Authors: T.N. Baker
Tags: #African American Women - New York (State) - New York, #Action & Adventure, #Inner Cities - New York (State) - New York, #Queens (New York, #General, #Urban Life, #Prostitutes - New York (State) - New York, #African American Women, #Fiction, #Domestic Fiction, #N.Y.)
"Yeah, a'ight then. See you later, be good... one." I ain't trying to be on no jealous shit, but C's been asking me a lot of fucking questions about Keisha and Tucker. If it ain't Keisha he's interested in, then it must have something to do with her man. Whatever it is, I don't want no parts of it.
Speaking of Keisha, I clicked back over to her holding on my other line and made sure she was cool with the time change.
"Girl, don't be late," she yelled as we were hanging up. I took a quick shower, threw my Juicy jeans and matching jacket, some Timberlands and put my hair in a ponytail. I didn't want to look too good for Bay's ass, which is hard to do even when I dress down, but whose complaining?
I arrived at the restaurant around 1:15, which was cool since I didn't want to seem anxious anyway. The wait is always long at this restaurant, but the food was good. There was no sign of Bay so I decided to give my name to the hostess. She said there was a 20 minute wait. At 1:30, I called Bay's cell phone, but got no answer. I kept calling until some Jamaican woman, who sounded like she was crying, answered his cell. She gave me the third degree before she told me he was dead. She said she found her brother this morning. He was shot in the head, and whoever did this didn't know who they was messing with. Her other brothers were on their way from Kingston, Jamaica and "they were gonna lick up every bomboclod until they find the one who did this."
"Epiphany, table for two, your table is ready," the hostess announced over the loud speaker. I told Bay's sister I was sorry for her loss and that he was a good friend to me and I hope they find the bastards that did it. "Last call for Epiphany table for two," was all I heard as I walked out of the restaurant.
Damn, I can't believe Bay is dead. I really wanted those Prada shoes and matching bag. I guess C's gonna have to buy them for me now. I felt bad, so I went and bought myself a Louis Vuitton bag and a bottle of Donna Karen's Cashmere mist perfume to make myself feel better. I hope I don't sound too shal-low. I just do what works for me.
Epiphany has been such a big help to me with my son.
She is my sista for life. Now, as far as Shana goes, I don't know what's up with that girl. After leaving several messages with her mom I still haven't heard from her. All I know is that she's still alive and Ms. Pat said if that should change she'll let me know. In other words, I guess that meant stop calling so much.
I finally got around to enrolling back in school for my master's. Tucker thinks I should wait until we move, but why put off for later what can be done now. Besides, I'm hoping maybe he'll hold off on moving until I finish. I honestly don't know why we have to move anyway.
Tucker's been in and out of town like a mad man. I know these are the final moves before his retirement so, as long as he keeps the lines of communication open, I try not to complain.
Now that I'm back in school, I'll have more to do with my time.
I'm still planning my wedding. Even though Shana has been M.I.A, I still have faith in her and our friendship. However, I already asked Lea, a good friend of mines that I met in college, to take her place if I should need a Plan B. I had no choice; the bridal shop needs everyone's measurements as soon as possible.
I also made arrangements for my younger sisters to be in my wedding.
This is going to be a very special day because not only am I marrying my man, but I haven't seen my sisters in about six years. They were nine and eleven the last time I saw them. I had to bribe my Nana with a couple of dollars for her to agree to it, but what the hell... money makes the world go round.
I'm so excited; Tucker and I have already come up with people on our guest list and counting. Once again, Epiphany and Malikai have to put up with each other because he's the best man and she's my maid of honor. I told her jokingly, she should have stayed with him because she sees him more now then when they were together! The catering hall that I chose is so beautiful and once we fill it with white roses, an ice sculpture of kissing doves, a seafood salad bar, top shelf open bar stocked with Cristal, a popular DJ spinning the records and all our family and close friends, it's gonna be a day to remember. Oh, and I forgot to mention Tucker's planning to have me serenaded by one of my favorite singers. I have so many, but I'm hoping it's Gerald Levert. He won't tell me who, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Ring...ring...
My cell phone snapped me right out of my wedding plans. It was Tucker calling. There had to be some drama 'cause that's the only time he calls my cell. Tucker never discusses the game on the home phone.
"Hello," I answered hoping everything was okay.
"Hey Keish," he said on the other end sounding a little stressed out.
"What's wrong and when are you coming home, we miss you?"
"Keish, I miss you guys too; I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I wanted to send for you and little man but some kids that I fuck with down here just got knocked (arrested). So, shit is a little crazy right now. I gotta hit his people off with a little bail money and then I should be back up that way by Saturday.
A'ight, I love you, gotta go." He hung up before I could respond.
I swear I can't wait until this shit is over so we can live a nor-mal life. I spend so much time worrying and praying to God to keep my man safe that it's starting to drive me nuts; I even started a trust fund for the baby and stashed away over 50g's in a safety deposit box and let's not mention the million dollar life insurance policy just in case, God forbid, something happens to Tucker. Lord only knows. I hate to think like that, but this shit scares me.
Tonight was the first time I seen C-God sniff coke.
"Yo boo, you want some? It'll make the sex a lot better," he said.
"Nah. I don't fuck with that shit." Then he had the nerve to say,
I ain't no fun
. Shit, I didn't think my sex needed any improvement. This nigga's tripping. For one, I barely see him anymore and then his wife had the nerve to call my house the other night talking 'bout I better leave her man alone. That's right, so-called
wife
. I didn't even know he had one of those.
Unfortunately for her, he was eating my pussy when she called.
Therefore, I even didn't trip; I just passed him the phone. The only reason I'm certain that it's over between them, is because of what he said and the hateful way he screamed at her when he said, "Yo, ain't nothing wrong with my seeds, right? Then what the fuck I tell you? If they a'ight, then don't be fuckin' calling me for no bullshit and don't call my girl's house no fuckin' more either, understand? I asked him how she got my number, he didn't know the answer to that question. Then I asked him why didn't he tell me he was married.
"Cause the bitch is crazy." He explained that she only calls herself his wife because she got two kids by him,
so the bitch
feels special
. I let the shit go, 'cause she couldn't possibly be that stupid to let him talk to her like that and still be fuckin' with him.
I gave them both the benefit of the doubt plus, I know he's been stressed out lately and I wasn't trying to add on to it. But a lot of C's stress is because the nigga don't believe in using condoms and now half his baby's momma's wanna take him to court for child support. As far as him hustling, his product must not be moving to well 'cause lately he ain't been spending money like he used to. Now, he's breaking the # 1 rule of the drug game: Getting high on his own supply.
"C, what's up? Is everything okay?" I asked.
"I'm good," he said.
"You sure, cause I didn't know you was getting high."
"What the fuck is you talking 'bout, 'getting high.' Shit, every muthafucka out there hustling fuck with lil' girl every now and then. You don't be complaining when you getting this stiff dick up in you, huh, thanks to this shit right here," he said sounding very irritated.
"Listen, calm down, I just didn't know C-God. I barely see you anymore," I said, feeling a little intimidated by his tone.
"Well, I can't fuck with you all the time. A nigga gotta make money. Especially, since you be in my fucking pockets all the time. So, don't start beating me in my fuckin' head 'bout what the fuck I do with my time cause I'ma start dismissing bitches and niggas, whoever trying to stop me from getting that paper.
That's my word nigga's don't know. I want it all and if I gotta start killing muthafuckas for it, then that's what it's 'gon be. These niggas is out here pushing fly ass whips, bouncing in and out of town and shit like they the Kings of fucking New York, they 'bout to get it and they ain't even gonna see it coming. On that note, yo, I'm out. I got moves to make." C-God grabbed his pint of Remy V.S.O.P. and headed out my front door.
"I started to assume shit. Could he be talking about Malikai and Tucker? They be out of town a lot and Tucker does push a 745LI BMW, SL500 Mercedes and a Range Rover; Mali just has his Navigator truck. With all the questions he be asking me about Keisha, it's possible. I don't know what to do. If I tell Tucker and Mali to watch their back, then C might fuck me up and I ain't trying to have that happen. Besides, what if I'm wrong? I'm sure there's other nigga's out there getting money in and out of town. I'ma just mind my business.
It's been two weeks since C-God walked out of here talking shit that night. He hasn't called me and I haven't called him. Part of me misses him and his money. The other part just doesn't want to fuck with him anymore because of the way he acted. I've been over Keisha's crib a lot lately helping her get this wedding together and neither she nor Tucker mentioned any possible beef with C-God. Keisha knew I was fucking with him so believe me if there was some drama involving Tucker she would have said something to me about it by now.
Watching Keisha and Tucker all over each other kissing and laughing made me miss C-God more and more. We had good times too and maybe I should've been easy, knowing the stress he's been going through.
When I got in my car to head home, the first thing I did was call him. I didn't want to call the cell so I just left a message on his 2-way telling him how much I missed him, that way if he felt the same he'd hit me back. In less then two minutes after leaving that message my cell was ringing, it was C calling me back.
He apologized for the way he acted. He said the only reason he didn't call me was because he felt like maybe he might of turned me off when I seen him sniff coke. He assured me that it wasn't a habit and if I was uncomfortable with it, he promised to not even fuck around with it.
Then he said, "You know I love you, babygirl." A big Kool-Aid smile grew across my face as I said, "I love you back. Now, can you meet me at my house and give me some of that stiff dick?"
"I'm on my way," he replied.
I know it had to be Epiphany that called and had him flying
outta here.
If it was one of his babies' mommas or business, he would've talked in front of me. He told me about their argument, but I guess all that talk about him not fucking with her boring ass anymore was just a bunch of bullshit. I ain't stressing it cause I'm the one laying up in his crib, making runs with him, counting his money, moving 500 X pills a week at Honey's for his ass, and fucking him anyway he wants it. I'm that down ass bitch that, that thug ass nigga needs by his side.
So, if he wants to fuck with Epiphany still, I ain't 'gon sweat it, 'cause he dropped her ass off for a reason and came back to Quiet Storm that night, to holla at me. When I seen him with Epiphany, I was just gonna fall back, but her nigga chose me. So like Snoop Dog said, "
It ain't no fun if my homie can't have
none
." Let the games begin; for once the shoe is on the other foot. The shit I put up with from Epiphany all these years, she better be glad all I'm doing is fucking her man.
I should've beat her ass on several occasions a long time ago. Like that time when we were 17 and she fucked Curtis Jacobson just to get back at his boy Dre for doing her dirty. She knew I was crazy about Curtis. I use to love the ground that boy walked on and even though he wasn't feeling me, she still violated our friendship rule. Talk about being hurt; I was crushed, but I let it slide. Then there was times where she used to try and play me around a bunch of niggas 'cause I ain't have as much as she did so the bitch would give me clothes--nice shit she didn't want and Keisha couldn't fit. Around guys, Epiphany always got a lot of the attention, but that wasn't enough. She'd say shit like "Girl them jeans I gave you fit nice. Did the other things fit good too?" Like the ho ain't seen me all fucking day to ask me that shit in private. I would get so embarrassed until I got use to it. Keisha would always do what Epiphany told her to do, but I wasn't having that bullshit and she couldn't stand it.
The girl got something against people who live in the projects too. She thinks she's better, but if her father didn't hustle hard to get that house in a neighborhood that's still the hood, she'd probably be my next-door neighbor. What it all boils down to is this: I had enough of her and even though Keisha never did anything but look out for me, she's Epiphany's friend first. The bitch barely came to see her when she was knocked up, but who did she ask to be the godmother and maid of honor,
not me
. It's best that I just keep my distance from both of them bitches for a while.
I picked up the phone to call Chasity; I've been so caught up with C-God I ain't really been fucking with her. I know she's mad.
"Hello," Chasity answered.
"What's up Chass, I miss you."
"Oh yeah, you miss me now? So is this how it's gonna be, every time you get a little dick in your life? What, you just 'gon push me off to the side?" she asked.
"Listen, C-God and my relationship is not just about sex and you need to stop tripping cause it ain't like I don't put you down.
You enjoy getting high for free and his dick too. Me and you is me and you, but I told you from the door, dick and hustling is something I ain't never giving up," I said, setting the record straight.