Every Thug Needs A Lady (Thugs)

by Clark, Wahida

  “Move your hands. My mom is probably watchin’ your every move.”

  “Damn! Why you ain’t tell me? Where is she?”

  “I just did. She’s over there to your left. Put me down.”

  “That woman next to her. You know her?” Kay asked.

  “That’s my Aunt Jan. Why?”

  “Small fuckin’ world.”

  “Why you say that?”

  “She work for the Feds, don’t she?”

  “Yeah, she’s a federal prosecutor. You know her?”

  “We crossed paths before.” Then he handed her a small box.

  “Congratulations.”

  “Ooh. What is it?” she asked, untying the ribbon. She pulled out two keys and smiled at Kay. “What do they go to?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “C’mon Kaylin!” She was practically jumping up and down. He smiled at her.

  “The brochure is in the glove compartment.”

  Just then, Trae walked up and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Congratulations, Miss attorney-at-law,” he said, handing her an envelope.

  “Didn’t think we would make it, did you? You know I’m still mad at you.”

  “Trae, I tried to talk to her. I told her she was dead wrong, so go easy on her. This pregnancy is wreaking havoc with her emotions,” Angel said, giving him a hug.

  “Where is she?”

  “Upstairs in the baby’s room with Kyra,” she said.

  “Glad you could make it.” And she headed outside to get the brochure for her new whip.

  Trae had to laugh at himself because he was actually nervous. He was having a hard time accepting that he allowed Tasha to pull him off his square. Any other time he would have said fuck it and moved on to the next bitch.

  When Trae opened the door to the baby’s room, Tasha and Kyra were still standing over the crib admiring Aisha. Kyra looked up and saw him first and told Tasha to keep an eye on

  Aisha for a minute, she’d be right back. Trae eased up behind Tasha and grabbed her around the waist, frightening her.

  “Damn, you scared me!” she gasped.

  He pulled her close and sung in her ear, “It’s a cold, cold, cold world living without you. Although I tried to get along without you but couldn’t. I need you to be here.”

  She didn’t say anything and went back to patting Aisha on the back, trying to put her to sleep. Aisha wasn’t having it. She kept bobbing her head up and down.

  “Why are you shuttin’ me down like this?” he asked, rubbing Tasha’s stomach and kissing her shoulder. “I miss you.” She still wasn’t talking. “Are you still in love with me?”

  “I’m trying not to be.”

  “Ouch! That hurt,” he said.

  Baby Aisha started crying, so Tasha reached in the crib and picked her up. She was walking back and forth and patting her back. Trae noticed that Tasha’s stomach was starting to poke out. That was turning him on big time.

  “One minute I’m in love with you, the next minute I can’t stand you. So instead of us going through all of these unnecessary changes and tripping, we might as well go our separate ways.” She was trying her best to hold back, but the tears started streaming down her face.

  “Baby I’m not the one tripping,” he said, noticing that she didn’t have her engagement ring on. He watched her as she walked back and forth trying to soothe Aisha. That sight only made him want her and his baby that much more.

  “Let me hold her,” he said causing her to look at him like he was crazy.

  “C’mon, let me hold her,” he told her again.

  “I think she needs to burp. Put that blanket on your shoulder and sit down,” she instructed. Trae put the receiving blanket over his shoulder and sat down on the love seat.

  She brought Aisha over to Trae and laid her on his chest. Her head was resting on his shoulder.

  “It’s okay, Aisha,” she whispered.

  Trae started patting the baby’s back. Aisha slowly wound down and then finally stopped crying. Tasha couldn’t help but smile at Trae. Aisha was still fighting sleep, turning her head from side to side. She finally let out one big burp.

  “Damn!” Trae said, laughing and looking at her.

  “What are they feeding you?”

  Just then Marvin opened the door to peek in at the baby. He laughed when he saw Aisha stretched out on Trae’s chest.

  “She’s beautiful, ain’t she,” Marvin beamed.

  “Yeah, she is,” said Trae.

  “Nigga, what? You gettin’ some practice?”

  “Maybe. Sounds like you need a little more practice, fainting in the delivery room and shit!” he joked.

  They both started laughing. “I didn’t faint. I couldn’t see straight, but I didn’t faint. I got a whole new respect for our women after witnessing that shit. I bet you won’t do any better.”

  “Shit. You got me fucked up. How much? I’m ready to handle mines.”

  “Ready ain’t the same as doin’. Two Gs, playa!”

  “A’ight, nigga. It’s on.”

  “What up, baby sis?” Marvin asked Tasha.

  “You alright?”

  “I’m hangin’.”

  “What you doing to my baby sister, dawg?”

  Trae’s nostrils flared. “What am I doin’ to her? You need to rephrase that. Ask her what she doin’ to me. I’m the one locked the fuck out of the house where I pay all the bills. I’m the one who don’t even have the phone number. I’m not the one who’s been missing in action for the last two, three weeks. I didn’t know if my wife or unborn child was alive or not. Who looks stressed the fuck out? Me or her? You mean what the fuck is she doing to me!”

  “I see I done opened a can of worms.” He looked at Tasha. “Baby sis, ain’t nothin’ nice.”

  “Maybe if pregnant women came with a fuckin’ handbook or instruction manual, I’d know what the fuck was goin’ on,” Trae complained and getting more heated by the moment.

  “Sho’ you right! But, I hate to be the one to tell you that it don’t get easier.”

  “Marv!” Tasha yelled. She was annoyed at the way Marvin and Trae were talking as if she wasn’t even there.

  “I’m sorry, baby sis, but I gots to side with my man on this one. Y’all pregnant women can be real bitches. Nigga, be thankful it only lasts nine months. Let me holla at you, man.”

  “A’ight. Give me a minute.”

  Marvin left. Trae looked at Aisha, who was now sound asleep, and kissed her on the cheek. Tasha picked her up and put her in the crib. Trae then turned to Tasha and said, “Don’t go nowhere. I’ll be right back.” She just looked at him.

  “A’ight? Please?” And he left. She checked to make sure Aisha was dry before throwing the receiving blanket over her. Then she picked up her bag, turned out the light, and went downstairs.

  “Roz!” Angel yelled, waving her over. “Look!” She was dangling the car keys at her and holding up the brochure to the 2001 champagne-colored Lexus SUV.

  “That’s what I’m talking about,” Tasha said, trying to sound enthused.

  “Come here, Tasha!” Kay called.

  “Just a minute, Kay.” She looked at Angel. I’m getting ready to bounce.”

  “You’re leaving?” Angel asked, shocked. “I swear. I didn’t know they were coming!”

  She nodded. “Tell Kyra the baby is dry and asleep.”

  “Ooh!” She sounded like a kid about to tell. “Trae know you’re leaving?”

  Roz told her no with a shake of the head and made her way to the door.

  “Tasha!” Kay yelled again when he saw her leaving.

  “Yo Trae!” Kay hollered.

  “Trae!”

  When Trae came to the top of the stairs and looked down, Kay pointed at the front door. By the time Trae got outside, Tasha was already in her Benz, fumbling for the keys in her bag. He knocked on the window.

  “Get out the car ma.” She ignored him and started it up. “Tasha turn the fuckin’ en
gine off!” She took it out of park and was about to back out the driveway when he pulled out his gat and blew a hole in the tire, making a loud pop. Rubber flew everywhere. She screamed as she sat there, gripping the steering wheel.

  “Shut it off and get out,” he said, glaring at her. She shut it off but didn’t get out. He pulled his gat out again. “Do you want me to blow the fuckin’ window out and drag you out, or are you going to unlock it for me?” With that he aimed the gat at the window. She quickly unlocked the door, and he put the gat away.

  All the while Angel and Kay were standing in the doorway watching. Angel’s mother and several other guests came to the door to check on the commotion out front. Someone asked was it fireworks. Angel told them it was an accident and to go back and enjoy her party. Then her and Kaylin resumed their watch of the reunited couple.

  “Y’all females know y’all can take a nigga through some changes,” Kay commented.

  Angel punched him. “So can y’all. He better not hit her!”

  “C’mon, nosy,” Kay said, pulling her away from the door, “he won’t hit her.”

  Trae opened the door and snatched the keys out of the ignition. He got ready to lift her out the car. All of a sudden she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” she whispered in his ear.

  “Let me go, Tasha. I ain’t trying to hear that bullshit right now. I’m tired of playing with you.”

  “I’m sorry. Please forgive me,” she said, holding him even tighter.

  “I love you so much. Please forgive me.”

  He kissed her cheek, then bit down on it real hard. With no plans of letting go.

  “Owwwww! Trae you’re hurtin’ me!” she squealed. He bit down harder.

  “I said I’m sorry,” she cried. “Owwwww! Please stop Trae,” she cried in anguish. He bit down a little harder be-fore letting go, and she cried harder as he lifted her out of her ride.

  “You better not ever pull no shit like this again,” he said, slamming the door and hitting the lock.

  “And put your ring back the fuck on! Don’t ever take it off again,” he warned. He opened the Navigator, lifted her inside, and closed the door. Then he opened it back up and leaned over her to start it and put the air on. All the while she was still crying.

  She listened as Trae cussed while picking up all of the tire remnants that were strewn all over the lawn and driveway before disappearing into the house. He came out with some tissue and some ice wrapped in a washcloth to attend to the bruise on her cheek. By then she had stopped crying and was blowing her nose. He noticed that she had put her ring back on.

  While he rolled a blunt and spoke on the phone to someone about bringing a new tire and towing the car to Tasha’s, she was putting ice on her bruised cheek. Trae jumped out of the Nav and unlocked the Benz.

  “Do you need anything out of here?” He snapped at her. She shook her head no.

  He jumped back in the Nav, still talking to the car people. She put a piece of ice in her mouth, slid over next to him, and went to unzipping his jeans. He kept on talking as she began to give him some head. Her cold tongue tingling his dick. He hung up, leaned back, closed his eyes and enjoyed being able to bust a good nut. He couldn’t even stay mad at her after that.

  When she finished, she zipped his jeans up in between kisses, apologizing some more. Trae still wasn’t talking. He lit his blunt again and put in Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite CD. Tasha pulled off his doo-rag, took a comb out of her purse, and went to undo-ing his now-messy braids. He pulled out the driveway, popping his fingers to the music.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry. I won’t ever do this again. I love you, and whatever happens, I got your back. I won’t ever leave you, and please don’t ever leave us. We’re in this together.”

  He just looked at her and pumped up the volume to track four, Ascension (Don’t ever wonder) and started singing along with Maxwell.

  “It happened the moment when you were revealed. ’Cause you were a dream that just should not have been fantasy real. You gave me this beating, baby. This rhythm inside high. You make me feel good, n’ feel nice, n’ feel lovely. Gave me paradise. So,” he turned to look at Tasha, “Shouldn’t I realize, you’re the highest of the high? If you don’t know, then I’ll say it. So don’t ever wonder. Don’t ever wonder.”

  She loved it when he sang along with Maxwell because he could blow just like him.

  He turned the volume down. “You don’t have to wonder, Tash. It’s all about you. I don’t know why you can’t see that. My whole fuckin’ world revolves around you!” he said, banging on the steering wheel so hard it frightened her. “Now you’re either with me or you’re against me.”

  “I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. Sometimes it scares me, and I tell myself I need to back off,” she told him, her voice trembling.

  “What? What?” he screamed “Oh, so it’s okay for me to keep lovin’ you while you back off?” He shook his head in disgust. “You need to let the past go, Tash. I told you from the beginning, I want you to love me and let me love you. It’s me and you to the end, regardless.” So what’s up? I’m not going through this bull-shit again.” He glared at her. His anger resurfacing all over again.

  “I’m with you.” She mumbled ashamed of how she’d been act-ing.

  “What?”

  “I’m with you Trae. I’m sorry baby.” The tears falling again.

  A long period of silence followed. Then Suite Lady came on.

  He bumped up the volume and went to popping his fingers and singing again to Maxwell’s CD. “It’s been so long since I have got you, lady, since I have had yo’ brown legs wrapped around me. The smell of she just drives me crazy. Imagine what the sight of her can do. Suite lady, don’t worry. Ain’t no end to what this ring wants, to begin with you. I’ve waited, Suite lady, ’cause no man can tear asunder what my love can groove. I never thought myself the kinda guy, the kinda male that would wanna settle down. Statistics say it’s crazy, passion won’t survive. But something says now, deep down, deep down inside. Groove, love can groove. Me and you, Suite lady. I don’t mean to be dramatic, baby. I only wanna understand you, baby. So will you marry me?”

  They pulled up in front of Amefika’s Restaurant. Tasha ordered two fish dinners with broccoli, fresh string beans, macaroni and cheese, wheat rolls, and a couple of bean pies. When they got to the house Trae told her to call a travel agent to see what island package they could get for the following morning. After the agent gave her the info, Tasha told her to hold on. “Trae, Jamaica, Aruba or Bermuda?” she yelled into the living room.

  “It’s up to you.”

  Tasha chose Jamaica. She took Trae’s American Express platinum card out of her purse to give the agent all of the necessary info then hung up.

  She threw her plate in the microwave and joined Trae on the sofa to watch the game. After the game they jumped in the shower, and she washed his hair. They got out of the shower and watched the Queens of Comedy on DVD as she braided his hair and gave him a manicure and a pedicure. They went to bed soon after because they had a 7:20 a.m. flight to Jamaica.

  Chapter 18

  Tasha was on top as she came for the fourth time, her juices trickling down onto Trae’s jewels. They both were drenched

  in sweat as she plopped down onto his chest. He kissed her fore-head and cheeks as she lay exhausted.

  They rented a beachfront four-bedroom bungalow with a balcony, a huge kitchen, four bathrooms, Jacuzzi, and maid service. After they took a bath together, Trae threw on some boxers and slippers. He grabbed his weed and optimo and sat out on the balcony while Tasha put on a pair of panties and a robe and headed for the kitchen. She took out a bowl of sliced strawberries, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons. She grabbed a spoon, went out on the balcony, and sat right up under Trae, who had just lit his blunt. He leaned over and tongued her down before taking a puff.

  “Damn, it’s beautiful out here,” he mumbled. It was
about 1:30 in the morning and there was a crescent moon. The sky was very, very clear, and the stars were shining brightly. It was picture-perfect.

  “It sure is,” she sighed. “I feel so complete and peaceful. When can we come back?”

  Trae took a few more puffs. “Next week is our last week to wrap this shit up, so any time after that. We can stay for months if we want to. I’ll be a retired man.” He shook his head. “It’s hard

  to believe, but it’s almost over. I’m not in jail and I only got two bullet holes, one in my back and another in my leg. Do you know what the odds are of me gettin’ outta the game alive and free?” She fed him a spoonful of fresh fruit. “Mmm ... real sweet. Just like you,” he said, opening his mouth for some more.

  “Ahhhh! Oh my God!” she screamed. “Trae the baby just moved!” She grabbed his hand, placed it on her stomach, and held it there for a couple of minutes.

  Trae was smiling. “Damn! My son is moving around already.” He was now rubbing her stomach.

  “I gotta call Angel,” she said, kissing Trae. “I love you.” She passed him the fruit bowl and went for the cell to dial Kay’s number. She sat back down and snuggled up under Trae.

  Angel picked up the phone after the fourth ring and answered sleepily, “Yes Kaylin, I’m here.”

  Tasha laughed. “My name is Tasha, not Kaylin.”

  “Oh, I thought it was Kay making sure I was here. What time is it?” she yawned.

  “I don’t have a clue, but guess what?” she said, unable to con-ceal her excitement.

  “What?”

  “The baby just moved!”

  “Did it?”

  “Yup. It felt so weird.”

  “How sweet! Can you tell me more about it tomorrow?” “No, I got something else to tell you.”

  “Tell me.”

  “We got married,” she said, knowing that would wake Angel up. “Who got married?”

  “Me and Trae.”

  “Bitch don’t fucking play around like that.”

  “No, I’m not. We did it the day after we got here. I am now Mrs. Rosalind Tasha Macklin.”

  “Oh, shit! You’re serious?” Angel screamed.