To Boston, With Love

by Chenell Parker

  Boss and Ari’s brother, Westly, were best friends before he got locked up. West was in his feelings because Boss was out there getting money without him. He had been gone for almost two years and shit didn’t stop just because he got caught up. Boss sent him money all the time but he still wasn’t satisfied. Ari was running around telling everybody that Boss did her brother dirty, and Lane was eating the shit up. The real problem was Boss not wanting Ari anymore. That and the fact that the baby she tried to put on him wasn’t his. She was a salty bitch and Lane believed everything that she said.

  “I guess you got company again,” Lane said when Lacey walked into the kitchen.

  Lacey had taken out some food to cook breakfast before Boss left. Lane saw everything on the counter, so she already knew what was up.

  “I sure do. Why? Is that a problem?” Lacey questioned flippantly.

  “That’s all on you but you’re better than me. His dog ass wouldn’t be climbing up in my bed every night. Boss fucks anything with a pussy. I hope you use protection.” Lane frowned.

  “Minding your business is free. Maybe you should try it sometimes,” Lacey snapped.

  “Okay but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I don’t know why you’re so infatuated with street niggas. You’re not cut out for that Lacey. Don’t think you gon’ have me out there fighting with you over another nigga. I went through that shit enough with that other loser you were messing with. You just don’t learn. Ari already told you what it was.”

  “Fuck Ari. She be talking all that shit but she’s still in love with him. I bet she didn’t tell you all that.”

  “I can’t believe this nigga got y’all out here acting like he’s a god or some shit. Boss don’t give a fuck about nobody but himself and Indigo,” Lane replied as she walked away.

  Lacey caught the tear that was in her eye before it could fall. She loved her big sister but she was too critical at times. She was always throwing shit that Ari said up in her face but she never told the whole story. Ari was always texting Boss telling him that she still loved him and always will. Then, she would be begging him to come fuck her because nobody did it like him. She was a hater and Lacey couldn’t stand her messy ass. Lacey had a good night and she refused to let ger sister ruin it. Instead, she started preparing breakfast for herself and her man. Lane could starve for all she cared because she was only making enough for two. As much as she loved her sister, that was one of the reasons why they weren’t as close as they used to be. Lacey preferred the company of her brother’s girlfriend, Erin, more because she always encouraged her instead of putting her down.

  “You’re just in time. Sit down and eat up,” Lacey said when Boss walked into the kitchen about thirty minutes later. He was fully dressed, so she knew that he was about to go. She poured him a big glass of orange juice and sat it down in front of him.

  “Good looking,” Boss said as he dug into the plate of cheese grits, eggs and sausage.

  “What do you have planned for the day?” Lacey asked, trying to make small talk.

  “It’s Sunday,” Boss replied, like the answer was obvious.

  “Okay, and?” Lacey countered like she wanted him to elaborate.

  “I’m chillin’ with Indie today, just like I do every Sunday,” Boss replied with his mouth full of food.

  “Are you coming back tonight or do you want me to come by you?” Lacey asked, right as his phone rang. Boston’s mouth was still full, but he answered and put the call on speakerphone.

  “What’s good bruh?” he mumbled while continuously shoveling food into his mouth.

  “We got the new J’s coming in tomorrow nigga. What’s good?” the man on the other end asked.

  “You already know what it is. I need two pair, size six and ten,” Boss replied.

  “Alright fam, I got you. Same price as before. I’ll hit you up when you can come through.”

  “Good looking,” Boss said before he hung up.

  “Well, I guess there’s no need to ask if the second pair is for me since I wear a size seven,” Lacey sarcastically commented.

  “I’m gone. Come lock up,” Boss said before downing the last of his orange juice and heading for the door.

  Lacey tried not to be a nag but she was tired of doing the same thing. Boss was good with the way things were between them, but she wanted more. He made it clear that he wasn’t looking for a relationship and he didn’t want to be in one. Lacey was content knowing that he slept next to her just about every night. She barely got to sleep at all on the days that he didn’t.

  “You can’t be that dick whipped,” Lane said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

  “What?” Lacey snapped irritably.

  “Either you’re really dumb or you’re just a great actress.” Lane frowned.

  “If you have something to say, spit the shit out,” Lacey replied in annoyance.

  “You’re the third wheel Lacey. You’ll never get more than some good dick from him, so I hope you’re not looking for anything else. Ari said it a long time ago and she’s right. That nigga is in love with his best friend and he doesn’t even try to hide it.”

  “You need to stop thinking that everything that Ari says is the gospel. I bet she didn’t tell you that she still be calling and texting, begging him to come fuck her again. I saw the shit with my own eyes,” Lacey noted. Lane used to fuck with West, and her and Ari remained close even after they broke up. West was a dog but she didn’t want to hear that when they were together. Lacey felt the same way about her man.

  “I’m sure she does. The nigga fucks like a porn star. Every female that he’s ever been with says that. That’s why you’re too blind to see what’s right in your face,” Lane said.

  “Indigo is like Boston’s sister. Her mother raised him and they grew up together. Ari is just in her feelings because he don’t want her hoe ass no more. And tell that bitch to keep my name out of her mouth and go find her real baby daddy,” Lacey snapped.

  “You can keep being in denial if you want to. That’s just how you’re gonna get your feelings hurt. The nigga just sat here and told you that Sundays are reserved for Indigo. They’re walking around with matching tattoos and all that other shit. He can’t even buy nothing for himself without including her. That bitch picks out his clothes and everything. You can’t pay me to believe that he didn’t buy that car and bike that she be riding around in,” Lane replied.

  Boss had an all-black Charger and Indigo had a silver one. A few months ago, he showed up with a neon green motorbike and she had a purple one just like it. They both had a portrait of her mother’s face tattooed on them, as well as an infinity tattoo with both their names in it. The list of similarities went on and everybody noticed it. Indigo even picked out his clothes and he was always calling her on facetime to get her approval on what he should wear. Besides that, Lane saw the way he looked at his so called best friend. That shit wasn’t normal but her sister was too in love to see it. Aside from good dick, Boss didn’t give her a damn thing. Yet, she was always making sure that he was straight and going out of her way to cook and clean for his dog ass.

  At twenty-five years old, Lacey could have had a lot going for herself but it was always a man around to stall her progress. She was in high school when she got pregnant for her first boyfriend and ended up finding out that another girl was pregnant too. Lacey went to confront the other girl and ended up getting jumped and losing her baby. Her first year of college was basically the same thing. She fell head over heels in love with a loser and dropped out of school to be with him. When she found out that he was living a double life and had a wife and kids, she almost lost her mind. She went to the other woman’s house to fight her and ended up going to jail.

  Since then, Lacey’s been in one failed relationship after another. She was working at Hooters with Lane until she got into it with Ari over Boston. Since they lived together, Ari didn’t even come to the house to see her friend anymore. Lacey now worked as a receptionist at a hotel but she wasn
’t making as much without the tips.

  “Indigo got her own man that takes care of her. She don’t need Boston to do a damn thing for her. I’m not understanding why everybody is so concerned with me and mine. Y’all sound real pressed,” Lacey chuckled.

  “Bitch please. Ain’t nobody pressed behind that community dick. You better make sure his ass strap up, especially if you think he’s out there fucking on men too.” Lane frowned.

  Lacey knew it was coming and she was just waiting. She made the mistake of confiding in her sister once before but she would never do that again. Boss had two huge gold framed pictures over his fireplace. One was of Indigo’s mother and the other was of a man in drag. Lacey asked him about it and he told her to mind her business. She didn’t really know anything about him and he didn’t seem interested in knowing anything about her either. She tried talking to him on a personal level before but he always stopped her.

  Boss was a closed book, so Lacey often spied around his house when she stayed the night over there. She was never there alone, so she usually did it when he was in the shower or outside smoking. She went through one of his drawers and found a bunch of pictures with two drag queens, including the one in the frame. Being the thugged-out nigga that Boss was, that raised a few red flags for her. Then, he got defensive when she questioned him and that didn’t sit too well with her. When she told Lane about it, she started speculating about him possibly being on the down low. Lacey knew that it wasn’t true but she hated when her sister threw it in her face.

  “Look, I appreciate your concern but I’m good. I stay out of your relationships and I would appreciate it if you stayed out of mine. There are thousands of dicks in New Orleans. Tell Ari to find another one to hop on and ride. This shit is getting old,” Lacey snapped irritably.

  “You got that love. You know where to find me when you need a shoulder to cry on. And, trust me, you’ll need one real soon,” Lane replied as she grabbed a piece of bacon from her sister’s plate and walked away.

  “Hating ass bitch,” Lacey mumbled once her sister disappeared into her bedroom.

  Lane got on her nerves acting like she was her mother. She was only older by two years but she wasn’t the best role model. She always frowned down on what everybody else did but she was far from perfect. Just like their mother, Lane didn’t have a problem lying on her back to get a few dollars. That was why they both moved away from home. They got tired of their mother bringing random men to their house. They were also tired of hearing her get fucked in the next room for a few dollars. Lacey thought she was getting away from living in a whore house until she noticed that her sister basically did the same thing. The only difference with Lane was that she was selective about who she chose to be with. Their mother slept with anybody who could afford her.

  Unlike the two of them, Lacey wanted one man to love for the rest of her life. Although she wanted Boston to be the one, he made it clear that he wasn’t interested in more than what they had. It didn’t help that everyone kept throwing his friendship with Indigo in her face. Lacey knew that Boss dealt with lots of other women but she knew in her heart that Indigo wasn’t one of them.

  “I don’t even want this shit no more.” Lacey frowned as she got up and dumped her barely eaten food in the trash. Boss would have had a fit if he’d seen her do that. Lacey didn’t know why but he had an obsession with people finishing all their food. Thinking about him had Lacey missing him already. She grabbed her phone and dialed his number, hoping that he would pick up.

  Boss looked down at his ringing phone and ignored the call. He’d just left Lacey’s house and he didn’t know what she wanted. He pulled his black Charger right behind Indigo’s silver one and got out. Indigo was parked in front of her father’s house but she was still sitting in her car. Boss got into her passenger seat and took the blunt that she had dangling from her lips.

  “Did you get the keys?” he asked her. Their bikes were stored in her father’s garage and he kept the keys locked up in his office.

  “Nope. My daddy’s not home and I’m not going in there and be fake with them hoes,” Indigo replied, referring to her stepmother and sister.

  “Where is Irvin? Did you call him?” Boss asked while exhaling smoke.

  “Yeah, he said he’ll be here in a minute. He had to make a run. You don’t have to sit out here with me. You can go in there,” Indigo said.

  “Chill out Indie. You know I’m not going in there,” he replied.

  “Whatever nigga,” Indigo snapped, right as her phone rang.

  “Who is that?” Boss asked. Instead of answering him, Indigo answered the phone.

  “What’s up Shine?” Indigo asked her hairstylist.

  “Hey boo. I know you usually chill on Sundays, but I’m in here getting this money. I got two ladies who want sew-ins and they need some hair. I hit up my other contact first but she’s out of what they need right now,” Shine replied.

  “Where you at? I didn’t even know that the shop be open on Sundays,” Indigo noted. Shine worked in somebody else’s shop and the dude who owned it never opened on Sunday and Monday.

  “It’s not. I’m at home. I got three kids bitch. I don’t have no off days,” Shine replied.

  “I hear that,” Indigo said, nodding in agreement.

  “What inches do you have?” Shine inquired.

  “I have everything boo. Short, long and in between. Shoot me your address and I’m on my way,” Indigo answered before she hung up.

  “I don’t like that shit Indie. You need to make them hoes come to you,” Boston argued.

  “Come to me where? It ain’t like I got a storefront and I’m damn sure not letting nobody come to my house. It’s easier for me to go to them. Trust me, I’m good,” Indigo replied as she showed him the gun that she kept in the middle console of her car.

  “That shit is useless if you can’t get to it when you need it,” Boss pointed out.

  “I know how to improvise.” Indigo smirked while holding up a tube of lipstick.

  “The fuck is that supposed to do?” Boss laughed.

  “You’ll see if the time ever comes,” she replied while driving.

  It took about ten minutes for her to get to Shine’s house and she called her when she was outside. Most of the money Indigo made was through Shine and she always gave her a little something free after so many sales.

  “Aww man. The fuck is this bitch doing here?” Boston mumbled when he saw Shine walk out of her house with Ari and another woman following close behind. Indigo got out of the car and popped her trunk so that they could see what they wanted. She had small bins in her trunk with labels on top to make it easier.

  “I’m good on the sew-in Shine. You can just flat iron my real hair,” Ari said with an attitude.

  She didn’t know that Indigo was the hair supplier that Shine was referring to. She needed her hair done bad as fuck but she refused to put any money in Indigo’s pockets. She was pissed that Shine had purchased from Indigo on her behalf a few times before. Shine loved the quality of the hair and she usually got it and had her clients reimburse her. Granted, the hair was nice but Ari hated the person who sold it.

  Ari was heated when she saw Boss sitting in the front seat of her car smoking a blunt. She hated herself for still loving his no-good ass but she couldn’t help it. Boss had done her brother dirty and she should have hated him just as much as West did.

  It was West who was by his side when he first started hustling. They put their money together to purchase their first brick and it was all love between them in the beginning. As soon as West got locked up, Boss switched up on him and now Indigo was his partner in crime. He thought he was doing something by putting money on his books but that wasn’t enough. West was the one who’d found their supplier and did all the leg work. Boss changed up his whole operation and he didn’t even cop from the same dude anymore. He’d replaced West and was getting money while her brother was praying for an early release. If all went well, he would be hom
e soon and she couldn’t wait.

  Unlike the rest of the women that he dealt with, Ari was no fool. Boss was in love with Indigo and she saw that for herself. He dropped everything when Indigo called and she always came first. They hid behind that best friend role but she was far from being dumb. Her best friend’s sister was in love with him but she was wasting her time. Indigo pulled his strings and Boston did whatever she said. It was her who pushed for a paternity test on Ari’s daughter and she made it happen. Ari was so embarrassed when she got off of work one night and saw all the flyers that were placed under everyone’s windshields in the parking lot. Boss never even told her that he got the results but he had no problem telling the entire world.

  “Bitch, I know you lying! I turned away two clients because I blocked off the time to do your sew-in. What kind of games are you playing?” Shine snapped, pulling her out of her thoughts.

  “How much is it?” Ari grudgingly asked. She didn’t want to piss Shine off because she could be petty at times. She was the best stylist that Ari ever had and she didn’t have time to be trying to find another one. Besides that, Ari’s hair was already braided with a stocking cap covering it. All Shine had to do was sew the hair in and curl it.

  “It’s three-twenty for the lengths you want,” Shine replied, knowing Indigo’s prices by heart.

  “Here,” Ari said while shoving the money in her hand. She walked away and went back into Shine’s house while they finished conducting business.

  “My bad girl. I don’t know what the fuck her problem is,” Shine replied while shaking her head.

  “It’s cool.” Indigo shrugged, not bothering to elaborate. She appreciated the business that Shine gave her but Indigo would never get too personal with her. Shine was messy as fuck and she talked entirely too much. Knowing Ari, she would probably fill her in on everything.