No Justice No Peace

by Brenda Hampton

  I took a few more hits from the joint, and before I knew it, I was out like a light. Shortly after, I was awakened by Ginger. She straddled my lap and put bite marks on my neck.

  “Now, you can not be laid up here looking this sexy on a Saturday morning, Kiley.” She nibbled on my ear.

  I was still horny, so I rolled on top of Ginger and kneeled between her legs. Getting into position, I put one of my legs on the floor and scooted myself right into her.

  Within seconds, we were at it again. We couldn’t help ourselves and there was much lost time to be made up for. I had no problem with the way she was putting it out there and it was obvious that any man in her life would be replaced.

  She moaned and I moaned. When she talked dirty, I talked dirty. But when she lay on her stomach, shouting loudly from my hard thrusts, I’ll be damned if Desmon didn’t come upstairs to confront us. Embarrassed, I leaned forward to cover Ginger’s naked body with mine. She shamefully turned her head away from Desmon and closed her eyes. I didn’t have much to say my damn self.

  “Look, I’m trying to sleep. I got a game today and I’m tired. Please have some fucking respect, au-ight?” he demanded.

  “If you want respect, you got to give it,” I said casually. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to finish up.”

  Desmon gave me a cold stare. “You do that. Finish up with your leftovers. I’m sure Moms—

  “Desmon!” Ginger yelled. “Watch your mouth!”

  I covered Ginger’s mouth with my hand and looked at Desmon. “You are treading on extremely thin ice. Man, I’m seconds away from kicking yo ass and calling it a day. Before I do, please!” I yelled, “get the hell away from me before I get off this couch and bust a cap in yo ass!”

  I couldn’t believe he stepped further into the room. “I ain’t afraid of you, Nigga! Bring it on!”

  Before I knew it, I hopped up and charged at Desmon. I grabbed him by his neck, slamming him into the wall. His head hit the wall— hard. I stood in front of him, gritting my teeth.

  “Are you ready to die, Desmon?” I yelled with a tight grip on his neck. “DO NOT FUCK WITH ME, MAN! At this point, I don’t give a shit what your problem is, but the disrespect stops here and now! Do you understand?”

  He didn’t say a word. He sucked his teeth and the look of raging anger covered his entire face. “Do you understand!” I yelled louder and tightened up on my grip. He held his neck tight so he wouldn’t feel so much pain. Ginger ran over and begged me to let him go.

  “Stop this, please! Kiley, let him go!”

  I eased up on his neck and got no response. After letting him go, I took a deep breath and stormed off towards the bedroom. Desmon spoke calmly to me.

  “You die, blood. Yo ass is dead.”

  I turned and grinned at him. “I’m not afraid of dying. You need to prepare yourself, though.” I went into the bedroom and slammed the door, cracking it.

  Shortly after, Ginger came into the bedroom and closed the door. She reached for her robe on the bed to cover up. I stood with my palms on the dresser while looking down at the ground.

  “What am I gonna do with him, Ginger?”

  “For starters, you need not to put your hands on him. Kiley, you will hurt him.”

  “I’m not going to hurt him. But, I’ve never had anybody talk to me like that. And if they did…”

  “And if they did, I’m sure they paid for it.”

  I turned around and folded my arms. “What did he mean by leftovers? And even though I know you’ve been having sex with somebody, I hope to God you haven’t been putting yourself out there.”

  Ginger sighed. “Kiley, Desmon is full of shit. Since you’ve been away, I’ve been with maybe two men…three at the most. He’s the one downstairs fucking all the time. Ask him how many times I’ve walked in on him, or I’ve heard him in action.”

  “You mean, you allow a fifteen year old to have sex in your house and don’t say shit about it?”

  “What do you want me to say?” she charged. “Should I tell him not to, even if he’s going to do it anyway? Or, should I be glad he’s not out in the streets having sex with these young girls? You did it, Kiley, so don’t sit there and pretend that you’re so innocent.”

  I cut my eyes at Ginger. “I know I don’t have the best morals and values, but what in the hell is wrong with this picture? Do you have any control over what he say and do?”

  She hesitated before answering. “Look, don’t start with me. If I can recall, you once told me you and Jada had sex at your parents’ house all the time. What in the hell is the difference?”

  “The difference is, stupid ass, I didn’t want my son brought up like me. You see where it got me, don’t you? Can you put forth a little effort and take on your role as a parent?”

  “It’s too late for that shit. And I’ve played out my role as the only parent for many, many years. You need to face the fact that Desmon ain’t gonna change, and throwing him up against a wall and making threats for damn sure ain’t gonna prove nothing.”

  I threw my hands up in the air. “Talking to you about this is hopeless. I would tell you how I really feel, Ginger, but your feelings might get deeply hurt. He mentioned a game today, right?”

  “Yeah, so what?”

  “I’m making plans to go. Are you going with me, or are you going to sit on yo ass and wait for the next man to come along and fuck you?”

  Ginger reached up and smacked me. “I’m not going to be disrespected by you, Kiley! You can take your few rags you came here with and leave!”

  Tempted, I glared at Ginger, but walked away. I put on some clothes to go to Desmon’s game. I didn’t tell him I’d be there, but I was sure my presence didn’t matter to him either way.

  Around noon, I interrupted Ginger on the telephone and told her I’d be back. She didn’t respond, so I headed out the door. Before I walked to the game, I stopped by the convenience mart and bought a pack of cigarettes. My nerves had gotten bad, and the feeling of having little money in my pockets drove me crazy. Later, when I got back to the house, I planned to call Rufus to see if he’d help a brotha out. If not, it was certainly time to hook up with Jada to see what she could do for me.

  By the time I made it to the game, it was standing room only. The bleachers on both sides were filled to capacity. I leaned against the fence that was several feet away from Desmon. At first, he didn’t see me. But, when he came off the field hyped up after he sacked the quarterback, he then noticed me. He took his helmet off and rolled his eyes at me. When he threw it on the ground, the coach ran up to him. The coach said something to him, and whatever it was, it seemed to calm Desmon down.

  I continued to watch Desmon play, observing many things about him. He was a hell of a defensive tackle, and basically, played better than anyone on the team. Not only that, but he was a leader. He was a sophomore who played on varsity and the other players listened to him. When they made bad plays, he’d be sure to let them know about it. His haters were definitely here too, as I listened to them talk their shit and make remarks about him. And as for the young ladies, he could certainly have his choice. His name was screamed out loudly, and many made their way close to him to say hello. His assumed girlfriend had to be the cheerleader who he couldn’t keep his eyes off of, and her the same. They smiled at each other during the game, and when he made a good play, the other cheerleaders would look in her direction. The picture of her in his room pretty much confirmed my assumption. If it wasn’t her, then it was definitely the one in the bleachers who wore his jersey. Both were pretty decent: brown skinned, neatly layered short hair, groomed well, yet a bit ghetto. The main differences were height and figure. The cheerleader was tall and slender, whereas the other young lady was shorter and a bit on the thick side.

  During half time, I managed to snatch a seat on the bleachers. Even with the black wife-beater I wore, the sun cooked my body even more and my forehead sweated. I wiped it and took a few more puffs from the cigarette I’d gott
en earlier. I wanted a joint, but I definitely had to wait until I got home for that. I put the cigarette out with my tennis shoe, and was surprised when I looked up and saw Anna standing next to me.

  “Do you mind if I sit?” she asked.

  I shook my head and leaned back on my elbows. Anna took a seat next to me. She had on number 23’s jersey, and wore a pair of tight blue jean shorts. Her hair was in a bouncing ponytail and she had two bottled waters in her hand.

  “Here,” she said, reaching over to give it to me.

  “Thanks.”

  I opened the bottle, took a few sips and sat it next to me. “So, I guess you got a son who plays football, huh?”

  “No, I have a nephew that plays. He’s like my son, though. I’ve been his guardian for many years.”

  “Number twenty-three, right?”

  She nodded. “Yep. How about you? Why are you here? It’s funny I’ve seen you two times in one day and I’ve never seen you before.”

  “That’s because I’m following you.” Her smile faded. “I’m just kidding. I’m here because a friend of mine asked me to come. His son plays for the other team.”

  “Oh, I see. Then, maybe you should go on the other side to look for him.”

  “There’s no where to sit. I’m fine right where I’m at.”

  Anna was quiet. And when the game started again, Desmon got another Quarterback sack. The crowd went crazy. I silently kept my happy emotions to myself. I noticed him walking back to the bench, looking where I stood before. He continued to look throughout the game, and when it was over, the final score was 41 to 7, with Desmon being on the winning team. I thanked Anna for the water and stood up to leave.

  “Kiley, before you go, maybe I can…”

  A voice interrupted. “Excuse me, but don’t I know you from somewhere?”

  I pointed to my chess. “Who, me?” I asked, looking at the woman I didn’t know.

  “Yes, you. I can’t remember your name, but I never forget a face.”

  “You must think I’m someone…”

  Anna interrupted, “Kiley, I’ll see you around. It was good seeing you again.”

  I said goodbye to Anna and turned to face the other woman. “Seriously, you must think I’m someone else. I’ve never seen you before.”

  She smiled. “Maybe not. Then, you won’t have a problem calling me if I give you my phone number. I hoped that wasn’t your girlfriend, because I saw you over there standing by yourself.” She reached out and gave me a piece of paper.

  “That was pretty smooth. And your effort has definitely earned you a call.”

  “I hope so,” she said, and then stepped down. She waved goodbye and walked off with her friends.

  I put the number in the pocket of my blue jean shorts and looked around for Desmon. I could see the team heading to the locker room, so I made my way over to the door so I could congratulate him on his way out.

  I stood for a long while and waited. A few fans from the other side were close by and talked shit as the players came out in bunches. Finally, when Desmon and his crew came out, somebody threw a tiny rock that hit him on the side of his face. I didn’t do shit but back away. Niggas swarmed like bees and went at it. There wasn’t a cop, or nobody in sight to stop the action. I kept my eyes on Desmon, as he seemed to have everything under control. That was until I saw this grown-ass fool pull a knife out of his pocket. Foolishly, Desmon challenged him and that’s when I intervened. I grabbed Desmon by the back of his shirt, pulling him backwards. Not knowing who I was, until I stood between them, Desmon had his fist bald up, about to punch me. The fool with the knife charged at me, and the tip of his blade slit my arm. I raised my shirt, pulling out my glock from down inside my pants. I aimed it at him, and with no hesitation, I pulled the trigger. It caught his shoulder and he fell backwards. After that, the place scattered with people. Everyone ran to their cars in fear of getting shot. I followed Desmon to his car, and after he unlocked the doors, we both got in. He slammed the door and looked over at me.

  “What the fuck did you do that for? I don’t need your damn help.”

  “I wasn’t helping you. That son of a bitch cut me, nigga. Now, shut the fuck up and get me the hell out of here.”

  He leaned back in the seat. “I ain’t going nowhere. Going back to jail might be good for you.”

  I pulled the gun from my pants again and aimed it at Desmon. “By the time I count to three, this piece of shit ass car better be heading off this lot like all the rest. If not, just remember that I loved you. TWO!”

  “But, you skipped one.”

  “Three!” I turned my head away from Desmon and pulled the trigger again. His driver’s side window shattered and he immediately cranked up the car.

  “Well, damn! You don’t be bullshittin’, do you?” He said, driving off.

  I ignored him and watched as more cars rushed off the crowded parking lot. The police quickly made their way through and raced by us on the way out.

  “Do you see all this ruckus you’ve caused?” Desmon said, looking at the police cars and hearing the loud sirens. “And what about my window? I want my window fixed—soon!”

  I looked at my arm as blood dripped from it. It wasn’t a deep cut, but it was deep enough where it needed to be wrapped in bandages. When we got to the stoplight, Desmon continued to ramble on and on about his broken window. I calmly asked him to pull over.

  “For what?” he asked and then pulled over.

  I opened the door and got out. I then leaned down, looking at him through the window. “Good game. Next time, though, control your attitude. It’s liable to cause you a serious loss.”

  He waved me off. “Man, fuck you,” he said, speeding off.

  I walked to the convenience mart again, and picked up a bandage for my arm. The Arab who worked there became very familiar with my face and gave me a smile this time around.

  When I got back home, Ginger was in the kitchen cooking dinner. She had the phone pressed up against her ear, talking to one of her girlfriends. I sat at the kitchen table and placed my hands behind my head. She saw the disgruntled look on my face and quickly ended the call.

  “What happened to your arm?” she asked as I’d already started to wrap it.

  “I got cut by a piece of glass that was on the bleachers.”

  She took a seat beside me, observing my arm. “Let me see it. I’ll wrap it for you.”

  I held my arm up while Ginger wiped the blood off with a towel and wrapped it. I stared at her and waited for her to ask me how the game went. She never did. After she wrapped my arm, she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a head of lettuce.

  “Do you want a salad with your baked chicken?”

  “Do you even give a fuck anymore?”

  She slammed the lettuce on the counter and sighed. “Kiley, what do you want from me? What are you talking about now?”

  Since I refused to argue with her, I got up and went into the living room. I turned the TV on and plopped down on the couch. There was no doubt I was disgusted with Ginger, and with myself for what had happened today. What example had I set for my son? I’d only been out of prison for two days and already had to drop somebody. I didn’t know if the nigga was dead or alive, and frankly, didn’t give a damn. Today proved to me that I was a walking time bomb. So much anger was inside of me and I didn’t know how to get it out, without hurting somebody. What was I mad at, though? As I thought more about it, it all flashed back to Desmon. He had so much control over my mind, and my thoughts, and didn’t even know it. He could trigger my mind off in a minute by saying or doing the wrong things. Just like Kareem did. The only way to deal with him was to fuck with his mind as well. He wanted me to argue with him in the car, but when I got out and told him what a good game he’d had, I’m sure that fucked with him. Yeah, he was trying hard to push my buttons, and in a matter of time, we were going to see who would win this battle.

  A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE

  Chapter Three

 
Desmon didn’t make it home until almost four-thirty in the morning. And when he did, he brought company with him. Within moments after his arrival, I could hear the action from downstairs coming through the vents in the bedroom.

  As I eased out of bed, Ginger lay naked beside me. We’d worked through our previous argument by fucking, and afterwards, she was fast asleep in my arms.

  Making Desmon aware that I was up, I stomped on the floor, flushed the toilet and ran water in the sink. I then put on my robe and headed downstairs to confront him. The basement was pitch black, and when I reached to screw in the light at the bottom of the steps, the light came on. I couldn’t see much, but I could tell the two love birds were naked. I could also see it was the cheerleader from the game who was on top of him.

  “Say, man,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’m trying to get some sleep. I got a busy day ahead of me, so have a little respect, au-ight?”

  Desmon patted whatever her name was on her ass. “Gabrielle, get up for a minute.” She pulled the cover over her and moved next to him in bed. He put on his shorts, then came by the steps to confront me.