by Jahquel J.
I pulled up to Liberty’s condo and parked on the street. Knocking on the door, she answered and welcomed me inside. Her house smelled like lavender and vanilla. The lights were low, and the television was paused. She had fluffy fur pillows all over her couch as she plopped down on the white leather couch.
“Nigga, I didn’t say come through this late,” she laughed and got up from the couch. “You want something to drink? Never mind, you need one,” she went to the rose gold mini bar she had set up in the corner.
She fixed my drink and then came over to hand it to me before she sat down. “Appreciate it,” I drank the amaretto sour she had handed me. “Damn, you a bartender too.”
“I used to bartend when I lived upstate for a few months,” she revealed.
“Word? Shit good,” I finished the glass and placed it down on the glass coffee table. “What’s up?”
“First of all, that woman don’t know me,” she started off.
“You don’t want those problems that Messiah could bring. She a different type of female, shorty,” I laughed. “She means no harm though.”
“I want all the smoke,” she proclaimed.
“Chill out,” I laughed. Liberty had me laughing and it had been a while since I had done that. Seemed like ages when it really had only been a week.
“I’m serious too, Staten. She tried the fuck out of me. Did you see she was wearing Timbs?”
“Those her work boots,” I laughed. Whenever it was time for Messiah to put in work, she tossed on her classic nubuck black Timbs and handled shit. They didn’t make ride or die women like her anymore. Women now wanted to know who was going to die first before they got into the car to ride.
“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “On the real, I need to know that you’ll make sure that I’m protected, Staten. I’m sorry about Summer, but I don’t want to be the next one being put into the ground,” I understood what she was saying. Who wanted to die? She wanted to be sure that she would be protected at all cost.
“You got my word that I’m going to make sure that you’re straight. That’s on me, feel me?”
“Zeek was at my house the day the shooting happened, and he got a call. His sister was asking when she could come home, and he told her not yet. So, I asked him why and he said shit was about to go down. Next thing I know, I come into work and you and Summer had been shot. I could be thin—”
“Nah, you right on the money,” I cut her off quickly. “Ghost had got Zoe handled a few days earlier for putting his hands on your sister.”
“I heard about that. You think that’s the reason they shot at you?”
“I’m willing to bet.”
“His dumb ass ordered the hit and got his own daughter shot,” she gasped as she put her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry. That poor baby girl.”
Zeek thought that he was playing in the big leagues when he made that call to have shit handled. He thought he would level the playing ground, but the only thing he did was open his grave so he could be pushed into it. Zoe’s pussy ass got beat the fuck up and if he moved smarter, he wouldn’t have been caught up the way he did. The nigga moved around Staten Island like niggas fucked with him, when in reality we didn’t fuck with his ass.
“Nah, we not claiming that nigga as Summer’s father. She don’t carry his last name and she’s buried on our family plot, not his. He may have made Summer, but that don’t make his ass a fucking daddy.”
“You’re right about that,” she sighed. “What are you going to do?” she stared into my eyes. Liberty was so beautiful. Bright caramel complexion, chinky eyes, slender nose and a nice pouty pair of lips. Her long blackish brown hair was pin straight and covering her shoulders. “Staten, can you promise me that no harm is going to come my way?”
I looked her in the eyes and held her stare. “You got my word that I’ll lay any muthafucka that lay a hand on your pretty head.”
She blushed. “Okay.”
I looked around. For the first time since I stepped into the door I could smell something other than her candles; I smelled food. For the first time in a while, my stomach grumbled at the smell of the food. With everything going on, food was the last thing that had been on my mind. Chanel made me eat some, but I wasn’t in the mood to eat. I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that took away any appetite that I could have. Each time I thought about my niece, I didn’t want to eat a damn thing.
“You want some food? I see you smelling around,” she giggled.
“Shit, yeah. What you cooked?” I got up and followed her into the kitchen. She stirred the pot of food. With each stir, her ass jiggled in the black leggings that she wore. My eyes couldn’t look away. It looked like a bowl of jelly that was placed on top of a washing machine during the drain cycle.
“Ox tails, white rice and cabbage. Grab some wine out the fridge and then some glasses out of the cabinet up top,” she instructed as she pulled some plates out.
I brought the glasses and wine to the dining table and took a seat. Liberty had OCD. I could tell from her apartment that she was very particular about stuff. Her fridge looked like she played Tetris with all the items in there. Everything was clean, in place and there wasn’t speck of dust anywhere. She came into the dining area with our food and placed the plate in front of me. I watched as she reached for my hand and bowed her head.
“Father, please bless this food that’s about to go into our bodies. Father God, I know never to question you, so I won’t… We know you needed baby girl more than we did, but continue to keep an eye on her. Help her guide us all down here with your watchful eye. Please continue to bless the Davis family and place some closure into their lives. In God’s name, we pray.. amen.”
“Amen,” I replied. Hearing her pray for me, Summer and my family did something to me. People didn’t pray for you these days, they prayed for your downfall. It made me look at her in a different light. I wasn’t a praying man and I knew I should be, but I never could bring myself to get on my knees to say a prayer. I’ve done some shit that I know God wasn’t a fan of. “I appreciate you saying a prayer for us. You don’t know how much it means to me.”
She smiled. “I know what you guys are going through. I pray that you all have comfort and closure during this time. Summer was loved and her memory will live on through each of you.”
I nodded my head and took a bite out of my ox tails. The shit was mad good and had my mouth watering. Shit, I didn’t realize how hungry I was as I began digging into the food while she watched. She picked with her food and took a few bites here and there.
“This shit good, Lib.”
“Thank you. I never have time to cook anymore and I was in the mood for some ox tails,” she popped opened the wine and poured some into my glass and then hers.
“Why you work so damn much anyway?”
“Bills. I got bills that need to be paid and I can’t afford to sit back and not work,” she replied as she took a sip of her wine.
“I get bills, but you work a fucking lot… ain’t that much bills in the world.”
She looked down and sighed. “I guess… it’s not just me at work. I’m surrounded by people and I’m never alone. When I come home, I’m reminded that it’s just me. I get lonely sometimes,” she admitted.
I knew exactly how shew felt. When I finished handing shit in the streets, I came home to an empty crib. I worked so hard to make sure my family had everything, alongside my brother, that I never asked myself what I wanted. Having a big ass crib, cars, money and jewels didn’t mean shit when you didn’t have anyone to share it with. At the end of the day, I came home to my big empty crib and made a bowl of cereal. Women didn’t realize the power that they possessed. They had this aura around them that made the hardest nigga feel like he wasn’t in this alone. I had Chanel, but it wasn’t the same. She was my best friend, not my woman.
“Yeah, I know the feeling all too well,” I admitted too. Someone knocked at the door and she jumped up from her seat.
&n
bsp; I grabbed my gun and cocked that shit back. Everything had my ass paranoid and I wasn’t going to take any chances. Liberty came dancing back into the dining room with a baggy filled with coke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t hide the expression on my face.
“Relax, you’re acting like you’re not around this shit all day long,” she waved it off like it wasn’t a big thing. She walked over to a small table that was filled with her family’s photos and opened the draw. Placing the coke inside, she came and sat down like it was nothing wrong with what she had just did.
“Liberty, that’s the type of shit you on?” I looked at her in the eyes. She smirked and then looked away briefly.
“You sell this shit and you got the nerve to judge me,” she spat, pissed that I was getting on her case. “I use to it to ease my mind and get away sometimes. Work is stressful… shit, life is stressful and sometimes I just need a relief.”
I saw this happen way too many times than I cared to admit. Niggas saying they use it just to get the edge off, then they end up doing it every day and can’t start their day without taking a whiff of the shit.
“I sell it, I don’t fucking use it. Freedom know about this?”
She laughed loud and clapped her hands dramatically. “Freedom isn’t my mother. She took herself to Atlanta and started her life… I have my own life. Why everyone feel like because we’re twins she needs to know about my life?”
When Free left, she hurt more than just my brother with her absence. Even her twin was still dealing with her leaving all those years ago. “I’m just saying… you’re better than that shit.”
“You need to be worried about your girlfriend the way you’re worried about me. I don’t do it that often. At work, I go into the medicine closet and pop percs to get me through the shifts. Coke is just when I’m home relaxing, that’s all,” she said like her explanation made it any better.
“It starts as something you use to get through the day, then you can’t start your day without the shit. Yo, I saw too many go down the wrong road messing with this shit. The same niggas that I used to get money with are the same niggas begging for ten dollars to go chase their next high. It’s not a good look.”
She rolled her eyes and picked up her plate of food. The plate had barely been touched. I could tell that she had been doing that shit longer than she was telling me. Loss of appetite was something that came with that shit. While weed gave you the munchies, coke made you lose your appetite. In the time we had been talking, I had finished my entire plate and all Liberty had managed to do is finish a glass of wine.
“Where is your little girlfriend? I’m surprised she’s not around here giving me the stink eye,” she spoke from the kitchen.
“She’s my best friend.”
“Does she know that? The way she was tossing shade at me at your mama’s house tells me otherwise.”
Chanel was out of pocket for acting that way around Liberty. Then she asked me if we were fucking, so I knew she was in her feelings about her being around. That was what always happened when it came to me and Chanel. She was allowed to date and do whatever she wanted, and I said nothing. When I did say something she always cried and told me to allow her to be happy, so I always fell back until she came crying to me about why they broke up. When it came to me being in a relationship she would throw shade and tell me how that girl wasn’t good enough for me. And, because that’s what I always did, I would end whatever I had going with a girl because Chanel said I should. She wouldn’t lead me the wrong way, right?
“Yeah, she know,” I replied.
“Well, I know you’re lying,” she peeked her head out the kitchen. “Chanel has dated whoever she wanted for years and you’ve stood there and always been that shoulder she needed to lean on after it ends. When is it going to be your turn to be happy?”
“Why you all in my business?”
“Look, I know everyone’s business. Justice passed her nosey gene over to me because I find out all the tea,” she crossed her arms and leaned on the wall.
I stood up and walked away from the dining table. Liberty turned and leaned her back against the wall as she watched me. I grabbed hold of her neck and pushed my lips onto hers. A small moan escaped her lips as I pulled back and then placed a final kiss on her lips. She stood there trying to get her words together.
“Yo, come lock this door behind me,” I smirked and told her as I headed out the door. The dinner was nice, and it was a nice distraction from what I was going through. Right now, I needed to get back out there and make sure niggas knew not to fuck with me and my family. Zeek thought he could come into Staten Island, shake some shit up and then take over… he had the game fucked up. The nigga was better off just keeping quiet while visiting his family like he had been doing for years. Once he realized it was money to be made, he thought that he could come here, and niggas would sit back and allow him, and his big-headed brother take over. Nah. I had shit that I needed to put in motion, and I refused to let my niece down – again.
8
Myla
I was on my laptop as I watched my boyfriend sleeping peacefully beside me. His chest heaved up and then down, and he let out an occasional groan. Whenever I couldn’t sleep, I would grab my laptop to get some work done on. I had a few clients that were waiting for confirmation emails, so I made sure to send those out. My clients meant the most to me because they trusted me to do their hair. Today was my off day and I planned to lay in bed, suck some dick and take some dick all day. Tomorrow, my calendar was filled with the most fly chicks in Staten Island. There were other stylist in Staten Island that could do hair, but I was the best. Only fly bitches came and got their hair slayed by me. They didn’t complain about the price or how booked I was, they understood that good work was worth paying and waiting for.
Shutting my laptop, I placed it on my side table and got up from the bed. I sighed when I saw my boyfriend’s clothes sprawled all over the floor. Shaking my head, I grabbed up his clothes and headed into my laundry room. I knew once he woke up, fucked and had some food, he was going to be headed right back into the streets. The least I could do was let him back into the world with clean clothes. I turned the washer on and started to empty his pockets. His clothes reeked of weed. My boyfriend was the type that could finish a whole blunt and then roll another one right after it. Weed was what kept him mellow, so I made sure I kept the cabinet in my living room stocked with the strongest weed, roll up and some henny, in case he wanted to give me some dick after he got lit.
I took his stacks of money and placed them on the dryer and grabbed the rest of the shit out of his pockets. He had change, lighters and a bunch of receipts. Behind the receipts was a folded sonogram. This wasn’t a little alien on a sonogram, this was an entire damn baby ready to be born. I looked in the right-hand corner and saw the mother’s name.
“Kiss Mooney? Where did I hear that name from?” I pondered to myself. See, I knew I was pissed because I had started talking to myself. “Matter fact, I’m gonna go ask this nigga right now,” I tossed his Balmain jeans into the washer with the cash I had taken out, and poured Clorox into the washer and turned to leave the laundry room.
I walked into my bedroom hot as fuck because I was pissed as fuck with him. He had the nerve to be laying up in my bed, fucking me and got another bitch pregnant. I walked right over to his side of the bed and lifted my size eleven foot and kicked him right in his shit. He jumped up and looked at me with his disheveled ass.
“What bitch you go pregnant, Zoe?” I screamed and stared him in the eyes. “Before you fucking lie, I will light this bitch up if you even fix your mouth to lie to me,” I pointed my freshly manicured finger into his temple.
He moved his dreads out of his face and looked up at me confused. “My, I’m not doing this shit with you this morning. I’m a grown ass man,” he tried to put that tough guy act on like that shit was going to make me forget what the fuck I had just asked.
“And you forget that I’m a grown ass m
an too,” I deepened my voice and put my hand on my hips. “Who the fuck baby is that? Who is Kiss?” the name was so familiar, yet I couldn’t remember where I had heard that name from.
He looked on the floor. “Yo, where my clothes? Because you’re out here tripping,” he tried to act like I was the fucking problem, not him.
“In the fucking wash with bleach. Oh, and your money in there too.” I added as he ran out of the room to go get his clothes.
I plopped down on my hot pink chaise lounge and waited for him to come back into the room. Me and Zoe had been messing around for a little while now. I wasn’t going to sit here and act like I wasn’t in love or anything, because I loved this man from his head down to his toes. He loved me too and I knew it. Our relationship was on the downlow, so no one knew about us. Not even my cousins knew that I was fucking with Zoe. They all thought I was fucking with Reese, which wasn’t true. Reese wasn’t gay and wasn’t having any of that shit that came with me. I continued to let my cousins believe that it was Reese. They knew about my lifestyle, so they never went to Reese about it, so he never knew I was using him as my alibi.
Freedom and Zoe had something going on and I didn’t care. I was with him first before he decided to go get with Free. A few times I wanted to tell her, but I knew that Zoe would be pissed. Knowing Free, she would let everyone, and their mama know that Zoe was in the closet. It was better off that she didn’t know shit about what me and him had going on. That was why I distanced myself away from her every so often. My cousins loved and accepted me, and I did the same for them, but I didn’t need to hear about my decisions on who I chose to fuck with. Zoe was mine and that was the end of the discussion, we were in love.