by Roy Glenn
Wanda stood silently, unable to think of a snappy come back.
“Well, I see you two ladies have met. Where’s Mike?” Jamaica asked.
“He’s asleep,” they both said in unison.
“Not anymore,” Mike said standing in the doorway.
“Ooops,” Wanda said.
“How long you been standing there?” Shy asked.
“Long enough. Wanda, can I talk to you for a minute,” Mike said.
“I guess you don’t want to see what I bought for you,” Wanda said as she followed Mike into the room.
“Close the door behind you.”
Once inside the room he told her that he wasn’t mad at her. How could he be when she was just trying to protect him. Mike asked her why she had to break that on Shy.
“The least you could have done was wait until you got to know her. If you still felt it necessary, then by all means, bust her on down.”
Wanda admitted that maybe she was just a little jealous. She apologized for the way it came out. But she refused to back off from what she said. “You can say what you want, Mike, but I meant every word I said. I will fuck her up.”
As they were about to come out of the room, Mike said, “I ain’t mad at you, Boo. Love you too much to be mad at you for having my back.”
When they came out of the room Jamaica was laying on the couch smiling. Shy was gone. Mike asked where she was. Jamaica told him that she didn’t say where she was going, she just got up and left. Mike sat down in a chair by the window and asked Jamaica if she said anything.
“Yeah, she said, ‘Fuck this shit!’ Then she slammed the door.”
Wanda smiled a devilish smile, “Sorry, Mike.”
“Why you trip on Sunshine like that?” Jamaica asked.
“Sunshine?” Wanda said in astonishment.
“She was cool and her smile, like sunshine,” Jamaica said.
“Sorry I ran her off. She’ll be back.”
Mike didn’t say anything, he just shook his head. He smiled at Wanda and started laughing. Jamaica started laughing and then Wanda joined in.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shy wasn’t mad at Mike. She wasn’t even mad at Wanda for coming off on her the way she did. Actually, she was envious. The way they looked out for Jamaica all those years. The way Wanda jumped on her. They were more like family, not just people that grew up together. Looking out for and being supportive of one another. That is what she envied, that support. She didn’t have that in her organization. Even though she and her crew had known each other since high school, most of the time Tony and E were at each other’s throat. Now she questioned the support of her family. Going home to face the music, as she put it, wasn’t pretty. Shy was feeling good on her way home after leaving Black and Jamaica at the room. Feeling good about Black. He wasn’t a vicious animal. That was all rep as far as she could see.
She arrived home after eight in the morning to find her Mother, along with her brothers, Harold, and George waiting. Her Mother began by asking why she brought that killer to her house. Shy couldn’t honestly deny that he was a killer.
Especially after hearing Black and Jamaica talk about some of the things they’d done. Although Black didn’t tell her, there was a war in the aftermath of Andrés murder. A bloody war, complete with drive-by shootings, cars and businesses being blown up and people executed in public. Harold and George both had war stories of Vicious Black.
George told her that he had heard Black had walked into a quiet restaurant and approached a table where two men were enjoying their meal. He joined them and talked briefly, got up and turned over the table. Then he shot them both in the head with his drink still in hand. Finished his drink and left.
Harold said that he heard that one night Black and Freeze were involved in a running gunfight through the streets. They shot one man on the run, the other had run out of bullets. Black ran him down and pistol whipped him while a crowd formed. A woman ran up on them and tried to shoot Black in the back. She Missed, hitting him in the right arm. Shy remembered feeling a scar on his arm when they made love. Before she could get off another shot Freeze shot her.
Black yelled, “That bitch shot me! Hey mutha fucka! Your bitch shot me!” Then Black made the beaten man get on his knees and shot him once in the head.
The unified line was how could she get involved with a killer like that.
“Baby, you may be a criminal, but that man’s a killer. You can do better than that,” Joann said.
It was as though they were judge and jury, having found her guilty of being involved with the wrong man. And the verdict, “Get rid of him!” Harold shouted.
“All that happened a long time ago. He’s not like that anymore,” was Shy’s only defense. It occurred to Shy that she never met the man they were talking about. She had only heard about him. The man she knew was considerate and caring. Romantic and attentive, he was fascinating and funny. This was the man she had fallen in love with.
“People like that don’t change baby,” Joann said. “Maybe I’m not the one to be giving advice about choosing a man. You know what I been through with your father.”
Shy looked at her furiously. “Why we gotta drag Chicago into this?” she asked. “If it wasn’t for Chicago doing what he did we wouldn’t have any of this. No house, no Masters, no Ph.D., nothing! So let’s not forget where we all came from or where we’d be without him.”
“What if you’re with him when somebody tries to kill him?” Joann protested.
Shy smiled. That would give me a chance to save his life, she thought. She didn’t think this was the time to tell the family that Black saved her life when someone tried to kill her.
“He ain’t nothing but a lying killer. Talking about being in love with you from the first time he saw you,” Harold spit out in disgust.
“Did he say that?” Shy melted.
Her reaction only angered Harold. “He’s a killer! Can’t you see that!”
“You know, I would think my own family would have just a little more faith in my judgment. I don’t need anyone to tell me what I should or shouldn’t be doing. I know who he is and what he’s done. And you’re wrong, Mommy, people do change.”
Shy started to walk away, then she stopped and turned around. “I’m tired, so I’m going to bed. Or do you want to make that decision for me too!”
She stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
After she woke up and returned Black’s call, she began to pack her things. While she packed Joann sat on the bed and talked all around the subject of Black. When Shy finished packing, she said good-bye to her mother.
Joann stood up and hugged Shy. “I love you baby, and I just want to see you happy.”
“Mommy, I just met the guy a week ago. It’s not like we’re getting married in the morning. You know I’m not going to rush in. He’s been hurt too. I know you don’t believe that, but it’s true. So we’re taking it slow. I’m sorry I brought him to the reunion. But if it wasn’t for Nate, nobody would have ever known who he was. He really is very nice, Mommy.”
“He did seem nice. Besides, anybody with eyes like that can’t be all bad,” Joann said with a smile.
“Ain’t he fine,” Shy said with a high five.
After another round of hugs, Joann said with tears in her eyes, “I hope it works for you baby.”
As she left Shy said, “I love you too, Mommy.”
Shy left her mother’s house on her way to the hotel. Although her mother made her feel better about the situation, she still felt like they should have been supportive of her. That’s why she envied the way that Black’s crew was so close.
After her confrontation with Wanda, Shy drove around for a while. She stopped at a bar and had a couple of drinks. Later in the evening, she went to her brother Randy’s apartment. He had a well furnished one bedroom apartment in DC.
“Hey, Randy.”
“What’s up, sis?” Randy stepped to one side, showing her in like a d
oorman at a fine hotel. “I been expecting you.”
“Mind if I crash here tonight?” Shy asked as she plopped down on the couch. “I guess you heard what happened?”
“Not the blow by blow, but I sat through the pre-fight hype. I tried to tell them that who you get involved with is your business and they had no right to say anything to you unless you asked for their advice. But you know how Harold gets.”
“He went off on me man. Both him and George had stories about people Black killed. One of them may be true. Harold said some lady shot him in the arm and he does have a scar there.”
“Did you know that neither George nor Harold were even in the city when all that was going down?”
“Really,” Shy said with a mix of disbelief and anger. “The way they came off was like they had it firsthand.”
“Wasn’t like that. They were gone. I heard those same stories. But I was there, still going to City College.”
“Was it as bad as they say?”
“Yeah, it was wild, wild west for a while. I’m telling you, your boy ain’t no joke. But if you really wanna know about it, why don’t you ask him?”
“Until now it wasn’t an issue. I guess it’s really not an issue now. That was a long time ago. I heard some things about him, mostly it’s rep. It’s that name, Vicious Black. Makes you expect some wild man, you know. Real mean. But he’s not like that at all. You met him, what did you think? I mean like if somebody told you that Vicious Black was at the reunion, would you have picked him?”
Randy paused for a moment and thought about it. “Yes. But only because of his name, Mike Black. But if I didn’t know his name, hell no.”
“That’s what I’m saying. He’s really not like that. At least not anymore.”
“Bet they didn’t mention what the war was about,” Randy said.
“What?”
“After whatshisname, ah …”
“André,” Shy said.
“Yeah, André. He was large in the drug game. Anyway, after he died Black and his crew took over. He had a meeting with the rest of the big boys. I guess to split up the territory. Black told them that he was getting out of the drug business and anyone who worked for André could go with anybody they wanted. Which was cool, until he said that he wouldn’t let anyone sell in his neighborhood. You know back then his hood was wide open. So he pissed off a lot of people, because they were making crazy money.”
“That’s what started it?”
“No. George told you about him killing two guys in a restaurant, right. Well earlier that afternoon three of their people tried to kill him outside of his house. Black killed them. And then he went looking for the guys who sent them. He found them in that restaurant. You heard the rest of the story.”
“Self-defense.”
“You know, I’m surprised he likes you,” Randy commented.
“Why’s that?”
“I hear he hates drug dealers. And you qualify sis. You mind if I ask you a question?”
“What’s that?”
“Shy, I love you. I know how you make your money, but I know I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for you. I appreciate what you did for me.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“Yes I do; everyday. Now I ain’t trying to judge you, but why are you, and everyone else for that matter, all upset because your boy killed a few people, when you’re a killer too?” Shy looked at her brother without answering. Randy explained his point. “He uses a gun; you sell cocaine. The only difference is that he faces his victims. You kill em slow and make them pay for the privilege.” Shy still had no comment. Many times she had thought about the effects of her line of work. How she was responsible for destroying people’s lives. She had always been able to rationalize it by thinking that people make choices. She never forced anyone to do drugs. If they didn’t get it from her, they would simply go elsewhere. Why shouldn’t she make that money? The fact still remained, she was a killer. But she was worse. Her brand of death was slow, methodical and deliberate.
“Everyone who does drugs doesn’t die,” she protested, but she knew it was lame when she said it.
Randy rolled his eyes at her. “That’s not the point, and you know it. Some die quick, others lose everything they own. Then it takes their self-respect. Then, if they’re lucky their body dies. But their brain is already dead.”
“I know, Randy. And you’re right, I’m no better than he is. At least he’s got heart.”
“I shouldn’t have dropped that on you.”
“It’s cool. I’m your lil’ sistah. If you can’t be honest with me, who can you be honest with? You’re supposed to tell me what you think.”
“Now that I’ve depressed you, I’m going to bed. I got the early shift tomorrow. How long you gonna be here?”
“Tuesday, maybe Wednesday. Why?”
“Good, I’ll take you to dinner tomorrow, that is if you have no plans. I want you to meet somebody.”
“Who?”
“Her name is Renée.”
“This somebody special?”
“Yes, very special. I’m gonna ask her to marry me. I want you to meet her.”
“You tell anybody else?”
“No.”
“Then don’t. You don’t need to hear all that negativity Harold and them gonna talk,” Shy said.
“That’s why I haven’t said anything to them. They’re all too negative about everything.”
“Well I’m happy for you. I hope you two will be very happy together. Maybe it will be me one day,” Shy said hugging her brother.
“Thanks, I just hope she says yes.” Randy paused for a moment. “One thing’s for sure, whatever Black is, he is in love with you. Says he’s been in love with you since the first time he saw you.”
“He really did say that?” Shy said grinning from wrist to wrist.
“Practically beat his chest when he said it. Like he was proud and he wanted the world to know it,” Randy said beating his chest.
It made her feel good that in spite of everything, he was in love with her, because she was in love with him. “What time is dinner?” Shy smiled.
“Be ready by six thirty, cool.”
“Cool. Good night, Randy.”
Randy went into his room and closed the door. Leaving Shy alone with her thoughts. She thought about what each member of her family said to her. She was falling victim to self-doubt. Not so much about her feelings for Black, she was in love with him, but about Black himself. She remembered what her mother said about people like that not being able to change. For all she knew Black could be behind all of her business problems. She didn’t want to believe that Black could be that calculating.
“Wait a minute! This is the same man who decided to kill André and then waited a year before he did it. Yeah, he could be that calculating.” He could have arranged for that guy to try to kill her so he could save her.
One point rolled around in her mind. “If he really hates drug dealers, what is he doing with me? Was saving me just a way to lull me into a false sense of security? That way I wouldn’t suspect him, and he could crush my business. And then he’ll kill me on the street to send a message.” She thought for a moment. “Stop it girl. You tripping.”
She sat quietly Saturday night, both in the car and in the room with Jamaica, listening to Black talk about people he had killed. He did this without showing any signs of remorse. Was he just a killing machine? Shy felt like the man she knew was considerate and attentive, he was fascinating to talk to and fun to be with. Or, was all that just the mark of a powerful man doing whatever it took to get what he wanted? Until now, she accepted his assertion that he was not like that anymore.
She remembered walking with Black through his neighborhood, where the so-called war was to have taken place. Everyone knew him. Just about everyone they walked by spoke to him. Some had conversations with him; others told him about their problems and asked him for his help in resolving their issues. They didn’t fear
him. They all seemed to have a great deal of respect for him. If the war was so bad, why do these people seem to love him?
“He did clean up the neighborhood, made it safe, why wouldn’t they.”
She didn’t know what to think. Shy always considered herself a good judge of character. Could he have fooled her so completely? Was he in reality a violent and volatile personality waiting to explode? “I don’t think so.”
“So what do I do now?” she asked herself.
Should she continue to take it slow with Black or call him right now and tell him that she couldn’t see him again as her family suggested?
“For what reason? Why should I stop seeing him? And then second-guess myself to death.”
No, she would continue to take it very slow with Black. She had to admit there were some things about him that bothered her. Shy would confront him on those points at their next encounter.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Shy slept late the next morning, she had slept well for someone who crashed on the couch. At least it was comfortable. She got up and wandered around the apartment. Randy had already gone, but he left a key.
“What time is it?”
Her next thought was to call Black. It didn’t take long to talk herself out of that one. She was a little put out that he had only called her once after she left the night before. Shy decided to call the front desk to make sure that he hadn’t checked out, which he hadn’t. It wasn’t very likely that he would have checked out since he had business that morning.
She thought about what she would do for the day. Shy decided to do what she had planned to do the day before; which was to visit with Juanita, a close friend from college who had moved to DC about two years ago and to do a little shopping. Maybe she would buy something for Black. She really didn’t like the outfit that Wanda had bought for him. Even though she liked the way Black dressed, she had to agree that he could stand to lighten up a little. However, she would break that on him slowly.
Right now she was hungry. It was after ten, so she decided to go to the Flag Ship for lunch. Shy called Juanita, who incidentally worked as a programmer for the DEA and invited her to join her. They sat over lunch talking about their wild college days. And then the conversation turned.