by T. Styles
Humiliated, she leaped up and said, “I don’t think I want to be friends with you anymore, Isabel. Mother is right, you’re crazy and it may be rubbing off on me.”
Isabel trembled and a tear rolled down her face. Alice might have been monstrous but she was consistent in her life and kept her company when others didn’t. Bethany and Samantha were too consumed with Noel to give her any real attention. And her mother and father were only concerned about putting up fake Prophet fronts so that Nine would give them money any time they asked.
Losing Alice was not an option. “Please don’t go. I’m sorry.” She paused. “I won’t say another word about Nine. I promise.”
“Too late, crazy Izzy. You should’ve chosen me from the start.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “I’m going to stay in one of the other rooms in the house. If you come for me, or say a word to me, I will have you killed.” She walked toward the door. Before exiting, with her back faced Isabel, she said, “And don’t believe for an instant that I do not possess that kind of power. If I can’t hire someone, I’ll simply do it myself.” She walked out of the room, humming the entire way.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“As I confess, it is my nature’s plague to spy into abuses and oft my jealousy.”
- William Shakespeare
When Alice entered her Aunt Victory’s house, she was confused to see Victory standing in the middle of the foyer wearing black, cat hair covered underwear and no bra. Her fleshy titties were in full swing and she was talking to herself. She was pacing in large circles and when she saw Alice she rushed over to her and pulled her into her sweaty body.
When Alice wiggled away from her, Victory gripped both sides of her arms and said, “She said no, Alice. She said no about the money for the car as if I didn’t matter!” she screamed. “Now I’m not going to be able to afford a wedding gift for the kids. It’s embarrassing.”
“You don’t have any money? Or anywhere else to get cash?” Alice asked trying to keep face and provide another fake solution outside of her favorite.
War on Nine Prophet.
Victory looked guilty and sat on the sofa. “You don’t understand money. It’s tough holding onto it if you have responsibilities.”
“You had millions though.”
“When you grow up like we did, a million is a few hundred.” She paused. “When my father was alive he would’ve never let me go without! And now look! I can’t even provide a wedding gift to my own kids! What kind of mother am I? Every bride deserves a Mercedes!”
Alice tried to prevent from smiling but hearing that her aunt was distraught by something the prized Nine did, caused her great pleasure. The other night, at the dinner, wore on Alice. She didn’t realize how much pain she was in until her mother embarrassed her. Not necessarily in front of her family, but in front of Nine. Showcasing her vulnerability inspired her even more to get revenge on Nine. She exposed her weak side and now it was time to show the tenacious side.
Besides, things were looking up for her. Finally her family was coming around to seeing things her way, starting with Victory. Nine had to be relieved of her power by any means accessible.
“So what does that mean, Aunt Victory? For us? For the family?”
Victory wiped the tears from her face, and flopped back on the sofa. “Oh, Alice…you’re such a silly child.” She crossed and uncrossed her legs. “Why must everything require action?”
“Because inaction could lead to not being prepared. Every action makes us tough and vigilant.” Alice looked over at her aunt and trekked toward her. When she saw how frantic she was, she sighed. “Auntie, you act as if you don’t know your true birthright at the Prophet table. Has grandfather been gone that long that you have gone blind?”
“I do know my place but—”
“But what? You continue to let that baboon run the family fortune anyway.” She threw her hands up in the air. “How do we know at this point that there is even money still available? You heard her at the dinner. She entering into a new wine venture and that means putting up more capital. She’s floundering everything! We’ll be lucky if we’ll see pennies.”
Victory’s voice was shaky. “We don’t know how much is left.”
“Exactly. I’m not asking you to do any work, Aunt Victory, except talk to the rest of the family and tell them that we have to meet. They don’t trust me because they think that I’m angry over grandfather’s dismissal of me in his will. And because Nine cut off only me.”
“Are you bitter?”
Alice sighed and sat next to her. “I was at first. Now I understand that grandfather wasn’t well before he died. He probably wasn’t in his right frame of mind and she may have even poisoned him.”
“Come on, Alice!” she laughed. “These productions you put on in your head should be written down.” She scratched her right titty. “Even Spielberg couldn’t create them.”
“I’m serious!” Her eyes bulged. “How did he go from keeping her in the basement to giving her everything?”
Victory rubbed her throbbing temples, not wanting to fight a woman with such a violent passion. “You’re right. I didn’t even know she was alive before he introduced her at the dinner that day.”
Alice focused on her aunt’s lack of clothing. “Aunt Victory, why are you naked?”
“I was working out. Running around the house and stuff. I’m trying to get slim for the wedding.”
Alice looked upon her and said, “You have a long way to go, don’t you?”
“You have to start somewhere,” Victory stated.
“Blades of orange are on fire,” Isabel yelled from inside of her room. Her voice was so loud she reached octaves Alice didn’t think were possible. “Blades are on fire and they’re piercing our skin! Make them stop!”
Frustrated with her daughter’s insane rants, Victory hopped up and rushed to see what she wanted. “I’m not sure how much I’m going to be able to deal with from Isabel. It may be time for her to go in the mental house with the other crazies where she belongs.”
“We’re the Prophets, Auntie. Isn’t she already in the crazy house?” Alice asked.
****
Alice strolled down the street toward her car with not a care in the world when Nine pulled up in her gold Maybach. Slowly the back window rolled down and Nine peered out and ordered, “Get in.”
With a noisy exhalation and a roll of her eyes, Alice said, “I was going to my car.”
“It was a statement not a question.” Nine leaned back in her seat and rolled the window up as she impatiently waited.
Alice looked up the street and sighed. The last thing she wanted was to be anywhere near Nine but she reasoned that with her plans in motion, everything would be going her way in time. So what were a few minutes when soon she would have millions?
So she got inside.
Once seated, she asked, “What do you want?”
“How was your day?” She was calm.
Alice frowned and attempted to hide her disdain for her boss cousin. She did an awful job and with another roll of the eyes, she asked, “Fine. Why?”
“Did you thank me for rising up this morning?” Nine asked in a soothing tone. “And having access to your day.”
She gave her an incredulous stare. Confused, she said, “No.”
“Well you should have, because today was the day I instructed one of my soldiers to kill you.”
The strength Alice possessed moments earlier suddenly diminished.
“But I am not going to do it now, Alice. Do you know why?”
Trembling at the realization that she was supposed to be taken from this earth, she said, “No.”
“Because I am going to give you a chance to hang yourself. I am going to give you a chance to stay out of my way. Maybe, just maybe, we will have a relationship in the future.”
With bulging eyes, she asked, “Why would you do that?”
Nine sighed. “Because I saw the look on your face when your mother spoke to y
ou so harshly at dinner. And I know what it feels like not to have the love of your birth mother. Before you and I, Prophet women in this family were weak.” She paused. “I am not condoning what you did to me; you were the cause of some of my worst nightmares. But suddenly things make sense and I want to give you a chance to do what is right.” Nine touched her leg. “Do not make me kill you, Alice. Do not make me regret this day because if I do, your passing will not be unchallenging. There will be nothing but dark days ahead for you if you fuck up. And you will beg me for the day that your soul will be released and it will never come.” She looked into her eyes. “Do you hear me? Never come.”
Alice readjusted in her seat, while two drops of sweat rolled down her forehead and fell into her eyes.
“I am offering a chance that I never thought was possible for you. For us.” Nine swallowed. “To start all over.” She raised her hand for Alice to shake it. “Do you want this gift?”
Alice looked down at Nine’s well-manicured fingers and slowly shook her hand. “Yes, I do…thank…thank you,” she whispered.
When Alice got out of Nine’s car, she waited until it was out of sight. When she was gone she rushed to the side of Victory’s house and threw up in the rose bushes.
Her insides didn’t stop rocking until she saw blood.
CHAPTER NINE
“Fear not thy sons; they shall do well enough.”
- William Shakespeare
Nine sat on a plush baby blue sofa clutching Leaf’s hand. Julius was wrapped up in a blanket, lying in her lap, and when she looked down at him, she grinned when she saw that he was peaceful. Although it was Banker who put him to sleep, she was able to enjoy him in the moment.
To her left was Banker and as always, she held a pencil and paper in her hand, eager to receive orders.
While Nine waited on the director of Royal Babies to meet with them and explain the curriculum, she glanced at the huge picture of a beautiful black baby on the wall in front of her. A gold frame surrounded it, making the child appear larger than life. She envisioned herself as a baby although no pictures of her existed. She resolved to commission a painting of Julius as soon as possible.
Feeling nervous, Nine snaked her fingertip into the palm of Leaf’s hand. When he looked down at his wife’s slender hand, he eased his arm around the back of her chair before pulling her toward the side of his body. “This is a new look on you,” he said kissing the top of her forehead.
“What is that?”
“Nervousness.”
She shook her head and looked down at Julius. “I just want the best for him, Leaf. I want him to have the kind of lifestyle that—”
“We would’ve given our son if he would’ve remained alive,” he said finishing her sentence.
She nodded yes.
Leaf kissed her lips. “Bae, whether he gets into this bourgeoisie ass school or not, with you in his life he’s already destined.” He ran his hand alongside her face. “Because you love him despite his mother and what she did to us by killing our child.”
He lowered his voice when he saw Banker staring directly at the pinkness of his tongue. Most people who were eavesdropping would have at least tried to hide it. Unfortunately, Banker had no cut cards and got caught.
“You good, shawty?” he asked Banker. “’Cause you staring hard.”
Embarrassed, she closed her mouth, ran her tongue around it because it dried out due to being opened, and said, “Sorry.”
“I don’t like that girl,” he whispered. “Something’s off with her.”
“You are just repelled by her because she works for me.”
“It’s amazing. You can be one of the most intelligent or dumbest people in the world if you try hard enough,” he said shaking his head. “Please don’t tell me you actually believe that shit.”
Seconds later, a tall slender black woman with a pointed nose waltzed over to them. She was dressed in a designer suit, which made her appear stuffy as opposed to fashionable and approachable. In her early thirties, the lines on her forehead already penetrated her skin, causing her to age ten more years.
Banker stood up and shook the woman’s hand. “Hello, Vanique,” she smiled. “These are my bosses I was telling you about over the phone.” Banker looked at the baby. “And that is Julius…he’s sleeping.”
Nine and Leaf rose and with a fake smile plastered on Vanique’s face, she outstretched her fingertips. First, she jiggled Nine’s hand before moving to Leaf’s. She didn’t bother to look at the baby. This was about business not cuteness.
“It’s great to meet you. Banker has told me so much about you. Prior to this day, I thought Julius belonged to her. It’s great to see his real parents.” Her grip was cold and she released quickly. “Now if I can get your real name, I’ll be good.”
“Excuse me?” Nine hesitated.
“She gave me your nickname earlier and I felt uncomfortable at first approving your application. Especially after it was denied before—”
“Before you found out we owned Aristocrat Hills,” Leaf said interrupting her. He didn’t fuck with the bitch. “It’s amazing how a little money can change an opinion around here.”
She smiled and tried to conceal her guilt. “You caught me,” she replied with raised hands, colorless palms facing their direction. “We are guilty of wanting the children of Royal Babies to be around the elite of our society.” She dropped her hands at her sides. “And based on your stature, with owning Aristocrat Hills and all, I’m sure young Julius will fit right in.” She smiled and looked into Nine’s eyes. “But first, what is your real name?”
“Marie Antoinette,” Nine blurted out, losing the cool she once possessed. “Lincoln.” She swallowed. “Marie Antoinette Lincoln.”
Both Leaf and Banker gazed at her oddly.
They could look at her crazy all they wanted. But she had no intentions on telling Vanique that she was a Prophet, only for her to forge opinions about their in-breeding practices that were created before she was born.
“Ah,” Vanique smiled brightly. “With a name like that, young Julius Lincoln will be a star here. Wow…Julius Lincoln, it just rolls off the tongue.” She slapped her hands together and rubbed them briskly. “Before we go and sign the paperwork, I hope you and your husband will join us tonight for the benefit gala. All contributions will go to BBIN, Black Babies In Need Foundation.” She looked between them. “Can we count on your contribution…I mean…participation tonight?”
****
Leaf sat in the backseat and looked over at his wife with abhorrence. After what she pulled in the daycare center, he was starting not to recognize her anymore. “Why would you lie in there, Nine? Why you putting on a show for a bunch of uppity niggas? All she has to do is look at the news and see our faces plastered everywhere from that wine conference you made me go to.”
“How am I putting on a show, Leaf?” she responded coolly. “You are just afraid to fit into society even if it will help Julius.”
“How the fuck you sound? Huh? First off, we make enough money so that neither one of us has to work again in this lifetime. Or Julius, his kids, their kids and his side bitches! You don’t even have to run the drug operation if you don’t want to, because you know the Nobles can do it. So don’t tell me that by kissing some black bitch’s ass, I’ll be helping my son.” He paused. “What I really want to know right here and right now is why did you lie?”
“About what?” She moved around uneasily and was too proud to admit her wrong.
“Everything, Nine! But let’s start with your name!”
“I am not my name, Leaf. What does it matter what they choose to call me?” She looked in the backseat at Julius who was still sleeping peacefully. “Just as long as he has the best lifestyle befitting a king.”
He looked at her with lowered brows, disappointed in her conduct. “I’m sick of you and them fucking fairytale books! That shit you be reading is not real, Nine! You can’t be fitting of this or fitting of that! And if you
ever ran out of money, you would see that all of the shit you doing don’t matter! Because not one of your men would stand by you if you can’t drop that paper. If you can’t afford to pay them. All that matters is Julius and me. Not some fake ass bitch in a daycare center.”
Nine’s heart rate increased but she was trying desperately to retain her cool demeanor. Besides, it was unladylike to be rude. “Do you know that Royal Babies teaches children to play Bach at the age of four? And Mozart at six?”
“And none of that shit will matter in the real world! Let’s see how Mozart and Bach help the little nigga if he gets a burner placed to the back of his head.”
“Now who is thinking about him in a deadly way?”
“I’m serious! When I asked you to be my wife, do you know what you said to me?”
“He will be fluent in five languages before he is even in high—”
“Do you remember what you said?” he yelled.
Nine looked away and outside of the window to her left. “That I would love you forever but out of respect, I could never take another name other than Prophet.”
“That shit hurt, Nine. You even said it recently. But I dealt with it because it wouldn’t change how I felt about you.” He paused. “And now you use my last name for an overrated daycare center when it suits you? What type shit is that?” He paused. “Do you even know who Marie Antoinette was?”
“Oh, Leaf, do not be ridiculous.”
“Tell me!”
She laughed. “Do not be disrespectful, Leaf. You just accused me of believing in fairytales. Of course I know who she was. Besides being the Queen of France, she was also—”
“Called L'Autrichienne,” he said with a learned French accent. Although Nine was versed on the customs of the eighteenth century, her husband knew four languages, one of them being French.
Nine gazed over at him, not sure whether to be turned on or disrespected by his attempt to make her look foolish. “L'Autrichienne is French for the word whore...bitch. Did you know that after awhile, Marie was hated by her own people, Nine? And was considered to be wasteful and promiscuous. She wasn’t even educated. And that’s the kind of woman you want to abandon your last name to be?”
