Youngin' Blues: The Story of Reed and RaKeem (7 page)

“I hadn’t even thought of that.” Dade rubbed his goatee.

Reed could smell his expensive cologne from the other side of the room. Dade looked splendid in the all black two-piece ensemble. His high-topped Jordans were loosely tied, strings dangling from either side. He was so damn tasteful, but Reed didn’t look at him in any light other than the client he was.

“That’s what you pay us for… to do the thinking. We’re starting this process, nowish?” Reed questioned. Removing herself from her seat, she walked over to the counter and pulled out the top drawer. Grabbing a pen and her legal pad, she made her way back to her seat.

“Shit, I guess.” Dade shrugged. He didn’t give a damn if it was today or the next. He’d made his decision to depart, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do to change it.

Life was too short, and he was done with the streets. He figured it was time to settle, and raise himself a family. He’d had everything that he’d desired in life, except for love. The women came and went, and they were fun while they lasted, but just like the game the hoes had gotten old.

“How much territory do you cover?”

“Philly, Jersey, New York, DC, shit… The north.” He stopped to recollect. “Yeah. The north.”

“Well, looks like we have our work cut out.” Reed sighed, turning towards Keem.

“How about this… You list every city that you cover. We set it up a while back so that one guy would head each city. We need a meeting with everyone you chose as the leaders. They are the first to know what’s going on.” Keem stepped in. Sitting his beer on the table next to him, he leaned in closer to Dade. “We start there. How soon can you have the list to us?”

“I can have my assistant get that to you by the nightfall.”

“Good. I’ll need to go over it.” Reed made a mental note.

“What else do you need?”

“That’s pretty much it for now.”

“Does your father understand this?”

“Yeah. That nigga knows              what’s up. Shit, he behind it.” Dade assured them. “That man is getting old. He and my moms are ready to have some little minions running around that compound. Speaking of which, Reed, I know you got some friends that could use a nigga that’s willing to trick off.” Dade laughed, causing Reed to roar in laughter as well. Keem just shook his head. “And a baby daddy. I’d make some pretty babies.” He added.

“Dade, let’s just worry about one thing at a time.” Reed tapped her pen on the notepad. “Then, we can discuss other business.”

“Whatever you say. I’m a patient ass nigga. I ain’t in no rush. First chance you get, though, put a nigga down.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Reed had already had someone in mind. She was a good girl, though. Dade would have to have cleaned his plate before she introduced the two. SaeKu was living in New York, so the two would match perfectly. First thing first, Dade needed to clear himself of ties to the streets. Just as soon as that happened, Reed would see to it that they met. Until then, she’d let them both be.

“That’s all I needed to hear.” Dade sat back, taking another swig from his bottle.

6

“Please!” KinZu begged.

“No. I don’t feel like it, Kin.”

“You ain’t doing nothing. Besides, I have something that I want to tell you.”

“Like what?” Reed perked up. She was trying to fall asleep, but KinZu was insisting that she trailed to the laundry room with her.

RaKeem made sure that Rosa did all of Reed’s laundry, so she was never in the laundry room. KinZu wasn’t as fortunate, so she had to do what she needed to. It was no big deal. KinZu enjoyed her quiet time while washing her clothes. She never really had much, so her runs were pretty quick.

“Like, you’ll find out once we get downstairs.”

“I swear you’re worrisome.” Reed huffed, flipping the covers from over her body. She slid her feet into her Chanel tennis shoes and threw a hoodie over her head. She was wearing a pair of sweats under the cover, so she didn’t bother changing them. “Come on!”

“Don’t be having no attitude with me cause you’re bleeding.” KinZu laughed.

“I’m not even bleeding anymore.” Reed had come off two days prior. “Speaking of which, we come on at the same time. I haven’t heard you mention a pad.”

“Cause I’m stressed. Jonathan, that boy is going to drive me into an early grave.”

“Only if you let him.” Reed grabbed one of KinZu’s laundry bags and threw it over her shoulder. She pulled the door open and lead the way downstairs.

“I know. I know.” KinZu sighed. “I think things are getting much better.”

“Since when, last week? Cause that’s when you were in bed crying your eyes out.” Reed’s eyes drew into slits. She couldn’t believe how naïve KinZu sounded.

“Well, actually, yeah.” KinZu nodded. “Since last week.”

“I should just hit your ass with this bag of clothes.” Reed laughed.

“Here, start these.” KinZu handed Reed a handful of quarters.

“I didn’t come to work, Kin.” Reed huffed. “I came to watch and listen.”

“I know, but to your dismay you’re going to help move this along faster. If we both start a load at the same time, we will be able to dry them at the same time. This cuts our time in half.” KinZu reasoned.

“It’s cutting your time in half because after you tell me whatever it is you need to, I’m gone.” Reed joked, but she was serious.

“You’d leave me for real?”

“Hell yeah.” Reed shook her head.

Standing up, she made her way to an empty washing machine. Being that it was late night, the laundry mat was pretty empty. Besides one other student and the worker, Reed and KinZu were the only ones inside.

Reed dumped the entire bag of white clothes into the huge machine. She poured a tad bit of bleach inside before placing the quarters into their slots. The machine started and Reed adjusted the controls. Soon after, she was all set. Sitting down in the chair nearest the dryers, Reed waited for KinZu to finish up.

It wasn’t long before KinZu was joining her. “Now, what’s the secret?”

“Dang. Can I please catch a breath before I start talking?” KinZu laughed, nervously.

“Not really.” Reed answered.

“I went to the doctor.” KinZu cleared her throat.

“When?” Reed asked.

“Just two days ago. You were out with Keem.” She reminded Reed. “It was on Monday.”

“Oh yeah, we’ve been working with a client all week in New York.”

“Yeah. That’s where you said you guys were headed.” KinZu remembered.

“You went to the doctor and…”

As KinZu begin to, the door bell chimed –alerting everyone that someone had just entered the laundry mat. Reed looked up, out of curiosity. She had to do a double take when she saw what looked like a familiar article of clothing.

Upon further examination, she saw that the girl who’d just entered the laundry mat was wearing a shirt just like the one Keem had worn the day prior. Reed couldn’t forget it, because she’d been the one to purchase it for him. The Armani tee was black in color and had hints of red splatter throughout it’s design.

Reed stared on, wondering. She didn’t know what to think, so she chalked her thoughts up. She had to have been tripping. Besides, anyone could’ve purchased a shirt just like it. The young lady probably had her boyfriend shirt on. Humping her shoulders, Reed turned her attention back to her friend, who was still talking.

“Did you hear me?” KinZu asked.

“Sorry. No. Uh. What did you say?” she asked. She was completely thrown off of her square. Looking back over towards the young lady who’d just entered the laundry mat, she tried to remember where she’d saw her before. More than anything, she wished she’d known how the hell she happened to be wearing the exact same shirt that Keem had on the day before.

“I said that Jonathan gave me something.” KinZu tried whispering.

“Gave you something?” Reed said out loud –catching everyone’s attention. “What the hell you mean?” she calmed down and whispered. Looking at the two strangers looking her way, Reed rolled her eyes and snapped her neck. Both women turned quickly.

“He gave me an STD.” KinZu sighed.

“And you think that shit between you two are getting better. What the hell is your problem?” Reed hissed.

“I don’t know.”

“Have you spoken to his sorry ass about this?” Reed was ready to march right over to Jonathan’s place and beat him to a pulp.

“Yeah.”

“And what did he have to say?”

“He first accused me of sleeping with someone.”

“He did what?” Reed was in utter shock.

“But then he quickly recanted. Then, he admitted to sleeping with Rachel. Apparently, she gave his roommate Chlamydia as well.”

“Bullshit.” Reed covered her mouth with her hand.

“And this is what you wanted to tell me. You acted as if this was a good secret.”

“I’m trying not to be too sad about it. I didn’t want to seem all down, because I would’ve been in the room crying to you instead of just telling you. Besides, there’s more.”

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to hear the rest.” Reed sat back in her chair.

Her eyes trailed the girl who had just come in as she moved about. Reed stared intently as she emptied her clothing into the washing machine. “You know her?” Reed asked KinZu.

“Not really.” KinZu shrugged. “Why?”

“Just asking. What’s her name?”

“Danity, I think.”

“Where have I seen her?” Reed tried to place her face.

“She lives above us.” KinZu shed light.

“That’s where I’ve seen her.”

“So are you ready to hear the rest?” KinZu asked, happy to have delivered the bad news first.

“Go ahead Kin.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“You what?” Reed asked, incredulously. The things that were coming from KinZu’s lips were just much too hard to believe.

“I’m pregnant.” KinZu slummed her shoulders.

“Did you tell him that?” Reed asked.

“I didn’t know how!” KinZu admitted. “Everything has been so crazy with us lately. I’m just waiting for the right time.”

“When you told him about the rest of it, you should’ve been telling him about this.”

“We were both very hostile, so I didn’t want to ruin the moment. When I tell him, I want for us both to be in a good mood.”

“I understand, Kin, but damn it. I would’ve told him about the pregnancy first.”

“I wasn’t thinking. I was so upset, that it just came out.”

“How are you feeling?” Reed asked. “Are you having any symptoms?”

“No. None at all. Thank God. My first appointment is next week. I think that’s when I’ll tell Jonathan.”

“Did they tell you how far along you are?”

“Four weeks.” KinZu smiled.

“And you’re happy about this, I see.”

“Well, yeah. I wasn’t planning it, but it happened. I wonder how my kid will look.” KinZu stared off into space, wondering who their child would favor. Either way the tables turned, it would be a heartbreaker. Both parents were catches.

“Jonathan if he continues to get on your nerves. They say that the baby comes out to look like the person that you hate the most during pregnancy. For some strange reason, I see that being Jonathan.” Reed burst into laughter.

“I heard that, too.” KinZu chuckled.

“So, I’m gong to be an aunt.”

“And I’m going to be a mother.” KinZu smiled.

Giggling from the girl KinZu had identified as Danity caused Reed to look over in her direction. She was on the phone with someone, cracking up. An uneasy feeling came over Reed as she turned away. Grabbing her cell from inside of her hoodie, she dialed up Keem’s cell. On the second ring, he answered.

“What’s up, Reed?” RaKeem asked, still holding his other cell to his ear.

“Nothing. Just calling to see what you’re doing.”

“Shit. I’m about to get in the shower, go over a few documents, and then call it a night.”

He informed her. “You missing me?”

“As always.” She blushed.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m at the laundry mat with KinZu.” She told him.

Immediately alarmed, Keem disconnected his other cell, giving Reed his undivided attention. “Y’all not down there by yourselves are you. I don’t want nothing happening to y’all. It’s late.” He sounded concerned. “Who’s with you two?”

“It’s just KinZu and I. Besides that, it’s a worker and another student.” Reed told him.

“Okay cool. As long as you two aren’t by yourselves.”

“No. There are others in here.”

“Aight. Hit me up when you get back to the room.”

“Okay.”

The couple ended the call, and Keem powered off his other cell. Danity was calling back to back, but he didn’t answer. He was a lot of things, but disrespectful wasn’t one. Dainty hadn’t thought to mention the fact that she was in the same space as his girl. Had he known, he wouldn’t have been carrying on a conversation with her.

“So are you planning to get Jonathan to the doctor with you?” Reed still couldn’t believe the news that she’d just received.

“That’s the plan. I was sure to schedule it on the day that he only has a late practice. It’s in the morning, so hopefully that works out.”

“It will.” Reed gave a bit of encouragement.

Danity stood from her seat to place another load into the washer. She’d waited until the water and bleach had spent around a bit before placing her whites inside. Unlike many other girls, Danity wasn’t at all messy. She was completely aware of the feelings that Keem shared for Reed, and she wasn’t trying to come in between the two. In fact, she adored Reed. It was just a simple case of two women being involved with the same man.

Keem was dreamy, and every girl knew that he was off limits. So the chances of him approaching another girl were slim to none. The moment that he stepped to Danity, her entire world stopped. His masculinity exuded as he ran down his play to her. Danity didn’t really give a damn what he was saying. All that mattered was that he was speaking to her. She remembered the day as if it was just the one prior.

The sun had settled hours prior, but Danity was determined to finish up her lab assignment before retreating to her room. She hadn’t finished up with her professor until after 8 pm. She dreaded the thought of walking home alone, but it wasn’t the first time she’d done so –and she was sure that it wouldn’t be the last.

As Danity made her way through the school’s courtyard, she saw two dark figures sitting on a lone bench. As she got closer, she picked up speed. Frightened, she didn’t want to run the risk of being a robbery victim, or worst a rape victim. With barely any light around, she was sure that no one would see her. Danity approached the figures, and was instantly relieved. Her shoulders slummed, no longer on high alert. Just as quickly as she slummed, she corrected her posture. At best, was how she wanted to be seen by the most prominent man to ever walk the campus.

She could hear the familiar voice of the one and only RaKeem as he conversed with Mr. Roger, the school’s dean. It was highly unlikely to see the dean in discussion with the students, but RaKeem was of a different caliber. He didn’t even attend the University of Pennsylvania, but he was able to access things and people that were nearly impossible for the attendees. He was simply that guy.

Their conversation came to a halt when she reached their vicinity. Danity could feel their eyes boring hole into her frame. With her head held high, she treaded. It was a daunting task for her not to look, or better stare. Even a feet or two away, she could smell the luscious cologne penetrate the air.

What seemed to be forever as Danity walked by was only a few seconds in reality. She exhaled once she’d passed the men, finally able to breathe properly. Just as her breathing normalized, she heard footsteps behind her. Desperately wanting to turn, she held her ground and continued her stride. The potent cologne attacked her nostrils once more, giving her the inclination that the stars were aligning and tonight was her lucky night.