by Pinky Dior
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Alana finally stepped down and saw Mercedes looking around.
Mercedes turned around and smiled. “Yes, it is very beautiful.” Mercedes continuously looked around.
“There’s a taxi waiting. Right this way.”
Alana guided them to the taxi and then they loaded their bags into the trunk and hopped in. Mercedes gazed out the window as they drove to the hotel. Once they arrived at the hotel Mercedes had chosen; oohs and ahh’s filled the taxi. They pulled up to one of the most luxurious hotels in Havana, Cuba. Mercedes stepped out and eyed the building. She pursed her lips together, nodding her head up and down in approval. She was impressed. She had never seen an exquisite hotel like this before, not even in New York City. A five-star hotel definitely fit with the way Mercedes described herself—a five-star chick.
Alana checked the girls in and guided them up to their rooms. Once she got the other girls situated, she and Mercedes walked down the corridors of the hotel. “Here’s your key.” Alana handed her the card for her hotel room. “You should be expecting a call from me either mid-afternoon, or maybe early in the morning to let you know what’s up.”
“All right, that’s cool.” Mercedes nodded her head.
“Well, get some rest; you look tired.”
“I’m not really sleepy; I just got a few things on my mind.” Mercedes had a half smirk on her face. “What are you finna do?” she eagerly asked.
“Get back on good terms with my father.” Alana smirked. “I got to go pay him a visit and let him know what’s up and shit like that.”
“Oh, all right then, yeah, you do that.” Mercedes chuckled.
“All right then. Have a good day, Mercedes, see you later,” Alana turned and walked down the hall.
Mercedes watched as she disappeared down the hall and then turned around. She inserted her card into the door and pushed the door open once the green light came on. She dropped her bags near the front door and walked around the hotel room, observing it. It was one of the nicest hotel rooms that she’d ever set foot in. The room smelled like fresh linen. The queen-sized bed had fresh, white sheets, and it was neatly set up with two thick, fluffy pillows. A plasma TV was embedded into the wall, and there was a ceiling fan, a living room area with a small kitchen, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi. Mercedes couldn’t even complain. She smirked and said to herself, “Five stars indeed.”
A cool breeze entered the room and the sheer curtains blew and danced with the wind. Mercedes headed towards the curtains and opened the window all the way up. It led out to a balcony looking over the beautiful country of Cuba. She stepped out onto the balcony and placed her hand on the banister, looking out into the sky.
All Mercedes could think about was her mother. She knew that she was somewhere in Cuba. She just didn’t know if her mother was dead or alive right now. She just hoped that she was alive, because she was all that she had left that was part of the Carter family. Her mother could have been laid up, tied up, or dead somewhere by now. Mercedes squeezed her eyes shut and shook those thoughts from her mind. She hoped and prayed to God, looking up at the sky with her hands folded together, intensely repeating a quick prayer.
***
Alana pulled up in a taxi to her father’s million-dollar estate. She opened up the taxicab’s door, stepped out, and started walking down the smooth granite path. She stopped in her tracks suddenly and looked at her father’s estate. She noticed nothing had changed about it. Her heart immediately started to pound faster, the closer she got to the front door. It felt good to be home, but she didn’t know if she was going to be welcome. She hadn’t been here since she was seventeen years old and she hadn’t had any contact with her family, ever since they sent her to jail in the United States. The part that shocked Alana was that her father didn’t even pay her visit or send her canteen money. She nervously rang the doorbell and straightened up her hair as she stood in front of the door, patiently waiting.
The door opened up and tears welled up in her eyes as she saw who was standing in front of her. It was her sister, Maria. Maria covered her hands over her mouth. She couldn’t believe it was her sister. She thought that because she was serving more than thirty years in jail, she’d never see her again. Although she and Alana weren’t that close, they were still blood sisters, and they hadn’t seen each other in eighteen years.
Alana gazed into her sister’s eyes and noticed how her sister had changed over the years. She had always been beautiful. Maria’s flawlessly light skin was beautiful. Then she turned to the burned side of her face. It wasn’t bad, but it was noticeable. Alana removed her attention from her burnt face. She didn’t want to make Maria feel ugly. They embraced each other for a couple of minutes, getting that mutual feeling that they used to have back in the day.
“How have you been, Alana? I haven’t seen you in over eighteen years.” Maria smiled.
“Well, as I’m sure you know, I was locked up for the most part since you left. I was transporting drugs for Daddy in the U.S. and I got caught up. I was supposed to be doing thirty years.”
“Well, it’s only been eighteen years, so how did you get out?” Maria asked inquisitively.
“Let’s just say I got out early.” Alana winked.
“Wow, that’s crazy!” Maria shook her head. “It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, same here. I see you’re still beautiful, Maria.” Alana stepped in closer and caressed her sister’s face. “Your daughter Mercedes is just as beautiful as you are, and she is truly a blessing.”
“Thank you. I know she’s wondering where her mommy is right now.” Maria placed her hands over her mouth and held in her tears.
“Well, she—”
Alana was cut off when her father walked down the corridor. He had a cigar lit and hanging from the side of his mouth. Maria looked at Alana and gulped, swallowing the rest of the taste that was in her mouth. Her whole facial expression changed. Maria looked over her shoulder and noticed her father had walked in on them.
“What a sudden surprise, Alana.” Vicente smirked.
“Hey, Daddy,” Alana spoke nervously.
“You still look just as pretty as the last day that I saw you. What are you standing there for?” Vicente asked, raising his voice.
“U-u-um…” Alana stuttered as the words tried to come out. She knew the look he had in his grayish eyes—the look of death.
“Come give your old man a hug.” A smile appeared across his face.
Alana looked at Maria and smiled. She rushed over and gave her father a hug, pretending as if she missed him, but she really hated her father deep down inside. Countless years had gone by, with not one visit from her father. She was highly disappointed in him, but she just wanted to get back on his good side to help Mercedes get Maria back.
“How you been, Daddy?” Alana pulled back from the embrace.
“I’m all right, just living. I can’t complain.” Vicente looked over at Maria and licked his lips. Maria threw up her head in disgust and started to turn and walk away, but Vicente grabbed her by the arm. She looked back and gazed into his eyes. “Where do you think you’re going?” he barked as the grip tightened on her arm.
Alana hated her father deep down inside; he hadn’t changed one bit.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” Maria gritted her teeth together as she pulled her arm back.
Alana knew deep down inside her father was very controlling and possessive over Maria and her. She was a little bit of jealous of Maria and sometimes wished she could have been in her shoes, but there was just one thing that made her feel sorry for her sister.
Vicente looked back at Alana and smiled. “Follow me,” he said bluntly. He turned around and walked down the corridors of his home and into his office.
Alana stood there in front of his desk and her father closed the door behind him. He stood in front and inched in closer to her. He grabbed both of her shoulders and stared into her eyes. Alana felt a warm sensation of fear breeze b
y her.
“Alana, what is it that you want?”
“What do you mean?” Alana asked, baffled by his question.
“I mean… what makes you come back to Cuba?”
“Daddy, I only left Cuba was because I was transporting drugs back and forth for you to the U.S. and I got caught up and I was doing my time. So now I came back home to be with my family,” Alana said, as she faked a smile. “I also want my job back, Daddy. That’s all I’m good at.” Alana mixed the truth with a little bit of lies.
“You got that right,” Vicente mumbled, as he forced a smile on his face.
“Excuse me?” Alana asked, not hearing what he said under his breath.
“I’ll tell you what.” Vicente placed his hands into his pocket and walked back and forth in the office. He abruptly stopped in his tracks. “You can have your old job back, but you just have to be very careful and much smarter. So I will give you one more chance, and if you blow it, then that’s it.”
“When do I start?” Alana smiled from ear to ear as she folded her hands together.
“Whenever. That’s if you can find me any new customers. My last customer didn’t know what was in store for him.” A wide smirk appeared across his face. “He got what was coming to him.”
“I already have a customer for you.” Alana watched Vicente turn around and sit down behind the desk in his La-Z-Boy plush chair.
“We’re off to a good start. Tell me a little more about him.”
“It’s not actually a him… it’s a woman, and her name is Mercedes.”
Vicente reclined his head against the chair and looked at her as if she was crazy.
“I know, Daddy, and I know you haven’t had any customers that are female hustlers. But she is a big time buyer and she has plenty of money. I met her when I was locked up with her. She wants to get put on to the game and she asked if I know of any connects. I told her I had some big time people back in Cuba, who I can put her on with.” Alana stood there as her father scratched the bottom of his chin.
“Is she legit?”
“Yes, Daddy, she is legit.”
“Bring her by so I can check her out.” Vicente pursed his lips together and thought about whom this chick was and why she was trying to get in the game. He’d never seen any female hustlers, only hustlers’ wives. He couldn’t wait to meet Mercedes to see what she was really about.
“All right, Daddy, thank you. She came to Cuba with me, so I can bring her by tomorrow.” Alana walked over and hugged her father, kissing him on the cheek.
“Don’t get your hopes up, because you know that they get shot down,” Vicente warned his daughter. He fashioned his hand into a gun and aimed it her. “Don’t disappoint me, or else…” Vicente mouthed silently, BOOM!
Alana spelled out each letter and knew it meant death. “I won’t disappoint you.”
“Better not, or you’re dead!” A wicked smirk appeared on his face.
Alana gulped. She knew that she was playing with fire—more than fire. She had never disobeyed her father or betrayed him, but she had no choice. He hadn’t paid her a visit in eighteen years, so why would she help and protect him? However, she knew her father was nothing to play around with. Family or not, he would deal with you however he wanted to, whether it was a straight death or by torturing them to death, making them want to kill themselves.
Chapter Twenty-four
Face to Face
Mercedes’s heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked down the hall, following behind Alana. They walked through a set of double doors into an office. Mercedes gulped and licked her lips as her eyes met with Vicente’s. She had to admit he was a good-looking man for his age. Her heart immediately starting beating fast as hatred filled her loving heart. She was eye-to-eye with her father’s killer. Mercedes faked a smile, watching Vicente walk over towards her. She wished she had a gun, so she could just blast him right here.
“Mercedes, this is my father Vicente. Vicente, this is Mercedes, the one I was telling you about.”
Vicente looked Mercedes up and down, eyeing her as he squinted at her. He walked over to her and gently caressed the bottom of her chin. Mercedes looked down at his hand and wondered why the hell he was touching her like that.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mercedes.” Vicente extended his hand to her.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Vicente,” Mercedes said, as she gritted her teeth together, hoping he didn’t hear the anger in her voice.
“I would have never thought I would meet a beautiful lady like you, buying from an old guy like me.” Vicente and Alana laughed. Mercedes just laughed along with them, as she looked at Alana and then back at Vicente.
“Well, what can I say? I get my looks from my mother.”
If looks could kill, Mercedes would have been dead. Alana gave her a mean mug.
“Yeah, you look like someone I know.”
“Where’s your bathroom?” Mercedes interrupted him. “I’m sorry, that was a long ride over here and I need to use the restroom,” she lied.
“It’s straight down the hall and to your right.” Vicente pointed his finger down the hall with a smirk on his face, as he watched Mercedes excuse herself from the room and head down the hall.
Mercedes looked back and saw Vicente staring right back at her. She smiled uneasily, and then kept walking, disappearing down the dark hall. Mercedes heard small cries coming from behind a closed door. Mercedes walked closer to the door and something made her stop and open it. Mercedes covered her mouth as soon as she saw her mother, sitting on the edge of the bed with tears streaming down her face. She had never seen her mother look like that. Her hair was a mess.
“Mama?” Mercedes called out, as she continued walking into the room. She closed the door quietly.
Maria looked up and thought she was dreaming when she saw her daughter standing right in front of her. “Mercedes, baby, is that you?” Maria inquired. She had to ask, because she didn’t know if she was dreaming or just going crazy. Maria quickly got off the bed. She rushed over to Mercedes and wrapped her arms around her neck as she cried into her daughter’s arms.
Mercedes held back the tears. Mercedes looked up to the sky and thanked God that her mother was alive. “Mama, I’m so glad that you’re okay!” Mercedes held back the tears as she held her mother tightly, not wanting to let go.
Maria pulled back from the embrace and smiled at Mercedes as she touched the side of her face. “How’d you get here, baby? How did you know I was here?” She started asking a lot of questions.
“Ma, just know that I’m here and you’re coming home soon.”
“But how did you find me in here?”
“Well, I was going to use the bathroom and heard someone crying, and my heart was just telling me to open the door. I did and I found you.” Mercedes smiled as she looked at her mother.
“Well, you better go, he’s going to come looking for you. Go, baby.”
“All right, Ma, but I’m coming back for you, don’t worry.”
“I know you will, baby girl, but hurry! He has security guards everywhere and if he catches you in here, you’re dead, baby girl. So go! I love you.” Maria rushed Mercedes out the door.
“Love you too, Ma.” Mercedes quickly closed the door behind her and soon as she turned to walk away, she heard Vicente’s voice.
“Are you lost?”
Mercedes placed her hand over her chest.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” Vicente apologized as he chuckled.
“No, I’m okay. I guess I got lost in this beautiful house. It is extremely big. You know what? Let’s get down to business. I know you’re a busy man.” There was tension in the room and she had to leave.
“Well, let’s go.” Mr. Vicente showed her around his enormous estate as Alana trailed along behind them.
“This is a beautiful home you have.” Mercedes’s heels clicked across the floor, breaking the silence.
“Thank you.”
“It show
s very exquisite taste.” Mercedes looked around, eyeing the beautiful paintings and nice-looking furniture. She knew a woman had to have decorated it. “So who helped you?” Mercedes wondered.
“My wife decorated it,” Vicente said as he stared straight ahead. “She’s dead now,” he said, with no remorse.
Mercedes looked over at Alana and she shook her head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Vicente sat down in his chair and kicked up his foot. He pulled out a cigar and placed it in his mouth.
“You can take a seat,” Vicente said. Alana pulled out the chair for Mercedes, so she wouldn’t give any hints that she was treating Mercedes differently than any other customers they dealt with before. “So what brings you here?” Vicente asked. He lit his cigar and pulled on it several times.
“I want to be your number one customer.” Mercedes smiled. “I heard you’re the man in Cuba, so I wanted to see for myself.” A devilish smirk appeared across her face as she stared at Vicente.
“Yes, I am the man,” Vicente said proudly. “I am the biggest connect in Cuba,” he informed her as he flicked his cigar ashes in the ashtray. “You’ve come to the right place. How much are we talking about here?” he asked, looking up at her with a serious face.
“I want about fifty bricks.” Mercedes smiled, nodding her head up and down.
“Yeah, fifty is good.” Out of nowhere, Vicente chuckled. He placed the cigar back in his mouth and stared at Mercedes. “You know how much fifty bricks are?” Vicente didn’t even let her answer. “What’s a young girl like you going to do with fifty bricks? Are you here buying for your man, or someone back in New York City?” he eagerly questioned her as if he was a detective or something.
