Queen Hustlaz

by Falicia Love

  As they turned left onto the avenue, Dana’s attention was immediately drawn to the corner store. There, posted up looking like a woman of the night, was Jeryca!

  “Oh my God! Pull over! Pull over please!” she shouted as she pointed to where Jeryca was standing. As Brittany slowed down to stop the car, Dana was already opening the door to jump out.

  “Jeryca!” Dana yelled. Jeryca turned, and once she realized who Dana was, she attempted to run, but Dana stopped her in her tracks.

  “Jeryca, if you move one inch, I will call your mother and tell her where I saw you and what it looked like you were doing!”

  Jeryca stopped and stared at Dana. “I don’t give a damn who you call. If you want to talk to me, it’s going to be fifty dollars for one hour.”

  “Jeryca, what are you doing to yourself? This isn’t you, sweetie. Have you seen what you look like?” Dana asked as she stepped a little bit closer with each word spoken.

  “Dana, I just need one quick hit. Please, just let me hold fifty dollars real quick, and then we can discuss anything. I will eat your pussy if you want me to,” Jeryca replied.

  “Jeryca, when the hell did you start using drugs? You’re acting crazy, and you look awful. What do you think your mother would say or do if she saw you like this?” Dana asked. A small crowd was starting to form, listening to Dana talk with her friend. Some people were offering their input on the situation as well.

  “Girl, listen to your friend,” one woman yelled.

  “I’ll pay one hundred dollars to watch you eat her pussy,” a man yelled.

  “Hell, I’ll pay seventy-five dollars if the ho suck my dick,” another man snickered.

  “Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves. Girl, go with your friend and get off these streets,” another person said.

  “I don’t give a fuck about what my momma think. She should’ve been out here doing exactly what I’m doing, and maybe my life would be different,” Jeryca cried.

  “You know what, Jeryca? Pam deserves to have her big sister with her, ’cause what you’re doing could leave you dead. Get the fuck in the car now before I beat your ass. I’m done trying to coax you like you’re a child,” Dana said between clenched teeth and with her fist balled up at her side.

  Jeryca could see the anger building up in Dana, and just the mention of her sister’s name set her emotions off. Jeryca started crying and started backing up to the wall of the store, and once there, she began to slide to the sidewalk. Brittany and Dana ran forward to grab her.

  “Let’s get her in the car,” Brittany said as she grabbed Jeryca. Dana ran to the car and opened the door. Brittany placed Jeryca in the back seat and looked at Dana. “Girl, this can’t be the friend you were telling me about.”

  “The one and only!” Dana said quietly as she got into the passenger seat. Once Brittany was seated back in the car, she put the car in drive and pulled away.

  “We can take her to my place and figure out what to do next. It’s evident that she is on something,” Dana said. Brittany turned the car around and headed back to the expressway en route to Dana’s house.

  * * *

  “Aye, man, Tonia just called and said that she saw Jeryca, looking rough standing on the side of the corner store. She said that she left in a gray car,” Chris informed Thad.

  “Man, damn. I hope she isn’t out selling her ass on that corner. I know Brenda explained to that stupid-ass junkie that tricks are done by telephone request only,” Thad said as he paced the floor of the dining room.

  “Well, man, you got her hooked on drugs, and besides, I don’t think she is on the clock. Tonia said she left with two females in a gray Honda. From the description she gave me, it sounded like it could’ve been Dana,” Chris said.

  “Fuck. All the work I put in on that bitch. I guess that money train has left the building.” Thad sighed as he leaned up against the edge of the doorway that led to the kitchen.

  “What are we going to do now?” Chris asked.

  “Shit, ain’t much we can do, is it? We will just move without her. We were just fine before Jeryca,” Thad said.

  “No, that’s not what I meant. Do you think Jeryca will talk about our little operation here? If that was Dana, you know we might have a small issue. Those girls don’t play when it comes to one of them getting hurt or mistreated. I told you how Stephanie and Farrah went off the other day with Larry,” Chris said.

  “Man, ain’t nobody worried about them bitches. It’s business as usual,” Thad sneered.

  “Thad, never underestimate those girls. This could be a real problem,” Chris replied.

  Thad didn’t say a word as he turned and walked away, leaving Chris nervous and confused.

  Chapter Five

  “Jeryca! Look at me!” Dana yelled.

  Jeryca had been sitting quietly, fidgeting in the same spot for ten minutes. Her skin was moist with sweat, and she was clicking her tongue constantly. She rubbed and scratched at her skin nonstop, and to top it off, she stank. Jeryca kept asking Dana to get her a fix.

  “Come on, girl, just one more time, please.”

  Dana turned to Brittany with tears in her eyes. “What should I do? I can’t keep her here, ’cause I have to work, but I can’t send her back out there.”

  “What about your other friends? Maybe they will do it. You should ask them and see what they say,” Brittany told her.

  “It’s worth a try, I guess,” Dana replied as she grabbed her cell phone.

  “Watch her for a second, okay?” Dana asked Brittany.

  “I got you, sis. Go handle your business,” Brittany replied, shutting the door behind Dana as she walked out of the room.

  Dana sat on the couch and picked up her phone. She called Jeryca’s mother first. The phone rang four times before she picked up.

  “Hello, Ms. Mebane, this is Dana. I’m calling to let you know that Jeryca is here with me. We picked her up from Thad’s today.”

  “Thank you, Lord! I’ve been so worried about her! I got to call Detective Rogers to let him know she is okay,” Sheila Mebane cried. She was in tears as she spoke.

  “Detective Rogers?” Dana asked curiously.

  “Yes, after the third day of not hearing from Jeryca, I filed a missing persons report. I’ve been worried sick and so has Pam. That was my only recourse,” Sheila explained.

  “Wow, okay. Well, I just wanted to let you know that she is here and she’s just fine. She is in the bedroom asleep right now,” Dana said.

  “Okay, have her call me when she gets up. And thank you for calling me,” Sheila said before hanging up.

  Dana rubbed her head vigorously before calling Farrah.

  * * *

  “What the hell do you mean you’re going for custody of Travis? Nigga, you try it and I will tell the judge everything about how you make your money. Just because I acted out one time, that ain’t shit to the life you lead. So do what you do!” Farrah yelled into the phone.

  “Bitch, you ain’t talking ’bout shit! I will drag your ass. My son needs to be where he will be safe!” Larry yelled.

  “Safe? Nigga, you sell drugs, prostitute women, and sell guns, and you think he will be safe with you? Like I said, do what you got to do. I’m hanging up now, and I’m going to call an attorney to see what my options are. Bet you won’t get my son, you bastard!” Farrah said before she ended her call.

  Farrah sat in her wingback chair, staring off in space and trying to figure out what happened to make Larry turn on her like he did. Ever since Jeryca had gone missing, all the guys had been acting real funny, and she was going to find out why. If Jeryca had anything to do with it, she was going to regret it. Just as Farrah started plotting on Jeryca, her phone rang.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” she answered.

  “Farrah, it’s Dana. We have a situation here, and I need you to come over ASAP.”

  “What’s the problem? ’Cause I’m kind of dealing with my own issues here,” Farrah replied.

  “It�
�s Jeryca. We found her today, and girl, she is fucked up. I need y’all to help. Please,” Dana pleaded.

  “What do you mean ‘fucked up?’ Dana, I got a lot I’m dealing with right now that I can’t figure out, so I’m not going to be any good to y’all.”

  “Farrah, I don’t want to call Sheila ’cause you know she will have her placed in a treatment center, and I can’t leave her to the streets ’cause she won’t survive. I just need a little help,” Dana cried.

  Brittany shook her head at the way Dana had to beg Farrah to help their so-called best friend.

  Farrah sighed. “Okay, I’ll come, but how am I going to get there?”

  “I’ll send my homegirl Brittany to pick you up. I’m going to call Stephanie and see if she can come as well,” Dana informed Farrah.

  “That’s what’s up. I’ll be here,” Farrah replied.

  After Farah and Dana hung up, Dana couldn’t help but wonder what kind of mess Jeryca had gotten herself into. Brittany looked at her.

  “I’m going to go get her, but you know if she say anything out of tact, her ass is mine!”

  “She won’t say anything to you. If she does, I’ll handle it, big sis. I sure do appreciate you,” Dana said softly.

  “I’m here for you. Let me go get this trick for you,” Brittany said, laughing.

  * * *

  “Damn, baby, give me that dick. Fuck me faster. Oh shit, harder, deeper! You feel how wet my pussy is, huh?” Stephanie moaned.

  “Just throw that ass back and shut the fuck up,” Chris growled as he grabbed a handful of her hair. Stephanie bucked back harder and harder until she came. Chris moaned and pulled his dick out and lay on his back.

  “Get on top of me and ride this dick.”

  As Stephanie did as she was told, her phone rang. She looked over at it and ignored it as she proceeded to sit on her man’s dick. She slid down on it and rode him fast and hard. He grabbed her hips and guided her ass down on his dick how he wanted to. Stephanie enjoyed the way Chris fucked her, and she figured she had a long night ahead of her.

  Thirty minutes later, Stephanie had come once more, and Chris had as well. He jumped up immediately and went into the bathroom. Stephanie watched as he walked by her, naked, and admired his muscular back and thighs. He was a handsome man with long braids and thick eyebrows. His eyes were light brown, and his lips were full. She knew she had a great catch.

  When Chris came out of the bathroom, he was fully dressed, and he walked to the chair where his jacket was and put it on without looking at her.

  “Wait a minute! Where are you going?” she asked.

  “What? Girl, I know you didn’t just ask me that. I don’t have to answer to you. Remember that shit,” Chris snarled nastily.

  Before Stephanie could speak, Chris was walking out the door. Stephanie sat on her bed with her legs tucked beneath her, looking at the door in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that she had allowed Chris to use her like he just did. After a few seconds, her cell phone began to ring. Thinking it was Chris, she quickly grabbed for it, only to see that it was Dana.

  “What the heck does she want?” she whispered to herself. “Hello,” Stephanie mumbled into the phone.

  “Hey, it’s me. We found Jeryca, and she is in bad shape. I need you to come over and help me with her,” Dana explained. Stephanie immediately agreed to help.

  “Yes, I’ll be there, but I can’t come until my mother gets here so she can bring me.”

  “I got that covered already. My friend Brittany will pick you up after she picks Farrah up,” Dana informed her.

  “Okay, cool beans.”

  * * *

  After Dana sent Brittany to get her two friends, she checked on Jeryca. When she unlocked the door to where Jeryca was, she walked in and saw her sitting in the corner of the bed, with her knees to her chest. The smell of rotten ass filled the air, and Dana had to blink several times to keep her eyes from tearing up. She walked over and asked Jeryca if she wanted to get in the tub.

  “Dana, just help me find me a hit, please! I’m dying and you don’t care!” Jeryca yelled.

  “Are you hungry?” Dana asked, ignoring Jeryca’s outburst.

  “No, I’m not hungry! I need a fix now! If you’re not going to get it for me, I’ll go get it myself!” Jeryca yelled as she attempted to stand and push past Dana.

  “You aren’t going anywhere!” Dana shouted as she pushed Jeryca back down on the bed.

  “Bitch, don’t put your hands on me! I’ll kill your ass!” Jeryca yelled, jumping back up swinging her frail arms wildly. She hit Dana repeatedly, but Dana grabbed at her arms, used her body to force Jeryca back on the bed, and sat on her, pinning her arms up over her head.

  “Let me go, damn you!” Jeryca yelled as she fought to free her arms. Dana couldn’t believe how strung out Jeryca was. Whatever had happened in the last few weeks had affected Jeryca extremely.

  Ignoring Jeryca’s pleas and tightening her grip on Jeryca’s arms, Dana wondered if she was going to be able to carry through with helping Jeryca.

  After a few minutes, Jeryca appeared to be calm, and Dana released her grip on her, but as she proceeded to move off of her, Jeryca pushed her way off the bed and made a dash for the door. Dana fell to the floor, jumped up quickly, and raced after her. As Jeryca reached the front door and opened it, she came face to face with Brittany, Farrah, and Stephanie.

  “Hurry up and grab her! Don’t let her out!” Dana yelled. Brittany grabbed Jeryca and slung her back in the house on the couch. Stephanie and Farrah immediately jumped to Jeryca’s defense.

  “Leave her the fuck alone, bitch! Dana, how the hell are you cool with this motherfucker handling Jeryca like that?” Farrah asked angrily.

  “Number one, Brittany ain’t a bitch, and you need to apologize. Number two, we found Jeryca trying to sell her ass for a fucking fix. Brittany helped me get Jeryca here,” Dana snarled. Silence fell in the living room as Stephanie and Farrah looked at Jeryca, realizing for the first time that Jeryca looked and smelled awful.

  * * *

  Over the course of six days, the girls had their hands full with Jeryca. She fought them, begged them to get her a fix, tried to leave several times, and vomited repeatedly any and everywhere. Stephanie and Farrah had their own issues to deal with, but they set them aside for Jeryca. They didn’t want to seem uncaring to Jeryca’s needs. Farrah was disturbed by the fact that Dana insisted that they help her with Jeryca, even though Dana had Brittany to assist her with her current issue. With Larry and the possible custody fight, Farrah still felt that Dana could’ve handled Jeryca without their help. Farrah envied and hated the fact that Dana had everything going for herself, and didn’t understand why she couldn’t take a few days and deal with Jeryca on her own. Farrah decided that, before it was over with, she was going to give Dana a piece of her mind.

  Monday Morning

  Dana left Farrah and Stephanie at her house with Jeryca while she went to work. Brittany had allowed her to sit in on a case that she was working on, and it was very important that she be present.

  Jeryca awoke and walked into the living room, where Farrah and Stephanie were.

  “Hey, babes.” She sighed as she plopped down on the sofa.

  “Hey, how are you feeling today, sweetie?” Stephanie asked.

  “I feel somewhat better. You guys don’t know what I’ve been through,” Jeryca said, shaking her head and then running her fingers through her hair. She held her head down as she spoke.

  “I couldn’t even imagine, Jeryca,” Farrah admitted.

  “Has anyone talked to my mom?” Jeryca inquired.

  “We’ve talked to her daily. She doesn’t know the full extent of what’s been going on, but she knows you’ve been sick. She has been very worried though,” Farrah explained.

  “Think it will be okay if I called her?” Jeryca asked.

  “I don’t see a problem with that,” Stephanie said, looking at Farrah, who nodded her approval before handin
g Jeryca her cell phone.

  * * *

  Thad called Chris into the shipment area at the warehouse they had bought in New York three years earlier. Thad figured if he purchased the building in the big city, he could haul and house his shipment of illegal guns there without scrutiny. The saucing company that he and his brother started, which was very profitable, was mainly a front for their illegal activities. They manufactured barbecue sauce, hot wing sauce, and packaged various seasonings.

  “Chris, what time did Orlando say his guys would get here? It’s too early in the morning for him to be playing with me. I have to be in court at one this afternoon, so he needs to get his dudes here. Call him and see what’s up,” Thad ordered.

  “I’m on it,” Chris replied.

  While Chris was on the phone with Orlando, Thad motioned for his brother, Toby, to join him in the office. He wanted to update him on the issue with Orlando, and how they needed to handle it if Orlando and his goons tried to play them on their shipment.

  “Look, big brother,” Thad began, “it is ten o’clock already, and Orlando was supposed to been here two hours ago. If the nigga ain’t dead or laying somewhere hurt, I think we should bust they ass when we see them,” Thad said.

  “See, Thad, there you go. You are making decisions based off your emotions and not your brain. We don’t need the extra heat, man. It’s more than one way to deal with them other than violence,” Toby pointed out.

  “Oh yeah, well enlighten me as to how. They could pull up on the bullshit, trying to rob us or setting us up with the cops. Name a time when they have ever been this late. You can’t do it. Like I said, we need to deal with these niggas like we do everybody else that jeopardizes our business. We can’t afford to go soft now,” Thad argued.

  Toby sighed as he looked down, rubbing his head, and then he looked up. “You right, man, but we can’t allow any of the heat from what we do to reflect back on us at all.”

  “True dat. So what’s the plan?” Thad asked as he shut the door to the office.