Life After Sadie

by Natalie Weber

  “Mama, you don’t have to worry about anything right now ...” Cass’s voice trailed off, “’cause you look like a hot mess,” he said, trying to make her laugh.

  “What?” Carmen yelled, not expecting to hear that. She quickly flipped the visor down. He was right. Her eyes were red with black circles around them. She tried to smooth her hair back into a ponytail.

  “I’m just kiddin’. Don’t kill me; I can’t help it,” Cass said smiling at her.

  Carmen let out a fake laugh. She didn’t feel like laughing. Her fate was in her hands. She didn’t want to go back to Maryland and couldn’t go anywhere without making sure Lele was okay. She looked at Cass and said, “I don’t know what to do!”

  “Like I said, don’t worry about it. It will all work out,” he said reassuring her.

  “Where are we going anyway?” Carmen asked, searching for some tissue in her bag.

  “Oh, well, I was going to take you to a hotel—”

  “I told you I don’t have money like that. You might as well stop the car. Let me use your phone so I can try my cousin again,” Carmen said.

  Cass did what he was told and pulled the car over, then put it in park. He passed his phone to her and watched her face intensely.

  Carmen dialed Lele’s number. It went to voice mail. She tried again, still no answer. She passed the phone back to him and began to cry with her hands covering her face.

  Cass took his opportunity. “Listen, let me call my sister and see what I can do,” he lied.

  Cass dialed Iris’s number and spoke into the phone briefly.

  Carmen looked at him, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  “You’re in luck. My sister said you could stay with her for a couple of days ’til you get a hold of your cousin or decide to go back to Maryland,” he said, hoping she would say yes.

  “Seriously? But she don’t even know me. I ain’t ’bout to just show up at nobody house just like that,” Carmen remarked.

  “Listen, it’s cool. She ain’t even there. You’ll have the house to yourself. Here’s the key,” he said holding it up to her.

  “But ...”

  “But nothing!” Cass blasted, slapping Carmen into the passenger-side window.

  “Oh, what the he—” Carmen let out a scream.

  Cass proceeded to slapped her continuously until her lips and nose were bleeding. He opened his glove compartment and pulled out a wad of napkins, then threw them at her. “Take those and wipe your nose. I don’t want no blood in my car. I just got this shit detailed.” His voice was hard and forceful.

  “Cass, I thought ...” Carmen stuttered.

  “You thought fuckin’ nothin’,” Cass said, relieved by his aggression. “Carmen, it works like this”—he cleared his throat—“usually I would play this game of ‘oh, how much I’m feelin’ you’ kinda thing, but I got some disturbin’ news today. So, I don’t want to play the game, nor do I have the time,” Cass spoke chastising her.

  Carmen moved her hand slowly to her side. Her upper body fell on to her lap covering her hand easing to her purse. She gripped a small box cutter. Then she rocked her body back and forth crying loudly. She slightly looked up at Cass and noticed he was about to drive back into traffic. She knew if she didn’t do something fast, this would be the worst day of her young life.

  She lunged at him. The car swerved into oncoming traffic. Luckily, he missed the vehicles. Cass pulled back and hit the brakes hard, jerking their bodies by the sudden movement. Carmen was discombobulated by the chain of events.

  He smacked her hard across the face. His fingers gripped her neck tightly. “What the fuck you tryin’ to do? Kill us both? You so fuckin’ stupid. Now, give me that shit before I get even angrier and take my frustrations out on you some more.”

  Carmen gave him the box cutter and watched him throw it out the window. She stopped crying. She was now scared. She thought she was going to piss, shit, and vomit all at the same time. Pain came over her face and head. She closed her eyes and prayed for her life.

  Cass drove close to an hour in silence, deep in his thought. He finally stopped in front of a rundown motel. A few months back when he purchased the house out in Gary, he was paying weekly rent at this place. It was isolated with not a soul in sight for miles. A perfect place for training a potential ho. He stepped out of the car, then locked it, making sure Carmen couldn’t escape.

  She didn’t even move. She was too shaken up.

  He knocked on the door, and a female answered. He spoke a few words, then walked over to the car. He unlocked the car and grabbed Carmen by her arm. Cass pulled her close to him, making sure she wouldn’t try to run. They walked to the opened door, and he walked her inside.

  “Carmen, you got a couple choices right now ... You could try to run and get shot”—he looked at the other female, and she flashed the 9 mm in her hand—“or you could be a good girl and do what you’re told. Listen, you can make this a good thing or a very bad thing. It’s up to you. This right here is Trini. She gonna make sure nothing happens to you unless you deserve it.” He hoped his words were clear.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a generous wad of cash and handed it to Trini. Then he turned around and walked out the door.

  Carmen eyed Trini and knew she would kill on the spot if she made the wrong move.

  Trini with her gun in hand walked in a circle around Carmen looking at her closely. “Don’t worry, gal. I’ma tell ya how we doin’ it,” Trini said in a harsh manner, then opened a dresser drawer.

  Carmen’s eyes closed, and her legs began to shake. Urine trickled down her legs.

  “Here a towel, rag, and a nightie. Go and wash ya rass,” Trini said, motioning her to move quickly.

  Carmen grabbed the stuff out of her hand and dashed into the bathroom, then locked the door.

  Trini tapped on the door. “’Eh, gal, it don’t have no window in there, you know,” she said laughing.

  Carmen got into the tub fully clothed, sat down, and bowed her head onto her knees. She sobbed, wishing she never met Cass. Her body began to rock. “How could you be so stupid?” she asked herself out loud. Her tears flowed uncontrollably. Carmen’s future was now changed forever.

  Cass was upset with himself as he hopped back into his ride. He rarely used his hands on women, but his frustration took over. He got back on I-94 and headed to Detroit with thoughts of Serenity on his mind. I don’t want to believe she’s even capable of doin’ that shit Shawn was sayin’! Damn, this bitch done know where I lay my head at, knows I get money ... Damn! What the fuck a nigga ’pose to do!

  He made it back to Detroit and after thinking hard he called Iris.

  “Iris, I need to see you.”

  “Hello to you too! It ain’t gonna happen. I’m on my way to the airport. I have to take a trip to New York real quick, but I should be back in a day or two,” she said stopping his demanding tone.

  “Shit! Well, is there a later flight? I have to talk to you ’bout some shit.” He knew of only one thing that could stop her from leaving. “It’s ’bout some cash.”

  “If you can meet me at the airport in fifteen minutes, you will have five minutes to convince me,” Iris blurted out and hung up the phone.

  Cass stepped on the gas pedal. He pulled up to the airport in no time.

  Iris stood waiting with her Gucci leather duffel bag. She saw Cass’s car coming her way. She quickly looked at her watch to check the time. Cass drove up to her and got out of the car.

  “All right, you got five minutes, starting now,” Iris said pulling out a single Newport.

  “I know you know Shawn P, correct?”

  “Yeah, I do, but we don’t get down like that anymore. So, what? He tryin’ to take your prospects or somethin’?” Iris questioned carefully.

  “Okay, do you know a chick named Serenity?” Cass asked.

  “Continue,” she said, not indicating her answer purposely. She took a pull off her cigarette.

  “Well, Shawn
stepped to me ’cause he heard some story about her setting up some big-time niggas back in D.C., and now she got almost a quarter mil’ contract on her head.” Cass continued, “He want me to set her ass up ’cause he know she been hangin’ with me. He said something about it being easier. But he gonna toss me some green if I do. The only shit is, I got two days to get back to him or else she lies in a concrete bed without me gettin’ paid. He only asked me if I wanted in because of the respect. You know me, I ain’t no killa no more. Shit, I don’t even handle guns anymore. But that money is callin’ me... .”

  “Cass, that’s quite a story,” Iris said as the wheels turned in her head.

  “I want you—”

  “Oh no, you didn’t. I do what I say, not what you tell me to. Let me find out some things and I will call you in the morning. You look like shit! Go home. I’ll hit you tomorrow,” Iris said, plunking her cigarette butt into the street.

  Cass looked at Iris wanting to continue their conversation, but he was quickly distracted when he heard a loud noise. He turned around to see someone had crashed into his parked car. He threw up his hands in frustration and yelled, “Fuckin’ bitch!”

  “Well, I see you gonna be doin’ business for a while. We’ll talk. Bye.” Iris shook her head from side to side, then walked into the airport to catch her flight.

  Chapter 16

  “Take it in your mouth ... Suck it ... Yeah, I’m cumming. . . Yeah, get every drop, baby ... Whoo-hoo!” Stuckey groaned. His body was weak from their nonstop, two-hour sex-a-thon.

  “Stuckey, can I tell you somethin’?” Tootsie asked in a serious tone.

  “Yeah, what?” he answered, still feeling fragile.

  “I think Shawn P is going to kill me,” Tootsie said with sadness in her voice. In actuality, she wasn’t sure of what he would do to her after Serenity was taken care of.

  “What the fuck you talkin’ ’bout? That nigga hardly even talks to you. Most of the time, he tellin’ me to tell you what to do!” Stuckey’s voice grew louder. He stood up from the bed and walked to the window. His body became tense. He tried to hide any knowledge of the truth.

  “But I have this feelin’, and I thought about it. Why would he want me around after this shit goes down? He ain’t been over here to say nothin’ ’bout shit,” Tootsie sat up.

  “Tootsie, I’ma tell you somethin’, but you ain’t gonna like it, a’ight?” Stuckey turned around and looked at her. He hoped he was making the right decision on what he was about to say. “You a ho to him. He don’t care nothin’ about you. You already know that. Why you think he had you turnin’ tricks for him when they let your ass out? He needed to break yo’ ass down. Strip you of all happiness. I don’t know shit, and I don’t need to until it’s necessary!”

  “What you mean? I thought you—” Tootsie stood up and walked to him.

  “Why you all up in my shit?”

  “’Cause I’m scared! I mean, you don’t fuckin’ know what he gonna do. He got you and me here for like two months now. I know what you did back in D.C. You told me, you remember? What makes you think he ain’t take your shit over and now plottin’ for all of us to die?” She closed her eyes and braced herself for his slap across her face.

  The slap never came.

  “What the fuck you talkin’ about?” His ears perked up.

  “I’m just sayin’, think about it, Stuckey. When was the last time you spoke to him?” She got bolder and turned her back to him. “That’s why yo’ ass—”

  Stuckey’s hand reached for the back of her neck. His grip tightened, and he whispered in her ear, “What you said, bitch?”

  Tootsie went too far. Her eyes widened. “Baby, I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. I just want us to be together. I’m lucky I got you to look after me while I’m here.” She kissed his lips softly.

  “Get the fuck outta my room,” he said almost in a whisper. His head was fucked up. Tootsie is right. That nigga ain’t come see me in a minute, he thought. Damn, could I be that blind? Stuckey was tired of the street, but didn’t want Shawn P to know he was getting out of the game. He reached for a single Newport and lit it. Then he grabbed his boxers off the floor and headed to the balcony. His mind continued to ramble back and forth while pacing and smoking. Shit, now that I think about it, he just might me tryin’ to creep. He knows about my connects when people need ’em big-ass choppers. Could that be it? Does he know that I’m tryin’ to get out? Is he tryin’ to take my source from me? When I took his offer of two hundred stacks, I didn’t expect to be here this long. I should’a bounced when he gave me that fifty stack. I could’a started my bubble real smooth with that, but I ain’t tryin’ be in this shit no more.

  “Don’t you want it?” Iris said.

  “No, I really don’t! My business with you is no longer!” Carla shouted.

  “Whaaattt? Is that so?” Iris stood back and closed her robe. “First of all, don’t fuckin’ yell. You can say whatever you got to say without actin’ like some nigga from the street. Either you sit and talk or you leave. ’Cause trust me, you ain’t the only business I got,” Iris said with a calm to her voice.

  “A’ight, then let me ask you, how long you been traf-fickin’ pussy?” Carla asked without beating around the bush.

  “Um, what you talkin’ about?” Iris asked, pretending she didn’t know the answer.

  Carla chuckled lightly. “Did you think I wasn’t gonna find out? That shit wasn’t gonna come back around to me?”

  “Carla, when this offer was put on the table to you, you couldn’t get nobody to fuck with you ’cause of your sister’s shit. And, I’m guessing you were already on your last bit of dough. That’s why you called me. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. That’s how it works. There is no room for details. Details get you snitched on or killed. I like my life. And, I’m sure you like yours,” Iris said eyeing her.

  Carla jumped up. “Wait! Hold up. I know you ain’t tryin’ to threaten me. I came here to make it clear to you. Your business is no longer mine. I ain’t down with gettin’ these bitches for you, then you sellin’ them to rich-ass bastards out in other fuckin’ countries for far more—”

  “What, you want more money? Is that what this is all about? You could’a said that in the beginning,” Iris interrupted.

  “Hell, fuckin’ yeah, I want more money. All ’em chicks you got from me I’m sure you made more than twenty-k. Don’t think I’m stupid, Iris. The bitches I get you, they know they gonna be sellin’ pussy or running drugs. You done went to the next level from what I hear. You snatch these broads up and sell ’em a false fuckin’ dream. How they gonna be goin’ places, and they ain’t gonna be walking no street for tricks.”

  Carla shifted in her seat. “Basically, it’s like this. Either you cut me in on the final payment, or I start opening my mouth. Don’t get me wrong. I won’t be snitchin’, but I’ma make it harder for you to get that money.”

  “I see. Now you threatenin’ me ...” Iris stood up. “I think it’s time you make your exit. I don’t like when I’m backed into a corner.”

  “Backin’ you into a corner? Nah, it ain’t even like that. You didn’t do your homework on me. Iris, you forget where I’m from; the capital of pimpin’, Chi-town. One little brushfire can turn a forest black, just remember that.” Carla stood up and walked out the door.

  Who the fuck does this butch think she is? Could she really do that? I won’t allow that shit! Iris’s thoughts crammed her head.

  “Carla, can you come and clasp this necklace for me?” Serenity yelled while she stood in front of the bathroom mirror and struggled to snap the costume jewelry around her neck. Her appearance was on point. A black Roberto Cavalli minidress and black peep toe pumps fit her shape nicely, accentuating her ass and thighs. Her hair was in a flat wrap with bangs, her makeup flawless. As soon as she added her accessories she would be perfect. She was excited to be stepping out as Cass’s official girlfriend. He confirmed it.

  “Damn, Serenity, I just walke
d in the door. Can’t you wait a minute?” she asked feeling a little on edge after her meeting with Iris.

  “Can you hurry up? Cass will be here any minute, and I don’t want him waitin’. He’s supposed to take me out to some exclusive club,” Serenity said, still struggling to clasp the necklace closed.

  Carla finally went up the stairs to help Serenity. “Wow! You look good. When did you get that?”

  “Oh, Cass had it delivered to me today, along with these.” Serenity showed off her new pumps.

  “He did, huh? Well, make sure you tell him next time he wants to shop for you, then he gonna have to take you to Paris or Italy. Serenity, you gots to go big! Don’t settle on little shit like this,” Carla said.

  “Damn, Carla, why you always think that way? Sometimes all this materialistic shit just doesn’t matter. You mad ’cause you can’t do it?” Serenity headed back to her room for her purse and phone.

  “Yeah, okay. Now, you talkin’ outta your asshole. If that nigga didn’t have any money, you would not be on his arm,” Carla said, not even addressing her insult.

  “Carla, are you tryin’ to get me mad? Or are you just mad that I actually got something to do and you don’t?” Serenity walked past her and headed downstairs.

  Carla followed behind her. “You mad ’cause I called your ass out? And you actually think just ’cause I haven’t been shellin’ out cash like I used to that somehow I’m jelly off of you. Serenity, you better check yourself in that mirror back upstairs,” Carla said with a hard look on her face.

  Serenity rolled her eyes. She heard her text message alert sounding off.

  I’m outside.

  “What the fuck is up wit’ you, Carla? Is it ’cause I’m seeing Cass?” She walked to the front door.