Carl Weber's Kingpins

by Brandi Johnson

“About to tackle ya goddaughter’s thick-ass hair.”

  “That child does have some thick hair.” Ke’yoko chuckled as she grabbed a towel out of the bathroom linen closet. “I need to come and get my baby.”

  “When, girl, when?” Nadia asked, laughing.

  “I’ma get her and Aiko and take them to the park and get some ice cream in about a week or so.”

  “Girrrrl, I can’t wait, ’cause when you try to bring her back, I’ma treat y’all like some straight Jehovah’s Witnesses. When y’all get to knockin’ I’ma be all in the closet hidin’ and shit.” Nadia laughed.

  Ke’yoko laughed too. “Girl, you a damn fool.”

  “Well, I was just callin’ to see what you were doin’. I’ma let you g’on and take ya shower.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you back later on,” Ke’yoko said, turning on the water to the shower and adjusting the temperature.

  “Hey,” Nadia called out before Ke’yoko could get off the phone.

  “Wassup, chick?”

  “What you doin’ for ya twenty-fifth birthday?” Nadia asked.

  “Girl, I don’t know. I don’t have any plans. And wit’ Bo passin’ away I don’t think Ja’Rel will be up to celebratin’ either.”

  “Yeah, girl, I seen that shit on the news today! That fucked me up! I was gon’ call and tell you, but I had so many heads today I didn’t have time to. But I guess that’s the chances you take when you livin’ the life, huh?” Nadia replied, hurt.

  Ke’yoko rolled her eyes and changed the subject back to her birthday plans. “Anyways, so maybe me, you, and Ka’yah can go out to eat and get a coupl’a drinks or somethin’,” Ke’yoko suggested.

  “Ummmp, how about me and you go to dinner and get some drinks and then you and Ka’yah can go do somethin’ by yourselves,” Nadia said, twisting up her face.

  “Are you and Ka’yah gon’ ever get along? Damn! I don’t even know what y’all beefin’ for. Dammit, what is the beef between y’all two bitches?” Ke’yoko asked, wanting to get to the bottom of why her sister and best friend didn’t get along.

  “Man, I just can’t do yo’ sister,” Nadia said, irritated by the thought of Ka’yah.

  “And why not?”

  “For one, she sneaky as fuck. She phony and I know that’s ya sister but you need to watch her around Ja’Rel ’cause they a li’l too buddy-buddy for my likin’,” Nadia said, putting it all out on the table.

  “Come on, Nadia, that’s my twin sister you talkin’ about like that.” Ke’yoko frowned, not feeling what Nadia had to say about Ka’yah. “And as far as her fuckin’ my husband, girl, please, now you just graspin’! I know Ja’Rel is a ho to his heart, but he my ho and I love him. He would never fuck my sister. I do know that much.”

  Knowing she was out of place and had possibly crossed the line, Nadia recanted her opinion. It was Ka’yah she didn’t like, so she had no business trying to hurt Ke’yoko in the process of spitting venom on Ka’yah’s name.

  “I’m sorry, Ke’yoko. Girl, I was wrong for sayin’ what I said. I know Ja’Rel wouldn’t do no foul shit like that. I said that shit out of anger. Do you forgive me?”

  Ke’yoko was hesitant at first because the words Nadia had just said about her sister and husband stung. She knew that Ja’Rel was a low-down, cheating bastard, but him fucking her sister had never once crossed her mind.

  “Ke, I’m sorry,” Nadia repeated, not wanting her best friend to be mad at her for talking stupid. Nadia wasn’t really sorry, just sorry she’d upset Ke’yoko. Something was off about Ka’yah and Nadia didn’t like her point blank.

  “It’s cool,” Ke’yoko finally said, still feeling some kind of way, though. “Look, I’m about to get in the shower. I’ll holla at’chu later.”

  “A’iiight, ma.”

  Ke’yoko pushed the END button on her cell phone, laid it on the bathroom sink, and climbed in the shower. The thought of how close Ja’Rel and Ka’yah were and how much time they spent together started playing in her mind. She thought back to all the times she went through Ja’Rel’s phone and saw Ka’yah’s number all through it, but never thought anything of it because Ka’yah constantly called Ja’Rel when she needed something fixed around her house. Ke’yoko had never thought anything of it until Nadia had the audacity to put that thought in her head. She then started thinking about how touchy-feely they seemed to be when they were around each other.

  Shit started popping up in Ke’yoko’s head as the water beat down on her body, shit she had brushed off as being a brotherly relationship between her sister and husband. Ke’yoko shook her head in disbelief and quickly shook the foolish thoughts from her head and continued to shower. But like she always said, momma didn’t raise no fool; and even though she didn’t believe that stuff about Ka’yah and Ja’Rel, from here on out she would definitely keep an eye on them two, just in case there was some truth to Nadia’s speculations.

  Chapter Six

  The day of Bo’s funeral, Ja’Rel had a hard time getting motivated. Laying his best friend to rest was the last thing he thought he’d be doing. As much as Ke’yoko didn’t want to attend the funeral she knew she had to be there to support her husband and to make sure them thirsty bitches knew and understood that she carried the “wifey” title, not them. Ke’yoko put on a short black tight-fitting scoop-neck dress with long sleeves. Every curve on her body showed through the dress. Ja’Rel came out of the en suite and looked over at his wife.

  “Damn, baby, you look good as fuck, but you look more like you goin’ to the club and not a funeral,” he said, walking over to the closet and pulling out his black notched-lapel Canali suit.

  Ke’yoko walked over to the standing mirror and looked at her attire feeling a little silly. She had to admit she did look more like she was going out for a night on the town instead of to her husband’s best friend’s funeral. She was so engrossed in proving to them thirsty hoes that she was number one in Ja’Rel’s life, she’d forgotten all about keeping it classy and at the same time paying her respects to Bo. She couldn’t stand him, but he did deserve some respect; he was a human being.

  Ke’yoko walked over to the closet and grabbed a little longer black lace-trimmed, sleeveless, ruched cocktail dress and changed into it instead. Even though she’d changed into something a little more presentable, Ke’yoko was still killing the game.

  After changing her outfit, Ke’yoko went into the bathroom and twisted her hair into a bun and stuck two kanzashi hair sticks into her hair. Ke’yoko wanted nothing to do with her Japanese side, but she still couldn’t help sometimes reverting to her heritage. It was still instilled in her whether she wanted it to be or not. She was double-checking herself in the mirror and applying finishing touches when she heard Ja’Rel’s cell phone ringing.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  Ke’yoko eased her way to the doorway and tried her best to be discreet as her husband spoke on the phone.

  “The wake starts at ten a.m. and the funeral is at eleven a.m.,” he said. “If I feel up to it I will. Don’t forget I’m ’bouta go bury my right-hand man. A’iiiight, I’ll talk to you later.”

  When Ja’Rel hung up the phone, Ke’yoko walked out of the bathroom as if she hadn’t been eavesdropping on her husband’s conversation. “Who was that?” she asked nonchalantly, pretending her dress was too high and pulling on it to make it come down some, just for something to do.

  “Ka’yah,” Ja’Rel replied with a nonchalant attitude as he stood in the standing mirror, straightening out his tie.

  “What she want?” Ke’yoko snapped before she knew it with a straight attitude.

  Ja’Rel stopped messing with his tie and turned to face his wife, looking at her like she’d just lost her damn mind. “Dang, what you say it all like that for?” he asked, confused.

  “Like what?” Ke’yoko asked, trying her best to play it off.

  “Like it’s a problem that my sister-in-law called me to find out what time Bo’s funeral is,” he answered.r />
  “It ain’t no problem, nigga. You trippin’.” Ke’yoko chuckled, wondering why Ka’yah called Ja’Rel to find out Bo’s funeral information and not her.

  “A’iiiight then,” Ja’Rel said before turning back toward the mirror.

  After getting themselves ready, Ja’Rel grabbed his Roberto Cavalli sunglasses off the dresser, before he and Ke’yoko headed to the car. Ja’Rel opened the door and waited for his wife to get in before walking around to the driver’s side and getting in himself.

  “I hate funerals,” Ja’Rel said as he backed out of the driveway.

  “Who does like ’em?” Ke’yoko asked while buckling her seat belt.

  “You’d be surprised. I know a couple of muthafuckas who be at everybody’s funeral, whether they know ’em or not.” Ja’Rel smiled. “I think they just go so they can go to the repast to eat.”

  Ke’yoko smiled and shook her head. “That’s crazy.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Ke’yoko looked over at her handsome husband as he drove. She loved this man with all her heart and had known since the first time she’d laid eyes on him that she would marry him. Even after all the affairs she’d found out about, Ke’yoko still refused to leave and let another woman have him. Ja’Rel’s ambition and determination had been what attracted her to him in the first place. Ke’yoko loved how he had taken a small exterminating company that he’d built from the ground up and turned it into something huge. When he first came to Ke’yoko with the idea of starting his business, she wasn’t too excited about it, fearing it would fail because of all the competition in the area. She was grateful that she’d kept her mouth closed and supported her husband’s dream, and because of that support they could afford the finer things in life. She deserved this life and had put up with a lot to live it.

  Ja’Rel pulled up in front of the already crowded church and looked for a parking space. “Damn, this church is packed,” he said as he scouted the parking lot.

  “There’s one right there,” Ke’yoko said, pointing.

  Ja’Rel whipped his car into the empty parking space, put the car in park, and turned the engine off.

  “You okay?” Ke’yoko looked over at her husband and asked.

  He shook his head yes.

  “You ready?”

  “As ready as I’m gon’ get,” Ja’Rel replied as he opened up his car door.

  “Come on,” Ke’yoko said, opening her door as well and getting out, waiting for Ja’Rel.

  Ke’yoko grabbed Ja’Rel’s arm as they walked through the church’s parking lot and into the church. All eyes were on the power couple as they headed up to the casket. Ke’yoko’s mind was steady wondering how many of these basic-ass females watching them had Ja’Rel slept with. She knew of at least three of these hoes for a fact.

  Ja’Rel looked down at his friend and shook his head in disbelief. He fought back tears as he looked down at the man who’d helped him turn his business into the empire that it was today. He didn’t know what he was going to do without his right-hand man. Yes, he had plenty of other workers on his team, but none of them was cut quite like Bo. Bo was loyal and a true friend indeed. His other partners were loyal but he couldn’t give the “friend” title to any of them, for several different reasons. Bo had never given Ja’Rel a reason not to trust him, while the others had made him second-guess their loyalty a time or two.

  “What’s up, man?” Jonesy walked up to him and spoke, breaking his train of thought. “How you doin’, boss lady?”

  Ke’yoko nodded.

  “Wassup, man?” Ja’Rel asked, glad he was interrupted before the tears could fall.

  “Let me holla at you for a minute.”

  Ja’Rel, Jonesy, and Ke’yoko stepped away from the casket and let everyone else pay their respects. “Wassup?”

  “Man, I heard last night that an eyewitness told the police it was a bitch who robbed and killed Bo,” Jonesy said.

  “Hold on, man,” Ja’Rel said, stopping Jonesy from going on with what he’d heard in the streets.

  “A’iiiight,” Jonesy said.

  “Baby, go find us a seat,” Ja’Rel looked over at Ke’yoko and said, not wanting his wife to hear any more than what she’d already heard.

  “Okay,” Ke’yoko said, before turning to walk away. She combed through the crowd of people, looking for Ka’yah and Nadia. There were so many people packed inside the church she couldn’t spot either of them. She walked to the back to find herself a seat. Just as she spotted a seat and turned around to sit down her eyes met with Ross’s as he came through the door. Ke’yoko smiled, and Ross smiled back, nodding his head before heading up to the casket to view Bo’s body.

  Ke’yoko didn’t know what was about to go down, being that Ja’Rel and Ross were in each other’s presence. She watched as Ja’Rel and Ross stared each other down. Ross nodded his head in Jonesy’s direction before going to find himself a seat. Ja’Rel looked over at her. Ke’yoko didn’t know if it was to make sure she didn’t acknowledge Ross or what; if so, it was too late. She already had.

  “Damn, man, why you say that shit in front of my wife? Nigga, you know I keep her all the way out of my business just in case somethin’ goes down. She can’t tell the police shit ’cause she don’t know shit! How many times have I told y’all asses that?” Ja’Rel said, trying to keep his anger discreet. Yet again, one of his workers was testing his loyalty. Ja’Rel loved and trusted his wife with his life, but kept what he did in the streets a secret from her just in case he got caught up. It was for her own protection, too, but more for his. He didn’t for one minute believe she’d ever turn on him if push came to shove, but he wasn’t taking any chances, either. Pressure had been known to bust pipes. Far as he was concerned she’d never know about his business for real.

  “My bad, man, I wasn’t thinkin’,” Jonesy apologized.

  “Well, start thinkin’. Stupid shit like that is what’s gon’ get all of us fucked up!”

  Jonesy wasn’t feeling the chastising he was getting from Ja’Rel. “I said my bad, man, damn.”

  “Anyways, what else was said?” Ja’Rel asked, cutting him off.

  “What I just told you was all that was basically said,” Jonesy snapped.

  Ja’Rel shook his head. He couldn’t give a damn about Jonesy’s attitude right now. “I need more information. Find out who that bitch is and, when you do, bring her to me ’cause she owe me, big time. I’ma make her pay for takin’ my money and my brother. I might even fuck the shit outta the bitch before I kill her.” With that being said, Ja’Rel walked away.

  Ke’yoko was getting restless as the funeral seemed like it would never end. She was getting tired of hearing all the different chicks get up in front of the church, reminiscing about the times they’d spent with Bo as if his wife wasn’t there. Ke’yoko caught several females staring at Ja’Rel as if he was a piece of meat. One chick was so bold, when Ke’yoko caught her looking she didn’t even blink or turn her head; she kept on eyeing Ja’Rel as if Ke’yoko didn’t exist. It was like a breath of fresh air when the pastor announced that he was finished. Ke’yoko quickly stood up and waited for Ja’Rel to stand up as well.

  He looked at her wanting to ask what the hurry was, but kept his mouth closed instead. Some arguments weren’t even worth it. Ja’Rel got stopped numerous times as they made their way out to the car.

  “I didn’t know Bo was so well liked,” Ja’Rel said as he and Ke’yoko pulled out of the church’s parking lot to head to the cemetery to say his final good-byes.

  Me either, Ke’yoko thought, but kept her comment to herself.

  “It was a nice funeral, don’t you think so?” he asked.

  “Yeah, it was nice,” Ke’yoko answered.

  “He woulda done the same for me. I had to make sure my homie went out in style.”

  After leaving the cemetery, Ke’yoko was dreading going back to the church for the repast. All she wanted to do was go home, lie across the bed, and catch up on her
TV shows.

  She sat at a table watching as Ja’Rel continued talking with all these different niggas and females.

  “There you are. I’ve been lookin’ all over for you,” Ke’yoko heard a familiar voice say.

  She turned around and smiled. “I was lookin’ for you at the funeral,” she said, standing up and giving Nadia a tight hug.

  “Girl, you know I’m always runnin’ late for everything. When I got to the funeral it was damn near over.” Nadia laughed.

  “Yo’ ass shoulda started gettin’ ready last night.” Ke’yoko laughed too as she sat back down in her seat.

  “I know, right,” Nadia agreed, sitting down in the chair next to Ke’yoko. “Bo’s funeral was packed.”

  “I know, I can’t believe it. I didn’t think nobody liked him.” Ke’yoko laughed.

  “Yeah, he was an asshole,” Nadia said.

  “Don’t talk about him now. You used to be in love wit’ that asshole.” Ke’yoko laughed.

  “For real, bitch? That was back in high school.” Nadia laughed too.

  “So? It don’t matter when it was, you was still in love wit’ him.”

  “I was, wasn’t I? Girl, we used to skip school wit’ Ja’Rel and Bo and have so much fun,” Nadia said as she stared off in space, reminiscing about the good ol’ days.

  “We sho’ll did. Who woulda thought me and Ja’Rel would still be together all these years later?” Ke’yoko asked rhetorically.

  “Shit, if Bo wasn’t such a big-ass ho, we probably woulda still been together too.”

  “You was a ho too.” Ke’yoko laughed.

  “Oh, yeah, I was, wasn’t I?” Nadia laughed too.

  “Ummmm huh.” Ke’yoko smirked.

  “Shit, I shoulda stayed wit’ Bo ’cause every nigga I messed wit’ after him wasn’t no different; they was all hoes too.”

  “Lance wasn’t no big-ass hoe,” Ke’yoko said.

  “Naw, he wasn’t, but the nigga didn’t have no dick. Only thing good came outta fuckin’ wit’ him was he bought the hair shop for me.”

  “What about Twan?”

  “Only good thing came from messin’ wit’ him was A’Niyah. Other than that, he wasn’t shit either. But the dick was good, bitch!”