The Grind Don't Stop

by L. E. Newell

  Al eyed him over the rim of his glasses for a moment before he smiled wickedly. “Yeah, I know.” He fanned the bills against his ear. Satisfied that dude wouldn’t dare play any short money games with him, he nodded toward the bags of cocaine that were wrapped in red plastic Ziploc bags on the pool table. “You wanna try it out or what?”

  ‘B’ squinted, pinched and wiggled his nose before he picked up the bags and placed them inside an Adidas tan leather riding bag. “Naw, dog, we good. Besides, I’m over here all the time at your rigged-up poker game. If there’s something wrong, I’m sure you’ll make it right.”

  Al folded his big arms across his large chest. “I’d prefer you do it now, dog. It’s a new batch of shit and I want to make sure that you are satisfied.”

  ‘B’ tensed a little because he wasn’t used to going through this routine. But to please Al and now himself as well, he scooped a pinch out of the bag, then dabbed it on his tongue before he snorted the remainder of the residue. He licked his lip. “Uh-huh, it’s straight as usual, my nig.”

  Al nodded grimly and turned toward the mini-fridge. He removed a couple of Colt 45 cans, handed him one and took a long gulp himself. He eyed him intently for a few seconds and took another long gulp, then aaahed. “Say, man, a little bird told me that y’all having some problems at some of y’all spots. What’s up with that there, dog? Do I need to be concerned about y’all or what?”

  ‘B’ cocked an eyebrow, twisted his neck and enjoyed the tingling sensation he received from the small crackling snaps. “Yeah, man, Rainbow was telling me about that last night. He thinks that your boy Black Don had something to do with it.”

  Al showed no reaction. Damn, this nigga ain’t got any idea I be dealing heavily with Don. Fuck him, might as well let sleeping dogs lie. There’s no telling what I might have to do to this nigga or his boys, He took a short sip of his brew and rubbed the back of his neck. “Aw, man, that’s kinda rough on you, ain’t it? You know, with some of y’all hoes dancing off in his joint over there on Lee Street and all.”

  He considered drawing some of the attention off of Don but what the fuck; folk had to deal with their own problems. If those problems started to involve him, then he’d react accordingly. On the other hand, he didn’t need any interference with his cocaine pipeline, which Don was a major part of. Especially now that the other deal was so close to being a reality.

  ‘B’ could sense that something was on his mind. He sighed heavily. “Yeah, uh-huh, it’s rough, but why you say it like that?” His forehead was deeply wrinkled with curiosity.

  Al ignored his expression and went to sit on one of the colorful bean bags scattered around the room and spread his legs wide apart. Once he got comfortable, he gave ‘B’ a “damn-you-actually- don’t know look.”

  ‘B’ hunched his shoulders. “Whatcha on it like that for, man? You got something to say, say it. Come on, dog, spit that shit out.”

  Al started rocking in the seat, crossed his arms and legs before he took a deep breath. “Man, ain’t no need to be playing with ya, so I’m gonna give it to ya straight. You really mean to tell me that you didn’t know that your little cousin Joker was hustling for that nigga Don?” There, I let that shit out; now his ass has got to deal with it.

  He felt he’d said too much immediately and decided to leave him wondering. He didn’t like getting in the middle of family but he’d already let the cat out the bag. So fuck it; let him deal with it whichever way he preferred. As he was about to step out of the room he glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, dog, let yourself.”

  ‘B’ met him at the door, blocking his exit and ran a hand over his throat. “I uh, uh, didn’t know nothing about that there, dog. Are you sure about that, playa?”

  Al got pissed and growled. “Hell yeah, I’m sure, bro. Whatcha think, I’m some kinda joke or something? Joker’s the one that scores; ah fuck, my bad. Whewwww, Joker’s the one that goes to Miami and escorts the bitches back with the blow.”

  ‘B’ leaned back against the door eyeing him suspiciously. He wondered why Al was revealing something like this to him. The thought of the cross or the double cross, or hell even the triple, crossed his mind. He noticed a sparkle in Al’s eyes. It dawned on him that this devious, calculating, extra suave bastard was playing all the angles to his advantage. Regardless of how things turned out, this muthafucka would still win. That all-knowing gleam in his eyes told ‘B’ all he needed to know.

  After a brief stare down, he patted Al on the shoulder. “You know what, partner; when it comes down to it, it’s not really good to underestimate no one.”

  Al smiled. “Uh-huh, I know, but I don’t think you’ll let any nigga lead you astray. I know I ain’t.” He leaned back and wiped his mouth before continuing. “See you in the aftermath.” ‘B’ walked back across the room in his pigeon-toed style and opened the door to the garage. He turned around with a crooked smile. “Yeah, in the aftermath, playa.” He closed the door, walked to his ride and jumped behind the wheel of his New Yorker. He pulled out of the driveway and headed downtown.

  Beverly was feeling a little guilty when she turned onto the street the led to her nana’s house. She couldn’t shake the thoughts of hooking up with Sparkle out of her mind. She had to admit that she was more than just a little scared of that confrontation. Would he be the sweet gentle guy she’d know most of her life or would doing all that time have caused a bitterness in his heart that even she couldn’t penetrate? Would she be able to convince him to give up the hustling life? Further still, would she be able to protect him and his boys forever? Sooner or later some pumped adversary was bound to dig into her past and reveal things she couldn’t afford to let out. Skeletons in her closet, oh my.

  She passed Mrs. Dobbs’ yellow house and felt bad for not dropping by to visit the only woman other than her beloved nana that guided her along the right path during puberty. In the back of her mind she also wasn’t ready for the possibility that Rainbow would be there. It would only add to the frustrating lust she felt for Sparkle.

  She parked in front of the red brick house and got out of the car. She looked up and down the street reminiscing about all the good times she’d had chasing behind her three amigos, knowing that whenever she was around them, a new adventure was about to unfold. They were always into something or the other. Those niggas were crazy as all out but a good time was guaranteed nearly every time she hung out with them.

  She started up the steps and froze when her eyes met those of her nana standing at the screen door. Her heart fluttered as it always had at the Lena Horne look-alike, when Christine Johnson flashed those pearlie whites on her. The eighty-two-year-old woman still had her original teeth and nary a wrinkle nor age spot on her still beautiful face. She was wringing her hands with a dishrag.

  “CJ,” as all the few friends still alive called her, pushed the door open and held her arms out wide to embrace her one and only grandchild. It was an embrace with a warmth that only two women who’d seen it all could feel.

  “CJ,” teary-eyed, held Bevy at arm’s length. “Child, why are you so troubled? I can feel your anguish in my heart.”

  Beverly blinked and narrowed her eyes, amazed at how this woman could always sense what she was feeling without a word being passed between them. She took a deep breath, looked into those teary eyes, eyes that were identical to her own. “Mama, my boys are in trouble again and my hands are tied. I can’t help them.”

  “CJ” grabbed her granddaughter’s wrist and led her to the flowery print sofa. She grasped her shoulders to ease her down as they sat beside each other.

  With a honey-coated voice that transcended all the years of Beverly’s life, she said, “Girl, we both know that I ain’t got that many years left on this earth. In all of my wildest dreams, all I want to see is for you to be happy above everything else. And you know something?”

  Beverly blinked. “What?”

  “Girl, I can see in your eyes that that boy Larry done come back into your life
, ain’t he?”

  Beverly blinked again. How could she possibly know that?

  “Let me finish, girl, before you go to looking all crazy and stuff. You my baby; I always know when something’s bothering you. Wrong with ya, whatever. Shocking, huh! Shouldn’t be. I’ve been feeling your woes since you was a little bitty thing, girl.”

  All Beverly could do was shake her head and sigh. She had to say something. “You know what, nana? I’ve neva been able to figure out how you do this but you hit it straight on the head. Larry, we all call him Sparkle now, has just gotten out of prison.”

  “Uh-huh,” she moaned. “And?”

  Beverly sat back and wiped her brow. “And I don’t know what to do about it.”

  “Girl, that police chief thang got you all confused, ain’t it?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “CJ” looked at her under-eyed and sniffled. She started rubbing the back of her ear and cranked her neck from side to side, smiling when the crackling sensation eased some of the tension. “Let me tell ya something. Hmm, let me see how I should put this. Oh yeah, I ain’t about to tell you not to serve and protect the folk in Atlanta. Heck, this my home, too. But I am gonna tell you not to turn against the people that luv ya, that has always luvved ya. And I ain’t neva told you this here before, but those boys are the reason you wearing that badge you so proud of. Ain’t a doubt in my mind that either one of them would gladly give up their life for you, sweetie.” Her eyes were sparkling.

  Beverly leaned back and rolled her neck along the back of the couch. She knew her nana was right. Her boys would always be there for her. The question was, would she always be there for them? Deep in her heart she knew that she would under just about any circumstance. But would her dedication to her job prevent her from doing so if her back was against the wall. After all these years she’d never been confronted with that possibility, for all the things she’d done in the past was kept very secretive. Nobody knew but her and them.

  “Come on, girl, snap out of it. You want some tea, soda or something?”

  Beverly sat up and pressed imaginary wrinkles out of her skirt. “Sure, ma, you want some, too? I’ll get it. No need for you to get up.”

  “Girl, please, I ain’t crippled yet. Which do you want?” She stood up and headed for the fridge.

  Beverly smiled at her enthusiasm to please. She leaned back considering her options.

  Some thirty minutes later she was kissing her beloved nana on her rosy cheeks as they held each other in a loving embrace. She left and headed for her office downtown.

  She was speeding down Peachtree at Five Points when she saw her childhood buddy Yolanda coming up the stairs from Under-ground Atlanta. Her closest friend was draped in her boosting gear. She shook her head at the outrageous getup and circled the block. When she swung back onto Peachtree, Yolanda was resting on the bench in front of the bus stop. She pulled to the curb and leaned out the window smiling. “Yo, what’s up, girl?”

  Yolanda’s head jerked toward the familiar voice. She bowed her head when she recognized her girl. “What the hell it be, Bevy? Ain’t seen yo ass in ages.”

  Beverly sucked on her teeth, then smacked her lips. “Girl, please, it ain’t been but three weeks. Come on, get in. Where you headed?”

  Yolanda waddled to the passenger side and eased into the car. Before she settled in the seat her head spun around in all directions, eyeing everything. She smiled. “Bitch, you sure you want to be seen with me in this shape?” She started rubbing her stomach.

  “What the hell? For all anybody knows I could be taking yo ass to jail.”

  Yolanda harummphed. “Uh-huh, in the front seat?”

  Beverly ran her eyes up and down her body and added, “Yeah, in the front seat.”

  Yolanda hunched her shoulders, coughed into her fist. “Okay, bad-ass police chief, you the one that’s got to stay on point. Hell, drive on, sista girl.”

  “Again, where yo sneaky ass headed with all your goodies?”

  Yolanda burst out laughing. “You a mess, girl. Damn shame the fucking police chief giving a fucking thief a ride to her dump. Hmmph, aw, what the hell, to the Montre’s on Lee Street.”

  “Okay, strap in, girl; we got to obey the law.”

  “So why yo ass ain’t strapped in then?”

  Beverly batted her eyelashes shyly. “Girl, don’t you see this shiny metal here? I’m the chief of police, that’s why. But buckle yours just the same.”

  “Okay, okayeee, damn, still got to always call all the shots, don’tcha?”

  “Yep, no doubt. And by the way, what’s that nigga of yours been up to lately?”

  “Hold up there, girl. Are we kicking sista girl shit or are you in cop mode?”

  “Bitch, when have I ever been in cop mode with you, with y’all? Hell, if that was the case, yo ass would be in handcuffs beating against that glass back there calling me everything but the child of God and you know it.”

  Yolanda stretched her mouth down and scratched the side of her nose before she peeked at her shyly. “Okay, my bad. That black-ass nigga’s still being “B.” Hell, you know how that goes.”

  “Yeah, I do. I definitely know how that goes. Shit, his old ass need to really consider giving up that pimping shit.” She burst out laughing. “Hell, he probably got to pop a lot of that Viagra shit just to get his old nasty-ass dick up.”

  Yolanda rolled her eyes and coughed. “Hey, girlfriend, believe this. His black muthafucking ass don’t need no Viagra, Cialis or any of that stuff; old wrinkled-up hands and all.”

  “For real, girl?”

  “For real.” Yolanda whistled and stared out the window for a while before she ran her finger under her nose. “Okay, ho, why you ducking Sparkle? I know you know he been out the joint for a couple of weeks now.”

  Beverly stopped at the red light and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Shit, Yo, that nigga knows how to contact me and he ain’t.”

  “And... so what’s that got to do with you reaching out to him? You know how these niggas are with their pride and everything.”

  By then they had pulled in front of the club. Beverly sighed heavily and knuckled the corner of her eye. “To tell you the truth, Yo, I’m scared to death.”

  “Ain’t had no dick in a while, huh?”

  Beverly laughed. “Girl, you crazy.”

  “Well, have you or not? Bitch, you know that nigga got yo number. Hell, go get that nut off, girl. You know you want to.”

  “You right; now get yo thieving ass out of my car.”

  Yolanda punched her playfully on the shoulder and stepped out. When she pushed through the door, Beverly got a glimpse of Sparkle standing in the hallway with Rainbow. She saw Yolanda turning back to her. She sped off. She wasn’t ready to face him yet.

  She motored down DeKalb Avenue to her office. She parked in the underground space designated for her, folded her arms across the steering wheel and laid her head between them. She waited for her heart to stop thumping. Wow! Seeing him for that short span had turned her into jelly.

  “Hey there, boss, why you all slumped over like that? Somebody die on you or something?” her secretary, Sarah, shouted through the window.

  Beverly jerked erect, ran her hand down her face and her opened mouth before she blinked a couple of times. “Oh, hey, girl, just tired; that’s all.” She reared back on the seat. “What the fuck, Sarah, you take all that stuff home with you or something?” She frowned at the bundle of folders pressed against her chest.

  Sarah’s eyes bucked and she shook her head from side to side á la “Ugly Betty.” “Got to keep you informed, sister girl. Got to keep you informed.”

  Beverly scratched behind her ear and smiled before she gathered her briefcase and kneed the door open. “Come on, girl, let’s go get informed then. The whole city awaits.” Side by side they headed for the elevator.

  From the lower end of the parking lot, “RJ” grimaced as he watched the women gleefully prancing along. Damn bitches
holding me back from my rightful position in this damn city. Both of them bitches have to be doing something wrong. I can feel it in my bones. Just got to dig a little deeper to get something, anything on her. But fuck that for now. I need to get on that black bastard Al’s ass to get that furniture so I can start opening these condos. Sumbitch always got an excuse. Got to put more pressure on his black ass. Maybe I should shake down his gambling hole. That’ll stir into action for sure. Let him know I ain’t playing games with him, he thought angrily before he mumbled, “Damn, I can’t do that. Oh yeah, I got it, I’ll just shake that bitch of his up. She owes me, too.”

  The sight of that worrisome bitch Woo getting out of her car cracked his attention. She was steadily becoming a thorn in his side. A roadblock, a worthy adversary, he had to admit. She needed closer scrutiny. He would watch her. He wasn’t about to let any of these bitches stand in his way. Steppingstones are what they were. One day he would be the mayor and then the governor and then...

  Mona put her small fist to her mouth for the fifth or sixth time stifling yawns in her still sleepy haze as she pushed the shopping cart down the aisles. The nerve of that bastard to send a bitch to a fucking supermarket this early in the morning, she thought as she sorted through the different varieties of meat. The gravelly voice that whispered in her ear brought back memories that she certainly could’ve done without. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and turned to face RJ.

  “Come on, sweetie, surely you haven’t forgotten about me that quick. After all you’d probably still be in Fulton County Jail or worst if it wasn’t for me, so could I get at least a fake smile or something?” He squeezed her ass and smiled at her flinching shoulders.

  She shook off the icky feeling of his presence and mumbled, “No, I haven’t forgotten you, RJ. How could I and even if I wanted to you, wouldn’t let me, now would you?” She gnashed her teeth in a nasty snarl and rolled her eyes at him.

  He pantomimed a shiver at the chill exuding from her eyes and his fake smile quickly flipped into an evil sneer as he spat, “Looka here, girlie, I ain’t got time for your games so tell your boy to get that furniture for me like yesterday. Why his ass dragging me on this anyway?”