Even More Wifey Status

by Racquel Williams

  * * *

  Today, I was lying in my bed. It seems like the closer that I got to my due date the more tired I became. I was on the countdown to push out my little man. My phone started ringing over and over. I lay there trying to ignore it, but whoever it was wasn’t trying to let up. I eventually snatched it off the bed and answered it.

  “Hello,” I said in a harsh tone.

  “Sierra, it’s me.”

  “Me who?” I looked at the caller ID to see if I recognized the number, but I did not.

  “Girl, it’s Neisha. Your best friend, silly.”

  “What the fuck you want? You ain’t no motherfucking friend of mine,” I spat.

  “Sierra, calm down. I need to meet you. I have something to tell you.”

  My antennas went up immediately. I knew she was the only one that I gave my address to, and I put my life on it she gave it to Shayna. I wasn’t sure how their paths crossed, but I know it did. I needed to know how, where, and why. It was time to pay back these to bitches in full.

  “Hmm . . . What is it you want to tell me?” I said a more somber tone.

  “Charley told me that your memory of the shooting is gone, and I have an idea of who it might be.”

  “Really? Shut your mouth and keep on talking.” I said this phrase when we used to hang.

  “I was thinking that maybe we could meet, sit down, and talk like old times.”

  “Okay, what do you have in mind?”

  “I have my own little place over here on Broad Rock Road. Nothing fancy. I figure I could throw some turkey wings in the oven until you get here. You know you love how I cook them.”

  “Bet! Sounds great to me. Give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll be on the way.” I took the address and hung up.

  I remained seated on the bed for a second so I could let all this marinate. This ho is really brave—or she’s just plain stupid. Either way, I get to see the enemy. I did not consider her anything less. I got up and got dressed in all-black Aeropostale sweatpants and jacket. I then took my gun out from under the pillow and checked to make sure it was loaded. I went into my drawer and took out an extra clip and put it in my Gucci bag.

  I thought about calling Alijah to let him know where I was heading, but I dismissed that idea. I needed to handle this by myself. I snuck downstairs. I didn’t want Jeanette to hear me leaving. I headed to the garage and grabbed a few things that might come in handy. You never know what might pop off with that sheisty bitch.

  Then I got in my car and drove off. I got to the South, and in no time, I spotted the address that she gave me and pulled in the yard. I was feeling butterflies in my stomach, and my guard was up. I held my bag close to me, just in case.

  She opened the door before I had a chance to knock. The first thought that came to my mind is this bitch is pressed.

  “Come in, chica. Now look at you. Stomach all big,” she said with a china grin.

  I stepped inside . . . and into a house of filth. Her ass lied about having her own place. The house was nothing but a smitty, a house that crackheads and dopefiends take over and turn it in to their own. The place smelled like shit and chicken mixed together with stinking pussy, a very terrible combination.

  “Girl, sit down. You carrying a load,” she said, then pointed to an old sofa that had brown stains all over the worn-out cloth material.

  “No, I’m fine. I’ve been lying down all day, so a little standing ain’t goin’ hurt nothing.”

  “OK, the food is almost done; then we can eat.”

  “I hear you. So what did you want to talk about?” I asked with a slight attitude. I was tired of all the bullshit small talk about irrelevant bullshit.

  “Girl, you know, I met Alijah’s wife, Shayna.” She looked at me for a reaction.

  “So?” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Well, friend, let me tell you. I think she’s the one that shot you.”

  “What would make you think such a thing?”

  “She’s a grimy bitch; plus, from the way she talks, I know she’s jealous of you.”

  This bottom feeding bitch went on to tell me how they met, all their later interactions, but not one time did she mention how she betrayed me or the fact that she was the one that gave her my address. I looked at her as I thought of my next move. I stood there thinking how blind I had been not to see her for the jealous, conniving bitch that she was.

  “Neisha, I have a question for you.”

  “What, girl?”

  “When did you start hating on me, and how much was our friendship worth?”

  “Whatchu mean? What I need to hate on you fo’?”

  “You tell me. We were like sisters, wore the same clothes, even shared the same drawers sometimes. Fucked the same niggas. So I’m curious, when did you start hating on me?”

  By this time, tears welled into my eyes. I was crying because I was hurt.

  “You right, we’re tight. That’s when yo’ ass was one of us, but the second you met that Jamaican nigga, you got all high and mighty, like yo’ shit don’t stink. You turned your back on me,” she yelled.

  “Turn my back? Bitch, I’ve always helped you. I bought you clothes, put money in your pocket. I have a pussy, you have a pussy. I decide to use mine to my advantage, and you decide to fuck for free. Don’t fucking blame me because you were too fucking stupid to profit off yours,” I yelled back.

  “Sierra, please miss me with that bullshit. You got lucky, but trust me, that nigga will soon find out that he can’t turn a ho into a housewife, and when he does, your ass will be just another old ho that got used up by the dope boy,” she said before walking into the kitchen.

  I took that moment to get my .38 revolver out of my bag. I held it behind my bag until she came back in the front room.

  “Neisha, you see, I’ve always been the one not to trust bitches. So, while I am disappointed, I am not shocked that you would hate on me. I remember when I first told you about Alijah, I heard the jealousy in your tone. That was the moment I knew I couldn’t trust you.”

  I raised my gun and stepped closer to her.

  “You see, I know you gave that bitch my address, and you have the nerve to act like you’re not responsible for me getting shot. You’re just as guilty as the bitch that pulled the trigger.”

  “You can’t be serious pulling a gun on me. I see you been hanging around that boy too much.”

  “Bitch, shut the fuck up. This ain’t no fucking joke—”

  I did not get a chance to finish my sentence. That crazy bitch leaped toward me. She had a big advantage over me because I had a big-ass stomach in front of me. I couldn’t really fight the way that I wanted to. She knocked me to the ground and jumped on top of my stomach. It was then my maternal instinct kicked in. I grabbed that heifer’s neck and brought my left hand up, and without hesitation, I squeezed the trigger. I hit her in the neck.

  I watched as her eyes widened, and she looked at me. I used all my strength and pushed her off me. She was choking on her own blood as she fought for her life. I stood up and aimed my gun and fired a single shot into her heart that killed her instantly.

  I stood there in a trance for a minute. This was my first killing, and I was shaking terribly. I quickly snapped out of it. I needed to think fast before anyone showed up. I’ve always known that I was going to kill her; just never planned it out. I needed to figure out what I was going to do with the body because I was standing in the middle of the floor with a dead bitch and the murder weapon in my hand.

  I felt like throwing up, and before the thought left my mind, I was throwing up on the dead body. Then I started having cold sweats all over my body. Next, I felt a gush of water leaking down my legs. My first guess was I was so nervous I peed on myself. I then recalled what the doctor said would happen when my water broke. I stuck my finger between my legs and felt a sticky, watery substance.

  I knew I needed to act fast. I dialed Alijah’s phone number. He picked up on the first ring.

  “He
y, boo.”

  “What’s good? Just swung by the house but you were gone.”

  “Yea, listen, I need you and your peoples to swing by and clean up for me.”

  “Bet! Give me the address; we on the way,” he said without hesitation. That was a code we had in place in case I ever got myself in any sticky situation.

  “Boo, hurry, my water just broke. I need to get to the hospital.”

  “You mean our baby is on the way? You need to bounce, go to the hospital. I’ma handle that situation; then I’ll be there. Johnson Willis, right?”

  “Yes, it’s not far from here.” I gave him the address and hung up.

  I snuck out the half-broken back door and got into my car. As soon as I did, I began to feel weak and wasn’t sure I was going to make it. I looked down at my clothes to check for any visible sign of blood. I realized my jacket was soaked with blood, so I took it off. I put the gun and the jacket into a plastic bag. I popped my trunk and placed them in there. I need Alijah to hurry up because the gun was registered in my name, and I threw up all over the bitch, so that can be traced back to me. I was nervous and scared. Now I see why I wasn’t a born killer.

  By then, I was in a lot of pain, so I pulled out of the yard. I saw Alijah in my rearview mirror pulling in, so I backed up and popped my trunk.

  “Boo, get that out of my trunk,” I hollered.

  He jumped out of the car, went to the trunk, and got the bag. I was going to report the gun stolen in the morning. I sped off to the hospital. I called Mo’, but she did not pick up, so I called Jeanette. I didn’t want her to think I needed her, but considering all that I’ve been through today, I just need someone to be in the delivery room with me.

  * * *

  I was excited and nervous, all in one. The doctors said they had to induce my labor because my water broke, but the baby wasn’t ready. Hours later, Alijah showed up holding my hand. Jeanette was also there for support.

  It wasn’t until nine the next morning that I started to have contractions, and, boy, those pains were nothing compared to other pains that I have felt before. I chose to not get an epidural because of the horror stories from other chicks about how you’ll get back pain in the future. Nah, I decided to go the natural way.

  At exactly 12:45 p.m., my little man made his grand entrance into this world. The nurse placed him in my arms. As I looked him in the eyes, I started to cry tears of joy. He was the most beautiful human being that I ever laid eyes on. I saw the happiness on his father’s face as he walked over to us. He stood there staring at us like he was just in awe. Jeanette was standing there, smiling from ear to ear.

  It was definitely a day that changed all our lives. This was the day that Azir Anthony Jackson entered this cruel world. He was seven pounds and five ounces. I whispered a silent prayer to God thanking him and asking him to send his angels to protect my little man.

  The nurse came and took him to the nursery. I was reluctant to let him out of my sight; however, after a little reassurance, I let him go. His daddy was so happy that he kept thanking me. He was glowing that he finally got his wish. He had a “mini-me.”

  I needed to talk to Alijah alone, so I asked Jeanette to leave the room. I really didn’t know her and damn sure wasn’t going to trust her.

  “Boo, did you handle everything?” I asked.

  “I told you I gotcha. You ain’t got nothing to worry ’bout. Relax, girl.”

  “I’m just asking, that’s all.”

  “I gotcha. I live this life. Trust me, everything is gone. Cleaned out completely.”

  “Okay, now I can finally breathe.”

  “Yea, next time, let me handle some shit like that. I need you home with my little man, not out being a thug,” he said and poked me in the arm.

  “I know, boo. This shit is just crazy. I can’t believe this happened.”

  “Shh. Tell me about it later. Right now, you need to relax. You just did the most amazing thing in the world, and that’s giving birth. All that other shit is irrelevant.”

  “You’re right about that. I’m starved. I feel like I could eat a cow right now.”

  “What you tryna eat?”

  “Not sure. Umm, maybe some KFC.”

  “Bet. I have something to handle real quick; then I’ll get your food.” He kissed me on the forehead.

  “OK, I’ll be here.”

  He left, and Jeanette entered the room. I was not in the mood to talk. I was mentally and physically drained. I just killed a bitch and gave birth, all in a twenty-four span.

  “Sierra, the nurses wanted to come in and clean you up, but I told them I’d do it, if you don’t mind.”

  “That’s fine; you can do it.”

  She helped me wash up, and I changed into my nightgown. She then left and told me she’d be back in the morning. I got back into bed, then called for the nurse to inquire about my son. She told me she’d bring him in shortly. I was getting irritated. I wanted to know why in God’s name they had my baby that long. Shit, it’s my child.

  I finally got to see my baby. I took him out of the hospital bassinet and held him in my arms. It was time to feed him, and I had decided not to breast-feed. So, I used one of the Enfamil samples the hospital provided. I watched him closely as he took his tiny little sucks of the nipple from the bottle. It was just amazing that I brought this precious life into existence.

  He ate and went straight to sleep. I was tired too, even though I tried to stay up so I could eat. I know Alijah said he had something to handle real quick, but it’s been awhile since he left. I dialed his number, and it went straight to voice mail. I hung up the phone and lay my head on the pillow.

  Chapter Twelve

  Alijah Jackson

  The birth of my son was astounding. I knew Sierra wanted a girl, but I didn’t. I wanted a li’l man that I could teach about different things in life. Being around when he popped out of her pussy was odd to me. I had to give it to shorty; she’s one strong woman.

  My love for her has just skyrocketed. She gave me a son, and there’s no way I could thank her enough. Standing there looking at both of them just validated my decision to leave the streets alone. I’ve never thought in a million years that I would walk away from this life, but I had too much to lose if I didn’t. I just can’t risk losing my family.

  * * *

  I’ve been schooling Chuck and Dre on e’erything ’bout the business. I was confident that they could handle it, even though I was walking away from the daily interactions. I would still be making certain calls, just not that much. I decided to throw some of the illegal money into real estate. The market was booming, so that’s a tight investment, along with some Laundromats in New York which was a business that will never get slow because people up top are always doing laundry.

  I received a text from Dre and left the hospital immediately. I called him so I could know what’s going on. I thought Shayna would’ve been dead already, but he informed me that the place was swarming with police, and it wouldn’t be a wise decision to move on her at that moment. I trusted my man’s instinct. I also learned that he followed her back to VA, and she was staying at the Marriott on Broad Street.

  That was great news because I needed to get at her. Her ass done did enough damage, and it was time for her to pay her dues.

  This was a hotel that stayed busy, so I knew we were going to take a big chance going up in there. Fuck it, we just had to be extra careful. I couldn’t rest until this bitch was six feet under!

  * * *

  Shayna Jackson

  My entire life, I’ve never been without my daddy. He was the one that taught me how to ride my first bike; how to throw a ball and how to shoot. Losing him really hurt my heart. I know no other man can replace my daddy, even if they tried.

  The day that I arrived at my parents’ house, I had a strange feeling like someone was watching me from a distance. I shook the feeling because I was caught up in my grief. My fears were confirmed on my way back to Virginia. I saw a car
in my rearview mirror when I went through the tunnel. It probably wouldn’t have caught my attention if the license plate wasn’t from VA. At one point, I sped up some. The car sped up too. I managed to get two cars ahead. The entire ride through Delaware, the car sat on my tail.

  I called Sanders’s phone to let him know that I was being followed. Within minutes, the feds were calling me. They instructed me to stay calm and continue on my journey. I wasn’t sure, but I had a strong feeling that it was Alijah or one of his boys. I tried to get a glimpse inside of the car, but the windows were tinted.

  I wasn’t going to put my life in the hands of the feds, even though it was in their best interest to protect their star witness. I kept my cool all the way back to the hotel. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw the black two-door sedan parking on the side. I checked for my gun in my purse, just in case I needed to use it. Luckily, I made it to my room without any incident.

  The feds were so fucking slick. Before I got there, they already had a room occupied adjacent to mine. I almost jumped out of my skin when I got the phone call from them, telling me to open the interior door beside the bathroom door. I stood there in surprise when I saw a number of federal agents entering my room.

  I was later briefed that there was a hit on my life, and Alijah and his crew might be coming after me in the hotel. They also told me that they were sure that he was responsible for my parents’ death. I felt rage and wanted to kill the bastard my damn self. I also felt guilty for bringing that animal into their lives. A tear dropped down my face as I grieved my daddy.

  I stayed in the room next door with two agents while the others remained in my room waiting for Alijah and his boys to show up. I hope they were right this time around, because I was ready for this phase of my life to end, and I pray sooner than later!

  Chapter Thirteen

  Alijah Jackson

  We met up in the Marriott’s parking lot. Chuck and Dre were present, along with Damion. This was his first time rolling with us on something this major. He was still new to my team, and I hadn’t yet built that type of trust with him. He insisted on going on this run so he could prove his loyalty and commitment to the crew. I said fuck it and gave him a chance to see if he was really built for this life.