Bitch (12 page)

"Did you lose the baby?" I prayed the answer would be yes.

"No, the baby is fine. The doctor told me I'ma have to take it easy throughout my pregnancy."

"With Ritchie being dead you still want to have his baby?" I asked while saying to myself, this is a dumb bitch.

"Yeah. I know Ritchie was foul, but I loved him. I guess you told Nico that Ritchie was tryna to set him up. That's why he killed him."

"Inga, I neva even had a chance. When I got home that night, Nico was already gone. I didn't even know what hap pened until I heard it on the news."

"Well, he must of found out some other way. Ritchie's stupid ass should've neva crossed Nico. But I can't believe Nico's in jail, you must be devastated, Precious. I know how much you love him."

"So much is going on I really haven't had time to take it all in."

"Have you spoken to Nico?"

"No, I haven't been staying at home. I wasn't sure if the cops was gonna run up in there or something."

"That's true. I heard Nico's supposed to have a bail hearing tomorrow morning. From what I hear, they doubt he gonna get bail."

"Where you hear that from?"

"This girl named Vanika."

"Who that?"

"She Corey's sister. Corey's a little nigga. He works for one of Nico's street lieutenants."

"What else she say?"

"Not too much. Just that everybody stressed `cause wit' Nico locked up and Ritchie dead; they don't have nobody to lead the way. Them two was the only ones that dealt one on one wit' the connect. Ain't nobody heard from Nico. They don't know if the police ain't letting him make no phone calls or what. That's why I was wondering if you spoke to him."

"Not yet."

"So are you gonna go to court for his bail hearing tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Nico might want me to keep a low profile."

"That's true. Wit' Nico locked up I'll understand if you'll need your apartment back."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll make some other arrangements."

"I know you ain't going back to your moms' crib."

"Nope." Inga had me feeling she was the police with all these simple-ass questions she was spitting at me.

"So what do..."

"Yo, I gotta go. I'll be in touch," I said, abruptly ending the call. There was nothing left to discuss with Inga because she gave me all the pertinent information she had. The rest of the conversation would've consisted of her picking my brain, which was out of the question.

The first thing I did when I got back to the hotel room was turn to the news. I knew they probably wouldn't have any new information about the case, but I had to do something to calm my nerves. I was pacing the floor back and forth, wondering if I should go to court in the morning. I prayed they wouldn't set bail for Nico, and I needed to hear firsthand.

I arrived at the downtown Brooklyn courthouse early that morning. Once I found the courtroom where Nico's hearing would be held, I took a seat in the back. It was hot as shit in the building. It was the middle of winter and cold as hell outside, but they had it blasting to the point I was getting dizzy. I took off my coat and wanted to take off my hat, but I didn't want to be seen, especially by Nico.

More and more people started coming in filling up the wooden benches, then one particular person caught my eye. She strutted to the front of the courtroom and took a seat behind the defense table. Even to court, that chicken head bitch Porscha didn't know how to represent. She had on some low-cut red dress that was made so cheaply that if you pulled one piece of thread, the whole ensemble would fall apart. I so badly wanted to jump across these benches and finish where I left off, but I had to remind myself I was keeping a low profile. Seeing Porscha confirmed that Nico was getting exactly what he deserved. He was still seeing that bitch after he swore he was done with her. Niggas weren't shit.

Finally at a quarter to ten they brought Nico out. When they called his name, Porscha sat up extra straight and smiled at him like she was his wife. Yeah bitch, you can do that bid wit' him too like you his wife, I thought to myself.

When the Judge called his name, Nico stood next to his high-profile Jewish attorney, looking prouder than ever, even in his orange jumpsuit.

The prosecutor argued that bail shouldn't be set for Nico, not only because of the heinous nature of the crime, but because it was also a double homicide. He also stated that Nico was a flight risk, and due to his illegal drug activity, was a menace to society.

Nico's attorney argued that Nico was an upstanding businessman in the community and that he acted in self defense.

They went back and forth, and finally the judge sided with the prosecution and denied bail.

Nico's attorney immediately demanded that his client wanted a speedy trial.

Once the judge gave his ruling, I quietly got up to leave when I heard someone say, "Precious, is that you?" I tried to step up my speed, but then they got louder. "Precious Cummings, is that you?" I turned to see who had blown my cover, and instantly Nico and I made eye contact. If looks could kill I would've died that morning in the downtown Brooklyn courthouse. Nico stared at me until the bailiff took him away.

"Don't you remember me, Precious? I used to keep you sometimes when your mother had to work."

"Yes," I said, nodding my head and wanting to punch the older lady in her mouth. "Hi, Ms. Duncan. How are you?"

"I'm good. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl. You have grown up to be so beautiful."

"Thank you," I said, trying to edge myself out the door.

"I hope you not in no trouble, being down here in the courthouse and all."

I wanted to be like, "I can ask you the same question," but I didn't want to start a scene. "No, I was just checking up on a friend of mine. I really have to be going. I'll tell my mother I saw you."

"You do that now."

Breathing a sigh of relief to finally be leaving the inferno, Porscha scandalous ass stopped me.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know why you came down here. You know Nico don't want to see you."

"Why is that?" I asked, wondering if he confided in her about my involvement with Ritchie.

"You know why."

Yeah, I did, but she obviously didn't or she would have been humming like the bird she was. "Listen, I'm not gonna discuss my relationship wit' my fiancee with you." I held up my engagement finger that still had the massive rock that Nico laced me with. "Whateva you got going on wit' him is cool `cause you ain't nothing but a broke down, haggard, bootleg version of what I'll neva be. So keep it mov ing in that ten dollar, which includes the cost of those patent leather shoes you rockin' ensemble, and step the fuck off before I wax that ass one more time."

"Ain't nobody stuttin' you, Precious. You a dead bitch. You a dead bitch," she repeated.

My natural reflex kicked in and I balled up my fist ready to Mike Tyson her ass, when a security guard who had been watching our argument unfold, stepped in and grabbed my arm mid-air. "Miss, calm down," the officer said, now holding both my arms gently.

"Nah, let her go. I wish you would put yo' hands on me, Precious!" Porscha raged, trying to egg me on.

"I'm going to ask you to leave this area now, before I cite you for disruption," he said as Porscha rolled her eyes and walked away.

I was breathing so hard. I felt like that bitch was threatening my life. I was consumed with anger.

"Listen, you seem like a nice young lady so please calm down and leave without having another altercation with that woman. She's not worth it. Next time I might not be there to stop you, and it could be you in front of that judge.

I nodded my head, knowing what the security guard said was true. I got my bearings together and left.

Since I was in Brooklyn, I took a ride over to my moms' apartment to see how she was doing. When I unlocked the door, I immediately closed it and looked at the apartment number to make sure I was at the right place. I opened the door back up and was bugging at how clean the place was.

The walls were newly painted, the hardwood floors were in perfect condition and the whole apartment had new furniture. It didn't even look like the same place. I opened the refrigerator and not a bottle of liquor was in sight. Nothing but juice, water, fruit and other healthy foods, which made me wonder if my moms had died and someone else took over her apartment.

"Precious, I wasn't expecting to see you today, but I'm glad you're here," I heard my moms say.

When I turned towards the door to answer her, my heart almost stopped. I stood speechless.

"Precious, are you OK?" my moms said repeatedly as she stroked my hair.

"What happened to you?"

"I took your advice and got myself together. The last time you were here, I decided to quit using cold turkey. I truly felt ashamed that day, Precious."

I couldn't get over how beautiful my moms looked. She picked up weight and her hourglass shape was still intact. Her skin was glowing and her sandy brown hair was cut short and streaked with blonde highlights. It made her green eyes stand out even more. All the beauty that was hidden because of the drugs was now coming through. It was amazing. I just hugged her and wouldn't let go. For the first time in my life I had a mother.

For the rest of the day we sat down and talked to each other like human beings for the first time. Every word I said was brand new to my moms because she was hearing it with a clear mind, not one that was consumed with drugs. The six hours I spent with my mother were the happiest moments of my life.

"Momma, I have to meet with a friend of mine, but I'ma come back over when I'm done. You really look incredible. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you. You be careful. I love you, Precious."

"I love you too."

My life finally had meaning. I decided that when I bought my house, I was bringing my mother with me. We could both leave Brooklyn and start over together. Maybe even open up a beauty salon or a nail shop together. We would be the flyest mother and daughter team ever.

Getting caught up in the future I was now planning, I looked at my watch and realized I only had an hour before I was supposed to meet up with Boogie. I needed to go all the way back to my storage spot in Jersey to get the cash I had to hit him off with. There was no way I was going to make it there and back in an hour, so I called Boogie and told him I would be an hour late. Luckily traffic wasn't that bad and I was making good time.

As I was coming back over the bridge, Inga's named popped up on my cell. I figured Porscha must've told Tanisha's cousin about our episode at the courthouse this morning and Inga was calling to get the dirt from me. "Hello."

"What up, Precious?"

"Nothing. Just handling some things. I'm kinda busy. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing. Where you at?"

"In the streets."

"Oh, you in Brooklyn?"

"Nah, that's not what I said. I'm in the streets," I replied, feeling funny about how Inga was coming at me.

"So when you coming back over to Brooklyn, `cause I wanted to see you?"

"I'm not sure. You haven't been staying at my place in Harlem."

"No. Wit' the pregnancy and all, my moms wanted me to be close by family."

"That's cool."

"Do you want to stop by and pick up your apartment keys since I won't be staying there?"

"I'm good. I have an extra set. Inga, I hate to cut this short, but like I said, I'm in the middle of handling some things. We'll get up later." That nauseated feeling was coming over me but I tried to shake it off as just being overwhelmed by seeing Nico and my encounter with Porscha.

When I pulled up to Boogie's shop it was almost eight o'clock. I parked around the back so nobody could see my car from the main road.

"What up, ghetto queen?" Boogie smiled and said when I walked in the door. I knew it was because of the 100 grand I agreed to pay him for having his people set all my shit up so my money would be clean.

"I know I'm late, but I hope yo' people still coming," I said, feeling anxious.

"No doubt. I got you covered. You got that money for me?"

"Of course. It's in the car. After we finish up I'll give it to you."

"Look at you, Precious, being all business-minded. You've come a long way."

I was looking out the window blinds, patiently waiting for Boogie's people to show up. "Who the peoples you dealing wit' on this anyway?"

"Oh, these my folks. They fuck with a cat who deal with a lot of major hustlers out here, getting they shit in order. When I told them it was a female looking to clean up a million dollars, they damn near had a heart attack."

"You told them my name?"

"Yeah, but they family. They know old school rules. They just wanted to make sure you weren't the police or nothing. It's not every day a woman comes through with that type of money to wash."

"So, what's the dude's name?"

"Who? My nephews'?"

"No, the dude yo' nephews fuck wit."

"Oh, I think they said his name is Tommy?"

Before I could vomit, I saw Tommy's truck pulling up in front of the shop. "Oh shit, Boogie."

"What's wrong, Precious."

"Boogie, this is a trap. Shit, fuck!"

"Stop tripping. I told you them my nephews."

"Boogie, Tommy used to work for Nico. I saw him leaving our crib yesterday. He came there looking for the money." My hands were shaking as I ran to the door to lock it.

"Precious, you sure it's the same Tommy?"

"Yes, that's his truck outside right now. Come on, Boogie, let's go out the back. I parked my car out there. We can duck these motherfuckers before they get inside."

But before we could take another step, the front door glass flew everywhere from the bullets that Tommy sprayed. Boogie and I both threw our bodies down on the floor.

"Get the fuck up!" Tommy yelled as he and two other guys entered the shop.

"Where the fuck is the million dollars, Precious?"

Boogie stood up before I did and recognized the two other men as his nephews. "Lamont, Andre, what ya doing? You got yo' friend fucking up my shop. What is this all about?"