Still thicker than water

by Takerra, Allen

  “What the fuck was that!” Bleek screamed, adrenaline pumpkin. His baby face was full of rage and animation. “You think that was some of Father’s peoples that we didn’t lay down?”

  Jayde shrugged and shook her head in disbelief, looking around, as Bleek contemplated. He thought him and E had laid everyone on Father’s side down, or got them to get down.

  “I don’t know what the fuck is going on…you alright?”

  Bleek leaned back and nodded.

  “Yeah I’m cool.”

  Jayde turned to E.

  “You alright, E?

  She saw the light turning red, but quickly ran it; she would not be stopping at anymore lights.

  “E?” She repeated, but already knew what it was when she saw that he was still slouched in his seat.

  He wasn’t crouched down, he was slumped. And now Jayde could see the blood pouring from his white button up.

  “Damn,” she whispered, dropping her head.

  Bleek sat up in worry.

  “What…what you mean damn? Yo, E.”

  Bleek leaned up to the front passenger seat.

  “E!”

  But then he saw the same sight, and he closed his eyes in distress, his jaw tightened in anger.

  In the short time that he had known him, Bleek had grown close to E.

  “Yo, we gotta take him to the hospital!”

  Jayde continued to drive at her regular pace, her face filled with sadness.

  “J! We gotta get him to the fucking hospital! Floor it, yo!”

  “He’s gone, Bleek!” When she realized that she was shouting, she lowered her voice. “He’s…he’s gone.”

  She could see E was as lifeless as a doorknob, so she reached over and placed her right hand over his face, closing his eyelids. Bleek buried his head in his hands as they drove through the Atlanta streets in the shot up Range Rover.

  “Rest in peace, E,” Jayde whispered.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this.”

  “Just say it baby,” Tatum urged. Ree was beginning to scare her. She was hoping that they weren’t in any kind of trouble. “Is everything okay?” Her voice dripped with alarm.

  He took her hands into his and looked into her eyes. Then he took a deep breath, and…

  “Trinity says she’s pregnant.”

  That was it. He could’ve punched her square in the nose and it would’ve felt better.

  “H-huh?” Tatum couldn’t find any air for anything. Where did all of the air go? I can’t breathe.

  “I said…Trinity called me, she said-”

  “I heard you, Ree!”

  Tatum jumped up off of the bed and Ree did too. He watched as her body trembled and as she placed her hands to her ears, as if that would prevent her from hearing anymore of what he had just told her.

  “Tatum…I am so sorry that this is happening. But I need to know…”

  “You had unprotected sex with her, Ree? I thought you said it wasn’t that serious?” Tatum couldn’t help the tears that began to fall from her eyes. “I guess it’s just not meant for us, huh?”

  Ree’s heart broke.

  “Tatum…please…don’t say that. And I always used protection with her, that’s why it’s so hard for me to believe.”

  She covered her face in shame with her hands. She didn’t know why, but she felt stupid, embarrassed, and dumb… dumb for thinking they could be some fairytale. Now, the next bitch would have his family. It hurt like hell, it hurt worse than that.

  She could feel him walk closer to her. She could feel his arms around her. She could feel his lips kissing her on the top of her head, repeatedly. But she couldn’t look at him. He was jaded, her perfect man, was now, flawed.

  “Tatum, I need to know if we can get through this…,” he whispered deeply. “I know what we have is deep enough… but I also know that it’s a difficult thing I am asking of you.”

  It took her a few minutes to open her eyes and look up at him, and when she did, she stared into his sincere eyes, and truly didn’t know what to do. Yes, this was a very difficult situation, but wasn’t he worth it? Tatum knew finding another man like Ree was impossible, but she wasn’t sure if she could deal with this even if she wanted to. He would have a bond with Trinity and that child that she couldn’t offer him, and she feared that. But she also feared losing him. He could see the hesitation in her face.

  “I told Trinity that I want a blood test.”

  Tatum remained quiet, but was pleased to hear it. She could tell by the whole naked in the office scene that the girl was extreme as hell. Tatum exhaled loudly and ran her left hand through her hair, fingering through her curls with a pitiful look on her face.

  “I …I need to think.”

  She turned and walked slowly toward the door and Ree watched her regretfully, not wanting her to leave. He was relieved when she made a detour for the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

  He walked over to the bathroom door, and could hear her in there, sniffling, and it tore him up inside. He leaned his forehead against the door and closed his eyes, praying that she’d emerge and say that they could get through this. He had come too far to lose her again.

  It would be another hour before Tatum would emerge. And when she did, Ree would be right there, sitting by the door, waiting. And she would know exactly what she had to do.

  “No…no. Please don’t tell me that.”

  The whole mood of the hospital room was melancholy at the latest news.

  “Not E…oh my god,” Sasha whimpered in shock. This was turning into the worst series of events ever.

  She was lying in the hospital bed, her arm wrapped around a resting and sedated Aubrey, and Chauncey was seated in a chair, blank faced, his hands tented under his chin. It was after 5 am, and the hospital was dead quiet. Mike had left a few minutes before; he was called in for surgery, so they were there alone.

  Jayde and Bleek had just come in, sneaking past security, and relayed the news, after dropping the body in an alley near the hospital. They didn’t want to bring him to the hospital, knowing that it would be a ton of questions, especially being that Bleek was sure that he had hit at least one of the gunmen. And they didn’t want to get rid of it, because they would want his family to find out and give the proper burial.

  Chauncey understood the logic, but it didn’t feel right. His man, his right hand man, was laying in an alley shot up, dead. Gone. And Chauncey felt responsible.

  “Who did it?” He asked, voice dripping with vengeance.

  “I think it was one of Father’s people,” Bleek figured. “That’s all I can come up with.”

  Jayde butted in.

  “It was Capo… I seen him.”

  Chauncey and Bleek’s eyes fell on her and Bleek furrowed his eyebrows. This was the first time he had heard of this sighting.

  “Capo?” Chauncey asked, surprised. Not only was Capo cool as hell when Chauncey had met with him to cop, he was also E’s man. E had set up the deal. “Why would Capo do that shit?”

  Jayde rolled her eyes like ‘duh’.

  “Because…ever since you and I have partnered and taken all of this new territory, Capo is the only person who remains a sole proprietor, and no one wants to cop from him anymore. Everyone knows they can see me, or you, and get the same deal, and our shit won’t be as stepped on as Capo’s.”

  Chauncey looked up at her baffled.

  “But I thought we weren’t selling to Capo’s people…and we giving him a sweeter deal than everyone else, right?”

  Jayde remained quiet and Chauncey knew she was hiding something.

  “Right?” He repeated, growing more upset, as Sasha looked on trying to follow.

  “Look,” Jayde started. “Capo and I…may have exchanged some words last week. I mean, he’s the only one who won’t come onboard and just work for us. It makes no sense, his little blocks that he’s holding onto…they’re dead smack in the middle of our-”

  “So!” Chauncey barked, standing
up and becoming angry. “So the fuck what J? Let him keep those measly blocks!”

  Chauncey understood a man wanting to make his own moves, he could respect it. Capo wasn’t taking anything out of their mouths, and now he could see how greedy Jayde actually was.

  He ran his hands over his face and shook his head.

  “Oh my god…oh my fucking god. Do you realize you just started a war… got my man killed, over a couple of half ass blocks?”

  Jayde looked down and shrugged.

  “I’m sorry about E…but it’s a respect thing, Chauncey.”

  Chauncey paced the floor and continued to shake his head. It didn’t matter how angry he was, Jayde was on his team. If her and Capo bumped heads, and especially if Capo killed E, then war was established.

  Chauncey was not concerned with that, they were huge, so Capo could not win. It only was unfortunate that the pretenses on which the beef was built was bullshit, not worth it.

  Sasha kept her mouth shut and held a sleeping Aubrey closer, but she knew that Jayde had started some shit. Although she was sure Chauncey was not concerned, she thought of E being shot down and she quickly feared for Chauncey.

  Bleek also knew it was about to be some shit, but he was ready. He had a personal bullet with Capo’s name on it, but it would probably not beat Chauncey’s.

  Chauncey looked over at his daughter and couldn’t believe he had went from one extreme of being happy of Aubrey’s recuperation and now in sorrow from the loss of E.

  He looked at Jayde and could almost hear E’s voice.

  Not a female Chaunc, a bitch… Chauncey nodded to himself and took his seat again. A bitch.

  Ree heard the faucet turn on and then seconds later, shut off. About a minute after that, the knob turned and Tatum emerged from the bathroom. He stood up and looked at her, trying to read her but she just made her way to the bed, blank-faced. However, she remained standing.

  Finally after a few torturous minutes, she laughed lightly and looked up at the ceiling.

  “I just can’t believe this, Ree.”

  She turned and looked at him in disappointment.

  “I love you, Ree…but…I don’t know. I’m not sure if I can live with someone else starting your family. That means, this woman...” Tatum didn’t even feel right calling her a bitch if she was potentially carrying his child, and she really didn’t know why, because she couldn’t stand Trinity. “This woman, will be in your...our, lives forever. I don’t know if I can handle that.”

  Ree dropped his head and nodded, but felt like someone was taking his air from him. He regretted ever fucking with Trinity. Had he known that Tatum would come back into his life, he would have waited forever and a day.

  Tatum walked closer to him and grabbed his hands, pressing her body to his.

  “But I’m gonna try.”

  He looked up and stared at her, stunned. He searched her eyes for certainty.

  “I’m gonna try to handle it…because I love you, Sean Knights. I love you so much, and I know that what we have…it’s the real thing. That’s why…” Tatum paused, never being this upfront about her emotions in her entire life. “That’s why I know we can get through anything…even if I have to take the backseat.”

  Ree shook his head and cupped her face in his hands.

  “No, never. You will never have to take a backseat.”

  “Yes I will, Ree. She’s gonna be the mother of your child. Possibly…be the mother of your child,” Tatum corrected. “And what will I be?”

  Ree pulled away and placed his hands in his pockets, sighing. He shrugged and Tatum stared at him.

  “Well…,” he started. “I guess you’ll just have to be…”

  He pulled a tiny box out of his pocket and gently flipped it open, while he slowly sunk down to one knee.

  Tatum’s heart skipped a beat and she shook her head, not believing it.

  “…My wife,” he finished, looking into her eyes sincerely.

  Tatum gasped, her vision clouding with tears. She couldn’t even think straight. Every part of her wanted to say yes, but she had to know…

  “Are…is this… just…because of…Trinity?” She asked between breaths. “Because you don’t have to…”

  “And what…I ran out and bought the ring while you were in the bathroom?” He asked playfully.

  “Come on, Tatum. I’ve had this…I knew this…you, was what I wanted, for a long time. Now you gonna leave me down here on my knees… or you gonna give me an answer?” He took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger, its beauty completely captivating her. It was an enormous Russian Alexandrite, because he knew Tatum did not wear diamonds. The Russian Alexandrite was one of, if not arguably the most, rare and expensive stone. To Ree it represented everything that Tatum was – beautiful, inimitable, rare.

  “Will you marry me…Miss Lady?”

  She took a deep breath and looked at him, overflowing with emotion. Finally…finally love had arrived.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes Sean. I’ll marry you.”

  He smiled wide and stood up.

  “That’s what I’m talking ‘bout. Come ‘ere.”

  He pulled her close into a secure embrace and kissed her deeply, and Tatum felt like she was floating. If it was a dream she didn’t want to wake up.

  She had the man, the man any woman would desire, and he wanted her to be his wife. She knew their love would conquer anything. The situation with Trinity drifted further and further from her mind.

  Finally…love had arrived.

  Ding Dong.

  The old rusty bell, which hung from the doorway, sounded, as the door swung open in the old shop.

  “How may I help you?” The overweight redneck man asked, looking skeptically at the figure dressed in oversized sweats and a black hoodie.

  The person stood and fidgeted with a picture in their hands, causing the man to look down at it. The picture was of a beautiful young black woman who appeared to be, from where he could see, naked.

  He looked up at the mysterious individual that had just entered his shop, who was just standing there, looking lost.

  “Look, I think you may be in the wrong place here,” he figured, squinting to get another glance at the picture.

  As if on cue, they folded the picture and stuffed it into their pocket hastily, stepping up to the counter.

  “No, I’m not lost. Not at all.”

  The fat white man folded his arms across his big chest, as his huge belly hung from under his too short gray t-shirt. He didn’t have time for small talk. He looked on blankly and shrugged.

  “Well, like I said then…how may I help you?”

  The mystery person looked around at the many things the shop had to offer and then their eyes landed on it. It was perfect, so perfect, it should have had Sasha’s name written on it.

  I…I need a gun,” they finally stammered. They pointed to the compact Ruger .38 with the pearl handle and smiled sinisterly, the nervousness seeming to vanish with each second. “I need that gun.”

  Chapter 20 - Wrath

  “Oh my god,” Tatum murmured, covering her mouth with her right hand, her left hand still on her phone that she couldn’t even think to hang up. She woke up the next morning and had called Sasha to tell her the good news, and Sasha had hit her with this before Tatum had even gotten the chance to tell her.

  She turned and looked down at Ree, who had woken up and was looking at her perplexed.

  “What’s up…everything okay?” He asked, his voice raspy.

  “E…E died… he was shot…”

  Ree stared at her for a few seconds in silence. Although he looked at death a little more differently than average people, and with more understanding and less emotion towards it, he definitely regretted the news. E was someone who he had worked with, he knew that he was a good person, and was very loyal to Chauncey.

  “Damn.” That was all Ree could reply with.

  “Yeah, Sasha said Chauncey’s really fucked
up about it, and I know he is…I just can’t believe it.”

  Ree nodded solemnly.

  “Yeah, it’s a fucked up situation. E was good people… But it’s all apart of the game baby.”

  Ree rubbed her back and kissed her on her bare shoulder, which was only decorated by the strap of her silk nightgown.

  “I’m so glad that you’re out of that game,” Tatum said with a content sigh. “I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to you.”

  Ree remained silent in contemplation, but then stood up and slipped on his boxers, his perfectly sculpted and tattooed body making him appear as an Adonis god.

  “Yeah well, you wouldn’t have to worry about that anyway.”

  Tatum didn’t like that response, and it showed all in her expression. She tilted her head at him.

  “I wouldn’t have to worry about that, because you’re out of the game… for good, right?”

  Ree stared into her eyes in an assuring way. Yes, his body was physically out, but his mentality, his way of being, would always be…street.

  “Yeah, I’m out,” he affirmed.

  And then he turned and walked away, before Tatum could see any hesitation in his face.

  As if the day could get any worse, Sasha walked out of the hospital cafeteria and sucked her teeth when she noticed the woman from Child Services approaching.

  “Hello Mrs. Bernstein,” the woman greeted neither warm nor testing. “Your husband told me that I could find you down here.”

  Sasha chuckled and placed her hand on her hip.

  “You mean my daughter’s father.”

  The woman snapped her fingers as if remembering something.

  “Dammit, that’s right, I’m so absentminded…I have to remember that.

  Husband…daughter’s father…husband…daughter’s father…two separate people…”

  “What do you want lady?” Sasha demanded with more than a little attitude. “You don’t like me or something?”

  The woman’s face turned serious.