by K Elliott
"I swear to you Lani, I will kill Black's ass if he ever puts his goddamned hands on me again. So if you want the man that you still love to live, you better tell him to stay the fuck away from me. I ain't nobody to play with."
"Look I'm going to talk to his Nana, she'll calm his ass down. She raised him and she is the only one who he will listen to and Nana loves me."
"I'm telling you, you better say something to that nigga or else Nana will be lowering his ass down - In the fucking ground."
Chapter 8
Starr, Lani, and Jada met at the RA sushi bar. They sat at the back of the restaurant, in a booth, while they chatted over lobster rolls and salmon. Starr said, "This whole anonymous caller bullshit has got me thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
Starr grabbed a lobster roll and said, "Thinking about if this bullshit is worth it, I mean that text kind of scared me, I don't want to go to jail. I want my man to get out the game, start something legitimate so we can start a family."
"Why don't y'all just start a family anyway?" Lani said.
"That's exactly what I said, but Trey said it would be selfish until he can go legitimate."
"I thought Trey had a record label?" Jada said.
Starr said, "So does every other big time dope boy in Atlanta. You know that shit ain't nothing but a front." She looked at Jada. She really didn't like Jada but didn't think Jada was so stupid that she didn't know most record labels were fronts for drug dealers. Starr then said, "I'm sure your man has some kind of front."
"Not really, he's thinking about opening up a clothing store, but he's been saying that for a while." Jada said.
"My man doesn't want to do anything but keep stacking money." Lani said.
Starr said, "What does Chris tell the neighbors? They have to be wondering. You know how white folks are; they want to know everything about you so they can start googling you and shit."
"The funny thing is, Chris is very personable. They don't ask him shit. I think they assume he's an ex-athlete cuz he's so tall."
Starr said, "Well the white man next door came over as soon as we moved in the neighborhood with some bullshit fruit basket asking a whole lot of questions."
Jada said, "What did you tell him?"
"Trey said he was a music producer, . Ssaid he made beats for Diddy."
Jada laughed.
Starr said, "After that, we didn't have any more problems but we don't have a lot of company, so shit is real cool with us and our neighbors. They invite us over all the time. Sometimes we go. Sometimes we don't."
"I need you to relax, sissy. Nothing is going to happen. Don't put negative energy in the universe and nothing will happen." Lani said.
"I know, but I've been doing this for so long. I'm just so tired of this game. I know I got the luxuries but sometimes I'd rather just have my man. Sometimes the game can drain you. You know, moving cuz somebody got busted, being scared that you're going to get ratted, the prison visits. Trey and I went to visit his friend Terry, and let me tell you that's some sad shit." Starr said.
"I visit my brother in prison, so I know first-hand." Jada said.
"The saddest part about it is the kids running around happy to see their daddies. It's happy and sad." Starr said.
Lani interjected "Let's talk about something positive. I don't want that energy out there. I love my life and I ain't giving it up for nobody."
"I can relate to Starr, I'm tired of the bullshit that comes with it." Jada said.
"So what are you going to do? Leave and then what? Go back to school? Bitches y'all asses is almost thirty. If you were smart, you would be stashing some of that money and start your own shit."
"I don't have to be with Shamari, I got other options." Jada said.
"You better stay away from that married man cuz if his wife finds out, your ass is grass and if Shamari finds out, you finished bitch, believe that." Lani said.
Jada knew what they were saying was true. She'd just witnessed Shamari put a hit out on somebody.
Starr rolled her eyes at Jada and said, "A married man?"
"It's not what you think." Jada said.
"That's one thing I don't like. I don't like bitches that will fuck a married man." Starr said.
"Who said I fucked him?" Jada said. Knowing damn well she'd fucked him on more than one occasion.
Lani said, "She's just getting his bread."
"Same thing. And why does she need to get his money. Her man has money." Starr said.
"Don't judge me." Jada said.
"I'm not judging you, but I know I can't trust you around my man."
Jada said, "I've been around your man, and I don't want him. I have a man that treats me very well."
Lani could sense that this was getting out of hand. She said, "Both of y'all chill".
"I'm good." Starr said.
Jada smiled and said, "Me too."
They finished eating but Jada didn't say anything else to Starr.
Chapter 9
The doorbell rang and when Shamari opened the door he was surprised to see Tony. He invited him in then frisked him. Tony was supposed to be on his way to Baltimore. Not here.
"No wires? yet." Tony laughed.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Means I need you to give me thirty more thousand dollars, Big-Boy."
"What the fuck? You agreed to a price!" Shamari walked into the kitchen and Tony followed.
He offered him a glass of water.
"You wouldn't happen to have a beer?"
"No, I've got soda."
"Give me one." Shamari passed him a coke and said, "You agreed to this price Tony. This is bullshit homie!"
"I can't go to Baltimore."
"Why?"
"The police are already on my ass. They know it was me."
"What?"
Tony said, "Cameras in front of a convenience store around the corner from the scene of the crime got my license plate. I had stopped there for gas earlier."
"Cut it out."
Jada entered the kitchen and said, "I saw it on the news."
Shamari said, "What the fuck? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was gonna tell you but you were asleep last night after the news went off."
"Come on man, thirty thousand is nothing to you."
Shamari became visibly angry. He said, "You blackmailing me?"
Tony lifted his shirt revealing a chrome handgun and said, "Look, nigga, give me the fuckin money. I'm sure you don't want it to get ugly in this motherfucker."
"Give him the money, babe, this ain't worth it."
Tony smiled at Jada. "This Barbie looking bitch does have sense, I underestimated you." He grinned.
"Dude, don't disrespect my lady."
Tony took a swig of his coke and said, "Dude, gimme the bread and I'm out."
Shamari said to Jada, "Count thirty grand."
"Make it forty." Tony said.
Shamari stared at Tony and Tony said, "I got 4 kids who ain't gonna see their daddy any more. Wouldn't you agree that's worth another ten thousand?"
"Dude, you act like this shit is my fault." Shamari said.
"It's not your fault but it was your idea. Your boy didn't snitch on me, now did he?" Tony said then he finished off his can of coke.
Jada came back with a designer backpack. She passed the money to Tony. He grabbed another can of coke and bumped his chest and said, "Death before dishonor nigga." He sprinted out the door.
Chapter 10
The text message was from a 305 area code and it said, "You think your life is so fucking good. I hate you bitch."
Starr dialed the number and the recording said: You have reached a number that is no longer in service. She tried again and got the same recording. She called Trey.
"Hello."
"Got another text message from someone saying they hate me."
"What was the number?"
"It was a Miami area code and when I di
aled the number. The recording said that I had reached a number that was no longer in service."
"It must be some kind of app."
"Yeah, I think you're right."
"This shit is getting fucking weird."
"I know babe, I know."
"Change your number for me."
"I really didn't want to."
"Why not?"
"I love this number, it's easy for people to remember."
"People don't remember numbers anymore."
"I just don't want to change my number."
"Well please don't tell me nothing else about these calls then, I don't want to hear about it."
"There is somebody out there that knows all of our fucking business, and you don't give a damn huh?"
"You're right, I don't give a damn. And I don't want to talk about this shit over the phone."
"Well you need to come home so we can talk."
"Look, you know I'm working. Can you talk to somebody else right now? Call Lani, you put that bitch in all of our business anyway."
"Whatever Trey. I'll see you tonight."
"And please have some food prepared. I am tired of takeout."
"Whatever nigga." She hung the phone up.
Lani and Chris were about to back out of her mother's driveway when a black Benz blocked her in. She dropped her head and said, "Oh God, its Black."
Chris unbuttoned his seat belt and said, "I've had enough of this clown." He bounced from the car.
Black got out of the Benz and smiled and said, "Hey, bruh, how are you doing?"
"Motherfucker, you don't know me."
"You right, I don't know you." He extended his hand. "I'm Black."
Chris refused the handshake. "Dude, we ain't friends. We will never be friends."
"Babe, pop the trunk." Chris said.
Black brandished a nine millimeter and said, "Dude, I'm here to make peace. You know what I mean? Peace as in no violence or blowing your fucking brain to pieces right here in the goddamned drive way. You pick the kind of peace you want."
Lani got out of the car and said, "Ain't gonna be no shit in front of my mama's house."
"I just wanted to talk to him." Black said.
""Black you need to leave." Lani said.
"Have you forgotten who made the down payment on this house?"
"I'll give you your money back, clown. What we owe you? Twenty racks?"
Lani's mom opened the door and peeked out.
Black said, "Hey, Miss Carolyn." He tucked his gun back down into his pants. Carolyn smiled and said, "Hey, Tyrann, how you been baby?" Lani's mother always called him Tyrann, she refused to call him by his nickname. Only two people called him Tyrann, Miss Carolyn and Nana one hundred percent of the time called him Tryrann. His sister would call him Tyrann from time to time and Lani would.
Black said excused himself and hopped onto the porch and planted a kiss on Carolyn's jaw then said, "Im'ma send somebody over here to pressure wash this driveway."
"Oh ,baby, you so sweet." Carolyn said then she said to Lani, "I'm going back in here to finish watching my Lifetime movies. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Bye, Mama."
Black said to Chris. "I just wanna talk, I didn't come to fight."
Chris said, "Okay, talk."
"I just want you to know that you got a good woman."
Chris didn't respond.
"And I'm still in love with her and I want her back."
Chris removed his jacket and he paused and said, "You know what? If you didn't have that fucking gun, I would beat the brakes off you."
Black said, "But I do, so you can't." Black hopped in his car and said, "I'm going to get my woman back," and he screeched off.
Then, Chris and Lani hopped into the car and took off.
Chapter 11
"I just saw on the news that they caught Tony."
"You're bullshitting right?"
"No, they caught him in Miami. At one of his kid's mother's home."
"I didn't know that he had a child in Miami."
Jada said, "Apparently."
"Damn."
"I know right." She paced around the room.
"Would you sit down?! You're making me fucking nervous."
She was irritated with his tone, but she could see why it would make him nervous.
"He's going to tell ain't he?"
"I don't know." He stood and paced. He knew Tony had been a standup guy but his last case was a drug possession. This was first-degree murder and attempted murder on a witness. He really didn't know how Tony would hold up."
Jada said, "Call your lawyer."
"I haven't been charged with anything yet."
"But you should be ready, just in case."
"I'm going to get the fuck away for a while.
"Where you going and what the hell am I going to do? I'm going with you."
He stared at her and said, "You don't need to be with me. I don't want anything to happen to you. I can handle myself. Believe that."
"Okay, but what the hell am I supposed to do to support myself and how long are you gonna be away?"
"As long as I need to be away." He opened his bottom drawer and started slinging underwear and socks. Then he said, "Take a hundred grand from the stash. That should hold you for a while."
"Thanks, but you know you should really wait till tomorrow. You don't know what's going on."
He closed the drawer and said, "I gotta calm myself down."
"Now you're talking sense." She'd never seen that side of him. Normally he was so hard, but she figured the thought of life in the can would make anybody turn into a bitch. Everybody wants to shine, but nobody wants to do the time.
"I'll wait till the morning."
"I think you should."
******
Twenty minutes after Trey left, the doorbell rang. Starr pulled the curtains back. A thick blonde with fake boobs and a spray on tan stood on the porch. Starr said, "Hey I'm not interested in buying anything."
The woman said, "Starr, can you open the door for a moment. I need to talk."
Starr wondered how the woman knew her name. She opened the door and invited the woman in.
The blonde smiled and said, "I'm Jessica Turner."
Starr looked puzzled but she said, "Nice to meet you."
Jessica smirked and said, "I don't think you're going to mean that once I tell you why I'm here."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Jessica smiled and said, "The anonymous calls you'd been receiving and the text messages. That was me."
"What the fuck was that all about?" Starr said forgetting all about the proper voice she used around white folks.
"There is something you need to know."
"I know you need to get the fuck out of my house." She opened the door.
Jessica said, "I will leave, but I want you to know that I have a child byfrom Trey."
Starr stood there stunned. What the fuck did the bitch just say?
"Yeah, Lil' Trey is about to be five."
"Bitch, you're delusional. Trey ain't got no kids, and he damn sure don't like white bitches."
Jessica said, "No, you're delusional. The DNA came back 99.999 % five years ago. I still have a copy of it."
Starr walked into the living room and invited Jessica. When they were seated, Starr said, "Now please tell me you're playing games."
"Why would I want to play games with you?"
"Why are you just now telling me this shit? You obviously knew who I was."
Jessica turned from Starr's gaze and said, "Does it matter when I told you? What difference does it make?"
"You know what, I don't believe you. I'm calling Trey." She dialed his number, Trey answered on the first ring.
"Trey, bring yo ass home right now!"
"Babe, I'm working, I don't have time to be talking about no weird phone calls."
"I know who's been making the calls now."
&
nbsp; Trey said, "Who?"
"Jessica."
"Who the hell is that?"
"Yo baby's mama, that's who!"
"I'm on my way home."
The doorbell rang again.
"That's probably my mother."
"You brought your Mom with you?" Starr asked.
"Yup and Trey Jr."
Jessica trailed Starr to the door and Starr let Jessica's mom and Trey Jr. in.
Jessica said, "This is Starr, Trey's girlfriend."
Starr shook the older woman's hand. Though she didn't care for her daughter's foolishness, she saw no reason to be disrespectful to her mother. Then she smiled at Trey Jr."Trey, say hi to Miss____" she looked at Starr.
"Coleman is my last name. Starr Coleman."
Starr shook Trey Jr.'s hand .The damn boy was a spitting image of his father, except he was lighter.
They all headed back into the living room. Starr offered them drinks and they all wanted water, so she disappeared to the kitchen and brought back some bottled water. As soon as she handed them the water, Trey stormed in.
Trey Jr. grabbed his father by the leg and said, "Daddy!."
Trey ran his finger through his son's hair looking dumb as hell. Starr couldn't believe this shit. She really wanted to curse his ass out, and if it wasn't for the old woman and the kid, she would have surely went off.
Trey planted a kiss on T. J.'s forehead.
"Daddy, are we going to play catch again like we did last time?" T.J. asked.
"T. J., I'm surprised you remember that. It's been what, like six months." Jessica said.
"Yeah, I remember and we had ice cream."
"Yes, we're going to play catch again. " Trey said then turned to Jessica's mother Mrsmother Mrs. Robinson, can you take Trey into the den?" He pointed and said, "It's down the hall and to the right."
The old woman said, "Yes." She stood and said, "Come on T. J."
When Mrs. Robinson and the kid were gone, Trey said to Jessica, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Starr said, "No, why the fuck didn't I know about this, Trey? What the fuck is going on?"
Trey ignored Starr and said, "Why are you here?"
"Because this is the only way I can get you to see your son. You fuckin' loser." Jessica said.
"So, Trey, you gonna act like I ain't even here?"
"Chill, babe, let me handle this." Trey said.
Jessica said to Starr, "This dude is a fuckin loser, he's a loser, I'm telling you."
"I'm a loser, cuz I don't fuck you." Trey said.
"Dude, I don't want you, I just want you to do right right by your son." Jessica said. "You just text me last week trying to get me to come over and fuck you, and you're just mad that I'm loyal to my girl."