“You sure you not gonna tell me what’s going on?”
Gabriella smacks him in the face so hard, for a second he’s sober. He rubs his bruised face and looks like a child who got punished for disrespecting his mother.
“Now are you gonna stop actin’ like Sherlock Holmes or are you going to be the crack head I’m paying you for?” The man sees something crazed in her eyes and gets on his knees.
“I knew you had some sense in that fucked up body of yours.”
As requested, he bends over so that his head is directly above the ripped bag, and combs and brushes his hair over top of it. His eyes meet hers in between the strokes and the fear stricken man is afraid she’ll hit him again. Dandruff, tiny hair follicles, and even small bugs fall on top of the bag.
“That’s so yuck-a-licous!” She proclaims.
“Is that’s enough?” She examines the mess.
“Comb that knot a few more times.” He does. “Good. Now fold it up in a ball and put it in here.” After he folds the bag closed, keeping its contents in tact, she holds another bag open and he drops it inside. Then she folds that bag several times shut.
“Here is your comb and brush,” he says handing it to her.
She frowns at the filthy articles. “Honey you couldn’t pay me to take that shit back. Keep it, you need it more than me.”
Gabriella rummages through the Target bag she’s holding and says, “Now let me pay you.” She pulls out a few items including the blood-stained butcher knife and says, “Oh…can you hold this for me for a second? It’s in the way and I’m looking for your money.”
“What the fuck?” he grabs the knife by the handle, looking at it from side to side. “What were you cooking?”
“Nothing,” she says accepting the weapon back with a napkin to avoid getting new fingerprints on it after just recently wiping hers off. She places it carefully in the bag. “I’m so silly. Your money is right here in my pocket. Take this one hundred dollar bill. I’m paying you for your silence and your trifling ways. But you betta neva, eva, tell anybody you saw me. Understand?” she points at him. He nods in agreement. “Great! Get your high on. I’m outta here. Oh yeah, do you know where I can buy a gun?”
Reluctantly he directs her down the street and she leaves the lowly man exactly where she met him. She adjusts the rearview mirror so that she can see herself inside of it and says, “I love when shit comes together!”
Old Bitches Old Tricks
Gabriella parks the stolen Range Rover a few blocks down and walks to Penny’s house with her Target bag in hand. She doesn’t knock right away. She was trying to get herself in mode to be meek and humble like Yvonna and was finding it very difficult to pull off. Taking a deep breath she says, “I’m just gonna have to do the best I can.”
She knocks twice and looks like a sad puppy. “Yvonna? What are you doin’ here?” she doesn’t seem that happy to see her.
“You not happy to see me?” she asks softly.
“Oh…yeah.” She stares at her body as if something’s wrong and than focuses on her eyes. They look different to Penny. “Of course Iam. But you’re ‘spose to be in the hospital. I just left you.”
“Yeah well I hate hospitals. Can I come in or not?”
“Of course, chile.” She opens the door wider and Gabriella strolls inside.
When the door closes, she sees Bradshaw sitting on the sofa. She squints her eyes and wonders how long it will take her to rip his throat out until she remembers that she just might need his ass.
“Bradshaw? What you doing here?” He stands and walks up to her looking at her hand.
“He was worried ‘bout ya. And decided to stop on by to check on ya. He says he hadn’t heard from ya in a while. I told him you hurt yourself and was in the hospital.”
“I guess.”
“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”
“I didn’t know I had one either?” Gabriella examines his fashionable white long sleeve dress shirt, pink cashmere vest and blue jean.
“How did you get my address?”
“I drop you off all the time. What are you talking about?” She doesn’t answer. “Anyway, you always told me if I hadn’t heard from you in a couple of days, I should come looking for you. So I’m here.”
That damn, Yvonna! She thinks. “Oh yeah. I remember.” She lies.
He places his hands on her shoulders. She despises the way he made Yvonna lose to reason and she was determined not to be easily seduced. She is in control not him.
Gabriella snatches herself away and says, “Well, I’m fine. You can leave now.”
“Can I talk to you before I leave? Alone?” he asks. They both look at Penny. “It’s kind of private.”
“Oh…I’m sorry…I have a prayer circle that’ll be startin’ in ‘bout fifteen minutes. But ya welcome to take him downstairs though. I cleaned up for you.” She walks up to Gabriella and looks into her eyes again but Gabriella looks away. “How’s your hand?”
“Doesn’t hurt one bit.” Gabriella focuses on the multicolored housecoat.
“That’s good. Real good. I’m glad you’re home,” Penny continues looking at her. “Oh, and some movie company folks stopped by wantin’ my input on your story. I chased ‘em out of here. They wanted to offer me a lot of money and I just wanted you to know.”
“Doesn’t matter. Well, I guess we’ll go downstairs now.”
Right before she opens the door to the basement Penny says, “And, Yvonna. Does the box need to be dropped off today?”
“What box?”
“The box you told me to keep.”
Gabriella not knowing what she means says, “Oh. That box. No, it’s fine.”
She has no idea what the old fool is saying but decides to give it no more attention than she already has. Penny on the other hand, watches her until she is completely out of sight.
“So what was so important?” she asks him as they sit on the foot of the bed.
“I wanted to check on you. But what’s up wit’ your hand?”
“A long story.”
“Aight. At first I thought you were fucked up with me for being distant when we were together. I got a lot on my mind and you know I’m tryin’ to get some extra cash to get my daughter. They tellin’ me if I can afford 24-hour in home that they may never let her stay with me. She’s in the foster care system now.”
“Look, I’m not tryin’ to be rude but I don’t care.” His face tightens up and he takes a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not that deep.”
“What does that mean?”
“What does it sound like?” she says as she stands up to get undressed. When she’s naked she turns around and looks at him. “You wanna fuck or what?”
It wasn’t what he had planned but they spent the next thirty minutes having passionate sex. There was something about the way her body moved that he liked.
“You were different tonight. And did I tell you how that I love the weight you gained?” He adjusts the covers and his pants hang at the end of the bed.
“I don’t remember but I move different ‘cause you used to fuckin’ Yvonna’s cornball ass not me.”
“Yvonna?” He asks separating his body from hers to look into her eyes. “You saying that you not Yvonna?”
“What you think? Yvonna ain’t got shit on my fuck game.”
Bradshaw sits up in the bed and leans against the headboard. “Then tell me ‘bout you.”
“Oh, you not scared?”
“Scared of what?”
“Of all the things people say I did. And all the people they say I hurt.”
“Naw. I’m interested. I wanna know what makes you tick. You’re different.”
“We are. And personally I don’t think there’s anything wrong with us.”
“Us?”
“Yeah, me and Yvonna. I think people just need to let us be. We might not be like everyone thinks we should be, but we’re real. I’m real. And we don’t need no medicine to chang
e us.”
“Are you her protector?”
“Something like that. I think I’m more into protecting me than anything. If I don’t, Yvonna’s gullible ass would kill us both. She’ll let them doctors tell her all kinds of shit and before we know it we’ll be crazy.”
Bradshaw couldn’t believe his ears and Gabriella loves the attention she was getting from him. So many times the doctors and professionals spent time trying to get rid of her. It felt good being.
“I like you. And I hope you stay around.”
“It doesn’t bother you that I’ve hurt so many people?”
“I like you just the way you are.” She smiles until she notices something in his eyes isn’t right.
“Are you playing games wit’ me? Are you fuckin’ wit’ me?” She shoots daggers at him with her eyes. “’Cause it’s not a good idea to fuck wit’ me.”
“I’m not…fuckin’ wit’ you.” If he wasn’t scared before he is now. “I’m bein’ honest.”
There is a long pause of silence between them. He reaches for his pants which were on the bed the entire time they made love, and pulls out another condom.
“You tryin’ to go another round?”
She smiles and says, “You just try and keep up.”
Zoned Out
Swoopes was in the cafeteria eating for the first time in three days. He hadn’t been out of his room since he was raped. And he didn’t know who the fuck assaulted him. When he looks around, anybody within a few feet of him could’ve been a suspect. He imagined them talking behind his back and most importantly, he reasons that unless he finds out soon who took his respect, they would most certainly try to get some boy ass again.
“Damn, where you been at, homie?” Tree asks walking up behind him. On edge and not recognizing his voice yet, Swoopes reaches under the table, lifts his pants and touches the homemade shank taped to his leg. But when he realizes who it is, he lets it fall back down to position. “You been missin’ in action.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t feelin’ well.” Swoopes says faking a cough. “That shit ain’t contagious is it?” he jokes.
“I can’t call it,” Swoopes laughs.
“I’m just fuckin’ wit’ you young, blood. Everything cool?” Swoopes moves his food around his plate. “Yeah, I’m good.
What’s up wit’ you, though?”
“Ain’t shit. You know they shipped Corn’s ass to another prison
last night.”
Swoopes looks up from his plate and at Tree to be sure he heard him
correctly.
“They shipped him to another prison? For what?” “I don’t know. Somebody said he turned FEDS and they had to
get him outta here for protection. I couldn’t stand that nigga no way.” Swoopes doesn’t have an appetite but after hearing about
Corn’s transfer, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to eat again. “You aight, Swoo?”
Swoopes moves around in the hard plastic chair trying to get
comfortable . It wasn’t working. He swallows hard and opens another
button on his shirt so that the heat rising from his skin can escape.
“Oh…uh…yeah. I’m fine.”
“You don’t look like it. You look like you about to past out and
shit.”
He never, ever, considered Corn. He didn’t peg him for the raping type. And now that his name was mentioned, he wonders why he
hadn’t. Even though rape was a fowl ass way to get a nigga back, if it
were his method, it certainly worked.
“Look, man. I’m ‘bout to roll. You want the rest of my food?” “Hell, yeah,” Tree says reaching for his bread.
When Tree extends his hand and reaches for Swoopes’ meal, he
recognizes his large knuckles and how rough they look. He hadn’t
expected to remember exact details about that day because what he
wanted to forget. But there was no denying that after noticing Tree’s
hands, he was sure Tree was the one who had violated him. “Hey, you still comin’ by my cell tonight right?” Tree tares off
the bread he got from Swoope’s plate. “Na…Na…now, I got some
smoke and drink in my room.”
Swoopes body feels light and his knees buckle. He’d heard that
speech defect before, when he was younger. And just like the memory
of Tree’s hands were recalled to mind, so was his impediment. It was
both unique and stupid so how could he not remember?
Now there were men who were considered tough, rough and
strong. But there was no man, in the entire prison, who possessed the
strength that Swoopes had in that moment. Because it took everything
in his power not to rip him a part right where he sat. But he was smart.
He had to be. If he wanted him like he wanted him, he had no choice
but to fall back and wait. Swoopes inhales and keeps his chest filled
with the oxygen he needs to handle the situation.
“If you got smoke and drink, you know I’m there.” He smirks. “I’m serious, Swoo.” He continues eating the bread. The fucking pet name he gave him pissed Swoopes off.
“Swoopes, man. My name is Swoopes.”
“What?” Tree laughs looking up at him.
“I ain’t tryin’ to be funny, but my name is Swoopes. Not Swoo.”
It was bad enough that he took his ass, and even worse that he had to
wait to knock his block off. But he had no intentions on letting this
bitch ass nigga continue to call him by a personal pet name he’d created.
“Oh…no doubt. I meant Swoopes.” Tree senses something
wrong but doesn’t think things through. “I gotta rap to you ‘bout somethin’ later too.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be there. You can count on that.”
Tree’s eyes can barely open because bandages appear to be covering his lids. And from what he could see through the cracks, he wasn’t in his room. Not to mention that the mattress was much softer than the one in his cell. And when he tries to move, pain shoots through every limb in his body.
“Don’t move,” a woman’s voice advises. “You are not the same as you were yesterday.” Not the same man I was yesterday? Fuck does she mean? He thinks.
“Wha…what’s goin’ on?” “You’ve been badly hurt. We found you in your cell on the floor in a puddle of your own blood and liquor.”
A flash of Swoopes coming into his room, drinking liquor was the last thing he could remember. He called himself about to finish Yvonna’s request and he ended up getting dealt with. Everything else was a blur. He had been placed himself in a cage with a lion was tore to pieces.
“So, what’s wrong wit’ me?”
“It appears you got intoxicated and got into a fight. You know it’s a violation to have liquor in prison, Mr. Green.”
“I ain’t tryin’ to hear that shit right now! I need details on my condition!”
“Well you betta be trying to hear it because your life has changed forever.” Her voice lost all concern and was replaced with contempt. “Do you know who did this?”
“No! I…I don’t,” he lies.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes I am! Now tell me what the fuck is up.”
“Your spine is fractured. The skin over your eyes are almost completely gone, you have severe cuts on your face and…and…,” she hesitates.
“What? What is it?”
“And your penis has been completely severed from your body. We couldn’t find it, so it could not be reattached.”
“Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!” he screams.
“Let me get the counselor.”
Three weeks Later The prison was on lock after the attack on Tree and as usual no one knew shit. And because Swoopes was considered a friend, no one suspected him.
He made a decision earlier in the morning to kill members of his f
amily when he was free in 14 months but he needed addresses first. He could have handed this duty to members of the YBM but he did not want them knowing he was fucked. It wasn’t enough that he forced Tree into an alcoholic stupor, before beating him over and over, finally cutting his penis off with his shank and flushing it down the toilet. He needed and wanted more to be done.
The only reason he left him alive was because he knew that it was next to impossible for a man to go about the world without a dick. Anyway he felt people gave death too much credit as a form of punishment. And since he’d never died, he couldn’t vouch that it would be good enough for Tree. For all he knew death could bring a reward that Tree’s slum ass didn’t deserve. But…he could vouch that life, if fucked up enough, could be a living hell.
While rummaging through his personal mail, he happens upon a stack of letters. Most of them came from a PO address and for a moment, he’s discouraged. I need a fuckin’ address. Where does your fam live mothafucka? He thinks.
As he skims through the letters, he notices a girl’s name on the envelope says Treyana. What you got to do with this shit? He knew her from his hometown and was trying to add things up. He opens a few of the letters and reads briefly through them. But when he sees one of the pictures sent, he stumbles. Yvonna? What the fuck! He doesn’t understand why the letters were from Treyana but the pictures were of Yvonna. Wanting time to quarterback the whole situation, he takes the letters and walks to his cell.
He’s happy he still doesn’t have a celly because he needed extreme privacy. As he lies down, he reads them all one by one. None of these make any sense! Jo Cramer enters into the room right before he answers his own question.
“Is it a good time now?” he asks referring to his magazines. “Yo! Fuck is you so pressed for?!” Swoopes yells tucking the letters behind him.
Jo is so startled that he temporarily forgets what he came for. “I…I just wanted something to read the…uh…you told me I could…read the magazines. So I came by to…uh…see…if I could get them now.”
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