“I don’t know about latest. But yes, I am her man!” Tommy answered full of self-assuredness.
“My my! Ballsy, aren’t we? And speaking of balls…” she giggled with big roving eyes forcing Tommy to do a better job of covering himself with the comforter. “I’m Onetta Jackson, Donnie’s neighbor.” She smiled and came closer to the railing. “And you are?”
“Tommy Strong.” he said feeling awkward.
“Oh yes-you-are.” Onetta said digging into her finger waves with a long 14k gold fingernail. “So, where’s Miss Donnie at anyways?” she asked nosily.
“Around.” Tommy said wrinkling his nose at her questions.
“I see you like to smoke a little weed after getting busy. So do I.” Onetta confessed with a wide toothy smile.
“Then I guess you don’t smoke that often.” Tommy mumbled under his breath while flicking ashes from the spliff. He caught Onetta trying to steal a peek under his comforter and tucked the corner underneath his thigh as her slightly crooked white teeth bit into the fullness of her bottom lip. When she realized she was caught she smiled unashamed.
“Can I offer you a drink? I got some of everything over here. Beer, wine, rum a King-Sized bed.”
“Nah that’s aight. Besides, my moms told me not to take candy from strangers.” Tommy said. He was about sick of Onetta sticking her mammoth-sized 46 triple D’s where they did not belong. All he wanted to do was smoke his bud and sip his drink in peace.
“Cute and witty. Some girls got all the luck.” Onetta shrugged then spun on her heels and looked over her shoulder, “Remember if you wanna feel the heat then you gots to have the meat,” she cracked herself up and continued inside.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Tommy said and stood up stretching and headed back inside. He was surprised to find Donnie sitting up in bed.
“So I see you met my uncouth neighbor.” She said reaching over for the bottle of champagne and taking a swig.
Tommy looked over at her and chuckled. “Yo, home girl’s butt’s so big if somebody told her to haul ass she’d have to make two trips.”
Donnie slapped her hand over her mouth so as not to spit out champagne. “You’re so crazy. But on the real she needs to go find, buy or rent a man of her own instead of trying to push-up on every guy standing on my terrace.” Donnie said shaking her head.
Tommy cut an eye at her while getting back in bed, “And just how many guys do you have standing on your terrace?”
Donnie rolled over on top of her big strong man and kissed him laughing. “Aw look at you getting all jealous. Okay I’m not gonna lie and say none of the guys were old boyfriends. But mostly they were my brothers and cousins and the ones that were boyfriends are ancient history.”
“Yeah, I’ll let you tell it.” Tommy said semi suspiciously. He trusted her but being a man that was falling in love with someone as beautiful and unique as the woman he was in bed with, he could not help but be a little wary. “So baby I have to tell you something.” “What is it baby?” Donnie asked basking in the afterglow of sex.
“I know the timing sucks but, I have to go back to my crib.”
“What you’re leaving now?” She checked her alarm clock. “But it’s after two.”
“Yeah I know but I have to be home to walk Mayhem and I’m not exactly sure what time my folks are coming to drop Tee-Tee off today.”
“Then leave at seven. They’re not dropping her off that early, I’m certain.” She reasoned.
“Nah, I’m already up so I’m gonna just bounce.”
Donnie rolled her eyes, sighed, then sat up and reached for her robe. “O-kay fine. Give me a sec to get dressed.”
Tommy appreciated how she was willing to get out of a warm bed and drive all the way over to his place. And the fact that Donnie had his back one hundred and one percent gave him a good feeling. God, he pitied the fool that tried to harm a hair on her pretty little head! “But you’re already in bed why don’t you come tomorrow.”
“You don’t want me to come with you?” Donnie asked.
“It’s not that, I just don’t think it makes any sense for the both of us getting up.”
Donnie suddenly cut her eyes at him and twitched her lips like something had occurred to her. “You think I’m dumb don’t cha?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you going out on another Trouble Consulting assignment, aren’t you?”
“Well I uh, uh-” Tommy said.
“You don’t have to lie Tommy” Donnie said, already convinced where he was going. What other reason would there be to leave her bed?
“Well what can I say? You got me dead to rights.” Tommy grinned and held out his wrists like he was about to be cuffed.
“Can’t I write you a doctor’s note?”
“Sorry babe. Duty calls,”
Donnie rolled her eyes. “This is the second time today. Don’t make this a habit.” She said then laid back down.
After getting dressed Tommy twirled his guns cowboy style and placed them in their holsters. He stared long and hard at Donnie as she slept and did not want to leave. Between almost failing today’s mission and leaving Donnie’s bed, Trouble Consulting was most definitely becoming played out. Word up!
Chapter 23
Ever since he saw that black Mercedes Benz for the second time Tommy couldn’t shake the feeling it was hiding somewhere in the shadows. He also couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t a coincidence. Which is why he had to get away from where Donnie lived. After driving through his borough, he found himself sitting at a light beneath the elevated three train in a rough looking area. He glanced over and was surprised to see Nicky get out of a gypsy cab alone and enter a seedy after-hours club called ‘The Future.’
“What the hell is she doing going in there?” Tommy asked aloud and boldly made a sudden u-turn, pulled into a parking spot and shut off his car. “As if I don’t have enough on my plate!” he complained as he got out and headed towards the dangerous looking building that should have a sign hanging over it that warned patrons to, enter at your ow risk!
There’s a rumor that whenever the rallying cry, ‘Brooklyn’s in da house,’ was heard in sold-out jams and seedy after hour nightspots, that was the cue to clutch one’s pocketbook and tuck in gold chains before they were taxed. That bit of scuttlebutt held true inside ‘The Future.’ Bleakly nicknamed, ‘The Grim Reaper’s favorite hangout’, it was smack dab in the middle of an area so rough cabs would not go there without combat pay. The Future was a den of iniquity, drab with filthy walls, a weathered bar and a number of small worn booths with taped up cushions. But the crowd that was primarily made up of stone cold Brooklynites didn’t care. All that mattered to them was two things, who could they take advantage of and who they were winding up with at the end of the night.
A spicy beat pumped from the loud sound system as bodies pressed together on the dance floor bumping ironically to Whodini’s ‘Freaks Come Out at Night’. Liquor and beer poured from the bar while who knows what else slid from people’s pockets to juice up the patrons. Women sexily swayed their curvy hips to the beat fronting like they had no idea that the guys trying to look cool were clocking them.
Back in his Mister Fix-it days Tommy was a regular fixture like Norm was in Cheers and it all came back as he slid through a murky blue haze of blazing weed and cigarette smoke receiving hugs from the honeys and pounds from the roughnecks. Every move he made was executed with the same precision the Trouble Consultant would use to disarm a thug in an alley. Suddenly a fistfight broke out and Tommy watched with mild interest as one drunk tried to knock the chin off the other. Once the bouncers broke it up he headed towards the bar looking for Nicky. After a brief catching up, he was informed by the bartender that a woman who fit his ex-wife’s description had just went into the lady’s room moments ago.
Three minutes later, Nicky exited the restroom dressed stylishly in heels,
a denim skirt and a black leather crop jacket. Hiding behind a pair of dark don’t-notice-me shades she made her way to the bar and immediately felt someone’s hand circle her waist. She turned to show the drunk pushy guy a brown-eyed, I’m not interested look. But instead of taking the hint and going on about his merry drunken way, he turned on the charm even more.
“Say baby how you doin?’ You got a name, or can I call you mines?” the hot breath lush asked cracking himself up.
“Do yourself a favor-give up!” Nicky sucked her teeth and wrenched her arm away.
The lush glared at her. “Oh so it’s like that? And here I was trying to make your day. You ain’t even all that anyway! You uppity stank ass bi-”
The diss died in his throat as Tommy appeared out of nowhere and put a beefy arm around the drunk’s neck hemming him up tight. “You ok?” He asked his ex-wife and she replied with a wide-eyed nod. He then turned to the bartender. “Yo Hank, the lady’ll have a white wine spritzer. Put it on my tab.”
“Now you know your money’s no good here. Handle your business Black man.” Hank said.
“Respect.” Tommy nodded then turned to Nicky, “Meet me in the back by the pool table. But take your time. Me and-” he looked down angrily at the man struggling helplessly in his hold. “Yo Poo-Putt, what’s your name?”
“Junebug,” the punk meekly replied.
“Of course it is.” Tommy shook his head at him pitifully then turned back to Nicky. “Junebug and I have some things to discuss, like how to talk to a lady.” Nicky felt her head nod. “Ain’t that right?” he said like he wasn’t asking and the pair disappeared into the crowd.
Five minutes later Junebug reappeared with his tail between his legs wide-eyed and very sober looking like he had just been to hell and back. “Puh-pardon me Miss. I-um, I just wanted to apologize for disrespecting you like that. I know it’s not much of an excuse, but I can say some really stupid things when I’ve had too much to drink.”
Nicky glared at him and this time he caught the hint and wisely moved on.
DJ Hollywood’s hit ‘Um Tang-Um Tang’ ricocheted off the walls as Nicky placed her empty glass down on the bar, pushed her glasses back on her head then headed towards the rear of the packed bar where she observed Tommy engrossed in a game of pool. Briefly pausing, she ran her hand through her mane then came over.
“Well hello.” Nicky said
“Give me a sec. I’m about ta’ take this chump’s scrilla right quick.” Tommy said with the ut most confidence then leaned over the table with his cue-stick.
“You got that backwards!” the man Tommy was playing hissed.
Tommy looked up at his opponent with a tight-lipped poker face then predicted the eight ball in the side pocket by pointing it out with his cue-stick and glided it back and forth between his fingers. He glanced up at the nervous man and taunted him with a bold wink, took careful aim, let the cue-stick fly and sank the bank shot. The loser swore under his breath and tossed a fat wad of money on the pool table.
“Even pool sharks get bit.” Tommy informed his opponent as he ran his fingers over his newly acquired wealth. Afterwards he turned to Nicky. “Drinks on him. So, wa’sup?”
“Chilling. And you?”
“No complaints.” Tommy said feeling fresh off his victory. “You wanna grab a booth?” Nicky nodded and as he walked by she shook her head with a smile.
“Still wearing Mayhem’s cologne huh?”
“Some things never change.” Tommy said.
“Yeah, like you jumping up in every guy’s face I have a confrontation with. You know I could have handled that jerk back there myself.” Nicky said settling into her seat.
Tommy grinned. “Now you know I can’t just idly sit by and not do nothing when I see you’ve got beef.”
“Actually ‘not do nothing’ is a double negative and it means you did do something, which is true, because you did.”
“You and my mom.” Tommy rolled his eyes. “You’re like the friggin’ grammar police.”
“I see you remembered my drink,” Nicky said impressed. Tommy shrugged like it was no biggie. “So, this is a surprise my bumping into you here.”
“Actually, I was on the way home from a-um-friend’s house when I saw you come in here. So I thought I’d stop in to check on you.”
“A friend’s house hmm?” Nicky said cutting her eyes with pursed lips.
“So you’re not expecting anyone are you?”
Nicky shook her head and had to laugh at Tommy trying to be coy. “No Tommy I not expecting anyone.”
“What’s so funny? I just don’t wanna assume that’s all.”
“If you’re so concerned about me meeting someone then why’d you buy me a drink?” Nicky asked.
“I didn’t see the harm in that. We’re still friends, aren’t we?”
“Considering our tumultuous history, surprisingly yes,”
Tommy smiled mischievously then signaled for the waitress and ordered a double shot of Johnnie Walker BLACK while keeping an eye on the door.
“For what it’s worth I should be asking you if you’re expecting somebody.” Nicky commented.
“I told you I was on the way home when I spotted you.” Tommy explained. Even though there was no way Donnie could even know where he was, he still felt paranoid like she was going to walk through the door any second and bust him.
“If you say so.” Nicky shrugged and twirled the stirrer in her drink before taking a sip after which she licked her full glossy lips and let out a sexy sounding, “Umm, this is sooo good.”
Tommy caught a flashback to when she used to make that same exact sound, but under different circumstances and quickly pushed the old memories out of his head. “So what’s the deal with you taking a cab at night to the most dangerous spot in Brooklyn?” he asked.
“I needed to get out of the house and this was the only place I knew that would be open this late.” Nicky said in a frustrated voice.
“A cold night like this, I would think you’d be home chillin’ with Cornflake.” Tommy said snickering as he thought of yet another insulting tag to diss Corbin with.
“Actually, he’s the reason I needed to get out. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this because all you’re gonna do is say I told you so but that night after Tee-Tee’s party, I broke up with him. I just couldn’t see myself being with someone who’s such-a-a-” Nicky made circling hand gestures trying to find the right words.
“Boring, empty, vapid, piss-ant, lil schmuck?” Tommy said helping her out.
“Yeah, something like that.” Nicky said with raised eyebrows. “He’s been calling me around the clock ever since. Showing up outside unannounced, begging for a second chance, sending bouquets of flowers. It looks like a goddamn F.T.D. threw up in my living room!”
Tommy snickered, not so much at her joke, but at the fact Corbin was outta’ there like last year. He knew a salutary woman like Nicky could not be with a brother who was straight up whack. “You want me to talk to him? I wouldn’t mind.” he asked.
“Yeah I bet you wouldn’t. But no, that’s alright, I can take care of this myself.”
“Aight’ but I’m saying, if you need me, let me know.”
“Thanks…So, go ahead.”
“Go ahead what?” Tommy asked.
“Go ahead and say I told you so.”
Tommy shook his head with a slight cackle. “I’m not perfect so how am I gonna call somebody out when they mess up. I know one thing, homegirl is taking way too long with my drink!” he said darting his eyes everywhere.
“Tommy the place is packed and I am sure we aren’t her only customers. You never did have any patience-look see, here she comes now.” Nicky said as the waitress came over and placed Tommy’s drink before him.
“What the hell’s this a Johnnie Walker Junior?” Tommy asked turning his nose up at the skimpy little glass. “Hold up Princess don’t go nowhere.” After emptying the glass with on
e big gulp he turned to the waitress handed her back the glass politely and said, “Give me a double, double shot.”
“So what’s been up with you?” Nicky asked.
“The usual. Oh, I got a bit of gossip for you. My folks are trying for a second chance at love, can you believe that.”
“Get out of town! Your mom never said anything to me.”
“You know her and her superstitions. She was probably worried she might jinx it. But yeah, they leave for New Orleans Sunday.”
“That’s great. Tell your mother and father I hope that they have a wonderful trip. So are they taking Tee-Tee with them?”
“Nope. She’s going to stay with me.” Tommy said.
“You?” Nicky asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yes me. What?”
“Oh nothing, it’s just that won’t Tee-Tee be in the way while you and Mayhem are out running the streets?”
“Well yeah she would be. If I planned on working while she was visiting. Which I don’t. Tee-Tee and I are going to spend the week doing sister and brother stuff. The museum, Prospect Park, Coney Island. I’m looking forward to it.” Tommy said as the waitress returned with a glass of his favorite alcohol filled to the brim.
“That’s great. So how’s Donnie doing?” Nicky asked suddenly.
Tommy’s cocky smirk dropped on the floor. When he heard Donnie’s name it felt like he was flooring a DeLorean then suddenly slammed on the brakes without a seatbelt! “She’s fine. I just left her place.”
Nicky shook her head. “I see. So, that’s who your friend was.”
“See it ain’t even like that.” Tommy said and turned up his glass. Nicky who had not even put a dent in her own drink noticed how Tommy was tossing them back like there was no tomorrow. The only time he drank like that was when he was edgy and trying to calm his nerves.
“Okay what’s up? The last time I saw you like this was when Drago killed Apollo Creed in Rocky four.” Nicky said.
Havoc and Mayhem Page 32
