by Wahida Clark
“It’s me. Hurry up, I got my daughter in my arms and she heavy as shit.”
The door shut and she took the chain off. “Blue, what are you doing here? And with this baby?” Isis grabbed Aisha and laid her on the couch. It was one in the morning and she was out cold.
“I came to pick up something from Lo. He moved and ain’t tell me. Where is he, Isis?”
Her face twisted all up. “Blue, Lo is dead. Somebody killed his girlfriend Brenda in her bed, and then tortured Lo. They found him tied up, stabbed and Tank said that his throat was cut.”
I was mute in disbelief. Lo being dead was a blow to the gut.
“And he ended up dead right after your brother-in-law came by looking for him. I told you to leave me a way to call you. He—”
“Trae?”
“—asked about you and Kyra. Yeah—that’s his name. He told me he was Kyra’s brother. I remembered him from being at one of the cookouts you had.”
I knew he was coming, but why come to Isis? “What did you tell him?”
“What could I tell him, Blue? I don’t know shit about Kyra. And I damn sure don’t know where you rest at. I only knew where he could find Lo. At the time, I didn’t know that Lo could get his throat cut.”
“You told him where Lo lived?” I asked in disbelief.
Isis dropped into a La-Z-Boy chair and threw her head back. “Yeah. I told him that Lo was at Brenda’s, but I didn’t know the address. He said that it was important that he caught up with him.”
“Isis, you talk too much, you shouldn’t have said shit. You should’ve checked with me.”
“Nigga, how could I? You just up and disappeared. Everybody looking for you. I don’t even have a number for you. Lo would never give it to me. So how the fuck I’ma check with you?” Her neck rolled as she spoke.
Isis started rambling on about some other shit but I wasn’t listening. I could only think about Lo and my money. I still couldn’t digest the fact that my cousin Lo was gone. He had saved my ass on several occasions and when he needed me most, I wasn’t there. I am 98% sure that Trae killed Lo. But why? What info did he get out of Lo? I stood there and thought about the possibilities. Shit! I had a stash at Lo’s house and I needed my loot. That was the reason I made the trip in the first place. “So who is at Lo and Brenda’s now?”
“Fool, ain’t you heard a word I just said? I just told you what happened in there. That place was a crime scene with yellow tape everywhere. They had dogs and everything up in there. Whatever you had in there is gone. You should’ve left something here with me.”
Without another word, I stood up, grabbed my daughter and bounced.
ONI
All week I had been trying to set up a meeting with Faheem, but Jaz was on me like white on rice, blocking every damn time. Even when I tried to get him over for my birthday she blocked. It was obvious the bitch wanted war. So you know what? I’ll give it to her. Afterall, I did warn her. She didn’t know me and she damn sure didn’t have a clue as to what I was capable of.
“Oni!” My twenty-four-year-old nephew Ronnie yelled out as he banged on the screen door, before barging into my house. He was so tall he had to bend his neck to come into the living room. He was one of ATL’s finest detectives. We all swore that we wouldn’t taint him but desperate times often called for desperate measures. And I was desperate.
“Ronnie.” I got up and gave him a hug.
“What’s up auntie?”
“You want to help your auntie out while at the same time make a nice piece of cash?”
“All depends, auntie. You know that.”
“Well, I really need this favor. And if you can’t do it, hook me up with someone who will.”
“Chill out, auntie. Let me hear what you got to say first.”
STEPHON
“Yeah, baby … yeah. Right there … Keep your head right there. It’s so snug, baby right there. You got this big dick in your throat and it feels so good. Okay, baby … go head. That’s right … stroke that dick … while you eat it. Uh … Uh … um … mmmh. You a beast, baby! Good gracious! That’s right … eat that dick up … eat it! I’ma … I’ma … ‘bout to cum, baby! Aw-w-shit … gotdamn … here it comes … a-a-r-r-g-g-h-h-h!”
I looked down in my lap at the head that was bobbing and stroking me at the same time. She was deep throating my dick and swallowing my seeds. And the crazy part was I didn’t even know her name. Finally, the face of the beautiful mixed brown skinned honey with the long, jet black hair and a sexy body lifted up and let my now flaccid dick plop from her mouth.
“You a beast, baby. What’s your name again?”
“Mishawnna.” The beautiful lady said and licked her lips and fingers.
“Mishawnna, huh? Well you are hired, Mishawnna. Can you tend the bar?”
“That’s what I do best, besides give good head,” she giggled.
“You ain’t never lied. Go back downstairs and tell Mick, the guy cleaning the bar, that you’re his new bartender.” I put my dick up and zipped my pants. As Mishawnna stood up and turned around I smacked her ass. “And tell Mick to send me up one of his special Guava Lehuou Twists.”
“Anything for you, bossman.”
“That girl’s got a hell of a head on her shoulders. A lot on her mind.” I said to myself and flipped up my laptop. Checking my e-mails, I looked to see if any info had been sent to me about Charli. I found nothing. Where is she? How is she doing? No news is always good news … I guess. So I made a few phone calls and prepared for the club’s new grand re-opening.
With everything done that I needed to do, I checked my watch. It was a little after 8:00 p.m. I thought about my date with Amber Rachen. Amber Rachen was the new Kim Kardashian in L.A. and I just happened to be her new business partner slash sex partner. I locked the club up and walked around the corner to my brand new Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead coupe.
I was leasing it for now. That’s how confident I was in the reopening of the club. I heard the sounds of a motorcycle drawing near before I actually saw it coming in my direction. I stood frozen in my tracks as the motorcycle stopped a few feet in front of me. A person jumped off the back of the bike and approached me with a helmet on. Who the hell?
The person reached behind him and pulled a gun. Before I could utter a sound, the killer squeezed the trigger.
TEN
TASHA
We parked our asses on someone’s front steps. My ankle was killing me and was starting to swell. A cab was coming our way and Trina got up and began to frantically wave him down. It was for nothing because it kept going.
“Fuck you, faggot!” She screamed after the cab. “You see that shit Tasha? The nigga ain’t even have no one in there. I hate that shit,” she bitched.
“Girl, stop whining and flag this next one down,” I told her. She did and he stopped. I stood up, forgetting that my ankle was messed up and put all of my body weight on it. I fell back onto the porch. “Ohmygod.” I bit down on my bottom lip, damn near drawing blood. “Trina. I can’t get up.”
My sister opened the cab door, said something slick to the driver and came over to where I was. “Can you stand up? No. Wait. I got you.” She took my arm and placed it around her neck.
“I know you don’t think I’ma let you carry me.”
“Then stand your ass up and get your own damned self in the car,” her smart behind had the nerve to say.
“Girl, just help me to the damn car.” My ankle felt as if it was on fire.
TRINA
My sister was trying to play strong but I could tell that she wanted to cry. Trae was acting like a damn fool, having us on the run as if we were a couple of crackheads that stole something. I managed to get her into the car but not before she put pressure on it causing her to yell out. As she leaned her head on the window and closed her eyes, I dialed Kendrick. I looked over at my sister and tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“Whad up?” he answered. I had him on speaker.
“Th
ere’s been a change in plans. Don’t look like I can come over tonight.” He wouldn’t respond. “Did you hear me?’
“Yeah. I heard you. Why? What happened?”
“No. Don’t cancel your plans. I’ll be fine,” Tasha said to me.
I ignored her. “We ran into Trae. He smashed up her car, chased us down the street and she twisted her ankle. So right now I need to be here for her.”
“Damn. Did she call my cousin?”
“Now you already know the answer to that.”
“Where y’all at now?”
“In a cab.”
“I’ll call you right back,” he told me and hung up. I know that he was getting ready to call his partner in crime.
I glanced over at Tasha and the look on her face made me think, damn, was I really responsible for all of this drama in her life? I thought aboout it for a few minutes and then said to myself, “No I wasn’t. Trae started the shit by cheating with them hos. I heard Tasha’s phone ring but knew she wasn’t going to answer it. I knew it was Kyron so I braced myself for what I knew was coming next. As soon as my cell rang I answered it.
“Yo, Trina, pass Shorty your phone.”
“Kyron, she’s not in the frame of mind to speak to you right now.” My phone beeped and I saw that it was Kendrick calling me back.
“Trina, put her on the phone.”
“She won’t take it Kyron, damn. What you want me to do? Hold her down, tie her up and make her talk to you?”
“Did Trae put his hands on her?”
“Yeah, and he fucked up her ride.”
“Fuck the car. What did he do to her? Is she alright?”
“Choked her up, threatened her and then chased her down the street in his truck. She fell and twisted her ankle.”
You could hear a pin drop on the other end. I had started to ask was he still there when he asked, “Where are y’all?”
“We’re in a cab. I’m taking her to her hotel.” What did I say that for? This nigga started spazzing the fuck out.
“What the fuck you mean a hotel? Tell the driver to bring y’all over here.” He was yelling at me as if he was my pimp and I was his ho.
Tasha apparently heard his big ass mouth because she calmly said without even opening her eyes, “Tell him, I’m going to my hotel.”
“She said she’s going to her hotel,” I told Kyron.
“Trina, I don’t give a fuck what she said. Tell the fuckin’ driver to bring y’all over here. Do this for me and I’ll make it well worth your while. I need to see her and you know I got her. Plus, Kendrick is waiting on you.”
I thought over what he said. He obviously knew what buttons to push. Make it well worth my while. Kendrick is waiting on me. I knew she didn’t need to be by herself and he would look out for her. Even though we were a couple of blocks from the hotel, I blurted out Kyron’s address to the cabbie.
“Trina, what are you doing? No cabbie, take me to the hotel.”
“Ladies, where do you want me to go?” He was looking at us through the rearview mirror, obviously confused.
“Sir, I’m the one paying, so turn the fuck around. I’ll have a big tip for you,” I told the cabbie, not caring that Tasha was going to be pissed at me. The cabbie then made a sharp left turn and we damn near was laying down in the back seat.
I was sitting there conflicted. Tasha was yelling, he was yelling. I was about to cuss Kyron’s ass out and he must have felt it because he reiterated, “Trina, I’ma make it well worth your while. Get her here. I’ll take care of her. I’ll be out front when y’all pull up.” He hung up.
“Trina, I can’t believe you did that shit. If my ankle wasn’t tore up, I’d leave you sitting in this cab to go over his house your damn self.”
“Tasha, sue me, alright. Your ankle is fucked up. You don’t need to be in no damned hotel all by yourself. What the fuck are you going to do? Hop around all night? You told me you didn’t want me to cancel my plans with Kendrick. What, so you changed your mind? The nigga is genuinely concerned and wants to take care of you so again sue me.”
“So what’s in it for you, Trina?” she snapped.
Kendrick called me right on cue. I welcomed his call and kindly ignored my spoiled-ass sister. Did she even have a clue as to how many bitches wish they had a nigga who wanted to look after them?
TASHA
This bitch! I can’t believe that she had the nerve to stiff me off like that. I don’t know what Kyron offered her but it had to be big. I would have been hopping around all night but I think I could have managed alright by myself. I needed to be alone. And Trae? That nigga is starting to make me believe that he has seriously lost his damn mind. And now he had the nerve to be blowing up my phone. Thinking about him caused my stomach to knot up and made me visit a place where I did not want to go. I was mad because I was still in love with him and I knew that I would always be. Before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of Kyron’s building and he was yanking on the door.
“What happened, Tasha? He put his hands on you, didn’t he? Don’t try to cover for the nigga.”
“He just pushed me up against the car, that’s all. I twisted my ankle running down the block.” Just then Kendrick pulled up next to the cab and jumped out. He rushed over to get a good look at me. He pulled Kyron to the side, saying some things that I couldn’t catch.
Then Kyron said, “No, no man. I got this. Let me handle it. Take care of the driver for me so I can get Shorty upstairs.” He then turned his attention on me. “C’mon Shorty. There’s a doctor in the building. I’ma have him look at your ankle.” He bent down to take me out of the cab.
“Be careful. I don’t want to hit it.” I then wrapped one arm around his neck, grabbed my bag and the broken shoe as he lifted me out of the taxi. I wrapped both arms around his neck, buried my face against his shoulder and tried not to cry. This shit was unreal. How the fuck did I end up in another man’s arms?
KYRON
My heart was happy. I told Kendrick to take care of Trina for me and sent them on their way. I had my Shorty and she should be hoping that I don’t hold her hostage. There was a cool ass young doctor that lived right upstairs and I was lucky that he was home. He was waiting on Tasha to come so that he could look at her ankle. As I stepped onto the elevator I had to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
Shorty looked up at me, with tears streaming down her cheeks. I kissed her on the lips. “Déjà vu. You remember the night we went to Atlantic City and you was too high to get out of the car? I had to carry you just like this up to the room. You were telling the ladies on the elevator, two total strangers, how fine I was and that you weren’t going to fuck me.”
She smiled through the tears. And I was happy to see that. “And just like we didn’t fuck that night, we are not fucking this night either,” she said.
“You joking right?”
“No, Kyron, I’m not.”
“We’ll see about that,” I told her as she tightened her grip around my neck and I slipped the key in my door. We made it inside and I sat her down gently onto the sofa. I made a call to the doc and told him she was here.
“Who was that?” Tasha asked me.
“I got somebody to take a look at your ankle. You’re pregnant Tasha. Why are you walking around in ten inch heels? You’re not supposed to be wearing those.”
“Says who? And they are not ten inches.”
“Says me. Ten inches, twelve. They are too damn high.” She rolled her eyes at me.
“Who is this doctor? Is he a real doctor?”
“Of course he is. He lives right upstairs.” The bell rang. “That should be him at the door now.” I went to let Jeff in.
TASHA
I waited as Kyron left to go open the door for the doctor. After several minutes he returned with this skinny, young white kid carrying the typical black doctor’s bag. He introduced him as Dr. Jeff Raskin.
“Mrs. Santos, how is the ankle?” He asked as he sat down in front of
me, opened his bag, took out a cap with a light on it and placed it on his head. I tried not to laugh as I wondered why he needed a light. He wasn’t about to perform a major surgery. With the black rimmed glasses on and the hat with the lamp he looked more like a coal miner than a doctor.
“It hurts.” He rolled my jean leg up and started prodding at my ankle. “Owww! Shit. That hurt.”
“Where? Right here?”
“No.”
“Right—”
“Owww! Yes! Right there. Oh my God. Please don’t squeeze it right there.” I was ready to pull my hair out.
“Good. At least it’s not broken. But you definitely sprained it. I’m going to leave you with a solution to soak it in two times a day for thirty minutes at a time. I’ll show Kyron here how to wrap it up and as long as you don’t put pressure on it for about four days it should be fine.”
“What about the pain? I need something for the pain.”
“Uh, Doc she’s pregnant. She can’t have nothing.”
“She can have some Ibuprofen, as long as she doesn’t overdo it.”
“Thank you, Jeff.” I rolled my eyes at Kyron, who didn’t care because he was standing over Jeff waiting to see what pills he was going to give me. Instead, Jeff told him to watch how he wrapped my ankle so that he could do it. Kyron watched attentively and then surprisingly he tried it himself, getting it right on the first attempt. Jeff gave him the pills for the pain and Kyron held onto them as if it was dope and I was a fiend that had to be kept away from it. Jeff said goodbye to me as Kyron walked him to the door.
TRAE
After I kept circling the block trying to find my wife and couldn’t, I drove over to Kaylin’s. I sat in the truck I had rented for at least thirty minutes trying to get my head right before getting out and ringing the bell. Angel and Jahara both came to the door.
“Hi, Uncle Trae. Where are the kids? In California?” Jahara asked me as if she wasn’t a kid herself.
I stepped inside and scooped up my niece. “They’re in Florida,” I told her.
“Florida? Who took them there? Auntie Tasha? Mommy, I want to go to Florida.”
