by Lucinda John
“I don’t need those pills I’m good.” I replied surprising myself. I’ve depended on those Xanax for so long that I felt that I couldn’t start or end my day without at least popping a pill.
“I’ll call you when I get home, stay up for me.” he winked kissing me on the lips.
“I will.” I replied savoring his lips against mine.
My legs were so weak that when I got out of the car I thought I was going to fall flat on my face. When I made it inside my house, I watched through the window as Mayhem drove off. Even after he was long gone, I was still standing there staring in the direction in which his car speed off in with a smile on my face.
****
Waking up to the smell of eggs and bacon was something I wasn’t expecting to do. I thought I was dreaming until I heard footsteps coming my way. Thinking it was someone breaking in, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my baseball bat. Whoever it was that decided to break in my shit and cook up my food was about to get batted the fuck up.
“The fuck you doing?” Mayhem asked walking through the door with a tray in his hand.
“How do you keep getting in here?” I asked not remembering that I gave him a key.
“I broke in.” he smiled.
“Your one weird ass nigga.” I replied loving the fact that he was here with me.
“And your one bad breath broad.” he laughed causing me to run to my bathroom.
After handling my hygiene, I grabbed my robe to cover up the bra and panties I slept in. When I walked back in my room Mayhem was sitting on my bed with a pile of books next to him.
“Sit down and eat you got some studying to do.”
“Studying for what?” I asked taking a seat on the bed.
“Your GED test.” he replied.
“I’m not ready to take that.” I said beginning to panic.
“You will be ready when I get through with you so eat up, we got a long day of studying ahead of us.
“Did you cook this?” I asked placing a fork filled with cheese eggs to my mouth.
“Yeah why?”
“Nothing.” I replied.
“Can you cook?” he asked looking at me sideways.
“Nope, my moms never taught me, and I had no reason to learn since I barely sat home.”
“I see. We gonna have to fix that shit too cuz I’m a big nigga that love to eat.”
“I see.” I replied finishing off my breakfast.
“I told you all about me, but you told me nothing about you.” I said sipping on my orange juice.
“What is it that you want to know?”
“Everything.” I replied.
“I’m twenty-seven, I have three kids, I’m the oldest of my three brothers, my father died when I was seventeen, my mother is alive and well waiting on me to bring her some more grandbabies.” he chuckled. “I’m a businessman, you name it I either own it, invested in it, or in the works of owning it. I’m big on family so one day I’m really trying to settle down and have me some more babies.” he said causing an uneasy feeling to settle in the pit of my stomach.
I love Elijah with every fiber in my being, but I was not prepared to be anyone else mother. Hell, I couldn’t even do a good job at being his mother so having another baby was a no- no for me. I’ve been taking my pills faithfully, plus every nigga I made any sexual contact with was required to strap up. I was double protected and not thinking about birthing nothing in this lifetime.
“That’s what’s up.” I replied not really wanting to stay on the children topic any longer. “Mayhem is your real name?” I asked.
“Yes.” he laughed. “My father named me after his street name which was Mayhem then turns around and give my brother Maleek his name. My father was a very unpredictable ass nigga.”
“I see that.”
“Now that you’re nice and full, time to crack open these book.” he said passing me a GED prep book.
“Did you graduate high school?” I asked.
“Yes I did, I have a degree in accounting and business management.” he replied grabbing a notebook and pencil.
“Imma take this practice test with you, just so you won’t have testing anxieties, when we’re done we can go over it.” he replied.
“Thank you.” I said running my hands through his thick waves.
“That’s what I’m here for bae, now let’s ace this shit.”
Maleek
“One of you motherfuckers better tell me where the fuck my money went, or I’m deading all of you.” I said walking into the secluded warehouse.
Bungie, had three of the guys that worked for one of my traps on their knees chained up. I have been gradually losing money and this shit was about to stop today. A lot of niggas decided it was ok to fuck with me since I wasn’t as hot headed Mayhem and Ramsey but I was equally crazy. Just because I was the one who leveled my brothers out didn’t mean I was a soft ass nigga.
“Come on man I ain’t have nothing to do with it.” SJ cried.
“Then tell me who the fuck it was. The three of you niggas are the ones who run that trap. So if every drop I’m missing money here and there one of you motherfuckers on some flugazy type shit and if I can’t figure out who the fuck it is then I’m killing all you motherfuckers.” I seethed.
“It wasn’t me man I swear.” SJ continued to sob.
“Talk SJ speak or your ass will die.”
When he didn’t say anything I walked over to the corner and removed my button up shirt and grabbed a long chain. Wrapping it around my hand like a belt I walked over to those niggas prepared to beat these niggas like runaway slaves. Since they wanted to act childish and lie, I was going to lay hands on them.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
I swung the heavy chain wildly making sure to connect to the flesh of every single one of them. Their loud screams pierced my ears and the smell of flesh and blood filled my nostrils. My chest heaved up and down as I continued to brutally beat these gentlemen for violating me in the worse way.
“Stop please.” SJ cried out.
“You ready to tell me about my money?” I bent kneeled down beside him.
“Yes. It. Was Tim and Rob. They. Took. It.” he said in between breath.
“Good boy.” I replied patting his head.
I reached for my both of my 9 mm and pointed one at Tim’s head and the other at Rob’s.
“So, you niggas thought it was wise to steal money from me?” I asked looking at both of them pathetic nigga.
I never understood why they would steal with me. SJ, Tim, and Rob were the three highest-paid niggas that worked for me. I made sure my niggas in charge was good just to prevent situations like this, but it still happens. Being greedy while you were in the game was the fastest way to sign off on your death certificates and these niggas was bound to learn today.
“I’m sorry.” Rob cried.
“No you’re sorry? When I was going crazy trying to figure out where that money was disappearing off to you ain’t say shit but now that your life is on the line you want to say sorry. Fuck outta here.” I spat.
“Don’t do this man we family.”
“You’re my fiancé’s cousin, you ain’t no kin to me homeboy.” I replied firing off one shot to his head shutting him up.
The sight of Rob’s head splitting in half caused Tim to piss on himself.
“Don’t get scared now, you were brave enough to steal my money now be brave enough to take this bullet.” I chuckled while letting one off in his head.
“Thanks for keeping it G with me.” I said to SJ
“Anytime fam.” he replied thinking he was off the hook.
“If you would have told me this shit earlier I would have let you live, but nah, you just as guilty as these niggas.” I said pointing my gun at him.
“Maleek man it ain-”
POW! POW!
Two shots to the head ended his life as well. Looking down at the three dead bodies of the niggas I considered to be my boys proved that snakes came in all shape
s and sizes. Walking to the bathroom that we had in the warehouse for cleaning up purposes, I removed my gloves and splashed water all over my face. Looking down at my watch I peeped I was twenty minutes late for my pre-wedding party fucking around with these clowns.
“Clean this shit up.” I said to the security before making my way to the car.
I quickly changed my undershirt to a fresh one before pulling my button down shirt over my body. I removed the shoe covers from my feet and discarded them before getting in my car and heading to the venue. I had no idea why Joie felt the need to have a pre- wedding party, but her wish was my command. When I arrived to the party Mayhem and Ramsey were standing outside passing a blunt back and forth engaged in a conversation.
“This nigga finally shows up for his pre-wedding party.” Ramsey chuckled once he spotted me.
“I know man I had to handle some shit.”
“Did you handle it permanently ?” Mayhem asked.
“Six feet under handled.” I replied.
“My nigga.” he smiled dapping me up.
In the game, I would pull the trigger only if I had to, but it really wasn’t my thing. Mayhem and Ramsey were two trigger finger motherfuckers that wouldn’t hesitate to kill you over stepping on their shoes. I sometimes had to step in when I felt like they were overacting in certain situations.
“Let me ask you something.” Ramsey said.
“I’m listening.
“What the fuck is a pre-engagement party?” he asked.
“Hell if I know, this all Joie, ma probably talked her into throwing this shit.”
“You already know ma over happy ass just like throwing parties for the hell of it.” Ramsey laughed.
“I heard that Ramsey. Maleek bring ya ass in here before that girl have a panic attack.” she snapped.
“I’m coming ma. Aye let me hit that.” I said reaching for the blunt.
I needed to be in a calm spot for when Joie got to snapping. Her ass would go from speaking English to Spanish on my ass when I made her mad. When I walked through the doors I was amazed at my mother’s work. Helping her with her event planning business was the best investment we made because my mother was a beast at what she did.
“About time!” Joie yelled smacking me in the chest.
“Sorry baby work ran over a little late.” I apologized.
“Damn Maleek you couldn’t have pushed that shit back for our damn party!” she yelled turning red in the face.
“Chill bae it was something I had to handle. I’m here now and that’s all that matters.”
“Pull this shit on our wedding day, and I swear you gon’ be one dickless motherfucker.” she snapped.
“How will I dick you down so proper, have you calling me papi if you cut it off.” I smirked.
“I’ll find a way.” she winked.
“Fuck with me if you want to.” I warned biting her on the lips before gently sucking on them.
“I love you daddy.”
“I love you too.”
I was at lost for words as I stood back to admire my future wife’s beauty. She was looking sexy as fuck in a tight lavender beaded floor length mermaid dress with her hair pulled up tightly in a bun. Her ass was on swole as the sheer fabric clung on to her every curve. My wife was half Spanish, but everything about her screamed black. I loved how she embraced both cultures and made sure our daughter did the same.
I hated how I put her through so much grief back in our dating days, but I was happy that we were finally able to find peace within our relationship. Joie was down for me, and that’s all that mattered. I could look deep in her eyes and feel her love radiating for me that’s how I knew shit between us was real. I only planned on cleaning up and getting married one time, and I was confident in my decision of making her a Godfrey.
Mayhem
“I did it!!” Tiny jumped up and down with a smile on her face holding the results of her GED test.
“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about.” I pulled her in for a bear hug.
We’ve been studying for this test non- stop for the past two weeks, and I was happy my baby went in and beast that shit on her first try. I knew she was ready for this test two weeks ago, but she kept doubting herself. I finally had enough of her testing insecurities so I carried her little ass to the car and brought her to the testing center to get it over with.
“I’m so happy! I can finally enroll in college. Wow, I’m going to college who ever thought.” she said taking a seat in the car.
“I believed in you the minute you started telling me your dreams, and I’m willing to do everything in my power to make them come true.”
“Thanks baby I appreciate you. Where are we going?” she asked.
“Shopping, we have dinner with my family tonight.” I replied.
“Wait a minute Mayhem don’t you think it’s too soon.” she began to panic.
“No it’s fine. Ramsey is bringing over his new girlfriend so I figured I’ll just bring you as well.”
“Do your mom knows I’m coming?” she asked.
“Yes she knows.”
“Oh my God, what if your brothers tell her about me stripping?”
“She knows that you use to strip, my mom is not judgmental , she’s protective but she doesn’t judge.” I replied .
“I can’t believe you told your mother I use to strip.” she shrieked.
“If I didn’t tell my mother about you she would have did her own personal investigation, that’s the type of woman she is.” I chuckled.
Back in the days when my brothers and I started dating, she would do a full investigation on the girls we would bring home. We used to fall out laughing when our mother would come to us with a packet filled with information she dug up on our girlfriends. Having all boys had mother bear in protective mode at all time.
“I thought we were going shopping, what are we doing at a salon?” Tiny asked as I pulled up in front of Five Starz Salon.
“I’m sick of this short hair. It’s cute and all, but I need something to pull on when I finally get to hitting that.” I replied.
Tiny and I have been dating for two weeks now, and I still haven’t tapped that. It wasn’t because I couldn’t. I was just taking things slow with her. She was so fragile that I wanted to make sure we connected on a mental level before shit got physical for us.
“I’ve always wanted inches.” she smiled.
“Come on honey you about to get laid.” I joked putting on my best woman impersonation.
“No, don’t you ever in your life say no shit like that again.” she laughed.
Hand- in- hand we walked in the salon with all eyes on us. I knew the females were looking at me sideways because I was with Tiny instead of my wife, but I didn’t give a fuck. Technically, I was still married to her, but we were now legally separated and waiting for our divorce to finalized. I was free to do me, and she was free to do the same.
“BeBe I need you to hook wifey up.” I said to his gay ass. I didn’t too much care for his lifestyle, but he would always do an amazing job on Macy’s hair.
“Wifey hmmm.” his messy ass said.
“Don’t start or I won’t hesitate to shoot; you already know what happened last time.” I warned.
The first time I brought Macy here, BeBe tried to get at me on some slick shit so I had to pull out my gun and set his ass straight real quick. It was cool if you wanted to be gay, but I ain’t play those type of dick in the booty games. Pussy was too good for me to switch up on it.
“What are you getting sweetheart?” BeBe asked taking Tiny’s hands.
“I don’t know surprise me.” I shrugged.
“I got just the perfect style for you.” he said getting to work.
Three house later Tiny got up from the chair looking like a brand new person. BeBe even went as far as to adding some natural lashes to her eyes and waxing her eyebrows. Although I hated BeBe ass, I had to admit that nigga knew his shit. Reaching in my pocket I handed him three
c-notes then grabbed Tiny’s hand.
“Do you like it?” she asked bouncing her hair from side to side.
“That shit sexy as fuck.” I replied running my hands through her curls. “Now we about to do something about them toes.” I said as we headed in the directions of the spa.