by Natavia
“By who?” she asked as I flushed the toilet.
“Who else?” I spat.
Emeka had changed towards me too. She thought she was better than us because she was engaged to a basketball player.
“I don’t know. You were cheating on Cayman is all that I know,” she said. I stood up and brushed my teeth. She was still standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. She was waiting for an explanation, but I didn’t owe her shit.
“You are not my fucking mother! I’m sick of y’all muthafucka’s always in my damn business. I don’t owe anyone shit!” I screamed at her. She jerked her neck and placed her hand on her chest.
“What has gotten into you? I’m your friend so I’m supposed to call you out on your bullshit. You are living foul so own up to it!” Emeka yelled back. I bumped into her on my way out of the bathroom.
“Girlllll, if you weren’t pregnant. Did you just bump into me?” Emeka asked and I laughed. Emeka couldn’t hurt a fly.
“I’m moving out anyway, bitch! Cayman found us a house with a pool,” she yelled out behind me.
“Cayman? What the hell are you talking about?” I asked when I turned around.
“Sorry, I meant Zadik. You know who I meant,” she said.
“So, how many bedrooms does the house have?” I asked.
“Six,” she replied. I wanted to be sick to my stomach. Emeka was only nineteen-years-old and living the life most women would envy.
“Make sure you don’t sign a prenup,” I said.
“Excuse me?” Emeka asked.
“Just in case he cheats on you again and you have to divorce him. Come on, sista. You know how these athletes are once they make it out of the hood. They take the good girl with them just to cheat on her with an exotic woman. We see this all of the time so don’t act like you don’t know,” I replied.
“You know all about cheaters, huh? When did you become educated on relationships? The only person who changed when they left the hood… is you! I don’t need your advice on shit! You ain’t even a real friend anymore. Maybe you should focus on that,” Emeka gritted.
“Just don’t sign a prenup. Zadik isn’t perfect at all. I can smell a dog from the other side of the door,” I replied.
She stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door. I took a shower and got dressed. I had a few rounds to make and I didn’t want to be late. There was still money that had to be made. My pregnancy wasn’t going to stop me. I drove to the other side of town, I parked my car in an alley between two old houses. I got out and walked up the old steps. I unlocked the door and turned the knob. I cut the light on next to the door and smiled at my accomplishments. I saved my money to invest in a whore house. I had to turn a few tricks with the owner to get it but it worked out for the best. The owner was an old Italian man who I met inside of the mall. I knew men more than I knew myself. I saw the passion he had for me in his eyes while I was trying on a pair of pumps. A few hours later, I was sprawled out in his penthouse. He was the highest paying client I ever had so I knew I had stepped my game up. He pulled some strings to sell me the house under the table. The house was under a fake name. I didn’t want to do business with men with average jobs anymore. I stepped up into the big leagues. I wasn’t going to let my pregnancy stop me. I walked around to figure out what else I needed to make the home complete. The inside of the house reminded me of a small strip club. I had a small bar area, a large plush sectional that went around the living room, and there was also a Jacuzzi in the corner. The front door opened and heels clicked across the floor.
“You are late!” I said aloud.
“Sue me,” she replied.
I was face-to-face with Chloe when I turned around. It was something about Emeka’s mother. She wasn’t gay like me though. She only slept with women for money but I did it because I actually enjoyed it. She was sorta’ like my mentor, and she helped me reach a bigger clientele. The house was my idea but I was using her clientele. I was taking prostitution to a whole new level. It was millions of dollars to be made in the sex industry. I wanted to get my hands on it all.
“You look beautiful this morning,” I flirted.
“A woman will never make you feel the same way a man can. All she can do for me is pay to lick the pussy. You have a lot to learn,” Chloe said. Two white men walked in carrying two big boxes. Chloe paid them to deliver the liquor for the liquor cabinet. A few more men walked in with computers and other equipment. I didn’t know what Chloe was up to.
“Who are all of these people?” I asked and she pulled me to the side.
“Listen to me little bitch. Don’t you ever in your life question me! I got this so you just sit back and watch. This is a business that I take to the heart, so I don’t like explaining shit I do. You need to be covered at all times. Those are the security men who will place cameras all over. We have to protect ourselves just in case someone tries to take advantage of us. Watch the moves I make and pay close attention. I’m getting old and this doesn’t last long. I see you as competition because you are beautiful, young and have a nice body. I rather make money with you than compete with you so consider this as an investment. You need my clientele because I been in the game since you were born. Whatever I have planned, just roll with it because I know what I’m doing. Don’t question me ever again, Faraji,” Chloe said.
“Whatever, Chloe. You can pull that mean shit with Emeka, but I’m not your daughter. I suggest you watch your mouth,” I said and she chuckled. I wasn’t feeling her extra attitude. I didn’t need her although she was helping me. It was my house, therefore, it was my rules.
“I know you’re not her. My daughter has something you will never have and that’s a heart. Our greed for money is our downfall. We will fuck over anyone to get it,” Chloe said. She walked away from me as she screamed at the men for not moving fast enough. I wasn’t going to be like Chloe because I had a backup plan. I was having a baby by a man who was educated with a good background. I knew Cayman was going to get a six-figure job. He was smart, well-mannered, and he came from a decent background.
*********
“Damn, we haven’t done this in a while!” Adisa shouted from the kitchen. Her and Samiah were cooking dinner. Emeka was texting on her phone. She rolled her eyes at me when I looked at her.
“I’m sorry, Emeka. I have a lot going on and you know I do. I don’t mean to be harsh, but all I want is for you to be secured in case it doesn’t work out with Zadik. I just want all of us to be close again. I think this is a time when we all really need each other,” I said.
“Apology accepted but you will lose a good friend if you continue to treat me the way you do. I hope you appreciate Cayman this time around,” she said.
“What is up with you and Cayman? Why does he matter to you?” I asked.
“He doesn’t but I know how much it hurts to be cheated on. You have a good person and you need to keep him. If you don’t love him let him go,” Emeka said.
“I do love him,” I replied and she chuckled.
“Sure, but anyways I’m going in the kitchen to help them bring the food out. We can talk later,” Emeka said. She got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. I made their drinks while they set the table.
“Where is your drink?” Samiah asked me.
“I’m pregnant,” I said and Adisa covered her mouth.
“Congrats! We are about to be godmothers. Oh, we really need to get the party started. Emeka’s engagement and now we have a new edition coming,” Adisa beamed.
“I know Cayman is happy,” Samiah said. I watched Emeka and she didn’t say anything. She ate her food in silence but I brushed it off. I wasn’t going to let her spoil the moment.
“He’s very supportive and I’m glad to have him in my life. I’m a lucky girl. Y’all should see the way he rubs my stomach,” I bragged.
“You and Emeka are growing up too fast,” Adisa said.
“Emeka and I had big responsibilities. I helped take care of my sisters and she
helped her grandmother. We never really had a childhood so it turned us into adults early. Her and I both experienced a lot, even together,” I said getting choked up.
“Friends fight all the time or should I say, sisters? You are like my sister. I’m sorry for earlier,” Emeka said.
“I’m sorry too,” I replied and wiped my eyes.
“Awwww, this is so neat! We are going to grow up together with our families. We are all family,” Samiah said. My phone rang and it was Cayman calling me. I excused myself from the table to answer it.
“Hey baby,” I answered the phone as soon as I was out of earshot of the others.
“I got the interview at Sanders and Sanders this Thursday.” He told me and I could hear the excitement in his voice.
“I’m so proud of you baby. We’re going to pick you out an outfit and you can practice your interview tips on me.” I told him.
“Thanks, shorty,” he said.
“We’ll celebrate when I get home. I’m having dinner with the girls,” I said.
“I’m ‘bouta have a drink or two with my boys. Call me when you’re on your way home and I’ll meet you there.” I wanted to tell him to stay home and forget about going out with his friends. But I didn’t because we were starting over with a clean slate.
I went back into the living room with my girls and jumped into the conversation they were having about when we graduate in three years. We had to comfort Samiah because she was sad her brother wouldn’t be able to make it to her graduation. All four of us promised that we would have a girl’s night at least once or twice a month before we got our real jobs. I couldn’t wait until I was married with a big house and a rich husband. Cayman didn’t know it yet but he was going to marry me after college. I wanted it all from him.
15. Adisa
Present 2015
“S o, let me get this right. You and your friends kept secrets from each other?” Detective Carter asked me.
“We were growing up battling with different things! We weren’t the first and will not be the last. It doesn’t mean we killed somebody,” I said. He slammed her journal on the table with a scowl on his face.
“She wrote everything in here! You killed her because she knew all of your secrets. How would your husband feel if he knew his wife wasn’t so innocent? Each one of you had a motive to plan her death. The proof is written in that journal. You all were friends but y’all backstabbed each other throughout the years. I guess one of you snapped and killed her!” he yelled at me.
“Okay fine! We had a falling out with her but we didn’t kill her. She was still my fucking friend moron. I loved her like a sister,” I cried. He sat across from me and fixed his suit jacket.
“Your friends are being interrogated too. It’s only a matter of time before one of you get to talking. So tell me what happened in your adult life. I don’t care to know about college and all of that bullshit teenage girls go through. I want to know what happened after college. According to her journal, a lot of things happened. Enough to make a group of girls plot and kill one of their friends. She wrote EVERYTHING in her journal. I even know about your wild side. You seem like a well put together woman, nice job, fancy home, perfect husband and a beautiful little girl. But to her, you were a backstabbing, spoiled brat who had a knack for thugs. Maybe your husband will know what’s been going on with you. The door opened and another detective walked in with two books inside of a zip lock bag. They found more of her journals. I slowly felt my life crashing in front of me.
“Looks like more secrets than what we thought,” he said. The walls began closing in on me. How dare she write about our lives that way. The detective opened another journal and began to read. I tuned him out as I thought about what I had been through over the past years. My life was fine until York came home from jail. My palms sweated and my stomach turned. It was only the beginning…
Charged for His Sins 2: A Soap Opera
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Coming Oct 10th from SOUL
The Way That He Loves Me 2
Xanaya
Dragging my ass in the house I flicked the button for central air on and threw my blue Walmart apron on the couch. The overnight shift was killing me but it was more money and a bitch like me couldn’t pass up more money. Every time I thought about me and Mulan in that homeless shelter I pushed harder and harder. I had a lot on my plate, some shit no one would ever understand or know about so giving up was not an option. Kicking off my white on white Reeboks I threw my ass on the couch too tired to even make it up the stairs. Between school, Mulan and work I was running on empty. I grabbed my phone and set the alarm for noon so I could get up and get a pedicure before I picked the baby up from Miss May.
As soon as I shut my eyes and started a dreamless sleep my phone began to ring. Then ring again. “Hello,” I answered not even looking at the screen. I made sure they heard the sleep mixed with attitude in my voice because these mother fuckers all knew I worked overnights but yet here someone goes calling like the FBI.
“Yo cuz what you doing,” my cousin Jamia’s loud ass voice filled my eardrums.
“Sleeping shit you can’t tell,” I responded with sarcasm dripping from my every word.
“Girl I was just calling because Grady’s homeboy Topher needed someone to make a run for him up to Binghamton so I told him you be making those trips and I would call you. Shit, I figured you could use the fast money. You can make this trip in a day.”
My blood ran cold at her words and I jumped up to a sitting position on the couch. “Jamia, what the fuck is your damn problem. You know I don’t make runs for the local dope boys. This is strictly some out of town shit.” I ran my hand over my face and let out a sigh. I tried to keep people the fuck out of my business and here comes Jamia ratchet ass basically telling all of Rochester I am running drugs up and down the 90. Because once someone in this small ass city knew something it was public knowledge.
“He said he is paying two racks. He just needs this shit done today. Easy money sis, and with the new semester starting soon you will have to cover tuition on top of your regular bills.” Sadly my cousin was right, I really needed the funds.
“Damn,” I said lowly to myself. “Aight tell him I can leave at noon I need a few hours’ sleep. Text me his info so I can get the details.”
“Ok boo I am sending it right now,” she squealed in excitement as she hung up. What the fuck got her ass so happy I will never know. Was she getting a finder’s fee on my ass or what? Sinking back into my fluffy couch pillows I snuggled up and forced myself to go back to sleep. I had five hours left to get some rest and I was going to need it.
All too soon it was time to get up and hit the road. I was used to this shit though. I grabbed two Red bulls from the fridge and downed the first one as I jumped in the shower. The cool water was helping me feel refreshed. Soaping up with my natural soap followed by some Armani Si body gel I rinsed and got out. My gut was telling me this run wasn’t a good idea but the promise of two g’s cash was telling my gut to shut the fuck up. I used some clear gel to spike my hair and some edge control to lay down my edges. I had certain clothes I wore when I drove out of town. Most chicks be tying up their hair and throwing on sweats but not me. The goal was to avoid the police not put a flashing sign on your forehead that said hood rat or dope boys chick.
Slipping into a black Calvin Klein dress th
at had a gold zipper up the front I slid a pair of pantyhose on and some gold heels. I did my make up to perfection while texting Topher about a spot to meet up. After agreeing to meet at the park by Waring road I topped my look off with a pair of gold MK shades and a black MK purse. I slid the matte red lipstick over my lips and threw a pair of gold studs in. Twirling around once in the oversized mirror I had in the hallway I knew I looked fly, but the best thing was I looked employed. I didn’t look like I had a trunk filled with weed or coke or pills, whatever the latest shipment was.
Realizing it was about to rain as I slid in my all black 2011 Maxima I rolled my eyes. Great, that meant the trip was going to take even longer. At this point, I just wanted to grab Mulan and crawl back in my bed for some sleep. I sped across town towards the area I used to live in trying to get this shit started so it could end. Pulling up I saw a few niggas leaning outside of a blue Yukon and one on a red Honda Accord, the car Topher said he would be in. Great they out here like we were about to have a party in the fucking park. I popped the trunk and didn’t even bother to get out, instead, I sat back sipping my second Red Bull. Watching the men from the truck place several boxes in my trunk I heard it slam. Seeing my back door and passenger door open at the same time I jumped out of my fucking skin. That was never a part of the plan, random niggas opening my doors.