Double Dippin' (35 page)

“Yeah, well, I think it’s time for Shane to come out of hiding. He knows we don’t roll like that. He can’t just walk the fuck off with no explanation and just get ghost! I don’t appreciate it. Shane is gonna be sorry for treating
me
like I’m one of his tricks. How he gon’ let me do all that time and not even so much as write me a damn letter. Fuck that! Shane’s gon’ get his.” Misty screwed up her lips and swung furiously at the air.

“Aiight, Misty. Calm down, baby. We’ll get Shane, but right now we’re supposed to be celebrating. You’re home, baby! Let’s go out and have some fun.”

Misty looked up thoughtfully. “Whatchu wanna get into?”

“Don’t matter…anything,” Brick said with a shrug. “But we need some money. I’m fucked up; I ain’t been on my hustle like I shoulda been. Couldn’t jam up niggas like I wanted to. I needed you and Shane for backup,” he admitted solemnly.

Misty sucked her teeth. “I bet Shane’s got some dough; his trick bitches keep his pockets fat,” she said resentfully. “Besides, he owes me! I took that fall and he ain’t put not one dollar on my books.” She lowered her head, thinking hard. Brick stood beside her, patiently waiting for her to come up with a plan.

“Brick, I don’t hold you responsible; I know you were out here struggling to survive. I know it was hard on you being out here without me. But ain’t no excuse for Shane.” Misty gave Brick a narrow-eyed look and continued punching her palm threateningly. “Okay, listen. I got a plan…”

“What?” Brick asked suspiciously.

“You gon’ have to hustle us up some cheddar.”

“Me? How? I can’t rob no more ATMs; they got me on tape,” he said, grimacing and shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. “My muggin’ game is raggedy, baby. My game is off like a muthafucker. I couldn’t keep that shit up with you and Shane both out of the picture.”

“Well, you’re gon’ have to tighten your game back up.” Then she looked off in thought for a moment. “All right—this is what we’re gonna do.”

Brick gave Misty his undivided attention.

“I’ll hustle us up a freak,” she announced and then gave Brick a wicked smile. “I bet you ain’t had your dick sucked the whole time I was upstate,” she said teasingly.

“You must be crazy,” he responded gruffly.

“Stop lying, Brick. You don’t even know how to approach dudes. Yeah, you probably had a couple skanks slobbering on your jawn, but you ain’t had it sucked the way you really like it.”

“You right, you right,” Brick finally admitted.

“Well, we gotta find a freak. That’s where the real money’s at. Bitches are okay, but they’re stingy. Dudes don’t mind kickin’ out serious dough.”

“It’s been a long time, Misty. I might not be ready to get down with a man. I’m nervous; I’m not mentally prepared for that type of party.”

Disgusted, Misty sucked her teeth.

“Why I gotta be the ho?” Brick asked. “Why can’t you get down with a dude and let me watch? I ain’t ready for nothing real freaky. I gotta ease back into that lifestyle.”

Misty gave Brick a smoldering look. “I just did a bid for all of us. I know you don’t think I’m gonna prostitute myself? I’m not the ho in this relationship; I’m the fuckin’ pimp! You know damn well I’m not gon’ let no freak-ass nut run his dick all up in my shit. That ain’t my twist. It was bad enough in prison with all those bitches trying to suck on my clit,” she ranted and then suddenly softened her tone. “This pussy belongs to you,” she said, giving her crotch a couple pats. “It used to belong to you and Shane, but he got new on us.” She looked off wistfully. Her eyes were sad.

“Baby, stop worrying about Shane, we gon’ find him.”

“Shane played us and he’s the reason our money’s all fucked up. We had a
system; he knew we relied on his hustle to make ends meet. But he got greedy and decided to go solo; he just left our asses hangin’.” Misty’s eyes were dark and brooding. “That’s why I always told you we had to keep our ace in the hole.” She ran her hand across Brick’s groin. “You got this big dong. Your big dick makes horny muthafuckers give up their rent money just to kiss it. Shane can’t top what you got, baby.” A morose look covered Misty’s face. “But he really hurt me, Brick. And you gotta do something about that.”

“Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Okay, Misty?” Brick said sadly.

“Okay,” Misty said brightly. “First things first. We gotta get some money, and then we’ll find Shane.” She rubbed Brick’s groin again and laughed when it stiffened.

“Stop, Misty,” he complained, squirming away. “Quit it unless you gon’ do something about it.”

“I’m tempted, but we gotta save your strength for the sucka we run into tonight. I’ll get mine later on…that is, if you have any juice left.”

“Aiight, so where we gonna find this freak?” Brick said, looking doubtful.

“Oh you don’t think I can find us a freak? Brick, when you gonna get it through your head? Every black man, white man, red man, Chinese man-or whatever, every man on this planet ain’t nothing but a stone cold freak. They might pretend that they ain’t trying to get it on with another man, but I know how to get to the truth.”

“Aiight. So where we goin’?”

“We should go to a hotel bar. Someplace where honkies hang out. We need a big payday and white men are willing to pay top dollar for big black dick.” Misty paused and looked Brick up and down. “You still gotta wear that blind-fold?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because everybody ain’t into your hang-ups. Wearing that blindfold is a turn-off for some men. We ain’t in no position to be turning off no paying customers.”

“Whassup with you, Misty? You know I don’t get down like that. I don’t wanna look at no strange dude sucking my dick. I ain’t no damn faggot.”

Misty sighed. “You think because you’re not looking, that makes you normal?
You ain’t normal, Brick,” she yelled. “It’s time to face up to the fact that you’re on the down low.”

Brick shook his head in denial. “I ain’t no homo; I ain’t on no damn down low!”

“Did I say you were a homo? No! I said the shit you do ain’t natural and you’re on the down low. There’s a big difference. A homo switches his ass and wears wigs and makeup, trying to look like a bitch. But you’re all man,” she said in a seductive tone. “Your dick is too big to satisfy females only. You’re blessed, baby; you should feel honored that all those men wanna suck on your jawn. Feel me?”

“Yeah.” Brick smiled broadly.

“And since we’re on the subject, let me ask you something.”

“Whassup?”

“You know, we could make a lot more money if you started giving up some head.”

“What!” Brick’s voice boomed so loud it seemed to make the pavement vibrate.

“You gotta do it for me, Brick. We need the money. We could get even more cheddar if you reciprocated and gave up some brain, too.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Brick said, angry.

“I bet you’d give Shane some head.”

Brick flinched. “That’s different; you was in love with Shane. If I gave that nigga some head, it woulda been on the strength of you.”

“Yeah, right,” she said with unmasked disdain. “If Shane would have agreed to it, you might have tried to whip
my
ass if I stood in the way of you and that nigga’s dick.”

Brick puffed up in denial.

“Oh, stop trying to act like I’m lying. You wanted Shane ever since y’all were in the joint together. You probably would have let Shane fuck you in the ass.”

Brick took a swig from the forty and then hung his head-a silent and embarrassed admission.

“But it’s a shame, though,” Misty continued. “I tried to make life real sweet for Shane. I was willing to let him have both of us, but when we tried to show that nigga love, what did he do? He ran from us like we had a damn disease. Fuck Shane.” Misty yanked the forty from Brick and downed the remaining
contents. She wiped her mouth with the back of her dainty hand. “And fuck you, too,” Misty shouted furiously. “You ain’t worth a fuck, either,” Misty snarled.

Brick looked near tears. Misty glared at him. “I got knocked! I spent months in jail and how many times did you and Shane visit me? Um…how ’bout…never?” She gestured with her arms spread; palms up.

Brick fiddled uncomfortably. “You know I ain’t have no way to get all the way to that women’s prison. They stopped the van service that takes people to the prison.”

“No they didn’t; that van comes to the prison every weekend. You just didn’t feel like getting up at six in the morning. But you know what? Forget you, nigga. Go ’head, and do
you
because I’m damn sure gon’ do
me
!” She dismissed Brick with a hand flip. “I know what I have to do.” Misty turned away from Brick and started walking fast in the opposite direction.

Brick ran behind her. Caught her by the back of her jacket. Misty jerked away.

“Aiight, Misty. Set it up. I’ll do it,” Brick said, looking miserable.

“And you’re not wearing no damn blindfold,” she said in a no-nonsense tone.

“No blindfold,” Brick sadly conceded.

After being chumped by Paula’s husband, Shane turned the car around and decided to go home and patch things up with his wife. Kapri wasn’t much fun anymore, she didn’t look anywhere near as good as she’d looked when he met her. She didn’t keep herself up, she was unkempt, and unappealing. Her brittle ponytail and sallow complexion irked him.

Her gloomy presence filled Shane with a fury that was difficult to contain. Often, he had to control himself from smacking her across her tear-stained cheek or smacking her upside her head for crying for no reason at all. Everything about Kapri pissed Shane off. But he would never put his hands on the mother of his son. It was best to just walk away until his rage subsided.

The despair in the Batista household was suffocating. Shane needed fresh air; he needed to breathe again. He yearned for his old life with Misty and Brick. But he was stuck; he couldn’t abandon his wife and son. His feelings toward
Kapri confused him, but he was sure there was still love for her buried somewhere in his heart. But it was buried so deeply, it was hard to find.

He loved his son, without a doubt. K’Shan was his heart. He just hated all the constant crying and couldn’t wait for the little guy to start walking and talking.

When he got home, the apartment was dark and quiet. He figured Kapri was probably lying in the dark bedroom sniffling into a pillow. Shane sighed and braced himself for his wife’s sad, bloodshot eyes. Shane clicked on the light switch and saw a note lying on the dining room table. Instinctively, he knew that Kapri had taken the baby and left.

I’m not a martyr and I’m not taking any more of your abuse. Leave my car in front of the apartment; my father will be picking it up first thing tomorrow.

Kapri

Dayum! He couldn’t believe she’d leave like that. Shane reached for the phone in the kitchen. Hell if he was going to let her just take his son.

“Lemme speak to Kapri,” he demanded when her mother answered the phone.

“The only way you’re ever going to speak to or see my daughter again is in divorce court, so I suggest you get yourself a lawyer.” Kapri’s mother slammed down the phone.

Shane held the phone in disbelief.
Fuckin’ bitch banged on me!

He stormed into every room. And every room was empty. Kapri and her parents had cleaned out the place. There wasn’t a shred of evidence that Kapri or the baby had ever lived there.

Shane sank onto the sofa and buried his head in his hands. The last time he’d felt this bad was…he didn’t even want to go there. If he thought about either of the two important women in his life—his birth mother and his foster mother—he’d lose it and start smashing mirrors, dishes, anything breakable.

Though he could barely remember his birth mother, he’d always remember her scent. She smelled like milk.

And his foster mother smelled like talcum powder and had tried her best to duplicate what he needed and missed so much. He’d spent more time with Dolores Holmes and missed her the most.

“Mommy!” Shane grieved and wept openly for Dolores Holmes, the woman who’d given him unconditional love.

H
e had to patch things up with his brother. What had gotten into him? He’d never laid a hand on Tariq in his life. Shane decided not to call Tariq; he’d just go to his apartment and face him like a man. Damn, he needed a brotherly hug.

Shane stopped at the front desk and the desk man called Tariq’s apartment and announced that Shane was in the lobby. “Go ’head up, man,” the clerk said.

In the elevator, Shane wondered what he was going to say. Knowing Tariq, he wouldn’t have to say anything. Tariq would understand the meaning of the visit. His presence and a big hug would let his brother know that he was sorry.

No, fuck that! He owed Tariq an apology. He’d be a man and tell his brother face-to-face that he was wrong. Dead wrong! He was wrong for everything—the things he’d said about Janelle and the way he’d been treating Kapri.

Maybe together, he and Tariq could put their heads together and figure out a way for Shane to get Kapri and K’Shan back. Damn, he’d really fucked up his life.

With an expression of disgust, Janelle opened the door. “Tariq ain’t here,” she announced.