Playing With Fire: Loyalty Demolished

by Charlee Renea

  “Okay, baby, I’ma take your word! We’ve been strong too long for anything to come between us, right?”

  “Yes, baby. Now let’s get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us.

  . . . 10

  “We’re working with top criminals who have been on the scene for a while now so they’re smart when it comes to handling the Feds. Papa Zane is the top drug lord in Miami, and we have been building a case against him for years. His partner is Boss Rossellini, the father of Isabella Rossellini, who was just released from prison eight months ago and yet she’s still jobless but is bringing in money from a source we’re unsure of. Boss has Raymond ‘Ray’ Smith and Montae ‘Tae’ Jefferson working under his wing. When we bring those two down, we can go for Boss and Papa.” Pebbles spoke in a meeting in front of four of her coworkers including her boss. She knew she had to work hard to get this arrest so she could be the lead detective in Kansas City.

  She was working to be the lead detective in her department. After Chris had had her removed from Isabella’s case because she wanted Ray arrested for trafficking cocaine, she knew she had to return the favor and bring Chris down. They were supposed to be a team at work and in their personal lives, but Chris had had different plans. He wanted the spotlight, the boost in his career, and Ashley. Once he got all that, he’d forgotten who was by his side—her.

  “What evidence do you have?” her boss asked her. Her boss was deciding between her and Nikki as to which one she wanted to give the position to.

  “Montae has indeed been purchasing cocaine with the money I gave him and I have witnessed him trafficking it. Here are pictures I’ve taken.” She posted the pictures she’d taken with her iPhone on the bulletin board.

  “What about Raymond Smith?” her boss asked.

  “I don’t have any proof yet. He takes the money but I’m unsure what he’s doing with it. He’s never purchased or sold any drugs in front of me.”

  “We need proof to present our case in front of a jury! If you want to shine in this department and be the lead detective, we need proof! As far as I see, we’re giving Raymond money! Focus more on him. We have it sealed with Montae.”

  After the meeting, Pebbles poured her a cup of coffee. She knew the job would be challenging and she refused to give up. She was going take Ray down!

  ~ ~

  Back in St. Thomas . . .

  Lashan had just made Chyna’s favorite—homemade peanut butter cookies. They sat in the living room watching Junior play with his soft basketball. Ray’Sha and her daughter were asleep and Ronald had gone fishing.

  “She’s just going crazy with all this kicking!” Chyna said, rubbing on her tummy.

  “She likes grandma’s cookies.” Lashan rubbed her tummy as well.

  “Yes, and we truly appreciate you making them. I’ve been craving them, too. I was missing when you use to make them when we were home.”

  “That reminds me of when I was pregnant with Ray. I craved blue cheese and chocolate milk.”

  “What? They don’t even go together!”

  “Right, but they were good—until I had him! Now I can’t stand either one.” They both started laughing.

  A commotion was heard in the hallway and Lashan knew it was her daughter. But why? And with who? Was she on the phone arguing with her daughter’s father? Lashan didn’t like the loud arguing! She and Chyna walked to the hallway to see what the fuss was about.

  “Don’t sit here and lie! I heard it with my own ears!” Ray’Sha said to a confused-looking Tara.

  “What? I’m not understanding,” Tara said with one hand on her hip. She wasn’t too happy with Ray’Sha’s assumptions. ‘She doesn’t know what-the-fuck she’s talking about!’ Tara thought.

  “What’s going on and what’s with all the yelling?” Lashan asked.

  Ray’Sha wanted to be honest with her mother and tell her how lowdown Tara was, but then again, she wanted peace. She’d overheard Tara questioning her father the other night and wasn’t pleased at how Tara had been acting flirtatious. Ray’Sha had never known her father to step out on her mother.

  Tara looked at Ray’Sha, biting her bottom lip.

  “It was nothing, Ma. We just had a disagreement, that’s all,” Ray’Sha said.

  “About what?”

  “Her playing her music while I was trying to sleep. Nothing, Ma,” she lied.

  “Okay. Are you okay, Tara?”

  “I’m fine . . . I’m fine. I’ma step outside.”

  She went to her room, grabbed her Newports, and headed outside. She was relieved to have dodged that bullet. She didn’t need an attitude from Lashan. She knew now to be careful about what she said and to keep an eye on her surroundings.

  “Are you sure, Ray’Sha?” Lashan asked to be clear.

  “Yes, Ma. Let me get in here to her.”

  Ray’Sha had decided to keep her mouth shut because she knew her father loved her mother deeply and she wasn’t trying to bring any more stress onto her. But, if Tara decided to be disrespectful again, she would take matters into her own hands.

  Lashan and Chyna went back into the living room. Chyna was curious and knew the situation was more than what Ray’Sha was claiming it to be. She prayed her mother wasn’t up to any of her scandalous tricks. Ever since her father was reported missing, her mother hadn’t been in her right frame of mind.

  “I’ma make sure she’s okay,” Chyna said.

  Lashan said okay and Chyna joined her mother outside. Tara was puffing away, sitting on the stairs with her legs crossed. She heard Chyna walking towards her. She wasn’t in the mood for her lecture.

  “Wassup? How’re you feeling?" Chyna asked, standing in front of her.

  “I’m living. What else can I do?”

  “What was that all about with Ray’Sha?”

  “Just what she said.” Tara rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “Well, I don’t know what to tell you!”

  “Start with the truth, Ma! Please don’t start any—”

  Tara stood up and cut her off. “Start what? She made it clear it wasn’t shit and you’re out here having an unnecessary conversation! Please go back in there with your family!” She sat back down on the stairs, grabbed another Newport, and lit it.

  “You’re my mother and family, too! Please don’t act—”

  “I’ll act how the fuck I want to act! I’m your family but you can’t even sit by me! Or ask how I’m feeling on a regular basis, only when a commotion occurs!”

  She snaked her neck and rolled her eyes again. Tara was right. Chyna had never noticed she acted that way towards her mother. She was always on-the-go and a lengthy conversation between them was rare. Chyna sat down by her.

  “I’m sorry, Mama. I guess I never thought of it like that. I’m always jumping on you after the fact. I just want us all to get along. We under a lot of pressure. I’ma work on a better relationship with you. Please, can we just all get along for the sake of your grandchildren?”

  “Why’re you asking me? You need to be telling them that, too!”

  “Ma! Really?”

  “I guess, Chyna, for the sake of the children.”

  Ronald walked up to the women, just coming back from fishing. “How y’all doing?” he spoke.

  “We’re doing fine. Thank you for asking,” Chyna responded.

  Ray’Sha joined her mother in the living room with her daughter in her arms. She had woke up from her afternoon nap. She sat down on the couch and started feeding her.

  “What was that all about? And don’t lie!” Lashan asked her daughter.

  “Nothing, Ma. We just had a misunderstanding, that’s all. Where is she now?”

  “Sitting outside talking to Chyna. Looks like your daddy just walked up.”

  Ronald was having a lengthy conversation with Tara. ‘What could they be talking about?’ Lashan thought. “I wonder what they’re talking about.”

  Ray’Sha looked up to see what her mother
was talking about. She saw her father and Tara talking. ‘What the fuck?! I just know this bitch isn’t being disrespectful in front of my mother!’ Ray’Sha thought.

  “Yeah, me too,” Ray’Sha said, staring at them with an attitude. She assumed their brief conversation didn’t work.

  ~ ~

  Ray’Sha had just woke up and was about to get dressed before her daughter woke up. When she went to the bathroom, Tara was coming out. Ray’Sha gave her a funny look because she felt Tara was flirting with her daddy the other night. She’d overheard Tara asking him questions.

  “Hey, we need to talk!” Ray’Sha demanded.

  “Wassup?” Tara snaked her neck.

  “You might want to conduct yourself as a lady when around a married man! He's not leaving my mama or going as low to fuck with you!”

  “Excuse you? Come again?”

  “Don’t play dumb. I overheard you trying to flirt with my daddy the other night.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about and couldn’t care less . . . really!”

  Tara was done with the conversation and her assumptions. She rolled her eyes and walked away, headed to the living room. She felt Ray’Sha didn’t know what she was talking about.

  “DON’T STAND THERE AND LIE! I HEARD YOU WITH MY OWN EARS!” Ray’Sha yelled.

  She didn’t like how Tara had turned her back and walked off, like how she’d acted with Ronald was acceptable. Tara was saved by the grace of her mother interfering in their conversation because she was about to give her a long, nasty lecture on her whorish behavior.

  ~ ~

  Yet again, Ray’Sha assumed Tara was trying to work her whore magic. ‘What the fuck could they be talking about?’ Ray’Sha thought as she kept staring at them outside. She wouldn’t let her come between her family.

  “I just want to apologize if you feel I came at you some type of way the other night. I never meant any harm or damage,” Tara explained to Ronald. She had pulled him aside to have a private conversation. She meant every word, too. She was once a married woman and hadn’t liked it when women flirted with her husband. She’d vowed to respect another couple’s marriage.

  “Oh, no problem, Tara. Where’s this coming from?” he asked her.

  “Well, Ray’Sha seems to think I was flirting with you the other night.”

  “Huh! I don’t know where she got that assumption from! I’ll talk with her.” He felt Ray’Sha was overreacting and Tara wasn’t trying to flirt.

  “Okay.”

  He headed into the house. Chyna was curious as she waited for her mother to sit back down next to her.

  “What was that all about?” Chyna asked her.

  Tara decided to let Chyna know what was going on. “I guess Ray’Sha thought I was flirting with Ronald. That’s why she called herself going off earlier. I had to give him a head’s up.”

  “Why’re you just now saying something?”

  Chyna was irritated. They’d sat out here for forty-five minutes prior to him coming home, and she’d just now decided to say something. ‘Yeah, she’s hiding something!’ Chyna thought.

  “I don’t know. I guess it wasn’t that important until I saw him.”

  Chyna was becoming disgusted with her mother’s behavior. She’d never witnessed her acting in such a way.

  Ronald walked into the room and all eyes were on him. Junior jumped out of Lashan’s arms and ran toward his grandpa. They started hearing Chyna hollering from outside. They rushed outside to her.

  . . . 11

  “What’s wrong? What happened?” Lashan asked.

  She’d dismissed the situation with Ronald and Tara, and had run outside after she heard Chyna screaming. Chyna was sitting on the ground rubbing her belly.

  “SHE’S HAVING CONTRACTIONS! CALL 911!" Tara screamed.

  Ray’Sha ran back in the living room to grab her cellphone to call. Junior was crying because he didn’t understand what was going on. He ran towards Tara and she picked him up. Lashan helped Chyna until the ambulance arrived. They arrived shortly and rushed Chyna to the hospital. Only Tara was allowed to ride with her and everyone else rode in the cab. Junior was crying in the cab because he wanted to go with Tara. Grandpa Ronald was holding him tightly as the driver drove twenty-five mph to the hospital. It was making him furious because he believed he was intentionally driving slowly. He didn’t understand why; he was probably trying to run the meter up. He was close to snapping but held his tongue.

  “Let me see your phone, Ray’Sha, so I can call Ray,” Lashan asked.

  She handed it to her and she called Ray. It rang several times before his voicemail picked up. She called again and she still didn’t get an answer. She kept calling until they reached the hospital.

  “I’m not understanding why he isn’t answering! He knows this girl could go into labor any day!” Lashan fussed.

  “Hell, maybe he’s busy working,” Ronald suggested.

  “I hope my baby’s okay,” Lashan stressed. She couldn’t take losing another child. Ray’Sha’s daughter was sleeping peacefully in her arms. Lashan kept trying.

  ~ ~

  Ray’s phone was ringing nonstop sitting on top of the nightstand as he slept in the bed. Bella was putting on her makeup in the bathroom, getting dressed for her date with Jacob. She walked into the room and looked at his phone. Ray’Sha’s name popped up. ‘Damn, something must be wrong!’ she thought.

  Noticing Ray was still asleep, she picked it up to answer it but she was too late. A minute later, a text message from Ray’Sha came across the screen.

  Ray’Sha: Chyna’s in labor!!! Call ASAP

  Bella stared at the message, not believing what she was reading. Chyna was pregnant and his family knew about her baby, too? She guessed she was the only one who didn't. This message confirmed everything she’d been feeling and Ray couldn’t deny it. She assumed his family was in St. Thomas and her private investigator hadn’t mentioned that detail. Luckily, he didn’t have a lock on his phone so she texted her back.

  Ray: Fuck that bitch! That isn’t my child. You see I’m not there!

  Ray’Sha: So this isn’t your daughter?

  Ray: Fuck naw. I found out she was fucking another nigga! Leave that bitch at the hospital!

  Bella grabbed her purse and phone, and left the room with his phone still in hand. She was heated that Ray had gotten Chyna pregnant and his family was by her side. Ray’Sha called again and she hit ignore. Another text message came through.

  Ray’Sha: I don’t know what the hell is going on with your nappy-headed ass, but you should be ashamed! Not answering your phone and this girl’s in labor!

  Bella was getting irritated. She got to the elevators and pushed the down button. ‘Why weren’t they understanding?’ she thought.

  Ray: I told you that isn’t my fucking child! I’m with my woman now, and as far as Chyna goes, she can kick rocks! I’m not leaving Bella, especially after I found out Chyna was fucking another nigga!

  Bella’s cellphone started ringing inside her purse. ‘Damn, I know he didn't wake up that quick!’ she thought, reaching inside her purse. It was Jacob calling.

  “Hello.”

  “I’m outside waiting. Where are you?” he asked her.

  “I’ll be there shortly. I had to run to the store.”

  “Okay. I’m here.”

  Bella sent the text, hoping they believed her words. ‘Ray is going to leave her trifling ass alone!’ The elevator was taking too long so she walked down the stairs. She grabbed her phone and called Tone. He answered on the first ring.

  “Wassup, ma?” his deep voice sounded sexy to her.

  “What am I paying you for?”

  Tone look at the phone confused. He thought she must have dialed the wrong number. “Excuse you? What do you mean by that?”

  “I asked you to get as much information on Chyna as possible, but you didn’t tell me Ray’s family was staying in St. Thomas or that she was pregnant!”

&nbs
p; “Chill, ma. Okay, my bad. I left out those details. I didn’t want to see you hurt any more. That nigga doesn’t care about you. Why do you still want to continue with the investigation? He’s lying, and from what I see, he isn’t leaving that girl. Just move on.”

  Bella reached the ground floor and put her back against the wall. Was he right? Should she just move on ran through her mind. It was easy for him to say that because he wasn’t in her shoes, but how could she just walk away? Ray was in too deep with her for her to let him win. Even if they weren’t together, she wanted him to feel pain for being disloyal.

  “Are you still there?” Tone asked. She’d been silent for a while.

  “Yes, I’m sorry. I’m here. I was in thought.”

  “No problem. I think I’ve helped you out as much as I can.”

  “No, you haven't. Can you come to L.A. to visit me? I’ll pay for your flight.”

  “No need to pay for my flight. I told you, Bella, you're too beautiful to settle! But, yes, I can come. When is good for you?”

  “Tomorrow, if possible. I know it’s short notice and the ticket is going to be high."