Against the Grain (4 page)

“Give me five, girl, you got it.” The girls giggled and Kay joined in, too. Janita grabbed Kay’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Kay noticed the extra-hard squeeze, but quickly dismissed it. About five minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of Mondawmin Mall. Kay found a parking space and said, “Are ya’ll ready?”

The sisters looked at each other and said, “Yes,” at the same time. Kay could tell that they were nervous and excited.

“Where do ya’ll want to go first?”

Tia stopped and put her hand on Kay’s arm. “Kay, why you doing this? You don’t even know us.”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want to see two girls miserable anymore. You deserve better. Maybe it was God’s will for us to meet at the car wash like that. And I don’t question him.”

Tia looked Kay in the eyes like she was wondering if he had a girlfriend or not. She wanted to kiss him, but she figured he was way out of her league. She didn’t want to overplay her hand and him get upset and not take them shopping. Janita was watching Tia and Kay. She could tell that Tia liked him but she wasn’t going to get him, because she saw him first.

Kay wanted to clarify himself. “Look, shorty, I’m saying, it’s like this: I do so much dirt that I feel this is my way of giving back. When we get inside, I want you to get whatever you want.”

“The high-priced stuff, too?” Janita asked.

“Whatever you want, the price don’t matter. I just want you to be happy for a little while. I want to see you smile.”

It was clear to the girls that Kay meant it with all his heart. For the next three hours they shopped and shopped. They covered every inch of the mall at least four times. They ended up with tons of bags filled with clothes and shoes. Kay also bought them both gold chains with crosses. And on the back of the crosses he had the jeweler engrave From Kay. During the whole shopping spree, all Tia could think about was being with Kay. Not because he had money and a nice car or because he took them shopping, but because he made her feel special. She had never had a man treat her like this before. Actually, she had never been in love before. Sure she had sex before, but that was all about providing for her and her little sister. Survival. She fucked when she needed money to buy food. Her feelings were different with Kay. She wanted to make love to him and there was a big difference between fucking for a profit and making love.

When they were finished shopping and headed back toward the hood, the girls couldn’t thank Kay enough. Janita asked Kay, “Are we going grocery shopping now?”

Kay looked at his watch. “We have another stop to make first.” He pulled up in front of A Perfect 10. Tia looked at her sister and both girls smiled and screamed with joy while they hugged each other.

Janita looked at her sister and said, “Girl, I’m gonna get me some weave. What about you?”

Tia said, “I’m getting a wrap.” Kay laughed at the girls and motioned for them to follow him into the salon. When they entered the salon everybody just stopped talking and stared at them.

“What the fuck ya’ll looking at?” Kay snapped. No one said anything. They just went back to what they were doing.

“Boy, who you think you talking to like that?” Lyniece asked.

“Not you, sis.”

“I’m telling Mama how disrespectful you were to these people when I get home. Just watch, nigga.”

“Okay, okay, I apologize.”

Tia and Janita were shocked at how fast he broke down at the thought of his mother finding out how he acted. They both giggled to themselves. Lyniece left the woman she was working on under the hair dryer and walked over to Tia and Janita to introduce herself.

“Hi, I’m Kay’s little sister, Lyniece.” She shook both their hands and they gave their names. Then with a hairstylist’s instinct, Lyniece began touching the girls’ hair. While examining their manes, Lyniece turned to her brother and said, “I know you got something to do so you can just leave them here. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of them.”

Kay smiled. “Okay, I’ll be back later to pick them up.” Kay went outside and was in his car making a phone call when Lyniece came out the shop and got in on the passenger side.

“What’s up, big bro? Who are these girls?”

“I don’t know. I saw them bummin’ money to get something to eat and when I saw their junkie mother my heart went out to them. She got them in the streets. I took them shopping and now they got a trunk full of clothes back there.”

“There you go trying to help everybody,” she said with a smile. “You paid for me to go to cosmetology school, so I’ll always do whatever I can to help you. What are they going to do after today? Does the big one, what’s her name?”

“Tia,” Kay said.

“Yeah her. Does she have a job?”

“No, I was thinking that maybe you could talk to her about that. Maybe you could give your friends at the hair school a call about getting her enrolled in some classes. I’ll pay for it.”

“I’ll do whatever you ask me to do. Where do they live?”

“Somewhere with their mom, I guess.”

“Then how long do you think it’s gonna be before their mom starts stealing their new clothes and selling them?”

“I was thinking about that, too. Let me make a call.” He dialed a number and a woman answered the phone.

“Hello.”

“I should come over there and strangle your ass,” Kay said, disguising his voice.

“Come over here fucking with me if you want to, I’ll bust a cap in yo ass. Have you wearing a shit-bag for the rest of your life.” The phone got quiet for a second. “Don’t get scared now, Kay. Bring yo ass, nigga!” They both started laughing.

“How you know it was me, Lady?”

“ ’Cause don’t nobody call here talking that dumb shit but you and Scatter. And I just threw this good pussy on him so his ass is out cold!”

After all these years, all the money Scatter fucked up, and him losing almost everything, Lady was still with him, except now she ran the show. She let Scatter go out and do whatever he had to do to get high but no dope fiends were allowed in her house. Scatter wasn’t allowed to embarrass himself by getting high in the streets. She’d rather him be home where she could watch him, just in case. And he had better have twenty dollars in his pocket for her every day, since she was the one working hard and paying the bills. Twenty was the least he could do to help out. It’s funny how time changed things around. Now Lady was doing the pimping. From the tone of her voice, Kay could tell Scatter hadn’t mentioned what went down at the car wash earlier that day. If Scatter had said something, Lady would have been pissed with Kay. She always told him not to show his stuff unless it was absolutely necessary. And that demonstration earlier was not necessary.

“How you doing, love, and when are you going to bring that baby by so that me and Scatter can see him?”

“Soon, Lady, soon. You not using that third-floor apartment, are you?”

“Chile, you know I told you it’s yours if you need it.”

“I need it, Lady, but not for me.”

“What the fuck you up to, boy?” she asked sharply.

“I’ma go get the baby and come over. We can talk then.”

“Okay, love, I’ll see you when you get here.”

Kay hung up the phone and looked at Lyniece, who was still sitting in the passenger seat. All these years she still didn’t understand his relationship with Lady and Scatter. No one did.

“This is what I want you to do for me, Lyniece: I want them to look like stars when you’re finished. Then take them to Lady’s house. Tell them I’ll meet them there. Lady will know what to do, okay? Can you do this for me?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Lyniece got out of the car and looked back at her brother. “Just have my money since you want them to look like stars, nigga. I’m a fuckin’ hairstylist, not a miracle worker. Did you see them girls’ hair?”

“I’m telling Mom about your mouth as soon as I get home,” Kay said as he pulled off laughing.

Kay pulled up on Riggs Street, about four blocks from the projects. Someone was home because the lights were on in the living room and in his bedroom. Good, he thought to himself. That meant Sonia was home with the baby. He ran up the stairs two at a time. He had to walk past his mom’s room to get to his so he stopped in her doorway for a moment and just looked at her. She was sitting in front of the TV in her recliner with Lyniece’s daughter in her arms. Both of them were asleep. Kay loved his brothers and sister with all his heart but what he felt for his mother was the type of love Hallmark cards were made of.

Kay continued to stand in the doorway and watch his mother. She had gotten older, but still looked good after four kids and two grandkids.

“That’s my mama,” he said to himself, and walked on to his room. Sonia was sitting on the bed playing with their son.

“Hey, baby,” Kay said to her as he picked up his son, moving him through the air like an airplane. He walked over to the mirror and stood with his son’s face against his. As he gazed at their reflections, Sonia came over and stood next to them, putting her arm around his waist. Kay thought about how good they looked as a family.

“Look at my two handsome men,” she said, looking into the mirror.

Kay turned to Sonia and out of nowhere asked, “Do you want to get married?”

“Yeah, but you could ask me betta than that, nigga. I want a romantic dinner, champagne, flowers, and you on bent knee with a ring and shit when you ask me.”

“You stupid,” Kay said while smiling at her.

Kay had been with Sonia since they were sixteen years old. Sonia was a beautiful, exotic-looking Latina with long wavy jet-black hair that hung down her back. And she had a banging body like a black girl that drove niggaz nuts. Eventually her Puerto Rican family found out she was dating a black guy and demanded that she end the relationship, so she ran away. Her family disowned her for being involved with Kay. In Kay’s mind, that she chose him over her family showed her true loyalty to him and he loved her for that. Sonia was the only steady girlfriend he ever had and the only girl he ever loved. Then she blessed him in the highest form that any woman can bless a man: She gave him a son.

Kay was the only man Sonia ever slept with and he turned her out. She was crazy about him and one time stabbed a girl that she had caught Kay with. Another time, she cut Kay while she was in a jealous rage. They both loved the drama and when it came right down to it, they were made for each other. A lot of the times they acted as if they couldn’t stand each other, but neither of them could stand to be away from the other very long. And with the new baby, they were even closer. Mama Frost was always saying how sickening it was the way they acted over each other.

“Okay, we’re going to do all that on Monday: flowers, candle-light, the whole nine yards. Then we’ll get married on Tuesday,” Kay said as he smiled at Sonia.

“For real, boo?”

“Yeah, baby, for real.”

Sonia started kissing Kay real hard and unzipped his pants.

“Hold on, baby, save that for later. I got something to do real quick then I’ll be back,” Kay explained as he pulled away from Sonia’s advances.

“Okay, but hurry back.” Sonia had a slight whine in her voice.

Kay turned from her and headed for the door, but before he walked out he said, “Hey, you going to do that for me tonight?”

“You just have to see when you come back.” They smiled at each other. Kay left with his son in his arms and went down to the basement. Tramaine and Caleek were hanging out as usual. Kay told Tramaine to get two grand from the stash. Lil ‘C’ was squirming in Kay’s arms trying to get to Caleek. For some reason Lil ‘C’ and Caleek connected even though ‘C’ was only a year old. Anytime he cried, all Caleek had to do was walk in the room and he would stop. Kay handed him the baby while he called Dre.

“Hello.” Kay recognized Mina’s voice. She was Dre’s girlfriend and Sonia’s cousin. Kay and Sonia met through those two.

“How you doing, Mina, is Dre there?”

“I’m fine, Kay. Hold on, I’ll wake him up.”

“Hello,” Dre said in a heavy voice after a few minutes.

“Yo, Dre, I didn’t mean to disturb you, but tell everybody I said to meet at my house tonight instead of Mike’s. I’ve got something to tell ya’ll.”

“Aiight, peace.” Dre hung up the phone.

Tramaine came back with the money and Kay left with the baby. Scatter and Lady lived only a few blocks over on Edmondson Ave., so Kay didn’t have far to drive. When he pulled up, Scatter was standing in front of the house. He had on shorts and bedroom slippers with no shirt. When Scatter saw the baby in the car he rushed over and opened the door and removed the baby out of the car seat running off at the mouth in baby talk.

“Here go my grandson.” Scatter held Lil ‘C’ in the air. Kay came around to that side of the car with a diaper bag on his shoulder.

“Nigga, we ain’t doing no babysitting,” Scatter let him know right off the break.

“I ain’t leaving my son with yo ass no way. I came to talk to Lady about renting the third floor.”

“For what?”

“Come on, I’ll explain it to both of ya’ll. And help me with those bags in the trunk.”

After Kay explained what was going on with Janita and Tia, both Lady and Scatter agreed to help. Kay offered to pay Lady, but she refused the money. The only thing she was concerned about right now was playing with Lil ‘C’.

“They can stay here as long as they want. I only ask that they help out around the house, and treat me with respect. I like the idea already, having some young ladies around to give all this wisdom to.” Kay and Scatter both looked at Lady. When she felt them staring at her she said, “Fuck both of ya’ll. You know I don’t mean like that.” The three of them laughed out loud.

“Since you won’t take the money from me, at least take this fifteen hundred for them in case of an emergency and take this for groceries,” Kay said as he gave Lady an additional five hundred dollars. She took the money and asked what time would the girls be getting there. Kay looked at his watch and replied, “In about two or three hours.”

Lady looked at Scatter. “Get yo ass up and go up there and clean up. I want the place together by the time our girls get here.”

Scatter looked at Kay as if he could have choked him. He called him a stupid motherfucker under his breath so that Lady couldn’t hear him. Kay laughed at Scatter then he looked at Lady and kissed her on the lips.