The Wrong Side Of Love 3: A Hood Love Story

by Charmanie Saquea

  “Anyways, what's up?” she asked, switching gears.

  “Ain't shit on my end. Same shit, just another day. Elias ass done dropped off the grid again but I'm not too worried because he’ll get handled. Still making money and still not giving a fuck,” Zeek said as he took a toke on his blunt.

  “Still married, too, huh?” Coco threw in there.

  “Still fucking Ishy, huh?” he threw back at her with an attitude.

  “Shit, I just had my six week checkup and everything was good so why not pop it for a real nigga?” Coco smiled, fucking with him. Things between Ishmael and Coco weren't all good and they weren't all bad either but the status of her relationship was none of Zeek’s business. He was still married so she was free to do whatever she wanted with whoever she wanted.

  “See Jacole, that's the type of shit that's gonna get you fucked up!”

  “Why are you yelling?” Coco laughed.

  “Why the fuck would you even say some bullshit like that? Now I would be wrong if I hopped on a plane to come fuck you up—”

  Coco hung up on Zeek right in the middle of his rant. She didn't feel like sitting there hearing him make idle threats. Zeek swore up and down that somebody was supposed to bow down to him but he had the game fucked up.

  ___

  Jayliah and Quadir had been running around all day like chickens with their heads cut off. Quaid’s ninth birthday was coming up and Jayliah had to make sure everything was perfect for her baby. Since this would be Quaid’s first birthday with both of his parents in his life, Quadir was just as geeked as Jayliah to make sure his day went prefect.

  “Okay, I got the cake. She said it would be ready to pick up next week. And that was the last thing that I really needed to make sure was going to be ready,” Jayliah said as they walked through the grocery store.

  “Then everything else is together. You already got his outfit?” Quadir asked.

  “No, that boy so picky that it don't make sense. He act like picking clothes is making a crucial life decision. I wonder where he got that from,” she said as she cut her eyes at Quadir.

  When they were younger and living together, Jayliah used to sit there and literally watch Quadir change an outfit fifty times in ten minutes. She used to pick his clothes out for him when they went shopping but he swore up and down that she didn't know what she was doing. Then turned around and ended up picking the damn outfit she told him to get in the first place.

  “He's gonna be fly like his daddy,” Quadir smirked.

  “Whatever, as long as he's fly in a classroom somewhere.”

  “Most definitely,” Quadir agreed.

  Quadir and Jayliah continued through the grocery store, picking out what they were going to eat tonight. Lately, the two had been spending more time together just as friends because Quadir wanted her to trust him completely again.

  “You cooking tonight?” Jayliah told him.

  “Hell nah, I cooked last time. It's your turn to cook.”

  “I know that ain't Jayliah big head ass,” they heard from behind them.

  Jayliah spun around to find Marco coming his way with a big smile on his face. Jayliah was actually happy to see Marco because she hadn't seen him much since she and Tariq had split over two months ago.

  “Hey, Marco,” she said as she hugged him.

  “What's up, y’all?” he asked as he dabbed Quadir. “Ain't been seeing you lately, Jay. What, you don't have love for the kid no more? I thought we was better than that,” Marco joked.

  “You know it's all love, Marco. I just been—”

  “Ayo, Marc! Grab…”

  Jayliah tensed up when she heard that voice calling for Marco. She hadn't seen or spoken to Tariq since the day she walked out of his house. According to Quaid, he called to check on him every now and then, but the two of them never communicated.

  “I gotta go,” Jayliah said as she tried to walk away.

  “Jay, wait!” Tariq called after her.

  Everyone stood there looking at Jayliah and Tariq as he walked closer to her. With every step he took in her direction, her heart rate sped up and she could feel her stomach fluttering. When he was directly in front of her, it felt like she couldn't breathe.

  “Can we talk?” he asked.

  Jayliah looked to Marco and Quadir for some help in this situation.

  “Go ahead, I'll finish,” Quadir shrugged.

  “Yea, I got some more stuff I need to get,” Marco said.

  Secretly, Jayliah was cursing the both of them out in her head because she really didn't want to talk to Tariq because she didn't know what to say.

  “Can we go to my truck?” he asked.

  “Sure,” she sighed. “Lead the way.”

  Tariq’s mind was racing as he led Jayliah out of the store and to his truck in the parking lot. It felt like forever since he’d saw her and he couldn't front like he didn't miss her. When they got in the truck, Jayliah smiled because he was still buying the lemon air fresheners she used to put in his truck when she didn't want to smell the weed he had been smoking.

  “You look good, Jay. I mean, you really look good,” Tariq complemented.

  “Thank you, Tariq. How you been, though?” she asked softly.

  “I've been good but I could be better, honestly,” he answered.

  “Yea? Why is that?”

  He turned and looked at her intently in the eyes. He wanted her to look through his eyes and see his soul. “Because I don't have you. Shit is not the same without you, Jay, and I mean that. I don't sleep anymore, a nigga barely eat unless my brother come whip up some shit for me, I've been going hard in these streets to keep my mind off the empty spot in my heart,” Tariq expressed.

  Jayliah sat there taking in everything he was saying and she believed him wholeheartedly. Not only was he speaking it but she could see the emptiness in his eyes. She still loved Tariq but she wanted to know if he was really ready to be with her for better and for worse. “I love you, Riq, but how do I know that next time—”

  “Ain't gonna be no next time, Jayliah. If we get mad at each other, I'm just going to tell you to shut the fuck up talking to me and take your mad ass in the other room until you get over it. Hell, I'll do this same but it ain't no next time. I can't let you have me out here feeling like this. If you want me to beg you, I will,” Tariq said.

  Jayliah shook her head. “You, beg? That will be the day.” She smiled. Jayliah sat there looking confused when Tariq took his phone out of his pocket and plugged it up to the aux cord. When she heard music playing, she busted out laying at him. “Nah, don't play with me, Tariq,” she said as she continued to laugh.

  “Just sit back and relax. I'm about to show you how much I love your ass,” he said.

  Oh my gosh, Jayliah though just as he bust out singing.

  “Girl, you know I-I-I-I-I love you, no matter what you do. And I hope you understand me, every word I say is true. Cause I looooove you.”

  Jayliah sat there smiling as Tariq tried to sing along to Lenny Williams’ song “Cause I Love You.” Even though he was way off key and couldn't hold a note to save his life, she appreciated the effort.

  “O-o-o-o-ohhhh!” Tariq yelled at the top of his lungs.

  When Jayliah had enough, she turned the music down for him to stop singing. By now she had tears coming down her face and her stomach hurt from laughing so hard.

  “See how you do a nigga? I'm trying to pour out my heart and you take me for a joke.” Tariq shook his head.

  “Nooo, Riq! It's cute, it really is. I appreciate and it and I definitely got your point,” she told him.

  “Really? So what's up, Jay? I don't even know how much more I can explain it, I need you, baby,” Tariq said, looking pitiful.

  “I honestly couldn't say no to that even if I wanted to but we have to do it right this time, Riq. You were the one who told me we don't do that break up to make up shit,” she told him.

  “I'm with you, Jay. I told you it’s not going to be a nex
t time. Of course we're going to get mad at each other but ain't no more leaving,” he told her.

  Jayliah leaned over and pressed her lips against his. It had been too long since she’d felt his lips and she could tell the feeling was mutual by the way Tariq wasted no time shoving his tongue down her throat.

  “I'm happy y'all niggas made up and shit but who gonna help me put these groceries in the car? Nobody? Okay,” Marco said as he opened the back door.

  Jayliah broke the kiss and laughed at Marco. “Call me later?” Jayliah asked Tariq.

  “Fuck that, I'll be over for the night when I get rid of his ass. Send Quaid home with Q, we got some business we need to take care of,” Tariq told her.

  Jayliah nodded her head as she got out of his truck. She was literally floating, she got her man back and she was happy as hell. She definitely sending Quaid home with his daddy because she just knew she was in for a treat tonight.

  “Yo, Jay!” Tariq yelled to her as he ran to catch up with her.

  She stopped and he pulled something out of his pocket. It was her engagement ring. He took it off the chain it was on and put it back where it belonged.

  “Don't take this shit off no more,” he told her as he kissed her again.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “You sure this the address, nigga?” Tariq asked as he looked around the neighborhood.

  He, Zeek and Marco were sitting across the street from a house in Ann Arbor that Elias was supposed to be hiding out in. Zeek had Wolf work some magic and do a little digging to find out where Elias had called himself disappearing to.

  “Yea, I'm sure. He's been spotted coming and going,” Zeek said, never taking his eyes off the house.

  “This nigga would only run 45 minutes away,” Marco said from the backseat.

  “He always been a dumb nigga,” Zeek said. “Let's go, though.”

  The trio got out of the car with their hoodies over their heads, blending in with the dark night sky. They swiftly walked up to the front door and Tariq jimmied the lock, granting them access into the house. They quietly walked into the house and followed the dim light that was coming from the top of the stairs. When they reached the room they heard noises coming from, they all pulled out their guns as Zeek put up his numbers to count to three.

  BOOM!

  Elias jumped when his bedroom door came bursting open. He tried to reach for his gun but Zeek put a stop to that before he could even move an inch.

  “Not today, bitch!” he said as he walked over to him with his gun trained on Elias. Zeek slapped him in the face with his gun before he snatched the gun up. Elias grabbed his face as his nose instantly started bleeding.

  “I'm a police officer. They’ll fry all your black asses if you kill me,” Elias spat.

  “Fry who, muthufucka? We live in Michigan, dumb ass. Ain’t no death penalty,” Marco laughed.

  “Man, Zeek, fuck this nigga! Kill his ass already, you know we don't do that talking shit,” Tariq said.

  Just then they heard the sound of high heels click-clacking against the wood floors Elias had in the house.

  “Who the fuck is that?” Tariq asked as he made a move to go check it out.

  “Chill, Riq. That’s just our other accomplice,” Zeek smiled wickedly.

  “Now boys, I know y'all didn't start the fun without me?” Sophia said as she walked in.

  Elias’ eyes bucked when he saw his sister-in-law walking in the room. He hadn't seen her since Chico’s funeral years ago. Last he had heard about her, she had packed her and her kids up in the middle of the night and moved out of the country. Sophia walked over to Zeek as he removed a gun from his waist and handed it to her.

  “The silencer is already on,” Zeek told her.

  Sophia nodded her head as she cocked the gun and pointed it at Elias’s head. Sophia didn't blink or bat her eye as she pulled the trigger, putting one right in middle of his head. She breathed a sigh of relief because it seemed as if immediately a weight lifted off her shoulders.

  “Lo hice, Chico. Descansar en paz mi amor,” she whispered to Chico as she lowered her gun. (I did it, Chico. Rest peacefully my love)

  “Well damn,” Tariq said.

  That was one of the quickest deaths he had ever witnessed. He blinked and damn near missed it.

  “She's definitely Chico’s wife,” Zeek said as he led Sophia out of the room.

  “Definitely,” both Marco and Tariq agreed simultaneously.

  Zeek walked Sophia out of the house and to her awaiting vehicle as Tariq called somebody to get rid of the body.

  “You going to be okay?” Zeek asked her with concern.

  “I'm fine, mi hijo. I actually feel good. Thank you for this,” Sophia told him.

  Zeek thought about killing Elias himself but when he thought long and hard about it, he felt as if it was owed to Sophia to take out the person who had snatched the love of her life from her. Sophia had vowed that she would never come back to the States while her husband’s killer was still walking around but when Zeek called her with a proposition, she just couldn't refuse.

  “You don't have to thank me, it was only right. But I wish you could have met your grandson.”

  “Grandson? Ay, Dios mio, Zeek, don't play with me!” Sophia exclaimed.

  Zeek pulled out his phone and showed a picture of Zeeky to Sophia. She grabbed the phone and gushed at adorable little face that popped up. She instantly fell in love.

  “He looks just like you, he's going to be a little heartbreaker,” she gushed.

  “Like his daddy of course,” Zeek smiled.

  “Yo, I hate to interrupt but we gotta get moving,” Tariq informed Zeek. “It was nice seeing you again, Sophia. You’re still beautiful as hell.”

  “Aw, gracias, Tariq. It was good seeing you, too. Zeek, I'll think about extending my stay if you bring that baby to me,” Sophia told him. She was eager to meet his son after seeing that picture of him.

  “I don't know, Mamita. He lives with his mom in Cali,” Zeek said.

  “Make it happen,” she said before rolling her window up.

  Zeek knew he had to find a way to get Coco and Zeeky down there before Sophia left or it was going to be a problem.

  ___

  It was Coco’s first day of work at Cedars Sinai but she couldn't even enjoy it like she wanted to because she was missing her baby and suffering from some real separation anxiety. She thought she could come back to work and everything would be fine but she was sadly mistaken. She told Ms. Joyce about her plan to go back to work and that she was going to start looking for daycares to put Zeeky in but Ms. Joyce shut all that down and threatened her.

  Ms. Joyce didn't do anything but sit at home all day so she told Coco that she better not think about putting her grandbaby in daycare when she could watch him for free. These days, Ms. Joyce didn't trust these daycares or the people that worked in them. On her break, Coco rushed to call Ms. Joyce so she could check in on her baby.

  As soon as she took her phone out to call, it was ringing. Hitting ignore on Zeek’s call and seeing that he had called her a total of thirty times since she had been at work, Coco shook her head. Once again, the two of them were into it and she was pissed at him. Zeek had a problem with Coco going back to work when he sent her money every day. He had no problems taking care of Coco but she refused to allow him to and her telling him about her going back to work resulted in them getting into a big argument. Coco wanted to block his number so bad but she knew she couldn't since she had Zeeky.

  “Girl, I know you are not calling me again! You and my son are about to drive me crazy!” Joyce fussed.

  “I’m sorry, I just have to know how he's doing. I miss him so much,” Coco sighed.

  “It's fine, I understand. You've never been away from him since he's been born but you have to get used to it, Coco. What, you don't trust me?” Joyce joked.

  “Oh no, it's not that!”

  “Calm down, Coco, I’m just playing but he's fine. I actually just
put him down for a nap after he got done baby talking to his dad,” Joyce said.

  “I'm jealous,” Coco pouted.

  “Don't be. But you know if you don't answer the phone, he’ll have no problem flying out here and popping up on you.”

  “I'm not thinking about Ezekiel. He need to worry about that thing he married and not me.” Coco rolled her eyes.

  “Oh Lord, don't start. I want you to finish off work on a good foot so put whatever you're thinking now out of your mind. Love you.”

  “Love you, too. Give Zeeky some kisses for me when he wakes up, please.”

  “Of course, now get back to work,” Joyce said.

  After calling to check on her baby, Coco was ready to get back to work. This hospital was going to take some getting used to. It was bigger and busier than the one she worked at in Detroit but she knew she could handle it.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Zeek got dressed as he ignored the dirty looks he was getting from Nina. She didn't know it but slowly but surely she was on her way out the door. He knew he had to get rid of her immediately to eliminate more than half of the problems between him and Coco. He was putting a plan in motion to either get her back to Detroit or he was taking his ass out to Cali for good. It really didn't matter to him as long as he was where his son was.

  “I'm not done talking to you, Zeek!” Nina yelled.

  “But I'm done talking to you! Shut that shit up. I already told you I don't want to hear that shit. What I do is my business, especially when it comes to my son and his mother. Stay in your place and mind your fucking business,” Zeek told her.

  “My place is being your wife, so—”

  “That shit can be rearranged, stop fucking with me. I'm not going to keep warning you, Nina,” he said as he walked towards the bedroom door.

  “What? Are you serious?” Nina asked.

  Zeek didn't bother to waste his time replying to her. He had things he needed to take care of so he didn't have time to entertain Nina’s worrisome ass even if he wanted to. Zeek still couldn't believe she had the nerve to question him about the money he put into Coco’s account every day. She had him fucked up. He didn't answer to no damn body when it came to his money. Zeek tried calling Coco but just like he knew she wouldn’t, she didn't answer. It was cool, though, he had something for her ass. In a few, Zeek was about to hit her ass with something that would reverse the roles and have her blowing his phone up.