by BlaQue
“Well, why don’t you lay low and figure out where you are headed first. Stay out of sight and formulate a plan. At least know where you are going to be headed. I cannot promise you that I am coming with you right this moment, but if I knew where you were going maybe I could visit or join you later.”
I perked up with the thought of him joining me later. I needed to put some serious thought into where I wanted to go. I still had insurance money to collect and leaving at that moment might be detrimental in retrieving what my father owed me and Neko. Collectively, Neko and I were about to be two million dollars richer. We needed that money to make a fresh start.
A few hours earlier, I had wondered if coming to see Dread was a smart idea, but being with him at that moment let me know it was a great idea. He knew how I felt about him and he made me step back and think some things through. I needed to get a better plan rolling besides just running from my problems. I had too much money at stake to just run. I had over four-hundred thousand in cash on hand, but the two million in insurance would make life somewhere else much sweeter. I could re-build and live good for a while. I started to relax just a little. I hopped back in his bed and hoped he would join me for another round before I went back to the raggedy-ass motel to tell Neko that we needed to hang around a little bit longer.
Dread and I sexed until the sun came up. He was fast asleep when I crept out of his apartment. I left a note on the pillow letting him know that I would be in touch and not to worry. I jumped in the car and headed across the bridge. I need to let my baby brother know we needed to figure out our destination and that we needed figure out how to collect the money due to us from our father, without our “so called” sister trying to murder us before we could collect.
Chapter 27
The Waterfront
SW Washington, DC
I arrived at the motel a little after 8:30 a.m. Neko was standing on the landing. He appeared to be mad as hell. A bit of remorse for my actions crept in the back of my mind. I knew I shouldn’t have just rolled out without telling him where I was going. After all, I was the one who had made it clear that we needed to stay together at all costs. I knew it wouldn’t be in my best interest to tell him where I had been. I didn’t need, nor did I want, any more uneasiness between us. I got out of the car and walked up the stairs towards the room. Sliding the key in the slot and entering the room, Neko was right on my heels.
“So, it’s aight for you to up and disappear and not say anything? If I do it, I bet you would be ready to lose your fucking mind!” He hollered.
“No, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left without telling you where I was going. I just drove around. I didn’t go anywhere specific. I needed to get my thoughts together. I got to thinking we don’t have a plan Neko. We don’t even know where we are going to go once we leave here. We haven’t even put any thought to the insurance money that Daddy left us either.”
At the mention of the money, Neko calmed down. Once we were inside the musty room I took a seat on the bed and pulled the policies out of the bag. “We need to make sure we handle this first before we leave,” I said dialing the phone number that was listed for the insurance company.
I lit a cigarette and waited through numerous options before I got to a live person. After verifying my information, the woman on the line verified the policy totaling one million dollars. She asked for a copy of the death certificate. I let her know I could fax that to her office. I jotted down some information and gave her my bank account information and she said that in about two weeks the money should arrive in my account. I inquired about Neko and she said she could only speak with him regarding the policy. I passed him the phone and I guessed that the lady on the line was taking Neko through the whole spiel she had taken me through.
Neko told the woman he had no bank account and that he would prefer that the money be sent to my account. The woman let him know a notarized letter needed to be faxed with the death certificate to ensure we were not trying to commit fraud. I made a mental note to make sure we got Neko a bank account as soon as possible. We both agreed that was a smart thing to do. Then it hit me to ask the woman holding our future in her hands if she could check the information for Pajay Clayton as well.
The kind lady on the line put me on hold for what felt like an eternity. I paced back and forth. I am sure I had worn a hole in the dingy carpet. Once she came back on the line she stated that she was not supposed to give me any information on that policy. I wanted to curse at her and call her ugly names for being so, “by the book.” Before I could part my lips and throw insults at her, she did tell me that someone had called inquiring about if the death certificate had been sent in for the policies? She let me know that was all that she could tell me, and I thanked her for her time and hung up.
I was glad that I held on to my anger just enough to find out that Pajay was trying to get her hands on what she thought was rightfully hers. I rubbed my temples because they had started to throb with the thoughts of that bitch trying to take money after she had destroyed everything my father had worked so hard to get it. Then she had him taken out, just to get the money. What was even more puzzling was the fact that she knew that she had money coming to her.
Every time I started to think about all the things that Daddy had hidden from me, I started to feel sick. I questioned if he ever loved me as much as he said he did. The kind of betrayal I was experiencing was unforgivable. My stomach was churning. I had been feeling awful lately. I was sure it was the stress due to the severity of the situation. I focused my attention on Neko trying to hold the sick feeling at bay.
“I guess we won’t be leaving here so soon after all.” I said.
He nodded and left out of my room without saying another word. I was really getting sick of people and their attitudes when all I was trying to do was my best to survive. I sat down to try and ease the queasy feeling. I had way too many things swirling through my head. I felt like such a loser having to run with my tail between my legs. The only thing that seemed to be working for me was the fact that I was about to be richer than I could even imagine, and the possibility of Dread coming with me. Just thinking of him made me smile to myself. The churning in my stomach was starting to slowly subside and I turned over to try and get some much needed rest.
I woke up a few hours later and from the looks of things it was growing dark outside. I had slept yet another day away. I scooped up my phone and checked for any missed calls and messages. It was the same things. Epps had called trying to get my location so he could “protect” us. He had left several voicemail messages and texts. I guess at some point, he would have figured out that his services were no longer needed. I had also received a text from Dread thanking me for an incredible evening and that he could not wait to see me again soon. The last text I had came from a number I didn’t recognize; and it read, “time’s up!”
I threw the phone on the bed and pushed the eerie message to the left. I knew it was from her. I just didn’t have enough energy to focus on who “she” was anymore. I figured the best thing for me to do was to lay low, collect our money, and get the fuck out of DC before the black sheep of the family killed us all. I laid there wondering what could have happened that had caused Daddy to never claim her. Apparently he knew who she was because he wouldn’t just leave money to some person he didn’t know. It didn’t make sense. Maybe her mother was just a one night stand. I let my thoughts run wild wondering of who Pajay was and where she had come from and why she was after me. I had always wanted a sister or brother and now that I had both; I wasn’t sure I wanted the sister. She damn sure didn’t want to be bothered with me, unless it was at my funeral.
Chapter 28
Lux Lounge
New York Avenue
NW Washington, DC
Two weeks went by and Neko and I were really held up in the motel. We had sent off the information the insurance company required of us, and we were just waiting on the money to hit the bank. All we could do was sit and wait. I
was feeling sick! I had been feeling really ill and I felt drained of all energy. It had gotten to the point where all I could do was sleep and feel nauseated. I was always tired and the never ending feeling in my stomach was starting to send me over the edge. Neko knocked softly on the door and I mustered all the strength I could to get out of the bed and answer it. I let him in and flopped back down on the bed.
“Damn, why you look like that?” He asked me with his face balled up.
“Look like what?” I shot back.
Needless to say, I had not been out of the room in about two weeks. I would get up to get small items I needed to survive, so I hadn’t really looked at myself or bothered with a mirror for that matter. My days consisted of checking my bank account, waiting on that money to drop, and watching Maury. Neko’s displeasure with my outwardly appearance showed all across his face.
“You need to get up and get out of this room YaYa. You look like shit. What are you doing just sitting in here eating? You look like you have gained about twenty damn pounds in here loafing around.”
I smoothed my long t-shirt trying to hide my embarrassment about the way I looked. I ran my fingers through my hair which I had not taken a comb too. I just felt weak. I felt like someone had knocked all of the life out of me and I no longer cared about anything but getting out of the motel room with my life.
Neko was going on and on about us leaving and I could see his mouth moving, but I didn’t hear a word he was saying. I was too busy fighting the urge to vomit. I had been doing a lot of that in the last two weeks. It hit me all at once that it was beyond time for Mother Nature to pay me a visit. I had been so wrapped up in laying low and getting the money that I hadn’t even thought about my period. I figured going out to the CVS would do me some good anyway being that I had been held up in that room for weeks. I barely knew what day it was.
I gathered myself enough to head out to the store. I covered my eyes with my shades and walked out of my motel room door. Even with my shades on, the sunlight made me feel like I was being exposed to any and everything. I felt vulnerable. I moved quickly towards Neko’s room and knocked softly. I had already decided to try and keep the peace with him by letting him know every move I made from there on out. However, I ended up making no moves. I stayed in the confinement of my room. Neko came to the door rubbing his eyes trying to adjust to the bright sunlight that was penetrating through the open door. He was shirtless with only his boxers on. He must have been sleeping.
“I was just letting you know I am going to make a quick run to the CVS to grab a few personal things. Do you need anything while I am out?” I said.
He nodded his head and held up one finger as if to tell me wait. He closed the door and I could hear him shuffling around inside. I could also hear a female voice on the other side of the door. I was vexed about him having company when we were supposed to be on the low. I let the bad feeling I was getting go. Hell, if I wasn’t embarrassed to be seen in the Red Roof Inn I would have had some company too. Maybe that is what I needed. Neko came back to the door. This time he was dressed in a t-shirt and some basketball shorts. I shot him a knowing look. He could read the displeased look on my face. I didn’t even say anything I just shook my head.
“I was going crazy in here YaYa. You ain’t been acting like yourself lately. You don’t come out of the room and you ain’t exactly been good company.” Neko said trying to justify why he had a bitch held up in his room with him.
“Just make sure she doesn’t run her mouth about where we are. As long as you keep your shit in order, then who am I to complain?” I said shrugging my shoulders.
“What do you need from the store?” I asked Neko with my hand out because I wasn’t going to spend one red cent on him and whoever the bitch he had hiding out in his room was.
He passed me a twenty dollar bill. I stood there because he hadn’t told me what it was that he needed or wanted from the store. I just stood there rolling my grey eyes at him.
“So are you gonna’ tell me what you need or are you just giving me money to blow?” I asked sarcastically.
“I need some condoms and make sure you get Magnums.” He beamed with pride.
I couldn’t help but smile because my little brother thought he was the shit. At least he thought about protecting himself, unlike me. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on with my body. I playfully punched him in the arm and walked away. Neko went back into his room to entertain his company as I walked down the stairs that lead to the parking lot. I still felt awful and I was praying that I was not pregnant. There was no way I was ready for a baby. Yeah, I was old enough, but with the way things were going in my life, a baby would not be a good idea. The father was torn between his career and dealing with me and my craziness.
I was feeling emotional just thinking of having a baby. What the hell would I do if I really had one? I drove the short distance to the CVS and started to feel nervous. I had never done anything like that before and for some odd reason I was scared. Deep down I knew I was knocked up, but I was hoping against hope that I wasn’t. I didn’t need the added stress of taking care of a baby on my own, because I am sure Dread would not be pleased with me being pregnant and leaving with his baby.
I walked in the CVS and felt so weird buying a pregnancy test and buying condoms at the same time. I knew that shit was like an oxymoron. I headed down the aisle that read, “family planning” and got Neko’s Magnums first. I chuckled to myself because that nigga was a mess trying to play big willy buying Magnums. Right across from the condoms was the pregnancy tests. The advertisements boasted about being able to detect if you were pregnant days sooner than the other leading brand. There were some with multiple tests in the box. I didn’t know which to pick. I picked up several brands and threw them in the basket to be on the safe side. I had heard about girls taking home pregnancy tests and them getting a negative and then nine months later a bitch had a baby. I was leaving nothing else to chance.
I left the “family planning aisle” and got the giggles all over again just thinking of the name of the aisle. There was nothing about planning in it. It was either you were trying to not to get knocked up, or you were trying to see if it was too late and you already were knocked up. I was hoping I was just scaring the shit out of myself. I walked the other aisles of the store to waste time. I didn’t have much else to do but wait for my money. I gathered a few things trying to stall before going back to the motel and peeing on a stick to find out what my future held.
I walked around the store picking up shit I knew I didn’t need. I threw ginger ale in the basket and crackers. I half hoped that they would make the nausea go away. I picked up tampons even though I had the sinking feeling I would not be needing them for the next nine months. I grabbed a few magazines and a pack of Djaram cigarettes. I took my items to the front of the store and two young girls were working. One of them had on too much makeup and the other had on too much perfume. The two of them together were a hot mess. The one with the overly made face was popping on a piece of bubble gum which I could smell a mile away. It was grape Bubbalicious. I thought it was remarkable that my senses were at an all-time high.
I placed my items on the counter and did my best not to hurl on the lady with too much perfume on. I could tell it was a cheap knock off, but who was I to look down on anyone. I looked like a worn-out mess and probably smelled just as bad too! I paid for my purchase and got out of the store right before I felt the bile rising in my throat. I made it to the sidewalk before letting go of the little bit of water and chips I had tried to hold on to from earlier. I heaved until my throat hurt. Whatever was going on with me had to end immediately because I could not stand feeling that way. There was no way I was going to be able to get on the road in a few days if I had to stop every few miles to throw up.
I collected myself and got in the car. I pulled out into traffic and I started feeling paranoid. I don’t know why; I just did. I felt like someone was following me so I made sure to drive around and
around watching my rearview mirror carefully to see if anyone was following my movements. After ten minutes of driving up and down route one in VA, I felt like I was by myself. I pulled into the motel’s little parking lot and shut down my engine. The nervous feeling returned. I climbed the steps to the second landing and knocked on Neko’s door. When he opened it, I was greeted with a thick cloud of smoke. I had already taken out the condoms so I didn’t have reveal why I had really gone to the CVS. Neko took the Magnums from my hand and smiled wide.
“Thanks sis! I am going to need these!” He was way too excited about getting some ass.
I nodded and headed to my room. I was starting to feel anxious. I need to see what was going on with me. I slid the keycard and unlocked the room door and went inside. I noticed it was really dark. I guess because I kept the curtains closed so no one would bother me. I took off my shoes and headed to the bathroom with the bag of six tests. I read the instructions which were easy enough.
1. Pee on the stick.
2. Wait three minutes.
3. Decide if jumping from a ten story high rise is better than having a baby.
I guess I was so nervous I couldn’t use the bathroom, so I drank three cups of ginger-ale and hoped that it would stay down long enough to make me have to go. After about thirty minutes of waiting, I finally had to go. I headed back to the bathroom and squatted over the toilet. I peed in a Styrofoam cup so that I could dip each of the tests in the cup. I was leaving no room for error. I placed two of the tests in the cup and waited. It seemed like the three minutes it took to get an accurate result was taking damn near forever.
