by Jazmyne
“Chill out and relax he’s coming over here,” she whispered to Brenda who was still acting like a child on Christmas morning.
“Ayo, Brenda!” Ace called from behind her. She put her poker face on and turned to see what he wanted.
“What’s up, Ace, glad you can make it,” Brenda said.
“Thanks for the invite, that was love,” he said as he pulled her in for a hug. She damn near melted in his arms.
“Boy stop you know you and your niggas are always invited to anything I have,” she said waving him off.
“That’s good to know,” he smiled. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to ya friends?” He asked while his eyes stayed fixed on Sunshine.
Brenda felt the jealousy shoot through her body. The way Ace was staring at her sister was the way she always wanted him to look at her, but he never did.
“Ace this is my little sister Sunshine and my home girls, Lynn and Neisha,” Brenda introduced everyone.
“It’s nice to meet you ladies,” he smiled. “Hopefully you ladies will come keep me and my niggas company.” He said before walking off to get him a drink.
Just that fast Brenda had entered into a foul mood and she no longer wanted to party or be around anyone.
“Him and his niggas are fine,” Sunshine said.
“Bitch, did you see how he was lookin’ at you?” Lynn asked Sunshine. “He tryna get that pussy,” she joked but was dead serious at the same time. Sunshine waved her off.
While everyone else partied around her Brenda played the back field while she was in her feelings. She couldn’t believe how Ace and Sunshine clicked so fast and just like that after one conversation. Brenda watched as they danced and smiled in each other’s face most of the night. The fact that Sunshine wasn’t trying to get with him and he kept pushing up on her pissed Brenda off even more.
Brenda shook the thoughts off, started her ride and pulled off; once again in her feelings about something she could never change.
*
Ace was standing on Buckrow Beach having a meeting with the Grim Reaper. It was well after two in the morning and he hadn’t been home in weeks. It was starting to take a toll on him. He missed his girls something awful.
“This is a list of mothafuckas I need knocked off as fast as possible,” the Grim Reaper said handing Ace the list.
“I’m doin’ all this shit for you and I still don’t know if my wife is dead or alive. I want proof before I do this,” he said.
“I showed you proof.”
“That picture could have been photo shopped for all I know. I want to see or talk to her,” Ace said.
“I’ll see what I can do, but I’m not making any promises though,” he said as he turned to walk away. Ace grabbed him and forced the Reaper to face him once again.
“What if I kill you right here and now?”
“You will never find your wife dead or alive. You see if anything happens to me the game is over and you lose,” the Grim Reaper grinned.
“That’s what you fail to realize this isn’t a fuckin’ game!” Ace spat ready to put his foot up his ass.
“It’s a game for me and I’m indeed enjoying it,” the Grim Reaper laughed as he turned to walk away. “It was nice talking to you, but I’m running a little late for another engagement. We’ll talk soon, I’m sure of that.” He said over his shoulder.
Ace walked off and headed to his awaiting ride. He jumped into the passenger side seat and slammed the door.
“Why the fuck you didn’t give me the signal? I had the perfect shot to take that nigga head off,” Jay trigger happy ass said pissed that he couldn’t body a nigga like he had planned to do.
“I need him alive until I’m 100 percent sure Sunshine is alive,” Ace said. “Where’s Boog?”
“That nigga decided to follow him to see if he’ll give us some type of lead of some sort,” Jay answered starting up the car and pulling off. “Yo, ya phone been ringing, Aaliyah called you twice. Who is she anyways, mane?” He asked.
Ace checked his phone and saw the two missed calls from Aaliyah along with the voicemail waiting for his attention. “Hold up,” he said to Jay as he punched in his code to check his message. Ace was damn near in tears when he was done listening to his message his daughters and Aaliyah had left him. “Take me home and Aaliyah is the woman I’ve been seeing for the last few months,” he said answering Jay’s question.
“What the fuck did that nigga want?” Jay asked referring to the man Ace was talking too moments earlier.
“He gave me a list of mothafuckas he want dead,” he answered finally unfolding the paper and reading the six names printed on it. “These names sound familiar.” He thought reading the names over and over. Ace had come across a lot of mothafuckas and some names he could never forget.
“Who’s on the list?” Jay asked seeing how deep in thoughts Ace was.
Ace ran the names off. “Why those names sound so damn familiar?” Jay questioned.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Ace said. “And you already know I’m gonna find out why.” He finished.
Jay dropped Ace off in front of his house, “Keep it real my G. I’ll holla,” Jay said as he and Ace slapped hands.
“You already know keeping it real is the only way,” Ace said as he climbed out of the car. “Yo, you might as well bring ya shorties over tomorrow and we have a little cookout. I just wanna chill around my niggas and our families,” Ace said. “I’m gonna holla at those niggas, Boy and Boog so that they can bring their shorties too.” He finished.
“No doubt. Do I need to bring anything?” Jay asked.
“Just you, ya girl, and ya shorties,” Ace said referring to his kids.
“A’ight bet, see you tomorrow. One,” Jay said pulling off.
Ace let himself in the house and was pissed to find that the alarm wasn’t set. He made his way upstairs and to his daughter’s bedroom to find it empty, letting him know that they were in bed with Aaliyah. For a while he just watched them sleep. Ace wasn’t sleepy at all and his mind was working over time trying to figure out why the names on the list sounded so familiar. He removed his shirt and slid his shoes off his feet before cuddling next to his girls. He closed his eyes hoping sleep would quickly find him.
Chapter 16
Aaliyah felt around the bed and when she didn’t feel or hear the girls she began to panic. Her eyes popped open and she started looking around. “Relax, the girls are downstairs enjoying themselves,” Ace said calming her down.
“Oh shit, Ace when did you get in?” She asked jumping from the bed and running into his awaiting arms. “Why didn’t you wake me?” She asked.
“I got in late last night after hearing the voicemail y’all left me and you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to bother you,” he said answering her questions. “I don’t know how you didn’t hear them this morning. When they woke up and realized I was in the bed with y’all they went crazy, he said laughing. “I had to pick them up and take them downstairs.”
“Oh God, what time is it?” Aaliyah asked looking over at the nightstand to check the time. “Why did you let me sleep in so late?” She asked when she realized it was already after 12PM.
“I already told you why. Now get dress there’s a few people I would like for you to meet. I decided to throw a little cookout with a few close friends of minds and their kids,” Ace said as he kissed her forehead. Aaliyah went to shower and dress and Ace went to rejoin Boy, Boog, and Jay in the backyard.
*
Aaliyah showered and didn’t know what to wear as she searched the small amount of clothes she kept at Ace’s home. She didn’t want to over dress or under dress but she did want to be comfortable. Aaliyah finally decided on a half-way shirt that revealed her belly button ring, a pair of thin sweats that fitted her and a pair of open toe booties. She dried her hair and put it up into
a neat bun sitting on top of her head and headed downstairs. She was nervous as hell because she had no idea as to who Ace wanted her to meet. She smiled at the thought. It was pretty cool and sweet that Ace wanted her to meet some of his friends.
As Aaliyah made it downstairs she could hear the kids running around laughing and playing and a few voices she couldn’t place. That reminded her that she hadn’t told Ace about the woman who stopped by the night before trying to go HAM on her.
*
On his way to the backyard his cell rung, “What’s up?” He answered. It was Moony on the other end.
“Shit, I’m just callin’ to see what’s really good,” Moony said.
“You tell me, nigga you been M.I.A. for a minute now. What’s up with that?” Ace asked.
“Chasing this paper. I was real close to snatching that nigga J’vion up, but I got the drop on that nigga and can grab him when I want,” Moony lied.
Ace shook his head at how easy it was for the lies to roll right off Moony’s tongue the way they were. Moony ass could have won two awards for best actor and liar of the year.
“Listen today we ain’t talking about any street shit. It’s family day so grab ya youngin’s and ya girl and come hang out with ya niggas,” Ace said inviting him over as if he didn’t know what Moony was really up too.
“That’s what’s up, I’ll be there in about an hour,” Moony said before disconnecting the call.
*
As soon as Moony hung up with Ace, he dialed J’vion’s number.
“If you wanna take this nigga out, the time is now and he will least expect it,” he said when J’vion answered his phone.
“I need a location,” J’vion said into the phone. Moony gave him Ace’s home address and told him to wait until night fall to make any type of move, then the line went dead.
When J’vion hung up with Moony, he called a few of his niggas up and told them to get the choppas ready and to meet him at his crib within an hour so that they could go over how he wanted shit to go down. J’vion was killing Ace and Moony if he had the chance. Whoever else that fell from the gun play was just an added bonus for him.
*
Ace knew he had to warn Jay that Moony was on his way because he would shoot his ass without warning.
“Jay, that nigga Moony on his way over,” Ace said as he walked out into the backyard.
“Why?” Jay asked. Ace could see how quickly he had gone from cool to pissed the fuck off just that fast.
“Because I want that nigga to think that everything is cool. He’s gonna get what’s coming to him, when the time is right,” Ace answered. “Jay you already know I’m always two moves ahead of everyone else. If that nigga is really only after the money, he’ll try to make a move today.” He said.
“And I’m putting him the fuck down today,” Jay said annoyed as hell.
Ace went to say something but stopped when he saw, Aaliyah coming out of the house. “Damn, she makes sweats and a half-shirt look good!” He thought. Ace walked over to her and grabbed her hand. “You look beautiful.” He whispered in her ear. She smiled and said thank you.
“Listen up, there is someone I would like for you all to meet,” Ace said. “This is, Aaliyah the new lady of my life. She’s been holding me down and rocking out with me through all the bullshit that’s been going on lately,” Ace said wrapping his arms around her.
“Damn, mane do she have a sister?” Jay asked.
“Excuse you?” Neisha, Jay’s baby momma asked with her hands on her hips.
“Chill out. I was only playing,” he said waving her off.
“A’ight, don’t write a check yo ass can’t cash,” Neisha said as she got up from her seat to hug Aaliyah. “Welcome to the fam girl,” she said as she grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Ace.
“Baby, I got money in the bank so my checks good,” Jay said laughing. Lynn flipped him off.
“Aaliyah!” Savanna yelled as she ran to her. Aaliyah picked her up. “Daddy got the message and came home to us,” she said.
“I know. Why didn’t you wake me up?” Aaliyah asked.
“We wanted to but daddy said to let you get your beauty sleep,” she answered as she kissed Aaliyah on her check and wiggled out of her arms. Just as fast as she jumped into her arms she was gone again.
“I’m Neisha, this here is Keema, and over there is Tamera,” Neisha said introducing the ladies.
“It’s really nice to meet you ladies,” Aaliyah said.
The four of them begin talking as if they had been friends for years. Aaliyah felt right at home and was indeed enjoying herself. It felt good to be around other women her age again and that could relate to what she was going through. They men were on the grill laughing, joking, and drinking their beers while the ladies sat around watching the kids play and run around.
“I see y’all asses done started the party without me,” Moony said stepping out into the backyard. Jay smile quickly turned into a frown. Ace turned to sit his drink down and mouthed the words, “Be easy” to Jay before turning to show love to Moony.
“Nigga you right on time, the food is almost ready. So grab a beer or a cup of liquor and relax,” Ace said as they slapped hands and embraced in a brotherly hug.
A few years ago the brotherly hug they shared meant so much, but today it meant nothing at all to Ace and he was sure Moony felt the same way. How could he not when he turned on his nigga for a million dollar payout? While Moony went to dap the rest of his niggas up Ace hugged his baby momma, Ellis. Ellis and Moony shared a ten year old son and as Ace thought about it, he hoped like hell Moony son didn’t turn out to be like his backstabbing father when he got older.
“Oh my, Ace how have you been? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you around,” Ellis said.
“I’ve been good just raising my babies,” Ace said as he turned around to find, Savanna and Serenity still running around with smiles on their faces.
The party was now underway as everyone drunk and ate while telling old stories. Everyone was having such a good time that no one noticed day had turned into night. The grill was still going and the kids were still having fun.
Ace stood at the back door watching everyone. The cookout had him thinking about the first time he had laid eyes on Sunshine, bringing a smile to his face.
Aaliyah wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. She felt the gun that was resting at the small of his back. She didn’t ask any questions as she excused herself.
“Where are you goin’? Ace asked pulling her back to him.
“To take off these booties off,” she answered. She knew if Ace was carrying his gun around the house, it only meant trouble was somewhere close. Since they had been talking he never carried his gun on him especially around his daughters. Even if something wasn’t about to go down she rather be safe than sorry. Her father had always told her she should always carry a gun and not need one rather than not have one and need one.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Ace asked.
“I really am and I wanna thank you because you didn’t have to introduce me to any of your friends but you did,” Aaliyah said hugging him again.
“Aaliyah, I did. That’s family out there. If I’m not around you can go to either Boy, Jay, or Boog for anything and I mean anything,” Ace assured.
Aaliyah quickly picked up on Ace not mentioning Moony and it had her wondering why. She knew that it wasn’t a good time to ask and she was pretty sure when Ace was ready to reveal why he would let her in on it.
“I’m going to take the kids in the house and put on a movie upstairs,” Aaliyah said. Ace nodded his head up and down approving of what she had said.
“Aaliyah, I just want you to know that I love you,” Ace said pulling her back to him.
“I know and I hope you know that I love you back,” she replied. They
shared a kiss before she went and rounded all the kids up. Neisha decided to help her get the kids settled while Tamera, Keema and Ellis decided to help clean.
*
After getting the kids settled Aaliyah and Neisha went into the bedroom Ace and Aaliyah shared while she changed out of her booties into a pair of air max sneakers.
“Neisha, can I ask you something and please be honest with me,” Aaliyah said now tying her sneakers.
“What’s up? Ask me anything,” Neisha said taking a seat on the foot of the bed.
“Did I miss anything before I came out into the yard today?” Aaliyah asked searching for a longer shirt, one that would conceal the gun she was about to place at the small of her back.
Neisha smiled, she liked Aaliyah already. “Why do you ask that?” Neisha asked.
“Because since Ace and I have been dealing with each other I haven’t known him to carry his gun around the house especially while his daughters are here,” she told her. “I just wanna be on my P’s and Q’s if anything is about to go down.”
Neisha went on to tell Aaliyah about the conversation Jay and Ace had before she walked out earlier that day.
“That explains why Ace didn’t add Moony names to the list of people I would be able to go to if he wasn’t around.” Aaliyah thought. “Do you know if Sunshine had a sister?”
“Yeah she does but she moved to Florida right after Sunshine died years ago, why?” Neisha asked.
“I asked because a woman who looks just like Sunshine just a bit darker than she is stopped by last night and wasn’t pleased at all to see me,” Aaliyah said.
“Did you tell Ace?” Neisha asked. “And that had to be her sister, Brenda. Brenda and I was best friends until she found out how serious things between Jay and I was getting. She felt some type of way because she wanted Ace but he never wanted her.” She said.
“No, I haven’t told him yet and that’s crazy,” Aaliyah said.
“Let’s get back downstairs,” Neisha said. They checked on the kids before going back to rejoin the party.
As they stepped back into the yard Lynn walked over to Jay and Aaliyah walked over to where Ace stood talking to Boy. She scanned the backyard and found Moony off in the corner pacing while talking on his phone. It was as if everyone was on pins and needles waiting for the ball to drop.