Thanks to Isabel, Temper wouldn’t have to supply it now. “Hey, I thought we should go out for dinner tonight. I’m not really in the mood to cook,” Isabel whispered after sticking her head in Temper’s room and seeing her on the phone.
“Is that that bitch talking?” Tyger snarled.
“Whoa, what’s up with all of that name-calling? Hold on.”
Temper put the receiver down and pushed it into her pillow so Tyger couldn’t hear her conversation with Isabel. Not that she had anything to hide, but she could see the jealousy brewing. That was how she used to feel whenever Kei-Kei hung out with her cousins instead of her. As an extra precaution, she responded to Isabel in Spanish.
“¡Hablas español mejor que yo ahora!” Isabel laughed after telling Temper that she spoke Spanish better than her now, and Temper laughed with her. When she put the phone back to her ear, Tyger’s vibe was worse.
“What were y’all laughing at? I hope not me.”
“Why would we be laughing at you? Isabel knows you’re my best friend, and she doesn’t have anything negative to say about it or you. Like you shouldn’t have anything bad to say about her. She’s helped me a whole lot. If anything, you should like her just off the strength of that.”
“I do like her for helping you, but she’s a cop. I asked you never to have me in police presence knowingly, and then you go and shack up with one.”
“I’m not forcing you to be in her presence. I’m asking you to stop calling her out her name. As a matter of fact, how about I stop bringing her up since she’s a cop, so we won’t have to talk about her at all?”
“That’s fine with me. We are supposed to be catching up anyway. So tell me what’s been going on with you.”
“I can’t right now,” Temper stammered, not wanting to say the next words. “We are going out to eat dinner, but I’ll call you when I make it back, okay?”
“Okay, that’s fine. Wait, I have a study group tonight. How about we plan to talk all night Friday? That way we have more than enough time to play catch up.”
“That’s the plan! Can’t wait to talk back to your crazy butt.”
“Me either, and I’m sorry I crossed boundaries or whatever.”
“Me too. Let’s act like it never happened.”
“Cool.”
* * *
It was close to noon on Saturday when the girls got off the phone. They talked each other’s ears off. Temper told her about life at the skating rink, the few dudes she flirted back and forth with, and the personal changes she’d made in her life. Running her mouth gave her the courage to answer Tyger’s question from their previous call.
“I fucked over a Crips dude in a real way. He wasn’t ranked up or anything like that, but he was close to a few homies who were,” she said, hoping her summary was enough.
“Okay, that was vague. How about answering this, was the fuck move you made gang related?” Tyger questioned.
“Strictly personal. We had a relationship, or so I thought, and when I found out he fucked me over with a bitch, I fucked him over worse. It didn’t put his life in danger. Well . . .” Temper said before falling silent.
“Umm, I’m going to need you to finish that sentence,” Tyger snapped.
“It got him his third strike.”
“You snitched on him?”
“No,” Temper sighed, not knowing how to explain it without giving Tyger all the details. “He was already in jail before I did what I did. He’s just not getting out now that I did it. That’s why everybody wants to beat my ass.”
“You know what? I don’t want to know if you don’t want to tell me, because it’s not making sense. I could understand if his homeboys from his hood were after you, but why would his enemies come for you? The only way that could happen is with the blessing of a . . .” Tyger’s thoughts moved from her thesis statement to her supportive argument, then stopped at the conclusion. “A kingpin.” She didn’t wait for Temper to try to explain or for her to change the subject. Tyger changed it and took over the call.
She gave Temper the day-to-day life of a double-major college student and a small piece of the plan she put together for her life. They’d laughed and joked all night. Sleep wasn’t why they ended the call. Tyger had a Saturday class to attend, and Temper had to get ready to volunteer at the runaway shelter.
Before that night, the girls didn’t know much about each other. Eventually, they decided that neither wanted to talk about their past ever again. They agreed that whatever they did or whatever happened before they met didn’t matter, and they would never bring it up. With juvenile records sealed, and neither having ties to parents or family, what would be the point of talking about their individual histories? They were reborn at the courthouse, and if that was true, then they had been best friends since birth.
* * *
It became a daily routine to be the last person they would talk to before sleep, which made the distance between them disappear. In the two years of talking daily, the girls got along 98 percent of the time, but they both had their moments. Temper would fuss about Tyger not driving to see her now that she owned a car, and Tyger fussed about Temper not moving home now that she upgraded her apartment to a two-bedroom. Neither had to say it, but they were no longer friends. They had become sisters. With everything flowing correctly, they weren’t surprised when tragedy finally found them.
“What time will you make it into town? I want you to help me pick out my birthday outfit. It needs to be nice and slutty,” Temper affirmed.
“Damn right it does. You’re turning twenty-one, and you’re newly single. I didn’t want to say anything back then, but I knew Kevin wasn’t going to turn out to be shit. Twenty-five, still living with his mama, and he only had part-time hours emptying trash at that casino. That shit adds up to absolutely nothing. Ay, I hope your pussy doesn’t have a thing for scrubs!”
Tyger had purposely dodged answering the question about the time of her arrival because she wanted to surprise Temper. Temper meant the world to her, and hearing that her first attempt at having an adult relationship had left her hurt made Tyger want to be there for her even more.
“Then you should have said that shit when I first told you about him, ho. What good is the information now? Girl, my pussy misses him so much, and I’m trying to help her ignorant ass get over him, but her stupid ass went and gassed my heart up to think we got feelings for him. My pussy is going through it. Please pray.”
“You are so stupid you make my ass hurt.” Tyger laughed. “You need a skimpy black dress, pumps to show off all them bony-ass legs you got, and a pair of crotchless panties so you can let your scent attract your next piece of dick. If you want your pussy to beat her battle with depression, you will have to keep her distracted with other dick. That’s the only pussy medicine on the market that can help you beat that shit. Yo’ pussy needs a hug from a new man.”
“Okay, madam sexy doctor, go ahead and tell me how you know that prescription is going to work. Aren’t you a lesbian now?”
“Fuck you,” Tyger retorted.
“Nah, that’s too much of a distraction for her. I’m not trying to have my pussy confused, but I appreciate the offer.”
“Remind me to kick you square in the ass when I see you. I told you I had a lesbian experience that I enjoyed. That doesn’t make me a lesbian.”
“Bitch, you licked a whole pussy. You rocked another bitch’s scent over your lip like a fragrance mustache, but if that doesn’t make you a lesbian, then I know I’m a virgin because I’ve sucked more dick than I’ve let fuck me, hands down.”
“I hate you!” Tyger screamed jokingly.
“The feeling is mutual, carpet muncher.”
“But seriously, science has proven the best way to get over one person is to get under the next. It’s the lonely and unwanted feeling that got your pussy caught up. Let’s be honest. What was it about him that makes him the one you wanted to be locked down to anyways? And don’t say anything involving sex.
”
“Then I can’t say nothing, bitch. I hated everything else. Whatever I couldn’t stand about his Polo Assassin–wear-ing ass the dick made up for,” she said as she squeezed her legs together, hoping to stop the tingling feelings from thinking about those chubby nine inches he’d used to beat her down.
“Exactly. Just because you don’t have book smarts doesn’t mean you’re unequipped for pussy smarts. You have to get you a ho mentality or a ho cheat sheet. I keep a ho translation of the male language in my pussy for times like these. You better get you one.”
“Bitch, I hate every word you let out of your mouth,” she said through her laugh. “But I have to get off this phone. Everybody can’t get paid for going to school like you. Unlike you, I have to work for a living.”
“Yeah, you’re the one who took six years to finish four years of high school by a GED test, and I do work. I told you I’m in an internship with the museum.”
“‘Internship’ and ‘job to survive’ aren’t the same things. Now that I’m a counselor, I can’t do my ‘come in late’ volunteer stroll anymore. I’ll call you tonight when I get off.”
“Bye, bitch. And, Temper, happy birthday, ho.”
“Damn, it took you all day to say it. I was waiting to see how long it took you to remember your only best friend’s birthday. Thank you, and be ready to hit the road headed my way tomorrow night. Bye, bitch.”
Temper rode in the cab to work with a mixture of Tyger’s words and confused feelings for Kevin. Tyger didn’t know her past in detail, and she was thankful for it because that meant Tyger didn’t hear the truth in her words about being in love with the dick. From the day Temper gave away her virgin status, she replaced it with daily dick trips. She didn’t care if it was from the dick she had the day before or a new dick owner. As long as she covered one in cum, she met her daily goal. That was part of her problem, and from the second she realized she was pregnant, she swore to wean herself from daily dick until she was in a relationship with the right person who could give it to her as often as she liked. Her decision to date wasn’t rash. Her choice in a mate was because her pussy couldn’t hold off any longer, and her fingers had never worked. They only bought her time.
“Hey, are you getting out or what?” the driver asked, and by the tone in his Arabic accent, it wasn’t the first time he had asked her the question.
“Don’t rush me. You should be glad I’m running your meter up. That’s more money for you,” Temper countered, and his eyes shot up to the rearview mirror.
“I’m sorry, beautiful. Please take your time.”
Seeing the lust filling his eyes, Temper stepped out of the back of the cab and took one step toward the shelter. She retrieved the money to cover the ride, but the shelter didn’t look right. The entry hall lights were off, and the smoking area was empty, which never happened. From the busy street, she couldn’t see the parking lot in the rear of the building.
“Here,” she said, handing the driver the money and a small tip. “Can you wait a second before you pull off? If that door is locked, I’ll need you to take me back home. I don’t have a key.”
“No problem,” he said with a flirtatious wink of his eye.
Temper couldn’t think of any reason for the shelter to be closed, but if by rare chance it was, she wouldn’t complain about having her birthday off. Initially, she was scheduled off by request to spend the day with Kevin. Once she learned Kevin didn’t mind using the little paycheck he made cleaning rooms at the casino to buy prostitutes off the strip, she dropped his freaky ass and canceled her day-off request. She should have known the best sex she ever had in her life had to come with a fucked-up tie to it. She was sure her luck had gotten better with all the changes she had made in her life, and then Isabel had delivered the bad news.
“I almost arrested Kevin’s nasty ass tonight. That makes you officially done with him, understood?”
Isabel wasn’t completely inside the house before making the announcement. If Temper didn’t know any better, she would have thought that Isabel ran straight home with the news as her chest heaved up and down, a sign she was out of breath.
“What do you mean you almost arrested him? What did he do?”
“I don’t want to tell you the details. To make it short, I was working undercover to catch johns to question for our murder investigation of that young girl. You know, the one you asked me about from the news the other day? I got a tip on where I could find him, which was bullshit because I ended up catching Kevin at the spot instead. Don’t get me wrong, he was in legal limits of prostitution, but for me to have to bring him in as a known client of the night makes you done with him, understood?”
“Yes, but are you positive that’s what he was doing?”
“You know what? Call him. Companionship has you blinded. Ask him about our encounter tonight. He’ll tell you the truth. I’m sure of it!”
“Nah, I believe you. I’m done with him,” was what Temper let out of her mouth, but once Isabel snatched her workout bag and headed out the door, Temper made a call.
“Why are you fucking calling me? Didn’t your big sister tell you that I’m through with you?” Kevin’s words held no emotion. He seemed bored by the contact alone.
“How are you through with me when you’re the one out buying pussy?”
“Are you serious? Your sister is a cop. You had me around a pig like you didn’t know I smoke weed.”
Temper couldn’t help but laugh. Kevin was the biggest square she had ever spread her legs for, and even his weed smoking was small and far from addiction. She didn’t bother continuing the confrontation. It wasn’t like she’d ever feel comfortable having sex with him again. The dick was good, but an STD had almost taken her out. Hanging up was the easiest way to end it.
She turned the knob on the door, and it was open. “Hello, is anyone in here?”
“Yes, we are in the back, Temper. The power went out, and we’re in the kitchen waiting for it to come back on now.”
“Is that you, Shelia?”
“Who else would it be? Bring your scary ass on. Once you come down the hall, you’ll see the candlelight.” Great spirit, warm personality, a little on the big side, and always talking shit—those facts about the 45-year-old black woman from Brooklyn Temper loved, and they were why she looked at Shelia like an aunt. Though her voice wasn’t what Temper questioned. She thought she had seen a dark shadow move across the doorway in the opposite direction of Shelia’s voice.
She waved to the cab and closed the door behind her.
“I’m not scary, but wouldn’t it have been smart to put a candle at the entrance?” She had to squint her eyes to make her way to the hallway. “I’m just saying that’s how everybody comes in the build . . .”
She couldn’t talk, let alone take another step. Candles did light the hall once she turned the corner, the candles from her birthday cake.
“Surprise,” the room screamed in unison as the lights came on. It took a second for her sight to adjust and confirm her second surprise. Standing next to Shelia and Isabel was Tyger. The three were wearing full-teeth smiles.
Shelia sang the birthday song to Temper.
Isabel said, “Take a second and make a wish before you blow out your candles. You only turn twenty-one once.”
“But I don’t know what to wish for. This is already more than I would have ever wanted.”
As the room said, “Aw,” at her heartfelt words, Tyger stepped up. “Cut the drama and make a wish. You love us, and we love you too. Just promise me that the wish is for you and will benefit only you. Can you do that?”
Temper nodded in agreement, closed her eyes tightly, inhaled, and blew out all twenty-one candles as she released her wish through her breath. She ran straight to Tyger and hugged her for what seemed like hours. In truth, no more than a minute passed.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were already here when we were on the phone, and when did you make it?” Temper asked.
�
��How about you cut the cake before you start asking a million questions? We’re all hungry from sitting in the dark waiting for you. I hope that wish didn’t have anything to do with Kevin’s dick, too. I already told you we are going to fix that depression shit y’all going through,” Tyger said as she turned her back to Temper to face Shelia. “Can you please grab the paper plates for me? I’m going to my car to grab the cake cutter and her birthday gift.”
“Of course, precious.”
The ladies went in separate directions, and it was Temper’s turn to thank Isabel. “Why do I have a feeling you put all of this together, including Tyger being here?”
“Because I did. I wanted this to be special for you, and this is only the beginning. Friday and Saturday, I have a few things planned for us to do, and Sunday, we’ll have brunch before Tyger leaves. You know it’s killing her to miss class all these days. You didn’t tell me your best friend was a nerd pretending to be a gangster.” Isabel giggled as she looked over her shoulder to see if Tyger was on her way back. “I did a little snooping into her background, and I . . . You know what? None of that matters because I know her now, and she’s a grade A geek. Beautiful in and out, but she’s a total Poindexter. That girl was studying the entire time we waited for you.” She pointed to a table in the rear of the kitchen covered in books.
“That’s Tyger for you. I didn’t tell her much about you either. I just felt like it was best not to let the two worlds collide. Plus, you’re a cop. I’m normally allergic to pigs, and so are the people around me.”
“Understood. I vomited every day for a week when you moved in and had diarrhea the next. Being around a criminal full-time affects me like I’ve eaten a pot of old refried beans. You would have died if you smelled the dump I took after spending time with Tyger yesterday.” Isabel winked at Temper when she finished talking and joined Shelia to help organize the cake distribution. Tyger came back with nothing but a key ring in her hand.
“Here you go,” she said, handing her the keys. “It’s your birthday. You go get that shit.”
Carl Weber's Kingpins Page 12
