by Jacob Spears
“That one,” Smooth said.
Ms. Burkley took down the address and then turned the lights back on.
“When would you like to see it?” she asked.
“I just did.”
“It’s much nicer in person.”
“I’m sure it is,” Smooth answered. “Let’s get the paperwork completed.”
“Don’t you want to know how much your rent will be?”
“I never asked because it doesn’t matter.”
“This way,” Ms. Burkley said, as she guided Smooth back to her office, concealing the smile on her face. She was impressed.
“We’re going to need your first and last months’ rent, security deposit, and membership fees in advance,” she informed him.
After counting the money she’d received from Smooth, Ms. Burkley had him sign some papers and then handed him his keys.
“Thank you for your business, Mr. Johnson. And if there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know.”
“I’ll remember that. Thank you.”
Smooth turned and headed for the door.
“Oh, Mr. Johnson,” Ms. Burkley called out, as she approached him.
“Yes,” Smooth turned.
“Just one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“A young black man driving an expensive car with a pocket full of money screams drug dealer.”
Ms. Burkley watched as Smooth’s shoulders sagged, confirming what she already knew.
“No need to worry, your secret is safe with me. But I do have some suggestions for you.”
“I’m listening.”
“Rather than walking around with your packets bulging out from the illegal money you’re making, why not go get yourself a couple credit cards, even if they’re pre-paid,” she suggested.
Smooth nodded his head.
“And,” Ms. Burkley continued, “why not drive a more common car?”
Smooth nodded again.
“How many red M3s do you think you’ll see between here and your next destination? Just something for you to think about. You got my number if you need me,” she said turning away and dismissing Smooth.
Chapter 6
Smooth went over his list for the umpteenth time. He wanted to make sure everything was just right. Today was China’s birthday and he wanted nothing left to chance. He called the car dealer to check up on the Range Rover he’d purchased for her and was told that the vehicle was ready to be picked up. With that out of the way, he grabbed his keys and headed over to the jewelry store. Everything was going well. He decided to place a call to China.
“Hey birthday girl,” Smooth said, when she picked up.
“Hi, baby, where are you?”
“I’m at the store getting something special for you.”
“What’d you get me?” she asked excitedly.
“Why you even asking when you know I’m not going to tell you.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” China said coolly.
“Not at all. What time does the party start?”
“Ga Ga wants everyone gone by 11:30 p.m., so we’ll start partying around 6:00 ... five and a half hours to celebrate my sweet 16. That’s not fair.”
“I’m surprised she’s letting you have a party at her house at all!”
“I know, right,” China said giggling.
“What color are you wearing tonight?” Smooth asked.
“My favorite, of course.”
That’s what Smooth was hoping to hear.
“I got a few more things I need to take care of. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay baby, be careful out there. I love you.”
“Always. I love you, too.”
* * *
Smooth prepared himself for the smell of the pet shop and then walked in. The puppies he was interested in were located at the very back of the store. Smooth stood over the playpen that housed the animals. China had always wanted a pit bull but her mother wouldn’t allow it, claiming that the dogs were illegal in Dade County. The truth was that Ga Ga was terrified of the dogs. She’d been attacked by one when she was a teenager and had never gotten over the fear the dog had placed in her. She offered China the compromise of another kind of dog, but China had refused them all.
As Smooth looked at the puppies, he tried imagining which one his girl would be most happy with. They were all pretty so that wasn’t an issue. He grabbed one of the ones jumping about by the head and shook it. When he let go, the puppy ran away from him. Smooth did the same thing to another puppy. This time when he let go, the dog only looked at him. He did it again, and the dog whimpered to the back of the pen beside the first. There was one that Smooth had purposely ignored because of its size. It was the smallest one. He moved away from the two puppies and came up to him and held out his hand to shake his head just as he’d done the other two. Only this time he stopped in mid-air. The dog was growling and showing his teeth. Smooth smiled. He found the one he was looking for. He instructed the sales associate to have the puppy fully groomed after picking up everything he thought the dog would need. Smooth paid and told the associate he’d be back before they closed at the end of the day.
His next stop was to the jeweler he’d hired to make a one-of-a-kind locket that would hold two pictures inside of him and China. The first picture would be the most recent picture he and China had taken together. And the other picture would be the very first picture they had taken together. It was a picture that was sure to make China cry. It was their first-grade class photo, and they were standing next to each other. Rather than looking at the camera, Smooth was standing next to China looking at her. The jeweler apologized for the delay and promised to have it ready in less than an hour.
With some time to kill, Smooth walked through the mall to see if there was anything he wanted to buy. His mind was on several different things as he walked. Besides China, Smooth thought about what he’d do once all of the weed was gone. He managed to get rid of anywhere from 400 to 500 pounds every week. He was doing well but was eager to move the rest of it, which was more than 2,000 pounds. Brazen was a big help, but with each sale that Brazen lined up, Smooth’s profits were shortened. Smooth constantly reminded himself that it was all profit.
Seeing a pair of Nike Air Max’s that coordinated with the colors that China would be wearing, Smooth had the sales person bring him a pair in his size as well as a pair for China.
After paying with his credit card, he headed back to the jeweler.
* * *
“What’s up, Foxy Roxy?” Smooth greeted the only female he’d ever looked at as an older sister.
“Heyyyy,” Roxy replied, taking a sip of whatever it was she was drinking.
“Where’s the birthday girl?” he asked.
Roxy tilted her head towards the house.
“Come here, boy,” Roxy stopped him. “We need to talk.”
“Yeah, we do,” he turned around.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked.
“You first.”
“Alright. Today is China’s 16th birthday.”
“Nah, for real?” Smooth replied sarcastically.
Roxy smacked him in the head playfully.
Besides China, the woman in front of him was the only other person that put their hands on him and got away with it.
“Shut up. I’m about to put you up on game.”
Smooth was paying full attention.
“I just got through talking to her for almost an hour. She has decided to give it up to you tonight, and she wanted me to give her some tips,” Roxy said.
Smooth licked his lips.
“Wipe that stupid grin off your face, boy. I told her everything I think she needed to know. And now I’m going to tell you the only thing I think you need to know.”
“I’m listening.”
“Be very gentle and take your time.”
Smooth nodded his head.
“Now, what you want to talk to me about?” Roxy as
ked.
“I got China everything she wanted for her birthday.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“What exactly did she want?” Roxy inquired.
“A lot of shit, but the biggest and most significant is our own place.”
Roxy spit out the drink she had just sipped.
“Repeat that!”
“You heard me right.”
“And you think Ga Ga is going to let her move out with you?”
“That’s why I need your help, sis.”
“Sis, my ass! I am not getting involved with that shit. No!” Roxy shook her head.
“China’s going to move out regardless of what Ga Ga says. I’m just helping her do so.”
“Leave me out of that!” Roxy had spoken her mind and with that, she headed inside with Smooth behind her.
“SMOOTH,” China screamed when he walked in.
Squeezing her tightly he whispered ‘happy birthday’ to her before he released her from his grip.
“Where’s my present? Where’s my present?” China chanted like an excited 5-year-old.
“Later,” he replied, as he kissed her forehead.
China smiled.
Just then, the deejay played Usher’s There Goes My Baby. Smooth pulled China in his arms and held her firmly while the singer sang his hit.
“Let’s go!” Smooth led China outside.
“Close your eyes,” he ordered.
Once China’s eyes were closed, Smooth guided her to her first present.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded.
“SURPRISE!”
“Oh my God!” China screamed, jumping up and down at the sight of the black on black Range Rover.
After she calmed down a little, he handed her the keys. With trembling hands, she accepted them.
“Happy birthday, boo!”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, baby! Thank you! Get in.”
The two young lovers hopped in the truck for a quick spin.
After making it back to China’s house, Smooth asked, “Are you ready for your next present?”
“There’s more?”
“Yep.” He reached over onto the floor of the truck behind China’s seat and lifted the puppy from its box.
She excitedly grabbed the dog away from Smooth.
“He’s so cute,” China cooed. “Look at him. He even got on his lil’ bling. You go, boy!” She held the puppy up to her face.
Smooth was pleased to see his girl so happy. He leaned over and took the locket from around the dog’s neck.
“This is my favorite present from you.”
He turned on the interior light, allowing China to get a good look at what he was holding in his hand.
Smooth held up the locket for China. After seeing the pictures, she began fanning her face with her free hand, trying to stop the tears.
“I had it engraved.” Smooth turned is so that China could read the inscription.
China read, “Thank you for a life filled with love.”
Unable to stop the tears now, China let them fall freely.
“I love you, Smooth.”
“I love you more, China.”
“Come on, let’s get back to the party,” she said.
“Hey everyone,” Roxy said into the microphone. “Tonight is a very special night for a very special girl.”
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Roxy waited for them to quiet down before she continued.
“Y’all cheering because y’all ain’t never lived with her.”
Everyone including China began laughing.
“But for real though, I do believe that I have the best little sis in the world. I love you, sugar bear.” Roxy blew a kiss at her lil’ sister, who returned it with one of her own.
Roxy’s speech crated a domino effect. One after the other, the partygoers grabbed the microphone to say a few words to China until Ga Ga gave her speech.
“Y’all listen here,” she started. “Now I don’t know if my daughter thanked y’all for coming out and celebrating her special day with her. If she didn’t, I want to say thank you all.”
Ga Ga held up her hand.
“Don’t y’all go clapping because it’s already 11:00 p.m., and I want everyone out of here by 11:30. So let’s cut the cake and give the birthday girl what we got for her.”
Ga Ga walked inside, taking the mic with her.
“I see where you get it from,” Smooth said, leaning into China’s ear.
“I love my new puppy, baby, but Ga Ga’s going to trip!”
“Why?” Smooth asked, feigning ignorance.
“Because it’s a pit bull.”
“We just won’t tell her what kind of dog it is.”
“Baby, she probably knows more about these dogs than we do.”
“Okay, we’ll just keep it ...”
“Did y’all tell Ga Ga yet?” Roxy asked, coming up on them from behind.
“Tell Ga Ga what?” China asked.
“That I got us our own place,” Smooth answered nonchalantly.
“You did not!”
Smooth’s only response was the keys he dangled in China’s face.
“Is there any end to you?” China asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“That’s it!” He threw his hands up in surrender.
“You the best, baby!”
Ga Ga came out with the birthday cake and together everyone began singing the birthday song.
“Here,” Ga Ga said, as she gave the knife to China to cut the cake.
Before cutting the cake, China looked around at all of the faces present because of her. She thanked God for allowing her to experience the love she felt. She looked at the starry sky, mouthed a “thank you” towards the heavens, and then allowed the knife to slice through the cake.
Everyone wondered whom the first slice would go to.
China looked at Smooth apologetically. He gave a slight nod of approval then and watched as she handed the first slice to Ga Ga.
The crowd cheered once more.
Ga Ga accepted the cake and gave her daughter a motherly hug.
“Here Roxy,” China handed the knife to her sister. “Mom, can we talk?”
China led her mother inside and sat next to her on the couch.
Smooth stood next to China holding her hand.
“What is it?” Ga Ga asked.
“This is really hard for me to say,” China fought to get her words out.
“Are you pregnant?”
“No, Ga Ga. I’ve never even had sex.”
“So what is it?”
“Look, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it.”
“Please do!”
“I’m moving out, Ga Ga.”
“Over my dead body!”
“Ga Ga, please don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”
“You’re right,” Ga Ga answered, as she got up and stalked off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
* * *
Smooth carried most of China’s things out to the truck. Her mood had become sullen since her mother barricaded herself in the room. He was sure that she’d cheer up once she saw the new place.
China walked to her mother’s door and tried one last time to get her to come out.
“I don’t want to leave like this, Ga Ga. Can you please come out?”
Her mother’s sobs were her only response.
“Come on, China,” Roxy turned her around. “She’ll get over it. She took it better than I expected her to. Don’t let this ruin your day. Smooth’s waiting to tap that.”
“Shhhh, girl. What if Ga Ga hears you?”
“Girl, please. You’re going to live with him,” Roxy said, as she turned and walked away.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” China said to the closed door.
The ride to their new place was made in mostly silence. Smooth’s mind was on China and what they were ab
out to do and China’s mind was on her mother.
More than once, he’d had to tell her that the red light had changed to green.
After arriving at their new place and finally hauling the last of her things in, China allowed Smooth to give her a full tour.
“I love it!” she said.
“I was hoping you would.”
“You know what I love more than this?” China said, as she kissed his lips.
“What’s that?”
“My new truck.”
Smooth smiled.
“But you know what I love more than my new truck?” she continued, as she kissed him again.
“What?”
“My new puppy.”
“I hope you like cleaning up after him, too,” Smooth teased.
“Shut up. But for real, do you know what I love more than my new home or truck or dog?”
Smooth touched the locket hanging on his girl’s neck and she nodded.
“I love it more than everything else, because it shows how far we’ve come from and it lets me now that we’ll always be together. But what I love more than anything is that YOU gave it to me. Thank you, baby.”
China wrapped her arms around Smooth’s neck, pulling his face to hers. He scooped her in his arms. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, he began walking towards the bedroom.
Gently, he laid her down and began undressing her. With trembling hands, he unbuttoned her skin-tight jeans and slowly pulled them down. As he made his way back up, he placed kisses on the inside of China’s thighs, stopping briefly to rub his face over the mound that was inside China’s G-string. Continuing on his way up, Smooth kissed his girlfriend’s flat stomach and then unclasped her bra, watching as her beautiful breasts spilled free. Eagerly he took the nipple of the right breast in his mouth and sucked on it.
He squeezed her left nipple with his free hand, causing her to moan loudly. Making his way back down to her thighs, Smooth pulled the G-string off and then went to work pleasing China with his mouth. Having given her oral sex before, he knew exactly what she liked. Smooth licked his tongue into her extremely wet pussy.
“Yes, baby,” China encouraged.
Smooth parted her lips with his fingers and found her clit. Knowing that she liked her clit sucked instead of licked, he began sucking right away while pumping his finger in and out of her. Slowly China began raising and lowering her pelvis to match Smooth’s finger stokes.
