“Thank you, Doctor.” I shook his hand. I could really kiss him for saving my man’s life.
I stayed with him until about seven the next morning. I kept talking to him, even though it was a one-sided conversation. When I decided to leave, I kissed him on the forehead and left. I wanted to stay by his side, but the doctor said I wouldn’t be much help to him, so I decided to go home and get myself together. But, believe I was going to be the first one there when he opened his eyes.
The police took his car for pending investigation, so I called me a cab. As I stepped out in the early-morning breeze, loneliness and sadness came upon me. This is not happening, I thought as I jumped in the cab.
Shayna Jackson
I was on the treadmill trying to get my body toned. Not that I needed it, but I had to keep myself up. My phone started to ring a few times. I ignored it, but it kept constantly ringing.
It was Markus on the other end telling me that Alijah had got shot the day before. His friends were so disrespectful that I was the last to hear about it. I should’ve been the first. He also rubbed in my face that Alijah was with that slut when he met his bullets. It served his cheating ass just right. They should’ve put a slug in her ass too. I might seem cruel, but the bitch was in the way of me getting all the money.
I called Ms. Sharon, Alijah’s mom. She broke down crying. I tried to console her the best way I knew. She had a lot of questions, but I was like her—in the dark. She was on the next plane to Richmond.
I got to the hospital in no time.
“Hello, I’m here to see my husband, Alijah Jackson. He was admitted yesterday.”
“Sure, ma’ am, let me see some identification.”
I took my license out and handed it to the clerk.
Alijah was asleep when I got there. Somehow, I felt a little pity for him. I was surprised the cops weren’t all over his room. The doctor came and gave me an update. I stayed for about half an hour; then I left. I really didn’t want to be there. I just had to go see for myself.
I knew that when a person was shot, security was tight at the hospital, so I went ahead and put Sierra Rogers down as his keep away. I was the wife, so I would be there. I’d love to see the look on her face when she realized that she couldn’t visit him.
After I left the hospital, I phoned Markus. We needed to get together and discuss numbers. I wanted to know what Alijah’s personal account looked like. I was his wife, so if he kicked the bucket, I’d be the sole beneficiary. Sounds good to me. I’d finally be a filthy rich widow, enjoying my fortune somewhere on an exotic island with a young foreign stallion.
Markus showed up with Alijah’s financial statements. In our joint account, we had more than 2.5 million, but to my surprise, he had a dummy account with over 5 million, plus stocks and bonds. My heart skipped a beat. I never figured in a lifetime that we were that rich.
While we were going over the paperwork, I saw that Markus wasn’t looking too pleased.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’ve been waiting patiently on you, but it seems like you have no plans to leave Alijah.”
I walked around his side of the desk and put my arm around his shoulder. “I do want to be with you, but I just found out my husband been holding out on me. I’m not going anywhere until I get all that’s rightfully mine.”
“I just want us to leave. I feel guilty doing this to my boy. You promised it’d only be a couple of times. Well, this been damn well over a couple. I’m telling you, Shayna, Alijah ain’t no fool. He’s going to find out sooner than later.”
“Listen up, you little wimp, I’m calling the shots. I decide when it’s enough. Until then, keep your comments to yourself.”
“You’re one coldhearted bitch. How did I ever allow myself to get caught up in your web of deceit? Stay the fuck away from me,” he warned. He stormed out of the house and got in his Camry.
“A coldhearted bitch? Ha! You haven’t seen anything yet.” I closed my door, thinking of a master plan.
Chapter Ten
Alijah Jackson
I woke up, looked around, and didn’t recognize my surroundings. I tried to get up, but my body was sore to the point where I couldn’t move without feeling excruciating pain. Then I remembered I got shot, and Sierra was driving me to the hospital. Everything else was a blur.
A nurse walked in the room. “Good morning, Mr. Jackson. How are you feeling this morning?”
I wanted to blurt out, “Bitch, how you think I’m feeling?” but decided against it. Instead, I said, “You tell me, Nurse Webb.”
“Well, the doctor will be here later this morning to discuss your prognosis with you. In the meantime, I’ll be taking your vitals, and the nurse’s aide will be in to help with your bath.”
After she left the room, I slipped into deep thought. I swore on everything I loved, I was going to hunt them little niggas down and body them. I had to give it to them; they had a lot of guts, but they made a major mistake.
Minutes later, the nurse returned followed by two dudes dressed in suits. I knew off top they were DTs. You could put clothes on a pig, but underneath, he was still a swine. I put my game face on, ready to be attacked, probably arrested. I hadn’t heard from Sierra, so I wasn’t sure if they found my burner or the extra clip.
“Mr. Jackson, that’s your name, right?”
“You already know what it is, so what’s good?”
“For a person who just escaped death, you sure have a nasty demeanor.”
“Exactly my point. I just got shot, so why you up in here harassing me? Shouldn’t you be out there findin’ whoever did this to me?” I asked harshly.
I knew that statement would give them something to think about, at least for the time being. I wondered where the fuck Sierra was at. We needed to be on the same page about that shit.
“Hold! Hold! We just trying to do our job. Don’t bust our bubbles here,” the other piglet jumped in.
“Bottom line is I got shot, and I have no idea who did it.”
“Mr. Jackson, if your life is in danger, we can protect you.”
“Nah, my life is not in danger, but I’m feelin’ weak. I’d like for y’all to leave so I can get some rest, gentlemen.” I pointed toward the door.
“Well, here’s my card. If you remember anything that can help us get the person that did this to you, please feel free to contact me.”
Minutes later, my crew walked in. I was so happy to see some familiar faces. They all gave me daps.
“First thing first, bruh, how you feelin’?”
“I’m livin’, so I’m good. I’m waitin’ to get up wit’ tha doc,” I said, trying to sound hard.
“Yo, bruh, what tha fuck happen, and who did it?” Dre questioned.
“Son, it’s crazy. Li’l dude, C-Lo, that I been fuckin’ wit’, called me, said he needed half a brick. My first instinct say don’t fuck wit’ him ’cause he don’t have that type of paper. But for real, he reminded me of myself when I first started out, so I decided to meet him.”
“Yo, what the bitch had to do wit’ it?” Dre questioned with anger.
“Who you talkin’ ’bout? Sierra? Nah, she rode wit’ me over there.”
“Yo, son! Everybody suspect right ’bout now, you heard,” Chuck joined in.
“Son, I feel you, but shorty don’t get down like that. She’s the only reason that I’m breathin’ right now.”
I saw where the conversation was heading. My niggas only meant well. I couldn’t let Sierra get caught up in what was about to jump off, even though I was surprised she wasn’t up there visiting me. Deep down, I knew she was my ride-or-die chick.
“Yo, son, the second I entered the building, shit seemed off. For one, dude said that was his crib, but that shit was a smitty. Now that I think ’bout it, dude had no intention to cop. It was all a setup. I didn’t get a chance to hit back; it happened so fast.”
“Yo, Boss, we gon’ handle them niggas.”
“Nah, y’all need to c
hill out till I get outta this bitch. This is personal, so I’ma handle it.”
“A’ight, Boss, it’s your call, but we ready,” Dre warned.
I knew he was ready; him and Chuck were stone-cold killers. I knew they were ready to turn Richmond upside down, but I couldn’t have that. It would be bad for business. We had to be careful. If not, we all were gonna be dead or locked up; neither one of those was an option for me.
In the midst of our conversation, Shayna walked in. The look on my niggas’ faces revealed they were ready to exit the building.
“Hello, everyone,” she said, rollin’ her eyes.
They paid her no mind as usual. It’s been bad blood between her and the crew, but out of the respect for me, the guys didn’t carry her like a regular no-good bitch.
“Yo, we out. We be back tomorrow. Get some rest. Stay sucker free,” Darryl said while eyeing Shayna.
They all left. I knew Shayna was hot by her evil looks.
“Hey, baby.” She came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I didn’t respond.
“I hope you’re feeling much better. Your mom is on her way as we speak.”
“You called her?”
“Yes, I believe she needs to know what’s going on with her only child.”
I just shook my head.
“Baby, I can’t wait until you feel better. I almost lost you, so I have decided to be a better woman so you won’t cheat anymore.” She started to cry. “Did you like all the flowers I had delivered?”
“Sure, thank you.” Until she said something ’bout the flowers, I hadn’t really noticed. Now when I looked at them, they reminded me of a funeral home. That bitch was already planning my funeral. I was hoping her ass didn’t show up.
She stayed for a couple of more hours, popping nothing but bullshit. I was out by the time she left. She paid for my phone before she left. I called Sierra, but it went straight to voice mail. I needed to talk to her ASAP. The pain was kicking my ass, so I kept pushing the morphine button. The nurse also gave me some Percocet. I was high as a kite, and some good herb would’ve made it better. I dozed off without hearing from my girl.
Sierra Rogers
Ever since Alijah had gotten shot, I’d been at the hospital, but he still was in a coma. I would just sit in the chair and talk to him. The doctor said although he was unresponsive, he might still be able to hear me talking to him.
I tried to be strong for him while I was there, but at night, when I was all alone, I broke down. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a meal, and I took time off from work so I could go back and forth to the hospital.
I was up bright and early. Darryl called and told me that Alijah was up and asking for me. I gave my ID to the attendant like I usually did. Shockingly, he told me I couldn’t visit him because my name was on the no-visit list.
“Yo, you makin’ a mistake. Could you please check again! The name is S-i-e-r-r-a R-o-g-er-s.” I even spelled it out for him. He seemed irritated, but I didn’t give a damn. I was trying to go see my boo.
“Well, Ms. Rogers, we were asked not to let you anywhere near the patient. You’re considered dangerous to his recovery. If you continue to be persistent, I have no choice but to call security and have you put off the premises.”
It was useless to continue arguing with that clown. I was annoyed as hell. Why would I be considered dangerous to Alijah? I knew I didn’t have anything to do with what had happened to him. My heart was aching. I just needed to see him, to let him know I had nothing to do with him getting shot.
I got in my car and started to drive. I didn’t want to go home, so I drove to the James River. I got out and started to walk. It was so peaceful down there. I passed a couple who were holding hands; they seemed so in love. It seemed like any hope I had of Alijah’s and my happiness was quickly fading. Our life had been nothing less than turmoil since we got together.
The nights without my man were harder than I had imagined. I started to have nightmares, jumping out of my sleep, crying at times. I’d be scared to go back to sleep. I knew I had done a lot of grimy shit in my life, but I didn’t deserve what life was throwing at me.
* * *
I was at the gas station filling my car up. Damn, gas was on the rise in Richmond, and so was crime. The mayor was on the television earlier talking about we needed to pull together and fight crime. Shit, the government was the ones that gave the guns to the youths in the community. I’d see mothers burying their sons every day.
It really hit home when Alijah got shot. It made me realize what a dangerous world we lived in. In my heart, I wanted to change the way I was living, but that’s the only way I’d known. You can call me a product of my environment. I couldn’t turn back. I’d always been a rider, so it was no different, and I was going to ride until the wheels fell off.
Later that evening, I answered the phone. It was Alijah. He was as shocked about the block on the visiting list as I was. We both concluded that Shayna’s bitch ass did it. I was happy just to hear his voice. An hour later, he called and told me he handled the problem. I was on the way.
I stepped up to the desk. This time around the attendant was much friendlier.
“I’m sorry ’bout the other day. It was a big misunderstanding.”
I bet it was. Alijah probably screamed at their boss, who, in turn, screamed at their asses.
“No problem. I’m just happy it’s cleared up.”
I headed to the elevator. I was excited to see my man, just to hold him for a quick second. I stepped out of the elevator and headed to room 307. Quickly, I looked down to make sure my clothes were straight, and when I looked back up, there was a woman standing in the doorway. I figured that she was one of the staff at the hospital. In any case, she needed to move her ass out of the way.
“Excuse me, um . . . I need to get in the room.”
“No. Excuse you. This is my son’s room, and no one is allowed to visit unless they family or the staff here,” she said with an attitude.
That’s when it hit me that this was his mom. She looked innocent like an angel, but her stare was colder than an iceberg.
“Well, ma’am, I’m Sierra, Alijah’s friend. He asked me to come up here.”
“Mmm . . . You’re the home wrecker that’s trying to break up my son’s marriage. You have a nerve showing your face up in here.”
I was shocked. I wondered who the fuck the bitch was talking to in that manner.
“You know, lady! I don’t know you, and you definitely don’t know who I am. So, let’s just go on ’bout our business and pretend this little conversation never took place,” I said and mean mugged the old lady. She was lucky she was his mom ’cause I didn’t discriminate. If the bitch was old enough to run her mouth, she was old enough to get her ass whupped.
“Listen, you little tramp. I could smell your cheapness from a mile away. Stay out of my son’s life. Shayna is a virtuous woman and deserves a chance to work out her marriage.”
“Ms. Jackson, or whatever your name is, as far as I’m concerned, lady, I don’t care about her or their marriage. I love Alijah, and he loves me, and for the record, I’m not leaving him any time soon.”
I must’ve gotten my point across because she stepped out of the doorway. I walked in with a fake smile on my face. I didn’t want to add more stress to Alijah. I sat on the bed beside him. He looked much better than when I last saw him. He was one lucky nigga. God was definitely on his side.
He told me his mom had just left. I didn’t even respond. I kept looking toward the door expecting her or Shayna to bust up in there at any second. I was prepared for a showdown. They needed to know they were wasting their time, and I was not backing down.
Alijah Jackson
It had been five weeks, and I was finally out of the hospital. Mom-dukes hadn’t left my side. This made it harder for Sierra to come visit.
Shayna must’ve put a bug in her ear ’cause she tried to talk to me about how I was treating Shayna.
I shut her down ’fore she got too far. I was the one that had to deal with that crazy-ass bitch, but like always, Shayna had her fooled, just like she did everyone else.
My recovery was comin’ along well. I had a nurse coming out to the house. I was staying in the guest room. Even though Shayna was pretending like the caring wife, I knew better. I lost my strength, not my memory. In front of people, she pretended to be the doting partner. I didn’t want to let my mom down, so for the time being, I played along with her gimmicks.
I stayed on the phone most of the time with Sierra. I knew she felt some type of way that I wasn’t home, but I assured her things would get better soon, then we’d be together.
It became overbearing with my mom around all the time. I had to let her know I was not crippled. She got the picture and decided to head back to New York.
Darryl kept things under control. He made the necessary trips up top. Saleem and the fellas dropped by daily to show their love. Saleem kept me updated on what was going on in the streets. He also told me the niggas were bragging ’bout how they reached out and “touched the big man.” That made me determined to get my strength back. I was ready for a showdown. I had enough guns and ammo to wipe out that little-ass town.
Saleem also put up fifty grand on each of their heads. They had to know that their life was coming to an end, especially when money was involved.
Shayna wasn’t too pleased when the fellas came over. We’d kick back and chill. They would smoke blunt after blunt. I was ordered not to smoke. Even though we never discussed the shooting since I been home, I knew it was still fresh on each of our minds.
* * *
The kid was back like cooked crack with the help of my sexy, young therapist. Shorty had a body on her that made a nigga dick rock hard by just lookin’. If Shayna wasn’t in the way, I’d get at her fo’ sure.
I was back to my living arrangement between the new houses. I couldn’t wait to get up in some pussy. I was feeling horny like a pit bull when Shayna walked in the room. She looked like she was putting on some weight ’cause she was thicker than a Snicker. I couldn’t resist the temptation. I pulled her down on the bed with me and started to kiss on her. We ended up fucking, and boy did she perform. I was shocked. It was the new and improved Shayna.
Wifey Status Page 8