by Mike Sanders
After killing Tan, Justice had decided that it would be safe for her to return to Charlotte on a more permanent basis. With no one chasing her or having a reason to, there was nothing keeping her from enjoying the familiar stomping grounds as she had years before. She and Carlos were rekindling their romance, and she felt at ease being in his presence. Justice wanted to see how far she and Carlos could go. He had invited her to stay with him in his new house with no pressure at all. However, the way Justice was starting to feel, a little pressure might have ended up turning her on. The fact that he helped set Tan up ultimately erased any doubt about how sincere he was in his apologies for how everything had gone down with Monk and D. C.
The idea of hanging out with Sapphire whenever she wanted to without having to catch a flight appealed to her as well. It had been a minute since she and her girl made some bitches envious at a club, and now that Sapphire was back to her old self, it was time to get out and do their thing.
“Everything is set up for the girls coming from D. C.—they should be arriving in the next thirty minutes or so,” Toni said as she followed Justice out of the dressing room and back to the office.
“That’s what’s up. I’mma be in my office for a few minutes and you make sure they are taken care of.”
Toni nodded her head and then went to the back entrance the girls used when they were arriving to perform at Phire & Ice. Justice couldn’t wait to get to the Queen City and get shit popping. It was the end of February and almost time for CIAA! Not only were some of the best black college basketball teams competing for the championships, there were step shows, concerts and mad parties. Not to mention networking opportunities to meet new dancers and most importantly, celebrities she could host parties for at her club. It didn’t matter whether you went to one of the schools in the CIAA conference or not, when the championships were in town, it was time to unwind and get your party on. She was looking to take a break and couldn’t think of any other place she’d rather be.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Lil’ Joe was pissing Carlos off and he was getting closer and closer to making Carlos send Preme to see his ass. Carlos was so vexed he wanted to pull the trigger himself. He had tried for the fifth time after moving all of his furniture into his new house to get in contact with Joe, but the man was ghost. All the calls were going straight to voice mail. Carlos had hoped that Joe hadn’t gotten picked up, but that would have been the first thing a nigga would have heard if it was true. Niggas would have immediately put that on the wire. And there weren’t any rumors that the nigga was dead either.
What the fuck? Carlos looked at his phone with Joe’s number on the screen and he couldn’t figure out why the man wasn’t answering.
Carlos scrolled down and found Sapphire’s number. He had almost forgotten that he was the reason the two of them had started fucking on a regular. Sapphire had proven her loyalty to him, and he figured he could count on her. He figured if anyone knew where this nigga was at it would be her.
After listening to J. Cole spit some lyrics on Sapphire’s ring back tone, Sapphire picked up the phone. “Hey, big bruh.”
“’Sup sis, how you?”
“I’m good. Justice is coming back and a bitch excited as hell. I’m tryna figure out what I’mma wear to that day party at Prevue.”
“See, ya’ already tryna to cause trouble,” he teased. “Listen, you seen Joe?” Carlos got straight to the point. He would call Sapphire socially at another time, but for the moment he needed to handle his business.
“No—he left for Philly to take care of some medical emergency that came up with his son,” Sapphire spoke as if it were common knowledge. “His baby mama called two weeks ago, and Joe literally dropped me off at my place and told me he’d be back in a few weeks.”
Son? Carlos thought to himself as he tried to remember Joe’s family tree. I didn’t know the nigga had a son. Damn, I’m fuckin’ up. “Aiight, when you talk to that nigga, tell him to contact me ASAP. I really need to see him. Give him the address to my new spot and tell him to come through.”
“No problem.”
“And I hope ain’t nothing wrong with the little man.” Carlos tried to sound caring. He didn’t want to seem completely heartless—children were innocent no matter whose seed they came from. Plus, he wanted to stay on Sapphire’s good side.
“Okay. As soon as I hear from him, I’ll definitely tell him to hit you up.”
“Good look. Peace.”
Carlos ended the call and the thought that Joe had a seed fucked with him. That was another thing the big house was missing . . . Justice and a few kids that came from his spawning. Carlos almost could not believe he’d gotten so far in the game without a baby mama or two. Face, Preme, and Ali all had kids. Even Dave had left two little girls fatherless. For a minute, the fact that he did not have any kids had him feeling some kind of way.
Fuck it. I still got time. I’m still young. He looked out the window and imagined Justice walking in the front door with a couple of little ones harassing her at her side. He smiled knowing that in the many days ahead, his vision could become a reality.
***
Justice had arrived and Carlos was beyond ecstactic. The house was ready and all the furniture had been moved in. When he saw Justice’s reaction after arriving to the house from the airport, Carlos knew that all the frustrations and headaches with the builders, inspectors and everyone else had been worth it.
Within an hour of being situated and enjoying a light meal, Carlos and Justice wasted no time christening the place as they got it in from wall to wall. The sexual frustration between the two was at a fever pitch and with all of the murder, deceit and greed they faced day in and day out, they both had some pent up frustration to release.
When morning arrived, Carlos greeted Justice with breakfast in bed. Very few people knew he could burn in the kitchen. The aroma from the chicken and vegetable omelet and buttered toast helped Justice gather her senses as she sat up in bed. One of Carlos’ old Carolina Panthers T-shirts covered her nude frame. She admired the way the gray wife beater fit snuggly on Carlos’s chest and the cotton pajama pants highlighted all of the parts she liked.
“Wow! Carlos—I never—” Justice responded in shock. She could not believe that Carlos stood before her with a tray of food for her to eat in which he had prepared.
“Kinda figured you hadn’t,” Carlos smirked as he placed the folding tray at her waist. Justice dug into her food and when she realized that Carlos didn’t have a plate, she swallowed the bite of omelet quickly, “you not eatin’?”
“Naw, I just fixed enough for you. I’ll be eating later on.” He snaked his hand beneath the t-shirt and stroked her hairless vagina for a second while biting his lip and staring into her eyes. Justice’s body tingled as she very well understood what he was referring to eating later. He pulled his hand away and tasted her juices. “Lemme stop,” he smirked. “Go ahead and enjoy your breakfast, babe,” he said as he stood to leave the room.
Justice watched this thugged out gentleman exit the room and her stomach fluttered with butterflies of passion. “Damn, I missed that nigga,” she mumbled before digging back into the food before her. As she savored the taste, she knew in her heart she could get used to this. No man had ever cooked her breakfast in bed before nor treated her like a lady in the manner that Carlos had done. In fact, Carlos, in a short period of time had demonstrated the true balance of being a gangsta and a gentleman and this was something that Justice could come to appreciate.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Tan’s one-year memorial service was bright—everyone at the Mendoza estate was dressed in their finest. The smell of barbeque chicken, ribs and other delectables permeated the air as children ran across the spacious living room Tan used to call home.
It had been a year since Justice had gotten her revenge and Papa Mendoza had finally decided that he would call the family and friends together so they could help him celebrate her life. The funeral and sub
sequent cremation had been private as Tan had chosen to be cremated before death. Her ashes were sprinkled all over the flowerbed that lied south of the estate.
Within days after Tan’s death, her family had completely renovated the house and was looking to convert it to the likings of Papa Mendoza, the true owner of the house. Pictures of Tan when she was young lined the walls and some of her favorite childhood toys and games were kept in various rooms. Papa Mendoza never spent much time in Charlotte but in his grieving, he’d come to develop a fondness for the Queen City—and he didn’t mind making her old house his new home. And after a year, he’d come to visit the place often as he felt this was the only way he’d get to spend time with his daughter.
As Papa Mendoza passed the plate for everyone to get their helpings, To’Wanda sat next to Papa Mendoza in her rightful place as Tan’s lover. Next to her sat Chico, Fontaine and Tico—the three cousins who had attempted to help Tan on her mission to kill Justice. Marques attended but kept his distance as he too had come to pay respects to the family. Tan’s cousins’ hearts were heavy because even though they delivered the gun to Tan and followed her instructions to a tee, they felt they had failed their older cousin by not staying with her or even watching her from a distance to make sure that the job was done.
“I hate them Asian fucks!” Chico gritted through closed teeth as he pounded his fist on the table. The teardrops were newly tatted on his face and had a double meaning besides their obvious implication. He towered over his other two cousins by at least six inches.
“No son,” Papa Mendoza spoke softly—contrast to the man that they’d known him to be. “It is not a race of people you hate; it is a person who happens to be of that race.”
“Justice is a dead bitch!” Chico vowed.
“No!” To’Wanda said weakly. Her place as Tan’s lover had been respected and she felt the courage to speak up as if she were blood. “No more killing. Killing Justice is not going to bring Tan back just like I’m sure when she murdered my baby it didn’t bring her brother back.”
Papa Mendoza took off the shades that had been concealing his tears and his own passion for revenge. He was shocked because in all of the years he’d known To’Wanda, he’d never heard her speak up like that. Even though he knew that To’Wanda was developing a fondness for Marques and he’d given her his blessing to move on, a part of him was happy that she’d made Tan happy in her last years. However, a small part of him wanted to slap the shit out of her because after all, he had buried his daughter and not the other way around. Nevertheless, because of his love for Tan, he would behave.
To’Wanda looked into the older man’s eyes and she knew she’d said something foul that he didn’t agree with—her first in all the years she’d known him. She reached up with a glove-covered hand and forcefully wiped the tears from her face. “I loved Tan,” she said barely above a whisper and forced her opinions through her tears, “I don’t want this no more.”
Papa Mendoza slowly nodded his head. To’Wanda reached over and kissed the salt and peppered man on the cheek. In return, he hugged her in the manner in which he hugged Tan and in To’Wanda’s heart, she knew that regardless of what she said, she was safe.
“I want you to go to Paris,” Papa Mendoza said as he pulled out the tickets that he’d just purchased the day before. “And take Marques with you.”
“What?” To’Wanda looked on confused.
“My once daughter told you to go to Paris and to take Marques with you. A year has passed and you haven’t honored her wishes,” “Papa?”
Before To’Wanda could get the final thought out, Papa had shaken his head no and To’Wanda knew it was wise for her to keep her mouth shut. “Go” He ordered.
To’Wanda took the tickets out of his hands and found that she and Marques would be boarding the plane tomorrow morning. Her eyes popped, wide. “Thank you.”
She reached over and hugged the man. To’Wanda got up out of her seat and she went to Marques to share the news. Chico scooted down to her seat. He’d wanted to sit next to his beloved uncle and this was finally the moment he’d get a chance to speak his piece.
“Are you really gonna let that Justice chick ride like that?” He asked boldly, knowing that To’Wanda was not within earshot.
“I have something special planned for Justice—and that maricon traitor.” Papa Mendoza almost spoke Carlos’ name but couldn’t bring himself to say it. He knew in his heart that Carlos had somehow helped Justice with the murder and part of the confirmation were the phone records indicating that Tan had talked to Carlos when she’d arrived in Chicago.
Papa Mendoza seethed every time he thought about Carolos living and breathing while his daughter was scattered out back like fertilizer. This motherfucker was enjoying a legitimate life out of the game as if everthing was all-good. If it weren’t for Papa Mendoza and his steady supply of cocaine through his daughter, Carlos wouldn’t have anything to enjoy. Nevertheless, given the number of years Papa Mendoza had been at the top, he knew that in time, all major problems took care of themselves one way or another. As he looked around at his nephews, he hoped that Chico, Fontaine and Tico lived long enough to understand that concept.
CHAPTER THIRTY- EIGHT
When you gonna take this blindfold off of me?” Justice asked, wanting to reach up and pull the cloth from her face.
“When I get ready,” Carlos said sarcastically as he pulled into the shopping center. He found the parking space that had been reserved for him for the day and he cut off the ignition. He opened the door, walked around and opened Justice’s door and he helped her step out of the Tahoe. Carlos silently oooh’d and ahh’d at the tight, form-fitting dress that he had specially designed for her. He was looking dapper with a new Prada suite with a matching fedora. “We almost here.” Carlos whispered in her ear as he led her into the shopping center. As he approached the door, he looked out over the parking lot and saw two men parked in an Impala, the same two Hispanic men he’d seen earlier at the mall while picking up his shoes from Neiman Marcus. He didn’t think much of it as he proceeded with his date.
Carlos had Justice blindfolded, as he wanted to surprise her for their dinner date. He had gotten War and Luther to help him arrange to have Amélie’s cater a special dinner and desert in the atrium of the NoDa @ 28th building. At first, the owners of the building weren’t feeling the idea of shutting down the whole building to set up a romantic candlelight dinner, but once Carlos wrote a five figure check paying all the tenants’ rent for the next month, needless to say that all the business owners were happy to take a day off.
Once Carlos opened the door, he escorted Justice inside and he slowly lifted off her blindfold. Justice saw small white candles burning brightly in a single line that led to a trail where their table sat. In the middle of the table was a bucket of chilled Rosẻ.
“Oh wow!” Justice exclaimed. “I didn’t expect this.”
“With me, learn to expect the unexpected.” Carlos boasted confidently as he walked hand and hand with her to their table. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit down comfortably. As he went to his seat, a waiter appeared with a single rose in his hand.
“For the beautiful lady,” he handed her the rose and bowed. He left and reappeared with a pad to take their order. Carlos ordered two steak and lobster plates along with vegetable soup. The waiter then put the pad back in his pocket, uncorked the champagne, and poured their glasses.
“This is really nice.” Justice complimented. She watched the waiter disappear and a live band started playing a medley of Sade’s greatest hits off in the distance. It had been a minute since she’d heard any of her songs and knowing that her mother was a huge Sade fan, she definitely appreciated the gesture.
While enjoying the music, the waiter returned with their food and they took turns feeding each other. After eating their meal and enjoying their drink, Carlos got on his knee and pulled out an engagement ring from his pocket.
“Justice, we’ve been thro
ugh a lot together—as friends and as enemies—but from this moment forward, I know in my mind and in my soul that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. They say you never know what you have until it’s gone. But I say I knew exactly what I had when I had you. I just never thought I’d lose it. They also say if you love something, set it free. If it comes back it’s yours to keep. If not, it was never meant to be. Well, here we are baby. I don’t wanna lose you again for no reason whatsoever.” He paused, and then asked, “Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
With tears in her eyes, Justice quickly nodded her head yes before verbally indicating her answer. Carlos got off his knees and he hugged Justice tightly before kissing her passionately. The band began to play “Spend My Life” by Eric Benet and Tamia and that was the perfect song to define how Justice and Carlos intended to spend the rest of their days.
EPILOGUE
It was a beautiful Sunday evening and Justice and Carlos lay side by side in the hammock Carlos had assembled in the backyard two days prior. The sun had set and they were enjoying the cool summer breeze. It had been exactly one month since Carlos had proposed, and Justice was relishing in the thought of finally becoming his wife. After all the trials and tribulations she had endured, she finally felt like her life was meaning something.