by Saundra
Without turning around, she asked, “Who was at the door, Kalil? I heard you slam it.”
I decided to speak before him. “Hey, Rochelle.”
Just like Linda Blair, Rochelle sat up and snapped her head around at me. I thought she had broken her neck with all that force. Clearly, she was shocked, but the look on her face was calm.
“Oh my God!” She started laughing. The laugh threw me off. It was sort of wicked. “How did you find me?” She started to shake her head. “Damn, I cannot get away from you.” Then the calmness disappeared. She was upset and did not want me there. But this much I had assumed, so I was not surprised.
She turned to Kalil, who was standing behind me. “Why did you let her in here?”
“Shit, I don’t know. She came to see you.” His attitude was nonchalant.
She rolled her eyes at him and, without looking at me, Rochelle turned back around toward the television. I had come for a reason, so I would not just let her dismiss me and walk away. Slowly, I started walking toward her.
“Rochelle . . .” My voice was soft and steady. “Look, I did not come over here to fight or argue with you. I—” I cleared my throat. “I just wanted to check on you. I wanted to be sure you were all right.”
She turned back to face me. “Why, Mya? Why do you feel the need to check on me?”
“Because I have been worried about you.”
“Well, you have seen me. Now you can leave.”
I stood glued to my spot. Her smart mouth was annoying, but I did my best to ignore that part.
“What about Tiny? When do you think you going home to her? She misses you. Or have you cut her off, too?”
Tiny was her soft spot. She cast her eyes downward.
“Maybe you should just go like she said,” Kalil spoke up and stood next to me.
The mere sound of his voice pissed me off. I looked over at him and anger overtook me. “Fuck you, Kalil, and don’t say shit else to me. Look at what you are doing to my friend. You ain’t shit but a pill poppin’ fiend.”
Again, he started laughing at me, but I knew it was nothing but the drugs. Out of nowhere Rochelle jumped up off the couch.
“Don’t you come up in my man’s house disrespecting him. You got some fucking nerve, Mya. Oh, wait, now I see . . . that is what you want from me. Ain’t takin’ two of my men . . .” She held up two fingers in my face. “Ain’t two enough? Yeah, two,” she repeated. “Li’l Lo and Todd were both killed because of your bullshit. All of it was because of you, my supposed-to-be best friend. I guess you just ain’t gone be happy until you steal all my joy. Todd was my last shot at happiness. An innocent, good man shot up because you were not honest with me. So please just leave me in peace. Just get out, Mya!”
My face was covered in tears and so was my heart. She had finally said it all without beating around the bush. Whatever became of her would be on me. I had single-handedly caused her a world of unhappiness. How could I give it back was the question. The answer was I couldn’t.
“If that is what you want, Rochelle, then you got it.”
Walking out of that house, away from my childhood best friend, was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. But it had to be done. I owed her that much.
Chapter 30
I was in bed for a few days after I visited Rochelle. I was physically sick from the incident and the realization that it was what it was. I decided not to tell Hood about it. I wasn’t keeping it a secret, I just didn’t feel like talking about it. I wanted to forget it ever happened and move on. But the moment he saw me lying around, he started nagging me to find out what was wrong. I told him that I couldn’t get out of bed because I was having bad cramps, because that was the only way I was going to get him out of the house otherwise. Anytime he thought something was bothering me emotionally or physically, he wanted to be there for me.
Today I decided what I needed was fresh air. I would go outside, sit on my patio by the pool, and soak up the sun. I had to drag myself out of my bed, but once inside the hot shower I started to come alive. I threw on a pair of baby pink tennis shorts and a white wifebeater and I was ready to head outside. But first I would grab me a slush. I had to gear my slush machine up, though—it had been a while since I used it. I grabbed J. California Cooper’s novel Life is Short But Wide off the nightstand when I heard Hood come in the house yelling my name.
With my book in hand, I raced down the stairs. The sound of his voice told me it was urgent. I found him at the edge of the stairway. His eyes found mine.
“Babe, what’s wrong?”
“My trap houses missin’ about two million in cash. Shit is just gone.” In the business Hood was in, two million dollars was not exactly a lot of money. But when you are talking about cold, hard cash it was. This was a problem. I was so damned shocked I was nervous.
“What the hell happened?” I managed.
“I don’t know. But I’m about to find out. These li’l fucking chucks acting innocent and dumb. But they know betta. This shit gone get some answers and I mean tonight. I just wanted to let you know shit about to be crazy. I came home to suit up with some extra shit.” His cell phone started to ring. He answered it right away and immediately started yelling nigga this or that.
Then my house phone started to ring, which was out of the ordinary. The only person who ever called it was Ma when she could not reach me on my cell. She knew I was home, so it had to be her. As soon as I answered she confirmed it. “Mya.” She was talking fast.
“Hey, Ma.”
“Look, you need to go over to Monica’s house and check on her. She was on my mind this morning, so I called her up to speak with her for a bit. I don’t know, she just sounded strange on the phone to me. She was like short with her answers. I don’t know. She was not typical Monica to me. It could be nothin’, but I just want you to ride out and check on her.”
“A’ight. I will go out there.”
“Call me once you talk to her.”
“I will.” I ended the call just as Hood hung up his phone. “So is everything cool?”
“Nah, but I know what has to be done. I’ma get what I need, then I’ma be out.”
This was always the hard part, but the last thing he needed was me freaking out. I had to be strong, or at least pretend like I was, when really I just wanted to scream, Fuck that money, we have plenty, stay home. But I knew I could not do that. He had to handle business.
“Call me later then,” I said instead.
“Oh, who was that on the phone?” he asked, referring to my call.
“That was Ma. She wants me to check on Monica so I’ma head out that way.”
Just like that, my plans to lie by the pool, drink my slush, and soak up the sun were a bust. I went back up to my room, threw on some clothes, and packed my worries about my husband inside my heart. I jumped in my truck and pointed it in the direction of the interstate that would lead straight to Monica’s house.
Chapter 31
On my way to Monica’s, I decided to make a quick stop by Starbucks. I needed something to give me energy. I was still in shock from Hood’s revelation. I could not believe that some dummy thought that they could get away with stealing from him. There was only one place they would end up and that was in the morgue, and not because of the money. Hell, Hood had plenty of that. It was the principle. I shook my head at the thought as I exited the Starbucks parking lot. Just as I veered back on the interstate, Trina’s name lit up on my cell phone. She was back from Vegas so I knew she wanted to fill me in on the trip. I was really happy when she told me she put all her fears aside and went.
“Hello.”
“Hey, girl.” I could hear the excitement in her voice. That alone told me that she had a good time.
“So tell me. How was it?”
“Girl, Mya, I had so much fun. He was the perfect gentleman the whole time. He even got me my own room. We gambled, toured the sights, and just enjoyed ourselves. I almost didn’t want to come back.”
“See, I told you. Sometimes you just have to try new things.”
“I know. I see it now. I’m so glad I went. But I just wanted to call you and thank you for the words of encouragement. I needed that. You are such a good friend, Mya.”
“Awww, thanks. Now you tryna make me cry,” I cooed.
“You better not.” Trina laughed. “Anyway, I made it back late last night so I need to unpack. I will see you at the salon.”
“Cool, talk to you then.” I ended the call just as I was pulling into Monica’s driveway. I took one last big gulp of my mocha cappuccino and jumped out of the car.
I walked to the front door and hit the doorbell. It opened so fast that I thought someone had to be standing behind it. It was Monica with what I knew to be a counterfeit smile plastered on her face. She spoke to me and turned quickly, heading deeper into the foyer area before I could respond. I turned and grabbed the doorknob and shut the huge-ass door.
“What’s up?” I asked as I followed her.
“Nothin’. I was about to lie down. I’m not feeling well.” The fact that she answered the door so quickly made me think that she was not being truthful. But I decided to wing it.
“Well, Ma thought you sounded kind of strange when she spoke with you earlier so she asked me to come over and check on you.”
I could not see her face because she still had her back to me. But her tone almost sounded annoyed.
Monica sighed. “I’m cool.”
Abruptly, she turned in my direction. My eyes went straight to the flushed looking area on the right side of her face. I looked at the left side of her face to compare the two before jumping to conclusions. My assumption was the right side of her face was either flushed or swollen.
“What the fuck happed to your face!”
Monica looked at me as though I was crazy and tried to play dumb. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with my face.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Monica—” Then it hit me. “Oh, my God! Did Rich hit you?”
“Hell, no.” She acted as if my question was absurd. “I had an allergic reaction to some shrimp the other night.” She chuckled and rubbed the swollen area. “I didn’t even know it still looked like that.”
For a minute I considered what she had just said. I remembered this time in high school when one of my classmates had an allergic reaction to some ketchup. She had swollen like a melon. But something told me that Monica was lying. In fact, I knew it. Her actions told me that Rich was guilty.
I started shaking my head at her for being so pathetic. “Why are you lying for him? Who the fuck do he think he is?” I was so upset my entire face was on fire.
Monica was still not ready to admit it to me. I was enraged and she was looking at me like I was overreacting. She sighed, throwing her hand up in a dramatic waving motion. “Mya, Rich did not hit me. He would not do that.”
I was sick of her protecting him. Before I knew it I was in her face. “You have Imani to think about, and you slippin’. You been missing school and shit. I told you that moving in with him was a bad idea. You hardly even know this nigga. Did you ever think about that? I mean did you really ever take the time to think?”
I rubbed both of my temples, which were throbbing from pure aggravation. I knew she had no answer for me because she still didn’t get it.
“Mya, stop actin’ like you my fuckin’ momma, okay!” she had the nerve to scream. “I got this. I love Rich and he loves Imani and me. Besides, I can finish school next year. Rich takes good care of us. I have to be there for him.”
“So now you wanna depend on a nigga. Hmmph, didn’t Ma teach you anything? She depended on Dad and we all saw what that got her.” I hated that statement as soon as it left my mouth, but I was upset.
“Now you talkin’ crazy and this shit is not the same.”
I was breathing hard. I had to calm down. I was saying too much too fast. I needed to think rationally. This was hard for me.
“Look, I know I can be harsh and judgmental, but Rich can’t be putting his hands on you . . . I won’t have it and I think you know me well enough to know that. Now you need to pack your things and get Imani’s things and let’s go.”
Monica looked at me and walked away. “I ain’t going nowhere, so you can forget it. I am fine and Imani is fine. And just like always, you are overreacting for nothin’.”
I guess she called being punched or slapped in the face nothin’.
“Nothin’,” I repeated. “Monica, he hit you, and of all places in your face.” I wanted to get through to her, but it was like hitting a brick wall.
Again she stopped walking just as we reached the kitchen entrance. She turned to me and yelled. “No, he did not, for the thousandth time!”
“Monica, I do not believe you,” I said calmly. I was done yelling and being dramatic. “But you know I will fuck Rich up. I will body-bag his ass and watch him be toe-tagged. So you need to do the smart thing and get out of this relationship.” She had been warned. I turned to leave, but suddenly I had something else to say. “And another thing: I don’t like how he answers your cell phone all the time claimin’ you busy. They call that shit being controlling.”
“Well, Rich is not like that.”
“Whatever, I gotta go.”
I had to get out of there before I choked my own sister. I was pissed. It was time I had a chat with Rich.
Chapter 32
I burned rubber out of Monica’s driveway and headed straight to Rich. I knew exactly where to find him: the Ripple Turn, his club. I went inside and spoke to some familiar faces. All the employees there knew me well. I had been going to this club way before Rich bought it.
Making my way to the back of the club, I barged into Rich’s office where I found him on the phone. The look on his face showed me that he was surprised to see me. He held up a finger, as if telling me to give him a second. But I refused to acknowledge it. He was going to talk to me now.
“Hang up the phone now!” I demanded.
He covered up the phone so that the person on the other end of the line would not hear me and said, “Just a minute. This is important.”
Clearly, he did not get the memo that I didn’t give a fuck. I walked over the wall jack, snatched the phone cord out of the wall, and tossed it in his direction. Rich’s mouth opened wide with surprise.
“I saw my sister today. And she ain’t your punching bag. Keep your fucking hands off her before you find yourself in the morgue.”
“Calm down, li’l momma. Can’t we talk about this? Because I don’t hit females, so you got the wrong information.”
He was too calm for my taste. His ass was guilty as charged and he knew it.
“Rich, be a man. Don’t lie. I don’t know exactly what happened, but please believe me, I will pop a cap in your ass and sleep well that night. Now fuck you and good-bye.”
I figured that I would stop by the salon because it had been more than a week since I had been there. The parking lot was packed! Business was good as always. Just as I pulled into my parking space, Hood’s name lit up on my phone. I prayed everything was cool.
“Hey, babe,” I answered.
“Aye, I need you to meet me at the lockdown spot. Remember where it’s at?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“A’ight, ASAP then.”
Before I could ask him any more questions he hung up. My heart dropped. Something was wrong. The lockdown was an abandoned warehouse outside of town. I had only been there twice with Hood to pick something up. Never had he called me and told me to drive out there. Driving as fast as traffic would allow, I headed out. Once I made it outside of town, cars were scarce, which I gladly invited.
As I approached the entrance door, Hood opened it. I recognized the same distress on his face that was there earlier that day after finding out about the missing money.
“What’s going on, babe?” I asked as soon as I was inside. The place smelled like roasted peanuts, but I ignored it.
“I found out who was responsible for the missing money . . .” He paused. “Lonzo.”
“Lonzo? Ain’t he like your new right-hand man?” I couldn’t hide my shock.
“Yep, that nigga been foul.”
Damn, that was messed up. But now I wondered why I was here.
“I called you here because of his accomplice.”
Hood opened the door to a room to the left and told me to go in first. I stopped in my tracks and my heart sped up. I looked at Hood briefly, then turned back and came face to face with Leslie. She was tied to what looked like several mop and broom handles that were somehow attached to the wall. I grabbed my chest and took one step forward, but stopped and I turned to Hood.
“What is going on here? Why is Leslie tied up?”
“Why don’t you ask your slick-ass friend?”
Before I could completely turn around to face Leslie, I heard her scream, “I don’t have to say shit to her!”
Hearing her say those words shocked me. But suddenly it all made sense. Nora had told me that Leslie was dating some guy named Alonzo. It clicked in my mind that it could be Lonzo.
“Wait, wait, so this is the dude you went to Chicago with? So you have been lying to me?”
I shook my head in disappointment. The whole time Leslie had the nerve to be giving me the side-eye.
“So what, bitch? Are you going to cry now? Bitch, cry over bloodshed.” Leslie popped off again.
I did not know who the hell this chick was. I had never seen Leslie behave this way. I turned to Hood; maybe he had some answers. But Hood was shaking his head as well. He was just as shocked as I was.
