by Kia
“Hello?”
“Hey, you up?” I asked as I put my hand under the water to make sure it was warm.
“Yes. And I know, I’m getting dressed now. But can you come early so I can drop my sister off at Ms. Livingston?” she asked.
“Where’s Red?”
“Somewhere minding her business.”
“Okay, smart ass. Give me about thirty minutes.”
“Cool.” She hung up.
I smiled as I put my phone down and got into my shower, letting my feet fall on the marble floors. These counseling sessions were a total waste of time, but today I didn’t mind because it gave me a reason to see Diamond. She couldn’t avoid me today.
“Baby?” I heard from the other side of the door.
“What, Kasha?” I asked as I stuck my head out of the shower and waited for her response. Shit was so awkward between us that we hadn’t even much talked. We just fucked all night and went to sleep. She didn’t even ask about Diamond or my baby. I just didn’t know if shit was going to work out between us.
“Can I join you?” she asked.
I thought about it and decided against it. “Nah, I’m just about finished.”
“Well, open the door so we can talk.”
Though I didn’t want to, I did anyway. Just like I knew she would, she slid in the shower with me and began washing my back off.
“Kasha…” I wanted to tell her the truth and how I really felt, but I just couldn’t find the strength to break her heart today or ever. And that would surely break her heart.
“What, baby? Tell me.”
“I love you.” That was the only thing that I could think of that wouldn’t call for a serious conversation afterward.
“I love you more, baby. I love you so much,” she said as she caressed my body and held me tight.
“I’m done showering,” I said then reached over, grabbed a towel, and got out.
“Gee?”
“Yeah,” I said, looking at myself in the mirror. Then I focused my attention on her.
“When was the last time we had sex?” she asked.
This bizarre question caused me to turn around and face her. “What? Last night. What the fuck?”
“No, before that.”
“Oh, like two months ago. Why are you asking me that?” For some odd reason, she began to cry. I walked over to her, turned the water off, and pulled her out. “What’s wrong, baby?” I asked as I pulled her close.
“You promise to love me?” she asked, looking up at me.
“Yeah.”
“If I changed, would you notice?” she asked.
“I’ve been noticing. Kasha, I can’t have this conversation with you right now,” I said as I walked into my bedroom with her hot on my heels.
“Are you in love with this girl?” she grabbed my hand, but I pulled away and went to my closet. “Answer me!”
“Kasha, go back to sleep. You had too much to drink last night.”
“Lourdy Achul! Answer me!” she yelled, hopping in front of me.
“No, I’m not. But I care for her, and I care for her a lot. While you were gone, doing whatever the fuck you were doing, I had her. And you know what? I’m not sorry, Kasha. That’s the truth for your ass,” I said as I moved her out of my way. I had more to say, so I turned back around. “As a matter of fact, where have you been, Kasha? Huh? Answer that. Let’s be real for once.”
“I was clearing my head!”
“From what? What the fuck did I ever do to you that was so bad that you had to clear your fucking head?”
“You were cheating, obviously!”
I frowned because Kasha was acting like she suffered from short term memory loss. “What? I met her while you were here. So how was I cheating?”
“What?” Kasha asked.
“She was the maid, Kasha! What the f… You know what? Nevermind, I’m out,” I said as I threw on my Nike jogging suit and shoes. After dabbling on a little cologne, I left to pick up Diamond.
I don’t know what the fuck was wrong with Kasha, but I was starting to think she left me so she could go and sniff her cocaine in peace for two months.
Chapter Twenty
Yazz
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Frizzy asked as I pushed her off of my dick and got up.
She was just about to give me morning head, but I just wasn’t feeling it. It had been two days, and Kasha had yet to tell me where my woman was. Shit was getting real, and murder was on my mind. But if I killed her, I’d never know where my woman was.
“Nothing. When you going home?” I found myself asking her. I didn’t mean to; it just slipped out. But that’s how I really felt at the moment.
“What? I thought I was here for a few months?” she said as she lifted from the bed and pulled my shirt over her naked body.
“You sure you want to stay here? I’m about to be busy, and most of the time you’ll be here alone,” I said as I walked into the kitchen to make breakfast.
I wasn’t lying to her. Since Gee had given me the okay on the drugs, I had been spending a lot of time with Emo and trying to map out a plan. Brooklyn had enough drugs. So I was putting Emo up on game about how white college kids loved to sniff coke. I told him to find a college, get word around, and set up shop. Then the money would be flowing in. Things weren’t going bad, though. I had linked up with a few niggas over in other boroughs and put them on too. Gee had taught me how to make money and not enemies. That word of advice came in handy too.
“But I came to spend time with you, baby. You know me. I mean… I can even come with you to handle business,” she said as she stood right beside me.
I looked her up and down then shook my head. She knew damn well she couldn’t handle business with me. I trusted Frizzy, but I knew her well enough to know that she was super jealous over me. So if she even thought I was with another bitch, I’d be in turmoil because of her. I would hate to have to harm her if she ever put me in that predicament.
“Just stay here, Frizzy. You can w—” I was cut off by the ringing of my cell phone.
“I got it,” Frizzy said as she ran to the phone and brought it back.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, Kasha.”
When I heard that, I held my index finger up to Frizzy and told her to hold on while I went to the restroom. When inside, I shut the door and turned the sink faucet on.
“Kasha, where the fuck is Red?” I asked.
“Why were you about to kill me, Yazz?”
“I wasn’t about to k—”
“If you lie, I’m hanging up.”
“Look, can we just meet and talk?”
“Is my sister alive?” she asked.
“Is Red alive?”
“Of course. I’m nothing like you.”
“So when will I get her back?”
“Whenever I get my sister back.”
Click.
It was definitely time to put the murder game down.
Chapter Twenty-One
Diamond
“Let me call you back, my ride is here,” I said to Neek as soon as I heard a knock at the door.
“That’s a bet. Wanna hang out later?”
“Yeah, that’s cool,” I said.
“Bet. Hit me when you’re done.”
“Okay, bye.” I hung up just before swinging the door open for Gee. He looked plain, and still handsome, as always.
“Morning,” he said as he pulled me into a hug. He’d never held me so tight before just to tell me good morning.
“Morning to you too,” I said as I pulled away from him. Rena was already walking to the door.
“I didn’t know she could walk. Why don’t you ever let her walk?” Gee asked as he kneeled down to tie her shoes.
“Because since she can’t hear, I don’t want her to wander off. I’m just scared that she might walk away and never come back one day. You know? It’s not like I can yell her name,” I said as I picked up her bag.
Gee took it from me and picked Rena u
p. She was so comfortable with him that she was already reaching up for him before he’d picked her up. She then kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and kissed her back. Seeing him like this with Rena made me second guess my abortion.
“I understand. You ready?”
“Yes,” I replied as we exited.
When we got to the car, I noticed that he’d had it washed and cleaned. “You got the car cleaned?” I asked as he opened the door for me.
“Yeah, Rena had cereal, milk, and everything in my back seat.” He laughed.
“Well, get used to it. It’s going to be worse with two.”
“I’m already knowing.”
He put Rena into the back and got inside. I pulled out my phone to see the text that Neek had just sent me. It’s like him and I understood each other, and he was very funny. Neek was a perfect getaway from the way Gee made me feel unwanted and played with my feelings. I made a vow to not even let him get that close to my feelings again. He wasn’t about to have me around here going crazy. I was all about this money now.
“You remember how to get there, right?” I asked him, referring to Ms. Livingston.
“Yes. Who are you texting?” he asked.
“A friend.”
“Yeah? Is this friend a guy?”
I put my phone down and gave him the once over. “Yeah, it’s a guy. Why?”
“Just asking. Is that why you can’t answer any of my calls or texts?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you right now,” I said. Then I suddenly had more to say. “You know what, Gee? I’m so sick of you playing with my feelings. Thinking you can pick and choose when to care about me and to want me. Yes, I have a friend. Yes, I like him. No, I’m not going to stop—”
He cut me off my leaning over to kiss me. We were at a red light, and I was damn near ready to come out of my clothes for him again. But what if this was just a part of his game? Fuck that.
“I want you, Diamond,” he said as I pushed him off me.
“But do you love me like I love you?” I asked.
The light turned back green and he was now driving in silence.
“Hmph. Figures,” I said as I crossed my arms and sat back in my seat.
“And what was that supposed to mean?” he asked as he kept his eyes on the road.
“You didn’t answer me.”
“Because, Diamond, I care. Man, I just don’t want to lie to you.”
“If you don’t love me, then why in the fuck are you making me fall for you? Huh? Why are you playing with me? Don’t you know that people get killed like that?” I asked as I turned around to see why Rena was so quiet. She’d gone to sleep.
“I’m trying, Diamond. Damn… can’t you see that?”
“Tuh. How? Huh? How are you trying?”
“You won’t even pick up for me. And when I came by, you weren’t there.”
“So when were you going to tell me that Kasha was back in town?” I asked.
“Yazz told you that?” he asked.
“It don’t matter. Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. Yazz had told me but I wasn’t about to tell Gee that.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes! It fucking matters! You know what? Just don’t talk to me if it has nothing to do with business. From this day forward, we’re sticking to that contract, and I put that on your life.”
He looked at me like I’d just lost my mind. “You’re upset right now, so we will talk about this another time.”
He turned the radio up and we were silent for the rest of the trip.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gee
“Wow, you almost had me fooled,” Diamond said the minute we got back into the car from our session.
“What? Why?”
“You acted like you actually gave a fuck about me in there. Ha!” She put her seat belt on and started to file her nails.
I didn’t even know she had a damn nail file. Who in the hell walked around with those things?
“Diamond, I do care about you. I know it’s hard for you to-”
“I’m hungry. Can we stop somewhere?” she asked, pulling out her phone.
“Yeah, sure. Where?”
“First place you see,” she said.
As we stopped at the light, I noticed a small diner that was a few feet ahead, so I stopped there. “You’re not getting out?” I asked when I noticed that she wasn’t taking her seat belt off.
“I’ll wait while you order.”
“But I want us to sit down so we can talk.”
“Gee, I appreciate your acting, but its old now. Just order it and bring it back so you can drop me back off at home and go to Kasha.”
“Get out of the car,” I said calmly as I got out and opened her door.
“Fine,” she said with an attitude.
She was starting to annoy me, but I thought it was a bit cute for some reason. Just as I opened the door for her, she puked all over the entrance. Not a little bit, I’m talking about three full meals. She had vomit all over her mouth, and people were looking at her like puking wasn’t normal. I took my shirt off and wiped her mouth with it.
“Oooh, damn,” some woman howled as she walked by with her friend.
“I can’t eat here. The smell is making me sick to my stomach.”
“It’s fine. We’re leaving right now,” I said as I led her back to the car and opened her door.
“I’m sorry, Gee.” She looked at me with low eyes.
“I think it’s my baby. Don’t worry about it. It’s normal,” I said as I got back in the car.
“I just want to pick up Rena and go to sleep at home,” she said as she leaned over on the window and shut her eyes tight.
“Do you need anything while we’re out?” I asked as I drove off.
“No, I have some stuff at home. Just go and get Rena.”
“Cool.” I sat back in my seat and cruised.
I really wanted to be there for her in more ways than one. Not just financially; Diamond was in need of someone to lean on, and I wanted to be that. But she had this wall up and I understood why. I had caused this, and it was my job to fix it. I should have known from the day we agreed to have a child that this wouldn’t be an ordinary paid marriage.
“Yeah, I’m almost home. Okay, see you later,” Diamond said on the phone, snatching me out of my thoughts.
“I’m trying, Diamond,” I blurted out.
“Now you want to try,” she mumbled under her breath. She honestly didn’t believe a word I was saying.
Never mind that for now. I just couldn’t act like I didn’t see Kasha following close behind me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Red
“Housekeeping!”
I’d never been so happy to hear a maid at the front door in my entire life. Soon as I heard the door open, I went with my move.
“Hmmm! Hmmm!” My mouth was still taped, so I had to do the best I could. I curled up and knocked my knees against the toilet so she could come to where I was before that crazy bitch got back.
“Hola!” she said. Finally, she opened the bathroom door and came inside.
When she saw me cuffed to the tub, she began to panic. She didn’t speak English, so I didn’t understand what the fuck she was saying. Hell, I didn’t need to understand, I just wanted her to get me out of there somehow.
“Hmm! Hmm!” I tried to throw my head toward the back, motioning to my cuffs.
“Ooooh, okay!” She was an older Hispanic woman with shoulder length hair and one silver tooth. Kinda reminded me of ol’ girl who killed the legendary singer, Selena.
She walked over to the sink and pulled a mallet from the bottom. Then she came over and smashed down on the cuffs over and over until it finally broke. She did the same with the cuffs on my feet.
“Gracias, senora!” I yelled as I kissed her and got off that nasty ass ground. Those were like the only two words I knew in Spanish.
“Go! Go!” she yelled as she helped me up after
I almost slipped and fell.
I’d had the same clothes on for days and she took my shoes. I literally ran down the street looking like a homeless, crazy lady. I ran for it until I couldn’t run anymore. That’s when I realized that this bitch had me in the Bronx.
I found a store and convinced this Indian man that I wasn’t crazy, and to let me use his phone. The first person I called was Diamond, but she didn’t answer. I called a few more times before calling Yazz. He answered on the first ring. It’s almost like he was waiting for my call.
“Hello?”
“Yazz, it’s me,” I said.
“Red?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“Umm, hold on,” I said as I walked to the counter and asked the clerk for the address so I could send it to Yazz. After giving him the address to where I was, he took the lead.
“I’m on my way, baby. Okay? Don’t move.”
“Okay, Yazz. Please hurry,” I said in fear that Kasha might find me again.
I went to the restroom and locked the door. The mirror was blurry, so it was hard to look at myself, but I saw what I needed to see. My eyes were so low and I looked weak. All because of Kasha. I couldn’t wait to get to Diamond and let her know what was going on and how her life was in great danger. Now I was going to make it my goal to get that bitch dealt with.
After waiting in the bathroom for so long, I heard Yazz’s crazy ass yelling my name all through the store.
“Red! Mocha! Where you at, baby?” I could hear the panic in his voice, and I thought it was funny.
“Right here,” I said as I walked out. He was already walking toward the bathroom.
He grabbed me tight and held onto me like he hadn’t seen me in years, and I liked it.
“I sent Frizzy back to Haiti, baby. It’s all about you. I swear to God,” he said as he squeezed me even tighter and kissed me passionately.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” I said as I grabbed his hand and led him out.
I was happy to hear that Frizzy was gone, but why I had to get damn near killed for him to send her back? Niggas never failed to amaze me.
“Baby, I’m never letting you out of my sight again…”
