by Nene Capri
Latreece paused, looking in his eyes. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
“Whatever. Come on,” he said as he exited the patio.
“Boa!” she called out, but he kept on going. She realized then that her relationship with Boa was over.
-33-
Bitch Bye
KoKo sat in the VIP section of a local New York nightclub, enjoying a drink and watching the action. Over the last couple days, she had been having shit thrown in her lap left and right. She needed to sit and regroup. KoKo was just getting to a point of mental comfort when Chucky came to the door and knocked as he entered. KoKo gave him that look that said, “I wasn’t trying to be bothered.”
“Excuse me, KoKo, but Boa’s wife is out here trying to see you.”
“Who?” KoKo said as she took a pull on her blunt.
“Latreece. And she’s drunk and upset.” Chucky stood waiting for his instructions.
KoKo paused, took another pull and blew out smoke. “Bring her to me.” Chucky left the room and returned ten minutes later with Latreece marching behind him. The two security guards frisked her before entering, and then led Latreece into the room.
“What can I do for you?”
“How do you sleep at night knowing you’re a homewrecker?” she asked with a slightly drunken slur.
KoKo maintained her calm demeanor. “Well, after Boa finishes eating my pussy I sleep like a baby,” KoKo responded.
Latreece sneered at KoKo through blood shot eyes full of disgust and pain. “You’re a hateful bitch. I should have known the whole time you were after my man.”
“First of all, if I’m a bitch, I’m the baddest bitch you will ever meet.” KoKo stood up, grabbing her gun.
Latreece’s eyes grew wide.
“Oh, now you quiet?” KoKo walked toward her. When she got right up on her, she put the gun under her chin, pushing her head all the way back.
Tears slid down the sides of Latreece’s eyes.
KoKo leaned in and whispered,” Let me share three things with you right quick. One, can’t no bitch take what’s yours. Second, never confront the other bitch. It could be hazardous to your health. And three, tonight when Boa is deep up in this good kitty, and he whispers, ‘KoKo, let me taste you,’ I’ma lay back and throw these sexy chocolate legs over his shoulders. And as the tip of his tongue dances up and down my pussy, and I feel the urge to cum, I’ma arch my back, reach around the back of his head, and call out your name.”
Latreece and her falling tears didn’t move KoKo’s emotions one centimeter. “Who are you again?” She chuckled. “Oh yeah, you don’t fucking exist in my world.” KoKo backed up. “Get this bitch outta my face before I change my mind.” Slowly, she put the gun in her waist and moved toward the table.
Chucky came to Latreece’s side and took her by the arm. The anguished look on her face made him feel her pain.
Back in her seat, KoKo watched Chucky escort Latreece out the room. “Bitch, you better be lucky I already met my killing quota for the week, or you’d be having niggas saying nice shit over you.” She crossed her legs and grabbed her drink.
As Latreece reached the main door, shame and betrayal trumped her emotional state.
KoKo relit her blunt and smirked. “Fuck outta here.” She took a long pull, blowing smoke in the air. “This is my world. And every fucking thing in it.” Those spoken words bounced off the walls. Her heart sank at the thought that just a few years ago, she was the wife of a boss. And now she had turned into the very bitch she would kill over her man. The painful reality caused her to pour drink after drink until she no longer gave a fuck.
You Have a Collect Call From. . .
The middle of the summer meant ‘hot as hell’ in Rikers Island prison, which made for dangerous conditions behind those wretched walls. Baseem was working the routine he set for himself, to keep busy and avoid killing a nigga. He had just returned to his cell from the yard, face pouring with sweat after running sixteen miles and a strenuous routine of pushups, sit-ups and pull-ups. When he hit his cell he got an instant attitude. A new inmate was put in his room, and after being in there alone for a month he wasn’t feeling having a roommate again.
“What’s up, Ak? I’m Curt.”
Baseem looked at his hand and replied, “What’s up?” Baseem went past him and grabbed his towel and sweatpants and T-shirt from his locker.
Curt felt a little uneasy because Baseem was moving around quietly and with an apparent attitude. He looked up from where he was hanging his pictures and was about to say something when Baseem asked, “Where you from?”
“Cali,” Curt responded.
“Well, just a quick intro. I’ve been in here too long for bullshit. I’m a loner and I don’t talk much, so you don’t have to bother trying to find shit to talk about, I’m good.” He pulled his shirt over his head.
“That’s cool. I feel the same,” he responded, not really knowing how to receive Baseem.
As Baseem turned to walk out the cell, a photo caught his eye. A group of cats were inside a club holding up bottles. He honed in on the one guy in the middle as he said to himself, What the fuck?
Two hours later . . .
“You have a call from a correctional facility. You will not be charged for this this call. This call is from, ‘Baseem.’ To accept this call dial five now,” the operator’s voice came through KoKo’s phone.
KoKo pressed five and was connected. “Yooo!” she said into the receiver. It was a pleasant surprise.
“What’s good, sis?” Baseem said with a smile.
“You good? Everything okay?” KoKo asked, growing a little concern as it was not his habit to call her directly.
“Yeah, I’m good. I need you to come see me.” He paused, letting her know that it was important. Baseem never asked for a visit.
“All right. When is the next visiting day?”
“Tomorrow at 9 a.m.”
“I’ll be there.”
“See you then.”
KoKo hung up, wondering what could have taken place that he needed to see her all of a sudden. Whatever it was, she was on her way to finding out.
The Visit . . .
“Dawkins!” the fat white correction officer yelled out, looking over his glasses at the inmates with coldness. KoKo rose up from her chair. All eyes were on her as she walked to the desk in her tight white skinny jeans, matching tanktop and all white high-heeled open toe sandles. Her feet and nails were perfectly manicured. She put her I.D. on the counter and signed the book. A husky female guard waved her along toward the metal detector. As soon as she got close, the detector sounded its beeping. KoKo looked at the butch-looking officer who yelled out, “Go back through.” She complied and the detector beeped again.
“Again!” she yelled and sucked her teeth with attitude all in her voice.
KoKo leered at her like she wanted to smack her, but instead she walked through again.
“Lieutenant!” the white guard said to the young black guard who was filling out forms. He took his time and then stood up, grabbed the wand, and headed toward KoKo.
“Can you put your arms out?” he said in a flirtatious tone.
KoKo extended her arms and opened her legs. The officer ran the wand over her arms and up and down her legs and back up. When his eyes met with KoKo’s, she said, “It feels good to pull out something long and hard in front of a bad bitch, huh?” Then she smiled.
The officer flashed a nervous smile and then let her go. KoKo winked at the female guard, grabbed her money and moved toward the doors. After being marched through several sets of doors that slammed hard every time the last person passed through, she was then led to the visit hall. The women behind her started to rush for seats and then to the machines like high school girls. They wore all kinds of skirts and tight ass jeans. KoKo stood back and watched. “I could never get used to this shit,” she said, going to the back of the hall where the last of the seats were. She found one in the middle, took off he
r jacket, and placed it on the chair.
KoKo looked around a minute more, and proceeded to the machines and got two apple juices and a sandwich for Baseem. As she walked back to her seat, inmates were emerging from a door near the corner, and all eyes were on her. She sashayed past the wondering eyes and walked to her seat. As she sat back down, she watched the children run into their father’s arms and the women followed, waiting for the wandering hands and sloppy kisses.
Next to her, a full make out session had started. She just shook her head. After about fifteen minutes, Baseem emerged from the back of the line. He had that familiar grimace on his face, bopping hard and giving no love. A few niggas shouted him out. He nodded slightly and kept on moving. When he got to KoKo he saluted her. KoKo returned it and then he picked her up and hugged her tight.
“Stop, Bas. You play too much,” KoKo said, giggling.
“Sheeeit . . .I miss the hell outta you,” he said, releasing her from his grip.”
KoKo hit his arm. “I miss you too, but I don’t need my spine rearranged.”
“Stop being so mean.” He smiled.
KoKo smiled also. “It’s good to see you, Bas.”
“Yeah, a nigga doing what he gotta do.”
“Loyalty can’t be brought,” KoKo responded.
“I know. It’s earned.”
“Indeed. Did ya mom get everything?”
“Yeah, she straight. Thank you.”
As they sat in their seats, KoKo went right to business. “So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
“I saw your boy.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, Aldeen took a vacation.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, to Cali.”
KoKo gave him a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Nigga was all posted up in pics and shit.”
“What else do we know?” KoKo asked.
“Little of this, little of that. I’m trying not to press too hard.”
“Okay, don’t. When a nigga is proud of his work he signs his own contract.”
Baseem nodded in agreement.
KoKo looked over to her right and a couple was getting it in.
“Damn, it’s like that?” she said to Baseem.
“That ain’t nothing. Sometimes I’m in charge of taking the pictures out here. Niggas be fucking bitches all up against the wall and shit,” Baseem added as he opened his drink and began taking sips.
“See, I can’t be with no nigga locked up. I need to go to sleep and wake up with that shit in my hand.”
Baseem snickered while trying to keep juice from coming out his mouth. “You so crazy. Sheeeit . . .I wish I could sneak me some pussy. Nigga got two years strong in this muthafucka.” He put his hand between his legs and rocked his knees back and forth.
“Don’t worry, KoKo got you. Check it. In a couple week’s, a counselor will be here. Fine ass redbone. She is going to send for you and I want you to encourage your boy to seek the same counselor.” KoKo gave him that look. Baseem again nodded in agreement. KoKo rose to her feet. “Don’t get fucked up.” She laughed.
“Sheeit . . .I’ma be a counseling getting muhfucka.” He hugged KoKo tight and then released her.
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do. Oh, yeah, thanks for everything.” He looked in her eyes, getting serious.
KoKo smiled. “Just make the appointment and thank a bitch when you balls deep.”
Baseem laughed and then put back on his grimace as KoKo headed to the doors to exit the visit hall.
-34-
Road Trip
KoKo pulled into the projects on Benning Road in D.C. She had taken a trip to Wise and Aldeen’s house in Virginia, only to find out that no one was home. So she headed to the trap spot out there in D.C.
When she pulled in the lot, she looked around to check her surroundings. After securing her guns, she got out and walked up to the entrance of the apartment building that she was told they would be in. Then she walked up to the second floor. KoKo rapped on the door and waited. She stood in full murder mode, ready to kill or be killed. After a few minutes of no answer, she knocked again. She pulled her gun and removed the safety. Just as she brought her arm up to knock again she heard someone.
“Who is it?”
She paused and waited for the voice to get closer.
“Who the fuck is it?” the voice rang out again, sounding eerily familiar, yet she wasn’t sure who it was.
“Is Wise here?” she asked.
After a few seconds, she heard the chains being removed from the door and the locks opening. When the door cracked, the smell of garbage and basin hit her nose. She scrunched her nose and wrinkled her brow with her finger firmly on the trigger, prepared for whatever. As the door opened more, she was met with the grotesque sight of Wise.
He looked at her with a little shock. His face told it all. Sunken cheeks sleep-deprived eyes, and sweat beads covered his face like he had been running a country mile. The classic look of a basehead who was up all night. “What’s good, sis?” he slurred and reached out to hug her.
Repulsed by the whole scene, KoKo allowed him a half embrace but quickly pulled back. “What took you so long to open the door? And why the fuck you ain’t letting me in?”
“Oh, my fault. Come in,” he said, inching back. KoKo squeezed past him as he locked the door. “Excuse the apartment. We just run a little shit outta here,” he said, following KoKo into the living room. He tried to pick up a few bottles and cans on his way to the kitchen.
“So what you been up to, Wise?” KoKo asked, even though it was apparent. He had lost mad weight. His skin was dark and his clothes dusty. He was definitely not the Wise she once knew.
“Ahhhh, man, you know how we do. Me and Al just trying to keep D.C. on the map,” he said, taking a seat. “You want something to drink?” He stood up quickly on his way to the refrigerator.
KoKo looked back at the dishes piled up in the sink with food stuck all on them. “Nah, I’m good.”
“Oh a’ight,” he said, sitting back down. “So what brings the Queen down here to see the little people?” he asked sarcastically.
“Just checking on my brothers.”
“Humph. I see. Well, it took you long enough. I thought you forgot about a nigga.”
“How can I forget about you, Wise?”
“It’s funny because muhfuckas are around here doing all kinds of shit that I would never expect,” he said, joining eyes with KoKo.
“Where is Aldeen?” She got straight to the point.
Wise chuckled. “’Doin’ him, I guess.” He pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
“You guess? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Like I said. He doin’ him. That’s a grown man. You need to ask him what he’s up to.”
“What the fuck is you talking about?” KoKo was getting agitated. “I sent you two muthafuckas down here together. How the fuck you don’t know what’s going on?”
“The same way you don’t.”
KoKo was getting ready to go in when a woman emerged from a door by the living room. “Wise, come tie me off,” the woman yelled like she was asking for butter or some shit.
“Go back in the fucking room!” Wise yelled.
The woman wore a dirty gown and her hair was all over her head. “Come on, Wise, I need you,” she whined and anxiously scratched her arm.
“Get the fuck back in the room. I’ll be right there!” he said, feeling ashamed.
KoKo looked the woman over. Through all the trauma apparent in her appearance, KoKo could tell the woman was Wise’s side piece from back in the day who drove the red Jag. She couldn’t believe this high-post bitch that always had the best, was now strung the fuck out.
The woman stared at KoKo and squinted. “KoKo, is that you?” she slurred with a half-smile.
Too disgusted, KoKo didn’t even answer.
“You need to get the fuck back
in that room like he told you before I put you out of your dirty ass misery.”
The smile dropped from her face as she looked over at Wise. She walked back in the room and slammed the door.
“What the fuck is going on up in here? You done got down here and turned into a fucking junkie? Aldeen’s ass running around ‘doing him’, as you so eloquently put it, and you don’t know shit. Y’all muthafucka’s done lost y’all mind.”
“It’s your fucking fault!” Wise stood up and cut in. “You don’t give a fuck about us!” He was breathing hard, and it appeared that a tear had welled up in his eye. “You let that nigga Night come in and take over, snatch our status, and put us in the fucking outskirts while you run around building shit. When was the last time you came down here? I haven’t seen your ass in months.” He paused and then went on. “We built this shit with you.” Wise pounded his chest as his voice vibrated through the living room.
Wise’s words had struck a chord in KoKo. She could see the pain in his face, but she had no real sympathy. He was a grown ass man, and he was getting ready to feel some real pain. “Nigga, man the fuck up. I ain’t your fucking mother. Your black ass ain’t going through nothing that nobody else ain’t going through. Look what the fuck I lost. You don’t see me putting shit in my veins and sucking glass dicks. And why the fuck you ain’t reach out? That bitch, Ma Bell, runs both ways. You wasn’t on the other end of my line.”
“Fuck you, KoKo. You only care about yourself.” His words again bounced loudly off the apartment walls.
KoKo gripped her gun handle tight as she rationalized the severity of his words. Part of her wanted to feel for him, but the other parts said ‘kill this nigga.’ KoKo raised her gun. “Fuck me?” she said with her arm extended, gun firmly in hand, and finger-hugging the trigger.
Wise dropped to his knees in front of KoKo as tears fell from his eyes. “I don’t give a fuck. I ain’t got shit to live for. I failed you. I failed Kayson and I failed myself. Kill me. Shit, it’s better than living the life of a fucking junkie.” He locked eyes with KoKo, arms stretched out and awaiting his verdict.