by Roy Glenn
“Cool. We’ll be there.”
“Oh, you’re bringing Wonder Woman with you, huh?” Wanda asked sarcastically.
“No, Wanda. She left a couple of hours ago to be with her family. I’m bringing Jamaica with me. I thought maybe you’d like to see him,” Mike said sarcastically.
“Is he okay?”
“I guess. He’s still sleeping. I’ll wake him up when I go back up there.”
“I’m really excited about this. After all these years, the debate can finally end. But you know, don’t you? You know why he left, don’t you?” Wanda asked. The lawyer in her was seeking information.
“I’ll explain everything when you get here. But he did it for us.”
Mike went back to the room and woke up Jamaica. He told him that Wanda would be there in a couple of hours to deal with his legal problems. He asked about Bobby and Perry. Mike explained Bobby’s situation and that Perry had to operate today or they would be there too. That made him happy to know that his old friends were still his friends. Over the years he thought about his friends many times. It was their friendship that got him through the hard times. Many times he thought about trying to contact them, but he was afraid he would bring the law down on them. “Mike, what about Nick? What happened to Nick?”
“About a month after you disappeared, Nick and Bobby got into it over Camille.”
“Ho, bitch. I knew she would be trouble right from the start,” Jamaica said.
“Everybody did, except Bobby. After that, Nick joined the army. Don’t ask me why. But he got out a couple of months ago. He doesn’t come around much cause of that thing with Bobby, but we’ll go see him when we get back to the city.”
Mike told him to pack up his stuff because they were going to a hotel. Jamaica picked up his gun and put it in his pocket. He opened the door to the room, picked up the TV, and took it to the guy in the room next door. “I got nothing I wanna keep,” Jamaica said walking out the door.
They left the building and Mike tried to hail a cab. Jamaica told him that he was wasting his time trying to get someone to stop. Mike smiled and started walking toward the corner. Jamaica followed him. Mike stopped at the corner and waited for the light to turn red. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. When the light turned red Mike said, “Wait here,” and made his way to a cab, which was stopped at the light. Mike showed the driver the hundred-dollar bill in his hand. When the cab driver shook his head refusing to unlock the door. Mike showed him the gun in his other hand. The driver smiled, unlocked the door and Mike got in. After the driver stopped to pick up Jamaica, Mike told him to take them to a hotel by Dulles. Mike looked at Jamaica, “How you doing?”
“I’m hungry. I could stand a shower but other than that. I feel pretty good.” Jamaica replied. As they got close to the airport Mike told the driver to stop at a Residence Inn.
Once they checked into their room, Jamaica got in the shower, and Mike called Bobby’s house and left the number with Pam for Bobby to call. He asked Pam to call and give Perry the number. Next he called Nate and Shy. Nate called right back. Mike told him where they were and that once Wanda cleared up his brother’s legal problems they were taking him home.
“That’s good. I know deep down that he always wanted to go back to New York. Did he tell you what went wrong?”
“Yeah. It’s a long story, Na. I’ll let your brother tell you when he’s ready. But he’s okay. He’s taking a shower.”
“I gotta get back to work now, but I’ll come out there when I get off my shift. How is Wanda doing anyway?” Nate asked. You could hear the smile in his voice. “It’ll be good to see her.”
“You still got a crush on Wanda?”
“No man. That was a long time ago. I was just a kid.”
“I’ll see you tonight.”
Once Jamaica got out of the shower he and Mike went to get something to eat. After they finished eating Mike said that it was time for them to leave to pick up Wanda.
“Black, I’m kinda tired. I’ll stay here and get some rest. It will give me a chance to think. I’ll be all right.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Really, I’ll be all right,” Jamaica replied. Mike really didn’t want to leave Jamaica alone, but he didn’t want to insist. He felt it was more important to show him that he still trusted him. Mike told him that he wouldn’t be gone long and asked if there was anything he wanted.
“A new wardrobe would be nice,” Jamaica said with a smile, looking at his attire. Mike said that they would go shopping after Wanda got settled.
“Thanks for looking out for me all these years. It means a lot to me.”
“No problem,” Mike replied. “What you did, you did out of friendship.”
“Yeah, Mike, but you didn’t know that.”
“I knew. Deep inside; I knew. I knew you wouldn’t just go like that without a reason. I only did what you would have done for me,” Mike said as he called the front desk to get a cab. When the cab arrived downstairs, Mike left for the airport.
Wanda’s plane arrived on time. She got off the plane wearing a dark blue fitted jacket with pencil-leg slacks and a French cuff shirt under her trench coat. She spotted Mike and walked towards him. “So where is he? I was all pumped up for the big long time no see hugs and kisses thing.”
“Hello, Wanda, it’s good to see you too,” Mike said as they started walking toward the shuttle.
“I’m sorry. Hello, Mike, and it’s always good to see you. You look tired.”
“I nodded out for about an hour.”
“You should get some rest. Now, where is he?”
“He said he was tired. So I left him in the room.”
“You left him alone? Why Mike? Do you think that was a good idea?”
“He didn’t want to come. What was I supposed to do? Tie him up and drag him to the cab? Besides, we might as well find out now if he can be trusted. His name is on everything we own. If we can’t trust him we got a problem. Better we find out now.”
“I guess you’re right. So tell me, why am I going to be mad at you?”
“I’ll give you the short version. I already told this story once this weekend.”
“Who did you tell this weekend?”
“Shy.”
“Shy!” Wanda stopped dead in her tracks. “You can tell your little drug dealer girlfriend but you can’t tell me,” Wanda said angrily, hands on her hips, head rockin’ from side to side.
“Wanda, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”
“I’m NOT jealous,” Wanda said as Mike smiled at her. “Been there, done that. Don’t you remember the week we went together?”
“Sure I do. Like it was yesterday. You never forget your first time,” Mike said as he thought back.
“How old were we then?” Wanda asked.
“Thirteen.”
“Thirteen. How much weed did we smoke that night?” Wanda asked.
“Five or six joints. Drinking that Strawberry Cow. We were so fucked up. Then you started talking about being a virgin,” Mike said as they got on the shuttle.
“Then you admitted that you were too. And that all your boys were bragging that they had done it.”
“Yeah. And you said all your girlfriends had done it too.
And that we might be the only virgins in the city. When you said we should just do it with each other and get it over with, I thought you were kidding, until you stood up, turned off the lights and started taking off your clothes.”
Wanda laughed. “I was so shy, because I was so skinny.”
“But look how you turned out.” Wanda had grown from a tall skinny young girl into a very attractive woman. “Then we tried to play the role,” Mike said smiling as they reminisced.
“By the end of the week we couldn’t stand each other.”
“We’d been friends too long, Wanda.”
“Right. That’s my point. We’ve been friends too long. So don’t think that I’m jea
lous of —what is Wonder Woman’s name anyway?”
“Her name is Cassandra Sims. But everyone calls her Shy.”
“Shy huh. Anyway, please don’t think I’m jealous of her. But I do love you Mike, like you were my brother. I just don’t want to have to stand around while she dogs you like Regina did. If she does I’ll have to get in her ass.”
“Been there, done that.”
“Verrry funny. I just hope you chose wisely this time,” Wanda said.
“I hope so too.”
They got off the shuttle and walked in silence for a moment or two as Mike thought about the days after he broke up with Regina.
“I never did really say thank you for being there for me, you know, for Regina. And even if I don’t tell you, I love you too. And I always will.” Mike leaned over and kissed Wanda on the cheek.
“So tell me your story before I start crying,” Wanda said as they walked.
While they stood by the carousel and waited for her luggage, Mike told Wanda the story of how he planned, then carried out the execution of André and his associates. He explained what happened with Jamaica and why he ran. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Wanda asked feeling left out of the loop.
“Do the words conspiracy to commit murder mean anything to you counselor? Come on, Wanda, I wanted to keep you out of that.”
“But, Mike, I asked you point blank if you killed him and you said no.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t. You asked me if I killed him, and I didn’t say anything. I just looked at you. You said, ‘Good’. Then you said, ‘Okay, this is what we’ll do if they come after you’.” Mike gave Wanda the most innocent smile he could muster. Wanda rolled her eyes and looked away, as if it didn’t matter. But it did. She felt that she should have been in on a major decision like that from the start.
“That was a long time ago, Mike. No point in arguing about it now.”
After claiming her luggage they caught a cab and proceeded to the hotel. On the way, Mike told her about Jamaica’s legal problems, and they discussed a course of action. When they arrived at the hotel Wanda commented on how nervous she was.
“What about?”
“I don’t know. I mean it’s not like I’m meeting him for the first time.”
“I know what you mean. I got goose bumps when I first saw him.”
“I don’t believe that. Vicious Black got goose bumps?” Wanda laughed.
“Very funny. You just get your fine ass in the elevator.”
They got out of the elevator and walked down the hall to the room. Mike unlocked the door and Wanda walked in. Jamaica was on the couch sleeping. “I don’t want to wake him up.”
“Clyde!” Mike yelled. Jamaica jumped up off the couch with his gun drawn. “He’s awake now.”
“Wanda!” Jamaica shouted, dropping the gun on the couch.
“It’s good to see you. How are you, Jamaica?” Wanda asked as she hugged him.
“Oh Wicked Wanda, it’s good to see you too.”
“How do you feel Jay? Did you get any rest?” Mike asked.
“I’m okay, Mike. And no, I didn’t get any sleep. Bobby called right after you left. I had just fell asleep when you got here,” Jamaica replied.
“I hope you didn’t tell him that story over the phone,” Wanda said.
“No, Wanda. I haven’t forgotten everything,” Jamaica said looking disappointed that she even asked him that question. “Come here; let me get a good look at you, Wanda. You look good; both of you do. I wish I could say the same for myself. I look like shit next to y’all. Feel like shit too. I’m just now starting to realize how far-gone I was on that shit. Oh yeah, Mike. While you were gone, Shy called you. She said to tell you that she’s sorry she didn’t call you back sooner but she was asleep. She wants you to call her when you get back.”
“Mike, why didn’t you take him to get some new clothes?”
Mike just looked at her. “Wanda, you know I hate shopping. Besides, I knew that you would want to go shopping for Jamaica. It’s your thing.”
“So why don’t you get some sleep while we go shop. Take a shower too. You smell like you haven’t bathed in days,” Wanda said with a smile.
“That’s because I haven’t. So y’all go ahead. See you in a few hours. Don’t get carried away either, Wanda. Just get him something to wear. You can shop for him when you get back to the city.”
Wanda and Jamaica left to buy him some new clothes. Mike went into the room and laid down on the bed. He called Freeze to see how everything was going. Freeze told him that everything was cool. Mike told him about Jamaica. Naturally, Freeze knew all about it. Mike told him to think of something for Jamaica to do.
“I want him to feel like he never left.”
Freeze told Mike that Sylvia said Kenny finally called from Detroit. She said he would be back on Thursday, maybe Friday.
Mike gave Freeze Shy’s number. “As soon as you see him, you have him call me,” Mike said.
“You got it.”
“You seen Melinda?”
“Yeah, I saw her last night at the club. She was looking for you. She told me that she knows you’re somewhere with that bitch. But it’s cool because she knows Shy ain’t gonna fuck you like she does. That’s a good girl Black. Most ho’s woulda been tripping, all out in the street chasing ya down.”
“She’d be one chasing ass if she found me down here. Anyway you know where to find me if you need me, but I know you won’t.”
Once Mike was finished talking to Freeze he called Shy. He got up from the bed, went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Mike began to get undressed when the phone rang. He answered the phone and, as expected, it was Shy. He told her that Wanda had taken Jamaica shopping and that he was going to take a shower and get some rest before they got back.
“I was going to come over there and bring you your bag so you’ll have clean clothes to put on. I promise to let you sleep,” Shy said.
“Come on, ring the room when you get here.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
Mike took his shower and dried himself off. He sat down on the bed and laid his head to rest. It seemed like as soon as his head hit the pillow, the phone rang. He reached out to answer the phone, “Hello,” he mumbled.
“Hi, baby. I’m in the lobby. I’m on my way up,” Shy said.
“Huh.”
“Open the door, I’ll be up in a minute.”
“How’d you get here so quick?” Mike asked coming out of his nod.
“Baby, it’s been four hours. You really are tired.”
“You in the lobby?”
“Yes. Get up and unlock the door!”
Mike rolled out of bed, unlocked the door, and got right back in bed. Shy came in looking around for Mike.
“Black, where are you?” He didn’t answer. Shy looked in the room and found him in bed snoring. She kept her promise and let him sleep. She took his clothes out of the bag and hung them up. She sat down on the bed next to him. She thought about getting in bed with him, but she didn’t know when Jamaica and Wanda would return from shopping.
Shy was sure of one thing, she did not wish to go back to her mom’s house. The questions about her association with Vicious Black were too intense, and she didn’t feel like she had to justify herself to anybody. She decided to wait there until Mike woke up. Besides, she wanted to meet Wanda since she’d heard so much about her the night before. Shy left the room, sat down on the couch, turned on the TV, and did some channel surfing. Shy called the front desk and reserved a room for herself.
After watching TV for an hour or so, Shy heard a key at the door. The door opened and in walked Wanda, arms full of shopping bags. Shy stood up.
“Hello,” she said catching Wanda by surprise. “You must be Wanda,” Shy said walking toward her.
Wanda put the bags down. She looked at Shy for a second. “And you must be Shy. I’m glad to meet you,” Wanda said ex
tending her hand. “Where’s Mike?” she asked feeling unprepared and uncomfortable about Shy’s presence.
“He’s sleeping. He stayed up all night with Jamaica talking about the old days. Where is Jamaica anyway?”
“Talking to the girl at the front desk. I guess he’ll be up in a while.”
“What did you get at the store?”
“We got Jamaica some new clothes, and I bought an outfit for Mike. He hates to shop, so whenever I go shopping I get something for him. I hope he likes it.”
“Is it black?”
“Of course it is. I used to buy him, you know, some different colors. Anything other than black, but he just wouldn’t wear it. So I stopped wasting my money,” Wanda said. “So, do you wear black all the time too?” Wanda asked pretentiously, noticing that Shy was dressed in black.
“No. But since I met him, black just jumps out the closet into my hands.” Shy replied with a smile, choosing to overlook the tone of Wanda’s question.
Wanda looked at Shy. She took a deep breath and said, “Look, it really isn’t my place to be saying this, and if Mike knew he’d probably kill me, but I’m gonna say it anyway.”
“What’s on your mind, Wanda?”
“Well, I really don’t know how to say this so I’ll just spit it out and get it over with. I love Mike; he’s been more of a brother to me than my own brother. I know he really likes you. And … well … just don’t hurt him.”
“Look Wanda, let me straighten you,” Shy said, before she was interrupted by Jamaica’s entrance into the room. Shy glanced at Jamaica. She didn’t seem to care. “You know you got a lotta heart stepping to me like that. But I can respect that.”
“Thanks,” Wanda uttered with a bit of a bite.
“I didn’t think you’d be soft hanging with this crew. Black is very lucky to have a friend like you. Someone who really cares about him. I know he’s been hurt, well so have I. I’m more worried about him hurting me. You know better than I do that Black ain’t no saint. So I hope you had this conversation with him.”