I'm Still Wifey

by Swinson, Kiki

  “Yeah.”

  “And what did they say?”

  “They didn’t say anything. All they did was write everything I said down on their little notepad.”

  “Well, did they say who might’ve shot y’all?”

  “No. They seemed like they was as clueless as I was.”

  “Did they show you some pictures or throw any names around?”

  “Nope,” I said nonchalantly.

  “Well, did they say they were gonna get back in touch with you, so y’all can talk again?”

  “Yeah. They said they was going to call me in a few days. And they gave me their cards, too, just in case I think of something that I didn’t tell ’em.” I switched up the conversation asking him, “Do you know who shot us?”

  “No. But I’m about to find out.”

  “Well, do you have an idea? I mean, did Mark have beef with somebody? Or owed a nigga some money or something?”

  “Nah. It wasn’t none of that.”

  “Well, was he a stick-up kid?”

  Syncere looked at me like I was losing my damn mind and said, “Kira, please don’t ever disrespect me or my man by asking me something like that,” he began saying, “It’s not that type of party with us. Ain’t none of the cats in my crew cowboys or Indians. We are legit businessmen and that’s it.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Everything’s all love. That’s why I’m putting you up at Nikki’s crib. So you ain’t got to worry about nothing.”

  “Yeah, girl, Syncere filled up my refrigerator with a whole bunch of groceries. He even got us some brand new DVDs to watch and we got spending money just in case we want to order out.”

  “Ahh...that was nice,” I said, being phony as hell. I mean come on...what this nigga think, I’m some kind of Reebok chick? Shit, I can cop my own self some groceries and a couple of DVDs. But what he can do is hit me off with some pain and suffering money. ‘Cause I could definitely use it.

  “Yes, girl,” Nikki interjected, “That’s my boo!”

  “I know that’s right,” I replied, disgusted as all get out and then I turned my head to look out the window.

  “Mark’s funeral is this Friday,” Syncere spoke again.

  “It is?” I turned my focus back into his direction.

  “Yeah. So do you want to go?”

  “Of course. But where is it going to be?”

  “Some church his moms belong to back in New Jersey.”

  “What time?”

  “She told me it’s going to start at two o’clock.”

  “So, what time you planning on leaving here?”

  “I’ma leave VA about 6 o’clock in the morning, so I can get an early start on that heavy traffic we’re going to run into.”

  “A’ight. Well, I’ll be ready,” I told him. And then I called out to Nikki and said, “Nikki, are you going, too?”

  “Yep. I’m going.”

  “Good. I’m glad. ‘Cause I’m gon’ sho’ need you by my side with this one.”

  “Trust me, I’m going to be with you every step of the way,” she assured me.

  ***

  Arriving at Nikki’s apartment is when I realized that we had reached our final destination. Inside, Nikki had everything arranged for me. Her guest room was equipped with everything I could possibly need. Shit, I am not going to have to get up for nothing. So I’m down for that. But what I ain’t down for is how Syncere tried to carry me. I mean, does he have the slightest idea of who the hell I am? ’Cause, if he doesn’t, then I need to bring him up to speed about who my husband is and about how much property and dough we used to have before all that shit went down. He also needs to know that I’m the one who’s feeling disrespected, not him. So when I get my chance, I will shed some light on this situation.

  Meanwhile, as I was going through my emotional roller coaster, Nikki was sending Syncere on his way. After he left, she found her way back to see me in the guest room.

  “You all right?” she asked me, smiling.

  “I will be after this medicine starts kicking in,” I said as I laid my head back in the pillow.

  “Well look, I want to tell you something. But before I tell you, you’ve got to promise me that you won’t tell anyone.”

  “Okay. I promise,” I agreed because Nikki seemed like she was serious about this one.

  “You can’t tell the police, either.”

  “Wait!” I said as the speed of my heart started picking up. “Does this have something to do with me and Mark?”

  Nikki nodded her head .

  “And you don’t want me to tell the police?” I asked, becoming furious with the thought.

  “No. You can’t. So do you promise me you won’t say anything? And what I’m about to tell you won’t leave this room?”

  Now as bad as I wanted to tell her that I couldn’t promise her that I wouldn’t keep my mouth closed, I somehow knew in the back of my mind that she would refuse to tell me what was going on. So I forced myself to agree to her terms.

  “Okay. Anything you hear will not leave this room. You promise?”

  “Yes, I promise,” I assured her.

  Nikki sat down on the bed next to me and said, “When me and Syncere were asleep last night, he got a phone call on his cell phone about 11:30 p.m. So when he got out of the bed and went out on my patio, I thought that he was trying to be considerate. But then it dawned on me that since he’s been acting kind of funny lately, that it could be some hoe he was fucking with behind my back. So I got out of the bed and tip-toed my butt right on over to the patio doors and stood still, so I could eavesdrop on his conversation. And lucky for me, the door was cracked a little, because if it wasn’t, I would not have heard a thing.”

  “So, what was he saying?”

  “Well, whoever he was talking to, he asked them why it took them so long to call him back? And then he said the chick that was with him that night ain’t dead. So right then, I knew he was talking about you.”

  “What?” I said because I was getting a little confused.

  “Wait! Let me finish,” Nikki said.

  “Go ahead,” I insisted.

  “Okay. And then he told the person on the phone that you heard them talking, which wasn’t a good thing. But he’s glad that they didn’t say much.”

  “And why the fuck wasn’t that a good thing?” I interjected. “What is Syncere—an accomplice to Mark’s murder or something? Because this shit ain’t adding up. I mean, why would he tell somebody that I heard the guys who shot us talking to each other, and say that it’s not a good thing? It seems like he’s trying to help whoever shot us cover their tracks. And I don’t like that a bit. Plus, it’s starting to give me the creeps. I mean, if he did have something to do with it, then what was the motive behind it? Because the last time I checked, I thought that him and Mark were homeboys?”

  “I thought so, too. But after hearing this conversation, I quickly came to the conclusion that something ain’t right at all.”

  “You damn right! So what are we going to do about it?”

  “We ain’t going to do nothing. Because first of all, we do not know who Syncere was talking to on his cell phone. And two, we have absolutely no proof to link him to what happened that night.”

  “Look Nikki,” I began to say, “I can’t stay here knowing all of this. And it’s going to be real hard for me not to look at that nigga funny when he comes here.”

  “Kira, I understand that. But we cannot let on that we know what’s going on.”

  “Well, I don’t think that I’m going to be able to pull it off. So you might as well take me home.”

  “No, I can’t let you,” Nikki began saying, “Because what if those guys who killed Mark come back and try to take you out?”

  “Well, after that shit you just told me, my apartment might be safer than yours.”

  “Listen,” Nikki said, “the best thing for us to do is stick together and wait this thing out. And if Syncere did hav
e something to do with Mark getting killed, then it’ll come out. And when it does, then you and I will not have a choice about whether or not to go to the police, because we will.”

  I sighed heavily and said, “I am so tired of going to the police.”

  “I know. Me too. But somebody’s got to protect us.”

  “Don’t remind me,” I told her and then I covered my entire face with the bedspread, as a gazillion thoughts began to run through my mind.

  Nikki got up from the bed and said, “Go ahead and get some rest. But let me know when you need me to do something for you, okay?”

  ***

  “All right.”

  The morning of the trip to New Jersey is when I decided that I wasn’t going. Coming face to face with Mark’s lifeless body is not how I want to remember him. Not to mention the thought of riding with the man who I feel had something to do with my incident and Mark’s murder. Shit! It would not surprise me if this nigga’s purpose for this trip is to kidnap me and Nikki and do away with our asses. So I tell you what, if it is my time to go, it will not be on a road trip. I can promise you that one.

  So when Syncere finally came through, it was a little after 6 a.m. And when he saw that Nikki and I weren’t dressed and still in bed, he got somewhat testy.

  “Why ain’t ya’ll ready?” I heard him yelling from Nikki’s bedroom.

  “Because we’re not going,” she told him.

  “So why didn’t you call and tell me that before I took this long-ass ride over here?”

  “I did. But your voicemail kept coming on the first ring.”

  “And when was this?”

  “It was last night.”

  “What time?”

  “I don’t remember. But I did call you twice.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Yeah. I mean, what else do you want me to say?”

  “Just tell me, why all of a sudden y’all changed y’all mind?”

  “Well, because Kira’s still in a lot of pain, so she’s not in the mood for a bumpy ride.”

  “You sho’ it’s nothing else?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. I mean, what else could it be?” I heard Nikki say.

  “Yo, whatever, man!” he replied and then I heard him storm out of the apartment. Now almost immediately after Syncere vacated the premises, I heard Nikki running down the hallway in my direction.

  “Hey, Kira, you up?” she asked me the instant she opened the bedroom door and poked her head in the room.

  “Yeah. I’m up,” I told her.

  “Did Syncere’s loud mouth wake you up?”

  “You know it did.”

  “And I take it you heard every word he uttered from his mouth, huh?”

  “Every word. And I could tell that he was really pissed off, too.”

  “Yep. He sure was. But he’ll get over it.”

  “Well, do you think that he bought your story about me still being in pain?”

  “He didn’t have a choice.”

  “So, I heard,” I commented.

  “Well, he’ll be gone for the whole weekend, so I guess we’ll both be at peace ’round here.”

  “Yes. And I’m going to love every minute of it, too.”

  “Well, go ‘head on back to sleep, then. I’m getting ready to get right back in my bed, so I can get me some more shut eye.”

  “All right,” I said and then Nikki closed the door.

  Mixing Shit Up

  After Bossman gave me word that his peoples have been having a hard time trying to run into Kira at the salon, I went on and gave them the okay to squat outside her lil’ condo. But come to find out, she ain’t been staying there for almost two weeks now. Bossman told me that they gon’ have to pull back for a week or so, so they won’t make themselves hot and draw attention to themselves. I said, a’ight. But I stressed to him that I’m gon’ still need somebody to ride through every now and then, just to check to see if her whip shows up.

  He agreed to have that done. But in the meantime, I see I’m gon’ have to do some footwork myself because Kira’s been alive long enough. It’s time for her oxygen to expire. And I’m gon’ speed up the process.

  Later, when Lena pulled me out of the block, I ran game on her.

  “Ay, baby.”

  “Yeah,” she answered me right after she handed me my container of food.

  “I’m gon’ need you to do me another favor.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Well, I’m trying to catch up with my wife. But can’t nobody seem to catch up to her. So I’m gon’ need you to go by there.”

  “And what am I suppose to say when I see her?”

  “Nothing. All I want you to do is when you see her, call this number right here and my peoples will do the rest. Oh yeah, her address is up there, too.”

  Lena took the piece of paper outta my hand, looked at it, and said, “And whose number does this belong to?”

  “Look, you don’t need to know all that,” I began to tell her. “All you gotta do is go by her crib, sit outside in your car, and wait for her to come home. And then, as soon as you see her, call that number and tell the person who answers it that she’s home.”

  “But I don’t understand why I gotta do all of that.”

  “It ain’t for you to understand. Now, can you do like I asked you?”

  “I don’t know, Ricky,” she started saying, “I mean, I’m not into the stalking thing.”

  “You ain’t stalking her.”

  “Then what do you call it?”

  “Look Lena, stop with the questions, ’cause this shit I need you to do is critical.”

  “Well, I’m sorry, Ricky. I’m just not into that type of stuff you’re asking me to do.”

  “I don’t give a fuck what kind of shit you into,” I snapped, standing up in her face. “Because you gon’ do it. And that’s a wrap!”

  “But how can you make me sit outside your wife’s place and wait for her to come home?”

  “Because you’re my girl and I can do that,” I said with authority and then I kept right on eating my food.

  “But I’m not comfortable doing that.”

  “Lena, you doing it! So I don’t wanna hear nothing else about it!”

  “Well, can I ask you a question?”

  “What?!”

  “Are you trying to have something bad done to her?”

  “Are you trying to get involved?” I asked her with the meanest grit my face could make.

  “No,” she told me as her lips began to tremble.

  “Well, shut the fuck up! And stop asking me twenty-one questions!”

  Once I said my piece, Lena caught on very quick and I didn’t have any problems with her for the rest of the night.

  Right after I got my stomach straight, I made her give me some head. I didn’t want any pussy tonight because I wasn’t in the mood for it. And as soon as my dick exploded, I wiped my shit off and I made her take me right back to the block.

  Purple Haze

  I am beginning to feel better and better as the days go by, so today I got Nikki to drive me to my apartment, so I could grab a few things. Plus, I wanted to gather all the mail I knew I had stacked in my mailbox.

  Now when I entered into my house it was crazy because I could still smell the scent of Mark’s cologne lingering in the cushions of my sofa and on the pillows on my bed. I couldn’t stand it, knowing that he was gone and that my house was filled with his memories. So as soon as I grabbed a bagful of my clothes and shoes, I made my exit before I had a nervous breakdown.

  I walked out of my apartment first and Nikki followed, holding my bags in her hand. And as I began to limp towards my car, I pressed the unlock button on my key ring.

  “Press the trunk button, too,” Nikki said as she approached the back of my car.

  And then as I grabbed onto the door handle to open the passenger side door, a powder blue, late model Nissan Maxima pulled up next to my car with a Spanish-looking chick behind the steering w
heel. She looked like she was lost and was about to ask me or Nikki for directions to someplace. But I was wrong.

  “Are you Kira?” she asked me in a very forward manner, looking directly into my face.

  “Who wants to know?” I asked because this chick was making me feel leery as hell right now.

  Nikki noticed this as well because she immediately shut the trunk of my car and walked over to where this chick and I were standing.

  “Yeah, who wants to know?” Nikki also said.

  “My name is Lena Bivens. And I work over at the same jail where your husband Ricky is an inmate.”

  “Okay. I’m Kira. Now, what can I do for you?” I asked because I was very anxious to know what she was about to say.

  “Well Kira, I’m just going to give it to you straight,” she began saying. “For the past month I’ve been involved with your husband on many levels.”

  “Oh really? So does one of those levels consist of you fucking him?” I smiled because now I was starting to get amused.

  “Yes. And I don’t know how I allowed him to get me all caught up in his web, but for the last few weeks I’ve been bringing him food in from the streets. And just recently, I’ve been sneaking him drugs in off the street, so he can get his hustle on....”

  “So you came way over here to tell me that?” I interjected.

  “No, Kira. That’s not it.”

  “Well, damn, he’s got you doing more shit?”

  “Kira, I think he’s trying to have somebody hurt you.”

  “And what makes you say that?” I asked as I began to feel the butterflies spiraling in the pit of my stomach.

  “Well, because when I pulled him out of his cell a couple nights ago, he told me that he’s been having major problems with a couple of his people trying to catch you at home. So now he needs me to stake out your apartment and as soon as I see you, I’m supposed to call this number right here.” She held a piece of paper in her hand for me to grab. I took it out of her hand frantically and said, “And who does this number belong to?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “So, you’re telling me that you’re supposed to call this number without asking for someone by name?”

  “Yep. That’s exactly what I was instructed to do. As a matter of fact, I asked him who was I suppose to ask for and he told me nobody.”