Money & Love Don't Mix (13 page)

              “Chill Smoke,” said Trouble as he slowly began to unzip the duffel bag, “Now look da’ shit I’m boutta front y’all ain’t my shit! So be extra careful wit it.” Trouble stated as he began unloading the bag onto the dining room table, noticing how he now had their undivided attention, “It’s out time to shine,” says Trouble as he gazed at both of them, “Thanks to my nigga Rude Boy we all boutta eat…He did me a big favor by frontin’ me these bricks, and y’all my brothers so ain’t no way in hell I’m boutta sit back and get money while y’all starve…So this what I’ma do, I’ma front y’all five bricks dat’s two and a half fo’ both of y’all.”

              “Yo that’s da’ move my nigga;but how you want us to sell it, set up shop in da’ hood selling ounces n’shit or you want us to sell weight.” Dre inquired.

              “Serve weight Dre, I don’t want y’all in da’ hood serving lil’ niggaz nicks, dimes and ounces all day dat shit hot and it take too long. We wanna move dis first pack as fast as we can so we can get another pack. See erry’time I re-up wit Rude Boy he gonna front me mo’ and mo’ and dat’s mo’ money in all our pockets.”

              “A’ight lemme go upstairs and get y’all somethin to put dat shit in. I’ll be right back.” Trouble replied before making his way up the stairs. The moment Trouble entered Miranda’s bedroom he noticed the unhappy expression she was displaying as he began to look around her closet for something that Smoke and Dre could put their bricks in. He found a black Prada duffel bag and was about to heading back downstairs when Miranda blurted out.

              “Baby you don’t need to get back out there in the streets…Ain’t nothing but a bunch of unnecessary bullshit waiting to happen, and you of all people ‘pose to know bullshit is easy to get into and hard as hell to get out of.”

              He took a deep breath and replied.

              “So what you want me to do, sit on my ass all day while you at work bustin’ yours!?” I ain’t dat kinda nigga.”

              “Well what did Rude Boy give you, I know he gave you sumthing, dat’s how he is.”

              “He fronted me ten bricks, why?”

              “Cause I got some folks up in Virginia that’ll buy you out, that’s why.”

              “Damn! That’s what’s up…Well dey can’t buy but five of em’ cause I fronted Smoke and Dre the other five so dey can come up. But holla at ya’ folks and see if dey need anything.” He told her making his way towards the door to head back downstairs.

              “Okay I’m bout to get on that now!” she replied.

              “Oh, one mo’ thang, how da’ hell ya’ people gone get it if dey wanna do business?” he turned around and asked.

              “I’ll see if Summer wanna take em’ up there. She use to take em’ all da’ time for Dex. I’m sure she could use some extra money.”

              “A’ight bet…Well I need you to holla at her too then, but first let’s drop Smoke and Dre off at Smoke’s crib.”

              “Okay.”

Chapter 15

Thirty minutes later, when Miranda entered Lexington Square they all looked around peeping the scene as they noticed majority of the neighborhood outside as Smoke directed her to his apartment. When she pulled up to Smoke’s door he and Dre both gave Trouble some dap before stepping out.

              “We gone hit you up later on and let you know what’s what once we start networkin.” Dre said as he made his way up the steps behind Smoke.

              “Yeah hit me up and let me know somethin.”

              “A’ight we got ya,” Dre looked back and responded. “bruh hurry up and open da’ door. Shit I feel like all eyes on us!”

              “Man shut da’ hell up wit all dat scary shit, dis our hood ain’t nobody boutta try us out here.” Smoke responded as he finally opened the door, then they quickly went inside as Miranda backed out of the parking space and headed out of the complex.

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              Thirty minutes later when Trouble and Miranda made it home she got her phone out of her purse and began scrolling through her contacts as they both took a seat on the living room sofa.

              “What da’ hell you doing?” he inquired.

              “What it look like, I’m lookin’ for solo’s number so I can see if he need anything or not…He da’ one up in Virginia I was tellin’ you bout.”

              “Oh, okay, yeah holla at em’ and see what’s what.” He replied as she threw up her hand for him to hold on since solo answered the phone.

              “Yoooo, who dis!?”

              “This Miranda.”

              “Oh shit! What da’ hell yo’ fine ass got goin’ on, I ain’t expect to hear from you at all, but…tell me somethin good!”

              “Uh, I really don’t know da’ lingo dat you and Dex use whenever y’all talk business but listen, I gotta few of dem white squares wit da’ stamps in da’ middle and was wonderin’ if you or anybody up that way may need some…You pick up on what I’m askin’?”

              “Yeah I know what you sayin’, but how many you got and wat’s da’ ticket on em!?”

              “Da ticket forty a piece. I got five.”

              “Aw shit! I thought you was gone make my day and tell me you got ten or twenty of em…But on da’ real I just got a package in da’ other day from my Houston niggaz and dat shit was da’ truth, if da’ shit you got on dat same level I’ll give you forty a piece fo’ em. Shit I gave dem niggaz forty-two fo’ each one of theirs.”

              “Well in dat case I’m boutta call Summer and see if and when she’ll be able to bring em’  up to you.”

              “A’ight dat’s a bet. But wait!” What if I don’t like em’ when she get up here then what.”

              “Then we’ll cross dat bridge when we get to it, but you’ve never had a problem wit us in da’ past so…”

              “Yo, you right. Say  no mo’.”

              “A’ight I’ll call you back in a few once I get in touch wit her and let you know when she’ll be coming.”

              “Dat’s a bet.” He responded and they both hung up, then she looked at Trouble telling him. “He said he’ll get em’, his only concern was is it gonna be as strong and good as da’ stuff he getting from his Houston connect.” Trouble nodded his head, but just as he was about to respond the door bell rung. She immediately got up and walked over to the door wondering who could it be. But after a quick glance out the peephole, she opened the door and in came Summer saying.

              “Girl I got half way home and realized I didn’t have my phone.”

              As she began searching the area that she had fell asleep the night before, Miranda shut the door.

              “I’m glad you came back by cause I just got off da’ phone wit Solo, he says he wanna cop som of da’ stuff Trouble has so I was gonna ask you if you—”

              “You wanted to know if I’ll be able to take it up there for em’,” Summer interrupted as she paused for a moment taking a quick stare at both Trouble and Miranda. “Uh—yeah, I’ll do it fo’ em. When he need me to bring em’ up?”

              “As soon as possible!” said Miranda.

              “Okay cool! Well let me go home right quick and pack me some clothes and I’ll be ready to hit da’ highway.” Summer replied and left the house.

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              “Aye! Smoke!”

              “What up Dre?” Smoke responded as they sat on the living room sofa at Smoke’s crib watching the movie Blow.

              “Man I was sitting here thinkin’ damn, we been fucked up fo’ a while…Since we been out really and we finally gettin’ our head above da’ water, so what you say, wanna hit Rock-A-Fella tonight and sip on a lil’ some, shoot a lil’ pool and get some dances to celebrate da’ fact we ain’t gotta struggle no mo’?”              

Smoke thought for a moment, then said, “Yeah, we can do dat. Shit I wanna shoot a lil’ pool and network these bricks, and ain’t no better place to do it than da’ strip club. Straight up!”

“Well let’s get it then!” Dre responded and they left the crib headed to Rock-A-Fella.

Twenty minutes later when they made it to Rock-A-Fella they went inside bobbin their heads as they heard Future’s song
Itchin
.

My fingers, they itchin they itchin for dat paper

I'm riding round the city and I got that calculator

Ima mothafukin monsta wen it come to getting that paper

At first they stood at the front door and observed the strippers a moment before making their way to the bar as Dre called to the bartender.

“Aye! Gimme two Corona’s wit lime.”

“Okay, two Corona’s wit lime. Anythang else?” asked the bartender.

“Naw dat’s it.” Dre responded.

She popped the tops of the Corona’s slid in the lime and handed them to them. They remained at the bar drinking their Corona’s, listening to the music, and watching as guys threw money at the females who were dancing for them like it nothing to them.

“Yo bruh, when we get our head above da’ water and start seeing big paper, I ain’t blowing my shit in strip club on a bunch of bitches dat don’t give a fuck bout you like these niggaz doing,” said Smoke.

“Shit I feel you bruh. It took us too long to get to dis point, straight up! So I ain’t blowing shit, I’m stacking erry’ penny.”

“Dat’s what’s up! Glad we on da’ same page…So, what’s up, wanna shoot some pool or you scared let’s go!”

They headed over to the pool table area where all of the tables were already occupied. So they stood and watched as two guys who appeared to be friends challenged one another. But however minutes later when they finished their game they both noticed the way Smoke and Dre were paying close attention to them. Therefore one of the two approached Smoke and Dre with a smirk on his face saying, “Yo, what’s good? I see y’all boys watching us play, one of y’all must want next?”

Smoke and Dre looked at one another, then Dre responded.

“Yeah I want next!”

“Well shit rack em’ up and let’s go. How much we playin’ fo’?” the guy inquired.

“Dude you really don’t wanna play fo’ money, but I’ll gladly get on ya’ ass fo’ free just to show you I do dis shit,” Dre replied as he fired up a Newport. Dude thought for a second, then said. “I’ll tell you want. You and ya’ partna tryin’ to shoot against each other right?”

“Yeah!”

“Well okay then, me and you can play a quick game, if we win y’all gotta wait till we done playin’ or wait on another table to come open. If y’all win da’ table y’alls and we getting’ on da’ road and takin’ our ass back to Birmingham…Bet?”

“Shit, let’s go!” Dre replied, as he began to gather all the balls and place them in the rack.

“By the way, they call me Fat Sam, who you be?” the guy said as he held out his hand to give Dre some dap.

Fat Sam was a five foot four, light skinned overweight cat wearing a pair of Blue Robin jeans, a pair of brown and black checkerboard Louis Vuitton shoes and collared shirt, with a black pair of black Ray Bans, and a brown Yankee’s snapback.

Dre gave him some dap, saying, “Dey call me Dre, and dis my brother Smoke.”

“What’s up Smoke?” said Fat Sam as he and Smoke shook hands.

“What’s up.” Smoke responded.

“And dis my brother Mitch.” Said Fat Sam as Mitch nodded his head at Smoke and Dre as he shook both of their hands.

Mitch was dark skinned, standing six foot one, wearing a pair of black denim Versace pants, black Versace belt with the gold medusa head buckle, black Versace tee with the gold medusa head in the middle, two gold rope chains, on his face was a black slightly tinted pair of Versace frames the limited edition Notorious B. I. G. edition.  His hair was spinning from the 360 waves he had locked in.

Dre took the rack off the balls and Fat Sam went first as he asked, “Where y’all boys from, y’all look like y’all ain’t from round here?”

“We not, we from Alabama…  Birmingham to be exact.” Said Fat Sam as he hit the three ball in the right corner pocket.

“Shit, dat’s wats up.  But what made y’all come to this ratchet ass strip club, y’all niggas look like y’all ‘pose to be at Onyx or Diamonds of Atlanta.” Dre stated before making an attempt to hit the seven ball in the left pocket but missed.

“Shit my nigga, we hit da’ city damn near three times a week to fuck wit our dude, but he got pulled over on his way to get up wit us so we decided to check dis lil’ spot out befo’ we get back on da’ road in da’ morning.”

“Damn, dat’s fucked up!  But check dis, if y’all boys tryna get straight we got whateva y’all need.” Dre stepped back and whispered to Fat Sam. “How much weight can y’all get us by in da’ morning?”

“In what?”

“We lookin’ fo’ a few bricks of da’ white girl, y’all got some on deck?”

“Yeah, we got wateva you need Sam, and it’s A-1 da’ best shit round dis muhfucka, I stand on it.  If y’all don’t like em’ y’all can swap em’ out, get ya’ money back or whateva and ain’t no luv lost.” Dre stated as he tried to get the nine ball into the top right corner pocket but made a mistake and hit the eight ball instead and lost the game.

“Since you stand on y’all shit, gimme yo’ number,” said Fat Sam, then he and Dre exchanged numbers and agreed to get together first thing the next morning and went their separate ways.

The moment smoke and Dre made it outside the noisy club, Dre called Trouble explaining everything that went on with him and Fat Sam and let him know that they’ll have the bricks he gave them sold first thing in the morning.