Dirty Laundry

by Cherie Briggins

  Mark eyed Bear while shaking his head from side to side. Supreme put his finger up.

  “Hold that thought. Yo Symphony, can you step away from the bar area please? Go see if the niggas in the back are straight.”

  “No problem, boss man,” Symphony said as she walked from behind the bar.

  Supreme watched as she disappeared.

  “Okay, go ahead. What happened, Bear? When I came to you ‘bout taking this muthafucka out, you were hyped. You said you had the shit, so tell me what the fuck went wrong! This nigga taking money out my pocket and I ain’t happy ‘bout the shit. Feel me? That nigga got me for a couple of bricks. His time is up. I’m going to knock his crew off bit-by-bit, watch me. And you got the nerve to be talking ‘bout you had a good day’s work. Nigga please!” Supreme said calmly.

  Bear sat his drink down on the bar and rubbed his bald head. He told Supreme everything that happened, from him going to talk to Bug, Bug introducing him to some chicks, and then him hearing shots only to find out that it was Rosco’s ass trying to shoot Spliff. He missed him because one of Spliff’s boys took the bullet for Spliff.

  “Man, that’s some goofy ass shit,” Mark said when Bear was done telling the story.

  “Where’s that trigger happy nigga at?”

  “Shiiit! Rosco said he was going to get up in some pussy,” Bear said as he picked up his glass filled with Hennessey. “I’ll be sure to handle the nigga, Spliff, myself,” Bear said as he walked away.

  Supreme looked at his Audemar Piguet watch. “I’m going to go catch some ZZs, my nigga,” Supreme said, slapping hands with Mark.

  “Shit, I’m right behind your ass. I’m going to let O.C and them niggas finish up this dogfight. Then I’m shutting shit down,” Mark said.

  “A’ight,” Supreme said walking out the door. “I’ll hit you up later.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Supreme lay down in his round European bed listening to the rain poor from the sky. It was seven in the morning and he was just getting to bed. It was hard for him to fall asleep so he turned on the TV. Just as Supreme was getting ready to fall asleep, his house phone rang. Supreme already knew who it was before he answered.

  “Hello, beautiful,”

  “Beautiful? Who you got over there with you?”

  “Nobody, Nana, and who would I be calling beautiful besides you?”

  Nana giggled. “Thanks, Grandbaby. I was just calling to see if you were coming over for breakfast.”

  Supreme had breakfast with his Nana every day. It was their ritual.

  “And where else would I go? Of course, I’m having breakfast with you.”

  “Okay,” Nana said cheerfully. “I know you probably just got in so how does eleven o’clock sound?”

  “Sounds good to me. What’s on the menu?”

  “Bacon, sausage, pancakes, eggs, and your favorite cheese biscuits. I want you to get some rest. I’ll see you at eleven, okay, David?” Nana asked, calling him by his government name.

  Supreme hung up with his Nana and fell asleep.

  ****

  After Supreme had breakfast with his Nana, he decided to go see what was up with London. When he pulled up, London was on the porch talking to Tisha and Paris. They were both dimes, but hoodrats. London swore up and down that they were her girls, but they were foul and kept trying to throw the pussy at Supreme.

  Supreme parked his Escalade truck in front of her Section 8 house, grabbed his water, and got out.

  “There go my babydaddy,” London said smiling at him as she stood up.

  “Yeah, there go yo babydaddy with his fine ass,” Paris said as she eyed Supreme.

  “Paris, don’t start. Matter- a- fact, you and Tisha gotta go.”

  “But damn, why I gotta go? I ain’t even say shit. That was this bitch,” Tisha said as she mugged Paris.

  “Dang Paris, you in yo big ass mouth,” Tisha griped as they walked down the stairs and past Supreme.

  “I’m glad you stopped by. I’ve been blowing your phone up. Why you ain’t call me back?” London said all in one breath when Supreme walked up on the porch.

  “Well what’s up?” Supreme said, ignoring her questions. “You wanted me here. You’ve been blowing up my phone.”

  “You ain’t even gon’ ask about your son?”

  “In order for me to claim lil Quan, I’m going to need a DNA test. You already know that. I ask you for one, but you refuse every time. You know Quan don’t look shit like me.”

  London was starting to get on his nerves and Supreme was ready to go.

  “Well, I want some dick. You know I ain’t fucking nobody else, so what’s up. You gon’ bless me with the dick?”

  Supreme stepped in closer to her, closing the gap between them. They didn’t always see eye to eye, but London was one of the best when it came to sex, hands down.

  “If you wanted to fuck, that’s all you had to say, Ma.”

  London smiled from ear to ear. “Come on then.”

  London took Supreme’s hand and pulled him into the house, leading him to her room. Supreme watched London plump ass switch from side to side. His dick was straining to be released.

  “I’m going to go check on Quan. Go to my room, you know where it’s at.”

  Supreme sat on London’s bed and looked around her messy room. She had pop bottles on her floor, French fries, chicken bones, candy wrappers, clothes, shoes, and weave tracks. London walked quietly into her room. She must have seen him checking out her room because she looked embarrassed.

  This shit is a turn off, Supreme thought.

  “Lil Quan has been a handful lately, huh?” Supreme asked, trying to ease the tension.

  “Boy hush. I’m going to clean up my room later,” London said, walking towards him, slow and sexy. “Supreme, I’m going to make you feel good,” she said, dropping to her knees.

  “I love the way you taste,” London said before taking a deep breath, then taking all of him in her mouth.

  Her moaning and slurping on Supreme’s dick was driving him crazy. Supreme had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from screaming out like a bitch. London sucked even harder.

  “Mmm,” she said as she licked her way down to his nuts, giving each of them attention.

  “Hold up, Ma,” Supreme said pulling out a condom so London could ride his dick.

  Supreme gave London a good five minutes before he took control, flipping her over and drilling the pussy.

  “Oooh! Aaaah!” London screamed.

  “Be quiet before you wake up Quan,” Supreme whispered.

  “Yeah, take this shit. Oooh my Goddd, Supreme! I love you baby,” London said as she came.

  Supreme let her get hers off, and then he exploded. Afterwards, he checked his phone while London went to get a towel.

  “Here you go,” London said as she walked back into her room with a warm face towel for Supreme. Supreme wiped his dick off, then looked up at London.

  “What’s up London? Why you staring at a nigga like that?”

  “You know you heard me when I said I love you,” London said as she squinted her eyes and looked at Supreme.

  “Yeah, I heard you.”

  “Okay, that’s it? All you going to say is you heard me.”

  “What you want me to say?” Supreme asked.

  “I love you too wouldn’t be so hard or I care for you. Anything would be better than just saying you heard me.”

  “Well I can’t do either, Ma. I hate to hurt your feelings, but I ain’t going to lie ‘bout the shit.”

  “Whatever Supreme, you can see yourself out. Maybe you’ll think about seeing your son before leaving!”

  Supreme closed her door then went to peek in Quan’s room. Quan was three months old. He had dark skin and a couple of strands of hair on his head. Supreme took a picture of Quan and left. That baby didn’t look shit like him, but he did remind Supreme of somebody. He just didn’t know who.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Two Weeks Later
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  Choice looked at her high school diploma once more before she put it in a bag so it wouldn’t be in the way. She had received it in the mail earlier that day. She just didn’t have time to take it back in the apartment plus she didn’t want to be late for work since she and Kyree had to walk to Mr. Charlie’s.

  “Choice! Look at the coloring book Mr. Charlie gave me,” Kyree said smiling. “It has all kinds of birds in it. Choice, did you tell Mr. Charlie how much I like birds?” Kyree asked as she sat in the chair coloring.

  “Yeah I told him. How else would he have known, silly?” Choice said as she gave the customer some change back.

  “Are you going to finish coloring with me?” Kyree asked Choice.

  “Of course I am,” Choice said as she picked up a crayon to color with Kyree.

  Choice had decided to bring Kyree with her to work instead of leaving her with Granny. She really wanted to spend time with Kyree. They needed their sister-to-sister bonding time. It sucked that it had to be while Choice worked for Mr. Charlie at the bodega.

  “Choice, remember you said I can ring up the next customer we have?” Kyree asked.

  “Yeah, I did say that, didn’t I?”

  “Yo, let me get a pack of cigarillos,” Bear said through the glass.

  “Ky, you not going to be able to ring this one up. Maybe the next time,” Choice said as she stood on the stool to get the cigarillos for Bear.

  At that moment, she regretted wearing the black skinny jeans when she saw Bear. Bear took one look at the form fitting jeans that hugged Choice thighs then he licked his lips.

  “That’s gon’ be six thirty-five,” Choice said, climbing off the stool. “Ky, get his money.”

  ”Hold up, you Bug’s people. Choice, right?” Bear asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Damn, you keeping it short with a nigga, huh? I know you ain’t still mad about that bitch shit. I said I was sorry. You fine as fuck. You look better than you did the last time I saw you,” Bear rambled on.

  “Bear, you in here bothering these ladies?” Supreme asked as he walked in the store with his hands in his pockets.

  The tattoos on his neck and arms were definitely a turn on. Choice couldn’t believe she didn’t notice them before.

  “Remember I was telling you ‘bout Bug introducing me to some chicks? Well, this is one of them.” Supreme and Choice looked at each other briefly.

  “Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing?” Supreme said to Kyree.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling from ear to ear.

  “A’ight Bear, hurry up. We got shit to do,” Supreme said, patting Bear on the shoulder as he walked out the store.

  Bear stared angrily at Supreme as they walked outside. Supreme had no idea, but he was getting on Bear’s nerves with all his cock blockin’ bullshit. There’d always been a little tension between Supreme and Bear, but Supreme knew that Bear was a killer. He always kept his cool, not knowing what would set Bear off, but Bear wanted more. One way or another, he’d get it.

  ****

  “Girl, I gotta stop and see what’s up with Wise,” Blue said as she looked at Choice from out the corner of her eye.

  “I don’t know why you looking at me like that. You think you slick,” Choice giggled.

  Wisdom aka Wise was Blue’s brother. Blue was forever trying to hook Choice and Wise up. He was 6’1” with a lean build, chocolate skin, and a short curly afro tapered on the sides. He had two deep dimples in his cheeks. Wise and Blue looked so much alike you would have thought they were twins. Blue had the same chocolate complexion, and the same deep dimples. She was 5’5” and very petite at the top. Blue had ass and thighs for days. She kept her hair short and curly like Jada Pinkett used to back in the day.

  When Choice and Blue pulled up in front of Wise’s house, they spotted Wise standing by his black Tahoe talking to a couple of his homies. When Wise looked over at Blue’s car and saw that Choice was with her, he smiled.”

  “What’s up, bro?” Blue asked as she got out the car followed by Choice.

  “Shit, what’s up with you?” Wise asked Blue, but was looking down at Choice.

  “You good?” Wise asked Choice.

  “Yeah I’m good.”

  “Okay, soooo, who the fuck was trying to shoot your ass last night at Mimi’s party?” Blue asked Wise as she rested her hand on her hip.

  Choice looked surprise. She didn’t know Wise was the target. Choice didn’t even know Wise was there, so this was news to her, and it had her attention.

  “Is Juicy dead?” Blue asked her brother as she leaned up against Wise’s Tahoe truck.

  “Yeah that nigga gone and I wasn’t the target,” Wise said taking his phone out of his pants pocket to look at it. “Word around is they wanted to get at Spliff. Juicy just jumped in front of him. I got sixty Gs on the nigga’s head, and you know how the streets talk when money is involved,” Wise said to Blue.

  “Juicy took a bullet for the team, so his girl and baby not going to ever want for nothing. I’m going to make sure they’re straight. Juicy was loyal, a real ride or die, feel me?” Wise said as he put his phone back in his pocket.

  At that moment, Choice felt bad. Juicy was a good dude and his baby momma was cool. They all stood in Wise front yard. Blue and Wise were in a conversation while Wise’s friends went to sit on the porch steps. Choice looked down the street as she thought about Juicy. Choice hadn’t known Juicy that well. She and Juicy had a few conversations, but his death had her feeling bad. Wise lived on Northwest which put a damper on everybody’s mood. It was only a couple of blocks from the projects where Juicy was shot.

  “Y’all trying to chill on the porch for a minute?” Wise asked Choice and Blue.

  “Yeah that’s cool,” Blue and Choice said in unison. “Excuse us,” they spoke to Wise friends as they walked up the couple of stairs to sit on the chairs Wise had on his porch. Wise took the blunt his friend was smoking as he walked up the couple of stairs to sit in a chair on the porch also.

  Wise eyed Choice as he took a pull from the blueberry haze. “You look good today, but you look good every time I see you,” Wise said, standing up to hand his friend the blunt he was just smoking.

  “Thanks. You do too,” Choice said as Wise sat back in his chair. He moved his chair a little closer to Choice so they could talk.

  “That shit you be going through with your parents is fucked up. I can take you away from all that,” Wise said.

  Choice knew he meant what he said. Wise always did. Choice just wasn’t ready for that. She wasn’t ready for him. In the back of her mind, Choice knew she didn’t want him the way he wanted her. Don’t get it wrong, Choice trusted him with her life, and she knew his word was golden. If she was his girl, she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.

  Wise was there when she and Kyree needed anything food clothes or shoes. When Choice and Kyree were younger and Karen was really tripping and acting crazy, she would kick Choice and Kyree out, but Wise would sneak them both in his room at his parents’ house. He would let them sleep in his bed and he would sleep on the floor in his room. Wise had even paid a couple of bills when Choice’s parents couldn’t come up with the money.

  When Choice was in the fifth grade, there was a boy in her classroom who would always pick on her. Once Wise found out about it, he beat the hell out the boy. Wise had paid for it later though. The boy came back up to the school with his brothers and they ended up jumping him. But Wise didn’t care as long as the boy didn’t bother Choice anymore. Wise was always there for Choice and Kyree.

  After they all finished laughing and talking about Juicy, Wise, his friends, Choice and Blue took the party in the house to finish drinking. The next thing Choice knew, Wise and Choice were face to face, knocked out on the couch with their mouths and noses almost touching. Choice sat up slowly so she wouldn’t wake Wise and checked her phone.

  It was after four in the morning. Her mom was going to kick her ass. Choice didn’t feel like creeping
around the house to find Blue, so she got her heels and left.

  The streets were dead and it was dark as hell out. Choice was scared to walk home, but she had to. A black Cadillac Escalade with black tint on twenty-threes rolled past Choice. The truck was creeping her out because it went around the corner and passed her again. After the second time, Choice thought she recognized the truck.

  “Yo Ma, you need a ride?”

  The window rolled down slowly. Choice stopped walking and looked over at the truck to see who was driving. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed who was behind the wheel. Supreme!

  “It’s too dark for you to be out here walking. I’m just trying to be nice and give you a ride home. There are a bunch of crazy muthafuckas out here.”

  “How do I know you’re not one of them crazy muthafuckas you’re talking about?” Choice asked.

  “Come on Ma, you know damn well I ain’t crazy.”

  “You don’t even know me, I could be crazy,” Choice said with her hand resting on her thick hips.

  Supreme chuckled. “I think I can handle you. Besides, aren’t you the pretty little girl’s sister I saw at the store yesterday?” Supreme smiled.

  “You want a ride or what? I got a headache and I’m tired,” Supreme said as he ran his hand down his face. “If you don’t want a ride, you can continue to walk.”

  What do I got to lose? Choice thought.

  “Thanks for giving me a ride,” Choice said as she got in. “I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem. Don’t even worry about it.”

  Supreme turned the AC up then pulled off. “So where am I taking you?”

  “Liberty Projects,” Choice said, looking out the window.

  Gucci was playing on his Bose speakers. Choice rubbed her hands against the leather seats.

  “Nice truck,” she said looking around.

  “Thanks,” was all Supreme said as he kept his eyes on the road.

  Choice stole a couple of peeks at Supreme. He was fine and she got butterflies in her stomach from just being in his presence. The smell of his cologne was making her pussy wet.