For a minute Treacherous thought I had not been a part of the female lineup, and wondered where I was, but right before the door had fully closed, he saw me.
I came through the door with that same style and grace I thought sparked the look Treacherous had on his face when he first laid eyes on me, still looking as if I didn’t belong in such a place. As I entered the dining area, our eyes met just like before. Treacherous tried to play it off and act as if it were just coincidence that he happened to look in my direction, but I knew better. He couldn’t help but to notice how good those forty-five days were to me. Having two good seeing eyes, he couldn’t help but notice how I had blossomed into something even more beautiful while in isolation, seeing that I had put on a few pounds in all the right places and how my hair had even grown. One of the girls had noticed the inconspicuous way Treacherous was looking at me. “Girl, that nigga checkin’ you out,” the girl volunteered.
“Mind your fucking business,” I swung around and snapped, irritated by the girl’s nosiness. The girl started to snap back with a sly remark, but thought better of it. I continued to watch Treacherous as he glided to his usual spot. My heart skipped a beat. Treacherous sat there at the very same table he had been sitting at the first time I had ever seen him, only this time he was much bigger. He could have easily passed for a Greek god or a poster child for a muscle magazine, I thought, seeing the indentions of his physique through his shirt as his trap muscles sat up just below his ears.
Although we didn’t realize it at that time—or rather, we didn’t give a fuck—all eyes were on us. Everyone wanted to see the outcome of Treacherous and Teflon’s reunion. Some kids snickered under their breaths, anticipating the worse, while others who bet in favor of Treacherous humbling himself thought the opposite. Staff was just ready for whatever way it went. It was their job to secure the safety of the institution and that was their only concern.
I got my breakfast and began looking around as if I was in search of a seat, but it was only to buy me some time to get my thoughts together and decide whether I really wanted to go through with my intentions, because I already knew where I intended to eat. One of the guys who tried to push up on me when I first arrived motioned for me to sit with him and his clown-ass friends, but I acted as if I hadn’t seen him. I made up my mind and walked toward my intended destination.
Treacherous observed me looking around for what he assumed to be a place to sit. He started to motion for me to come and chill with him, but thought better of it, because he knew that wasn’t gangsta, but I could see in his facial expression that he wasn’t feelin’ when he saw the punk kid to his right try to get me to come chill with him and his punk-ass boys. He told me his blood began to boil. He told me he wanted to take his food tray and bash the kid in the face. Honestly, I would’ve loved to see him do it. It would’ve turned me on and just made me want him more. At the sight of me ignoring them and heading toward him, he began to calm down, but had I accepted the punk kid’s invitation, he knew he would’ve gotten up, went over there, and followed through with his first thought just on general principle. As childish as it may have seemed, that’s just how Treacherous got down.
Fats was positive I had seen him trying to get my attention and deliberately ignored him. Had he not seen me walking toward Treacherous I think he would have tried to scream on me and try to embarrass me in front of everybody, but unbeknown to him, not going with his first instinct saved him from a crucial beat-down, because he was not aware of what was taking place between Treacherous and me, and could not have known that had he disrespected me like the way he initially started to, I would’ve grabbed a tray and smashed his fucking face in myself.
Everybody watched as I stopped in front of Treacherous’s table.
“Can I sit here?” I asked with confidence.
“Go ahead, it ain’t mine,” replied Treacherous nonchalantly.
Hearing Treacherous’s voice did something to me. The baritone sound made me want to surrender to him in every way possible, but I maintained my composure as I sat down. Treacherous had waited forty-five days for this day and now that it had arrived he wasn’t too sure how he wanted to handle it. He was not used to talking to females, so he didn’t really know what to say to me, he later confessed. The only thing he could strike up a conversation about were jail things, but he didn’t want to discuss that because he was living it, so why talk about it. He wondered if he should start with an apology, but quickly erased the thought because he didn’t owe me one when he didn’t do anything to me. The thought of everyone staring at him caused him to clinch his teeth. He didn’t have to look around to know that they were. He could feel their eyes all on the side of his face. He continued to eat his breakfast, thinking of where to begin.
I thought about what I would say to Treacherous the whole forty-five days I was on room restriction. I had rehearsed my opening over and over until it sounded right to me, but as I sat before him, all I had rehearsed faded out of my mind, and my thoughts became a blur. I noticed all the other girls were staring at me like I was crazy. Rather then black out on them and risk going back to lockup before I accomplished what I set out to do, I gave them a pass and rolled my eyes at them. You would’ve thought me and Treacherous were playing the leading role in a drama movie the way everyone was focused on us. I knew even if Treacherous wanted to say something to me first, he wouldn’t, because his reputation was on the line, so I knew I would have to be the one to initiate it. I took a deep breath and then exhaled.
“Um, Treach.”
Hearing my soft-toned voice speak his name caused Treacherous to stop eating and look up. He had no idea I had possessed such a beautiful and smooth voice. On the last encounter I had sounded just as rough, if not rougher, than the average dude in there when I stood up to him, he thought.
I knew I now had his attention hearing me say his name, so I continued.
“I want to apologize for what I’m—”
“You don’t owe me any apology,” Treacherous interrupted me.
“That shit wasn’t about—”
I cut him back off. “Yes, it was about something. I had no right flippin’ out on you like that that day. I ain’t even—”
“Hold on, shorty,” Treacherous interrupted again.
“Yo, mind your muthafuckin’ business,” barked Treacherous to all who had been paying close attention to me and him, some even leaning out of their seats. Everyone began to act as if they were involved in something other than our conversation.
I smiled on the inside at how Treacherous had checked the whole dayroom. Even the staff began to mind their business after hearing the power and strength behind Treacherous’s words. It was apparent that rather than a problem, there was a connection between the two of us.
“My bad, pardon me. What were you sayin’?”
I continued. “I was just sayin’ I ain’t even know you like that to be screamin’ on you the way I did, and it was my bad. I know you got a lot of time up in here and a lot of respect, more than I ever seen one man have, and I wanted you to know I didn’t mean to disrespect you because like everybody else, I respect you too.”
Treacherous looked me in my eyes as I spoke, and I never broke his stare. Even most of the dudes he had come across who professed to be thorough could not hold a stare as long as I had when I spoke. Treacherous knew I was not like any other female he had ever known. Most girls always showed a sign of weakness or vulnerability, but even in my apology Treacherous detected nothing but strength and security. He was intrigued to know more about me.
“Yo, I respect you for respecting me enough to get at me like this, but that shit we went through is over, just like the forty-five days you just did. I could’ve handled the situation differently too, but it is what it is, you know what I’m sayin’? We cool, ain’t no beef, and if you have any problems while you up in here let me know, I don’t care if it’s inmates or staff, I got your back,” Treacherous stated firmly.
“And I got your
back too,” I replied.
Treacherous looked at me awkwardly, then shot me a half smile that only I caught.
“A’ight, I respect that.”
I shot him the same half grin.
“A’ight, shorty, I’ll catch you later. You cuttin’ into my reading time,” said Treacherous, getting up from the table.
I did not want him to leave, but I understood he had a set schedule. Before I left up out of there I intended to become a part of his daily schedule as well. It had dawned on me that we hadn’t been properly introduced.
“Wait,” I called out as Treacherous began walking away.
“What up?”
“You don’t even know my name.”
“Yes I do, Miss Teflon Jackson,” Treacherous replied before walking away, but that was the last time he would ever walk away from me again, because from that day forward Treacherous and I were inseparable.
Six months later things between Treacherous and me had strengthened beyond anyone’s imagination, and no one but us liked it. Other male inmates hated and despised Treacherous from afar because they wanted to be him while they lusted over me. The female inmates who once thought they had a chance with Treacherous felt the same way, but they knew better. It was no secret that I would hurt something over him. Every so often, a new girl was gassed up or one of the regulars built up enough heart and nerve to step to Treacherous, only to feel the wrath of me, who didn’t play when it came to Treacherous. Before my sentence at the detention center was complete, I had received room restriction three separate occasions, badly injuring three girls who tried to move in on my man. Staff thought me to be a bad influence on Treacherous. Often they tried to separate the two of us to no avail. They even went as far as trying to get Treacherous transferred to the county jail, but never had good reason to because he never gave them one. Ever since I had came into the picture Treacherous had been reserved and humble. He tried to keep me at bay, but couldn’t control my temper when it came to my jealousy. Treacherous assured me that he only had eyes for me. To prove it, he carved a set of eyes in his arm with my name over top with the metal part of a number two pencil.
Although I believed Treacherous’s every word, I didn’t trust other women. My motto was what was mine was mine and Treacherous belonged to me. Treacherous went through hell every time I was locked down. He enjoyed my company and conversation and missed it whenever I got into trouble. We would talk about what we were going to do together when we were both released. The days couldn’t go by quicker enough for Treacherous, but they were steadily approaching, he knew. I would be released first, but Treacherous knew he wouldn’t be too far behind.
I was on room lock once again and though he missed me, Treacherous was heated with me. He tried to defuse the situation that caused me to be confined to my room, but I wouldn’t listen, and now after my room lock was over, in sixty days I would be going home and Treacherous knew he wouldn’t see me again until his release. Treacherous later told me how disappointed he was at me and had played the tape back that lead to my predicament. I remembered it as if it were yesterday. This incident was inevitable because some bitches are just hardheaded and are going to try you anyway until you show and prove to them. Her name was Carmen and she was from Richmond.
“Hey, Treach,” she chimed, approaching the table where Treacherous played solitaire. Carmen was the newest female in the detention center. She was an attractive Hispanic sixteen-year-old who was caught shoplifting in Military Circle Mall.
“What do you want, Carmen?” Treacherous asked, not bothering to look up. He knew Carmen liked him, but he paid her no mind. She stood five feet nine inches tall with still room to grow. Her hair was black with blond highlights, which matched her smooth skin tone. Both her body and facial features favored the Latina singer Shakira. Treacherous later confessed after I whipped her ass that he would have to turn away from her because she would flash one of her 34Cs at him whenever I wasn’t around. Once, Treacherous noticed Carmen fondling herself, while licking her lips, which always seemed as if they were laced with M•A•C lip gloss. Even if he weren’t with me, Treacherous had told me he was not attracted to Carmen’s demeanor.
“You,” she boldly answered.
“Get out of here, Carmen, ’fore you get yourself in something you can’t get out of,” Treacherous warned her. This bitch wouldn’t take a hint, though.
Carmen knew exactly what Treacherous was insinuating. She figured if she could be viewed as being just as hard as me, then maybe Treacherous would choose her over my ass. Little did she know she was wrong.
“I know you don’t think somebody scared of that chick. Maybe these other puntas is but not me, sweetheart, I’m Boriqua, I ain’t from around here. I’m from Richmond, the projects, baby!” Carmen announced.
Right at that moment, I was returning from the restroom. Instantly I zeroed in on Carmen hovering over Treacherous. My blood began to boil. I remembered what Treacherous had said about my temper and tried to calm myself. I wanted to spend my remaining two months left with him before I was released. I could see everyone watching as I made my way over to Carmen and Treacherous.
“Yeah papi, I bet you never had your dick sucked the way I could suck.”
That was all I had to hear to make me spring into action.
Being Hispanic made it convenient for me to grab a fistful of Carmen’s long, silky hair. Carmen never saw it coming. I flung Carmen around so rapid and forcefully that she got whiplash. “Ugh,” she said as she hit the floor. I immediately pounced on top of Carmen. I intended to make an example out of her as I commenced to pounding on Carmen’s beautiful pecan face. I wanted all the other females in the detention center to see what they’d be facing when they got released if I heard they tried to move in on Treacherous while I was gone. By the time the slaughter was over, both of my hands were swollen from the beating I had put on Carmen, while both of Carmen’s eyes were purple, she had swallowed two teeth, and was treated for a fractured collarbone from the fall. The day I was released one of the girls I knew was trustworthy delivered a letter from me to Treacherous. It would be the last letter he would receive from me before I was released. Treacherous went to his room and locked himself in. The letter was folded as small as it could be, taped on all four corners. Treacherous smiled as he fought to unwrap the missive I had tried my best to secure. Whenever I would receive room lock, me and Treacherous would write each other and send our letters to one another through the same girl. Each time he opened one of my notes it always started out the same: For your eyes only. That was one of the things he admired and had grown to love about me. Treacherous finally opened up what would be his last letter from me. He had told me specifically not to write when I got out. I was disappointed at first until he explained how once we were released there was no looking back. Confinement would be a thing of the past. The next time we would see or hear from each other we would both be free of bondage. That night Treacherous told me he laid back on his bunk and opened the yellow lined paper and read my letter.
Hey baby,
I know you’re probably still mad at me, but don’t be. You know how I am when it comes to you. I told you before, I tried to keep my cool like you always tell me to, but I couldn’t let that one slide. That was just total disrespect. That chick had it coming to her anyway. I think I did good, ’cause I never said anything but I knew she used to be flashing you and playing with herself when I wasn’t around. Yeah, you didn’t think I knew that. Our mail carrier used to tell me. I had her watching you. She told me you used to be turning your head, lucky for you (smile). But when I heard her talking about putting you in her mouth and all of that, that was it, she had to get it. Besides, I’m the only one who’s going to be doing that. Yeah, I said it. I can’t wait until you come up out of that hellhole. I remember everything we talked about, but by the time you get here I will have already gotten a few things established for us. I know you told me don’t worry about that other thing, but baby, trust me, I got it. That mutha
fucka owe and he gonna pay, one way or another. I don’t have to tell you to hold your head in there because you were doing that before we met, I think that’s what attracted me to you; in fact, I know. Those eighteen months being in there with you were the best months of my life, and I wouldn’t change them for nothing. I hope you feel the same. You better, nigga (smile). So, this is it, our last letter. Baby it’s been real, and it’s gonna get even realer when you hit the bricks. Until then . . . Love you!
Til Death Do Us Part,
Your Ride Or Die Chick.
Treacherous never responded back to the letter, but when I met him outside when he was released that letter was one of the only things he’d left the detention center with. From that day forward the reign of Treacherous and Teflon began.
Teflon closed the fresh notepad after ending the latest excerpt, pulled out the one she used to write letters, and began responding back to Rich.
Chapter 14
Six years later
“You have a prepaid call from Teflon Jackson, from a federal correctional facility, you call may be recorded or monitored, to accept this call press five, to refuse this call hang up, to block this caller from future calls press pound-pound.”
“Hey baby girl.” Rich greeted, accepting Teflon’s call.
“Hey,” she replied
As always, Rich could hear the frustration in her tone. It was the same frustration he had detected and had been hearing for nearly six months, since he had been released from prison and had the phone turned on so he and Teflon could communicate. It tore Rich up inside the first time he’d spoken to her over the phone.
In her letters throughout the years of their corresponding, she’d always sound so strong to Rich, but despite her trying to maintain that same sense of strength over the phone, her voice came across as that of a woman whose spirits were breaking by the day and patience was wearing thin. It bothered him, knowing that there wasn’t anything he could really do to change her current situation, as fast as he would have liked to. Since he had been released, the moment his feet touched the pavement of Virginia’s streets, Rich had dedicated his time to the two promises he had made Teflon. The last letter before he got out and the first time he had written to her as a free man, both maintained his promises. One, to locate the whereabouts of his grandson, and two, find representation to handle Teflon’s appeal for her case. He had made progress on them both, but not enough to satisfy him or make him want to share with Teflon. Luckily for him, before he had passed away, O.G. had left him enough money to tie him over as well as a place to lay his head until he got on his feet, or else it would have been that much more difficult to do anything for Teflon or himself, for that matter. Rich often wondered what it would have been like for him, at his age, coming home to nothing. As the thought crossed his mind, Rich shook it off and refocused on his phone call
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