So Many Tears 2

by Nicole Jackson

  “And that’s my bad.” She closed the gap between them, before tossing her arms around his neck.

  “Yeah, a’ight.” He absently rubbed her soft ass. “You gon have to make that shit up to me.”

  “I will,” she promised, kissing his lips.

  He nodded. “I’ma hold you to it, when I get back.”

  “Get back? Where are you going?”

  “I told you. First, I’ma go handle that business and then I’ma bring the kids on my way back in.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Now, we both know that’s not what you said at first, so quit playing with me. And what’s this business that you have to take care of, anyway?”

  His head fell back as he gazed up at the ceiling. “I don’t know if I should tell you.”

  “Tell me what?” she pressed.

  “I’ma swing by ole boy and ole girl’s.”

  “Ole boy and ole girl’s?” she thought about it. “Are you talking about Lee and Skinny Minnie?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, okay, cool, I’m going too.”

  He jerked his head back. “What? Oh, hell nah. Aint happening.”

  She smacked her lips. “Why not?”

  “Cause Ion need you to go. Them people already got a open case on your ass. I just need to fly solo and nip this shit right in the bud. Ole girl is dropping those charges. I put that on somethin’.”

  “And that’s cool. I just need to be there to make sure that she knows what’s up—”

  “And how is you being there gonna let her know that, Kim?” he cut her off.

  “Because it will…after I drag her ass across the pavement. See, she got the pregnant Kim beat down. That’s why the bitch was bold enough to press those charges. She must think that something is sweet, or I just got lucky. I didn’t go fully in on her because I had to consider my baby. This time around, I bet that bitch will understand that she don’t wanna rumble with me outside, nor in court.”

  Rubbing his head, Rashad exhaled. “But you be tripping on me and my bullshit. You really be tripping, girl. Choir girls don’t be dragging bitches and what not. The hell done got into you, girl?”

  “Boy, whatever.” She waved him off. “Let’s go and handle this bitch and her lame ass nigga.”

  “Nah, I’ma go handle them. You can go clean yourself up and cook us something around here before we get back.”

  “Shhh,” she hissed. “I’m going wherever the hell you go.”

  “Nah, your ass aint going nowhere.”

  “Well, we’ll just see about that.”

  He licked his lips, as he headed for the front door. “Yeah, we’ll definitely see.”

  ***

  Caresha aka Skinny Minnie hurriedly stepped out of her home. It was rapidly approaching five o’clock in the evening and she was about to be late for work. In her haste to dash for the door, she hadn’t bothered properly adjusting her security uniform, and was now attempting to buckle her belt.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” she mumbled to herself, as she walked with her head down. “The last thing I need is another damn write up—”

  Her thinking aloud was brought to a halt once she heard the opening and closing of a car door that was much too close for comfort. Snapping her head up, she noticed the guy that she presumed to be Kim’s baby’s daddy was easing out of a Benz SUV, which was boldly parked in her driveway.

  Naturally, the pattern of her heartbeat switched, as she clutched her purse. “Uh, can I help you?”

  Licking his lips, Rashad smirked, enjoying witnessing her squirm. “Yeah, I just need a minute of your time.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, she realized that no one was around to come to her rescue. Therefore, she focused on his face. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know, you tell me. I’m trying to figure out why you filed charges on my gal.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Your gal?”

  He slanted his head sideways, knowing that she was bullshitting him. “Yeah, you know who I’m talking about. Come on, man. The laws showed up to our crib with some agged charges. I don’t know how you pulled that shit off.”

  “Oh, you talking about, Kim,” she uttered, clearly gaining sudden confidence, quickly assessing that the ball was in her court. “I simply told the police what happened. Whatever they charged her with is all on them.”

  He nodded, as he listened intently. “And you think that you were well within your rights to contact the police?”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “How so?” he inquisitively lifted his chin.

  Her eyes rolled around in her head. “Did she not assault me?”

  “Nah,” he denied, shaking his head. “As far as I know you were trespassing on private property, posing a threat, and you were dealt with accordingly. You showed up to her doorstep with the bullshit and she reacted, after she felt threatened. Then we have video footage supporting this. I guarantee you that those charges won’t stick.”

  Skinny Minnie shrugged, because frankly she could care less. Regardless, of how the situation panned out for Kim, she’d already been impacted by the charges being filed. She’d already been arrested, a bond had been posted, and a lawyer would probably have to be paid for. All of those things were inconveniences that could potentially take months to be cleared up, while the money and time would be nonrefundable. Either way, it was a win for Caresha.

  “Look, at this point, it’s out of my hands. I did what I thought was best at the time, and that’s that. Anything else?”

  He calmly slid his tongue across his teeth. “Considering that you wasn’t innocent in the situation, and Kim has two little kids to tend to, would you be willing to drop the charges?”

  Skinny Minnie’s thin neck jerked back, as her olive skin turned crimson red. “Drop the charges? Nah, I can’t do that. That would be basically me saying that I was lying at first.”

  Rashad furrowed his brows. “And you wasn’t? I know you didn’t tell the police that you showed up to her doorstep to confront her about your cheating ass husband. The same nigga that’s with his other bitch as we speak. You can’t pay me to believe that you mentioned that to the laws, and they still came at Kim with those bogus ass charges. In fact, the lawyer read the police report to me, so I know that you told a complete lie, one where you claimed that the altercation happened at your house.”

  Skinny Minnie’s eyes rapidly blinked, not expecting him to take it there. “Hey, you can say whatever, but like I said, it’s out of my hands at this point. Besides, I gotta get to work—” she attempted to step around him, before he clutched her arm.

  “Hold up,” he spoke evenly, while maintaining a firm grip on her. “You showed me something today. You holy, sanctified, church going bitches are the worse kind. I was trying to do this shit the nice way, but I guess that I gotta get into some real shit with you, cause you don’t believe that fat meat is greasy.”

  “What the hell are you trying to say—” she got out, before he aggressively placed her palm on the butt of his gun, which was tucked into his jeans.

  “You feel that shit,” he spoke into her ear, chillingly. “This is the reaper that you will soon meet, if you don’t stop fucking playing with me, bitch. That bitch ass nigga you lay with might halfway love ya ugly ass, but I don’t. At this point, you equivalent to the gum on the bottom of my show, and I’ll knock your ass off. That’s on everything I love. And best believe that I didn’t just show up over here on some fluke shit. I’m ready for whatever. However you wanna roll. I know that you late for your lil post at the complex on Gessner. I already did my homework. They aint got cameras on the property, either. That makes you getting touched without a trace simpler. Your kids go to school around the corner from there. You pick them up every day at 3:30 and drop them off at ya mama’s. She lives right off West Belfort near Fondren. Then you go by your sister’s sometimes, before you go to work. Except for the days that she goes to work at that Walmart on the Beltway and Beechnut. All the while, ya ni
gga done got fired from his job, so he gets up to go to Beechnut to ya cousin’s house to fuck her 18-year-old, while you pull doubles.”

  Needless to say, Skinny Minnie trembled to her core as he called out her regular routine and exposed Lee’s latest betrayals. It was unnerving to know that he’d been watching her that closely, while she’d been none the wiser.

  “Look, Olive Oyl,” Rashad graciously renamed her. “It’s like this. Either you gonna meet up with my lawyer, write out a affidavit, completely changing your story, signing it, and paying him for every upcoming court appearance, or I’ma make sure that you and that nigga’s necks are separated from your shoulders, while those kids sit back and watch. I’m talking about I want it done today. Fuck going to work. You either do this shit, or watch whatever you worked for go up in flames by the time you get off work, and you’ll be dead by sunrise tomorrow. Now you tell me.” he folded his arms across his chest. “What’s it gonna be?”

  “Where…where…how…how am I supposed to get in touch with this lawyer?” she questioned shakily.

  Rashad smiled brightly. “I thought you’d never ask.” He dug into his pocket and retrieved a business card. “Here’s the address. The lawyer is already there waiting on you.”

  Slowly, she nodded. “Okay.”

  “Yeah, and I believe that you’ll need five hundred by each court date. The lawyer will provide you with the payment info.”

  She gulped, knowing that this was going to seriously hurt her household financially. Even after pulling doubles, she was questioning if she’d be able to pay all the bills.

  Skinny Minnie breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that Rashad was headed back to the Benz. Then her heart nearly leapt out of her chest as he turned around and snapped his finger. “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. My people over there in the black van,” he pointed, causing her to look in that direction. Sure enough, there was a black van parked near the curb, a few houses down from hers. “Are gonna follow you to the office. You know. Just to make sure that everything is handled properly. Ya feel me?”

  Like a child being chastised, Skinny Minnie immediately nodded. “Okay.”

  “Bet.” Rashad nodded, before hopping into the truck.

  Once again, Skinny Minnie thought that she was in the clear, until she noticed the passenger window of the SUV slide down. Bracing herself, she prepared for the worse.

  “Ms. Caresha,” Kim spoke from the passenger’s seat with a cynical grin plastered on her face. “It’s good seeing you again. You just better hope it’s the last. Cause the next time…nothing will be able to stop me from getting off in that ass.”

  Skinny’s Minnie’s chest heaved up and down, as she swallowed a tremendous amount of pride. She’d played the game and lost. Sure, she could get downright dirty, but the stakes were too high now. She wasn’t about that gun play, and this drama wasn’t worth being snatched away from her kids. Therefore, she had no choice but to admit defeat. Kim was victorious in the war and Skinny Minnie was waving the white flag. Rashad’s viciousness was unmatched, and she’d let his well-equipped adversaries in the streets handle him. Hell, she was sure there were several.

  Chapter 3

  Stepping out of the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, Kim felt rejuvenated. Her lawyer had just told her that the charges brought against her had been dismissed and her case had been thrown out. Apparently, whatever Rashad had told Skinny Minnie had struck enough fear in her to keep her word and follow through with his orders. It had taken two months, but it had happened, and they’d taken minimal losses. Skinny Minnie had been diligently paying the lawyer, while remaining on her best behavior.

  “God, I’m so happy for this to be over,” Kim commented, as she and Rashad traveled to the Benz that was parked at a meter.

  Rashad nodded. “Just make sure to never find yourself in this position again. You don’t want these people getting familiar with your face. Dropped charges or not.”

  “Boy, bye. It aint that much fighting in the world, and I’m not in the mix like that for it to be anything else.”

  He smirked, as he climbed into the truck. “Yeah, okay.”

  Kim sighed heavily, as she eased into the truck. “Besides, fighting has never really been my thing and I don’t plan to make a habit of it.”

  He glanced her way. “Now see, there we go. You’re talking with some sense.”

  “Whatever,” she smiled while playfully rolling her eyes.

  Rashad noted how she hadn’t been as uptight lately and her efforts were greatly appreciated. The streets were enough to worry about and he needed her not to add any stresses to it. It had taken her a while to adjust, but she’d finally gotten it together for him.

  Pulling away from the curb, he kept stealing glances. Eventually, she took notice.

  Lightly shoving his shoulder, she giggled. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

  “Keeping it real…I’m just checking you out and shit.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Oh.”

  He licked his lips. “Yeah, you looking real snazzy in ya PINK shit. I see ya.”

  “Boy,” she attempted to conceal her blushing. She was merely wearing a long sleeve shirt and leggings combo along with a pair of Air Max’s. Sure, she was cute, but he’d put her in the best of the best, so this was considered a simple dressed down day. Yet he found the beauty in it.

  From Rashad’s standpoint, there was no exaggeration. Kim’s aura was something special today. He’d never really appreciated a chick with nice healthy hair until he’d seen hers. It was always soft, silky, and good smelling. Her shit had body, and now extended well beyond the middle of her back, making those now weekly salon trips well worth the money. Then her skin was so smooth that it sometimes seemed unreal. If it was possible to photoshop the in-person visual, then he’d believe wholeheartedly that it was done to her. No human being was this perfect. Not any he’d ever encountered. And if that wasn’t enough, she had the sweetest voice ever spoken. The shit was like music to his ears, therefore, on days like this when she was at peace, he could really take her in, and selfishly indulge, relishing in the fact that she was his.

  “I’m saying, what you been bathing in? Cause the shit got your skin looking nice.”

  She bit the tip of her tongue at the corner of her mouth. “Me and you use the same soap, Rashad. So, the only difference I can tell you is…cum. That’s why I like to catch some on my face, before I swallow the rest.”

  He gulped, before chuckling. “The fuck? When did your mouth get so fucking nasty, man?”

  She shrugged, before gazing at him lustfully. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  His dick jumped at the sight. “Yeah, okay. You better stop before ya ass get into some trouble.”

  “Trouble? Well, what kind? I might like that.”

  Tucking his lips into his mouth, he shook his head. “You something else.”

  Kim glanced around, realizing that Rashad wasn’t headed back towards the way they’d came. “Where are you going?”

  “Huh?” he furrowed his brows.

  “You heard me. Where are you going?”

  “To the moon, baby.” He winked.

  She pursed her lips. “Really, Rashad?”

  “Yeah, really,” he laughed, as he swooped into a parking lot.

  Kim squinted. “You about to meet somebody up here or something?”

  He gave her a funny look, as he found a parking spot. “Where that came from?”

  “I mean, why else would we be at Hermann Park of all places?”

  He locked eyes with her. “C-girl.”

  “Huh?”

  “What’s with all the questions? You gone get out or what?”

  Shrugging her shoulders, Kim climbed out of the truck, and Rashad did the same. Dressed in Lacoste, he was casual himself, in an unsuspecting manner. Moseying over to her, he held out his hand, urging her to grab it. Once again, Kim’s heart fluttered. It was crazy to her. Although, she’d been intimate with th
is man in every way possible, she was still very much so in the discovery phase with him. Each day, he’d reveal another piece of himself and she was always enamored whenever he did so.

  Just a little while back, no one could’ve paid Rashad to partake in holding hands and strolling through the park with a broad. Hell, even Kim had a hard time accepting that he was doing it now. There was absolutely no questioning his pedigree. He was as thorough as they come. And guys like him…simply couldn’t or wouldn’t expose themselves in such a way. Yet there he was.

  For several minutes, they walked hand in hand, without speaking. However, there was no awkwardness. Just peacefulness. Rashad knew that he’d been moving at a fast pace, and a moment such as this was needed. Kim was simply content with her man’s presence; therefore, they were both good.

  Glancing around, Rashad noticed the smiles on all the kids’ faces. “Aye, next time we gotta bring the kids out here. They’ll like this. I remember I used to love this shit, coming up.”

  Kim gazed up at him. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yep. Me and my T-Jones would come here every Sunday,” he reminisced, referring to his mother.

  Kim smirked. “Oh, so you really liked coming here.”

  “Hell, yeah,” he admitted. “She’d let me get on the paddle boats, ride the train, go to the zoo. Shit, whatever I wanted. It never mattered. She used to always say that I thought that her money grows on trees.”

  “She spoiled you?” Kim guessed.

  He shrugged. “Let everybody else tell it. But she’d just say that I was loved.”

  Kim nodded, while her heart silently ached for him. He rarely talked about his mama, but she knew that it had to kill him to lose her to the streets.

  “Aye,” he lightly bumped into her. “I remember this one time, huh. My mama brought me and like five of my boys up here. None of them niggas mamas had sent money with them, so they was just happy to tag along. Man, that lady went all out, bought all our asses everything we asked for that day. After that, niggas was literally fighting over the chance to spend the night at my crib,” he laughed. “Zoe’s ass was smashing everybody to keep his spot, cause he wanted to come over every weekend.”