“So Tee-Tee where’d you get your jacket made, it’s real def!” Fuego pretended to care.
“I dunno. My brother gave it to me.” Tee-Tee gushed modeling her new jacket.
“So, I was thinking this place is whack. How about we leave and go back to my place.”
“And do what?”
“We could play some games,” he said licking his lips.
“But its games here.” She said pointing to the line of arcade games gobbling up quarters.
“Yeah but those are for kids. We could play, grown up games,”
“What kind of grown up games?”
“We could…” Fuego whispered something into Tee-Tee’s ear and she looked at him with her face scrunched up.
“Huh? You wanna put what where?” She asked perplexed. Fuego sighed at her cluelessness and whispered something else in her ear that made her giggle. “How do you play that?” She asked curiously.
“Come with me and I’ll show you.” He hissed like a serpent saying and promising whatever it took to get the beautiful but seemingly slow-witted woman to come home with him. Tee-Tee smiled with eyes as innocent as her love for Smurfs and cotton candy. As far as she was concerned Fuego would make the perfect boyfriend and her feeble mind could not begin to comprehend the freaky things he had in store for her. “So, you cumming to my house?” he asked again.
“Ok,” she said. And the pervert envisioned her naked on his filthy pull out couch.
“But can my brother Tommy come along too?”
Fuego’s eyes widened. He was so busy trying to get busy that it never occurred to him someone like her should have a chaperone to protect her from the degenerate creeps and scumbags, like himself.
“Um your brother huh? So-where’s he at?” He asked nervously looking all around.
“Ehindbay ouyay othermay uckerfay!” Tommy growled.
Fuego’s heart skipped a beat and he turned around in slow motion then swallowed hard at the massive angry black man.
“Tee-Tee, here, go on out to the car and wait for me.” Tommy ordered as he handed over the keys to his Jeep Cherokee. The entire time his eyes were locked on Fuego who dropped his vision to the floor.
“We’re not eating here?” Tee-Tee asked.
“No.”
“But why not?” Tee-Tee whined.
“Tee-Tee do as I say!”
“But Tom-meee, Fuego invited us over to his place to play um, what’s that game again?” Fuego shrugged with a nervous grin like he had no idea what she was talking about. “Oh I remember. ‘Hide the pickle.’” She laughed naively.
Tommy’s teeth grinded together.
“Whoa-whoa! It’s not like it sounds big man.” Fuego took a step back and his eyes stretched as Tommy’s chest began to heave and his eyes narrowed to dark slits. It was taking him every ounce of restraint not to circle the punk’s scrawny neck with his hands and squeeze until his head was on backwards.
“I said to go!” Tommy ordered his sister.
“Okay-Okay, Mister Meanie!” Tee-Tee huffed spinning on her heels.
Tommy glared at the man who planned on taking advantage of his little sister. “I’m sure you noticed that my little sister is different.” Fuego was too scared to respond. “And yet, you still were trying to take her back to your crib.” He cracked his knuckles then noticed his misspelled tattoo on his forearm that read, ‘Too cool for scool.’ And realized the mentality he was dealing with. “Motherfucker, I don’t know whether to beat you with my fists or a dictionary!”
Fuego’s fright-mask suddenly transformed into a relaxed confident glare and he looked Tommy up and down unconcerned. “So, it’s my fault your Special-Ed sister wants deez nuts?”
Tommy could feel someone breathing down the back of his neck and was certain that it had everything to do with Fuego’s sudden boost in courage. He looked over his shoulder. Standing behind him were Fuego’s friends looking eager for a fight.
“Hey. Wait a damn second. Don’t I know you?” Louis said getting up in Tommy’s face and squinting his eyes. He had a chocolate muscular physique and wore his hair in a greasy jheri curl that had the collar of his shirt drenched.
“Nah, I don’t think so.” Tommy replied sizing him up and down unconcerned.
“Naw I’m positive I know you…Hold up!” Louis said then paused and removed the lid from his fruit punch and splashed it on Tommy’s white shirt.
“What the fuck!” Tommy snarled lifting Louis into the air by his collar and pulled back a fist.
“Tommy is you Okay?” Tee-Tee asked worriedly walking back over.
Tommy wanted to stuff his fist down the young man’s throat so bad the nerve over his left eye began to twitch, but now was not the time. “Yeah everything’s fine. Let’s go Tee-Tee.” He said dropping Louis on his ass then leaned in close to Fuego, “You’ve been touched by an Angel! Tonight, get on your knees and thank the man upstairs.” he said then walked away leaving Fuego and his crew stunned.
Outside a light snow flurry began to fall and Tommy stopped his sister to make sure she was buttoned up. “So where we gonna eat then?” Tee-Tee asked her brother as they trekked through the parking lot.
“We can stop at Burger King on the way home.” Tommy grumbled. He hated walking away from a fight. It was bad for business. He toyed with the idea of driving back later for a little payback. Jerks like that always hung around to gloat.
“But McDonald’s has better happy meals.” she insisted.
“Fine, then we’ll go to McDonalds.” Tommy said like he could care less.
“But I wanted pizza.” she whined. Tommy sighed. He was not in the mood for his sister’s spoiled ways. Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up straight and he spun around to see the four-man-threat from Pizza Hut headed his way breathing cold like a multi-headed dragon with ill intentions and balled-up fists. Tommy shook his head. Like his Nana would say, ‘The Devil’s always working.’
“A-yo Pendejo, where’re you running off to?” Fuego called out.
“Tee-Tee go on to the car, get in lock the door and wait for me.” Tommy said handing her his keys. His sister opened her mouth to defy him and he ordered, “Now!” As she stormed off mumbling how he made her sick, Tommy approached the problem head on. “Aight’ fellas if you’re looking for a good time, I suggest you look elsewhere!”
Fuego stepped forward and eyed Tommy up and down then looked back at his crew. “So, you’re the man, the myth, the fucking legend?” he asked sounding heartbroken. “After all the astounding, larger than life stories I heard about you. I expected some 300-lb. cock-diesel dude, fresh off a jail bid, decorated with all kinds of tattoos and battle scars. Not some Herb who hangs out with his cute but slow sister at Pizza Hut.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.” Tommy said condescendingly.
“My man Lou tells me that you’re the one that got him locked up on New Year’s at Smitty’s.”
“Yeah. So?” Tommy casually stated. He did not want to have an altercation in front of his sister. Unfortunately, from the look of things these punks weren’t giving him much of a choice
“So, it looks to me like your past has finally caught up with you homeboy.” Fuego said eyeing the expensive gold around Tommy’s neck. “But I think I know a way you can fix all this.”
“Oh really?”
“Yup. Ante-up that phat ass rope!” he ordered and lunged for Tommy’s gold chain.
Tommy dipped back and snuffed him in the face with a punch that was like a rattlesnake’s bite. Blindingly swift and deadly accurate. In fact, the blow was so fast Fuego didn’t even realize he was hit until the wannabe chain snatcher was on the floor tasting his own blood. “Everybody’s got a plan, until they get punched in the mouth!” the bald man said with detest then spun to face the other goons.
With a roar of outrage, Champ rushed Tommy, swinging an impressive combo of punches…left jab, right jab, left roundhouse, right haymaker.
But not a single one connected and to add insult to injury Tommy didn’t even back away. He just twisted this way, that way and leaned all the way back as if he were a limbo dancer evading the attack. In comparison to Tommy, Champ was moving in slow motion. Frustrated he lunged at Tommy who ducked the incoming cross and rolled back onto his attacker with a reverse elbow. The hit was brutal and sent him spinning into a parked car. It was at that time another of the punks diverted Tommy’s attention as Fuego back on his feet came up from behind, reached into his pocket, pulled out a roll of quarters, squeezed them tightly and smashed his fist into Tommy’s face doubling the impact of the punch. Tommy was dazed as the men closed in on him. They made a game of it shoving him from one person to the other, their faces leering like jack-o-lanterns.
“Tommy!” Tee-Tee screamed and ran back to her brother.
Tommy looked up trying to shake off unconsciousness and saw Champ coming. The big man plowed into him like a runaway freight train and sent him slamming into the ground with the wind knocked out of him.
“No stop it! Leave my brother alone!” Tee-Tee screamed as Fuego used his knee to pin down Tommy’s chest while his posse wickedly punched and stomped all over him. “I said stop it!” Tee-Tee screamed and swung her Kerbangers like a nun chuck and cracked him upside his head. Fuego swore in pain clutching the quickly rising speed-knot on his face and spun at Tee-Tee pissed then pushed her to the ground.
Inside the Jeep Cherokee Mayhem saw her master and Tee-Tee in trouble and went ballistic attempting to get out and protect her family. She tried in vain but was unable to get the door open because Tee-Tee had unknowingly locked it earlier. Tommy curled up in a fetal position trying to protect himself from the furious assault of arms and legs. A boot kicked his jaw and he tasted a mixture of his blood and salt from the snow. He tried to stand and was knocked back down. With the pain from his eye and the beating he was enduring, Tommy was beginning to black out. He reached for the gun in his ankle holster but the blows prevented him from pulling it out. Through the confusion he saw his dog and had an even better idea.
“The orange button on the key chain Tee-Tee! Aim it at the truck and press the orange button!” Tommy shouted.
Tee-Tee nodded and spun around on her stomach. Champ saw the savage dog spinning inside the truck like the Tasmanian Devil howling to be freed and tackled Tee-Tee knocking the keys from her hands. Mayhem became so angry she rammed her head into the door and rocked the entire vehicle.
Tee-Tee screamed. She was horrified as she struggled on the ground to get away from Champ and get the car keys. Then she remembered what her brother had once told her to do if a man attacked her, ‘Knee him hard in the private parts!’ at the time she thought it was the funniest thing in the world and Tommy had to get firm with her to make her listen. But right now, she didn’t find anything funny. Tee-Tee turned over on her back clenched her teeth and just like Tommy instructed, buried her knee in Champ’s crotch making him fold like lawn furniture. Without a moment to spare she pushed him to the side and scooped up the keys, spun at Tommy’s Jeep Cherokee and mashed the orange button. There was a quick ‘Boop-Beep-Boop’ followed by the unlocking of the car doors.
A toothy grin outlined Mayhem’s muzzle and she smacked the door open then poured out onto the battlefield all-business. With fangs bared and exhaling cold air, she sized up the punks then let out a deep-throated growl. All sounds within earshot were absorbed by the falling snow as Fuego and his boys frozen with fear waited, shaking, not knowing what was going to happen next.
Then someone moved. And all hell broke loose.
Mayhem charged forward to help her master. Tommy was on the ground sandwiched between Divine and Fuego. He raised his head and brought it down fast, busting Divine’s nose then crashed the side of Fuego’s face with his fist.
“No Mayhem help Tee-Tee!” He commanded bouncing to his feet then commenced to fighting like four people in one. He lifted Divine with a punch in the gut and he folded like a tent with a collapsed pole. Louis got his head put to bed and Fuego was dropped from a buckle punch. Someone screamed and Tommy spun around. “That’s enough Mayhem!” Tommy yelled at his dog as she viciously tore the clothes from Champ’s body proving her bite was far worse than her bark! Tommy had to intervene and pull her off the screaming boy, trying to hold her back as she jerked at him attempting to reach Champ. Dragging his gnarling dog by her collar Tommy pushed past Fuego and his crew of losers, put his dog in the back seat and climbed behind the wheel of his ride.
“You Okay?” He asked his sister as she got in.
“Uh-huh.” Tee-Tee nodded. She looked a little shaken up but otherwise fine.
“Mayhem?” Tommy asked looking through the rearview mirror. She barked a ‘yes’ and returned her attention outside to the punks stirring on the ground.
“Tommy?” Tee-Tee called. Tommy turned to his sister and braced himself for her question. “I changed my mind. I do want to go to Mickey D’s.”
“Oh, Okay. Whatever you want.” Tommy said exhaling. And with that said he twisted the key in the ignition and pulled out the parking lot.
After they were long gone a black Mercedes Benz pulled up on the scene. The door opened and a dark figure got out and walked over to the men lying all over the ground. Fuego looked up speechless praying his night wasn’t about to get worse.
Chapter 25
“Beat it! Beat it! Beat it! Nobody is deleted! Show him you funky hmm-hmm-hmm fight! It doesn’t’ matter ooh, cause I’m right! So beat it-so beat it!” Tee-Tee sang loud, incorrectly and off-key along with Michael Jackson courtesy of her Sony Walkman ever since they pulled out of Mickey D’s drive through. “So beat it!”
“Hey brat. Eat your fries. Before I beat you,” Tommy jokingly ordered partially pulling off his sister’s headphones.
“But you said not to eat in your car.”
“Don’t worry about it-eat,” he said preferring to clean up a mess over another ear-splitting chorus.
“Big brother?”
“Yes?”
“Is it true that if you say Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror three times she’ll appear behind you?”
“No,” he replied, massaging his aching head.
“Is it true that if you eat pop-rocks and drink Pepsi at the same time your stomach explodes?”
Tommy looked over at his sister, “Who told you this stuff?”
“Cousin Gus.”
“Sweetie don’t listen to your cousin Gus, he’s so dumb he got locked in Key Food.” Tommy shook his head at the urban legends and sighed then sat forward in his seat, “Is that Donnie’s ride?” He asked himself as he pulled onto his block.
Tommy strained at her car and was curious why she was sitting outside when she had a key to his place. When he pulled up alongside of her car and saw Pumpkin seated beside his girlfriend he sucked his teeth. He lowered the passenger window automatically then honked his horn. Donnie sat behind the wheel of her car staring straight ahead with an angry pout on her face and lowered her window.
“Hey you.” Tommy called out to her.
“Hey.” She replied with less enthusiasm drumming her nails on the steering wheel without turning her head towards his direction.
Tommy wasn’t sure where the attitude was coming from, but he was certain that her pain-in-the-ass friend had everything to do with it. “Is everything alright?” He asked. Donnie and Pumpkin traded all-knowing glances but she never said a word. Tommy remembered that earlier Donnie mentioned something about her girlfriend having man problems and assumed that was the reason for her foul mood. But why take it out on him? If anything, she should be glad that she was not in the same predicament and had a good man that did not put her through the same bullshit!
“Hi Donnie.” Tee-Tee said a little too bright and cheerfully for a woman her age causing Pumpkin’s eyebrows to rise perplexed.
‘Oh snap! Donnie wasn’t bullshitting. Tommy really does have a twenty-five-year-old siste
r with the mental capacity of a child.’ Pumpkin thought to herself but pretended not to notice. As it was once he found out what she had done, she might have to get an order of protection against him.
“Hi Tee-Tee. Tommy! What happened to your face?” Donnie said turning her head to say hello then saw Tommy’s face all bruised and pulpy. She rushed out her car and coming over as Pumpkin sucked her teeth and shook her head at her friend’s sudden change of heart.
“I look like something Chef Boy-ar-dee makes,” Tommy said with a mangled smile.
“Tommy got into a fight with these boys at Pizza Hut. And one of them wanted me to play with his pickle.” Tee-Tee reported.
“What?” Donnie said.
“It’s cool.” Tommy assured Donnie and she gently held his face in her hands as he flinched licking his sore lips. Even though his injuries hurt like hell right now he was almost grateful for them because of the reaction that they got out of Donnie. “This punk was trying to take advantage of my sister, if you know what I mean.”
Donnie shook her head catching what he implied. “Is she Okay?”
“She’s fine.”
“Ahem, Donnie ain’t there something you want to ask your man?” Pumpkin asked busting up the mood.
Donnie’s posture immediately tightened and her hands dropped from his face. She looked at him upset and Tommy knew none of this had anything to do with Pumpkin’s trivial ghetto drama.
“We need to talk.” she said in a serious voice.
“You want to go upstairs?” Tommy suggested.
“No need. I’m not staying long.”
For the first time tonight, Tommy was nervous. “Aight, let me take Tee-Tee and my dog upstairs. I’ll be right back.” Donnie nodded and got back into her car. Tommy glared at Pumpkin causing her to shiver then pulled into his driveway.
Havoc and Mayhem Page 35
