope I’ll be seeing you tonight… Sunshine

  Monty sat there, staring at the screen. He thought about telling Monica they couldn’t see each other like that anymore, and then responded.

  I’m handling some business right now. I’ll holla at you, later… Mo Money

  Is everything okay? Sunshine

  Not really… I’ll holla at you, later… Mo Money

  “This is Monica now. She wants to see me, but I don’t wanna be bothered with her tonight. I done just about cut all of my pawns off for her because she keeps a brotha paid and laid just like I like it,” Monty told Rico.

  “Monty, man, I hear you, but I can’t think about that right now. Please, understand. I’m so lost right now. I don’t know what to do. I did have feelings for her, ya know.”

  “Come on, man. I know this shit is shocking, but you’re going to have to snap out of it if you’re going to get through this. I’m here for you, man. You just gotta be strong and trust it’ll be alright.”

  “I know, man, but I feel so bad for her. This shit is all my fault. If I wasn’t so in love with fucking her, then I would’ve known better to wear a condom. That’s how she got fucked up. My dumb ass let my juices go all up in her over and over again. I knew full well what I was doing and, now she’s gone. It’s too late to take it back.”

  “I know the feeling, man. Trust me, I know the feeling.” Monty said as he thought about the day Candy left him.

  “Just take me home, man. I just wanna lay down for awhile. I need to clear my head because I’m really feeling sick right now.”

  “Are you sure that you wanna be alone?” Monty asked in a low tone.

  “Yeah, man,” Rico said as he dropped his head.

  Monty cranked up the vehicle and rolled out. The ride was a silent one since both men were thinking about some of the same things. Monty pulled up in Rico’s driveway as the sad look on Rico’s face made Monty think very hard about giving up fucking around with his pawns, because in his case, a pawn could be helpful in a good game of cleverness and moves. But, at the same time, they could be your worst nightmare if played the wrong way.

  “Hey, man, are you sure you’re going to be alright?” Monty asked as Rico opened up the car door and got out.

  “Yeah, I’ll call you later. Just go handle your business. I’ll be alright.” Rico walked up on his porch. He turned around and threw his hand in the air.

  Monty pulled off, and then typed a text message to Candy.

  I was just thinking about you and our son. I want you to know that I love you and I’m sorry for ever hurting you. Mo Money

  Monty drove back to his house, continuing to feel bad. He hated that Candy hadn’t responded. He knew he really hurt her and she wasn’t having that anymore. But, could he blame her? He really couldn’t. She always feared for his safety, his whereabouts, and she just wanted his so-called career to end. Well, she was about to get her wish, but he wasn’t telling her until she returned home to have their baby.

  Monty pulled up to his driveway and sat there thinking about the shit that went down between Paris and her husband. He was glad he wasn’t the one still messing around with her, but at the same time, he was the one who got his best friend tied up in that bullshit. In an attempt to take his mind off it all, Monty decided to text message Monica back.

  I’ll be over shortly… Mo Money

  You won’t be sorry… Sunshine

  “Yeah, I bet I won’t. But, you will be as soon as I end things with you,” Monty said out loud as he headed over to Monica’s house. He pulled up to Monica’s house, then got out of his whip and unlocked the house door with his key. Damn, I gotta give her this back, Monty thought as he called out her name.

  “I’m in my room,” Monica responded. “Come on down the hallway.”

  Monty walked down the hallway, wondering what Monica was up to. He entered her bedroom and there she was, as beautiful as ever, sitting naked with one leg propped up on the table. He looked closely and there was a chilled bottle of wine placed in the middle of the table, on top of a chess board game.

  “Hey, baby. You wanna play a little? Winner takes all,” Monica said.

  “You’re looking good as usual, Monica, but I’m just not in the mood for this tonight. There is something I need to tell you and I’m not sure if it can wait any longer.” Monty looked very serious.

  Monica got up and moved over to Monty. “You appear exhausted. You alright?” she asked out of concern.

  “No, I’m not. A woman that I knew was killed today by her husband and
I feel so bad about it,” he explained.

  “Oh, my goodness! You weren’t messing around with this woman, were you?” Monica asked.

  “No, I hadn’t messed around with her in a while. But, it’s still a shock to me that this shit happened the way it did.” Monty sat down.

  Monica walked over in front of him as her nice, perky breasts looked him in the face. He stared at them and couldn’t resist her charm. He knew he went there to break things off but… maybe later, he thought.

  He grabbed her breasts and began sucking them, one to the other. He tongue teased her nipples gently, and then Monica pushed him back on the big bed, pulled down his pants, and threw them over on the floor. His eyes rolled back in relax mode as she held his long, thick rod in her mouth and began to go up and down on it. Monty pulled her up and she straddled across him as she placed his dick in her pearl and rode him so good, he began to call her name.

  “Say my name, say my name, baby. You love this kinda loving, don’t you?” she asked as she continued to give Monty what he wanted. “Say you love it.”

  Monty continued to hold her by the waist and rocked her body back and forth on his dick. And, even though it was good and he’d already called her name, he wasn’t about to tell her that he loved it. Monica moaned louder while spreading her love all over him. Monty almost bust one, too, until he remembered he was not wearing a condom. So, he only pretended to nut. Monica got up, grabbed her robe, and put it on. She looked at an exhausted Monty and asked him to sit up as she began to massage his shoulders.

  “Just relax, baby. You probably need to take a hot shower and just let the water run down over your head. You’ll feel better. I just wanted to ease some of your stress, and I am truly sorry to hear about this woman. I really am.”

  “Monica, I need to discuss some things with you and it can’t wait.” Monty wanted to go ahead and tell her about Candy.

  “Please, Monty, not right now. Let me run your shower water and once you get out, we can talk about whatever it is that you wanna talk about. Okay?” Monica walked in the bathroom. Monty sat there as he felt it may not be a bad idea. So, he got up and walked in the bathroom already naked, and got in the shower. He stood under the hot water as it ran over his head and all the way down his spine. He jacked himself off to relieve the pressure as he was thinking about how he’d tell Monica about Candy.