The Sheisty Saga

by T. N. Baker

  As I was driving, I noticed this hooptie speeding up alongside me. At first I wasn’t sure who it was, but as Smitty was passing, he pointed his finger at me as if it were a gun and he was busting off shots. My heart pounded in fear, because there was no telling what that crazy muthafucka would do.

  Chapter 30

  C-GOD

  “Yo, what up, Mike?”

  “Yo, C, that shit was a piece of fucking cake last night. We got them niggas shook, son. Took all their shit, yo. Where you at, man? ’Cause I know you don’t want the details over the phone,” Mike said, thinking like a lieutenant was supposed to.

  “Naw, you right. I’m out here in front of this bitch E crib. Yo, I ain’t heard from her in a minute. Shorty done changed numbers on me and all that, son. I don’t know what’s up with her. I’m ’bout to file a missing persons report out on her ass or something,” I said, a li’l stressed.

  “Yo, fuck that high-price ho, man. It’s something about her I ain’t feeling anyway,” Mike said, girl-hating as usual.

  “Nah, yo, watch your mouth, dawg. Chill with that. She a’ight. Anyway, yo, meet me on the block in twenty,” I said, getting a li’l pissed over Mike’s comment about Epiphany.

  I got off the phone, happy to hear that niggas made out all right running up in one of Tucker’s spots. I already knew that Tucker was soft from their last run-in. That nigga was about to be put out of business, I thought as I drove off to go get the details.

  Chapter 31

  KEISHA

  My wedding was a week away, and there had been nothing but chaos in my household. Tucker and I hadn’t said too much to one another. It had been a week, and he still wanted to be mad. On top of that, one of his spots got robbed for over ninety G’s and a couple of keys. I didn’t think anyone was hurt, but I heard the words “murder that nigga.”

  At first I wasn’t sure who he and Malikai were talking about when I overheard them talking in the basement. I put two and two together and came up with C-God when I heard Tucker say, “We fucked up by letting that nigga slide when he was mouthing off with that bullshit ’bout putting me out of business before. He was testing me. We should’ve took care of that nigga then, ’cause now he’s a problem that has to be handled.”

  With all that said, he and Mali bounced out of town early that morning, for what or how long I didn’t know. All I did know was some serious shit was about to go down, and I didn’t know what that could mean for our future. It seemed like the closer he got to the exit in this game, the further the exit became.

  Now, here was some more shit, more drama in our lives. I mean, I wanted my shit to blow over peacefully, no more arguing between us, but now he was caught up in some danger that had his focus, and it didn’t look good. The shit that was going on with him now sure took away from my shit. We hadn’t talked about it, let alone had sex, and now that the hickey was gone, where was my man? Out of town a week before our wedding. Next time I would have to be careful with what I asked for, because the man upstairs damn sure took Tucker’s focus off me. Only God knew what kind of drama He replaced it with.

  Leaving the house, I noticed a package wrapped in gold paper in front of my door. It didn’t have a return address on it, and the mailman had left already. Someone must have hand-delivered it.

  Attached was a card with no name that read: I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Best wishes. I wasn’t sure if I should open it, especially with all that was going on. It might have been a bomb or something.

  I examined it closely. First I listened to see if it was ticking. I shook it and threw it in the street, but nothing happened. Not too many people knew where we lived, so it had to be a wedding gift from one of the neighbors.They were very hospitable around there.

  I took the package inside and opened it. It wasn’t a bomb, of course. It was a videotape with no writing on it. I popped it in the player, but nothing happened. I hoped the machine still worked because we hadn’t used the VCR since DVDs came out.

  I looked in the back of the big screen and discovered the wires weren’t hooked up.

  Damn, look at the time. I was running late. I was supposed to be at the airport to pick up my sisters at 1:00 p.m. and it was already ten minutes to. I couldn’t fool with this now. I grabbed my sleeping son from the couch and headed out the door to the airport.

  * * *

  Their flight had already landed by the time I parked the car and finally made it inside. I wasn’t sure I would remember what they looked like, since they were no longer nine and twelve but fifteen and eighteen, teenagers now.

  I spotted them at the baggage claim talking to some lady they’d probably befriended on the plane. They were so pretty and still had those same faces. I decided to slightly roll my son’s stroller toward them first, since he was the surprise I had for them. I then walked up right behind him, just as they were smiling at him and talking about how cute he was in their Southern accents.

  “Surprise!” I yelled out, and they both jumped on me and formed a group hug. Then my sister Kelly asked whose li’l boy that was. I laughed, of course, because I wasn’t used to the country accent, and said, “He belongs to me. This is your nephew, li’l T.” Not only were they surprised, but I was too when the lady they were talking to turned around.

  “That’s my grandson?” she asked.

  I had to take a deep breath for this one. So many emotions flashed through me the moment she turned around and I realized it was my mother, or should I say the lady that birthed me. I didn’t know if I should hug her or slug her. To be honest, I felt like slugging her for being absent from my life for so many years, but at the same time, part of me was happy to see her. So, I went with the hug.

  We all agreed on getting a bite to eat, which was a good idea because it would give us all a chance to catch up on what had been going on in each other’s lives.

  I learned that Loretta (my mother) lived in Atlanta now, working as a home health aide, and had been sober for 186 days. I watched her as she bonded with my son. Just like most men with food, French fries was the way to his heart.

  My sister Kelly attended Clark University on a full scholarship, and my younger sister hated school, was hanging out late, and just doing all the wrong things.

  If you’ve been listening to me up until now, you should know how good I felt then, because family was so important to me. Although I still had issues that needed to be worked out between my mom and me, I was glad she was trying. It was better late then never, and no matter what she did, I could never change the fact that I was here because of her, and she would always be my mother.

  Chapter 32

  TUCKER

  “Yo, Mali, take Corn and Peewee to that motel off Rockaway Boulevard. I gotta go take care of some things right quick. Oh, and Mali, I want you to give Epiphany a call. See how she doing. Keish said she don’t fuck with that nigga no more, but get back on her good side. See what she knows. She might be just the person to lead us right to that C-God.”

  Peewee and Corn was from the Dirty South, the thoroughest niggas you’d ever want to meet. Those niggas would rob, beat, or kill you in broad daylight. They wasn’t never scared; especially when it came to doing dirt for me and Malikai. Those li’l fellas believed in loyalty to the extreme.

  I had met them about three years ago. They lived in the first apartment complex I moved to down South when I started slanging dope down there. They used to sweat us because we was from New York and locking shit down. That shit was funny, because those li’l country niggas thought ’cause we was from N.Y. we had to know all the rappers out. I would send them to the store for me—and if you know anything about certain parts of the South, where it’s mostly roads, you know the stores are usually far as hell—but they never complained.

  Anyway, there was this kid from the other side of town. I think his name might have been Otis or something like that. He was a li’l older, and he had my li’l men scared shitless. One day, he was fucking with ’em to the point where, I kid y
ou not, those li’l niggas wanted to cry. Me and my man Mali peeped it. We let him have his fun and get his li’l laughs off and whatnot. Then we grabbed him up, made his li’l ass strip butt-ass naked and stand still while them li’l niggas Corn and Pee beat the shit outta him. Ever since then, them li’l dudes had been straight gangsta.

  That was why I had to drive all the way the fuck to North Carolina to scoop them up. They were both on parole and wasn’t s’posed to leave town, so I ain’t wanted them trying to catch no planes or shit like that. I didn’t even think they owned IDs anyway, but I did know they’d get shit done.

  We scouted all over town, from the blocks he would be at to the fucking clubs. That nigga C-God and his whole crew was M.I.A. He must have knew we was coming for him.

  Chapter 33

  SHANA

  “In regards to Kalub Cright, due to a tremendous amount of foul play in this case, the court finds him not guilty of the charges brought against him on January 9, 2004. However, after completing a total of fourteen days for a parole violations, he will be released. All drug charges will be dropped. Court is adjourned.”

  Now, that’s what’s up! I thought as I jumped up and ran over to give him a hug before those rude-ass court officers pulled him away. That shit wasn’t cool, but it was all good because, “My man is coming home,” I sang in a little tune to them as if to say, “In your face.”

  His visiting hours started at three o’clock. I had just enough time to get me something to eat and then head over to Riker’s Island to congratulate him on his get-out-of-jail-free card.

  I was happy that he was coming home, although deep down inside I was worried about him flipping on me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew a nigga in jail would tell you anything if he thought it would benefit him in some kind of way. I also knew K.C. loved me, but that wouldn’t stop him from kicking my ass and fucking around with other bitches when he was in the streets. I felt fucked up for feeling that way, but I liked having control while he was behind bars; there wasn’t much he could do, and I knew where he was at.

  From the moment he sat down to the moment the visit was over, all we discussed was the plan—his plan to set up C-God. He had it all mapped out. He even made arrangements for me to meet up with that kid Smitty the next afternoon.

  I agreed to meet with his homeboy. I told him I’d give up the location of C’s hideout spot where he stashed his shit, but I wasn’t participating in shit, and I wasn’t feeling his plan.

  K.C. looked at me like I had better be glad we were where we were, or else he would’ve slapped the shit out of me. But I wasn’t going for that bullshit no more, and I told him that.

  Then, of course, he hit me with some guilt shit. “Why you gotta act like that?” He frowned.

  “Like what?”

  “Like you ain’t happy a nigga coming home or something. What’s up? You don’t love me anymore?”

  “Yeah, I do, and I am happy,” I said.

  “So, knock it off and let’s just do the damn thing, Sha. I told you I ain’t gon’ never do nothing to hurt you. You’ve been holding a nigga down for real, and I ain’t gon’ do you dirty. Believe that. Meet with dude tomorrow, handle your business, and let’s get this nigga’s paper, a’ight.”

  “Cright, your time’s up,” yelled the correction officer.

  Before I could respond, K.C. got up and threw his tongue down my throat then slapped me on my ass.

  “Daddy’ll be home soon. I love you, ma,” he said as the C.O. escorted him down the hall and through the steel door.

  Chapter 34

  EPIPHANY

  A nauseating feeling, sharp pains in my stomach, and vomiting had me up all morning. At first I thought it might have been from that nasty-ass Chinese food I had the night before, but laying there feeling the way I was feeling made me think back to the last time me and C had sex and lots of it. I knew sooner or later one of his balls was gonna make the basket. On top of that, I wasn’t no stranger to the feeling. I’d been down this road too many times, but this time seemed like the worst. Instead of lying there hoping it wasn’t so, I decided to get up and go buy a pregnancy test. The sooner I confirmed it the faster I could get rid of it.

  On my way out the door, you’ll never guess who called me. Malikai. Ain’t that funny? My first question was a dumb one. I asked him how did he get my number, and before he could answer, I already knew it was Keisha. He started kicking the game about how much he missed me, and that he not only wanted me back, but needed me back in his life.

  His timing couldn’t have been worse. I had enough drama in my life, so I shut him down by telling him I wasn’t interested. Although I did miss him a little bit, I wasn’t about to make his comeback an easy one. If his ass was serious, he’d call again.

  Ever since I saw C parked in front of my apartment, I’d been parking my car on the next block over. The walking distance was a pain in my ass, especially since I picked up this laziness. I was in and out of CVS in about five seconds flat. I then stopped at the bodega on the next corner, because I had a taste for a turkey and cheese hero with a lot of mayo. The way I was creeping, you would have thought someone had a hit out on my life or something, but I just didn’t want C-God rolling up on me.

  On my way back to the crib, it started to drizzle a little bit, so I decided to park in front of my apartment. It was bad enough I didn’t feel like walking anyway, and I damn sure wasn’t about to walk in no rain for nobody.

  First thing I did when I got inside was lock the door. Second, I ran to the bathroom, squatted over the toilet, and peed in the plastic cup that came with the First Response pregnancy test. In exactly one minute, it was confirmed. I was pregnant and once again smacked in the face with the unexpected.

  Chapter 35

  KEISHA

  I was out all afternoon running errands, something I usually didn’t get to do alone. Most of time I was lugging the baby around with me.

  My family had been a big help. It felt good to have them around. The past couples of days had been a blessing, because it gave me a chance to have a heart to heart with my mom and finally hear and understand her side of the story. She explained to me what her weakness was, which at the time was my father, a man that had full control of her—until he left her. She told me she felt like giving up, and alcohol became her savior. No other man could walk in the shoes my father walked in—not the fathers of my sisters, no one except a bottle of booze.

  She stayed drunk all the time, hanging out ’til the wee hours of the morning, and sometimes she ain’t even come home. I never knew which one of her two alcoholic boyfriends fathered my sisters, and neither did she. They used to all get drunk together and try to figure out who looked like who.

  That shit was sad, but I now understood that she had a sickness and all that mattered was that she was fighting it. I also felt her pain as far as my father was concerned, because I know I would definitely lose myself if Tucker ever left me or something tragic happened.

  Speaking of Tucker, he was back in town but not staying at the house. He decided it would be best if he stayed away because there was too much heat around. I was not a happy camper, but he felt it was for our safety, so I decided not to argue with that. All I knew was he had five days, three hours, and twenty-two minutes to turn down the heat before our wedding.

  Back at the house, I called ahead to have the girls meet me outside to help with the groceries. As much as they liked to get their eat on, I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. When I walked in the house, my mother pulled me to the side.

  “I think you should take a look at this in private. The girls hooked up the VCR to play a tape for the baby and this came on. I don’t think they saw that much because I was only in the kitchen for a minute, but I made them turn it off and give it to me as soon as I seen it. After you watch it, if you feel you want to talk about it, I’m right here. You hear me? If not, that’s okay, but either way, I suggest you get rid of that tape.”

  I didn’t understand the seriousness comi
ng from my mother. What could be on this tape that was so vital? There was only one way to find out. I unplugged the VCR in the living room and carried it up to my bedroom. My heart pounded and my hands shook as I connected the wires to the back of the television. I inserted the tape, pressed play, and there I was having the best sex I ever had in my life . . . with the stripper. I jumped up and stopped the tape in disbelief.

  What the fuck? This can’t be?

  All kinds of thoughts were going through my head. I ejected the tape and put it in the small lock box I kept in my panties drawer. I started to tremble all over as I paced back and forth, racking my brain, trying to figure out who could hate me that much to do something like this and drop it off on my doorstep in hopes that . . . what? Tucker and I would watch this shit together?

  The funny thing was, I couldn’t think of any one of the girls there that night that would want to destroy my happiness. Even though Lea kept on insisting we have some dick in our face for entertainment, what would she have to gain? She only dated Spanish guys and had a man, so I didn’t think she’d do this. Epiphany and Shana, they wouldn’t, so that was not even a question. The stripper guy didn’t even know where I lived at. Simone and I were cool, and doing something like that wasn’t even her style. Now, Tawanna and Dana, those two were suspect, ’cause I didn’t know too much about them, nor had I known them long.

  No matter how many excuses I tried to come up with for my so-called friends, what it all boiled down to was somebody there in that room that night wanted to break up my happy home, and I was gonna find out who.