Okay, think Tatum…think. When…Who…Why…
Although still as perplexed as she had been when she left Dr. Patel’s office, Tatum immediately began looking through mantel drawers and cabinets at the house. Most of what she found was stuff from Ree’s trial, cards from the loss of her children, bills.
“What the hell am I even looking for?” She questioned out loud, stopping abruptly and placing her fingers to her temples in frustration. She refused to cry anymore, she felt like she’d cried enough for a lifetime. Now, she was ready to get mad, get answers, and put the bad behind her.
She picked up her cell to see if Ree had returned her call yet. For some reason she just felt like he would have the answers. Either that or he’d be able to get them. Seeing that he had yet to call back, Tatum bit her lip ready to call him once more. The chiming of the doorbell stopped her from completing the task. Tatum marched over to the front door in haste wondering who it could be. Crush was out with Ree and Ree had keys. Tatum peeked through the peephole and quickly brought her face back. She swallowed hard as she looked off to the side and thought for a second. Tatum ran her now sweaty hands over her bright multi-colored maxi dress and sighed, opening the door with a cool face.
“Hi Jayde.”
Jayde spun around with her mouth opened, having her back turned to the door at first. She was dressed in a black high waist mini skirt and white top, all spandex, and black and white platform Louboutins, definitely dressed to impress.
“Tatum? W-wow!” Jayde exclaimed with a chuckle of disbelief, clearly thrown off as she ended a call on her cell phone. This definitely threw her for a loop, she was sure Tatum was done with Ree after the Chris situation.
Wow, the dick must be that good, Jayde concluded.
“I wasn’t-I wasn’t expecting for you to…to be here,” Jayde admitted, for once telling the truth.
Tatum raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Really? Well I do live here, Jayde. But I wasn’t expecting you.”
Jayde smiled flaccidly and then pressed her lips together, evening her lipstick.
“Touché. Well, I was just coming to talk to Respect about some last minute business details. Is he around?”
Tatum stared at Jayde for a moment and then nodded coolly.
“Come in, Jayde. He’s not around but he should be shortly. You can wait.”
Jayde followed Tatum inside and studied her when she was sure Tatum wasn’t looking. The bitch was naturally beautiful, Jayde couldn’t change that. Even with the evident sadness in Tatum’s eyes they still sparkled. She thought of how Ree had pissed on her the night before and wondered if he would ever do such a thing to her. Nope, she figured. Not his precious Tatum.
“Did you want something to drink, Jayde? Maybe something to ea…” Tatum’s words trailed off as a lost look appeared on her face and her mouth hang opened. Jayde was perplexed but Tatum had just had a sudden epiphany.
“No, I’m not hungry or thirsty. But…Tatum, you okay? Did you need something? You don’t look too well.”
Tatum shook her head, snapping herself out of her trance and smiled lightly, fighting the tears that she knew she’d better not allow to present themselves.
“Uh…no. Nah, I’m good. I’m just…I don’t know…a little out of it. To tell you the truth, I just came from the doctor… I’m just thinking of something that she told me…” Tatum studied Jayde for a minute after she spoke the words and Jayde studied her right back.
“Oh…Well what did the doctor say?”
Tatum looked off for a minute and then strolled over to one of the vintage mantels, placing the papers and junk she had been rummaging through back. She no longer needed it.
“I’d… rather not talk about it…” Tatum continued to move slowly, restoring order to her cabinets as her mind wandered. Was it too farfetched? But weren’t any of the possibilities? None of it made sense. Tatum broke the growing silence with her next choice of words.
“You know Jayde… I never got the chance to thank you for all of the beautiful flowers you sent. You know…after we lost…the babies.” Tatum’s voice changed on the word ‘babies’ but she tried to conceal it. Jayde took a seat on the couch perpendicular to Tatum and crossed her legs confidently.
“Oh Tatum… no need to thank me, please. I was only trying to help. I could only imagine what you went through.”
Tatum licked her lips and nodded, still keeping her back turned. She felt a bolt of adrenaline go through her but she maintained a cool exterior. At that moment, she heard the buzzing of her cell phone but chose to ignore it. She would just see Ree when he got home. Tatum began twirling her ring out of habit and stared at the wall.
“And also…all of the help you’ve been, Jayde. I mean, even beyond business, you’ve been here for Ree…like a friend or something. Especially at times when I couldn’t be… I mean it just seems like for all of the terrible things that have been happening…you’ve been right there… Always right there. I may not have commented on it, but I definitely have noticed it.”
Tatum closed the small double doors to the cabinet and Jayde looked at her from the corner of her eye snidely. Was she?
“Well… of course, Tatum. I mean I hate that these things happened…but I am definitely glad that I was able to be here for you guys.” Jayde snapped open her clutch, and rested her fingers on the edge of her small .32 handgun wearing a smile on her face. “At the end of the day, we’re like a family, you know?”
Tatum chuckled lightly and nodded.
“Yeah…it def seems like it. Even down to sharing family recipes,” Tatum tittered. “You know Jayde, I was thinking of making some of that soup you cooked for me when I was pregnant.” Tatum spun around and looked at her seriously, her lips pressed tight together and her stare piercing through to the real Jayde. “What exactly did you put in it?”
Looking up at Tatum, Jayde locked eyes with her. No one blinked, no one moved, and Jayde had to give it to Tatum. She wasn’t as dumb as Sasha, just as Neli had warned. She had caught on before Jayde had the pleasure of presenting herself. A light laugh escaped Jayde’s lips as she revealed a sneer. It was definitely party time, so she merely shrugged.
“What was in it?” Jayde repeated before looking up at the ceiling, placing her index finger to her chin. “…Mmmm, I don’t know. I guess just a little of this…a little of that.”
Tatum let out a small chuckle of disbelief as her eyes glazed over in rage, turning up toward the ceiling. How could somebody be so evil? All because of what…wanting her man?
“So you poisoned me, Jayde?” Tatum finalized with a narrowed glare. “You killed my children?”
“Oh please, don’t blame your rotten womb on me, Tatum. I only saved you a lifetime of pain and hurt. Respect was not going to paint the perfect family picture with you so get that out of your head…you would have been left with not one, but two snotty nose kids back to the projects of Newark faster than you can say Brick City, baby. The man was always…supposed…to be with…me. He was created for me.”
Tatum gave a half smile and nodded slowly. Her cell phone began to buzz again and she knew Ree had to be worried, but she only began to back into the large wall decorated by books in the opposite direction of her phone. She kept her focus on Jayde…and Jayde’s purse.
“You have a lot to say, Jayde. You such a bad bitch, right? Why didn’t you tell me from the jump you wanted him? Then the baddest bitch could’ve just won. Instead of playing like a phony ass punk, and pretending to be a friend?”
Jayde stood up, not blinking once and studying Tatum’s face for any kind of fear. There was none.
“I enjoyed watching every minute of it, Tatum. You were like a pawn…a character…you were something to play with, someone who was supposed to be so strong and I weakened you, and now I’m getting bored and you know what… Why am I even talking to you-”
Jayde quickly pulled out the .32 just as Tatum brashly reached and grabbed for one of the books.
“Ah, ah, ah baby girl,” Jayde sang with a grin, staring Tatum right in the eyes as Tatum held the book in her hand, frozen. “Drop the book…drop it! I know where every gun is in this house. I’ll have a bullet in you before you can even get it out.”
Tatum gritted her teeth and glared at Jayde venomously, but she didn’t show any fear, because she had none. Jayde had taken so much from her, she didn’t care anymore. But she wasn’t going out alone.
Tatum breathed deep and nodded against her will. She held both hands out, still holding onto the book.
“Put it down, now!” Jayde snapped, looking like the devil herself.
Tatum reluctantly began to lower down to the ground, bringing the book lower and lower. She knew Jayde was going to kill her, she knew these were the last moments of her life, but she needed to buy time.
“Okay…okay…I’m putting it down. You win…okay Jayde? I’m putting…it…down…” Tatum squatted and began to gently release the book, moving slow and steady.
Jayde smiled wickedly.
“Oh, I didn’t win…not yet. But I will.”
Jayde threw off the safety and in that instant, Tatum’s face turned from trepid to sinister. Tatum flung the book up at Jayde hard, praying it would cause enough distraction as she dashed behind the sofa in the same instant, dodging the shot that Jayde wildly fired.
“Bitch!” Jayde cursed, as the book landed in her face, throwing her off. She quickly regained her balance and aim but was again stunned by Tatum pouncing fearlessly on her, leaping from behind the couch like a cat. Tatum tackled Jayde like a linebacker, knocking Jayde’s frame to the ground easily due to the five and a half inch stilettos Jayde couldn’t balance on. This also sent the small gun flying smooth across the freshly waxed wooden floor, way out of reach for either of the girls.
“Argh, you grimey bitch!” Tatum screamed, grabbing a fist full of Jayde’s hair and delivering a vicious blow to her jaw. Jayde in return grabbed Tatum by the neck and jaggedly dug her nails into her throat. Forget squaring up, this was straight survival of the fittest.
“Get…off…me…,” Tatum struggled to say as she brought her fist again to Jayde’s face, connecting with her lips and splitting the bottom one in two. Blood instantly filled Jayde’s mouth. Licking it playfully, Jayde giggled lightly and threw all of her weight onto Tatum, struggling but managing to roll on top of her and continue to choke Tatum with all of her might. She wanted this bitch to die! Tatum swung like a maniac, looking into the eyes of a soulless shell feeling like she just may be taking her last breath.
Nah, I ain’t going out like this… I ain’t….
She brought her hands to Jayde’s bloody face and held the sides of her temples, digging her thumbs into Jayde’s eye sockets roughly. Tatum’s long nails scratched Jayde’s cornea, causing blood to now trickle into her vision.
“Argghhhh!!!” Jayde screamed, releasing her grip to pry Tatum’s hands off and losing the upperhand. In that instant Tatum used all of her might to push Jayde off of her and regain control, getting up and kicking Jayde hard in the crotch.
“Oh,” Jayde cried out, clutching her pussy in agony. Tatum used the opportunity to boldly head in the direction of the gun. Running at top speed, she reached it and leaned down to grasp it, but was brought back by Jayde gripping her long tresses and pulling her head backward. Tatum was contorted at an angle to where all she could do was swing wildly.
Laughing madly as her blood spilled from her face down onto her dress, Jayde wore the look of a deranged monster.
“Give it up, Tatum,” she urged maliciously. “I’ve got twenty years Tae Kwon Do experience. I can kill you with two fingers!” She took her two fingers and dug them roughly into the pulse points of Tatum’s throat as she continued to hold Tatum backward, and Tatum continued to pull and swing at her. “Two fingers,” she taunted. “That’s all it took to kill your little boy. Two fingers up to his little nose and mouth… Say Jayde, Tatum.”
“Ahhh!” Tatum’s rage allowed her to pull with all of her might just an inch ahead of her and snatch up the crystal vase that sat on one of the end tables, barely holding it with the tips of her fingers and feeling like her hair had been ripped from the root. But it didn’t matter, her pain was void. This bitch had killed her baby.
She brought the vase up over her and crashed it into Jayde’s head behind her with fury.
“You gonna die today, bitch!” Tatum bent down, picked up a piece of shattered glass while Jayde remained dazed, then she spun around slicing the side of Jayde’s face open. “I’m from Newark, hoe! Fuck your Tae Kwon Do!” Tatum brought the glass to her again as Jayde held up her hand and sliced her palm clean open.
“Arghhh!” Jayde hollered in agony.
“Give it up, Jayde!”
Dropping instantly in a split decision, Jayde clipped Tatum with her foot and sent Tatum collapsing clumsily to the floor. She reached long, her height working for her and grabbed the .32, standing up wobbly over Tatum even though it seemed like there were two of her. The blow from the vase had her dizzy. Jayde smiled a deadly one, aimed, and heard the click…
“Drop it.”
“Ah,” a sigh of relief escaped Tatum’s lips as she looked up.
“Drop it or I’ll be more than happy to put a hole through your big ass head, you dirty bitch.”
Jayde snickered, even though she sensed defeat. She would never show it though, it wasn’t in her nature.
“Aww, isn’t…isn’t this sweet.” She turned around and faced the brave soul who dare held a gun to her head. “She fucked your man and you still come to save her. Aw, well people let me tell you ‘bout my best friend!” Jayde sang sarcastically. “So how are you, sister girl?”
Sasha bit her bottom lip and stared into the eyes of Jayde. She had already cocked the 9 millimeter, that had been the first noise. The second one would be the bullet being sent to her dome. She just wanted to make sure Jayde didn’t take Tatum with her.
“Drop your fucking gun, Jayde!” Sasha demanded.
Tatum lay still on the floor, looking back and forth between Sasha and then to Jayde, who still had the gun aimed at her but her body turned toward Sasha.
Jayde stared at Sasha for a long moment and a deadly silence filled the air. Everyone knew this could go any way. It could be Reservoir Dogs by the time this thing was over.
And then out of nowhere, Jayde busted out in laughter, like the scene was beyond comical.
“Wait…wait…hold up, hold up…I think I need my camera,” she hooted while still waving the gun in Tatum’s direction. “I can’t take it…! Okay, wait, you’re gonna kill me? Sasha, have you even held a gun before? Or let alone shot one? Hell no!” Jayde continued to crack up. “You’re gonna reflex, your arm’s gonna go up flying and you’re probably gonna end up shooting the chandelier,” she joked. Tatum inched her body up and Jayde dropped all laughter and pointed straight at her with the weapon.
“Keep it still, brown sugar, I ain’t even done with you yet.” Jayde turned back to Sasha.
“Sasha, you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s a gun not a nail file, princess.”
Sasha smiled and brought the nine right to Jayde’s forehead.
“You betting a thousand on being wrong, sister.”
She thought of how she had shot Mike, and no one knew about that except her and Chauncey. Tatum and Jayde both wondered what that meant but were in no position to ask it now.
“Drop the gun Jayde, now… or we’ll just have to see whose bullets fly the quickest.”
Jayde’s face dropped instantly. She saw that Sasha was serious. Eyeing her with sincerity, Jayde’s eyes began to plead.
“Sasha…really? You knew me way before you knew this bitch. She fucked your man. Lied to you! …We’re family. You would kill me over her? We’re blood! Blood is thicker than water, Sasha!”
Tatum swallowed hard, hoping Sasha didn’t listen to her but already knowing in her heart she wouldn’t. Sasha shot her eyes to Tatum and then back
to Jayde. She placed her finger on the trigger and shook her head.
“No…it’s not…”
Sasha closed her eyes, ready to kill again, finger applying pressure on the trigger and praying that Jayde didn’t pull hers first. The front door flew open, stalling her and creating a chaotic scene.
“Freeze! Drop the weapons! Everyone, drop the damn weapons!”
“Drop ‘em now!” About ten men in blue uniforms swarmed the inside of the mansion with their weapons drawn. “Drop ‘em or we shoot!”
Sasha immediately lowered her gun and one of the men aimed at Jayde.
TTW 3 ( Thicker Than Water 3 ) Page 34
