by Keisha Ervin
“You look better and happier, here’s another hundred for the kids,” Janelle said.
“Shit, I’m done,” Lowe said, picking up her twenty dollars. “Got my rent, and change for some food.”
“Nigga left you with no food and no money, damn!” Reece said. “I’ma call you tomorrow and you can meet my sister at Food Lion. I’ll give her, like, fifty or sixty dollars and you can spend, like, one hundred twenty on her card.”
“Thanks, Reece, for real.”
“Yo, that bad-ass son of yours, don’t feed him. Don’t give him shit. That nigga bad,” she said, throwing the dice . The girls played ce-lo for an hour. They liked to imitate niggas on the block. They never bet over $100. They drank, smoked the haze Janelle had, ate the veggie tray, fruit tray, drummettes, meatballs and cheese and crackers. Nobody felt like doing anything, but the radio station, 102.9, was broadcasting live from Entourage downtown, and the crowd sounded live.
“That’s my shit.” Janelle jumped up as Lil Wayne came jamming through.
“That nigga the best that ever did it,” Reece yelled. “Where they at?”
“Entourage, what up?” Janelle asked.
“Got my keys and my bag, what up?”
“You driving?”
“Yeah, but I’m staying here when I come back. I am not driving to Chesapeake tonight. That shit far, for real.”
“Far from what, Reece?” Janelle asked. “All the bullshit uptown. These streets gonna be here, lay your head where you can rest and get a peace of mind.”
“True, it is quiet,” Reece said. Soon, they were driving up Witchduck, hitting 264 headed downtown.
“What they gonna do?” Reece asked.
“Danyelle said she going home to go to bed and Lowe said she was going upstairs to go to bed. She all fucked up over that crazy-ass nigga.”
“Who, Dundee? That’s a funny nigga. He crazy though. Lowe sweet. She get firm at times, but she ain’t with all that bullshit.”
“I wish she could find a decent dude, a dude who show her some respect and love. A nigga who work, like, seven to five. Come home, look at the game, hold her, look at a movie, fuck, and go to sleep.”
“Don’t that shit sound good.”
“Good as hell,” Janelle said, dreaming of the day she and Choice could live like that again. At that moment, Reece pulled up to Entourage and left the car with the valet. They entered Entourage fucked up, and that’s when the party began.
Niecy fixed herself up as she waited for Poppa. She had given up her place two weeks ago when Poppa told her rent on both spots was a little too much. She had completely moved into his place except for the couches and beds. She had slowed her fast ass down after an abortion five weeks ago. She was going hard, still getting high; sniffing and smoking were everyday things, but she hadn’t lost weight. Actually, she had gained some from the late-night eating. Every nigga wanna eat.
Ponic pulled up to Poppa’s house in Alexandria. Poppa thanked Ponic and gave him a pound.
“Next time, let your babe get you,” Ponic said.
“Naw, I do my time. Bitches don’t need to come see me, or pick me up. Get home when I get home.”
“I hear ya, but it don’t stop her from doing her.”
“I don’t need to hear that shit right now. Not today!” Poppa said, looking at his cousin.
“Everybody knows she ain’t shit. The girl is a jump-off, Poppa. She nice, but she is a jump-off, and you wifing that bitch!” Ponic said. Poppa looked at Ponic.
“You done?”
“Yeah, cousin, I’m done. See you later.”
Poppa walked up to his house. Niecy greeted him at the door, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her tight, actually enjoying the extra weight and the way she felt. He looked into her eyes, then kissed her. He could tell she was high, and the old T-shirt and old sweats was not the answer.
“Where the baby?”
“With Janelle, she knew you were getting out and said she had ’em so we could spend some quality time.” Niecy smiled.
“Let me get a shower, baby, first things first.”
Niecy gave him a moment, so the reality could sink in that he wasn’t locked anymore. Then she stepped in front of him in only a gold bra and purple panties. “Behold the purple and gold, nigga,” Niecy said. She put her gold open-toed high heel in his crotch.
“What the fuck you gonna do with this?” she asked, staring at the top of Poppa’s head as he grabbed her foot, ran his hands up her leg to her crotch, and rubbed it. He laid her down, and pulled his towel to the side. He slowly eased his dick into her. It was snug, but wet. She cringed from him trying to force his way in, so he worked it in and moved slow, enjoying the feeling of his woman. She put her arms around him and knew that through all the bullshit, this nigga was here for her. As she fell deeper into Poppa’s rhythm, the thrusts came faster and harder and she felt his body tense and his back arch, before he let out a deep groan. He pulled her up, with his dick still hard and dripping cum, and walked to the bedroom. He pulled off the gold and purple, laid her down, and fell right back in that warm, wet love that only Niecy had to offer.
“Had to get that first one outta there, now I’ma show you what I’ma do with this hit.” And he hit her every way that he’d thought about every night since he’d been locked up.
The next couple days were routine. Niecy and Poppa were in pure ecstasy. Poppa did notice her mood swings, but he put it on her mental state. He knew the things she’d been through and knew that they couldn’t disappear in the few months he’d spent with her. So he just continued to love her and work hard at putting the pieces in the right place to make her the woman he needed in his life.
Poppa began grinding and he allowed Niecy to be his road dog. He let her into his real circle. He made money, but not lavish money. His paper supplied a good life but opening his own club was gonna be his glory and his shine. Niecy kept him on a tight leash, with his kids, her kid, and one on the way. As the months passed, she got bigger and Poppa made her stay home. Her insecurities had her calling his phone forty times a day. He began putting it on silent because of the interruptions, and he couldn’t afford no more problems. But he started going through pure hell after she had their baby.
It was now three months into their new baby and Niecy had started disappearing for days at a time. The last time was the first time he’d put his hands on her, and all hell broke loose. Janelle, Choice, and Jus were at the house because they were supposed to meet the third investor. Niecy never came back and fucked up the progress. Since Janelle heard about the club Poppa was opening, and he wanted two more investors, she talked to Choice and he gave her what she needed. Choice had been spending more time in Norfolk lately. The last nine months he’d gotten closer to Niecy, and he and Janelle had seen what was becoming of her. The bomb-ass Brickhouse was running around looking damn near nasty. Her ass had dropped so it was swagging, not swaying. Her breasts were sagging and wrinkling, not full and pretty. Her smile had hardened, her yellowish teeth no longer sparkled, but Poppa continued to love her, continued to hold her, comfort her whenever he could. Being true was never a doubt; he was a man who was tired of the streets, and the love he had for Niecy, he felt, was a blessing, so he allowed himself to be blinded to the facts.
To Niecy, he was becoming a trifling, no-good fucked up nigga, which she had clearly let him know on many occasions. Then twenty minutes later her whole demeanor would change and she’ll be all on him, giving him the sex that she wanted so bad, and the love that he desired and needed from her.
Now that the club was getting ready to open in two months, the third and silent investor came through and told Poppa he had ends. Everything in life was going well. He was on top of the world, if only he could connect more with Niecy. But he was coming to his last straw, the blinds were lifting. As he threw on his new white T-shirt over the wife beater, he came down the stairs. His sons were off to school, but the one-year-old was pulling himself up, trying to get to the ba
by as Niecy sat flipping through the TV.
“What them little niggas eat this morning?”
“I don’t know, I was asleep.”
“Goddamn! Ain’t a clean glass in this bitch,” Poppa said, trying to find something to get some juice. Niecy ignored him, turning the TV up.
“Turn that down,” Poppa said, frustrated. “The same shit everyday. Getting tired of this shit.”
“Tired of what? You tired of what, nigga?” Neicy jumped up yelling, scaring the babies. They began to cry, aggravating her more.
“Niecy, you need to calm down, this ain’t the day,” Poppa said, downing his juice as he headed for the door before Niecy had one of her tantrums. Niecy blocked his path.
“Fuck you mean, Poppa? Say it again if you a man,” she said, standing in front of him.
“Niecy, you need to . . .” was all Poppa got out of his mouth before she slapped him across his face.
“My name is Naquala, that’s what you call me from now on, bitch,” she stood in front of him like a dude in a long T-shirt with a serious look, ready to fight.
“You don’t do shit. All you do is run the fuckin’ street, doing nothing. You ain’t got no money, broke-ass nigga. Carry yo’ ass. Talking about you tired. Tired of what? Nigga can’t do shit, ’cause you ain’t got shit.” She smirked at him.
“Tell me a bill you pay, you tell me what you do besides change a pamper every time you powder your nose? Girl, you getting trifling and you need to check yourself,” Poppa said with mad attitude, ready to snap.
“That ain’t shit. You getting tired of me after you give me a baby. After you see I got one, then you get me pregnant again, and you expect me to take care of your other two that you had with another bitch! Suck my ass, nigga!” she yelled, running to the bedroom. She came out with her sweats, T-shirt, and sneakers on in minutes.
“Now, you stay your ass in here and take care of babies all day,” she said, trying to rush out the door. Poppa’s whole attitude changed as he grabbed her.
“Look, I need you to chill. I’m tired of all the bullshit. Not you. I need for you to get yourself together, man, and start keeping better house, taking care of your home. Come on, I’m doing everything I can to keep you happy and satisfied, but I gots to get this paper.”
“Fuck that, you fuckin’ bitches in the street. I know you got other bitches, you ain’t never home and you ain’t fuck me in weeks,” she said, staring him in his face.
“Because you look like shit and yo’ pussy stank. Now get your trifling ass together before your ass be looking for a new home, bitch. I’m done fuckin’ with you. The more I bend, the harder you go. And believe me, that shit about to stop.”
“I’m gone, nigga,” she said, trying to leave. Poppa grabbed her and pulled her back. She tried to push away, so he threw her onto the couch.
“You don’t put your hands on me motherfucker, no man gonna put his hands on me,” she said, grabbing a knife off the counter and coming at Poppa. Poppa didn’t believe she would do it, so he moved slow, but the sharp knife penetrating his skin let him know otherwise. He grabbed her arm as she came at him again. The look in her eyes let him know she was someone else, and she had gotten strength from somewhere, because he couldn’t hold her. She broke loose, cutting his hand in the process.
The new white T-shirt turned dark red by his shoulders and his hand dripped blood from the deep gash. He looked at Niecy as she stood there with a devious frown and said, “I hate your ass, and I wish you would die.” She came at him again. From the blood on his hand and the pain in his shoulder, Poppa knew he could no longer try to get hold of Niecy and make her calm down, and that scared him. His adrenaline kicked in from being scared, and his size-eleven Tims slammed into her chest, taking her breath away and stopping her in her tracks. But the right fist that opened the second before it caught her jaw still did more damage than Poppa expected. Her body crumbled to the floor as the knife dropped from her hand. She sat on the floor wobbling, seeing darkness and stars, trying to let out a scream that wouldn’t come out. And as Poppa brought his Tim back, ready to take her head off, he snapped back and tumbled past her. With his teeth gritting, trying to control the anger inside him, he looked at her as her hands came up to her face. She let out a scream that was deafening to the ears and heart. Poppa looked at the babies crying, then he looked at their mother as she lay balled up on the floor, crying. His heart fell and his eyes filled with tears. He went to his room and got a wife beater and a new white T-shirt. He threw on an old sweater coat and headed out the door, straight to Patients First. The wounds weren’t life threatening. Four stitches in the shoulder and twelve in the hand. He wasn’t ready to answer a lot of questions, so he covered his shoulder and bandages under his shirt, but his hand was another story, he couldn’t cover that.
“This has been all that. I have never in my life seen anything so beautiful,” Janelle said, staring into Choice’s eyes. “And this is a time in my life I will never forget.”
“Better not, I brought you all the way to Hawaii to ask you to be my better half forever.”
“Lanai, not Hawaii, the most beautiful of all the islands,” she said, smiling and excited. She tried to hide it, but the butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t allow her to calm down.
“Lanai, with the white sand beaches. Goddamn!” Choice said. “This shit is something, far from Brooklyn,” he added, laughing.
“Shit, far from Virginia Beach. Don’t get me wrong, our shit nice, but this shit here is a sho’ nuff memory! And I got pictures!” she said, smiling as they exited the fabulous hotel room they’d called home for the last week. Choice had decided he wanted to ask Janelle to marry him. He was straight now. He had the game down and things were so lovely that he was only doing Baltimore, DC, and Richmond. He’d given his cousin the upper hand on the Brooklyn to Hampton thing and it was working. Jus had come in running things with an iron hand. He was doing so well that he added Portsmouth and Newport News to his list. Choice was proud; Jus being on the grind and holding him down gave him a little more time for Janelle. So when he saw the commercial, he called Janelle and told her to call a travel agent, so they could go to Lanai. The marriage thing would be a surprise. When Janelle got involved in the club, Choice’s eyes opened. She got a lawyer who had formed a company and named herself president. That company went 50/50 under a corporation that was also set up by the attorneys. She was covering herself and Choice against any shady bullshit. Then she figured out how to buy the house they were renting. She put down 5 percent and with both of their names on the deed, they closed. She was doing things he had never expected, but he loved it, and never wanted to lose her or the security of him being held down. So the 1.2-carat, Princess-cut, platinum diamond ring that he put on her finger was worth every penny.
After a long flight, and crazy layovers, they were back to reality. They gathered their bags and made their way from La Guardia Airport.
“I’m not ready to leave you,” Janelle said, leaning on Choice.
“So what you wanna do, ma?” Choice asked directly.
“I don’t know, what you want me to do?” she asked in her little girl voice.
“Come on, Janelle, we got to tell the man something.”
“I’ll go home in two days, Thursday. Poppa got things under control. The club is ready, just waiting for his liquor license and occupancy permit. I know you got business, but give me one more day. I love you,” she said, smiling.
“Marriott, downtown Brooklyn,” Choice told the cab driver. “Hell yeah, need me some fresh Up-towns. And whatever new that dropped,” Choice said, grabbing his girl around her shoulders and pulling her to him. “You were made for me, ma.”
“Naw, you made me like this. I use to buy things I needed and keep it up. You buy shit just to have it. Sometimes a waste,” she said.
“You crazy, I wear everything I buy. But we came up different. You had a real fucked-up childhood. You went through mental and physical abuse, but you had all your
necessities: food, clothes, water, and shelter. We didn’t have no abuse going on, but we ain’t have shit. No water and lights off most of the time. No food all time and clothes and shoes was out of the question. And if we did get them, they were hand-me-downs, until my brother Boo-Bee started hustling, then it was all over. By the time he caught his case and got sent upstate for fifteen, my other brother Ray was already running, and when he got knocked for running a criminal enterprise down south, they gave him twenty-five years. Now I support my family. But I’m not going nowhere. I buy myself nice shit, but I’ve learned from those before me, O.G.s say invest and get out. If this club jump, I can get into promotional shit. Give this shit up before something happens, I had a good run, damn good run. If things fall the way they should, six months and your man will be good for retirement.” He smiled.
Janelle looked at his smile and lips, taking in every word. It was important to know his plans and know where Choice was headed; these things kept her on point ahead of the bullshit. They checked in and relaxed for a few, but it wasn’t long before they were out on the train headed to Manhattan. They shopped, ate, and had a great time. They stopped at the liquor store, and got a bottle of Ciroc, and called it a night. The following day was spent in and out of shops on Fulton Street. They had bags over bags, sneakers and boots mostly, but they were happy.
The following morning, Janelle woke to a big comfortable bed alone. As she rolled over squeezing the pillow, her thoughts ran to Choice. She remembered his kisses, then she heard the room door shut behind him. It was six in the morning and he had to be in Baltimore before noon, and he had to see Jus and the rest of his team before he left. Janelle wasted the day away relaxing, before heading to Chinatown to catch the Chinese bus back to Virginia Beach. She arrived in Virginia about eleven-thirty. Lowe picked her up and took her home. She was the first one to congratulate her on her engagement.