No Matter What

by Nicole Jackson

  “But baby, you just got here,” Gertie spoke up.

  Mix leaned in, kissing her cheek. “I know, but I gotta run.”

  “Okay, but let me walk you out,” Gertie offered, before following him outside. “That’s your car, baby?” she questioned, while inspecting the Chrysler 300.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She nodded. “So, where are you going to stay?”

  He shrugged.

  “You don’t know, huh? Well, why don’t you try calling her?”

  Mix snapped his head around, knowing exactly who her was. No additional explicit details were necessary. “Granny, of all people…I can’t just—”

  She arched her brows. “You can’t just what?”

  “I can’t just pop up. She’ll probably cuss me out, go off, and I don’t know what else.”

  Gertie nodded. “Probably. That’s only natural. But then she won’t turn you away. I can bet my last dollar on that. And I can’t honestly say that about too many people, baby. This is a difficult time for you, and I know that she’s in your corner. I can say that with peace in my heart,” she sighed. “But you do this however you see fit. Just stay in touch to keep me from worrying, ya hear?”

  “Okay,” he exhaled. “I got you, granny,” he promised. “I got you.”

  ***

  “I can put you in the Mile-High Club, what’s up? Let’s take a trip. Have you ever read “The World Is Yours” on a blimp? Tell her be free, baby, spread your wings. Got your legs in the sky like a plane. Let me guide that, I’m the pilot.

  Can’t nobody see you 30 thousand feet. On your knees in them Prada’s. Makin’ freaky shit come up out her—”

  “Oh, this my shit,” Nunnie voiced, as she snapped her fingers, while gripping the wheel of Levi’s 550i BMW. “Nigga, he say make that freaky shit come up out of her—”

  She was cut off by the ringing of her cell. Glancing down at the screen, she didn’t recognize the caller.

  “Who the fuck?” she frowned, before answering. “Yeah?”

  “Hello?” the caller responded.

  For some reason Nunnie’s heart skipped a beat. “Hello, who is this?”

  “Aye, Nunu, what’s up?”

  There was a brief pause.

  “Hello?” the caller repeated.

  “Yeah,” Nunnie breathed. “So…you still know this number I see.”

  “Of course. I could never forget it.”

  “You sure about that? Cause you haven’t attempted to dial it in I don’t know how long.”

  He sighed into the phone. “Well, I do recall you blocking me at one point and telling me to forget I ever met you. But I guess I shouldn’t speak on that, huh?”

  “Nah, you shouldn’t. Maizun, because that shit was your fault too. That bitch had no business answering your phone and I didn’t like that weak ass explanation you gave. You was sleep? Okay. That means that you was laid up with the bitch, and therefore, you didn’t need to be ringing my line no more. Plain and simple.”

  “Alright, Naveriah. So, after months of you hanging up in nigga’s face what was I supposed to do? Just keep calling from apps until you give in?”

  “Yup,” she sassily popped her lips.

  “Yeah, okay. And then when I asked you anything about what’s going on in your life you wouldn’t even give a nigga no answers.”

  “And? If you was so concerned about anything you wouldn’t have hopped your ass up and left. So, fuck your feelings,” she shit-talked.

  “Oh, okay. You talking real tough, right now, huh? Well, come pull up, right quick.”

  Nunnie’s heart pounded in her chest. She’d talked so bravely with the assumption that Mix was somewhere across the country. Not there in Houston. That unquestionably changed everything.

  “What…what chu mean pull up? Where are you?” she stuttered.

  He chuckled a tad. “Right now, I’m at the McDonald’s on Homestead and Tidwell. Get somebody to bring you to the Tidwell park, right next door, right here.”

  She nervously sucked her teeth. “Nigga, I’m mobile.”

  “Yeah? Well, shit, pull up, then.”

  “Um, I guess I can do that,” she sighed, as she busted a U-turn in the middle of the street. While playing it cool over the phone, she silently broke all the speed limits around.

  Fifteen minutes later, with Mix still on the phone, Nunnie pulled into the lot of Tidwell park.

  “Okay, I don’t see you nowhere?” she claimed while peering around, hoping to conceal her anxiousness.

  “I’m sitting on a bench,” he let her know. “Is that you in that Beamer?”

  “Yup.”

  “Well, who shit is that?”

  “Come again?”

  “Who fucking car you in?”

  “Anyways,” she dragged out, as she swooped into a parking spot.

  Finally, laying eyes on him, she ended the call, while easing out of the car. Seeing her as well, Mix stood up.

  Sauntering down the sidewalk, Nunnie checked him from head to feet, feeling some type of way. A part of her was hoping to see signs of distress written all over him. Instead, it looked like some bitch had been keeping him fed, as he’d picked up a few healthy pounds. He’d somehow managed to get a fresh cut, because those waves were spinning. Then his beautiful brown skin was glowing underneath the navy blue and lime green Givenchy windbreaker and matching threads. In every sense of the word, he still looked like that same charismatic asshole who’d stolen her heart.

  “The fuck you walking so slow for?” Mix questioned, as he met her halfway down the sidewalk.

  “Cause—” she got out, before he pulled her into his arms.

  Initially, Nunnie tried to play hard, but her resolve quickly overtook her, and she melted in his embrace. Filled to the hilt with emotion, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Mix squeezed her tightly and she let him.

  “It’s been a minute, huh?” he whispered in her ear.

  Too overwhelmed to speak, she merely nodded.

  For a long moment, they stood there within each other’s arms, before Nunnie decided to break the connection.

  “So,” she sighed, as she began to stroll towards the bench. “How long have you been back in the city?”

  Mix found himself staring at her ample backside. “Not even a full day yet.”

  She reached the bench and copped a squat. “So, where were you?”

  He smoothly came sat next to her. “I was in Miami last.”

  She swallowed hard. “And what was so hard about saying that?”

  “It aint.” He shrugged. “For one, we in person, right now. And besides, shit done died down. Been died down. You not knowing my whereabouts been more about you being mad at me more than anything else. Yeah, I was paranoid at first, but that shit was in the moment. Eventually, I kept in touch with who I felt I needed to keep in touch with. And you made it clear that you didn’t want to hear from me.”

  “Yeah, right,” she smacked her lips.

  “Nah, that’s real g-shit. I tried, and you pushed back. And then you have absolutely no presence on social media, so I can’t keep up through that. Shit, I’m still confused by that when you used to be a Gram fiend.”

  Nunnie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, after all that shit with Save I had to let that social media shit go for my own sanity. It was too much. Otherwise, I would’ve been popping bitches in their mouths every other day. The shit was exhausting.”

  Mix listened intently. “Yeah? The fuck is up with his bitch ass, anyway?”

  Nunnie sighed. “His ass is locked the fuck up. After he got out of ICU and was back on the streets, them people picked his ass back up for violating his protective order that said that he wasn’t supposed to be near me. I made sure of it, as soon as somebody hipped me to the fact that he automatically had a restraining order because of the charges pending against him. And him even giving a statement incriminating you, puts him near me. That dummy signed for five years. I was pissed because he should’ve gotten mo
re time. That nigga didn’t face no charges for the situation that led to you shooting him, and they claimed that they’ll deal with him on the matter once you come forth.”

  “Yeah, fucking right.” Mix mumbled. “You know what that shit means.”

  “I know,” Nunnie agreed. “They aint gon do shit. They don’t wanna find out the truth. They just wanna convict you of whatever they can and move on. Case closed.”

  “Exactly.”

  She licked her lips, and rubbed her thick thighs. “So, what are you planning to do?”

  Mix shrugged. “If nothing else, I got bond money. And no matter what, I aint touching it. So, I’ma hold onto it, and if they catch me, I just plan on doing a turnaround. And from there, I guess I’ll hustle up for a lawyer.”

  She nodded slowly. “Let me guess. You been out there in the world, living off the land. Hitting licks, spending as soon as you get it, going in circles. And finally, you got tired of that shit, and decided to bring your ass home.”

  He poked out his bottom lip. “Something like that.”

  “Umm-hmm. And I bet that you had some down ass chick, helping you do what you had to do.”

  He shook his head and smirked. “I had a friend.”

  “Yeah, I bet—”

  “Nunu, stop it. It wasn’t that deep. The last thing I was thinking about was trying to cuff something. On me.”

  She slid her tongue across her teeth. “Yeah, I hear you.”

  “Yeah, I bet. But what’s up with you and that lame you fucking with?” he shot out there, as his eyes swept over her body. He noted how there was something a tad crisper about her appearance. Everything was perfect. Not a hair was out of place, and everything seemed professionally done. Even the little diamond studs in her ear were blinging.

  She fluttered her false lashes. “Who said that I was fucking with anybody?”

  “Aww, come on, Nunu, quit the bullshit. You just pulled up in somebody’s shit. I know it aint yours.”

  She tucked her lips into her mouth. “Okay, you got me. I have a situation.”

  He furrowed his brows. “A situation, huh? And how deep is this situation? This nigga think yall committed?”

  Nunnie tittered. “What do you mean by think?”

  “Exactly what I just said. Is that what the nigga thinks. Cause we both know what’s up.”

  She arched her brows. “Oh, and what’s that?”

  Studying her carefully, he licked his lips. “You know what’s up.”

  Her clit involuntarily thumped.

  “Boy, whatever,” she playfully rolled her eyes. “Anyway, where are you staying?”

  Mix shrugged, as he gazed at the ground. “Shit, honestly, I’m still figuring that out. I might grab a room for the night, but I still got some rounds to make. So, maybe I’ll crash at one of my niggas’ houses. I’m playing it however it goes.”

  “Wait, what happened to your granny’s house? People have been telling me that she moved.”

  Mix shook his head. “Them fools fucked around and didn’t pay her mortgage when she was in the hospital. So, she lost the house, and now she’s over there at my auntie’s. And she’on want a nigga nowhere near her shit.”

  “Oh, Maizun, I’m so sorry to hear that,” Nunnie apologized. “I really am.”

  “It’s all good, girl. The shit aint your problem.”

  “But I wish it was something that I could do to help.”

  He smiled. “You already did enough by coming here and letting a nigga see your beautiful face today, even if I don’t deserve it.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet, but that’s not what I’m talking about…like I’m about to do something, and if you ever loved me like you claimed you did…you’ll go along with it. It’s only to help you. I know somebody who can probably give you a job, paying cash to help with your lawyer, and give you somewhere to live. You just have to be down with this play.”

  Mix cut his eyes at her. “The fuck are you talking about—”

  Cutting him off, Nunnie smothered his mouth with hers, kissing him deeply; all tongue. Eventually, she pulled back. “Maizun, tell me,” she pleaded. “Please, tell me that you’ll go along with this. Just for a quick little come up…on your part. And when it all becomes too much, it’ll be over.”

  Mix frowned. “Say, you saying a lot without really telling me shit. How you want me to agree to something half-cocked? I need to know what I’m getting myself into, Nunu—”

  He was interrupted by the ringing of Nunnie’s cell. She was receiving a facetime call.

  Seeing who it was, she gasped. “That’s him. Look, I’m about to answer. You just sit back and chill. Follow my lead, and you’ll know exactly what’s going on,” she instructed, before answering the call. “Hey, bae,” she smiled into the camera.

  “Aye, there, what’s going on? Where are you?” Levi questioned.

  “I’m in the park.”

  “The park?” he frowned. “Why is that when I thought that you were headed to meet me?”

  “I know, bae, I was. But then I got a call from my cousin,” she beamed.

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah. You remember the cousin I told you about? The one who was out of town and that I used to be super close to?”

  “Yeah, I remember. Maizun, right?”

  Mix frowned upon hearing his name.

  “Yeah, well, he’s back in town. See.” Nunnie panned the camera on Mix’s face.

  Being put on the spot, Mix was forced to make a split-second decision. He forced a smile onto his face. “Aye, what’s popping?”

  “Hey, ‘sup, man? Your cousin has told me a lot about you,” Levi alleged.

  “Oh, yeah? She told me about you too,” Mix forced out.

  Afraid that the wrong thing might come out of Mix’s mouth, Nunnie panned the camera back on her face. “Bae, we’re about go come back to the house. Are you gonna meet us there?”

  Levi nodded. “Yeah. I’ll meet yall there.”

  “Okay, so I’ll see you in a few.” She ended the call.

  Mix sat there, momentarily stunned.

  “Okay, so you can follow me to my house—” Nunnie attempted to instruct.

  “Say, you got me fucked up,” he scoffed. “You taking this shit too fucking far. I’m not going to that nigga’s house.”

  She bucked her eyes. “Why not? He’s already expecting you. If you don’t come, it’ll just make shit seem suspect. At this point, he has no reason to doubt anything that I’m saying.”

  “And why is that?” Mix quizzed while folding his arms across his chest.

  “Because I’ve made a point to always tell him that you were my cousin. Since I first met him. I never even thought that I would still be dealing with him for this long, so I started off on some bullshit, and it kinda just kept going. Without social media and him not knowing anybody outside of Dreka and Tink I’ve been able to write whatever script I want him to read when it pertains to my life. And when it comes to you…I laid the foundation early on, before you had even fucked up. At first, my plan was to get what I can get and go, and if you came back in the middle of it, I was going to be completely open with you about my dealings with him. But of course, nothing went as planned, but that was how he was introduced to the idea of you. I wanted to be able to bring you around whenever the time came, and I didn’t care how it had to happen.”

  Mix licked his lips. “Alright, so what are you expecting me to do, Naveriah? Huh? What, go around this man and watch you kiss and hug him? Sit around him, smile in his face so he can put me on, all the while he’s fucking you? Touching you?”

  “No,” she snapped. “I’m not trying to play those type of games with you. Levi is a man about his business, Maizun. No bullshit. And he really…cares about me. So, he’ll go out of his way to make me happy. And as far as he knows you’re my people, which means he’ll look out. The man has properties around the city. He might put you in a spot. Who knows? All I’m saying is that…nigga, it’s about survival, right
now. You’re back in the city and you need to get on your feet. I’m trying to give you a way to do that. I don’t care if you have to step on a few backs to get right. I’m with you in this. But I’m telling you, put your pride to the side and see what he can do for you. And if it aint to your liking…you can always choose to walk away. That’s always your choice, but at least come see what’s up.”

  “And play big cuz, huh?”

  Gazing into his eyes, Nunnie grabbed his hand and interlocked their fingers. “Maizun, come on. Just get in your car. Follow me. Please. Don’t make me go back to that house without you.”

  Mix took a deep breath. “Yeah, a’ight. I’ma follow ya ass. But I’m telling you now. If this shit goes wrong…that nigga’s blood gone be on your hands.”

  Chapter 15

  “Sit down, make yourself at home,” Nunnie urged, as she and Mix stepped into the living room of the home she shared with Levi.

  Mix stood in the middle of the room. “So, this nigga really got you in this big ass house, huh? The fuck do he do, again?”

  “He owns a trucking company.”

  “Nah, Nunu,” Mix shook his head. “You over here in the lap of luxury. Don’t let me fuck this up for you—”

  “Maizun, quit it. You aint messing up nothing for me. You wouldn’t even be in this situation if you hadn’t defended me. So, this is for us. Always remember that.”

  He glanced around. “This shit is crazy,” he couldn’t help saying for the millionth time. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this shit. And I hope you and this nigga don’t do nothing to set me off in this bitch. Cause you know how I am. And Ion give a fuck about saving face.” he turned to lock eyes with her. “So, you already know, Naveriah. Watch yourself. I aint gon sit here and be disrespected.”

  She gulped, thinking about how he’d react whenever Levi would come home. “I know.”

  “Naveriah, we’re home!” someone shouted.

  Mix frowned, hearing another man refer to her by her government name.

  “We’re in the living room, Levi,” Nunnie announced.

  Seconds later, Levi wandered into the room, with a baby carrier in tow. “Hey,” he spoke. “What’s up?”