Dirty Laundry 2

by Cherie Briggins

  “No, I don’t remember. Who are you?”

  “I’m Supreme. We met a while back when I dropped off your daughter.”

  “Oh yeah, you’re her man. You’re the one who’s been buying her all those expensive things. I remember you now.”

  “Good, I want to ask you some questions about Kyree’s death and you’re going to tell me what the fuck I want to know. Do you understand me?” Supreme asked calmly with a straight face.

  Karen giggled. “I’m not telling you shit.”

  “You sure about that?” he asked as he rested his hand on top of hers. “If you don’t, I’ma break each of your fingers, one by one. So get to talking because I’m listening.”

  Karen had told him everything he needed to know. When she was done telling him, Supreme smashed her head on the dashboard so hard that she passed out. He wasn’t for hitting on women but Karen deserved what he’d done and more for what she’d done to Kyree.

  Supreme looked over at Karen and grimaced. He really felt like pushing the bitch out of his truck while he drove on the expressway but decided against it. He knew how much it meant to Choice to talk to her.

  Supreme thought about what Karen had told him before he tied her up in the back room at Da Cage. What she had told him was very disturbing and Supreme was shocked at the realization of the words she spoke and the accusing finger she pointed. He had to shake his head when he thought about the things Karen had admitted to doing to Kyree.

  How could a mother do the things that she had done to their own child? When she told him who her accomplice was, he was blown away. What he thought he knew and what he was starting to discover had him questioning everything.

  Supreme thought he’d heard Rosco wrong at the funeral. He’d tried to convince himself that what he had heard was all wrong but now Karen had told him that he had not. Rosco was the true definition of a manipulator and pedophile and so was she.

  ****

  Choice and Ashley walked through Adventure mall, shopping and talking, something they hadn’t really done since before Kyree’s funeral. They got their nails done together, but shopping was always their thing.

  “Girl, me and Petey have been going at it like crazy lately.”

  “Why? Wassup?” Choice asked.

  Ashley chuckled. “This nigga’s been fuckin’ around. He’s steppin’ out on me. I don’t have any concrete evidence but I know what I know. I can feel it. I asked him a couple of times. He keeps tellin’ me that I’m trippin’. But when you think about it, what nigga is gon’ tell the truth when you ask them something like that anyway? This shit is for the birds.”

  “Damn, Petey playing games. I have to have a talk with his ass. Who the fuck could he be playin’ you for? A chick of your caliber is hard to come by,” Choice said with raised eyebrows.

  “That’s the million dollar question that I would like to know.” Ashley said

  “Has he been coming home at night?”

  “He better if he wanna continue to breathe. He can play with me if he wants because if I ever find out who the ho or hoes are, I’m beatin’ that bitch with my nine, real talk.”

  Choice looked over at Ashley and giggled because she was dead ass serious.

  “I love you, Ash, and if we ever come across her, you gon’ beat her ass first and then I’ma get her. You already know how we do. You fuck with one of us then you fuck with both of us.”

  “Aww,” Ashley said as she looked over at Choice, “I love you too, boo.”

  “It’s just eating at me that Pete would even be dishonest and so disloyal.”

  “Now I have to tell you something but I don’t want you to get too happy about it. Promise me that you won’t.”

  “The hell with that. Just tell me, Ash.”

  “No not until you promise.”

  “Okay then, I promise.”

  “I took a pregnancy test a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t believe what the test said so I made me an appointment at the clinic. I’m pregnant”

  “Oh my fuckin’ goodness! Our babies are gonna be cousins.”

  “Choice, I told you not to get to happy about it because I’m going to get an abortion,” Ashley said as she walked into Tiffany’s.

  Choice scrunched up her face. “Why would you do that?”

  “I’m tellin you now, if that nigga don’t get his shit together, it’s a wrap,” Ashley said as she looked through the glass display case at all of the diamonds.

  “Ashley, why would you abort the baby though?” Choice asked in a hushed tone. “Don’t do that to the baby. The baby is innocent.”

  Choice looked at Ashley and smiled. “You’ll change your mind. Watch.”

  Ashley continued to browse until she came across a yellow pear-shaped diamond ring. “I love it. It’s so beautiful.”

  “Yeah, that is gorge,” Choice said as she glanced at the ring. “Now, can we please go get something to eat? I’m starving.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Ashley said as she looked at the ring once more.

  Choice and Ashley walked out of Tiffany’s towards the food court. Choice’s phone rang. It was Supreme.

  “Hey baby!”

  “Check it,” Supreme said. “I got something that’s goin’ to make you very happy.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I picked up that little thing you’ve been asking me to find. It’s at Da Cage with me right now. You comin’ through? It’s sleep right now. You might wanna get over here as soon as you can,” Supreme said.

  Choice stopped walking as she thought about what he’d just told her. Vengeance ran through her blood like venom.

  “I’m going to drop Ashley off at home. Give me an hour,” Choice said into the phone before hanging up.

  “So wassup? You gotta go meet up with Supreme?” Ashley asked as she stood in the Chipotle line.

  “Yeah,” Choice said as she put her phone back into her purse.

  “Are you getting a burrito or a salad?” Ashley asked.

  “I think I just lost my appetite.”

  ****

  Choice paced back in forth slowly in one of the rooms at Da Cage as she waited for Karen to wake up. Duct tape covered her mouth and rope bonded her hands and feet together as she sat in a wooden chair in the center of the room. Choice thought the black she wore was perfect for where she planned on sending Karen. Straight to hell.

  Supreme leaned up against the wall in looked at Choice. He could see anxiety all in her face and it bothered him. Supreme cleared his throat before speaking.

  “Ma, calm down. I don’t like seeing you like this. You’re antsy. You want some water?”

  “I’m good. I just want her to wake up. How long has she been asleep?” Choice asked.

  “She’s been asleep for a while now. She should be waking up any minute.”

  Choice stared up Supreme before pecking his lips going back to pacing the floor. Karen started to stir as she lazily opened each of her eyes. Karen’s face set into a frightened scowl when she saw Choice standing in front of her. Choice smiled from ear to ear.

  “Hey Mom, you didn’t think you would be seeing me so soon, huh?” Choice asked as she walked closer to Karen. She roughly ripped the tape off of Karen’s mouth.

  “Aaaarrrggghhh!” Karen screamed out from the pain.

  Choice’s face held an angry expression. “Is that how Kyree screamed the night you drowned her? Did she scream just like that?”

  Karen didn’t say anything as she stared at her first-born. “I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

  It was quiet as Choice chuckled because she could see right through her. “Bitch, stop lying. Tell the truth for once.”

  Karen ignored Choice as her eyes traveled down to Choice’s protruding belly. “You’re pregnant?”

  Choice looked at Karen and shook her head. “Baby, give me your gun please.”

  Supreme looked from Karen to Choice. “What? Why?”

  “I want you to untie her too,” Choice ordered.

&nbs
p; Supreme slowly walked over to Choice and gave her his Smith and Wesson. Then he walked over to Karen to untie her.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Karen rubbed on her sore wrist then looked up at Choice. The room was quiet and Karen broke the silence when she spoke.

  “I’m your mother and you’re my first born. You were my baby. I used to get high off of looking at you. I couldn’t believe that I created something so beautiful. “You were my high before I even knew what a high felt like.”

  Choice shook her head. “You’ve never treated me as such. I don’t ever remember being your baby, let alone your child. “You’ve never been a mother so don’t throw up the mother card now.”

  Tears slid down Choice’s face as she continued to speak. “Your speech about how much you loved me when I was baby isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. So you can fuckin’ forget about it. “Mother is only a title. Just because you have kids doesn’t make you a mother. Since you want to talk about being a mother, what did you, Kyree’s mother, do to her that night? Huh? Are you going to tell me that?”

  Karen could see the agony dancing behind Choice’s eyes. She knew that in some way the truth would set them all free. Choice would know what happened that night, Kyree could finally rest, and Karen would finally have the burden of what she done off of her chest. Karen tried to muster up enough courage to tell the truth.

  “Are you finally going to be a woman and tell the truth, Karen?” Choice asked as she held the gun tightly by her side.

  Karen chuckled. “It just kills me how you and your sister only loved each other. Neither of you ever loved me.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. We loved you to the end of the earth and back but that never seemed to be enough for you. If our love was enough, you would’ve been able to kick that drug habit and get rid of Eddie.” Choice wiped her tears away. “I loved Kyree since the day she entered this world. She was my sister, but she was like my child. You will never understand the love I have for her. “I hurt from losing her just like I would my own child. You took her away from me though. Why?”

  “Ever since I had you two, my life has been nothing but hell. The love I had for you when you were a baby kept me grounded. As a young mother, I tried to be the best mother to you that I could be. But that still didn’t stop the physical and mental abuse I suffered daily from having you. From the day you entered this world, my mother would abuse me. I should’ve aborted both of you. My life could’ve turned out so much better if I had. Eventually I stopped loving myself, you, and your sister. It’s funny how life works out. I was so pissed that night you had stopped by and told me that you were coming back for your sister. When you left, I lost it. I ran some hot bath water in the tub and put some bleach in it and then I pushed Kyree in. I didn’t think she would hit her head on the tub. When I saw all that blood coming from her head, I freaked out. It was like I was having an outer body experience. I couldn’t stop what I was doing. As I drowned her, every so often her head would come up. And while it was all happening, do you know who she kept calling out for? You,” Karen spat viciously.

  “Kyree kept calling for you. That angered me even more so I held her down until there was no more movement coming from her. When I realized what I’d just done, I panicked. I left her in the tub and left the apartment. A day or so later, I felt bad so I went back to the apartment to check on her. I wanted to see if she was really gone. I couldn’t believe that I had actually killed her. I left that night and never went back.

  Tears slid down Karen’s face at a rapid pace. “I know what you’re about to do and I accept it with open arms. I’m ready. Life hasn’t been good to me.”

  Karen got out of the chair she was sitting in and got down on her knees she bowed her head and put both of her hands together and a praying position. She recited a verse from the bible as she closed her eyes.

  “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and staff they comfort me. Amen.”

  Karen and Choice both said in unison as Choice pulled the trigger sending Karen to meet her maker. Choice stood over Karen for a few moments before walking over to Supreme to give him a hug. She was feeling all kinds of things but regret wasn’t one of them. It hurt her to know that Kyree had suffered. But now Kyree could finally rest peacefully. Karen was gone. Supreme slowly took the gun from Choice’s hand before kissing her on the forehead.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  TWO WEEKS LATER

  Supreme gazed over the table at Choice as she ordered her food. They had just come from their doctor’s visit. Supreme and Choice were both ecstatic they would find out the sex of the baby at their next visit.

  “Babe, I’m so glad you brought me here. I love the chicken and waffles here,” Choice said as she looked around the laidback atmosphere of Yardbirds Southern.

  “Oh really?” Supreme asked with a smile on his face. “Tell me what you know about Yardbirds Southern?”

  “Petey brought it up to Mr. Charlie’s for me a couple of times. I always get the same thing. Ever since I’ve been pregnant, I’ve been craving it.”

  The waiter brought their food and Choice didn’t waste any time digging in.

  “You and Nana are goin’ to visit Ky’s gravesite today, right?” he asked with a mouth full of food.

  “Yeah, I told her that I would meet her there.”

  “Good. You’ll feel better after your visit. Nana and I try to go once a week. I’m glad she was able to get you to go with her.”

  “It was kinda hard to tell her no.”

  “I’m tellin’ you that you’re going to feel a whole lot better when you’re done.”

  “Yeah I really hope so,” Choice said as she thought about Kyree.

  ****

  Choice sat in her car at the cemetery as she waited for Wise to finish his visit with Kyree. She hoped that he wouldn’t look around in notice her sitting in her car because he’d want to talk and that wasn’t going to happen. It had been a month since the last time she’d seen Wise so it was good to finally see him. She had promised Supreme that she wouldn’t have any dealings with him and she was keeping her word.

  Choice sighed as she tried to stretch out in her seat. She was starting to become restless. It actually brought a smile to her face to see that Wise was even visiting Kyree. Choice looked in her rearview mirror. She was happy that Nana was late. How would she explain to Nana that she wanted to wait for Wise to finish up his visit with Kyree first? Nana would probably want to know why and end up telling Supreme. That was unnecessary drama that she didn’t want to deal with.

  “Come on, Wise, leave already,” she said out loud.

  Right when Choice got finished speaking the words he sat his lilies on Kyree’s tombstone then walked over to his Denali. Wise looked at Choice and smiled before getting in his truck and driving off. She stared at Wise’s truck into it was out of sight and was startled by the knocking on her driver’s side window.

  “Nana, you scared me,” Choice said as she rested her hand on her chest. She opened up her door.

  “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to scare you. I brought a blanket so we could sit down instead of stand.”

  “That was nice of you.”

  She was still thinking about Wise when she reached over in her passenger seat to retrieve the two dozen roses before getting out.

  ****

  Choice felt so much better after the visit with Kyree. She even felt up to going to the set Supreme was throwing she knew that it would make her man happy. When Choice got home, she went straight upstairs to her room to run some bath water and browse through her closet for something to wear. She decided on an Alexander Wang dress and a black wedged heel. She laid her outfit out onto the bed then tucked her hair behind her ear and sat down as she called Ashley.

  “Yo Ash,” Choice said when Ashley answered the phone. “You goin’ to that little set they’re having at Da Cage tonight?”

  Ashley giggled. “Girl
, I was just about to call you and ask you the same thing.”

  “Well then, we’re in that bitch because I’m going. What time you heading out?” Choice asked.

  “I’ll be leaving in about an hour.”

  Choice looked at her watch on her. It was already nine.

  “Okay boo I’ll meet you there.” Choice hung up the phone then got up to get in the bathtub.

  When Choice got out of the bathtub, she lotioned up her body then got dressed. She studied her reflection in the mirror as she fingered her natural curly hair. Choice’s eyes traveled down to her belly. She was getting big and she embraced motherhood. She rubbed on her belly.

  “I can’t wait to meet you. I’m gonna love you to the moon and back.”

  Choice picked her ringing cell phone up off of the dresser then sat on the bed to answer it while she put on her heels.

  “Hello?” she answered but no one said anything. “Hello?”

  There was still no answer. Choice took the phone away from her ear and pressed End. She tossed the phone into her clutch then left.

  As Choice drove to Da Cage, she enjoyed the silence. There wasn’t any music playing, just her in her thoughts. She closed her eyes for a brief second as she enjoyed the smell of the night air. Her thoughts were interrupted by her ringing cell phone. This time Choice looked at the number before answering but it was private. She wondered who would be calling her with a private so she answered.

  “Hello?”

  Just like the first two calls, no one said anything. Choice tried to get a good listen to the person’s background. She could hear loud music, talking, and laughing. It sounded like a club or maybe a party. The unknown caller’s breathing started to become heavy.

  That’s when Choice thought it could be Bear. Choice’s eyes widened with fear before disconnecting the call. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. She couldn’t wait to get to Da Cage so she could tell Supreme about the calls she received tonight.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  HARLEM, NEW YORK