by Untamed
“Oh, no worries. Lucinda’s been a great hostess.” Mike smiled back at me.
I fanned him off. “He’s the one that’s been a big help.”
“Yep, Papi, he helped me study, and he and Mami have been battling on Guitar Hero,” she said and then whispered, “But Mami’s winning.”
“I heard that.” Mike nudged Nadia playfully. “Sheer luck,” Mike hollered.
Aldris nodded. “Oh, okay. Wow. Well, I appreciate it man. Lu, I called you to find out what you all wanted to eat. I see now that you were occupied by the Wii. I settled for pizza.”
Gasping with a balled fist to my mouth, I apologized. “Oooh. I shoulda called you. Mike bought Nadia and me pizza already, but at least we have a meal for tomorrow.”
He set the pizzas down on the coffee table. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Well, did you manage to get any work done?”
“Yeah, I did. Thanks to ol’ Mike here.” I play-boxed with Mike. “He watched Nadia for me while I finished my paper and homework. Speaking of work, I have to sign on—although I was thoroughly enjoying kicking your tail,” I joked with Mike as he moved into one of my play punches. “Stick and move.”
He laughed, fist-bumping me, and then he pulled the guitar off. “Until next time. You won the last dragon this time,” he teased as I did a little victory dance and he laughed.
“Y’all are just bosom buddies now, huh?” Aldris commented.
“Man, Lu is a trip. I told her we have to plan fight nights and some tailgate parties when the football season starts,” Mike said excitedly.
“Yeah, in that regard, you and Lucinda have a lot in common,” Aldris admitted with a shrug.
“Yeah, we know,” Mike and I said at the same time, then looked at each other and pointed. “Jinx. Double jinx. Triple jinx,” we rattled off together, howling.
“Jinxy twins.” Aldris put his hands up. “I’m pretty tired. I’d love to chop it up with you, man, but I need to eat and chill, and you know, spend a little time with my family.”
Mike and he slapped hands. “A’ight, dude. I feel you. Holla at you later.” He grabbed his wallet and keys.
I walked him to the door. “Thanks again. Whenever you’re free again we have to get up on that Wii or PS4. You know, to even the score,” I said sarcastically.
He fist-bumped me. “Oh, most definitely. Bud Light’s on me. I’ll holla at you, Lu. Be easy, mama,” he said as he walked out, and I waved at him.
I turned around, and Aldris picked up the pizza boxes. “Seems like you and Mike are fast friends. The best of buddies.”
“He’s real cool. We’re cool.” I shrugged.
“I’m glad you all are getting along. After I eat, I’ll battle you on the Wii.”
“No thanks. I know you hate it. Plus, I have to work. Enjoy your dinner,” I said to him and walked back to my office area.
A few minutes later, Aldris walked in and kissed me. “I didn’t get a kiss or nothing. Just thought I’d give you one.”
“My bad,” I apologized, then began working again. I looked up and noticed Aldris staring at me. “What?” I giggled.
He shook his head. “Nothing. I’ll leave you alone,” he said and walked out.
I just shook my head and wondered what the heck he was acting all strange and weird about. I didn’t have time to delve into it, though. It was time for work. As I got logged in, I giggled aloud as one of the songs from Guitar Hero came on my iTunes. Mike was a straight clown. Who knew he and I would end up being friends?
Chapter Thirty-two
Trinity
To Terrence, everything was back to normal, but for me, I still had a chip on my shoulder. It was one thing to think that Big Cal might’ve been attracted to me and even me to him, but to ask if we’d actually had an inappropriate relationship was a low blow. Hell, it wasn’t even the ask that was the most hurtful. It was the fact that he accused me of such, to the point I damn near had to take a lie detector test. Like, he really didn’t trust me, after everything we’d been through together. Wow.
Now that he claimed the Pooch situation was handled, I was even more on pins and needles. He looked at shit from his lens, but I was the one who’d been in a relationship with Pooch. I knew how he operated and how he thought. When Pooch found out whatever plan had failed, he wouldn’t stop until he found out the reason and the culprit behind it. What kind of leverage did Terrence have that this scheme wouldn’t eventually be linked to him? That was my whole point. I knew that he was intelligent and a forward thinker, but Terrence held a different level of comfort than I did when it came to Pooch. He only dealt with the people who dealt with Pooch. I dealt with Pooch. I knew his mindset better than anyone else, and that included Terrence.
The calm that we were now experiencing felt eerie to me. By now, I figured we’d have heard something besides just that the bribe worked. The fact that we hadn’t heard anything was what gave me pause. Pooch may not have been as intellectual as Terrence, but he was still a street nigga. They didn’t fight fair. And being honest, for all of Terrence’s intelligence, Pooch was the one who got him locked up first because that’s how grimy niggas operate.
Terrence wasn’t that type of dude. He didn’t give a damn about what the next man had going on as long as he could get his. Pooch wasn’t like that. He cared. He wanted it all, other niggas be damned. It was that attitude that made me wonder what the fuck was going on behind the scenes that we didn’t know about. We’d covered our tracks the first time, but the second time might not be so easy. And that was the part that led me to my current conversation.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”
“Big Cal, I need information on Pooch,” I said, getting straight to the point.
“Hello, Trinity. How are you? I’m well. Thanks for asking.”
“Yeah, okay. Now that we got the pleasantries out of the way, what is the update?”
Aaron paused. I couldn’t tell if he was upset or simply pondering what to tell me. The pause made my tension escalate instantly.
“What is it?” I pried nervously.
He hissed before sucking his teeth. “I shouldn’t be speaking to you about this.”
“And why the fuck not?” I hollered, upset that he was brushing me off. “That’s the exact reason you gave me your number.”
“I understand that, and all things considered, it was the right thing to do at the time.”
“So why isn’t it the right thing to do now?” I asked before he could finish.
A harsh and loud breath escaped him. “Trinity, have you talked to T?”
“He told me about the payout. That’s it. Why? Does he know something else?”
“Trinity,” he blew out in frustration.
“Aaron,” I said sternly.
“Oh, I’m Aaron now?”
“That’s what ya mama named you,” I said just to be a bitch.
“Look, you really need to talk to T about this. I’m not trying to get into no shit with him about this phone call.”
Wait. What? What the heck did our phone call have to do with Terrence? And why was he all of a sudden shutting down information to me? Then it hit me.
“Terrence told you not to talk me about anything concerning Pooch, didn’t he?” I asked, heated as hell.
“Bingo. And I have to report only to him. He’s my cousin. It was his wish.”
“Well, I’m your cousin-in-law, so you better tell me something, or else I’m just gonna call and ask about the case myself.”
“You wouldn’t risk your family like that, so calm down. Besides, it ain’t shit for you to call up there for. Shit quiet ’cause ain’t shit going on. The judge is taken care of. It’s been handled, Trinity, so chill.”
I knew that I would push him to spill the beans if I threatened to call, but a part of me still didn’t believe what he had said.
My quietness must have clued him into that fact. “I’m serious, Trinity. It’s handled. You can breathe easy,” he said co
nvincingly, causing me to relax for the first time in weeks. “Besides, I love my cousin, but you know if some shit was really popping off that I’d call you. I know my cousin has your back, but I do too. And on God, I’d never, ever let anything happen to you and those babies. For real.”
His words were comforting. Big Cal had always tried to be a source of support when I was with Pooch. It was silent, but it was there. I could see how upset he was when he couldn’t be there for me, like when Pooch beat my ass for being with Terrence that time. But when he could intervene with Pooch’s antics, he did. I’d always be grateful to him for that. Besides me, he was the person who knew Pooch the best, so I trusted his word for it. If Big Cal said that everything was cool, then everything was cool. So, I did as requested and decided to chill.
“Thanks for the reassurance. I appreciate that.”
“Anytime, Trinity. Now, get off this phone and enjoy those babies.”
I laughed. “Thank you, Big Cal.”
“Who’s that? My mama named me Aaron,” he joked.
After our laughter subsided, I said, “Well, thanks Aaron.”
“Anything for you. You’re welcome.”
We disconnected the line, and for the first time in a very long time, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I decided to take Big Cal’s advice and breathe easy. I was no longer fearful of Pooch. He’d lost, and we’d finally won. Finally.
Chapter Thirty-three
Pooch
Man, I was one grumpy muthafucka. Lack of sleep, being locked up, and not locating Trinity was fucking with me something awful. The real culprit, however, was that ever since I caught Wolf and Cock Diesel together, I’d been sleeping with one eye fucking open, on the real. I wasn’t tryna wake up in the middle of the night to Wolf having a midnight snack at my expense. Shit. Wolf tried to explain that shit to me again, but I didn’t need or want to hear it. My only words about that shit were to do whatever he fucking wanted, but to be clear, to keep it with Cock Diesel and don’t be messing up my muthafucking money.
Wolf was the one nigga who I felt I could really be down with, and now every time I looked at his punk ass, my stomach hurt. He was constantly tryna stay on my good side by doing every little thing I asked. I could tell that bitch to jump up and down like an orangutan like Eddie Murphy did ol’ girl in Coming to America, and he would do it. He was that desperate to keep that shit a secret. That’s what I didn’t respect. If you didn’t want your shit in the streets, then don’t be doing shit that was gon’ embarrass your ass.
At least Cock Diesel was admitting his shit. He still kept his dime piece at bay, but every nigga in this joint knew that he would give it and take it any way he could get it. I could respect that shit, though. If you sucked dick and packed breadcrumbs, be courteous enough to let it be known. Cock Diesel wasn’t punkin’ nobody for ass. There were enough admitted shit packers and plenty more undercover booty lovers to keep him satisfied, so Wolf wasn’t shit but a notch on his belt.
The truly fucked-up part was that I was gonna put Wolf down with Lisa to keep his dick sucked until he went before the parole board next year. But he fucked that all up. Ain’t no way in the hell Lisa was gon’ wrap her lips around my dick after putting her mouth around his, and he been lettin’ Cock Diesel smoke on the pipe. Fuck that. That was like being around secondhand smoke to me. Secondhand gayness. I was already around that shit twenty-four seven. I didn’t need to be that close to another dude, even if it was only secondhand.
Hell, for all I cared, Wolf could’ve claimed Cock Diesel as his boyfriend, since Flava was makin’ sure to keep Adrienne on ice for me until this plea bargain went through. And I did believe that Adrienne was startin’ to get fond of ol’ Flava, too. Every time I talked to Flava, she was talking ’bout some shit her and Adrienne did together or with the kids. Flava said ol’ girl was open like the 7-Eleven for her nowadays, and I couldn’t even be mad at that. From what I used to hear about how Flava got down in the bedroom, she’d probably make me forget Trinity’s ass.
Speaking of, sometimes I straight forgot that my whole purpose of getting out was to find that damn woman. I wanted to know what the fuck was going on with my daughter and my son. Being locked up made me realize just how much I had taken for granted. When I got out of this joint, I was gon’ raise my kids, you know, actually be in they life. Hell, all I knew was this street shit, but if this was how my kids was gon’ end up, then fuck it. I’d have to learn to show them how to fly right. Get an education. Play sports or music or some shit. Make it that way. Don’t be in your twenties facing 101 years of nothing, just being a damn free-labor worker for the state.
I missed Trinity, too. Man, it was so much I wish I could’ve redone with her. I wish I coulda been a better nigga for her and the kids. She wanted to do her art shit, and I shoulda let her. She still coulda been my dime piece with her own grip. I’ll admit that the main reason I never wanted Trinity to do nothing with her life was because I was afraid of her being successful. If she was successful, then I knew she’d leave a nigga like me, so I used my power and money to keep her from doing what she wanted to do. I was wrong for that.
I hadn’t asked Flava about her lately, but I was definitely gonna get back to that. It was time to find out what the hell was truly going on with Trinity. Whether I missed her or not, if I found out her ass with Terrence this whole time, she was gon’ wish I got that fuckin’ triple cocktail concoction instead of this prison sentence. Real talk. But if I found out something happened to her, whoever did it wasn’t gonna have time to worry about running from me, nor would their family members have to worry about retaliation, because I was gonna meet that person’s muthafuckin’ ass in the same hell I was gonna send them to. I was definitely gonna get the chair if that was the case, and I wasn’t gon’ mind one bit. Hell, I’d strap up in the seat and stick the needle in my arm my damn self. I’d made up in my mind that once Flava called, I was gonna hit her up about whether she’d tracked down Skeet or anybody who may have known about Trinity’s whereabouts.
I looked at the clock again. I knew I had been doing too much random-ass thinking, and my attorney, Stein, was supposed to been there. Between my work on the inside and a little hookup from Skrilla, I was able to extend that olive branch to Judge Watson, so I was anxious like a muthafucka to find out the outcome. When they finally called me, I was happy as hell, but when I marched out, I saw Flava sitting there, which surprised the fuck outta me. Don’t get me wrong. It was a good surprise, but I didn’t take too well to surprises ’cause they were always full of shit.
“Hey, baby,” Flava said, standing up and kissing me on the lips.
“’Sup,” I said, hittin’ her with the head nod as we sat down. “Where the hell is Stein?”
She pouted, sucking her teeth. “Yeah, I’m doing good.” She copped an attitude.
“Don’t get all fuckin’ offended and shit. I was expecting Stein. That’s all.” I leaned forward, staring at her. “So, where the fuck is his punk ass?”
She pursed her lips even harder. “Well,” she said, exaggerated.
“Don’t come at me with no bullshit today, Flava. I don’t wanna hear that shit. I’m telling you right now.”
“Fine, then I won’t tell you.” She shrugged, crossing her arms.
My eyes bucked. Who in the fuck did she think she was talking to like that? This bitch done went loco for real. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“You said not to tell you—”
“Stop playing games and shit. That’s your damn problem. Get to the point.” Hell, I was too frustrated to be dealing with her issues today.
She smacked her lips. “Fine, Pooch. Stein ain’t coming.”
“What the fuck you mean, he ain’t coming?” I asked angrily.
She looked around. “Can you calm the hell down? Damn,” she fussed as some other people and inmates looked at us strangely.
I sat back and took a deep breath. “A’ight. What’s going on?”
My screw-face expression could not be helped. “Scared? How he gon’ be scared? He’s my attorney.”
“That might be one reason why you shouldn’t be jackin’ the muthafucka up by his collar and shit. You’re a convicted murderer, Pooch. What you thought he was gon’ do? Be cool with you puttin’ your hands on him?”
Okay, she had a point. “But he still gon’ be my lawyer, right?”
“Yeah, but he couldn’t come here and tell you this, so he sent me.”
“Tell me what?”
She took a deep breath and looked me dead in the eyes. “That fifty grand we offered Watson was a no go. He refused it.”
“What you mean? That bastard wouldn’t accept the money? As crooked as that bastard is, you can’t pay me enough to tell me he’s flyin’ straight all of a sudden.”
“He ain’t flyin’ straight, Pooch. He wants more. He said that wasn’t enough.”
“Ain’t he a bold muthafucka? Who in the fuck puts stipulations on a bribe? Damn. He ruthless. So, what does he want? A hundred?”
“I wish, Pooch. That’s what Stein offered him, since my dude Skrilla was gonna front you up another fifty Gs, but that grimy muthafucka refused a hundred. That bitch wanted two hundred.”
My eyes nearly popped outta my head. “Two hundred Gs? Are you fucking shitting me?”
“Hell no. And he wanted that shit in unmarked bills. Dirty bastard.”
I rubbed my face to ease the tension. Hopefully, that was the only bad news. I needed to know where that shit left me. “So, what is Skrilla saying?”
“Skrilla was willing to put up another fifty Gs, but that’s it, Pooch. He said he can’t take a hit like that not knowing if you were gonna get out to push the real weight to repay your debt. The only thing we have is a hundred Gs to give, and Watson wants a hundred more on top of that.”
I would be in here for double murder if I could’ve put my hands on that damn Watson. I hated that summa bitch with a straight passion. If I couldn’t get this appeal to go through or this plea bargain, I was trapped in this hellhole for life, and I simply couldn’t see it. I had to give myself time to think on what the fuck other options I had, so I switched the subject.