Heartless

by Al-Saadiq Banks

  Storm catches up to the car in her lane in seconds and damn near smacks into it. She’s glued to the bumper of the Cadillac which is hogging the lane. She rests on the horn as she presses the Cadillac. The driver is confused as to what they should do.

  With aggression, Storm swerves around the Cadillac into the middle lane. She sticks her middle finger up at the driver before stomping harder on the gas. Just barely past the Cadillac and she cuts back into the fast lane. The driver has to slam on the brakes to prevent hitting the Bentley.

  Storm stretches out in the wide open lane. “Jigga, don’t like it if it don’t gleam gleam and to hell with the price ‘cause the money ain’t a thang!” she shouts with one finger pointing in the sky. She walks the Audi down until another car cuts into the lane. She switches into the middle lane with no blinker or warning. Horn blowing sounds off behind her. She flies the bird into the air through the sunroof.

  She cuts to the slow lane and back into the middle lane and finally back into the fast lane. She watches as the Audi takes the curve with expertise. Storm gets into the lane behind it and walks it down. Bumper to bumper she stays, putting the pressure on Toy.

  As Storm is about to cut over and go around her, she’s blocked by a string of traffic. Toy takes a huge lead on her. Caught up in the middle of a traffic storm, Storm is pissed as she watches Toy gain a bigger lead on her. Toy reaches the toll booth with two cars in front of her.

  Storm sweeps over into the very next lane, which is wide open. Anticipation rips through her palms, both wrapped around the steering wheel. She pulls up beside the Audi and slams on the brakes. She rolls the window down, taunting Toy as she holds up the EZ Pass lane. Wendy pulls up on the left side of Storm in the next lane. She’s in Storm’s Mercedes.

  Storm rolls both windows down and “Bubble hard in the double R, flashin’ the rings! With the window cracked, holler back, money ain’t a thang!” blares through the speakers.

  Storm lowers the volume, so they can hear her. “Let’s go bitch!” she says to Toy. “I gave you a head start and you still can’t shake me. Now we starting even Steven!” Toy is smiling from ear to ear.

  Storm looks to her left at Wendy. “Bitch, you not even in the race. You wasting all my horsepower!”

  Storm cruises side by side until Toy pays the toll. Storm lets the car roll on its own. With no hesitation, Toy slams on the accelerator and the Audi takes off. Storm stomps the gas pedal and catches her quickly, while Wendy is still at the toll both.

  She rides side by side as she sings along with the song. “Come on, y’all wanna floss with us,” she sings. The wind is blowing fiercely and she can’t be heard but still she continues singing as if they can hear her. “Cause all across the ball we burn it up. Drop a little paper, baby, toss it up,” she says as she flies a few dollar bills into the air.

  They continue side by side. “Ya slackin’ on your pimpin’… turn it up. See the money ain’t a thang!” she says before taking off. She stretches on Toy, giving them the ass of the Bentley to kiss. Wendy is so far behind that she can’t even be seen.

  She looks over to Beeba, still spitting the verses. “Put it down for my dogs that’s locked in the bing. When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain’t a thang!” Beeba cheeses from ear to ear. The look in her eyes and smile on her face is clear indication that she’s never met a cooler chick than Storm.

  Today is by far the best birthday she’s ever had in her life. Big Apple, here they come!

  * * *

  Diamonds glisten from under every glass case of the store. This store in the Diamond District of New York is like heaven for any woman. The bright lights from the ceiling make even the diamonds of the poorest quality gleam dazzlingly. Millions and millions of dollars worth of jewelry all in one room.

  Storm holds her wrist out as the jeweler fastens the watch onto her wrist. She flips it over and appreciates every detail of the diamond bezeled, white gold, pink-faced Pearl Master Rolex. Diamonds are not only on the bezel and in the face but lined long the middle of the band as well. This is the day that she has been waiting for. She’s been dropping a few grand at a time on the watch for the last few weeks just so she wouldn’t have to bust such a huge nut today.

  Although Mr. Antonelli has been acting weird with her lately, she believes she could have gotten him to buy her the watch. He’s bought her a couple other Rolexes, but she wanted to get this one on her own for self-accomplishment. She loves the sense of independence she feels when she buys herself something that she never thought she could ever buy. It makes her feel as if she’s bringing her own dreams to reality.

  “Y’all like it?” she asks as she turns around to show the girls.

  “Damn,” Wendy says as she stares at the watch with her mouth wide open with admiration. Toy is speechless.

  “Looks great on you,” Beeba admits.

  Storm takes one more glance before going into her purse and pulling out stacks of money. The money has been counted five times already, so she slides it across the counter with confidence. “Excuse me, y’all,” she says.

  Nosiness prevents them from excusing themselves right away. They don’t leave until they get a glimpse of the thirty-six thousand dollar price they see printed on the bottom line. The girls walk away and find their way to the other cases, just peeking inside.

  “That’s the fourteen.”

  The man begins counting through the crisp one-hundred dollar bills quickly. Once he’s done, he slams the receipt book onto the case and signs paid. He hands her the receipt. “Happy birthday to you,” he says with a smile.

  Twenty minutes at the glass case with just Storm and the jeweler and she calls the girls back over. As they stand before her, she hands both Toy and Wendy a small box. They admire the twin Rolex Oyster Perpetuals. There aren’t nearly as many diamonds in these watches as hers, but still they find them beautiful. “What y’all think? Y’all like them?”

  “Nice,” they both agree.

  A smile of satisfaction spreads across Storm’s face. “Just a little token of my appreciation,” she says with sincerity. “I know I be hard on y’all, but I want y’all to know y’all hard work doesn’t go unrecognized. I just want to say thanks.”

  Wendy places her hand over her mouth, unable to speak. Tears well up in Toy’s eyes. In all the years she’s known Storm never has she said anything as sentimental as this.

  “You gone make a bitch cry,” says Toy. Tears of sentiment are dripping down her face.

  “Go ahead, girl. You know I ain’t with that mushy shit,” Storm says. She tries to keep her hard exterior but tears are welling up in her eyes as well. She walks away before they can see one of them drip down her face. She passes Beeba who stands in the backdrop appreciating the moment.

  One thing the streets have taught Storm is to never eat in front of your team without making them a plate as well. She realizes that builds envy and resentment, and both can ultimately lead to disloyalty. Disloyalty always ends in the crisscross. The watches are only ten thousand apiece, only a third of the price of hers, but it’s the gesture that counts. By giving them these watches, it gives them the incentive to work harder to get the watch she has or the equal of it. Giving them the gravy gives them the taste of the meat without actually having it. To give them the meat would only make them content and lazy.

  * * *

  Minutes later, Storm sits in her car inside of the parking lot. She looks over to Beeba who is looking into the mirror visor, applying her lipstick. She places an open box in between Beeba’s face and the visor. “For you,” Storm says.

  Beeba turns toward her in shock. “I couldn’t give it to you in front of them. It wouldn’t be right. I gave them their watches because of all of their hard work. They would resent you knowing you got a watch and didn’t put in half of the work they have. I’m giving you this though because I’m sure you will eventually earn it,” she
says with a sly grin.

  Beeba’s heart melts. She’s no stranger to Rolex but to get such a gift from Storm is special to her. What she doesn’t know is the watch didn’t cost Storm a dime. The jeweler gave her the pre-owned watch practically for free for spending close to sixty-grand. A free watch, but the gesture speaks volumes, and she’s sure it will go a long way.

  70

  Later that Evening

  The craving for seafood led Wendy to the seafood store, smack in the middle of the hood. Just a few minutes more, and she would have missed out. She walks out of the store, bags in hand and they close the gates behind her. Storm’s Mercedes gleams like a demon in the darkness.

  Wendy gets inside the car and the smell of the seasoning rips through her nostrils. She can’t wait to get home to eat, so she digs into the bag of hot steam. She throws a shrimp in her mouth and pulls out of the parking lot. At the exit of the lot, a Nissan Maxima stops short to allow her to exit. She waves a “thank you” as she cruises on to the red traffic light at the corner.

  The Maxima pulls alongside of her, and through her peripheral, she can see the passenger trying to get her attention. She looks straight ahead, still eating. The car gets so much attention that it gets overbearing at times.

  The attention wouldn’t be bad if it was from the right sources. It just amazes her how a car so prestigious could attract so many bums. She can’t understand how a man with nothing feels so comfortable in attempting to push up on a woman in a car that values at a hundred grand. Although it’s not her car, it’s now obvious to her that men really don’t know when they are clearly out of their league.

  The light changes, and she turns onto Central Avenue. The Nissan is still on her side, not giving up. The passenger hangs his hand out of the window, waving to get her attention. “Damn,” she sighs as she reaches another red light. She slams on the brakes. Now the horn of the Nissan is honking. Finally she looks over and the driver is saying something she can’t make out.

  He’s pointing at her tire, with an alarming look on his face. Wendy rolls the window down. “Just trying to tell you it looks like the oil pan is dragging on the ground.”

  Wendy’s face turns flush. She feels quite stupid, believing he was trying to push up. “Is it?” she asks with a cheesy smirk. Not knowing anything about cars she asks, “What should I do?”

  “Just pull over and I will see what I can do,” he says. “Turn right here,” he advises.

  Wendy turns onto Seventh Street and pulls close the curb. The Maxima pulls right behind her. The passenger, a young man dressed in thug gear, hops out quickly. Wendy leans forward to put her shoes on her feet before getting out. Through the rearview, she notices the driver hop out.

  She looks around at the darkness and solitude of the area and thinks maybe it’s not a good idea to get out. Instead she hangs her head out of the window. “I didn’t lose it did I?”

  “Nah, it’s still hanging,” the man from the passenger seat says. He leans over, looking under the car. Just as his head lowers, he pops back up with the quickness. With one hand he reaches into the car and grabs the steering wheel and with the other he pulls at the door handle.

  Wendy steps on the gas pedal nervously. The engine races but the car doesn’t move. The door is pulled open. She quickly looks down and slams the gear into drive. She speeds off, door swinging wide open.

  The man runs side by side the car with a gun aimed in the car.

  Blocka! Blocka!

  The windshield shatters. She ducks low from the glass particles, still speeding.

  Blocka! Blocka! Blocka!

  The back window is now shattered as well. She busts a wild right turn back onto West Market and melts the asphalt at one hundred miles an hour. Never has she driven so fast. A getaway is the only thing on her mind.

  * * *

  One hour later, Wendy sits on the couch in her apartment a nervous wreck. She’s shivering with fear, still shook up. Once the call was made all business was ordered to be shut down, from the business Breezy conducts on the street to the business that Toy and Storm conduct. The Mami house was closed early tonight and all are present for the emergency meeting.

  Surprisingly it’s Beeba who shows the most compassion for Wendy, who has always been so cold to her. Wendy’s head rests on Beeba’s shoulder, with Beeba stroking her hair like a child. Toy sits on the arm of the couch, petrified while Storm paces around, not saying a word. Mud, Breezy, and Mud’s partner all sit in the backdrop in deep thought.

  “So, you didn’t get a license plate or nothing?” Storm asks.

  “Storm, no. How could I get a plate when they trying to snatch me out of the car and shooting at me?”

  “I don’t believe you fell for that shit anyway,” Storm says with no compassion. “You don’t be on point, yo.” Wendy rolls her eyes with disgust. A great birthday has ended in chaos, the same chaos that she always seems to have in her life. When good happens for her, bad always seems to sneak in. This is the story of her life.

  “I hate Newark niggas!” Toy shouts. “Instead of carjacking and robbing people of their hard earned money, why don’t they just get out there and make their own money?”

  “We need answers,” Storm says while staring into space. She’s quite calm about it all. “We will get to the bottom of it though.” She looks to the men who are all in a pack. “We need to get out on them streets and find out who got that Maxima,” she says with authority. “And when we do, y’all know the rest.”

  71

  Days Later

  After days of rolling through the streets, they have seen no sign of the Nissan Maxima that Wendy described. Breezy and the fellas have reached out to every lead they have on the streets that could possibly know something. Everyone says they are on the case, but no one has gotten back to them as of yet. In the meantime, Storm is not letting up. In no way will she let this go unsolved.

  On another note, after still not hearing from Mr. Antonelli, Storm finally broke down and called him. To her surprise, he didn’t answer. She called for two days straight, still getting no return call from him. What hurts her the most is that he didn’t call her to even wish her a happy birthday. Ignoring her only made her furious which led her to his house to do a drive through.

  This isn’t like him at all. She decided to drive past his house to see if his cars are in the driveway. She believes the only way he wouldn’t get back to her is if he may be out of town. She’s even considered the worse like maybe he’s in the hospital sick. With him being such an old man, she can’t count out that he even could be dead.

  As she sits parked in front of his house she notices that not only are all of his cars present, but there’s another vehicle there which doesn’t belong. The red BMW X5 sits parked as the last car in the row. In all her years of coming here, she’s never seen this vehicle.

  She gets out and walks over to the car. Her heart races with each step. She plants her hand on the hood to see if the engine is hot, but it’s cold as if it’s been sitting. The pink bow hanging from the rearview mirror tells her the car belongs to a woman. Now her fury kicks in.

  She stomps up the stairs and rests on the bell. No one answers fast enough for her, so she starts to bang on the door. When that doesn’t happen fast enough for her she kicks on the door.

  Finally it opens. The housekeeper stands there with a perplexed face. “Yes?”

  Storm forces the door open wide enough so she can enter. The housekeeper tries to block her. “Is Mr. Antonelli aware of your arrival?” she asks as she holds the door.

  Storm pushes the door open with all of her might, and the housekeeper stumbles backwards a few steps. Storm pushes her a few more steps backwards. “The fuck outta my way!” She walks past the housekeeper who trots behind her. “I can’t let you in without his permission.”

  Storm turns around with both fists clenched. “Try to stop me.” S
he’s tempted to give the woman the beating that she so rightfully deserves. She decides not to because that will only stall her. “Touch me and I will beat the fuck outta you in this motherfucker!”

  The woman stops in her tracks, not wanting any physical altercation. “Fucking black savage,” she mumbles under her breath.

  Not able to contain herself, Storm swings a wild haymaker at the woman. She ducks just in time to prevent herself from being struck. She backpedals away with fear. Storm continues on with her mission.

  She forces the door open and she sees exactly what she was expecting. There in the middle of the room is Mr. Antonelli and a woman. They dance together to the sound of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” which plays softly. The woman whose back is toward the door, is butt naked while Mr. Antonelli is in his signature robe. Storm is surprised to see the woman with skin as white as his, but still it doesn’t make her feel any better about it.

  He spots Storm in the doorway, and he damn near has a heart attack. The woman turns to the door, and she becomes paralyzed with fear. The woman appears to be Storm’s age if not younger. A devilish smile spreads across Storm’s face. “So, this is why you’re not answering my calls?”

  Her smile widens, but she’s really crying on the inside. As she looks at the beautiful young woman, her heart melts. She feels a sense of betrayal that she’s never experienced when it comes to a man. She’s never invested enough emotion into a man to ever care. That is until now.

  It’s all surprising to her because she never knew that he meant this much to her. This is a wake-up call that, as much as she denied it in the past, she really loves the old man. To see him here with another woman brings out feelings and emotions that she never knew she had. For the first time in her life, she’s heartbroken.

  Storm pulls her gun from her waistband. “Owww!” the woman screams as she runs for cover.

  “Hey, no!” Mr. Antonelli screams as he runs toward her.