Miss Wayne and the Queens of DC (The Cartel Publications Presents)

by Styles, T.

  “Funky bussy, P? The queen who does any freaky thing a trick wants no matter what?”

  “Yeah! I saw her come through here for him when you were gone one day. And you know she use to do the silicone injections all the time until a trick stabbed her in the left eye and she couldn’t see straight no more.” He says. “Well maybe the rumors are true. I can’t believe you can learn that quick.”

  “That bitch can’t even read!” I say.

  “I guess you don’t need to read to stick and push shit into people.”

  That was it! There was no way I was allowing this kind of shiftlessness to go on in my home. I couldn’t risk the chance of something ELSE bad happening here.

  So I run toward the bedroom and fling open his door. Time felt like it stopped because there on the floor was the young man I let into my home hours earlier. ‘Cept for now, he was out cold. Ugly Gary and Miss Tyrone were standing over him sweating.

  “Tyrone…what the fuck is going on?” I say looking at the boy.

  “Wayne, we got trouble.” He says walking up to me.

  “Bitch we had trouble the moment I started dealin’ with your crispy black ass.”

  “Wayne, I’m sorry. But I need your help again. I don’t know what else to do.”

  “What is wrong with him, Ty?” I say, seeing two small shiny objects peeking from under his bed. When I see what they are, I remain quiet and direct my attention elsewhere.

  “He’s dead.” Tyrone says nonchalantly. “The mothafucka up and died on me!”

  I know he didn’t just say what I think he did. Still, I walk deeper into the room despite wanting to go the other way. Then I slyly kick the objects I saw earlier further under the bed. In my mind I know I have a house full of guests slash witnesses and here Nurse Betty is, botching up cosmetic procedures.

  “What happened?”

  “We were doing the silicone injections to increase his breast size, because God knows he only had two bee stings, when he started spazzin’ out.” Garisha offers. “We did this all last week and never had a problem until now.”

  “All last week?!” I scream. “Doctors go to school for years to be able to do this kind of shit and you think you can sum it up in a week? There’s a reason this shit is illegal in America! Have you two mothafuckas ever thought of that?”

  “But I get it all the time.” Garisha continues.

  “Bitch and look at your face! I would not have even told nobody that shit.”

  Silence.

  “You know what…you two bitches make this shit disappear. I’m not in it and I ain’t see shit.” I say closing the door.

  Then I direct my attention to my guests who are going on about their business as if nothing is wrong. They’re having a lot of fun and I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I don’t have a choice.

  “Listen up, babies. Unfortunately the party has to be cut short tonight. However I will be sure to refund all of your money for having to leave right now.”

  When they don’t move I yell, “Get the fuck out of my house you limp dick bastards!”

  That works and when the house is clear, I make a quick back-up phone call before I do anything else. When the call was over, I hope the person I reached out to will do what needs to be done. Truly I was counting on it. Then I grab Adrian and Dayshawn and we head to the Hilton Hotel because I don’t want us anywhere around this shit.

  While sitting in the hotel room, Dayshawn asks, “Can you please tell me what happened back there? I kinda liked the trade I was keeping time wit’ tonight.”

  “I don’t think you want to know because then you’ll be involved.”

  “But can you tell us if we’re going to be in trouble? ‘Cause it looks like somethin’ happened to that boy who came in but didn’t leave out.” Asks Adrian.

  “As of now no, we aren’t in trouble, but I can’t make any promises.” I say as we all lie face up on the king size bed in the room.

  As I’m thinking about the way the young man looked on the floor, I look over at Adrian and then Dayshawn. Why am I always in life or death situations? I remember dealing with this guy who was big on law of attraction awhile back. He told me that the Law of attraction says, ‘that which is likened to itself is drawn’. In other words, if all I see and talk about is drama, then by law the universe has to bring me more drama to see. It makes sense. I can’t be happy if everything I do is to the contrary.

  I look at Dayshawn again and think about Tyrone. I always thought he was a saint for dealing with him for so long. The two of them just don’t seem like they’d be that close.

  “I need to know something from you, Day. And I need you to keep it real with me.”

  “I always do.”

  “Good…’cause I need to know how is it that you befriended Tyrone as long as you have? He’s sneaky, untrustworthy and trouble. I mean, we were also cool but we maintained our friendship from a far. I could never deal with him on a regular like you do. He certainly doesn’t match your fly so what does he have on you, baby?”

  “He told you didn’t he?” he asks sitting up straight in the bed. “He told you my business?”

  I’m even more curious because it’s obvious that whatever secret he’s about to let out of the bag, will more than answer my questions.

  “Yes,” I lie. “But I’d rather hear it from you instead.”

  Dayshawn gets up, stands at the foot of the bed and looks down at Adrian and me.

  Taking a deep breath he says, “When I was younger, just finding out who I was, I felt alone. My mother pretty much told me that any gay son of hers was not her son at all. So I didn’t have anybody I could identify myself with and then I met Tyrone who had a rack of friends and knew a lot of people. He was living with his father and was going through some family shit too. Just like me.

  “Even though Tyrone was popular, for some reason, he gravitated towards me more than his other friends and we became closer. I think he saw a weakness in me and wanted to capitalize on that shit. Anyway, we were pretty much all we had. My mother worked at least 14 hours a day and his father stayed in the streets. The more different we were from everybody, the tighter our bond became.

  “Well one day, my mother was entertaining friends at her mother’s house up the block from the Manor. So she sent me to get some charcoal lighter fluid and some matches. Tyrone went with me, but on our way back from the store, we saw a man lying on an old mattress in between two apartment buildings. We thought he was a bum and that was the night everything changed…

  “Oooh look, we should stick that pole over there up his ass or somethin’,” laughed Tyrone as they crept slowly up to him.

  “That’s some gross ass shit! His hot wet ass probably stank and everything.” Dayshawn laughed. “You know he ain’t washin’ shit livin’ out here.”

  “Come on man…why you always act so scary? That’s why I don’t like hangin’ out with you sometimes. The rest of my friends are fun and do wild shit…but you act older than my father.”

  “I’m not scary.”

  “I can’t tell.”

  Dayshawn, worried about losing a friend said, “Okay…what you want me to do? ‘Cause you got me fucked up if you think I don’t have heart.”

  Tyrone’s sinister mind went into overdrive. Removing the lighter fluid from Dayshawn’s brown paper bag, he said, “Let’s burn him.”

  “What is wrong with you? I ain’t burnin’ nobody! You trippin’ now!”

  “Please!” Tyrone whined as if they were talking about burning anything other than a human. “Nobody will know we did it. Hardly anybody ever come down this alley anyway.” He smiled. “Let’s have some fun!”

  “What’s the purpose, Tyrone?”

  The smile was removed from his face and he said, “I’m not fuckin’ wit’ you no more, and I’ma tell all my friends not to fuck with you either.” He shoved the fluid into Dayshawn’s chest. “You’re probably the snitchin’ type anyway and I’m glad I found out before we did this shit.” He said
, as he began to walk away.

  When he took a few steps Dayshawn said, “Do we have to burn him?”

  “Bye, young!”

  Dayshawn remained quiet for a moment and yelled, “Okay. I’ll do it!”

  “For real?” he said turning around.

  “Yeah.”

  Dayshawn opened the spout and doused the man with the liquid. Then he struck the match, considered the consequences and paused.

  “Go head…throw it.” Tyrone cohearsed. “I promise I’ll never tell anybody you did this. But I’ll also know that you got my back just like I got yours. Go ‘head, his life is over anyway, look at him.”

  Dayshawn’s heart beat out of his chest. Taking one last look at the fire on the stick, which was very close to burning his fingers, he tossed it in the air and it landed on the stranger’s dingy grey coat. His entire body erupted in flames and they ran from the scene, Tyrone laughing the entire way and Dayshawn crying inside.

  Little did he know, Tyrone would forever hold the murder over his head to keep him in line. It was Dayshawn’s single most costly mistake and one he always regretted.

  What Dayshawn just said blows me away and I wonder…who are these people I have around me? Just when you think you know somebody you don’t.

  “You didn’t know....did you?” Day asks me.

  “Naw…I ain’t know shit, girl. But I did know ya’ll relationship was unnatural.”

  “Damn, Wayne! You tricked me,” he says flopping down on the edge of the bed.

  “Wow, Dayshawn. You told me so freely…it was almost like you been wanting me to know.”

  “Maybe I just wanted to tell somebody else that shit. When I heard that man had a family but because he lost his job got put out by his wife for only one night, I never forgave myself. I wanted to take my own life.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “The next day, we became friends. You remember? The day of the block party. Just bein’ around you made me feel better…so I never got around to doin’ it.”

  I smile and say, “Well I’m glad you ain’t do no shit like that. If anybody should’ve killed themselves, it needed to be Tyrone’s fat ass.”

  “Hey, Day…what happened on that case?” Asks Adrian.

  “Nothin’. His wife stayed on the news trying to find justice, but it never came. Pretty soon the press stopped caring and stopped talking about it.”

  “I remember that case too.” I say.

  “I’m sure a lot of people from around the way remembered that shit.”

  “Let me ask you somethin’, is this the real reason you let Tyrone talk you into letting Dell leave?”

  “Yeah. He never wanted me to have anybody. It was like he felt threatened or something.”

  “That’s the same thing with me. He wanted us to be as miserable and as alone as he was.”

  I exhale and say seriously, “Well every hog has its day…and Miss Ty’s is right around the corner. But Day, never repeat the story about the murder ever again.”

  “I didn’t want to this time.”

  “I’m serious, Dayshawn. I’m not sure but I have a feelin’ everything is goin’ to be okay from here on out. But you gotta trust me and remember that quiet is kept.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Hoping is over, it’s time for revenge.”

  Fight Night

  jmiss wayneL

  Dayshawn, Adrian and I get out of the car and walk toward my house when Ocean, who was in the House of Diamonds with Big Boody Brandy walks toward me. Her red Mercedes Benz sits on the curb in front of my house.

  I knew it was Ocean the moment I saw her long lace front weave, tight jeans and double D size breasts. Ocean’s honey colored face was covered expertly with a nice makeup job. I must admit, the girl’s face was beat and the white Louis Vuitton purse she carries swings on her arm.

  “Watch out, Miss Wayne!” Adrian screams. “Mad QUEEN walking!”

  Dayshawn stands beside me as I look at Ocean stomp in our direction.

  “Everything is cool, I just want to talk to Miss Wayne for a minute.” Ocean says looking at them. “Alone. This kinda private.”

  Dayshawn and Adrian look at me for confirmation and I because I’m never scared I say, “It’s cool, Diva’s…I’ll talk to her alone.”

  Adrian and Day walk into the house taking one last look at me before going inside. Although the door is closed, they look out the window. Now I don’t have a problem with Ocean, but I did have a problem with Big Boody Brandy and how she shot up the house with all of us inside. Just ‘cause she wanted Tyrone.

  “What’s up, Ocean?”

  “Everything, Wayne. For starters my house mother is gone and I’m left to keep the House of Diamonds legacy alive by myself.”

  “Yeah…I’m sorry to hear about Big Boody. I can’t believe Paul did some shit like that.”

  “It’s cool,” she says adjusting her Fendi shades, which rests on the bridge of her nose job. “In the end she got what she deserved.”

  “With that said, Ocean, me and Big Boody weren’t cool, so what does all of this have to do with me?”

  “Nothing…except Brandy did tell me if anything were to happen to her, to give you this letter. And I may be a queen, but I keep all my promises.”

  When she reaches into her purse to grab something, Adrian and Dayshawn run back outside.

  “What is goin’ on out here?” Dayshawn yells.

  “Uh…nothing,” Ocean frowns. “I just want to give Wayne this letter from Brandy that’s all.”

  She hands me a sealed envelope with my name handwritten on it. I take it from her hands and examine it briefly before opening it.

  “I don’t know what it says…but I hope it clears up whatever for you. I’m out.”

  “I’m coming ya’ll. Go inside.”

  Adrian and Dayshawn look at me before walking away.

  After Ocean switches away and jumps into her car, I take a few seconds to read the two-page letter outside. It revealed some incriminating information. What shocked me the most is that she took the time to write it.

  When I open the front door, the letter is still on my mind and I see Tyrone sitting on the couch with his face in his hands. Make-up is streaked up and down his face. Adrian and Dayshawn come behind me and close the door.

  “Hi, Wayne,” Tyrone says pitifully. “Everything cool outside?”

  I tuck the letter in my pocket, look at Adrian and Dayshawn and say, “Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry about last night. I ain’t know none of that shit was gonna happen!”

  “Before you say anything, Dayshawn and Adrian don’t know the facts of last night’s events,” then I turn to them and say, “Do ya’ll wanna know what happened?”

  Both nod yes.

  “Okay, proceed.”

  “We handled the situation.”

  “How?”

  “We hid the body.”

  I sigh and wipe my hands down my face. “Tyrone, I knew it was too much for me to expect that you would do the right thing, and maybe take him to the hospital or somethin’.”

  “I know you didn’t want the cops around here askin’ questions again. So I did what I thought was best.”

  “The key word is…Again!” I yell. “But why is that the second time somebody died in my house? And both times you’re the main culprit!”

  “Wait…what body?” Dayshawn asks looking at Tyrone and then me.

  “Let me start from the beginning, Wayne, because you probably don’t understand everything I do either. I learned how to do silicone jobs from Miss P. because I was tryin’ to make enough money to get my own place. I was doin’ ‘em with no problems but my client yesterday had an allergic reaction or somethin’ and started spazzin’ out, holdin’ his chest and shit! Had I known he was allergic, I would never have done that shit!”

  “Had you been a doctor you would’ve known to ask. You can’t even fuckin’ read, Tyrone! So please tell me how you’re up in here doin’ surgeries?” />
  “Hindsight is twenty/twenty, Wayne and for real it ain’t shit I can do about it now. All I can tell you is that I never meant for anybody to get hurt.”

  “I find that funny…because everybody who comes around you gets hurt or killed. Nothing in between.”

  “What does that mean?” he asks.

  “It doesn’t even matter anymore. I have a question though, how much were you chargin’ people for that silicone shit?” I ask.

  “Six hundred for face procedures and 800 for breasts corrections if you already have them.”

  I was floored. Didn’t even realize how much money could be made in that shit.

  “Knowing you, you probably don’t have any of that money left do you? Because we all know you can’t save shit.”

  “Well I guess ya’ll don’t know as much as you think you do about me. Because I saved up ten thousand dollars already.”

  “Really?” I laugh.

  “Really,” she smiles and then my cell phone rings.

  The number is blocked out and I put the handset to my head and say, “It’s me…who are you?”

  “It’s me, Parade…I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me and that I can’t wait to see you again. I also want you to know that no matter what happens, you have real family here.”

  “I know, darling. I’ll call you later.”

  “Okay,” she says, nicer than she has in a long time.

  “You know what,” I say turning around to them, “all of this shit is too much for me. I should have stayed in LA and never came back. And I’m finally realizin’ after gettin’ off the phone with Parade, someone who actually gives a fuck about me, that this shit is not even worth my time. So…I propose you all find another place to live. I just buried my friend and as far as I’m concerned all the shit that’s been happenin’ up in here, don’t even matter anymore.”

  “What are you saying, Wayne?” Dayshawn asks in a surprised tone.

  “I’m sayin’ you all have to go by the end of the week…together if you want to, apart if it’s better. Either way I don’t care.”

  “Wayne…me too?” Asks Adrian.

  “You too. I got a little girl I have to think about now and I’m not takin’ care of three faggies no more.”