Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven (25 page)

"Mother Grand ..." Seven began.

"Seven," Major said, and shook his head. Seven ignored him. "That's not Aunt Marjori's spirit."

Major gasped and bent his head in prayer.

"I am just as shocked as you, Motha," he lied. "Seven, you stop with the lies."

"Shut up, fool," his mother ordered.

“Seven speaks da truth. Better than you who would ra’tha let your moth’a believe that her dead daugh’ta has come to dinn’a.”

Major stole a look at Simmeon, who looked at Seven and shook his head. I listened intently as Mother Grand told me the story of Marjori's kidnapping and murder. She told me about how she met Major's father and life on the Island. I was laughing at something that Mother Grand had said to me when I glanced at Seven and noticed him staring at the entry to the dining room.

Chapter 50

I followed his eyes and looked up into Darshon's face. I had to make sure I was seeing right. The boy had definitely grown. He was taller, bigger and probably meaner, but he looked good. He looked almost as good as his brother. Working had done him justice. He came in and hugged his mother, his father, then looked shyly at Seven. Seven stood, shook his hand, then pulled him into a hug.

"How you doin', Bro?" Darshon asked. “Hey, Bari."

"Hi, Darshon."

He spoke to everybody at the table, hugged Gucci and Six, then came back down to our end.

"Seven, Bari, can I talk to y’all for a second?" Seven looked at me. I nodded. We followed Darshon into the living room. "I wanna apologize to both of y’all, especially you, Bari. I was way outta line with you. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Darshon."

"Milkshake, look at my baby brother all grown up and shit. I'm proud of you, my nigga." Seven hugged him tightly. "You flyin' back with us?"

"I don't wanna go back. I wanna stay here."

We both looked at him in surprise.

"Stay here?" Seven asked. "You sure, Darkie?"

He nodded.

"I want you to talk to Mom and Dad for me."

"What did Teodore say?"

"He said I had to ask you."

"Why ask me?" Seven asked.

"I don't know."

"You're eighteen now. You can do what you wanna do. You ain't got to ask nobody, for real. You do what you think is best for you, and if Mom and Dad give you any problems, I’ll talk to them.”

"What about the Grands?" Darshon asked. "You'll talk to them, too?"

"If I need to, baby," he told his little brother and cupped his head in the palm of his hand. Darshon looked at me and smiled shyly. "You ain't gon' miss your big bro?" Seven asked.

"Of course I will, but I know you'll come see me and let me come visit sometimes." Seven's eyes shot in my direction. He looked skeptical. "I know what you're thinking, man, but I ain't no kid no more."

"Of course you can, Darshon," I said.

Seven smiled at him. Darshon was about to tell us about something that happened to him, when Mother Grand came out and stood staring at Seven like he had lost his mind.

"What's wrong with my girl?" Seven asked, putting his arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek.

"May I steal your little one?"

She took my hand and led me back to the dining room. I looked back and smiled at Seven. He winked.

I was listening to Mother and Father Grand argue with Major about how he had waited too long to start Seven's dreadlocks, when I heard a deep, throaty laugh, followed by a few words in Jamaican. I looked at Gucci. She was reading my mind. The voice could only be described as sexy. I watched as Simmeon returned, followed by the owner of the voice I had heard.

"Teodore!" Major roared, and got up from the table to hug the man.

I looked at Gucci.

"Bitch!" She mouthed.

The man was gorgeous. He was a deep brown color with tiny reddish brown dreadlocks that hung to the middle of his back and were cut straight across. He hugged and kissed Birdie, spoke to his brother and sister-in-law, then looked around and greeted everyone he knew.

"Shep, Mandro, you've come back to me."

"Not for long, Brother," Mandro said. "I've missed the Mainland."

"And you Shep?"

"I'm ere on business."

He gave Teodore a conspiring look.

"Six! Who let im in ere? Gucci, Gucci. You still ave not come to your senses."

Everyone laughed.

"I said the same ting!" Simmeon laughed.

"Teodore, I want you to meet da little one," Mother Grand said. I stood up and looked up at the man, who was well over six feet tall and built like my baby. He stared back at me with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. "She is Seven's girlfriend," she explained. "Bari, dis is my usbands baby broth'a. Seven's great Uncle Teodore." He's great alright, I thought to myself. "She looks like Marjori," Mother Grand pointed out.

He didn't respond, just continued to stare at me.

"Where is my nephew?" He asked, looking at Major.

"With Darshon."

Teodore shook his head, then looked at me.

"I thought Seven was smart'a dan dat. Neva should such a beautiful lay-dee be wit' out er man for even a min' it."

"What's up Teodore?" Seven said, coming in with his arm around his little brother's neck.

I looked from Teodore to Seven to Shep, unable to believe that three men that damn fine weren't brothers but looked so much alike.

"Seven! My favorite nephew!" Teodore said, looking pointedly at Shep. He embraced Seven. "You, my nephew, are slip'pin. Leave'an dis an-gel ere all alone."

Seven looked at me and winked.

"I ain't ever too far away."

Gucci caught my eye. We exchanged a quick glance.

"Bari, I ope you are ungry," Mother Grand said. “I ave prepared a feast fit for a king."

She looked at Seven and smiled. Major rolled his eyes.

"Seven," I whispered. "Why do they all look so young?"

"They are young, baby."

"But..."

"Mother Grand is only thirteen years older than Major. Father Grand is fifteen years older than Major."

"How old is Shep?" I asked.

"Twenty-four." I gasped. He told me the ages of all the people around me. "Father Grand has eighteen brothers and sisters."

"Wow, and Teodore sure looks good for an old man."

"Why do you think he's an old man?"

"I don't know. I just got that impression from what you and Major and Birdie were saying."

"Teodore ain't no old man, baby," he laughed. "He's twenty-five."

Chapter 51

I stared down at the clear blue water that was moving quickly underneath the long yacht that belonged to Teodore. There were people sitting, laying, talking and drinking. I was sipping Cristal and orange juice, gasping at fish with their bright colors. I looked up to find Seven watching me. He came over and stood next to me at the rail.

"You've never been on the water before, Milkshake?" I shook my head. I was in awe. "Baby come sit down, you're making me nervous," he laughed.

"Thank you!" Gucci piped up. "I was waiting for her ass to tumble over that rail, and I bet she still wouldn't have let that glass go."

Seven laughed. I sat down in a lounge chair upholstered in Gucci print and looked at Gucci, who wasn’t wearing a sarong. Seven had threatened to make me into fish food if I took mine off. I wondered if he noticed that every time he looked at me, the sarong was lower and lower.

"You push it down any more it's gon' be around your knees," he said, catching me off guard.

"Are you enjoy'an yourself, lit'tle an-gel?" Teodore asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"Sis! Look!" Six said, excitedly.

He was standing at the rail, looking into the water.

"Whatever it is, bring it here," Seven said sarcastically. "Go on, Bari, you 'bout to roll out your chair tryin' to see what he's talkin' about." I walked to the rail and peered over the side. I had to get a closer look. I leaned over as far as I could without losing my balance. "Bari, back up some, baby," Seven advised.

I felt hands around my waist pull me back against a muscular chest. The arms remained around me, holding me close. I smiled.

"Look, baby!" I said excitedly.

"Dat is an octo-puss. And a big one," Teodore breathed in my ear.

I almost jumped over the side of the boat.

"Bari! Be careful," Gucci yelled like it was my fault.

"Milkshake, com'ere baby."

I sat in the chair between Seven's legs. My heart was pounding. I was about to go the hell off, and Seven knew it.

"You mad, baby?"

"Hell yes, I'm mad."

"Don't be. I told you how he is. He thinks everything on this Island is open and available to him."

"I don't give a damn what he thinks. That was messed up, Seven."

"You're right, baby," he agreed, holding me tightly against his body.

I looked back to make sure the eyes were brown and not blue. Seven started laughing.

"I am at a safe dis'taunce, an-gel," Teodore assured me with a laugh.

"You got to back up off my baby, Teo," Seven said. "She'll fuck you up if I let her."

Teodore laughed. I looked at Teodore to let him know that what Seven said was confirmed. The blue eyes blazed into mine. I forgot how mad I was and blushed profusely.

One of Teodore's friends, who he had introduced to me as Niko, was watching Gucci switch across the deck.

"Hi. How are you? Do you speak English? Can you understand me? What the hell are you looking at?" I snapped, all in one breath.

Ever since we had gotten on the damn boat, I noticed her watching my baby, sometimes on the sly, sometimes openly.

"Baby, who ..."

"What are you looking at?" I demanded.

I got up from the lounge chair and walked towards the bitch that was leaning up against the rail of the boat, watching Seven. Gucci was at my side, and we were almost to her when Seven passed me up and swept the bitch up in his arms. He hugged her tightly.

"I knew you looked familiar. It's the hair that threw me off," Seven said.

Gucci’s smiled at her as we got closer.

"Bitch, you coming to make friends with the ho?" I asked.

"Bari, this is..." Seven began, but never got the chance to finish.

"Shut the fuck up, Seven," I snapped.

His mouth fell open.

"Majesti! I know that ain't my girl!" Six laughed.

I waited for Gucci to go off. She stood her dumb ass there smiling, then hugged the woman. Seven was still looking at me with a smile on his face.

"Speak, bitch! You stuck or what?" I was furious. He laughed and tried to hug me. "Back up! Who is this? Some bitch you had an Island fling with back in the days?" I asked, glaring at the woman who exchanged a look with my baby.

They both started laughing. Really? I was about to flip.

"Bari, this is Majesti," Six said, as if that explained and eased my every concern.

"Tell er oo I am before she puts me in da wa 'ta," she said.

They all laughed.

"Milkshake, this is my Aunt Majesti, Teodore's baby sister."

I wanted to dive into the water myself. Instead, I glared at Seven, then Six, then Gucci.

"I'm sorry," I said to her skeptically. "My name is Bari. It's nice to meet you."

I reached out my hand. I wouldn't have blamed her if she wouldn't have taken it. She did. I sighed with relief.

"Eet's nice to meet you, Bari."

"Sorry about that," I apologized. "You can never be too sure though."

"Oh, I ear you. Mine is right der, and I don't let im out'a my sight."

I followed her finger to where a brown skinned dude with short dreadlocks sat. Niko. I looked from her to Seven, to Teodore and Shep, then back to her.

"Nineteen," Seven said.

"What, baby?"

"She's nineteen."

"How did you know I was thinking about that?" I laughed. “Sorry about that, baby. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your family."

"You did what you was supposed to do."

He kissed the side of my face.

"Seven, where are the Grand's parents?" 

He started laughing, "You want to see what they look like, baby?" I nodded. "You'll see 'em tonight."

“I thought only Major called them the Grands, everyone does though."

"I started calling them that when I turned old enough to think I was too cool to be saying grandmother and grandfather. I was probably about eight. By the time I got old enough to realize I wasn't too cool after all, Major was calling them that, and the name stuck.”

When we got back to the dock later that evening, Seven informed me that I would be going back to the house with Majesti and Gucci, and that he, Shep, Teodore, Six and Niko had business to handle.

"Don't look like that, baby, I won't be gone long."

"Okay."

"I love you, Bari."

There was something in his eyes, and in his voice, that told me something wasn't right.

"Seven, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Bari," he lied, his eyes avoiding mine.

He then hugged me tightly, kissed me and left with the four men that were waiting for him.

"Come, Bari. We'll wait at the ouse," Majesti said.

Gucci was being quiet. That was something to worry about in itself. I waited until I thought the time was right, when Majesti was doing something, and asked her what was wrong.

"Why do you think something is wrong, Bari?"

"I feel it. I felt it when Seven left."

She didn't respond. I could tell that we were feeling the same, unsure of what was to come.

It was dark outside, and close to midnight. Gucci, Majesti and I sat in the big living room, all of us waiting for the other to speak. Everybody else was at some party at the hotel.

"Bari," Gucci began.

I looked at her but found myself unable to speak. Something was deathly wrong. I got up and looked out a window.

"Don't do that to ya' self, Bari," Majesti said.

"Where are they?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," she answered.

We all turned towards the door simultaneously as Shep came in, followed by Six, who was followed by Niko. I thought I was about to pass out. Six's shirt was covered in blood. I waited anxiously. No Seven. Six wouldn't look at me. He went to Gucci and hugged her tightly.

"Six!" I yelled. "Where is Seven?"

He looked at me for a long time before answering.

"I don't know, Bari.”

"What the fuck do you mean you don't know!" I screamed. "Shep!"

He too shook his head.

"We don't know, An-gel. He and Teodore were separated from us. We ad a spot dat we were to meet up at. Teodore showed up, but Seven never did."

"Why did you leave! How do you know he's not there now?" I cried.

"Bari," Six explained. "He was supposed to be there four hours ago."

"Call the police," Gucci suggested.

"No!" Six and Shep snapped in unison.

"Baby, you're bleeding," Gucci cried.

"This isn't my blood, Gucci."

He looked at me.

"Whose is it then?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"I don't know."

"Six! Tell the damn truth!" I screamed at him.

"It's not Seven's, Bari."

"Where is Teodore?" I asked.

"Teodore is at ome," Shep answered.

"At home? Could Seven be there?"

I was grasping at straws, but I didn't care.

"No, Sis."

"Do you think he's dead?"

"Bari! Don't talk like that!" Gucci yelled at me.

"I need to know," I cried.

She came and hugged me.

"To be honest, Sis, I really don't know."

When Shep's phone rang, we all stared at it as if we had never heard the sound before. I silently prayed that Seven was on the other end. He spoke for a moment, then ended the call.

"Dat was Teodore. He got a call; a million doll'as for my nephew."

This couldn't be happening, couldn't be.

"Seven...kidnapped?" I asked. He nodded. My baby. "Well, what the fuck is Teodore calling you for? From what I hear, he has this whole damn Island sowed up! Why didn't he just pay it?"

Shep's phone rang. We all froze.

"Dis is Shep," he answered. "Where ah you, nephew?"

"Seven!" I screamed, and tried to snatch the phone.

He held it out of my reach.

"I und'a'stand ...hold on, nephew."

He handed me the phone.

"Baby? What's going on? Are you okay? Where are you?" I cried.

"Bari, I need you to listen to me, baby, and listen carefully."

"I'm listening, Seven."

"The big suitcase, Bari, the biggest one. Do you know what I'm talkin' about, baby?"

I thought for a long moment.

"It's real?" I asked, in shock.

"It's real, get it all. After you do that, I want you to give it to Shep. Shep knows what to do, baby. Don't be scared, Milkshake, and don't cry. I love you."

"I'm not scared, Seven, and I'm definitely not crying. I'm mad than a mutha fucka right now. And when I get the chance, I'm gon' call your punk ass uncle Teodore and tell him about himself too!"

"I gotta go, Bari. I love you."

"I love you too, Seven. Take care of my baby."

“You do the same.”

‘’Seven?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“They’re not gonna hurt you, are they?"

"Don't worry about me, Bari. Just take care of you for me. I need you to be really brave right now. Do you hear me? And don't tell nobody what you're doing. Remember what I taught you, baby, sometimes it's better not to know."

"I hear you," I assured him. "Seven, whatever happens..."

"Don't talk like that, Bari. Ain't no 'whatever happens.' I love you."

He ended the call. A few seconds later, Shep’s phone rang again.

"Dis is Shep. No. That's not what Seven said to do. Ah you sure? Okay."

He ended the call and looked at me, then pulled me to the side.

"What?" I asked.

"You are to go with me," he whispered."

"What! Was that Seven?"

"No, it was one of the kidnappers. Ee said Seven wants you to come, too. Dis may be the last time he gets to see you."

"What did he say?" Gucci questioned as I rushed around the living room and flew up the stairs.

I ignored her. I went straight to the room that Seven and I were staying in, changed into a pair of Levi's and a tank top, and a pair of Jordan’s, and went to the big suitcase. The suitcase was huge. It was a design by Gucci, but the outside print was done in five hundred dollar bills. I thought back to the day we were packing, and I had asked Seven why he had chosen this print.

"Custom made Baby. If this were real money, the baggage claim people would make sure I never saw this suitcase again.”

“Why did you want it like this? Don't you think it would make people want to know what's inside?"

He had laughed it off and never answered. It had a thick Lucite cover. I ran downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. I cut the plastic off and started plucking the money off the suitcase. Each bill had two behind it. My baby is a genious, I thought to myself. It was a perfect way to hide money. I counted out two thousand of the five hundred bills, then stopped and stared at it. I was holding a million dollars in my hands. I stuffed it into a black leather bag, and was about to turn around and run out, when I thought of something. I unzipped the lining of the suitcase, reached inside and pulled out Seven's gun. I remember overhearing him telling Six that it was a nine millimeter. My hands started to shake as I realized that it was probably the gun used to kill Trim. I forced the thought out of my head and shoved the gun into the back waistband of my jeans. I grabbed one of Seven's button down shirts and put it on to cover the gun. I grabbed the heavy bag and ran downstairs. Shep was waiting for me.