“I ain’t stank. That’s this hospital. They need to change that disinfectant stuff. It seeps in the skin. What the girls gonna say when I get back home?” He fussed, while doing what I told him to do.
“Ain’t no lil fast ass girls gonna see yah ass until Thursday. You gotta rest and pack. We’ll be moving before the month is out,” I let him know.
“Fa’real?! Bet,” he exclaimed, moving a little faster.
I thought he would’ve changed his mind about moving. But yesterday, we spent a lot of time talking. Some of the things he told me Ocean did to him, had me ready to kill her ass. I still may do it. I don’t understand why she’s so fucking hateful.
‘That’s my best friend; That’s my best friend’
Fumbling with my phone off the table.
“Hey, hoe,” I answered.
“Wha’sup, trick?” She reciprocated.
“Ain’t nothin’. Where you at?” I question.
“At the dealership, finalizing some paperwork. Kimmy called out today. Seaqual getting discharged today?”
“Yep, I’m just waiting on his discharge papers. The doctor just left, not even fifteen minutes ago.”
“Damn, I can be up there in two hours,” she rushed out.
“No need. I can get an Uber. Plus, I gotta go by the pharmacy,” I declined.
“You shouldn’t have to spend money on no damn Uber. I’ll be up there,” she fussed.
“Damn it, Preshus, you don’t have to do that. I got it,” I snapped.
“Aiight, don’t bite my head off. I’ll be by yo house later to check on Seaqual and put yo ass in a headlock. Yelling and shit. You ain’t grown,” she fussed, conceding.
Shaking my head.
“You are too much, fa’ real. I have to snap on yah ass just to get some act right outta yo ass. Damn shame you stubborn as shit. Did you straighten everything out at the club?” I let her know, while switching the subject.
“Girl,” she started.
That four letter word, coupled with the way she abruptly cut it off, got me sitting straighter in my seat. She began telling me about the entire meeting. I wish we were having this convo face to face. Preshus storytelling is the truth. She’s so expressive. She will have you feeling like you were there.
“Hol’ up. Don’t try to skip over that shit. You did what wit Stone?” I interrupted.
Smacking her teeth loudly while sighing all dramatically then, “I said I kissed his ass. Damn it, he can kiss. Not only that, I massaged the one liter soda bottle posing as his dick. Strong negro threw my leg up on his waist. If I had on a dress, with the way we were grinding, he could’ve fucked me right there up against my damn truck. I lost my whole damn mind. It clicked what the fuck I was doing. I cut the shit off,” she finished.
Smiling big fa’ my cousin. She needs a man and some real dick.
“Annddd,” I prompted, dragging the word out.
“And what? That’s it,” she snapped, lying.
I fell quiet. Something she doesn’t like. Catching on to what I’m doing, she finished her story, stunning my ass into real silence.
“Talk, Neesha,” she spat.
“I’m speechless. Like, why the fuck you flipped? And why the hell is he so damn disrespectful? Better yet, when is the wedding? It’s like y’all are made fa’ each other. He gotta get his mind and damn mouth right tho. But other than that, y’all are a match made in crazy as hell. I-”
“Neesha, shut the hell up,” she barked, cutting off my rambling.
My lips popped together. She’s so violent.
“Ain’t no damn wedding. Ain’t no fucking connection. That muthafucka took one look at ‘Creamy Pies’, then me, and assumed I danced. Not only that, he had the nerve to accuse me of fucking fa’ money. He’s bullheaded and judgmental. Bastard don’t even give people the benefit of the fucking doubt. How the fuck he ain’t know I was the damn bartender, or cook? The way he carried on put a damn bad taste in my mouth,” she went in, getting pissed.
“Calm down, girl. I get it. Yo ass is absolutely right. He should’ve asked you, instead of assuming shit. Why the hell Kimmy called in?” I questioned, changing the subject.
I got to get her mind on some other shit. If she stayed there, she’ll be ready to hunt his ass down and cut him just to make herself feel better. A deep sigh of appreciation came from her. It almost sounded like she was saying thank you.
“I’m not a hundred percent sure. I know it gots something to do with her date she had with Jameson on Saturday. When I spoke to her ass last night at about nine. Cuz when I made it home after the meeting, I crashed.
Well, she didn’t go into any details. Plus, she was home all day Sunday. She didn’t even brag on the concert. From what I had heard, the shit was butta. Fantasia was all on the floor in the audience. Jameson had gotten them floor seats. She’ll talk to me when she’s ready. The dealership is closed tomorrow. The club is open tho. Although I ain’t going in that bitch. I’m resting,” she informed me.
“You think she ran into another one of her niggas?” I questioned.
“Who the hell knows? A, hold on Neesha.”
“Okay,” I accepted.
“Neesha, you know you talk loud?” Seaqual teased, coming out the bathroom.
“No, I don’t” I argued.
“Okay, if you say so. Yo boy fresh to death,” he boasted, Crip walking.
“Yeah, you is cute,” I cooed, causing him to stop dancing and pinning me with a look.
“Cute? That’s for babies and puppies. I’m all types of handsome, fine, and sexy, rolled into one. Please believe,” he fussed.
“O-” I started, the opening of his room door cut my words off.
I damn near swallowed my tongue, as the unexpected person came into view.
“Hey, Big Man. How you feeling?” Banks asked, walking into the room.
“I’m good. Bouts to be free,” Seaqual answered.
“Aww, shit, yo ass getting yo freedom papers. That’s wha’sup. How you doing, Neesha?” He questioned, focusing my eyes on me.
“I’m good, just happy he’s good and healthy. Soon as the nurse brings his discharge papers. We are gone,” I answered, giving him eye contact.
“How y’all leaving? The car still at yo apartment,” he inquired.
“Um,” I started.
“Sorry, Neesha, I’m back. Who the hell yah ass talking to?” Preshus coming back on the line interrupted me.
“Um, Banks,” I answered.
“Banks? The hell he doing up there?” She snapped.
“He came to see Seaqual, I guess. But now he’s asking how we are getting home,” I explained.
“Um hum, so he trying to take y’all to the house? Tell his ass don’t get stupid. I have no problem hunting his raggedy ass down, to fuck his ass up if something happens to y’all,” she threatened.
Rolling my eyes, I looked towards the ceiling. This heffa is crazy.
“I’m not telling him that,” I stated, almost whining.
“Aiight. Put me on speaker. I’ll tell his ass. You know ain’t no hoe in my blood,” she suggested.
“Um, no, I’m not doing that either,” I declined.
“Aiight, be like that. I got a feeling he felt my words anyway. I will be to the house at approximately six o’clock this evening. If y’all are not there, it’s gonna be some smoke in the city. They ain’t ready for what the hell I will dish out. I love you, girl. Tell Seaqual I love him too,” she said, at once, without waiting for my response, she hung up.
Looking towards the other two occupants in the room. Banks had an eyebrow raised in question, while Seaqual was smiling hard at me. He knows Preshus better than anyone. He enjoys her crazy ass, and the way she flips. He’s the only child at Southeast that has his damn lunch delivered every damn day. A teacher told him that he had to eat what’s on the menu, and if he was to bring his lunch, he had to bring snacks for the other kids. I never heard of something so ridiculous. They always hated on Seaqual thou
gh, so it wasn’t too outlandish.
Lawd, I told Preshus. The next day, I got a call from the principal practically begging me to come to the school. I get there, her crazy ass is having a damn face off with almost the entire faculty. Let’s just say when it was done, Seaqual got what she wanted him to have.
“We’ll be taking an Uber,” I answered.
“Naww, I’ll take y’all. I don’t trust that shit,” he suggested.
“Um, I don’t trust yah ass. Don’t try coming up in here running shit. I ain’t yo child,” I snapped.
He eyed me for a spilt second before,
“Did I say she was my child, Big Man? Why she being difficult? Do you trust Ubers?” He questioned Seaqual.
“I don’t care fa’em neither. But what’s yo qualifications that justify us letting you take us home? I mean, you got a good heart wit the way you sent the clothes. What else you got tho?” Seaqual questioned, causing Banks’ eyes to widen.
Slapping my hand over my mouth to hold my laughter in. Seaqual is usually quiet. He observes more than he speaks on.
“That’s a damn good question, Big Man. I won’t hurt y’all. I’ll get y’all home safely. This real nigga shit. Feel me?” Banks answered.
Seaqual once again nodded his head slowly. Banks cut his eyes at me. I hit his ass with a smirk.
“Man, to man, Banks,” he started, gaining Banks’ full attention.
Banks nodded letting him know he can proceed.
“I heard what you said to Neesha. I also know you apologized. You were wrong, I get it. Check it tho. Don’t ever disrespect Neesha. She ain’t nothing like those females in LSC. She loves me. She has given up her life fa’ me. I probably can’t hurt you wit my fists. Let’s just say, I love chemistry,” he stated, seriously, staring Banks in the eye.
I knew he had a mouth on him, but I ain’t never expect fa’ his ass to issue out threats and shit. The hell? I questioned, then, “Seaqual,” I started.
“Naww, don’t, that’s real man shit. I can’t do nothing but respect it. You got that, Seaqual. I’ll never speak disrespectfully to yo sis again. She ain’t deserve my words. That’s my shortcomings. We good?” He spoke sincerely, walking towards Seaqual.
“Mos’ def,” Seaqual agreed, slapping hands with him.
He gently pulled Seaqual in for a bro hug. I don’t know why, but that shit touched my heart.
Tap, Tap, Tap.
“Come in,” I called out.
“Hello, I have his discharge papers. I just need for you to, Banks?” She questioned.
Banks lifted his head, turning in her direction.
“Damn, it is you. How you doing? Long time no see. I thought you didn’t do kids? I mean, that’s the lie you told me. Now you’re hugging on this little boy like he’s your blood,” she spoke, trying to disguise her hurt feelings and attitude, but failed big time.
“This heffa,” I mumbled, watching her as she stared at Banks. She is really waiting for an explanation from him. She gots to be slow.
“Excuse you. What you are doing is not in ya job description. It’s actually rude as hell. Give me my brother’s papers. The hell ever happen to damn professionalism?” I snapped, standing from my seat.
“Fuck,” Banks hissed out, eyeing me.
Seaqual popped his shoulder, while mean mugging him. His ass ain’t appreciating his reaction at all. Ms. Nurse stood stuck on stupid.
Snatching Seaqual’s papers got her attention.
“Hold up, you don’t have to be rude. I was going to hand them to you,” she spat.
I changed my stance. Placing the discharge papers in my left hand while making a fist wit my right, just in case.
“Is you stupid? I’m bout to hand yo ass an ass whupping. Take yo ass on. Y’all silly hoes kill me. Catching an attitude over a nigga that ain’t yours. Fuck what he told yo ass. He didn’t want yo ass, he damn sure wasn’t playing daddy to yo damn kids. Pick yo lip up and leave, before you piss me off,” I warned.
Banks chuckled, while biting his lip. She eyed him, then me, before storming out the room.
“Silly hoe,” I mumbled.
“She do know she gotta wheel me down, right?” Seaqual questioned, with a smirk playing on his lips.
Ignoring him, I hit the nurse call button. Once they answered, I requested transportation. Hearing it’ll be ten minutes, I double checked the room, making sure I’m not leaving anything. I can feel Banks’ eyes on me. I ain’t as stacked as Preshus, but I ain’t slacking neither. Those thick genes that all the women in our family possess did not skip me, at all. I’m softer and jigglier, than toned and solid. I rock a size sixteen easily. My middle is soft and semi flat.
“Banks, you gonna have to stop staring so hard. You giving me a complex,” Seaqual called him out.
“I’m tryin’, man. She’s fucking gorgeous,” he answered, absently, still not pulling his eyes from me.
I don’t even think he realized he said it.
Tap, Tap, Tap.
“Come in,” I called out.
“Hello, I’m Tyrone, the transportation tech. You ready to ride, man? Let’s break you up outta here.”
“Yep, yep, let’s do this! Neesha, what you feeding me? I got a taste for some hash and rice, fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, and light bread. Oh, and some lemonade,” he let me know, while taking a seat in the wheelchair.
At his voice, Tyrone looked in my direction. His eyes roamed my body, from the top of my head to my feet. They lingered on my hips. He licked his non existent lips before,
“Well, hello, beautiful. I don’t know how I missed you. How are you doing?” He flirted, smiling hard.
All his teeth, along with his black gums showing. It’s taking everything in me not to frown. That’s some disgusting shit.
“Don’t die, muthafucka. I guess yo cock eyed ass didn’t see my big ass neither, huh?” Banks growled, causing Tyrone’s smile to drop. He flinched so hard, he moved the damn wheelchair. Seaqual chuckled.
Shaking my head, not bothering to respond to any of that. I attempted to pull the door open, but Banks stopped me.
“I got it. Go, nigga. Fuck yo ass waiting on?” He barked, causing Tyrone to damn near run out the room while pushing Seaqual.
“All that isn’t called for, Banks. I mean, really,” I chastised, playfully, while clicking my tongue.
“Un huh,” was all he said, following me out the door.
We walked to the elevator silently. I could feel Banks vibrating beside me though. Walking passed the nurse’s station, they were damn near drooling over his ass. Some women just don’t have no damn self-respect.
“Neesha, you ain’t answer me. Can I have bar-b-que, puhleezeeee?” Seaqual called out, as we stepped on the elevator.
“Sure, Baby Bubba,” I agreed.
My voice was the last verbal sound made. Tyrone though, was breathing like he was about to pass the hell out.
“Aye, my man, you got asthma? Where my inhaler, Neesha? He bout to pass out, and that ain’t no good look. He might be claustrophobic,” Seaqual taunted, causing Banks to holler.
I didn’t even answer that. Tyrone stopped breathing altogether.
‘DING.’
“Thank God,” I whispered.
We maneuvered through the lobby to the front door.
“Do you have to pull your car around?” Tyrone asked, quickly.
“Yeah, I do. Go do something. Y’all wait here. I’mma pull my truck up,” Banks ordered, staring at Tyrone.
His crazy ass is actually waiting for his ass to walk back in the hospital.
“Um, I can’t leave the patient until he’s securely in a vehicle. Hospital policy,” he explained, with a hint of ‘duh’ in his voice.
Banks eyed him. I think he’s committing his entire makeup to his memory bank.
“Yeah, aiight. Yo ass bout not say shit while I’m gone. Let me think you so much as breathed too hard, and yo ass’ll no longer work here, you’ll be a resident,” he barked,
staring a hole through Tyrone.
I physically saw his ass recoil away from us.
“Banks, we good. It’s hot as hell out cher. So, could you please go get your truck?” I spoke, breaking the stare off.
He nodded once before walking off. Lawd, I can’t do this shit. Banks is just too damn much.
I’ve never been involved with a man who behaves like Banks. Who has the power that Banks possess? My one and only love, Terrance, was a blue collar, respectful, quiet, hard working man. We met when I was nineteen, and he was twenty-five. As soon as he graduated high school, he went to school for his CDL. He said just because he knew he wasn’t going to college didn’t mean he didn’t have plans.
I loved his ambition. Our relationship moved fast, but it was real. I felt it in my soul. I never had to wonder about how he felt about me. He didn’t mind when I had Seaqual and Ocean. He actually bonded with them. He took me out whenever he could. He showed me different things about the world.
Our relationship grew. I knew we were headed towards marriage. Almost three years in, he was taken from me. My first love, my first everything, my one and only. We were having a rare date night, he came to pick me up. At this time, LSC was beyond rough. Shoot outs, gangs, hookers turning tricks, drug deals, everything was going on out in the opening.
Terrance was outside his vehicle, making his way up the sidewalk to me. As soon as I heard his truck, I opened the door to meet him half the way. Gunfire erupted, he tried moving faster to me, but he was hit six times. His body jerked with each bullet that hit his body. At the time, he was yelling something that I couldn’t make out. It took me a minute after he was buried to put my thoughts together. I was so distraught, nothing made sense.
His voice played over in my head. It finally clicked what he was saying. He was yelling, ‘Neesha, I love you.’ He was trying to make his way to me to save me, while telling me how he felt. I haven’t loved since.
“Neesha, you okay?” Seaqual’s voice brought me out my head.
“Um, yes, I am,” I stammered out, hoarsely.
“You thinking about Terrance? He’s watching over you. He wants you to be happy. Do you like Banks?” He questioned, looking up at me.
King of The Hood 2 Page 3
