When A Hood Legend Claims It All 3

by Belleza

  Mar

  Me:

  Did you eat?

  CoCo:

  Yes, Mar.

  Me:

  Stop rolling your eyes.

  CoCo:

  Don’t act like you know me.

  Me:

  No need to act, when I know

  Slipping my phone back in my pocket, I walked into the restaurant where Chelsea told me to meet her. It was on the top of a building in the city and was by invite only. You probably had to be in a country club and follow a strict dress code, but I rocked some dark jeans, Giuseppe sneakers on my feet and a T-shirt. I wasn’t here for nothing they were serving or doing. Just to get some information.

  The elevator chimed and I stepped off walking up to the hostess booth. A look of curiosity and lust crossed her face as she shifted and stared into my eyes with her mouth slightly agape.

  “I’m here to meet with Chelsea.”

  She stared for a few seconds longer until I was snapping my fingers in her face.

  “Oh… Oh… I’m sorry,” she flipped her hair and then dragged her finger down a board that laid on her booth. “Name?”

  “Mar.”

  The hostess flashed a smile. “Welcome Mr. Mar. Right this way.”

  Lifting my arm, I glanced at my watch and followed the hostess. Chelsea was waiting at her table looking so out of place until she saw me, and her eyes beamed.

  “Hey my love.”

  When I sat down, she cover her hand over mine and I pulled it away. The last time we fucked, I wasn’t committed to anyone but my rotation list. Things changed, especially now since I done popped the question. It was only right because even going through the talking stage I still wasn’t feeling anyone.

  Chelsea noticed the change in my demeanor and cleared her throat.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “That’s what I’m here to find out. Are there any leads on that murder of Peter Wallace and Trina?”

  Chelsea looked around and brought her glass to her lips. “Is there anything I should be worried about? This was the same man that pointed a gun at you in the middle of a shopping plaza.”

  Leaning back in my chair I chuckled pulling on my beard. “What are you asking me?”

  “You know what I am asking you.” She placed her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together before resting her chin on them.

  “It ain’t shit to ask. Not when it comes to me. I need to know who was after him.”

  Chelsea looked like she finally was able to release her breath she was holding. I don’t know why she cared so much as to what I had going on and things I did. Her job was to keep that husband of hers in check and give me information when I needed. Draining my dick was one as well, but that has been revoked for some time now.

  “Nope, not yet. But I heard they’re about to close the case because they can’t find that points them to a suspect. You know how they do it in the hood. Nobody wants to be a snitch. I heard there weren’t any shell casings either. The rundown hotel didn’t have working cameras. They’re now shut down for sure.”

  I was stuck on the, ‘you know how they do it in the hood’ comment. The look on my face must’ve had her uncomfortable as hell.

  “I’m sorry… I was just saying. They don’t know who killed them.”

  “If you hear anything let me know.” Pushing the chair from the table I got up.

  “Wait… when the next time… you know?” she directed a pointed look towards my crotch, and I laughed.

  “If you want some snow, I can always supply that. But I ain’t got nothing else to give.”

  Chelsea laughed. “I get it. You found someone…”

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “And she’s worth you not messing around on?”

  “Definitely.”

  There was a smile on her face, but I can see it in her eyes that she was hurt. I was more than just sex with her, but this shit was strictly business between us now. No pussy was worth losing CoCo over.

  Pushing my chair back from the table, I stood and made my exit. As I left, the hostess passed me a piece of paper that I threw it in the trash at the elevator not bothering to look at it. I stepped on and faced her with a smirk. She was probably embarrassed, but I ain’t give a fuck.

  Once I made it down stairs, I waited for the valet to bring back my car. A man stood beside me wearing a suit and held out a phone and evenlope. My first reaction was to punch his ass for standing so close. Luckily for him, I looked down at the phone and saw that it said ‘Black’ on the screen. I accepted the phone, looking around and brought the phone to my ear and took the envelope watching the dude walk off.

  “You gotta give a nigga a warning about shit like this bro’, ya man was about to get knocked.”

  Black chuckled. “My bad. My bad. How’s business in Philly?”

  “Great but is there something I should be worried about? You said I’ll barely hear from you so an impromptu phone call must mean something is going on.”

  The Valet pulled up with my car. I gave him a twenty and got inside shutting the door behind me.

  “Nothing major. Just touching basis with you. Yvette came down here asking to buy product. I told her it wasn’t happening. If she needed anything, she had to go through you.”

  “I appreciate the play, but not all business is good business.”

  “It was worth a shot, but I actually don’t blame you. Just make sure you stay on ya toes. I know you got shit straight, but this information could be vital.”

  “Bet. She can’t be too much to worry about.”

  “It’s not just her. She killed Pitt, but she has a new man now and I have a feeling that he’s her driving force to get back in the game. You checked the envelope?”

  My eyebrows rose from the news. Here I was trying to figure out who killed him and it was his wife all along. I didn’t know it was a good thing or bad thing.

  Stopping at a red light, I held the phone between my head and shoulder and opened the envelope pulling out a picture of a man.

  “Does he look familiar?”

  I stared for a few seconds longer and shook my head as if he could see me once I realized I never seen him.

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “My people are trying to get a name on him, but he’s not showing up on anything.”

  “I’ll have a few people on it too. The more information we have, the better.”

  Shoving the pictures back into the envelope, I placed it on the passenger seat and pulled off when the light turned green.“I knew I liked you for a reason. I’ll update you as soon as I get something.”

  “Will it be the same delivery?” I asked laughing about the man and phone.

  “Probably.”

  “Cool. I won’t punch on them.”

  Black laughed and instructed me to destroy the phone ASAP. I decided to meet up at our laundromat to discuss the information I got with Ken and Wes. I destroyed the phone and used my down time to connect to everyone I knew that could put a name to the face.

  Ken and Wes showed up thirty minutes later sitting down, so I can tell them what was up. I passed them the picture of the dude and they both shook their heads.

  “I have never seen him before. He definitely can’t be from Philly.”

  “I got people working on it now to see who he is. Black is handling the other places since he got more reach.”

  “What about Yvette?” Wes asked. “If she wants to cop, you breaking her off.”

  “Probably not. I ain’t desperate. Shawty need to go find a hobby. This game ain’t made for bitches.”

  “It’s not, but if it comes down to reuniting her with her husband. I got too much to lose to let shit slide now. I’ve been nice enough.”

  “Speaking of which, how you go propose without letting us know?” Ken asked. “First Wes proposed to Kesha and now you.” Ken had a grin on his face knowing he was fucking with Wes who only cut his eyes at him.

  “It was a spur of the moment thing. I
didn’t think I’d ever be able to say this, but what Big Wes been preaching to us is starting to make a lot of sense. The game or these bitches not going to be here forever. And I know I can’t or don’t want to be without her. It’s only right Corryn get my last name especially since she’s pregnant too.”

  “That’s amazing, yo. I’m glad someone out the crew is taking that leap.” Ken told me. “CoCo is a good look. At least she not like Tara or Kesha.”

  Wes shot hima furious glance although he was coming at his own baby mother too. “Aye, keep my son mom out of this.”

  “Did you forget she trapped you? Just because it’s all shits and giggles now doesn’t mean she ain’t still on no bullshit. Everything is great because you’re giving her what she wants.”

  “And you know it all because you’re taking Sharita serious?” Wes shot back at him. “Playing house got you feeling like you're the relationship guru?”

  All I could do was sit and laugh because these two argued like real life brothers. Kenton was anti-relationship but now he was singing a different tune which meant that Sharita was rubbing off on him.

  “Sharita changing Kenton,” I joked, and he was smiling all goofy.

  “I mean… she cool. My youngins like her. Speaking of them she have them right now. Tara was snapping because Kenia told her Rita did her hair, so she scared the kids telling them she was kicking them out. Can y’all believe she had my children standing on the porch with a trash bag of clothes? She literally had to have gone in their room and dumped everything of theirs in there.”

  “That’s foul as fuck. That’s a bitch that doesn’t deserve any children. Take them from her bro,” Wes responded forgetting they were just bickering.

  I shook my head thinking about the mental scar that shit could leave. “He can’t just take them. She can call the law on him.”

  “And you know I ain’t trying to fuck with the law or the system.”

  “That’s the only way. You have a greater chance of getting them than her. Just because she’s the mother doesn’t mean she's gonna win. Use that money you got and get a good lawyer. Tara is a hoodrat, she’s going to dig her own grave.”

  Kenton sighed. “You know how I feel about the system.”

  “I get it, but it ain’t about you. You want to be in jail over the fact that you want to be a dad? Sometimes getting that shit in black and white is better than the spiteful shit she doing now.”

  He didn’t respond and I let it go only because I knew the shit he went through growing up. Kenton was crazy, but he was a damn good father.

  “Aye, but congrats tho. You just set the bar high for us to follow suit,” Wes said.

  “I appreciate it. I’m telling you, when you find the one, it will be a whole new feeling.”

  “Speaking of which. Kesha wants to do this fancy ass baby shower and I ain’t trying to be the only man there, so y’all gotta come. Kenton bring Sharita and Mar, bring your wifey,” he said going in his pocket and handed us each an invitation.

  “You sure this ain’t no wedding invitation? The shit looks like one,” Kenton told him.

  “What would you know about a wedding invitation?”

  “Shit, I don’t but I’m sure I’m going to be seeing one soon now that Mar plans on wifing CoCo up.”

  Wes and Kenton began to go back and forth with each other as I laughed and thought about where life was taking all of us. A change was coming, and I was actually here for it.

  Ken

  After leaving my niggas, I took that hour ride back to my crib in silence thinking about my current situation and if it was a sign for me to tighten up. We were only getting older and our lives were shifting in another direction. One point of time we were just a group of friends that were hustlers, but now, Amare and Wes were about to join me in the fatherhood journey. Shit, Mar was even about to step it up and become a husband.

  My kids changed me, but I only welcomed it when they were around. Commitment was out of the question because I never learned to love from the fucked-up situation I was in since I was a youngin’. Rita, however, was growing on me. She had my children and stayed at my house with them which was proof of how much I actually trusted her.

  At a time like this, she was a great help. I was serious as fuck about not letting Tara get them back after the stunt she pulled. The bitch ain’t give a fuck and it was apparent because she hasn’t reached out to them. It was all good because they weren’t checking for her.

  When I got home, I parked in my driveway, got out, and made my way to my house. My phone rung in my hands and it was Tara’s triflin’ ass. It was like she knew I was thinking about how she wasn’t shit and had to bother me.

  “Yo.”

  “Hey, I need some money. They cut my gas off.”

  “That sounds personal.”

  She smacked her lips. “It ain’t personal when your damn kids live here. What kind of father are you?”

  “A damn good one. They haven’t been with your dumb ass for a week and they ain’t coming back so you might as well figure that shit out.”

  “How the fuck you gonna take my kids from me Kenton?” she all but yelled.

  “Take? Remember you left them on your porch. You still got an ass whooping coming your way for that shit too.”

  “Nigga, please, ain’t nobody whooping my ass. I had to teach you a fucking lesson.”

  I laughed sarcastically because she really thought she was doing anything but signing her name on her own death certificate. Fucking with my kids was a sure way of that.

  “Figure it the fuck out. And get off my goddamn line. How you call me to ask about money, but you haven’t parted your lips to ask about your kids?”

  “How are they?” she asked in a huff as if she had better things to do. Instead of going back and forth with her, I ended the call. Her time was coming and she gonna wish she never met me by the time I was finished with her.

  At the door, I smelled food and my stomach rumbled reminding me I needed to eat.

  Taking my shoes off at the door, I placed my keys on the console and walked into my house to find my kids sitting at the island.

  Kent was on his iPad while Kenia was stirring a big bowl of what looked like chocolate pudding while talking to Rita who looked very interested in everything the little girl had to say. I knew Kenia wasn’t probably saying shit, but the way Rita was looking as if she wasn’t trying to pass on the information.

  The shit had me smiling. From the outside looking in, she was like the perfect mother. It had me thinking about life if I decided to settle. I always thought I’d grow old with my kids and once they left my house, I get a dog or some shit to keep me company. The way things were going, my future was shifting.

  “The hell y’all doing in here?” I walked further into the kitchen and kissed Kent on his head and Kenia on her forehead leaving Rita for last with a kiss on her cheek whose smile deepened.

  “Making chocolate cake for dessert, daddy. It was supposed to be a surprise.” Kenia pouted and I laughed.

  “Dang, my bad. Did y’all miss me.”

  Kent was so busy on his iPad he said yeah without looking at me while Kenia’s eyes was bouncing back and forth between Rita and I.

  “I would say yeah, but we had Rita.”

  I reared my head back. “That’s fucked up because I’ve been thinking about your big head self all day. Plus, you don’t even know Rita like that.”

  I moved the bowl from Kenia’s hand and tickled her stomach. She squirmed in the chair laughing her head off.

  “You left her with us, so we do know her like that,” she corrected me once I left her alone.

  Rita and I locked eyes and she had the nerve to have a smile on her face. When they said God gave you a child to pay you back for the shit you did, they ain’t never lie. I thought Kent would’ve been the one to give me a run for my money, but it was that damn Kenia.

  “Go upstairs and get cleaned up before we sit down and eat,” I told the kids.

&nb
sp; Scooping Kenia up off the island, I stood her up on the floor as Kent slid off his stool. I watched them run out of the kitchen and then faced Rita who had this weird goofy look on her face.

  “The hell you looking at?” I questioned her.

  I pulled her towards me, trapping her body between mine and the island covering her lips with mine. It was another thing I wasn’t with, but I found myself always kissing on her.

  “I just love seeing you with your kids,” she mumbled still with that lopsided grin.

  “Shit, I love seeing you with them too. You’ll be a great mother.”

  “Maybe,” was all she said.

  “Were they good?”

  Rita moved her head up and down. “Of course.”

  Stepping away from her, I went to the counter near the stove and lifted the foil off of the rectangular glass bowl.

  “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”

  “Chicken Parmesan,” she responded.

  “Shit, I might have to keep your ass here forever. I come home to a clean house, happy kids, and a meal. What more can a man ask for?” I said seriously. I was low key OCD, so I kept my shit clean. Nothing was ever out of place. The first time she came over I noticed she was actually clean. It was easy for a chick to pretend she was neat and tidy if she was in her own environment. They could throw everything in a closet and spray some shit, but the way she moved I could tell she was actually clean. I appreciated that because I was driving myself crazy just having her in my space.

  “I can’t stay here forever. I do have my own place.”

  “Fuck that closet. It’s like solitary confinement. I’m surprised you haven’t gone crazy staying in that bitch.”

  She cut her eyes at me and I laughed, giving her a quick peck.

  “Sorry, but you know ya place is small,” I joked.

  I made my way out of the kitchen to go get myself together as well. I’ve been running the streets and the shower was calling my name.

  “Well I can’t leave now because my rent is paid for the rest of the year,” she called out behind me, letting me know she was informed about the payment.

  I needed a way to show her I was thankful, and I learned that Rita wasn’t the type to reel over material possessions. If I handed her cash, she wouldn’t have taken it, so my next best bet was to cover her rent.