“No problem. It is a gorgeous gown, isn’t it? If you can give me a few moments, I just have to get my senior manager. She has the keys to the fitting lounge.”
The young girl walked away and within sixty seconds returned with her manager directly on her heels. Monica slowly turned around and was face-to-face with the same old bitch who’d had her chased and arrested.
“Yes, can I help you two?”
“Yes, my sister would like to try that dress on please.” Monica hesitated to speak, but to her surprise, the lady didn’t seem to recognize her. “She also will be in need of some accessories.”
“I’m sorry. What dress did you mean?” she asked sarcastically, acting as if she were in shock.
“That one hanging up there,” Monica once again stated, this time with a little more bass in her tone.
“I’m very sorry, but those dresses up there are very special and very, very expensive.” The woman looked over her eyeglasses at Kayla and Monica. “The salesgirl should have told you that. She’s new. You have to forgive her.”
The young girl stood idle as the older woman degraded Monica. She hated mistreating people.
“Listen, I’m not trying to be rude, but that’s the dress my sister wants.” Monica folded her arms, enraged. “Now if you don’t mind, can someone get it down for us?”
The older saleslady seemed to get angry at being asked to do her job. “There must be some sort of misunderstanding of what I just said, so let me go slow so you can comprehend. I know Detroit’s public schools aren’t what they used to be.” She took her glasses off her face and clenched her teeth as she spoke. “You and your little friend, sister, or whoever she is, are on the wrong side of the store. The gowns that are over here all are very expensive.” She smiled wickedly as if she was enjoying herself. “That means they cost a whole lot of money. Now, if you go on the other side, you two might be able to find something that can fit your budget on clearance. Oh, and by the way, if she didn’t inform you,” she said, referencing the young, innocent salesgirl standing by, “we don’t take layaways!”
Kayla, Monica, and the young girl stood flabbergasted at the woman’s bitter and derogatory statements. Monica hastily made her way around the rack and got in the woman’s face. Before she could get one word out of her mouth, Kayla came in between the two.
“Naw, Monica, chill. I got this.” She used her arm to move her big sister and usual protector out of the way. She stood toe-to-toe with the woman who was old enough to be her great-grandmother, and she eyed the name tag on her blazer.
“Excuse me, Ms. Solomon, but there must be some sort of a serious mistake to cause you to be so rude. My sister made a simple request for you to complete a task that I am very certain falls in line with your job description and responsibilities. It’s obvious and painfully clear that you are past your prime and bitter, but so goes life. Now if for some obscure reason you are feeling even the slightest bit disgruntled or dissatisfied with your current choice of employment, then, by all means, I sincerely beseech you to immediately seek other means to support your cranky old self.”
Kayla’s face was close to touching the woman’s glasses. “As a customer of this corporate-owned establishment, I help provide revenue to pay your salary, and I expect to be treated with respect, not verbally assaulted in such an outrageous manner. So if you find it demeaning to assist someone such as myself, a product of the Detroit Public School system, then shame on you.” Kayla bucked her eyes and snapped her fingers at the old woman. “Now like my older sister asked your senile ass five minutes ago, do ya job, old woman, and go fetch the dress, bitch!”
Monica had never been prouder of Kayla in her whole life as they awaited the woman’s next move. The lady was in a trance after getting deservedly put in her place by a teenager. She had no choice but to reluctantly allow Kayla to try the dress on.
“Go over there and get that dress down for them,” she ordered the young salesgirl, who had started giggling.
“Excuse me, Ms. Solomon, but she told you to go fetch, not me.” The girl went from giggling to flat-out laughing her ass off.
“Oh, you find something funny? Well, let’s see how amused you are about this. You’re fired. You can go back to working at the beer and wine store you came from.”
“Fired? Bitch, I quit,” she yelled, spitting dead in Ms. Solomon’s wrinkled face. “You got me all fucked up.” She grabbed her purse from under the counter and stormed out, but not before Monica handed her a flyer from the store she was opening, telling her that there was a job for her there if she wanted it.
Ms. Solomon reached over and snatched a costly blouse off the rack and wiped the big glob of saliva that was dripping down the middle of her face. It was then that she recognized Monica as the same girl who had last spat on her. Before she was able to make a scene, the district manager appeared and wasted no time reprimanding her for her actions.
“Ms. Solomon, I need a minute please.”
“Just a moment, sir.”
“No, right now.” He was frustrated, and his anger was apparent as he shouted. “I was observing, on our security monitors and from behind a rack of clothing, the altercation that just took place. I am appalled at your treatment of these customers.” He pointed at Kayla and Monica.
“How dare you speak like that to anyone who patronizes this store? Throughout the years we’ve received numerous complaints about you and your awful, condescending behavior, yet they’ve been overlooked. Well not today, Ms. Solomon,” he huffed. “Clean your locker out and gather your personal belongings. Your services are no longer required here. Oh, and by the way, that three-hundred-dollar blouse you used to clean your face will most certainly be taken out of your final paycheck.” He gave both girls his sincere apologies as he called the guards to escort Ms. Solomon off the store premises.
Kayla couldn’t help herself as she gave her a devilish grin. “In case you don’t understand English, he means you’re fired.”
The district manager then sent his best salespeople over to cater to Monica and Kayla on hand and foot. The dress fit Kayla like a glove and required only a few minor alterations. The manager promised to have Kayla’s dress specially delivered to her front door.
The dress was indeed expensive. It was an original from Egypt that retailed for over $4,500. With the shoes and accessories, Monica had to dig deep, but nothing was too good for her baby sister. When asked how she was paying, Monica proudly responded, “Cash.”
Chapter Seventeen
The whole town was completely saturated with flyers announcing the store’s grand opening. Monica had thought of every avenue of advertisement she possibly could. The local newspaper had a full-page color ad. Radio commercials were blaring, and she had a short spot on a public access program. Monica was doing everything humanly possible to make the day a total success.
Gossip was running rampant throughout the streets. Every barbershop and hair salon client filled their time in the chair or under the dryer speculating about what was going to happen the big night of the grand opening. The rumors spread like wildfire. They began with the food that was going to be served. There were supposed to be free bottles of Moët in the take-home goodie bags that Quinton had provided. The most outlandish rumor of them all was the his-and-hers full-length mink coat giveaway.
If all that talk weren’t enough, the speculations regarding the interior were ridiculous and funny to both Monica and Quinton. African artwork flown in from Mali, European wallpaper gracing the store walls, along with a collection of vintage clothes that were once worn by Janet Jackson topped them. One thing was for certain, whatever it looked like inside the new store would be the main point of conversation for some time to come. Even the females Latrell and Quinton used to kick it with wouldn’t think of missing out on coming. Jealous or not, they’d be there. There was no way in hell that anyone who called themselves rolling, balling, slinging, pimping, or being pimped was gonna be left out.
It was two days bef
ore the big day, and Quinton and Latrell were exhausted. They had been working overtime to make sure that everything would go as planned. Quinton didn’t want to leave anything to chance. He hired extra security for the night and also two valet attendants to park the cars.
“Hey, baby. Do you two want to go out to dinner?” Latrell winked at Kanina.
“Yeah, let’s get dressed and go back down to Tina’s Tavern. We ain’t been there since we met.”
Latrell put his arms around Kanina’s waist and hugged her. “Go put on something sexy for me and let’s roll out.” He smacked her playfully on her ass and sent her in the other room to get ready. “I’m gonna wear that shit out later,” he yelled out to her.
Quinton walked over to Monica, who was working on the computer, and he kissed her on the neck.
“Hey, baby.” Monica leaned back and smiled.
“Come on, sweetie. That’s enough work for tonight. Let’s go out and get some drinks and relax before this store opens and shit’s really off the chain.”
“All right, daddy, just give me a few minutes to take a shower and get my clothes on, and I’ll be good to go.” She made sure to rub his dick and grin. Monica ran to her room, and Quinton followed her.
“Damn, this room is getting smaller and smaller. You need some more space or something.” He plopped on the bed, watching her get undressed. Less than three minutes after she got in the steam-filled shower and lathered her body with soap, Quinton stepped inside, pinning Monica’s wet, slippery body against the wall. Covering her mouth with his, he held her tightly as his dick throbbed. Quinton took his fingers and slowly stuck them inside of Monica as she felt her knees get weak. The hot water pounded on their bodies as he grabbed her legs, lifting her off the ground in one motion. He slipped her down on his manhood and slowly started to grind hard in her pussy. The two stayed in the shower, fucking like animals, until they heard Kanina calling their names.
* * *
Tina’s Tavern was packed. There was a long line of people waiting for the valet, but that had nothing to do with them. Quinton and Latrell were top-notch VIP in that motherfucker. They didn’t stand in lines or worry about finding a seat whenever they came. Tina and Quinton went way back to her slinging forty ounces out of her car trunk after regular business hours. He and Latrell always looked out for her. They said that Tina was good people. She treated them both like her sons and wasn’t nothing too good for them or their women.
Quinton had Monica drive up on the curb and park smack dead in front of the entrance. The crowd at the door had no choice but to move over toward the wall. Kanina and Latrell quickly pulled up behind them, and they all walked in the door ahead of the line. It was like that everywhere the foursome would go. The fellas gangsta was deeply respected.
“Hey, Q! What up, Trell?” The bouncer reached over and unhooked the black velvet rope that separated the hallway from the club.
“You got the best hand, my nigga.” Latrell gave him a pound as he helped usher the girls in. Them getting searched was totally out of the question. Latrell stayed strapped, and everyone knew it.
“What’s good wit’ ya, son?” Quinton nodded and threw his hands in the air.
Monica and Kanina left them all to do their “guy thang” and went to get a booth. The waitress soon came over, and the girls ended up placing the food and drink orders for the fellas because they were still across the way, talking shit. When the food did arrive, Quinton and Latrell had just sat down. Monica had Quinton’s favorite drink, rum and Coke, on the table, while Kanina made sure that her man was well stocked with a couple of Corona beers and a shot of Crown Royal. They had come to relax, and that’s exactly what the group planned on doing.
After dinner, the partying began. The music was bumping, and the dance floor was overflowing with people having a good time. For once there was no arguing about dumb shit. Nobody stepped on anyone’s shoes or stared at somebody else’s girl or just plain wilded the fuck out. One by one, all the wannabe folks made sure to stop by the table and speak to Quinton and Latrell. It was as if they were a couple of hood dons. They were used to that type of bullshit.
Every girl from around the way who Monica had grown up with on the block all went out of their way to speak to her. Back in the day, they all talked shit about her and her family, yet here they paraded by, kissing her ass. Kanina and Monica tried their best to ignore some of them, but others wanted to be seen talking with Latrell and Quinton so badly that they refused to take a hint and had to be asked to move on by the waitress, whose way they were blocking. Bitches that night were straight-up brazen as fuck.
The evening was drawing to a close, and the crowd was starting to thin out. Quinton was holding Monica’s hand, professing his love for her. He was still drinking and getting his buzz on when Kanina and Latrell returned from the dance floor. Latrell had the DJ play a special request just for them. Latrell was usually rough and rugged, but when it came to dancing, he was smooth. He twirled Kanina around as everyone watched.
“You two look so nice out there,” Monica chuckled. “I would break my neck with all that spinning.”
“I would have caught ya pretty ass.” Quinton kept a hold of her hand.
Latrell called the waitress back over to the table and ordered a bottle of Dom Pérignon along with four glasses. She quickly returned and poured the champagne in the glasses. The waitress then signaled the DJ to dim the lights. Then he turned the sounds down very low.
“Can y’all give my mans a minute or two?”
When the few patrons left in the club were quiet, Latrell stood up and made a toast. Monica, Quinton, and Kanina kept their eyes glued on him.
“I want everyone in here to raise their glasses in respect and toast Kanina Tanay Cooper, my woman, my love, and soon to be my wife.”
Kanina dropped the glass, and it shattered on the table. Monica’s jaw dropped to the ground in disbelief. Quinton looked on proudly as his road dawg went down on one knee and pulled a small box from his jacket pocket. The room was silent as small tears flowed from Kanina’s eyes.
“Kanina, baby, I love ya ass like I ain’t never loved another. I want you to be my wife and shit. Will you marry me?” He opened the small box and took the ring out. “Please, boo boo.” He grabbed her hand and slid the ring on her trembling finger as she nodded yes!
The room went freaking bananas as all the females gathered around gawking at the six-carat diamond ring that graced Kanina’s slender finger. The fellas all clowned Latrell for being so soft and sensitive.
“I can’t believe it. He really asked me to marry him. Imagine that, me somebody’s wife. Wait ’til my mother finds this out.” Kanina waved her hand in the light, making the diamond sparkle even more.
“Girl, it is so pretty. I can’t believe it either.” Monica was hyped. “We got a wedding to plan.”
The girls huddled together. They started talking about colors, dates, and even what Latrell and Kanina would name their firstborn. They finally got up to go to the bathroom and were still gabbing as they left the table.
While the girls were in the bathroom running off at the mouth planning shit, Quinton and Latrell had an unexpected visitor at the table. It was a cat who ran one of Quinton’s dope houses. He was a loyal soldier and had been down with them for three or four years. No matter what the task was, he was down with his peoples. He kept shit in order.
“What’s up, man?” Latrell showed the guy some love, giving him a pound.
“It ain’t nothing. I just need to holler at ya for a minute,” he replied, looking over his shoulder at the ladies’ bathroom.
“Damn, is it that serious? What’s happening?” Quinton looked at him hard. “Don’t hold me up, nigga. What’s the deal?”
“Man, it’s that chick you over here chilling with. I knew your girl’s name was Monica, but I didn’t know it was the same Monica I grew up with from around the way.” He rubbed his face.
“Dig this here, Black Billy. If you got something to s
ay, then spit that shit out and give it to a nigga raw.” Latrell was tired of riddles.
“Remember that night that shit jumped off with that crackhead broad on Dexter and Davison Avenue?”
“Yeah, and so what? That was over two fucking years ago,” Quinton said, and then downed a swallow of beer. “The police been stopped asking questions about that old, played-out bullshit.”
Black Billy glanced once more at the bathroom door. “Well, Monica is that bitch’s daughter!”
“What the fuck did you say?”
“Listen, Quinton, that’s ya girl’s mom.”
“This shit is wild.” Latrell shook his head.
Latrell and Quinton both couldn’t believe what Black Billy had just told them. Just like that, the party was over. Black Billy left and went back to the spot to wait for further instructions as he was ordered. Moments later the girls emerged from the bathroom, still talking. They had something to keep them occupied for hours. Between the grand opening in two days, Sandra getting released from prison, and now planning a wedding, they wouldn’t even bitch about the fellas claiming to have to handle some business.
Quinton immediately paid the tab and sent both girls home in his car. He jumped into the car with Latrell and headed to the hood. They had to figure this madness out.
Chapter Eighteen
It was the morning of the grand opening, and it was going to be hectic for everyone involved. Monica had to drive up to the prison and pick up Sandra. After years of waiting, her ex-cellmate would once again be free. Monica had yet to fill her in on the new shop Quinton had blessed her with or that she had no intention of ever stealing again. She wanted it all to be one big surprise to Sandra.
Monica had gotten an early start and was pulling up about twenty minutes before Sandra was scheduled to walk through the prison gates. She grabbed her purse off the passenger seat and took her cell phone out. Monica flipped it open, pressed number two on speed dial, and patiently waited for her girl Kanina to answer.
Girls from da Hood 13 Page 10
