Ghetto Girls Too

by Anthony Whyte

  “Miss Katie, tell her it will be a great Mother’s Day gift,” Josephine countered as she tugged at her short skirt.

  “Oh, listen to both of you sounding just like sisters. That’s very good,” Miss Katie said. “So ah…where is this party that you’re going to?” The circumspection was not lost on Coco. Josephine, not used to the wily old lady, gave the innocent answer.

  “It’s at this lovely hotel…” Josephine started.

  “No, what she meant is that the club is located in the hotel, Miss Katie, in the same building but two different places. Alright, Miss Katie?” Coco said and glared at Josephine.

  “Oh,” Miss Katie murmured.

  “Yeah, the party is gonna be with…ah, you know a lot of other kids.”

  “It’s getting to be that time,” Coco said, preventing Josephine from putting her foot in any deeper than she already had.

  “Ah…Gotta go now, Miss Katie,” Josephine said as she felt her arm tugged by the Coco. “Goodnight, uhm…Roshanny.”

  “Oh, you mean Roshawn. Tell her your name, baby. He’s so shy. Goodnight and you be careful. Don’t you hang out too late, okay?” Miss Katie planted a kiss on Coco’s cheek.

  “See ya later, Miss Katie. Bye, Roshawn,” Coco said as the girls grabbed the rest of their belongings and were out the door.

  SIXTY-SEVEN

  Sophia sat in the restaurant and listened to Eric wing it. She felt trapped in a nightmare but she had gotten there by following someone else’s dream. Now she wanted the truth and listened to Eric’s variation of it. Sophia wanted to know the truth about Busta and Eric’s collaboration and whether it had anything to do with the fact that one of them had been murdered. She had questions and really feared for her life. Sophia wanted to be with Eric but did not want the violence she had seen to dog her. Between her salad and the main course, she had let Eric know exactly how she felt. The waiter had emptied the table and they sat facing each other, holding their glasses. Sophia’s explanation had started mildly enough but took on a definite turn.

  “You’re not some street thug, Eric, but if you want to be treated like that, people will accommodate you and the police are constantly…” Sophia explained but Eric ended it with an outburst.

  “Fuck the police and I don’t give a fuck about people. This is between me and you,” he said forgetting that their table was located in the middle of a restaurant. Sophia watched Eric carefully. She could tell at once that he was getting really angry. His face seemed to shake with fury while registering an astonishment that the woman he loved thought so little of him. She saw that he was hurting but could do nothing to comfort him.

  “Eric you’re going to have to start taking responsibility for your own actions. Nobody else can. You’re grown and…”

  “And what? I’ve got to go run to crooked cops every time something goes wrong, Sophie? Is that what you’re saying?” Eric asked becoming more frustrated. She expected him to throw a tirade but he fell silent as his perspective on his life suddenly coalesced into the cynical visage like a drug dealer peddling crack in a schoolyard.

  As darkness fell and lights descended on them, all of their troubles seemed to become illuminated. Eric was at a loss and searched for the right thing to say. He had hoped to make things better but couldn’t find exactly what it was that he had to say to accomplish his goal. He felt frustrated by the fact that he didn’t want to tell her the truth because he might run the risk of making her an accomplice. Eric was silent as his thoughts flooded his mind. He felt himself sinking, drowning while trying to find the solution. Then he heard what Sophia was saying and knew this was the end.

  “I can’t go on like this. My job, my career is in jeopardy while you’re running around with known mobsters. I can’t keep following my heart. It’s going to lead me into further trouble because I care too much about you and I realize you’re going to have to make your own mistakes. I refuse to sit back and see if you’re going to die or be sent to prison, Eric. I really can’t bear to watch.” Sophia broke down and sobbed. Other patrons threw sympathetic glances in their direction. Eric tried to console her but not even the gentle rub he applied to her shoulders could stem the flow of her tears. Sophia stood and hurriedly made her way to the ladies room.

  Eric sat in silence and directed his focus on the table of food in front of him. Neither had touched much of their meal. Eric thought it would be a waste to tell her that he’d put a contract on someone’s head and that it had led to the death of Busta and the shooting incident in his apartment. He felt better now that he had decided to let Maruichi give him protection. Eric knew that Maruichi was a mobster but he figured this was the better deal. He could chase his dreams of producing both music and films. It was a better situation but it came at a huge price, he thought as Sophia returned to the table.

  The moment she sat down, he could see that her eyes were red and swollen. Maybe she convinced herself that everything that had gone wrong was her fault or some failure on her part. Eric wanted to soothe her but how do you tell someone you love that you’re involved in the death of several people? Busta had died with this knowledge and silently Eric vowed to take this to his grave.

  Sophia could scarcely believe the fact that Eric would not open up to her. She was convinced that he was involved in something illegal with Busta. This was his chance and he lied. Tears flowed when she realized she could no longer trust him and that she would have to leave him. He looked serious and concerned when she opened her mouth.

  “Eric you’re not going to change so I’ve got to look out for myself. I want to call the engagement off,” Sophia said and took the ring off. She threw it on the table and started to run away. Eric reached out for her but she shrugged him off saying: “Don’t bother yourself with caring about how I feel about any of this,” she said and left. Eric got up, picked up the ring and quickly followed behind her.

  “Let me take you home, Sophia,” he said when he finally caught up to her. “I wanna know that you’re home alright.”

  “Eric, there’s a cab waiting for me outside. I called for one when I went to the bathroom,” Sophia said and walked away, leaving Eric staring at her behind. He felt like shouting at her but couldn’t bring himself to lie to her anymore. Eric knew that in order for Sophia to come back, he would have to reveal the truth to her. He turned dejectedly and walked back to the table with a heavy heart.

  SIXTY-EIGHT

  “Yeah, Coco, this party looks like it’s off the rack, girlfriend,” Josephine said as the taxi came to a stop and they glanced out at all the patrons making their way into the gala affair. “Niggas dressed like they upscale, huh?”

  “You can tell from the way niggas is dressed up that this is strictly a baller’s affair, Jo,” Coco said. They paid the cab and made their way through the throngs of people and were ushered in through the VIP entrance. “Dee would have loved this affair.”

  “Oh, Coco, she called me. Deedee left a message that she wasn’t gonna be able to make it. I forgot…”

  “Oh, you heard from her then?” Coco asked as they entered the club. The girls took a fleeting look around and saw that from the windows to the wall, the jump-off was hopping. Coco and Josephine both rocked their bodies as Usher and Lil’ John yelled ‘Yeah!’ Like fish to water, the girls caught the groove immediately. The lights flashed and Coco and Josephine knew it was time to shine.

  “Yeah,” Josephine screamed as the volume of the music pumped loud in the club. “Coco, shit’s krunk in hurr, girl.”

  “I could feel that. Shit’s like wall to wall already, yo.”

  “Let’s get a drink and go work it on da floor,” Josephine suggested and the heavy bass seemed to twirl her around.

  “It don’t seem as if you need anything else.”

  “Coco, roll up da weed, bring out the drinks and bring on the ecstasy cuz I’m ready to party hard like I’m a rock star,” Josephine announced and broke for the dance floor to the sound of Petey Pablo’s: Raise up. “Let’s party, Coco,�
�� Josephine said gaily and dragged Coco to the dance floor. They partied and danced merrily for each other. A couple of guys cut in on the duo and they shared a dance for a few songs. Out of nowhere, others joined them in their jig on the floor but when things got too hot, both girls excused themselves to check on their jackets and get a drink.

  From the bar, Coco saw Silky Black and his entourage drinking. They hollered at her and offered her a glass. “Yo, Jo, I think Silky Black is over there sipping champagne and blazing. I’m gonna join ‘em, yo. You coming?” Coco asked.

  “Yeah, let’s go.” The girls made their way past a few tables and found the guys and girls sitting at a long table covered with champagne bottles. Josephine immediately recognized Kim and Tina sitting amongst the famous faces of rap. “They get around, don’t they?”

  “Yep, they probably here for the main entertainment. You know them stars gotta have they groupies for the after party up in da telley, lasting till six in the morn,” Coco said nodding at Kim and Tina.

  “Till six in da morning?” Josephine joked.

  “Six in da morn.”

  “I think we’ve arrived, Coco,” Josephine said with a smile.

  “No, you’ve arrived. Me, I’m just gonna chill and watch how these stars live it up, yo. I don’t wanna make the same mistakes when it’s my turn to burn so don’t get too drunk, bitch. I don’t wanna have to carry your ass out. It’s too big,” Coco said with a smile.

  “Whatever, bitch.” Josephine said and waved at everyone. She threw a kiss in Kim and Tina’s direction. A frown was tossed her way.

  “That bitch is such a diva show-off wannabe cuz she hanging wit her bitch, Coco,” Kimberly whispered to Tina.

  At the table, Coco and Josephine took seat next to some of the music industry’s bigwigs. They laughed, shook hands, swigged champagne, and smoked until their lungs hurt with no other care in the world. About an hour or so later when things got a bit too tipsy, Josephine disappeared from the table leaving Coco leaning with a blunt in her mouth and a glass of champagne in her hand.

  A few moments later, Coco saw the fracas on the dance floor and knew immediately it had to be Josephine. The girl had danced her way into every male’s heart when she got down and let her thong show. But Josephine didn’t stop. She couldn’t and so she shook it again and again. Coco walked over with the others who enjoyed the show. Kim and Tina observed Josephine’s dance routine.

  “Wha’ I told you. Da bitch ain’t nothing but a copy cat ho. Let’s show her how to shake this,” Kim said and joined Tina on the floor.

  Within minutes, the floor was in frenzy as the dancers shook and ground. Josephine was up to the challenge and made moves that left grown men spellbind. Then Coco joined in and her moves transformed minds into doubts as she waged war against gravity going with spins, flips and shakes that left the whole club chanting in her wake:

  Go, Coco. Go, Jo…Go Coco, Go Jo…

  “Let’s get off this dance floor, yo,” yelled Coco as she heard the crowd chanting for more. She was greeted by cheers as she flopped into a nearby chair.

  “Here’s some Mo, Coco. You were killing it, girl.”

  “Yeah, you all that. You got moves like water, girl. Say, how’d you like to be in a video? Call me tomorrow. Shooting starts next week and bring your friend, too.”

  “We’re not just friend. We partners, too, and since this is biz…I’m Josephine, her partner. Nice to meet you again.” They sat at the table for a moment before Josephine disappeared again. Coco glanced around to see her climbing the stairs to the deejay booth.

  The party raged on and after more drinking and smoking, Coco looked around for Josephine. The girl was nowhere to be found. I hope she didn’t leave and not tell me, Coco thought as she headed outside to take a look. Josephine was not there so Coco decided to check the deejay booth. It seemed a long way up as the alcohol and weed did their job on her judgment. She climbed the stairs carefully and slowly. In the booth sat Josephine with her legs wrapped around Geo’s waist. They were kissing so hard that neither heard when Coco walked into the booth. He continued with his tongue in her mouth as Coco decided to grab the mike and start kicking rhymes.

  Ah, gimme the mike and nobody move

  or get hurt die at the sound of my words,

  cuz I’m Coco, deadly and loco-

  my motive is to leave emcees

  with their tongues to their knees

  leaving em doing verbalistic calisthenics

  they don’t wanna see me

  gimme da mike…

  “Oh that’s you, Coco?” Josephine asked, coming up for a breath.

  “Who be spinning when you get down like that, yo?” Coco asked.

  “Shit’s on auto pilot. Whassup, Coco?” Geo asked.

  “Ain’t nothing. Makes no sense me asking you that, right, Gee? I can see.”

  “I’m waiting for my boys to come back and start packing up. They got my truck. Can’t go nowhere without the Caddy, you heard?”

  “Who?”

  “Here they are. Took y’all forever to get that food, dogs. Time to pack up. I gotta drop Coco and Jo to their homes then I’ll shoot over by…”

  “Aw man, you on some kinda mission already, sun? You know it’s a wrap for the night. If anything, we’ll see you tomorrow,” one of the guys said.

  “Oh, before I forget my manners. Coco and Josephine meet Carlos and Mannie. They supposed to be helping me but they disappeared all night.”

  “Nice to meet you officially. Me and my man here were checking y’all out at the video shoot,” Carlos said and extended his hand.

  “Yeah, y’all definitely did your damn thing,” Mannie concurred.

  “Oh, now they gonna try and be nice. Y’all got workers to supervise and make sure this thing gets done right.”

  “I know you ain’t gonna be running your mouth like that. We just do what you normally does. You get to the event and pull a Houdini. You know that’s your steeze, so don’t front,” Mannie said.

  “That shit is dead ass, sun. Stop front’n,” Carlos laughed.

  “It don’t matter what neither of you say. Just make sure the equipment is safe. You got a whole crew working for you. I’m out,” Geo said and threw his deejay bag across his shoulder.

  “Take care, fellas,” Josephine yelled.

  “Nice to meet y’all,” Coco said and walked out.

  “Y’all ain’t gonna stay and smoke some o’ this dro?”

  “Nah, we good,” Josephine said.

  “Yeah, we tapped out for good,” Coco said.

  “Ain’t nobody wanna smoke wit y’all Spanish asses. Mira, we out.”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  They made their way back slowly down the steps. At the foot of the stairs lurked Kim and Tina. They said nothing as Coco, Josephine and Geo walked right past them. From behind, they could see Geo’s hand all over Josephine’s ass as the trio made their way out the club. Both Kim and Tina looked at each with a surprised grin.

  “Oh no she didn’t.”

  “He wasn’t…” Tina started to say then bit her lip. Then they both burst into laughter. “That nigga is playing my cousin like that right in front of me. I will have to drop dime on that bitch ass,” Tina said. “You know us Latinas, we going out for our man.”

  SIXTY-NINE

  It was early morning. Three am to be exact. Darkness shrouded the city except for the usual streetlights and all night candy stores. Geo guided the Escalade through the city and headed uptown. Coco was in the rear while Josephine was up front, hands all over his erect package. Geo swerved to avoid Rightchus and his fellow crackheads wandering the streets. “Oh shit, you scared me,” Josephine said.

  “You know ain’t nobody but them damn crack fiends out here at this time. Cops and fiends,” Geo said as he steadied the vehicle.

  “That’s da nigga, Rightchus, and his disciples, yo. That nigga is crack itself.”

  “Coco, you’re around here somewhere, right?” Geo asked s
lowing the ride down.

  “Yeah, just a couple more blocks up then left, yo,” Coco said as she kept her eyes on Rightchus and his friends. She watched as they went to the corner store. “They gonna re-up on beers and whatever,” Coco continued watching Rightchus.

  “Why they all following Rightchus?” Josephine asked.

  “Cuz he got the rocks,” Coco said still looking at the small throng.

  Coco watched as Rightchus yelled to his gang of about ten loyal crack followers. They hoofed it in a zombie-like state, following the leader to the grocery store. It was easy to figure that Rightchus had the supply for the night since the others followed him the way rats followed the pied piper through the dark.

  Rightchus stood outside the all night corner store. He waited while the other fiends bought cigarettes, beer, and an assortment of candies. A police siren sounded and about ten people scattered like roaches under the siege of bright lights. “Hey, Rightchus, don’t run. We wanna talk to you.” It was the hip hop cops. Coco watched as Rightchus got in the car and the Caprice took off.

  “Good looking out, Geo. Drive safely. And, slut, call me later.”

  “Get in safe, bitch,” Josephine said. “Call you later.”

  The moment Coco waved was the signal for Josephine and Geo’s lips to become locked again. They stayed that way touching as the vehicle sped down the block.

  SEVENTY

  Rightchus sat in the back of the Caprice staring wide-eyed at both detectives. He could not believe what he had just heard. They were planning to set him up as the next drug kingpin if he turned over Eric Ascot.

  “Well, I know that him and Busta was up to no good…”

  “You said Busta? You can connect him to Busta?” Kowalski asked excitedly.

  “Man, let me speak. Lemme tell you sump’n and this is strictly on the hush, hush end. Really down low. Eric and Busta, they hit up Lil’ Long and Vulcha.”