Street Dreams

by K'wan

  “I got it,” Mikey said.

  “Good. Jenkins, don’t worry about a thing. We’ll be on you the whole time. At the first sign of trouble, you’ll have the whole precinct over here like stink on shit.”

  “I don’t think I’ll have any trouble,” Jenkins said, checking his weapon. “Me and young Mikey here will get along famously.”

  “Okay, partner. But don’t take any chances.”

  Officer Jenkins and Mikey made their way toward the projects as if nothing was wrong. Mikey thought about running, but he didn’t want to risk the officer making good on his threat. His best bet was to play along for now. He had never considered himself a snitch, but with the threat of jail time looming, a cat found out that he wasn’t as tough as he thought he was. Mikey found himself caught up in some bullshit. His only hope would be that the police honored their promise to relocate him. Because he knew that when it was all said and done, his life wouldn’t be worth a nickle in New York.

  Rio sat on Joyce's couch, sweating like a runaway slave. Between the heat of the apartment and the bottle he had downed, he felt like he was going to faint. The multicolored furniture in the living room made Rio feel like the place was spinning. He spared a glance at the rear of the house and wondered what the hell was taking Joyce so long with the coffee?

  As if on cue, Joyce came out of the bedroom. To Rio's surprise she had shed her club outfit for a red silk bathrobe. The soft material clung to her body, giving Rio an eyeful. Joyce might not have been pretty in the face, but she was well put together. She slid on the couch next to Rio, holding two glasses that were filled with a green liquid.

  “Here,” Joyce said, handing him one of the glasses. “The coffee's on, but I thought you might’ve wanted something a li’l lighter to sip on while you waited.”

  “Joyce,” Rio said, pushing the glass away. “I think I’ve had enough.”

  “Oh, stop being scared,” she said, pushing the glass back at him. “This ain’t nothing but some puckers and a pinch of vodka. It’ll make you feel better than that bottle of yak you been sipping on.”

  Rio eyeballed the glass before taking it. True, he was drunk as a skunk, but he didn’t feel like quitting yet. The yak was sure to make him “earl” eventually, so maybe the puckers was the lesser of the two evils. Rio shrugged and reached for the drink. He downed the green liquid so quickly that he never even noticed the small pill dissolving in the bottom of the glass.

  “Feeling better?” Joyce asked with a devilish grin.

  “A li’l something. Thanks, Joyce.”

  “Ain’t nothing, Rio. I’m just trying to look out, that's all. So, let's kick it a little while we wait on the coffee?”

  “A’ight, but you know I can’t stay long.”

  “I know, Rio. Gotta go chase Trinity, right?”

  “See,” he slurred, “there you go. Why you gotta come at me like that, Joyce?”

  “Like what? I ain’t said nothing that ain’t true.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Whatever, Rio. So, you gonna sit here and tell me that you haven’t thought about going by her house?”

  “Well… no. I mean… yeah. I mean… “

  “What do you mean, Rio?”

  “I don’t know, Joyce,” Rio said, rubbing his forehead. He struggled to keep his thoughts focused. No doubt Joyce's little surprise was kicking in. “I’m all mixed up, ma. I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do. I love Trinity and all, but the way she do shit ain’t kosher.”

  “Rio, I hang wit her just about every day, so I know.” Joyce stretched her arms over her head causing the bottom of her robe to rise just above her waist. Rio looked down and noticed that Joyce wasn’t wearing any underwear. The sober side of him screamed, “Run, nigga,” but the drunk held him in place. All he could do was stare at Joyce's heart-shaped bush.

  “Why you staring at me like that?” she asked playfully.

  “Huh?” he said, trying to force his eyes to focus. “Nah, I was just daydreaming. Damn,” he said looking at his empty glass. “You sure it was only a pinch of vodka in there?”

  “Maybe a dash,” Joyce said, moving in closer. “You can handle it, can’t you?” Joyce laid her arm across the chair behind Rio's head, and one side of her robe slid down exposing part of her breast. Rio tried not to look, but couldn’t seem to help himself.

  “See something you like?” Joyce asked, running her tongue across her top lip. Without waiting for an answer, Joyce took Rio's hand and placed it on her breast. He tried to pull away, but the drug and the liquor made him their willing slave. Rio gently rubbed her breast until the nipple began to poke through the fabric. Joyce let out a low moan as his other hand came into play.

  “Kiss them,” she whispered softly. Rio tried to check himself before he did something stupid, but it seemed to be a little too late for that. He leaned over and kissed the left breast then the right. Every nerve in his body felt like they were tingling at once. His penis began to swell until it felt like it was about to burst through his pants. Joyce reached over and kissed Rio on the lips while using her hand to massage the bulge in his pants. When she touched him, it felt like every nerve in his body came alive at once.

  “Do you want me?” Joyce asked as she pulled his penis free of its prison. The living room's colors had become more animated now. The various hues of green and yellows began to taunt Rio as he sat there letting Joyce jerk him off. When she had gotten it good and hard, she placed it in her mouth and took him where he needed to be. Joyce's lips on Rio's wood had the softness of rose petals and the warmth of a summer day. All he could do was let his eyes roll back in his head as she sucked him like a vet. Rio tried to pull away as he was about to cum, but Joyce had a pit bull's lock on him. When he exploded in her mouth, she didn’t spill one drop. Joyce threw his cum back like a shot of tequila. When it was all said and done, Rio laid his head back and prayed for the world to stop spinning.

  “So,” she said, wiping her mouth, “how you like that?”

  Joyce wasn’t talking that loud, but her voice was like thunder in his ears. “What the fuck?” he cursed, trying to clear his head. “Fuck was in that drink?”

  “Don’t worry about it, baby. It was just a li’l E.”

  “A li’l what? Joyce, what did you give me?”

  “Ecstacy, silly. Don’t worry though, it's harmless.”

  “My fucking goodness,” Rio said, struggling to his feet. “I gotta get up outta here.”

  “What's the matter, Rio? Didn’t I do you good? I know Trinity don’t suck you like that, do she? She take all that nut like a good bitch?”

  “I shoulda known,” Rio said, staggering to the front door. “You talking all this concerned shit when all you wanted was to get a shot of this dick. Trinity's dick.”

  “And? I don’t know why you acting like that now, Rio. Shit, when you busted in my mouth it tasted like my dick.”

  “Fuck you, Joyce. You scandalous,” he said, while zipping his pants.

  “Ain’t no more scandalous than ya wife. She was the one all up on the next nigga. In front of you at that.”

  “Joyce, you chasing after something that you can’t have.”

  “Rio, please. Ya shit ain’t even that serious. Don’t nobody want you like that. I hope you and Trinity are happy together. All I wanted was a nut. Now if you’re finished tripping, why don’t you come and knock this pussy out.”

  Joyce began to finger herself while Rio looked on. That little demon inside him said to go over and give the bitch what she wanted. Rio didn’t feed into it though. He shouldn’t have let it get this far, but he had fucked up. The best thing for him to do was to get the fuck up outta there and sober up. If he stayed any longer he might end up either killing Joyce or fucking her. Either way it was no good for him.

  “So,” she continued. “What you gonna do, Rio?”

  Rio just shook his head and made for the door. “Joyce, you got issues. I’m gone.”

>   “Hold up,” she said hopping up. “You just gonna leave me hanging?” “I’m sorry, Joyce. Me and Trinity on the outs right now, but I still love her.”

  “After what I did for you? Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack, ma. What we did is wrong. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t.”

  “Darius Santana, you’re something else.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  “So now what? You gonna tell T?”

  “Nah, got too much respect for her as well as myself. As far as I’m concerned, this shit never happened.” Rio threw two bills on the couch and skated.

  Joyce sat on her couch half-naked, feeling played. Couldn’t fault Rio though. As it turned out, true love was stronger than any designer drug or conniving bitch. She just had to suck it up. If Rio wanted to be a fool for Trinity then he was welcome to it. Joyce would just have to find herself another vic. It was said that Joyce had the best head in Harlem. If Rio didn’t appreciate it, then someone else would.

  School Boy paced back and forth in front of 875, checking his watch. He could’ve kicked himself in the ass for not having someone on standby. Bobby had nagged him about getting a shift and then pulled a no-show. Now School Boy was on the block shorthanded. It was the middle of the night and he would have a hard time finding someone to cover for Bobby.

  Mikey and Jenkins came strolling up the block at just the right time. They spotted School Boy in front of the building looking stressed. It wasn’t a secret to them why he was stressed. After all the NYPD had set the whole thing up.

  “What's up, School Boy?” Mikey asked.

  “Ain’t nothing,” School Boy said, distracted. “I’m just out here trying to do me.”

  “Have you seen Mel around?”

  “Nah, I ain’t seen him today. What you need?”

  “Oh, he told me that me and my man could come and get some paper on the block,” Mikey lied.

  “Mikey, I thought that you was a stick-up kid?”

  “Man, you heard what happened to the clique. That shit is a dead issue for me. I need for sure money, not maybe money. So, you think we can get a shift in?”

  School Boy was leery at first. He knew Mikey from seeing him around the hood, but he really didn’t know him like that, and School Boy didn’t know the kid he was with from a hole in the wall, but he was in a jam. He figured that his best bet was to let Mikey rock and check him with Shamel later on. It was either let Mikey and his man work the shift or do it himself.

  “A’ight,” School Boy said. “I’m gonna let you two hold it down. Mikey, you pitch while I hold you down.”

  “I got a better idea,” Mikey said. “Why don’t we let my man Jenkins pitch and I’ll hold him down?”

  “Nah, Mikey. I don’t know this cat well enough to let him touch nothing.”

  “It's cool, man,” Jenkins cut in. “I’m out here trying to get some paper, too.”

  “Listen,” School Boy said. “Y’all lucky I’m even letting you pump. Like I said, I don’t know you like that. Now, I’m not a coldhearted dude, so this is what I’ll do. I’ll let you play the lookout while Mikey pitches the stones.”

  “Thanks, man,” Jenkins said, faking gratitude. “I appreciate this. For real.” Jenkins could hardly believe how easy it was to get in. They should’ve been able to take Prince down years ago. The seeds had been planted, now all they had to do was get something solid.

  “What can I say?” School Boy capped. “I got a good heart. Y’all go ahead and take your positions so we can open up shop.” School Boy walked off smiling as if he did a good thing. Little did he know, he had just invited a weasel into the henhouse.

  18

  In an attempt to take his mind off all the craziness that had been going on for the last couple of days, Rio decided to hang out with his homeboys. There was a big fight that was supposed to go down, so Rio bought tickets for Shamel, Cutty, and himself. The tickets ran him a good $4,500, but he didn’t really sweat it. He wanted to do something nice for his lieutenants. Besides, Rio needed to get out and unwind in the worst kind of way.

  The Garden was packed for the event. There were entertainers and athletes milling around the event getting their stunt on. Rio and his clique made their way through the event, taking in the whole scene. It was the first time that any of the young men had ever attended an event of that magnitude, but they did their best not to look starstruck.

  “Damn,” Cutty said, eyeing a young lady in a sequined dress. “Ain’t that shorty from that movie?”

  “I don’t know,” Shamel said, looking at her ass. “Sure looks like her.”

  “I need to get me a shot of that,” Cutty said, licking his lips.

  “Don’t be acting all crazy when we get up in the joint,” Rio said, shaking his head. “Y’all is some vultures.”

  “Shut up,” Cutty said, faking anger. “You act like you the only nigga that's ever been somewhere.”

  “You know Rio is one of them uppity niggaz,” Shamel said playfully.

  “Where we sitting?”

  “Third row back from Ringside,” Rio said, looking at his ticket.

  “Damn,” Cutty said. “I know you had to trick some paper on these.”

  “Something light. I ain’t worried about it though. Y’all is my niggaz, man. If I can’t enjoy this paper with y’all, who can I enjoy it with?”

  “I know that's right,” Shamel co-signed. “Let's go up in there and watch this punk get whipped on.”

  The inside of the arena was just as packed as the outside. There were people jammed in from the front row to the rear exit. As Rio led his team down the isle, he noticed quite a few familiar faces from the streets. Marco sat in a middle seat with some of his homeys and a few young ladies. The Salvadorian Capo made eye contact with Rio and nodded. Rio tapped his chest once and kept going. It took Rio and his team nearly fifteen minutes to reach their seats.

  “You seen that cat Paul back there?” Cutty asked.

  “Yeah,” Rio said, checking his watch. “I saw him.”

  “Biker ma fucka in here looking like Mad Max and shit.”

  “Paul is good people, Cutty. Prince wouldn’t have put him where he is.”

  “Still a cracker.”

  Rio ignored Cutty's closed-minded comments and began scanning the crowd. There were quite a few famous people in attendance. Sitting near the ring was a player from the Pistons. The ice in his chain looked like tiny flashbulbs. As Rio continued to look over the sea of people, he noticed a familiar face staring at him from across the ring.

  Baron sat on the opposite side of the arena, looking at Rio. He was with about six or seven of his soldiers, so he was probably feeling himself. Rio returned his stare. Seeing Baron brought a bitter taste to Rio's mouth. He had developed quite a dislike for his northern rival. Baron looked like a black-ass lion with his dreads hanging freely about his face. Rio envisioned himself choking the life out of him. Rio was more than willing to be the bigger man about it, but if Baron kept eyeballing him, it might have to be something. Rio could put up with a lot of shit, but he couldn’t stomach another man getting at his lady. To him Trinity was his alone. To be with her was a privilege. The staring match was broken up by Shamel tapping his arm.

  “The fight's about to start, dawg,” Shamel said.

  The two fighters came out and took their places. At the sound of the bell they came out boxing. The challenger was pretty, coming out with a series of jabs and crosses. The champ got flustered, but managed to keep his wits. This all lasted until the last thirty seconds of the second round. The champ split the challenger's eye and put him down for ten. The crowd flipped out over the bogus fight. Rio just shrugged and chalked it up as a very expensive night with the fellas.

  After the fight, Shamel and Cutty wanted to keep the night going and hit the after-party. Rio didn’t feel much like partying though. Seeing Baron had taken him out of the mood. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. Rio bid his homeys good night and headed
on home.

  When Rio entered his house, all of the lights were off. He figured that no one was home, which suited him just fine. As Rio approached his bedroom door, he heard what sounded like voices coming from the other side. He found that strange considering the fact that his room was off limits. Rio cracked the door a taste and peeked inside. Sally was sitting on the bed holding something in her hand. She was rocking back and forth humming a soulful tune. As he looked a little closer he noticed tears sparkling in her eyes.

  “Ma?” he asked easing into the room.

  “Oh.” She jumped. “I didn’t hear you come in. Sorry about being in your room, but the door was unlocked.”

  “It's okay,” Rio said, taking off his jacket. “What ya doing?”

  “Nothing. Just reminiscing,” For the first time Rio noticed what she was holding. It was a picture of his father. “These were the days,” Sally said, stroking the picture.

  “Word. I heard you and daddy were quite the pair back in the days?”

  “Yeah, we raised all kinds of hell back in the seventies. Protesting and acting all crazy.”

  “I heard stories.”

  “Rio, I wish you could’ve really gotten to know your father.”

  “Daddy was a real gangsta, huh?”

  “Yeah, but he was more than that. Your father was a powerful man. He was the type of person that could hold a crowd's attention when he spoke. I remember when he staged a protest in front of the state building. He was pushing for the employment of more blacks on city jobs.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Amir was in all his glory, hollering about the rights of black folks and how we need to be more assertive about ourselves. You know the police locked his crazy ass up. Didn’t stop there though. All of them people followed the police all the way back to the station and continued the rally on their doorstep.”

  “That's deep, ma.”

  “Amir was deep.”

  “Do you miss him?”

  “All the time, Rio. Willie is good to me, but your father was the only man I ever gave my heart to.”