Jazz’s heart dropped. Immediately, she worried about Ken. Not Stacy, she wanted to know what the bitch was doing there. Walking faster than she normally did in her condition, Stacy walked from around Jazz’s chair and to the door. Without giving it a second thought as to what was going on, she snatched the door open. With a frown, she looked Laurie up and down. She had on a pair of jeans, black wedge boots, and a tee with a blazer on top. Clearly, she wasn't there to step to Jazz, or maybe she was. Maybe she thought she was bold because the cops were there.
"Why in the hell are you at this door?" Stacy put her hands on her hips.
She looked passed Stacy and down at Jazz. Her eyes bucked seeing her in the wheelchair. What the hell happened to her? She thought.
Jazz rolled next to Stacy. She glanced at the cops, and then at her former best friend.
"Why are you at my house?"
Laurie stepped a foot closer. "Tramp, watch out." Stacy used her left hand to push her back. Evans ran up on the stairs.
"Keep your fucking hands off her." He gave Stacy an evil glare.
"You get her out of here," Mrs. Brown intervened.
"Look, all I need to know is who Lamont Calvin is to you. Don't play dumb, Jazz, I know you know him."
"That's my dad, so…” Jazz stopped in mid-sentence. Why was Laurie asking?
"Your father? That son of a bitch is your father? Bitch, was it enough that your man killed my brother? You send your father to my home?" Laurie tried to run up on Jazz, and Stacy hauled off and slapped her with so much power, her head flew left. The cops ran up the stairs.
Mrs. Brown ran outside. “Get off this property.”
“Bitch, you better get out of here.” Stacy was ready. She didn’t care if the cops were there or not. Jazz grabbed the side of Stacy’s arm and pulled herself from the chair. The cops were trying to talk Laurie into leaving, but she wouldn’t go. It was starting to get ugly out there.
*****
“I knew it,” said Rosa when she pulled in front of Jazz’s house and saw Laurie’s car out there. She knew Laurie was up to something. When Grumble didn’t get back to her, Rosa told Laurie and Laurie wanted to get to Jazz right away and find out what the hell was going on, but Rosa wouldn’t let her. Ken was the person responsible for her brother’s death. Was the girl crazy? Just the day before she pressured Rosa to go with her.
“Rosa I have a friend who is a cop. Let’s just go over there and find out what the hell is going on.”
“No, we cannot. Let’s just wait on Grumble.”
Laurie didn’t have to say what she was thinking, it was the way she perched her lips and rolled her eyes and that she had something up her sleeve. When Rosa returned from the market and went to her room, she noticed the papers weren’t in her drawer. She went to look for Laurie and saw that she was gone, there was only one place she could be. And, that was at Jazz and Ken’s house. Rosa left baby Amanda with her play buddy and rushed down to the Southside of L.A. She prayed things didn’t get crazy before she got there.
By all the craziness that looked like was going on, she knew she didn’t make it in time. Rosa parked, jumped out of the car, and hurried to the porch. It looked as if one of the cops were blocking the ladies. Laurie screamed and fussed. Rosa ran up to the porch as quick as she could.
“Laurie!” She snatched her from the cop that held her. “You’re not supposed to be over here. You know that.”
“Get her away from here and now!” Mrs. Brown screamed. By that time, two patrol cops pulled up and ran toward the scene.
“Laurie, get the fuck away from my house. Bitch!” Jazz was furious.
“She is not supposed to be here. There is a restraining order on her. I want her arrested,” Mrs. Brown ordered. The LAPD officers spoke with sheriffs in a hushed tone while Rosa held Laurie.
“I don’t know what you are whispering about. I want her arrested, she violated her restraining order.”
“And, your fucking supposed to be pastor kidnapped me.” No one but Stacy paid attention to what Laurie said, and that was good.
“By law, miss, we have to place you under arrest.” The LAPD officer looked down at the order while his partner cuffed Laurie. She cried and screamed.
“You sent your father to destroy my mother. You are an evil bitch like your mom.”
Jazz went to charge after Laurie, but her limbs weren’t strong enough and she fell down. Mrs. Brown and Stacy helped Jazz up and back into her wheelchair. “Bitch, if you ever talk about my mother again, I will kill your ass.” Jazz tried to jump from the chair again, but Stacy held her.
“Laurie, just stop, I will be down to get you,” Rosa told her as she looked near her feet. It was the papers that Laurie had taken from her. Rosa walked over and picked them up. She looked at Jazz, who gawked at Laurie. “Jazz, I am not sure why you sent your father, but enough is enough. We have to stop. I am sorry you were hurt. I am sorry about today, and I am sorry that Diesel is dead. All this has caused a tremendous amount of stress and heartache for us all.” Jazz only stared. She refused to speak to her. She felt that Rosa was with it as well.
“Look, Ken did not commit the crime that you say he did, that is why he is out of jail. Your people are the evil hearted ones,” said Mrs. Brown.
“And, what do you call a person that sends their father to pretend that he is in love with a woman, only to get her strung out on drugs? Jazz, did your dad share some of that thirty grand he had Mrs. Kenslow give him?” Rosa shook her head. “I had Judge Grumble pull him up and I know that is your father. These papers prove you two are in cahoots.” She held the papers to the deed in the air and Mrs. Brown snatched it. She looked through the paperwork and after reading what it was, she looked back at Stacy. She then looked at Rosa.
“Get off of this property.” Mrs. Brown ordered everyone in the house before she turned and walked in herself. Laurie was hauled off to jail. Rosa followed them to the station to post her bail and the other cops left.
Ken and them were halfway to the valley when they got a call saying that the cops were there with Laurie. They didn’t even bother to complete their mission to Colisa’s house. Ken needed to get back to the house to protect his Forever. He knew that G and Big Man kidnapped Laurie in exchange for his freedom. He wasn’t about to allow Jazz to take the blame. Due to heavy traffic, Ken and the boys didn’t make it back to the house until after the cops were gone. The ladies had already went over the paperwork, talked about what Rosa accused, but couldn’t quite figure out Calvin’s complete motive. Did he do all that they say he did just to avenge for his daughter?
“He must’ve stolen this paperwork when he was taking all the boxes from here,” said Mrs. Brown. Stacy was quiet. She thought if it was a good time to tell Jazz the truth about her father. He was doing way too much.
“Jazz,” Stacy started. Everyone looked at her. “I need to tell you something.”
“I’m listening.”
“You asked me why I went back on drugs.”
Jazz nodded her head. She didn’t know why she wanted to talk about it at that moment, but she was all ears. “I’m listening.”
“How can I explain this?” Stacy blew out a breath and looked to the ceiling.
“Tell her everything.” Mrs. Brown caught on to what Stacy was about to say. Stacy shook her head to agree.
“Remember the last time we saw each other before I went MIA?” Jazz nodded her head. “Well, that day they I left, you know my mind was confused about what I should do. Stay with Gary or leave. I was hurt that he went to jail just to try and find Calvin and got himself hurt. I drove out to Arizona to clear my head.” Jazz stared at her and grabbed Stacy’s hand. Tears flowed down Stacy’s face. “I went for a jog when I got there and came back to a surprise. Your daddy was sitting in the living room waiting on me.” Jazz’s eyes got big. “All the frustration he had toward Gary, he took it out on me. He beat me up, knocking me out, and when I woke up, I was tied to a bedpost. For three days.” Stacy shook he
r head recalling what had gone down. “That man injected me with drugs. He knew once I had it, my body would depend on it and he was right. Between going through that and Gary not being there to protect me, I relapsed. I went back in them streets full force and I didn’t care. I prayed for my life to end several times. I thought of you. I did, but I was too shame to show my face. That day I was hit was God’s way of saving me.” Jazz grabbed her and hugged her tight.
“I am so sorry that happened to you. I am sorry. She cried uncontrollably.” Mrs. Brown and Sandra also shed tears.
“It’s not your fault.” Stacy rubbed her head.
When the fellas got into the house and saw the girls crying, they got hyped. “What’s up, what happened, Jazz?” Ken stood next to Stacy and Jazz. Jazz was crying so hard, she couldn’t talk.
“She told her what Calvin did to her,” Mrs. Brown explained. Ken looked at G. He had just found out a week ago himself. The way the boys looked at each other, it was like they all had murder in their eyes. Mrs. Brown was almost scared to give Ken the paperwork that she’d got from Rosa.
“Let me holla at you,” said G. Ken first asked Jazz was she alright. She only nodded her head and he let her be.
Mrs. Brown gave him the papers. “Calvin is messing, or should I say scheming on Dena Kenslow. Laurie thinks Jazz has something to do with it. They found these papers on him, I guess.” She pointed at the papers in his hand. Ken and G walked to the office. As G talked about how he wanted to bring Calvin down, Ken looked at the papers.
“This the deed to my fucking building.” Ken looked at G. “How in the fuck did this nigga get the deed to J&K studio?” G didn’t quit get it. “I’m going to kill that bitch.” Ken kicked the same desk Pam had hid under that day. “Dirty bitch... Muthafucka!” he yelled as he continued to kick the desk. Big Man heard his cousin and ran to the back. Jazz heard, too. She pulled away from Stacy. She wiped her eyes and rolled to where her man was. Stacy, Mrs. Brown, and Sandra followed suit.
“What’s up?” said Big Man. Ken took at minute to try his best to calm down enough to tell Big Man what was going on. Breathing heavy, he paced back and forth. The way Ken bit his bottom lip and his jaws puffed out, everyone knew it was something major.
“That bitch ass nigga. That bitch ass nigga.” Ken put his hand on his waist and shook his head. “The only way that bitch would have the deed to my building is if he was the nigga that took it from me. That’s why he wasn’t talking. That nigga and Peter set the studio up to be robbed. That nigga had his daughter shot. That nigga was behind it all.” Ken threw the papers and they flew in the air.
“I hate him. I hate him. I hope he fucking die. I hate him...” Jazz screamed. She had heard everything. Ken ran over to her and hugged her. He pulled her face to his, kissed her lips, and then her forehead.
“I promise, I will never let anyone hurt you again. I will die first.” Everyone stood there in their own emotion. Mrs. Brown was flabbergasted, Big Man was ready to tear Cali up looking for that nigga, and Sandra was ready to ride with him, Stacy had second thoughts about going to the rehab until everything was calmer, and G already had declared war a long time ago.
The 411- Chapter 23
The Kenslow estate hadn’t been the same since Calvin. Dena was officially a heroin sniffing addict. When she found out who Calvin really was, she went further into depression. She cut everyone off, including baby Amanda. All she did was hit bars in Hollywood were she met a few female addicts, and they partied and hung together. When she wasn’t doing that, she was in her room crying. She blamed herself for everything. Laurie and Rosa held the estate down. They gave up a long time ago on trying to get Dena help. She had to want it was their conclusion.
Yay-Yay had been MIA. She called Suga to pick her up and had been hiding out at her place ever since. She did try to convince Yay to talk to the authorities. She hadn’t did anything wrong, but she refused. Suga had her back whatever choice she made.
Wack’s mother hired an attorney. It was proven that he did not kill the cop, but he was facing time for being a felony with a gun. The state was talking something like ten years or more. He case was still pending.
No one had heard from Calvin, but he had tabs on everyone; the Kenslows, Pastor G, Stacy, and, of course, his daughter and that nigga Ken, who he wanted just as bad as he wanted G. He was going to get them, though, as soon as he caught them slipping.
Stacy had completed her thirty days of rehab and they were planning her and G’s wedding. At the reception, Ken planned on proposing to Jazz. The two of them were doing well. Jazz was now five and half months pregnant and the baby was very active. She had more feeling in her legs and was taking steps. Besides the back pains that she was only allowed to use Tylenol for, she felt alright and that was because her boo was there. Every now and again she would get sad about her mom and have nightmare about her evil father, but Ken was there to comfort her all the time. They were the perfect couple.
Colisa had kept her distance from Ken. She was going through it with her brother again and at the moment, he was all that mattered. One day she did get a note left on her door and it was addressed from Ken telling her to stay the fuck out of his life. How can I and I’m carrying his baby? She thought as she laughed while tearing up the letter.
Pam was living with the Roberts. She had decided that she would no longer hide. She was going to turn herself into the cops, but first she needed to go see Jazz. It was time.
Chapter 24
It was a nice summer day, and everyone was at Jazz and Ken’s house preparing to leave. In two days, Gary and Stacy planned on being married at the Walt Disney Center. Those that would be in the wedding and their main attendees were invited to stay at the hotel with them in Downtown L.A. Live until the day of the big event. They had everything planned out. When they first arrived, the ladies would do their thing and the guys would do theirs. Pampering, hanging out, shooting the shit, shopping, and the big party… Neither Stacy nor G wanted a bachelor or bachelorette party. The day before, they planned to party in the hall and immediately after wedding, they had a plane to catch out of the country. Jazz and Ken planned on joining them.
“I will see you guys tomorrow.” Mrs. Brown waved them off because she was staying behind. She had some thing’s to handle. She hugged everyone before they got in their cars. She leaned over to Jazz and kissed her. “You’re going to be as beautiful as the bride.” She winked at Jazz.
Jazz had second thoughts about being in the wedding. She wasn’t too fond on going down the aisle in a wheelchair. Jazz smiled. Ken walked over and gave Mrs. Brown one last hug before helping his baby’s momma in the car. As the pulled out the driveway, the air was filled with laughter and horn blowing. Mrs. Brown laughed. They were too funny. She loved those kids.
The Next Day….
“Baby, do not allow this man to have control over you. We already went over this. We know that God brought you through every situation because He is not done with you,” Mrs. Roberts said to Pam.
She had been quiet and in her own thoughts the entire ride. She wanted to make sure that Pam’s decision to stop hiding was the right one. It was only God that she made it. The woman contracted AIDS to save a man who only cared for himself. She slept with men knowing that she had the virus, and risked giving it to her partner, knowing that there was a possibility that the condom could break and that she could break up happy homes. God forgave her and sent a man to show her, her worth. She was supposed to be killed on her wedding day and by the grace of God, she made it. She escaped from protective custody and assaulted a cop, even almost killing him, and she still managed to still make it. She was involved in a shootout, leaving two people dead, and, yet, she was still there.
“Pam, God is going to use you in a mighty way. Powerful,” Mrs. Roberts Said. She had told her that over a thousand times and although Pam thought there was some truth to it, she hoped that it wasn’t her being used by ministering to women in prison for the rest of her life. She felt
that was where she was going after she told the mayor that she was with Calvin the night his son was murdered.
“Pam, I need you to ride with me somewhere,” Calvin had told her one night. It was two days before Jazz was turning fifteen. Pam didn’t ask any questions, she rolled with her man. She didn’t know that Calvin had been watching a young, Latin dude, Johnathan, he was the owner of a big time car lot in Beverly Hills and also the mayor’s son. Calvin watched him for months. He knew when he made deposits and the days he would get new cars on the lot, when he went and chilled with his mistress, and the date nights he had with his fiancée. That night, he wouldn’t be chilling with his mistress and his fiancée was gone out of town with her sisters. He’d made a large withdrawal as usual and would be going to deliver it to his supplier. The mayor’s son was also into some illegal drugs business. It wasn’t until after Calvin murdered him that he found out the drug dealer he was paying was also a big time from his hood-the projects. That was the same dude that Calvin was trying to pay off by giving him the deed to K&J Studio.
Calvin and Pam sat off in the darkness on Johnathan’s street. Pam had a feeling they were on a stakeout, but she was in doubt thinking that Calvin would never take her on a job.
“What’s going on, baby?” Pam finally asked.
Calvin didn’t say a word, he watched as Johnathan pulled into the driveway and Calvin shifted in his seat. He looked at Pam. “In ten minutes, I need you to come with me to the door. Follow my lead.”
Pam looked at him. “What are we doing here?”
“I said follow my lead.”
“Calvin, what is it that we are going to do?”
“I thought you said you trusted me?” He looked at her and rolled his eyes. Pam thought about what she had done not to get AIDS, and rolled her eyes.
Calvin knocked on the door, and then placed his arm around Pam’s neck. The door swung open and Johnathan frowned. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
Too Salty: Ain't a Damn Thang Changed (Part 6) Page 18