by Twyla T.
“My baby did good, didn’t he,” Kamora said while blushing.
“He sure as hell did,” Stacey excitedly said.
Once they were seated, the waitress asked for their drink orders and they told her they were ready to order also. Kamora wanted pasta with shrimp and sausage, a slice of salted caramel cheesecake, and a water. Stacey ordered the Louisiana chicken pasta, a slice of strawberry cheesecake, and a Dr. Pepper. “So, what boo you got in Atlanta? It takes a man for me to see you huh,” Kamora said after she took a sip of her water the waitress had just sat down.
“Girl… it’s this guy named Jay that I be using to dick me down every now and then. It’s nothing serious at all,” Stacey told her. Kamora started choking on her water at the mention of Jay’s name. “You okay boo?” Stacey asked, full of concern.
“Jay… is he black with pretty eyes? Like a mixture of grey-” Kamora started describing and Stacey finished her sentence by saying… and light blue. Kamora gasped loudly and said “Oh my God! I don’t believe this shit! He’s every fucking where.” Stacey asked her what was wrong, but it took her a minute to gather herself. Her mind and heart was really racing. Once she finally started talking, she couldn’t stop. Stacey was always the talkative one, but she was speechless the whole time Kamora talked and after she finished. They both sat in silence for about five minutes before speaking. Kamora ran down everything about Brooklyn, Keisha, Jay, Demetrius being Smoke, D’Mani being kidnapped, and her being pregnant. Everything. She left no stone unturned. Her reasoning behind it was logical and she knew she could trust Stacey. Kamora was hopeful that Brook would pull through, and she was going to make it her business to keep her away from Jay. Since Stacey had just admitted to sleeping with Jay, Kamora needed her to know everything so that she could have an inside connect.
“You know I got your back. I’m just in fucking shock right now. I can’t believe all of this. I feel so bad about not keeping in touch like we use to, but that black bastard is most definitely gonna get what’s coming to him,” Stacey professed. They finished their food and Kamora asked Stacey how her business was going. She was a real estate agent and she was actually the one who sold Kamora her house. Stacey told her it was going great and asked her if she was going to be looking for a new house after she got married. Kamora told her she had been thinking about it and figured it would be a good idea to move, even though Demetrius hadn’t mentioned it.
“Well, I’ll start looking up some properties for you. You know I got you,” Stacey said as they both finished up with their dessert. Walking out, Stacey told her that she would be seeing her again very soon.
Kamora made it to the hospital with about fifteen minutes to spare. She called Nikki to check on things and to speak to her baby before she walked inside of the hospital. Everything was good with them, like she knew it would be, and she was happy about that. Kamora made it to the critical care unit and when she made it around the corner to the room she was led to by the nurse the night before, the bed was being rolled out with the head covered and she heard a nurse in the distance saying they lost the patient in CU16. Kamora stopped dead in her tracks. “Are you lost ma’am?” she heard a nurse asking her, but she was afraid to reply. “Did you know Mr. Watkins?” the nurse continued by asking when she saw Kamora staring at the room her patient was just rolled out of. Feeling relieved, she finally found her breath and asked for Brooklyn McDonald’s room.
“Ohhh… she was moved to a regular room about an hour ago. Just a minute and I can tell you the room number,” the nurse told her.
When Kamora saw room 4258, she walked in and found Brook lying in bed sleeping. She walked up to the bed and grabbed Brook’s hand and she opened her eyes. “They told me you had a miraculous turn around through the night. I knew I should have stayed, but they made me go home,” Kamora softly said.
“I tried to do right and looked what happened. I’m a total fuck up,” Brook dejectedly said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Shhh… don’t say that. We don’t have to talk about this right now. Just focus on getting better. But, just so you know, this isn’t your fault! This that no good bastard Jay or Jamal, or whatever the fuck his name is fault. I just hope you’re done with him,” Kamora admonished.
“Hell yeah… fuck him. I still have my own place. I just switched apartments, but it’s in the same complex,” Brook groaned, suffering from a hellafied headache. Kamora told her that they would worry about all of that later and told her she just wanted her to get better. Mind, body, and soul. Brook told her she was going to do just that. Brook started yawning and Kamora told her to get some rest and assured her that she would be there when she woke up.
**************
Demetrius was driving down 285 with Peanut in the passenger seat. They had just finished taking care of their business with the product and he was running down all the bullshit to Peanut. Once he finished, Peanut shared all of the information he had been withholding from his boss. They both wanted to have Jamal’s head on a platter so bad, but they knew the shit had to be executed perfectly. Peanut reminded Demetrius about Coco being their inside connection and told him that they should be able to make their move very soon.
“That nigga beat the fuck outta Brook. She in the hospital now. I gotta call my baby and check on things in a few,” Demetrius told his homeboy.
“Yeah… I can’t wait til we get that pussy ass nigga. You know his bitch ass is plotting hard right now though, so we gotta stay ten steps ahead. He’s a dirty mu’fucka so ALWAYS stay on point,” Peanut refuted. Demetrius agreed by shaking his head. They continued chopping it up and making plans while riding. In spite of all of the challenges Demetrius had been facing, business was still good and he had his right hand man to thank for holding everything down.
“Yo, I really appreciate you stepping up man. I know this transition for you is gonna be smooth as fuck. We just gotta stay up and come outta this shit alive bruh,” Demetrius said appreciatively. Peanut told him to stop talking crazy because no thanks was needed and they both would be just fine. They continued making plans for Jamal’s demise. Once they made it back to their secret trap house that looked just like a regular home, Demetrius decided to call Kamora and check on things.
“Hey baby!” Kamora eagerly answered.
“How’s everything going?” Demetrius swiftly asked. Kamora told him about Brook’s progress and he was happy because he knew that it would keep Kamora from stressing. They chatted for a few more minutes and then ended the call when Kamora told him Brook was waking up and she would call him back.
Chapter 28
Coco knew she had to play the role and pretend to still be down for Jay in order to help execute Peanut’s plan, so she sucked it up and dialed his number. “What’s up ma?” he elatedly answered. Coco looked down at the phone to make sure she dialed the right number, knowing she did, but Jay sounded pleasant and it had been a while since they had a good conversation.
“I miss you, daddy. Let’s go out tonight… to a lounge or something and kick it like old times,” Coco said, trying her luck. Surprisingly, he agreed and Coco was genuinely happy. They decided to meet at Sky Lounge at ten and hung up after making small talk for a few minutes.
Usually, Coco was with one her girls when she shopped, but Shonta was busy and she didn’t really feel like kicking it with Brook, even though she told her everything was good between the two of them. If she saw her, she felt like her feelings might change, so she headed to Cumberland Mall solo. The fact that Jay hadn’t taken his black card from her meant something, and she planned on using it for her purchases shortly. Coco hit up all of her favorite stores and only dropped three stacks; she felt like she did good.
Later that night, Coco admired herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black Bodycon dress with royal blue heels. She thought she was looking cute and not ghetto, like she normally looked. Her hair was even black, which was very out of the norm for her. She knew Jay would be late but, since it was a quarter
to ten, she went ahead and left home because she was in need of a few drinks.
The atmosphere in Sky Lounge was on point as always for a Saturday night. It had been a few months since Coco had been there; the club scene was where she liked to be, but she wanted a laid back type of night. Coco saw a couple of cuties that she wouldn’t mind hitting up if Jay decided to act a fool. She sat at the bar and ordered a Crown and Coke on the rocks. As she was finishing up with her drink, Jay strolled in dressed in all black, like he was about to kill somebody.
“You miss a nigga now huh,” Jay said while smirking when he sat down beside her.
“You and that big dick,” Coco purred seductively while smiling and licking her lips. Jay’s member got hard as rock because he knew exactly what that mouth could do. He was a sucker for head and almost told her let’s bounce right then, but he needed to check her out and see where her head was at, which was why he agreed to kick it with her.
“What you been on?” Jay suddenly asked her straight, no chaser.
“I really just been tryna get my shit together and tryna stay outta trouble,” Coco replied and ordered another drink. “I even put in a few job applications,” she continued.
“Oh yeah… that’s what’s up. I don’t see yo ass working for nobody, but that’s what’s up,” Jay said chuckling. Coco couldn’t help but to laugh at that herself.
“You should hire me then,” Coco joked. Jay sat there staring at Coco as a thought popped into his head. I bet I can get her to that nigga Demetrius or Smoke, since that’s what he call himself now. If the price is right, her ass will be down, Jay thought.
“I might have a job for yo ass, but let me think it through,” he told her while pondering. He knew she was down for whatever and the fact that she had just swiped his fucking card, he felt like she would be down anyway.
After both Coco and Jay were both tipsy as fuck, Coco started asking him random questions and piecing shit together. Jay was known to talk too much when he was drunk, which was why he never drank around everyone, but he trusted Coco to a certain extent. They ended up moving to a booth in the corner where the lighting was dim, and Coco slid under the table and pulled Jay’s dick out and covered it with her mouth. This was the type of shit he was used to her doing, so she wanted to make sure he felt like she was still down for him one hundred percent.
Coco and Jay ended up at their designated hotel room at almost two o’clock that morning. She left her car and drove his truck because he was drunk as a skunk. After struggling to help him inside, they finally made it and flopped down onto the bed.
“I’m gonna have to kill that bitch… after I kill that nigga,” Jay slurred. Coco had pretty much gotten the information she needed about their next few meetings, but since he was still talking, she decided to soak up everything he was saying. The pills she dropped into his last drink would make him not remember any of the shit he said to her, which was exactly what she needed.
*****************
“I don’t think you’re really doing your best to help my case,” Trish said to her public defender during a lunch meeting they were having.
“Maybe you should get a lawyer then,” he replied smartly. He made it very clear that he was going to do his job, but he was not pleased with her actions. Trish simmered down after she noticed the seriousness of his face because she knew she really didn’t stand a chance without him. She recently made the court documents official and filed for joint custody. They were scheduled to take a paternity test in a couple of days. Trish knew Demetrius was his father; she only chose Marquez because Demetrius was locked up and she felt like Marquez was the better fit.
“What’s your main reason for wanting the child now and how will you provide for him?” Mr. Simmons asked while taking notes.
“I told you I only want joint custody now,” she replied.
“These are still questions that need answers ma’am,” he told her. Trish sat there with all kinds of thoughts running through her mind that she wouldn’t dare speak out loud.
“Have you thought that the child might be traumatized if he sees you again? You did kidnap him, remember?” Mr. Simmons asked, pulling Trish from her thoughts. She was sure that D’Mani had some type of trust fund and she could provide for him, but she knew that wouldn’t be a wise thing to say.
“He’s MY CHILD!! I didn’t kidnap him. It’s time that he knows who I am!” Trish stated angrily.
“We aren’t getting anywhere with this. Be sure to show up for testing bright and early Tuesday. The child will have a different appointment time because of the extremity of this case. The results will be expedited,” Mr. Simmons said as he gathered his things to leave.
Trish sat there in deep thought. Deep down, she knew she should have done things differently. She couldn’t change the past, so everything she had done couldn’t be taken back. “That child is going to hate me. I really messed up. I can’t do this to him. Man, fuck this shit! I gotta deal with the hand that I dealt myself,” Trish said to herself. After several more minutes of sitting there thinking, Trish finally got up and left. She got in her car and headed to a location that she told herself she would never go back to. She couldn’t shake her feelings, and she needed to cope badly.
Chapter 29
Demetrius was doing something he hadn’t been able to do in a very long time that he loved and missed. He was at Grant Park playing basketball. Earlier that day, he had to go and take the paternity test for D’Mani. They were informed that Trish missed her appointment and it pissed Kamora off that she would start all of these problems and not hold up to her end of the bargain. They were told the results should be back in a few days. Kamora and Nikki took D’Mani and KJ to a water park they had been begging to go to, after all of the business had been taken care of.
“Man, I see you still got it,” a dude from the sideline said after the game Demetrius was playing in ended. Demetrius looked him up and down and noticed that he looked a little familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. Something didn’t feel right to Demetrius and, apparently, Peanut felt the same way because Demetrius saw him easing to the truck and he knew that he was going to get some heat.
“I do my best. Do I know you?” Demetrius asked the dude straight up.
“You should remember me. Since you was the one that snitched on me back in the day,” the guy said.
“Nah, you got me fucked up. I ain’t never been no mu’fuckin snitch,” Demetrius said, becoming angry.
“I ran into Jamal and he told me everything,” Flint said.
“So, you taking the word from a pussy ass snitching nigga… to be honest, I don’t even know who you are, but if you came on some fuck shit, I would suggest you leave now… if you know what’s good for ya,” Demetrius warned him.
“Nigga, I’m Flint and I don’t take too kindly to threats,” Flint told Demetrius.
“It wasn’t a threat nigga. I was just stating a fact,” Demetrius said while shaking his head and thinking about all of the stunts that Jamal was pulling. He couldn’t wait to put a bullet in his head.
“Nigga, fuck you,” Flint said and reached for his pocket.
POW!! A single shot rang out and hit the target right in the middle of the forehead. Flint went down and Demetrius looked down at his lifeless body and walked off. He pulled his shirt off, since a little blood splattered on it, so that he could get rid of it later. “Damn shame niggas will believe anything a bitch nigga tells them,” he quipped while shaking his head and heading to the truck where Peanut was waiting.
“Jamal’s bitch ass sent that nigga,” Demetrius told Peanut after he got in. “We gotta dead that pussy nigga ASAP!!” he continued.
“You muthafuckin right!” Peanut said and drove off. The police would be arriving soon, but they had no worries about anyone snitching because they knew Flint was a nobody and also because the location they were in lived by the street rules. “We’ll put some fear in them niggas at their main spot, then we’ll do the damage at the low-key spot nex
t week,” Peanut told his boy and he agreed. Both of them were just ready to get the shit over with, Demetrius for more ways than one.
Demetrius hadn’t been to his apartment in forever, so he headed there after he got back to his ride, since he knew Kamora was still out. He called his mom and updated her on everything. Surprisingly, she wasn’t the least bit shocked by anything. She admitted to Demetrius that she felt a connection with D’Mani the very first time she met him. He told her that Kamora was pregnant and she was happy about it. “When is the wedding?” his mom curiously asked.
“With everything that’s been going on, we haven’t discussed it much, but she did mention getting married on a beach somewhere, so we’ll probably just fly away,” Demetrius told his mom.
“You better not get married without me being present,” she scolded him and he laughed.
“You’ll be there mom. I promise you that,” Demetrius told her. They chatted for a few more minutes and finally told each other “I love you” and hung up.
Demetrius went to his safe and added to his stash. His last count was close to ten million, so what he just added should put him over the mark. He was ready to leave the streets alone, but it seemed like shit just kept popping up. He knew he couldn’t just leave all of his problems for Peanut to handle because that would be a bitch move. Once Jay was dead, he felt like he would be able to walk away and live freely. The lawyer and contractors had called about the two locations him and Kamora decided on, so the process would begin very soon. The plan was to open a center where kids could come and get off the streets. Kamora and Demetrius both had big plans and, with them working together, they knew they would be unstoppable.
***************
Peanut was grinding twenty-four seven to get his shit in order. He was going to miss his homie by his side, but he knew that life must go on. Sitting in his crib, he was conflicted about one thing that needed to be done. One thought was telling him to let everything slide and be grateful for the information, but his gut was telling him to do what needed to be done and get rid of Coco. He wanted to get the pussy a couple of more times and, of course, some of that fire ass head she gave, which was the main reason he was conflicted. He couldn’t kill her until he knew she had given up every piece of information she had, and now he felt like he had enough. Him and Smoke had already come up with the perfect plan to take Jamal down, and it was nearing the time to put that plan into action. For now, it was time to handle the current situation.
