Love is Blind (G Street Chronicles Presents)

by Nicole Jackson

  “Who is that?” Necole nosily asked as Chocolate continued to argue.

  “This stupid ass bitch. Melo, you better tell this hoe something, main,” she seethed as she stood and handed her brother the phone.

  Carmelo grabbed the phone confused. “Hello,” he spoke into the phone. “What?” he scrounged up.

  “Who is that?” Necole pressed.

  No one answered her. She was beginning to smell something fishy. “I said…who is that, Carmelo?”

  He turned to her and sucked his teeth as he hung up the phone. “Man, that was that crazy ass broad. I told Erica to stop calling here. She been getting into it with Chocolate.”

  “Why?” Necole gritted.

  “‘Cause she be calling here cussing out my mama. That’s why,” Chocolate spoke up.

  “Why would she do something like that?”

  “‘Cause she claims that we won’t let her speak to Carmelo, even after we keep telling the crazy bitch that he don’t live here.”

  “Wow. So why would she think that, Carmelo?” Necole questioned.

  “Man, I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine,” Carmelo shrugged.

  Necole slowly nodded. “Okay…I see where this is going. I’m out,” she told him as she stood to leave. “Where is my baby?”

  “What you want him for? He’s asleep,” Carmelo said, knowing that the dramatics were coming.

  “I don’t care. We’re about to leave.”

  “For what? We just got here.”

  “Oh, you can stay. Me and my baby are leaving,” she said as she walked around him.

  “Wait,” he grabbed her arm. She snatched away.

  “Don’t touch me,” she snapped.

  He grabbed her again. “Well, tell me why you wanna leave then.”

  “What the fuck you think?!” she shouted, losing control.

  “Hey, hey…calm down, girl,” Brenda spoke up.

  “Why should I? Obviously, he’s still fucking around,” Necole fumed.

  “You don’t know that, Necole. Why don’t you try to get some kind of understanding first?” Brenda suggested.

  “Yeah, you see, mama. That’s what I be talking about. She don’t trust me,” Carmelo complained.

  “What reason have you given me to trust you?”

  “I know you see me trying. You don’t give a nigga credit for shit.”

  “You aren’t going to get a pat on the back for doing what you’re supposed to do. As much as you’ve fucked up, you should be the last to complain.”

  “Well, how do you expect us to get past shit if you always bringing it up?”

  “When shit like this stops happening.”

  “Shit like what?”

  “You know what the hell I’m talking about. Why is this gutter rat still an issue after all this time? Are you still fucking her?”

  “No,” he said through clenched teeth.

  She wasn’t convinced. “When was the last time?”

  He thought about lying…just for a brief second before realizing that it would only dig a deeper hole. “Right before I moved in with you.”

  She shook her head. “So you mean to tell me that you were still fucking her while you were harassing me? You had the nerve to act the way you did, when you were out here fucking that bitch?!”

  “It didn’t mean shit. I did it to take my mind off of you.”

  “Let that be the reason. I am so tired of you and these stupid ass excuses,” she said with a disgusted look on her face.

  He stepped closer. “Baby, that was a little minute ago. I ain’t worried about her or any other broad. It’s just me, you and the babies. Ya’ll are my only concerns. I put that on everything I love.”

  Necole looked deep into his eyes trying to search for the truth. She was so tired of him bullshitting her.

  “Necole, I know that you probably don’t believe him. Now I’m his mama, but you know that I would never lie for him. Carmelo told that stupid ass girl to stop calling my house months ago. Just recently it all escalated because her and Chocolate got to exchanging words. She’s just miserable. Don’t let her steal your joy. Ya’ll walked in here happier than I’ve seen either one ya’ll in a minute. Just learn to trust him.”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Carmelo agreed.

  “Wait, wait, baby. Now, we all know that you have taken this girl through more than a few changes. She got every reason in the world not to trust you. So, it’s your job to do everything within your power to make her feel secure within ya’ll’s relationship.”

  The young couple sat and listened to Brenda. She explained to them that having a relationship was all about trust and understanding.

  Everything seemed resolved until Ericka pulled into the driveway. “Carmelo!” she shouted, causing a huge scene.

  “Lord, help me. I don’t want to go to jail for murder,” Brenda prayed as she stood in her doorway watching the young girl make a fool of herself.

  “Nigga, bring ya bitch ass out here!” she barked as she kicked his car.

  Necole went and stood at the door. “Look at this silly ass broad.”

  Carmelo stood behind her. As much as he wanted to go out there and slap Ericka, it took everything within him to remain calm. He knew that if he stepped outside he’d kill her. Luckily, little sis had his back. Chocolate had changed clothes and was now rocking basketball shorts and Nikes. She smoothly shoved past everybody.

  “Bitch, I told you what would happen if you came over here,” Chocolate said as she stepped out onto the porch. Even Ericka knew that she didn’t want to see Chocolate. She was the true knock out queen. She had slid a few niggas in her heyday. Broads knew not to even test her, but love had clouded Ericka’s judgment.

  Before anybody knew it, Chocolate was off the porch and laying into Ericka’s ass. Ericka’s long arms were no match to Chocolate’s agility. She threw lethal punches and Ericka was on her back before she could do anything about it. Chocolate could have claimed victory right then and there, but she was hot. Ericka had been bucking the system for a minute and she had to teach the stupid bitch a lesson. So Chocolate hammered into the girl’s face.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Brenda said as she pulled her daughter off of Ericka.

  Ericka struggled to her feet.

  “Bitch, you better not ever bring your ass here again,” Chocolate warned.

  “Fuck you!” Ericka seethed as she held her stomach. The fighter in her wouldn’t let her bow down. “Black, you gon get yours, my nigga. After all the shit we been through, you gon choose that bitch over me.”

  “Bitch, how stupid you sound. That nigga ain’t thinking about you. The only sister-in-law I got is that girl right there,” Chocolate pointed at Necole. “That’s the only broad my brother love and you should know that by now. Just take ya sherm head ass on, girl.”

  “Fuck you! All you muthafuckas! I hope ya dick fall off, bitch!” Ericka roared as she hopped in a small red Hyundai.

  Carmelo shook his head. “She pathetic, main,” he shook his head as they all watched her pull off. He hadn’t gotten high in a minute and he could see how dumb he must’ve been looking when he was high. He knew that Ericka was fried out and he was embarrassed that he’d even fucked with her. She was definitely trash that was headed nowhere fast. That was conformation that he was doing the right thing. He was going to leave that dope to the losers.

  * * * * *

  Necole rested comfortably in Carmelo’s arms. His hand was planted firmly on her stomach. She lay awake staring at the ceiling while he lightly snored. She had never been more at peace in her young life. Everything was finally as it should be. School was good, the baby was straight, their money was nice and Carmelo had been booking shows performing. His big break hadn’t come yet, but that wasn’t stopping him from grinding it out. A satisfied smile etched the corners her face as she thought about her little family.

  She was suddenly jarred out of her thoughts as her cell rung. She reached for it and answered it.<
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  “Hello.”

  “Cole, can you come and get Brielle?” Amber asked, sounding like she’d been crying.

  “Yeah, what’s the matter?” Necole sat up.

  “This nigga is over here trippin’,” Amber sniffled.

  “Who? Lil’ Daddy?”

  “Yeah. He kicked my fucking door in.”

  “For what?”

  Necole could hear shouting in the background. “Bitch, get the fuck off the phone!”

  “Nigga, fuck you!” Amber shouted as the phone dropped.

  “Amber!” Necole called out. She listened and could clearly hear somebody getting hit. “Shit!” she uttered as she hung up the phone. She shook Carmelo awake. “Baby, get up.”

  “What’s up?” he asked groggily.

  “I need to go get Brielle. Amber and ya boy are around there fighting. She said he just kicked her door in.”

  “Damn, here we go again,” Carmelo yawned as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

  A few minutes later, they walked around to Amber’s apartment with Junior in tow. He was sleeping on Carmelo’s shoulder as Necole made her way up Amber’s stairs. They could hear the shouting from outside.

  “Bitch, you had my boy in here! I can’t believe you!” Lil’ Daddy yelled.

  “Amber, where the baby at?” Necole asked as she entered the apartment.

  Lil’ Daddy looked over at her. “Who told you to come get her? She ain’t going nowhere.”

  “Look, I’m just doing what Amber asked me to do,” Necole snapped.

  Lil’ Daddy shook his head. “You shoul right. You probably knew that she was over here fucking Big Jonathan.”

  Necole was in shock for a second. She had no clue. Amber had mentioned that Big Jonathan had come up, but she never thought that her girl would fuck her BD’s boy. She shook it off. “Look, that ain’t got nothing to do with me.”

  “Yeah, right. You hoes do everything together.”

  “Whoa, hold up, my nigga. Don’t bring my woman into this. She ain’t no hoe, dog,” Carmelo snapped.

  “Nigga, you shut yo pussy-whipped ass up talking to me. That bitch got you blinded. Kept niggas can’t say shit to me,” Lil’ Daddy spat.

  “Say, my nigga…I know you hot right now, so I’ma let that bullshit you talking slide. But really, you got me fucked up.”

  Lil’ Daddy waved him off. “Fuck what you talking ‘bout…”

  “Police!” An officer announced as he walked into the open door. “I heard that there was a disturbance here.”

  Amber looked up. She was fed up with Lil’ Daddy fucking up her shit. “Yeah, officer. My baby daddy kicked my door in and he assaulted me.”

  Necole and Carmelo stood and watched as the police placed Lil’ Daddy in handcuffs. Amber stood with her arms folded, ready for them to remove him from her life.

  * * * * *

  As the months passed, Amber and Lil’ Daddy continued to go back and forth. One minute she didn’t want anything to do with him, then the next he was sliding between her thighs. Both Carmelo and Necole had just about washed their hands with the two. You’d think that after Lil’ Daddy did three months in the county jail over one of he and Amber’s many fights, he would’ve woke up. Their love/hate drama was a bit much and it ultimately pushed Necole and Melo closer than ever. They spent less time with friends and more as a family. Carmelo finally knew what it was like to really be a man. He had a family to take care of and they were his number one priority.

  Chapter 15

  “Hi, mommy’s baby,” Necole cooed as she held her daughter. It was almost hard to believe that she now had two kids. At nineteen, there were so many things a girl like her could be doing, but she was deep into motherhood. It definitely wasn’t the path she imagined, but she wouldn’t trade her kids in for nothing in the world.

  “What’s good, Carma?” Carmelo asked as he stood over Necole and their daughter. Their baby was just one month old and was already running the house. With one simple cry, she could shut the house down. Everybody stopped to tend to her. Carmelo Junior was still adjusting to another baby being around. He often cried and tried to climb in his mom’s lap while she held the baby.

  “She’s been fussy,” Necole yawned.

  “Oh, yeah?” he asked as he lay next to her. He’d just come in from the club. He had a new single off his mixed tape that had a nice buzz going. He’d been booking shows left and right.

  “You’re tired, huh?” Necole asked.

  Carmelo nodded.

  “Well, you better shake that shit off cause you promised that you’d stay up with her tonight.”

  “Damn. I knew yo ass wouldn’t forget.”

  “You ain’t know?” Necole laughed as she laid the baby on his chest. She then leaned over and kissed his lips. “Umm,” she softly moaned.

  Carmelo gave her a lazy grin. “You better stop before you make my dick hard.”

  “Oh, we can’t have that…now can we?” she teased as she eased out of bed.

  “Oh, baby, I almost forgot to tell you.”

  She turned to look at him. “Tell me what?”

  “That nigga, Lil’ Daddy, came to my show shermed out.”

  “Did he?”

  “Hell, yeah. That’s my nigga, but he was looking bad. He letting that shit take over his life. He was talking about Amber all night long. He said that she’s got a boyfriend now. She supposed to be with that dude James now. I been seeing her drive his car and shit. Yo girl a cold piece of work. He said that since he been doing bad and ain’t been having no cheddar, she won’t let him see Brielle.”

  “Man, I don’t know what to say about that. Those two are fucking nuts. Amber told me that the new dude, James, is hitting her already. Evidentially, she likes that type of shit,” Necole shook her head before she turned toward the window. Through the blinds, she could see red and blue lights flashing. “I wonder what the police are out there for,” she peeked out the blinds and saw ambulances and patrol cars sitting right near Amber’s apartment. Suddenly, a sickening feeling crept into her stomach.

  “Where they at?” Carmelo asked from the bed.

  “It looks like they’re at Amber’s.”

  Carmelo shook his head. “No, shit? I should’ve known.”

  Just then there was a knock at the front door. “You think that’s her?” Necole asked.

  Carmelo shrugged. “Probably so.”

  “Let me go see what happened this time,” Necole said as she headed for the door. She checked the peephole and spotted Amber’s neighbor, Bianca. “What the fuck?” Necole mumbled as she opened the door. The two women had never said more than hi and bye to each other.

  Bianca took a deep breath. “Hey, Necole. I came around here to tell you about your friend.”

  Necole’s heart sank. “What happened?”

  “Her…her…her baby daddy just…just killed her.”

  “What did you say?” Necole asked, hoping that her mind was playing tricks on her.

  “I heard three gunshots go off next door so I called the police. They had to kick down her door to get inside. Right when they busted down the door, he pulled the trigger one last time; killing himself.”

  “What?” Necole cried as she shook her head. “No!”

  Carmelo heard her scream and hopped out of bed. By the time he got to the living room, the door was wide open and Necole was running down the stairs. She scampered to the scene in just a short tee. The crime scene was blocked off, but she crossed right under the tape.

  “Hey, ma’am, you need to get back behind the tape,” A detective lashed.

  “I just wanna see my friend. Amber! Amber!” Necole cried.

  The white detective approached her. “Ma’am, I need you to calm down, okay.”

  Carmelo ran over. “Necole, what the fuck is going on?”

  “Amber’s neighbor just told me that yo fucking friend just killed Amber,” Necole sobbed.

  Carmelo’s head began to spin. “What?”

 
; “He’s a fucking coward. He couldn’t even stay around to face the music. He killed himself.”

  Carmelo felt like the wind had been sucked out of his lungs. Not his nigga. It couldn’t be. “When…how…where…” he was at a loss for words.

  The scene was very chaotic and seemed unreal. This sort of thing happens in the movies. Your girlfriends didn’t die before you grew old with them. They didn’t leave you alone in this cold cruel world without a shoulder to lean on. Necole stood and watched as they wheeled her friend out. “Nooo!” she cried out. “Amberrrrr!” she felt as if she was screaming from the depths of her soul, but it didn’t change a thing.

  Shortly after that, they brought out Lil’ Daddy’s body. Before zipping the body bag, everybody got to see the hole penetrating his head. Carmelo stood frozen. He couldn’t talk. It all seemed like a bad dream and he was praying that somebody would wake him up. He couldn’t even bring himself to comfort his distraught girl. His main nigga was now gone.

  * * * * *

  Necole sat in the chair as Chocolate curled her hair. She wanted to look the exact opposite of how she felt. She was still crying every few minutes. It was hard to believe that she was about to bury one of her closest friends that day. Amber was going to have a closed casket because Lil’ Daddy had placed a bullet in her head.

  “I don’t know why these stupid ass people would have both funerals today.” Chocolate complained. Lil’ Daddy and Amber’s family had been at odds and had chosen to hold both funerals on the same day. That forced people to choose sides. You couldn’t pay your respect to both. Of course Necole was going to her girl’s funeral, but Carmelo was going to his boy’s. Chocolate felt that they should have gone to the same funeral to support each other, but neither was trying to hear that. She was going to both, but it was sad that she’d have to stay half the time at either.

  Necole shrugged. “It is what it is,” she didn’t care when Lil’ Daddy’s funeral was being held. She wasn’t going any damn way. He had not only taken her friend, but he also murdered a mother and someone’s daughter.

  Chocolate nodded. “I know that you ain’t thinking about him, anyway. I feel you, though. Don’t you know that a few of that nigga’s family members were trying to place the blame on her? Some people are so damn ignorant.”