The Sheisty Saga

by T. N. Baker

  “Keish, are you still at Momma D’s house?”

  “No, I’m at Epiphany’s.”

  “Well, can you please come outside? I’m on my way.” Tucker remembered his son’s behavior toward Leanne a couple of days ago.

  * * *

  As soon as Keisha stepped out the front door with her son, Tucker was pulling up in front of the house. Hopping out of the car, he ran straight to Li’l Man to see what Keisha was ranting about.

  “Tucker, she did this,” she said, pulling up the baby’s sleeve. “I know she did this. When I called you after I got out of jail, she was real loose with her mouth. She asked if I was calling to speak to ‘her man’ or my ‘fucking rugrat brat.’ That’s why I tried to come get him, but you pulled that custody stunt, and now look at his arm and his leg. I’m telling you, T, she wants to get rid of Li’l Man like she got rid of me. Just think, if Lea can drug me, pay a guy to have sex with me, tape it, and send it to you, there’s no telling what else she’s capable of.” Keisha was hysterical.

  Tucker listened without saying a word. Everything Keisha was saying made a lot of sense to him. It was ironic that Lea had come back into his life just as shit fell apart between him and Keisha.

  If she sabotaged my relationship, then Keisha’s right. What else . . .? Tucker couldn’t even finish his thought. He looked at the marks on his son again and his blood boiled.

  “Keisha, I’ll be back, a’ight.”

  “Tucker, have you been listening to anything I just said?”

  “Yeah, and I believe you.” Tucker got back in his 745 and sped off.

  * * *

  When Tucker reached home, Leanne was in the kitchen trying her best to cook, but the burning smell that lingered throughout the house told a different story.

  “Oh, hey, honey,” Lea said excitedly when she spotted Tucker standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

  Tucker gave her a fake smile. During his drive back to the house, his first thought was to fuck her up, but since Leanne liked to play games, he decided to play one on her.

  “Ummm, smells interesting,” he said.

  “I know, honey. I wanted to make you some breakfast, but it didn’t turn out so great. Maybe we should go and get some takeout again. I’m sorry,” Leanne said in a disappointing tone.

  “It’s all good. Listen, let me kick it with you for a minute.” Tucker took her by her hand and led her to the living room couch. “Leanne, I’ve been thinking about just letting Keisha go ahead and take full custody of Li’l Man. I know he’s a handful, and with you in school and everything, I just don’t feel it’s fair to you to have to take care of my son when he’s Keisha’s responsibility.” Tucker wanted to see where her head was at.

  Leanne’s face lit up without smiling. “Well, honey, you know Li’l Man is a handful, but I don’t mind looking after him. However, I think he does need to be with his mother. He misses Keisha. That’s why I think he doesn’t like me.”

  “Yeah, maybe you’re right, ’cause I know Li’l Man can make you wanna knock the shit out of him sometimes, right?” Tucker chuckled then got serious. “Right, Leanne?” he asked again, looking her dead in the eye.

  “No, I would never do that,” Lea answered nervously.

  “You wouldn’t? Are you sure about that?”

  “Of course I’m sure. What are you getting at?”

  “I’m getting at the fact that you’re not the only one that knows how to set up a hidden camcorder. That’s right. Don’t look sick in the face now. I saw you! I got you on tape hitting my son,” Tucker lied to get her to confess.

  “Tucker, wait. Hear me out. I can explain that. I didn’t even hit him hard. I was just teaching him some discipline.”

  “Just go upstairs, get your shit, and get the hell up out of my house. A’ight!” Tucker didn’t want to hear her bullshit.

  “Tucker, please, don’t!” Leanne cried.

  Tucker let out a hard sigh, jumped up, and yoked her up from the couch by her neck.

  “Don’t what? You violated when you put your hands on my son, and that shit you did to Keisha was foul. Either you gon’ get your shit and go, or leave it for the trash, but you better decide quick, and trust me when I tell you this is me being nice!”

  Leanne’s eyes watered from the tight grip Tucker called “being nice.” When he let her go, she was so shook that she left her all her belongings behind, grabbed her car keys, and got the fuck up out of there. She knew she could never be his number one.

  Chapter 102

  Epiphany thought about what had happened between her and Smitty the entire night. Allowing herself to be in his company again sickened her. She didn’t feel comfortable playing this little game anymore. All type of thoughts started to cross her mind, mainly that maybe she was the one being played.

  Smitty almost raped me a second time last night, and Ness tried to kill me. Shit, maybe they’re scheming to finish me off.

  Finally, thinking sensibly, Epiphany felt seeking revenge this way didn’t seem so sweet or safe for her anymore, and it certainly wasn’t worth losing her life over (for real this time).

  She eased Smitty’s arm from around her, got out of bed, and quietly put on her clothes. Before sneaking out, Epiphany gathered up all Smitty’s belongings, including his cell phone, and took them with her. Inside her car, she emptied out his pockets: $180 in crumpled twenties, a Cartier watch, platinum chain with a diamond-studded Jesus head medallion, a wallet with nine crisp $100 bills, and his license.

  Epiphany started up her car and pulled off. Reaching halfway home, she smiled to herself, thinking, Payback is a bitch.

  She stopped at a gas station and tossed the useless possessions—his clothes, sneakers, empty wallet, and phone—in a dumpster.

  Strolling in the house, Epiphany was so excited to see her godson and Keisha together. She picked him up and held him tightly, and he patted her softly on her back.

  “Ooh, it’s so good to see you, Li’l T. I can’t believe how big he got, Keisha.” Epiphany kissed his cheeks. This was the first time she had seen him since she’d been home from the hospital.

  “I know. They were feeding my baby well in ATL.” They laughed, and so did Li’l T. “E, I thank you for making me realize that my son is my life. So much has happened, and part of it was because of my stupidity. The other part, girl, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

  “What?” Epiphany asked.

  “We’ll talk later, but since you’re finally home for a change, why don’t you take us for a ride to get some breakfast?”

  “Damn, I would love to, Keish, but I have to start packing.”

  “Packing what? Where you going? You just got home.”

  “Packing my shit, girl. I’m moving to Jersey with Wild.”

  “The music producer?”

  “Mm-hmm, and by the way, where’s my parents?”

  “Damn, E. See, that goes to show that you ain’t never home, ’cause you don’t never know what’s going on. Tiara and Jay went on a three-day Gospel cruise.”

  “Gospel cruise! Pops must’ve finally gave in,” Epiphany said in shock.

  “Yeah, church is not so bad, you know.”

  “Oh God, not you too, Keish?”

  “Epiphany, don’t knock getting saved until you try it. Can I use your car while you pack?”

  Epiphany paused for a moment and wondered how her mom had managed to turn everybody holy.

  “Unbelievable,” she mumbled as she handed Keisha her car keys.

  “Thanks. We won’t be long.” Keisha took Li’l Man from Epiphany’s arms and headed out the door.

  Epiphany rushed to the basement and started packing. Far in back of one of her drawers, she found some photos of herself, Keisha, and Shana from the old days, when their clique was inseparable.

  Now Keisha’s a mommy, Shana’s married, and I’m finally getting out of Southside Jamaica. Deep down inside, she was going to miss her hood, but she vowed she’d never come back there to live.
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  The house phone rang. Epiphany thought about not answering it, but she assumed that it might be her parents calling, so she decided to pick up.

  “Wright residence.”

  “You have a call from ‘Ramel’ at a correctional facility. To decline the call, please hang up. If you accept, dial five now,” said the recording.

  Epiphany rolled her eyes and hung up. A few minutes later, it rang again, and she accepted the call.

  “Hello? What happened?” Ramel said, wondering why the phone cut off.

  “Nothing happened,” Epiphany said coldly.

  “Epiphany!”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, shit! What up, baby girl? I finally caught up with you. I been trying to holla at you for a while now, but you don’t never be home. How’s everything? You all right?” After Ramel had moved out of her parents’ house years back, he and Epiphany did their best to avoid each other.

  “I was until now!”

  “Yo, listen, Epiphany. I’m sorry for that foul shit I put you through. Damn, you don’t know how much that shit fucks with me every day, especially now that I got a little girl. I hate myself for that nasty shit. I know I violated you in the worst way, and you never told on me. As many times as you threatened to, you didn’t. . . . Hello? you there?” Ramel was uncertain she was there because she had been so silent.

  “I’m here.” Tears started to run down her face.

  “Oh, a’ight. Just making sure. But listen, that’s my time. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry. I love you, and please be careful out there on them streets. Oh, and between me and you, your pops and I searched hard looking for the nigga C-God. But don’t worry. He’ll surface one day, and word is out in all the jails, so if he get locked up, he’s finished—dead just like the rest of his brothers,” Ramel guaranteed her.

  “Ramel, can you keep your eyes and ears open for this kid named Ness? He was the one that shot me. Oh, and a cat named Smitty. He was down with it too.”

  “Ness. Oh, word, he was the trigger man! I’m hearing a lotta bad shit about that kid. He done already signed his death certificate when he killed that cat from Lefrak. He won’t be breathing too much longer, but the other cat, I got you. A’ight, baby girl, I gotta go. Please take care of yourself.”

  “I will, and thanks, Uncle.”

  Uncle Ramel smiled, because in his heart, he knew Epiphany’s last words meant that she forgave him. She had stopped calling him Uncle years ago.

  Chapter 103

  Shana’s heart sank when the fat cracker bastard denied her bail and adjourned her case for thirty days, suggesting that she utilize the time to adjust her attitude problem. She turned to her lawyer with a “do something” look, but Shana (coming up in the courtroom rolling her eyes and sucking her teeth before the judge) made it difficult to do anything.

  As she was being escorted back to the cell, Shana turned to K.C. He shook his head in disappointment.

  Damn, I knew her attitude was gon’ get her in trouble one day.

  * * *

  As soon as he walked in the apartment, K.C. heard the phone ringing.

  “Yo,” K.C. answered, rushing over to the phone.

  “Hey, K.C.,” Shana said.

  “Ain’t no ‘hey,’ Shana. What the fuck was all that attitude about today? Don’t you know fucking around with the judge like that, you only playing with your own freedom, dummy? You could have all the attitude you want with them fucking police, but you ain’t never s’pose to fuck around with no judge. But I guess now you found that shit out the hard way, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but they had it in for me from the door, ’cause these cops in here already told me how it was gon’ go down. That’s why I had an attitude,” Shana explained.

  “Regardless, you don’t fuck around with the nigga that holds your freedom card.”

  “Well, do you think he’ll let me out on bail my next court date?”

  “Yo, Sha, you disrespected a judge in his courtroom, so I don’t know. He might make you wait it out until your sentencing.”

  “Damn, I fucked up!”

  “Yeah, that you did.”

  “Well, I got to go now. I’ll let you know my visitors schedule as soon as I know it, a’ight. I love you!”

  “A’ight, Sha. I love ya ass too, and ay, keep your head up, baby girl. Shit’ll be okay!”

  Chapter 104

  Smitty jumped up out of his sound sleep when the hotel phone rang to inform him that it was checkout time.

  “Yo, ma, you wanna go get some breakfast?” Smitty thought Epiphany was in the bathroom, but when he didn’t get a response, he got up out of the bed to find that she was gone and so were his things.

  “Damn, that fucking bitch!” he yelled out, standing in just his boxers. He became even more vexed when he discovered that his cell phone was gone too. He needed to call K.C. so he could bring him some clothes, but he didn’t know the number by heart.

  He paced back and forth until he came up with an idea. He could call information and see if anyone named Shana Scott was listed. Luckily, she was, and the operator gave him two listings.

  Please, somebody be home. His heart pounded, impatiently awaiting an answer.

  “Hello?” K.C. answered.

  “Yo, man, thank God you’re home!”

  “Smitty?”

  “Yeah, man. Yo, I need you to bring me a pair of jeans and a shirt.” Smitty looked around the room to see if his sneakers were gone too. “Oh, and some kicks too, man.”

  “Yo, nigga, what happened? Where you at?” K.C. questioned.

  ‘’Man, I’m at the Holiday Inn next to Kennedy Airport. Yo, that fucking bitch done robbed me for my shit and bounced on a nigga while I was sleeping. Thank God I valet parked, ’cause the bitch probably would’ve took my car keys too.”

  “Who?” K.C. laughed.

  “Your fucking chick’s homegirl. That bitch Epiphany.” Smitty was real sour.

  “Yo, man, didn’t I tell your ass to leave that shit alone? Nigga, see, you don’t listen.” K.C. continued to laughed and rub it in.

  “Nigga, that shit ain’t funny, yo, and I bet Shana’s trifling ass knew what the fuck was up all along. Where she at? ’Cause I need that bitch Epiphany’s number again so I can get my shit back.”

  “Yo, nigga, Sha ain’t have shit to do with that. Besides, she got her own shit to deal with, man. Five-o came, took my baby, and locked her ass up. She gotta do thirty days before she could even go back to court for a bail.”

  “Word, that’s fucked up! But, man, you got her cell phone at the crib with you? ’Cause I need homegirl’s number now. I’m ready to kill that bitch, man. She played me good, for real!”

  “Yeah, I got it. Hold up.” K.C. searched Shana’s phone and recited both Epiphany’s house and cell numbers to Smitty.

  “Good looking out, nigga. I’m in room 234. Come see me!” Smitty hung up and immediately dialed Epiphany’s cell.

  * * *

  Epiphany had just finished packing when she looked at the time and realized it was almost noon, which meant Wild should be out front shortly to pick her up. The closer it got to noon, the more excited she became.

  Epiphany reached for her ringing cell phone in her purse and accidentally pulled out Smitty’s chain, which she thought would be a nice gift for Wild. She grabbed her phone and noticed the screen read BLOCKED. Normally she didn’t answer blocked calls, but she wasn’t going to take any chances on missing Wild, so she answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Yo, why you play me like that? That was some fucked-up shit you did. You know that, right?” Smitty said.

  “What? Nigga, get over it! What? You thought I wasn’t gon’ remember what you did to me? Well, the joke’s on you, muthafucka. It was a game, nigga. You can’t possibly be that dumb to think that I would fuck with you knowing that your boy is the nigga that shot me and killed my boyfriend—or maybe you are.

  “‘You act like your pussy is gold.’ Y
ou remember saying that to me the night C-God and Mike stomped your punk-ass out? Well, you know what? It must be, because your stupid ass went hard for it this time. Unfortunately, you’ve been punked, muthafucka!” Epiphany was filled with vindication as she slammed down the hood of her phone.

  Smitty was steaming mad. Epiphany might have thought this shit was over, but this time he was gonna see to it that she pushed up daisies.

  Nobody gonna play me like that and live to tell it. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for K.C. to bring him some clothes.

  Chapter 105

  Epiphany would have felt threatened if Smitty knew where she lived, but since he didn’t, fuck him. Right after she hung up on Smitty, Wild called to say he was only fifteen minutes away, so she should be ready. For sure, Epiphany was ready—ready to put Southside Jamaica, Queens, and all its drama behind her. She wrote three notes for the people she loved.

  Mommy,

  I’m happy to see that you found a home in the church. Try not to worry too much. I’ll be fine. I love you, and I promise I’ll stay in touch.

  Epee

  Daddy,

  You know you’re my number one. I love you more than anything. I only hope I haven’t disappointed you too much. I know you only want the best for me. Don’t worry. I only want the best for me too! Try not to let the born again version of Mommy drive you to drink. I’m just playing. I’m glad she got you into church. I’ll be in touch.

  Love always, Epee

  Hey Keish,

  I was hoping I’d get to see you before I left. I’m gonna miss you. You are my true friend, and just because we don’t have the same blood running through our veins don’t mean we ain’t real sisters. Take care of my godson, and if you and Tucker don’t get back together, don’t worry. It’s his loss. You gotta promise me you’ll come visit me soon. Tell Shana I said bye. I love you!