by K'wan
“Believe it or not, but your daddy is taking me out tonight,” Sandra told her.
“Really?” Pearl asked, surprised, because she knew her dad wasn’t the dating type. “What brought that on?”
“Me telling his ass that while he’s busy watering them weeds in the streets, the flowers under his roof are starting to dry out and I’m thinking about calling in a real gardener.” She rolled her hips seductively. “We’ve got dinner reservations in an hour.”
“Y’all make such an adorable couple. I don’t know why Daddy doesn’t stop playing and put a ring on your finger already.”
“You know your father isn’t the marrying kind, and to be honest with you, I’m not so sure I am either. Some people might not understand this strange arrangement of ours, but what we’ve got works for us. Life is too short not to squeeze every bit of happiness out of it that we can, while we can.”
Sandra’s words about the shortness of life struck a chord in Pearl. Her mind went to Sheila and what almost was. “Well, even if my fool-ass daddy never recognizes what he has, we do. Sandra, you’re the closest thing to a mother Stoney and me ever had or will have, and though we probably don’t say it enough, we love and appreciate you.” She hugged Sandra quite unexpectedly.
Sandra’s eyes misted, but she wouldn’t let the tears fall, for fear of smearing her makeup before her date. “Well, what’s gotten into you?” She held Pearl at arm’s length and studied her face to see if she was high.
“Nothing, just putting things into perspective,” Pearl told her.
“That’s good to hear, Pearl, and I hope you mean it. Don’t think just because I talked your father into letting you go out tonight that I’ve forgotten that bullshit you pulled by sneaking out. I know you were with those girls last night, and it was only through the grace of God that you left before the fire broke out. You had no business being in that bar, and had it not burned to the ground, I’d have sent a few of the boys over there to have a talk with Pops about serving alcohol to minors. Who were y’all in there with? And don’t lie. Tell it straight.”
Pearl fidgeted like a child being scolded. “Just some guys. One of them was having a birthday party there.”
“Anybody having a birthday party in that shit hole is obviously playing on the wrong side of the law,” Sandra scoffed. “Pearl, I don’t know what your fascination with gangsters is, but you’re going to get enough of being fast.”
“Sandra, it wasn’t like that. I was just chilling, not doing anything crazy,” Pearl said honestly.
“You ain’t gotta be the one acting crazy to get caught up in the craziness,” Sandra shot back. “Pearl, being around certain types of people invites certain types of energies. When you keep company with men who do dirt, you can’t expect not to get dirty. A split-second decision can change the course of your entire life. If you don’t believe me, go on down to the city morgue and ask Sheila.”
“Gosh, why you gotta take it there?” Pearl rolled her eyes.
Sandra placed her hands on her hips. “Chile, I wish you would roll them eyes at me again so I can snatch them out. This is me you’re talking to, not one of your damn friends!”
“Sorry,” Pearl mumbled.
“Don’t be sorry; be more mindful of how you’re moving and who you’re moving with. This is the last pass you’re going to get from me, Pearl Stone. The next time I catch you wrong, you won’t have to worry about what your father might do to you, because I’m going to handle you personally. I might be getting on in years, but I’m not too old to put my sneakers on and drag your young ass up and down through that backyard. Stop being in such a rush to grow up, and stay in a child’s place. Are we clear on that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
From downstairs they could hear the chime of the doorbell.
“That’s probably, Ruby,” Pearl said, glad to have a distraction from Sandra’s grilling. She gave herself one last look in the mirror before heading out of the bathroom.
“Pearl,” Sandra called after her. “Your father has got enough on his plate as it is without having to worry about his baby girl putting herself in harm’s way. You keep that in the back of your mind while you’re out at your movie. I’ve given you the rope, but that doesn’t mean you need to hang yourself.”
“I won’t,” Pearl promised, and headed down the stairs to greet Ruby.
* * *
The conversation with Sandra went far smoother than it could have. Sandra was cool, but when you got on her bad side, she’d jump in your ass. Pearl knew she was still pissed about the lie from earlier, so it was surprising that she’d vouched for her to go out that night. After what had happened with Marisa and Sheila at the bar, Big Stone was adamant about not wanting to let Pearl out of his sight. When she mentioned going out that night, he initially shot it down, but after some coaxing from Sandra, he agreed to it.
Sandra cosigning Pearl’s outing helped, but who she was going out with played a large part in it too. Big Stone was old-school in his thinking and was under the misconception that because Ruby was white that she didn’t get into hood shit, which he couldn’t have been more wrong about. Ruby, being under lock and key all the time, was one of the wildest of the bunch when she did get to taste freedom. Still, Pearl was content to let her father’s backward thinking work in her favor so she could get out of the house.
Pearl arrived at the top of the stairs to find Stoney leaning against the doorframe and whispering only God knew what in Ruby’s ear. He had been trying to get in her pants ever since he discovered his dick, and from the way she was gazing at him and grinning, he appeared to be making progress. Pearl cleared her throat to announce her presence, and both of them jumped like they had just been caught fucking.
“Stoney, why don’t get your ass out of that girl’s face?” Pearl descended the stairs.
“I don’t hear her complaining,” Stoney capped.
“Well, I’m complaining for her.” Pearl shoved him aside. “What’s up, girl? You ready to go?”
“Yeah, but I gotta be back by ten,” Ruby told her.
“What the fuck? It’s not even a school night!”
“Pearl, you know how my parents are. I’m lucky to have gotten out at all, but they’re feeling sorry for me over what happened to Sheila. We went by her parents’ house to pay our respects today, but they weren’t really in the mood to receive guests.”
Pearl shook her head. “Tell me about it. I saw them at the hospital this morning, and they were in pretty bad shape.” She went on to tell Ruby the short version of their encounter, omitting the part about lying to them about how they ended up at the party.
“My heart goes out to them,” Ruby said sincerely. “The crew isn’t going to be the same without Sheila.”
“I know,” Pearl said sadly. “This will be the first birthday I’ll be celebrating without Sheila since we’ve known each other.”
“So what’s the plan for your birthday? Did you hear anything from your dad about a party yet?” Ruby asked.
“Not yet. I feel kinda fucked up about even thinking about a party with one friend in the hospital and another in the morgue,” Pearl said.
“I know what you mean. But whether he throws you a party or not, we still need to do something special. Sheila wouldn’t want us sitting around like some grieving widows. She’d want us out there, doing us.”
“You’re right about that. Sheila loved a good time more than anyone I know,” Pearl said, reflecting on her friend.
“Then that’s what we need to do. Let’s not only celebrate your birthday, but Sheila’s life as well. Lets do it for our girl!” Ruby declared, louder than she needed to.
“What’s all this noise out here?” Big Stone came out of the kitchen. He was wearing dark slacks, a white shirt, and red suspenders hanging off his hips. Clutched in his hand was a turkey sandwich. His ever-present shadow, Knowledge, trailed him.
“Oh, nothing, Dad. We’re just about to head out and catch our movie,” Pearl tol
d him.
“Which theater did you say y’all are going to again?” Knowledge asked suspiciously.
“I never did, but if you must know, we’re going to the one near Times Square,” Pearl said with attitude. “Why are you asking? You plan on paying for our tickets?”
“Slow your roll, Pearl. I’m just trying to make sure y’all don’t end up at none of them ghetto-ass theaters uptown. The streets of Harlem are real tense right now, and niggas are acting a fool. I’m pretty sure your dad don’t want you hanging around no undesirables.”
“Sure as hell don’t!” Big Stone chimed in. “These lil niggas running around these days calling themselves players have turned the damn streets into a shooting gallery. Use to be a man could walk through Harlem without having to worry about some young punk with a pistol and a dream trying to take what they want instead of working for it!” he fumed.
“Dad, is everything okay?” Pearl asked, picking up on his mood.
Seeing the look of concern in his daughter’s eyes, Big Stone’s face softened. “Yeah, everything is cool. I’m sorry, baby girl. Yo daddy is just venting. You got money to move around with?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah, I got a few dollars, but I’ll take whatever you were planning to give me too.” Pearl batted her lashes at her father.
Big Stone shook his head in amusement before digging into his pocket for bankroll. “I swear, when you do that, you remind me of your mama. She was the only female I’d ever met in my life who could get me to break bread with just a look. But if you ever tell Sandra I said it, I’ll deny it.” He held out some bills.
“Don’t worry—your secret is safe with me.” Pearl took the money and shoved it into her purse. “Let’s get going, Ruby.” She pulled her friend by the hand toward the door. She wanted to get out of there before she was subjected to another round of Twenty Questions.
“Pearl,” Knowledge called after her. “You be sure to stay out of Harlem tonight, okay?”
“Oh, don’t worry. I have no plans to hang out in Harlem this evening,” Pearl assured him before she and Ruby disappeared out the front door.
* * *
By the time Pearl and Ruby got to the corner, a cab was waiting for them. Pearl had called a Harlem car service and requested a driver she was familiar with to come to pick them up. She didn’t have him pull up in front of the house because she’d told her father they were taking the bus downtown. Once inside, they were whisked toward their destination. Part of her felt guilty for lying about going to the movies, but at least she would keep her word about staying out of Harlem. She was meeting Diamonds in the Bronx.
“That Knowledge gives me the creeps,” Ruby admitted once they’d left the block. “The way he’s always watching us and asking questions, you’d think he was psychic or something.”
“That nigga ain’t psychic; he’s just nosey as hell.” Pearl waved her off. “Knowledge gets on my damn nerves the way he’s always spying for Daddy, but he ain’t all bad. He could’ve blown my spot when he saw me at the bar, but as far as I know, he still hasn’t dropped a dime on me.”
“Really? What do you think his angle is for keeping his mouth shut?” Ruby asked.
Pearl shrugged. “Beats the hell out of me. Trying to read Knowledge is like trying to guess which way the wind is gonna blow. But to hell with him. We’re about to have a good time, and I brought something to get us in the mood!” She pulled a joint out of her purse.
“Pearl, you can’t light that in a taxi!”
“Why the hell not? This ain’t no regular taxi. Me and Nine-Five got an understanding, don’t we, Nine-Five?” Pearl addressed the cab driver by his car number instead of the name she never bothered to find out.
The African cab driver spared a glance over his shoulder. “Get as high as y’all want, ma. As long as you pass that shit this way.”
“See, I told you’re we’re good. Now, stop whining and let’s get loose.” Pearl lit the joint.
It was a smooth ride from Manhattan to the Bronx, and the bomb-ass weed Pearl had scored from one of the white hippies who lived on her street made it smoother. Nine-Five had his system tuned to Hot 97, and the girls jammed and sang along. Pearl’s cell phone rang in her purse. She looked at the caller ID and shook her head before tossing it back down. Less than a minute later it rang again, and knowing it would only continue, she just shut it off.
“Who’s blowing up your phone like that? Your dad?” Ruby asked.
“No, pain in the ass Devonte.” Pearl huffed.
“What happened? I thought you guys were good?”
“We were until he started getting all clingy. I told him it was over, but he’s acting like he’s got wax in his ears. He keeps calling my phone, and I could’ve sworn I saw him when I was leaving the salon earlier. Good pussy will turn a man into a love-sick puppy.”
“Or a stalker,” Ruby countered. “Don’t take this lightly. My mom had a friend who broke it off with a guy she was seeing, but somebody must’ve forgotten to tell him that. It started with him blowing up her phone and stalking her house. It was only a matter of time before he really jumped out the window and did something horrible.”
Pearl sucked her teeth. “Devonte’s ass ain’t that crazy.”
“That’s the same thing my mother’s friend said, right before the guy showed up at her job one morning and threw acid in her face.”
“Damn!” Pearl said in disgust.
“This is something you might want to tell your dad about, or maybe even Knowledge,” Ruby suggested.
“Maybe you’re right,” Pearl said, suddenly not so confident in knowing what to expect from her scorned lover. Until her conversation with Ruby, she had never considered that Devonte could possibly try to harm her. Granted, his constant calling and pleading was starting to creep her out, but violence had never crossed her mind. Devonte couldn’t possibly be that crazy … could he?
Twenty minutes later Nine Five had crossed into the neighborhood of the address Pearl had given him. As they neared the house, Pearl spotted Diamonds standing on the curb. There were several men standing behind him while he exchanged words with a tall dread outside a black SUV. She watched curiously as Diamonds and the dread shook hands. The dread waved the men with him back to the car, and they began to pile in. When Pearl spotted the familiar face standing beside the dread, she had to do a double take.
“Stop the car!” Pearl ordered, causing Nine-Five to slam on the brakes.
“Everything good, shorty?” Nine-Five asked, pulling a gun from the hidden compartment under the glove box. He wasn’t a gangster by any stretch, but he liked Pearl and was well aware of who her father was and what he could benefit from if he held his little girl down in a time of trouble.
Pearl’s eyes zeroed in on the men climbing into the SUV. “I think I know those guys.”
CHAPTER FORTY
“Nigga, I can’t believe you just orchestrated a fight in the middle of a baby shower,” Goldie said, still in disbelief.
“That wasn’t no fight, lil bro. Nothing more than a scuffle,” Diamonds said, downplaying it.
“Still, at a baby shower?” Goldie questioned, as if his older brother should’ve known better. “TJ is pissed, and ain’t no words for what Teisha is right now.”
“I’ll go in and make my apologies soon,” Diamonds said. “It was fucked up on my part to let that go on here, but you gotta admit that it was funny as hell. You see Buda’s face when the young boy grabbed his nuts?”
Goldie didn’t want to laugh, but he couldn’t help it. “‘Get this little nigga off me!’” he imitated Buda. “Yo, I dead thought his eyes were gonna pop out of his head. Where did you find that crazy-ass young dude?”
“Vita recruited him. He came over with your boy LA to handle that piece of business with Pana’s other spot,” Diamonds told him.
“He looks a little on the young side, but his boy LA seems to be solid enough, and he speaks highly of the kid. Heard he dropped some bodies u
ptown, so I guess he can hold his weight around here.”
“Vita sure as hell seems to think so,” Diamonds said in a less-than-thrilled tone.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were jealous,” Goldie teased him.
“Of that lil nigga? Fuck outta here! That meat way too tender. Vita likes a tougher cut,” Diamonds said. “Anybody see where Buda got off to?” he said, changing the subject.
“I seen him jump in a cab a while ago. He’s probably headed over to see that broad he’s been keeping time with,” Goldie said.
“One of his jump-offs?” Diamonds asked.
“Nah, for as much time as he spends with this chick, I think it’s a little more than that. He’s been spending a lot of time with her. If you ask me, I think that boy is sprung.”
“How long this been going on?”
“I ain’t for sure, but I’d say a little while. When he ain’t getting on our nerves, he’s out chasing her.”
“What we know about this chick?” Diamonds asked.
Goldie shrugged. “Not too much. Buda been real secretive about her, like he’s worried about one of us trying to steal her. I haven’t officially met her yet, but I’ve seen her before. Nice-looking Spanish broad.”
Something about it didn’t sit right with Diamonds. For as long as he had known him, Buda had always been a notorious womanizer, so hearing some mysterious chippie had his attention raised a red flag in his head. “I think at some point we gonna need to meet this mystery woman just to make sure everything is on the up-and-up.”
“You know Buda ain’t gonna be feeling you digging into his personal business like that,” Goldie warned.
“I don’t care what Buda is or isn’t feeling. As captain of this crew, it’s my job to make sure everybody we come into contact with is who they’re supposed to be. That reminds me: I need you to do something for me tonight.”
“What?” Goldie asked suspiciously.
