by Sa'id Salaam
Likewise, the supply at his mama’s house never ran dry. Never. Mama was picking up and dropping off like Fed-Ex. He knew first hand she was a hustler, and now she was hustling for someone else. Black realized he was quietly being pushed aside. This was his way of pushing back.
“A-yo where my soda?” Self asked through a dense plume of weed smoke. When his eyes lifted from her empty hands, he saw the look on her face and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Call your sister!”
****
“Ceelo!” Aqua shouted when 4, 5, 6 came up on her roll. She and Trigga had been playing every night since she taught him the game. Instead of money, they were betting trips to Mississippi. Trigga was down a whole month when the phone rang.
Meisha twisted her lips at the vibrating phone then glanced at the clock. Since she was in business with the only friends she had, she picked it up. She listened intently with a smile spreading on her face.
“Sho-nuff!” she cheered while Angel repeated the conversation verbatim. The girl had a phonographic memory, which recorded all pauses, commas, and inflections. It was good at times like that but sucked in arguments. She could repeat what you said in so much detail, you couldn’t deny it.
“Ok, let me speak to Self,” she said once she heard the plan.
“I’m here. You want me to…handle that?” he asked staring into Angel’s eyes to make sure she knew what was coming. She knew exactly what he meant and lowered her head in acquiescence. Blood might be thicker than water, but it’s not quite as thick as cum.
“You? Nah, we got this. Just do what you been doing,” she advised. She knew Self was down with the team but murder was a whole different ball game. Niggas talk that killer shit until it’s time to go kill something. “Yes!”
“What?” Trigga asked once she hung up. He had only heard her half of the bizarre conversation and wanted the other half.
“Great new!” she cheered, jumping to her feet and pumping her fist while spinning around. Aqua just shook her head at the antics of her goofy friend. She was acting like she had scored the winning goal.
“What?” he repeated.
“That dude Black is getting ready to rob me. Gonna move up to a key and take it from me!” she barely got past her huge smile.
“And…you’re happy about this?” Trigga asked scratching his head.
“Hells yeah! I want that damn apartment complex. That lame is in my way. I would have been wrong if I just killed him for it. Now, I have a reason to body his ass.”
“I’ll do it,” he offered sweetly, proving that chivalry wasn’t dead.
“Sure. His sister said he needs a buyer for the brick he’s stealing from me. Give him a call.”
“What’s the number?”
****
“Sup shawty, I need to bump into you today,” Black said when Cameisha took his call the next day.
“Okay,” she sang sounding giddy. The tone made Black think she was finally about to give in. He had been shooting at her since they began doing business and only got the stiff arm. Usually terse replies to the negative. Never ‘okay.’
“Oh! Yeah I um, got a few orders so I’ma need a whole one.”
“A whole kilo!” she gushed fanning herself like an old time southern bell. Trigga cracked up when she threw in an “I declare!”
“Sho-nuff, you know a nigga getting his weight up. So get ready cuz I’m finna make you my lady,” he said nodding his head to the sound of his macking.
“Tell you what…if we both live to see tomorrow…I’ll be your girl,” she vowed and hung up.
Black almost had a second thought, but the way his scales were set up… You can’t expect a snake to be anything other than a snake.
“My turn,” Trigga said and dialed the same number.
“Sup?” Black asked when he took the call from the unknown number.
“What’s up Black? This yo’ boy…um? TJ,” Trigga fumbled. “From College Park? Be with Man ‘ndem.”
“Oh yeah, yeah, what’s poppin’ TJ,” he replied not letting on that he wasn’t sure who it was. He did know a Man ‘ndem, but who doesn’t? He decided to keep talking and hopefully it would come to him during the conversation.
“Shawty we fucked up out chea! I need a brick; I’ll pay thirty for it right now!” Trigga said. He set the ticket so high Black couldn’t refuse. Even if he had a buyer for the twenty five thousand kilos were selling for, he would go with the better deal. Real snakes do real snake things.
“Boy I got you! I’ma hit you back when I get straight!”
“Who that? What’s going on?” Sparks demanded when Black hung up. He could tell by his elation that it was something good.
“My nigga TJ from College Park. Got twenty for the brick right now,” Black hissed. “Shit, fuck cooking and cutting and trappin’, we gon’ get this quick flip!”
“Twenty bands? We gon’ split it fifty-fifty?” Sparks pursed his lips and asked.
“Of course nigga! You my nigga! We gotta shoot that lil’ nigga Shawty a rack or two though,” he agreed with his slimy ass.
The scumbag deserved everything that was coming his way.
Chapter 14
“What chu making?” Aqua asked like an inquisitive child. She had never known her friend to cook anything other than coke so all the flour in the kitchen called for an investigation.
“I’m making just desserts, also known as scumbag pie,” Cameisha replied with a scowl on her face. She continued to weigh out 2.2 pounds of bleached, all-purpose flour with one purpose in mind. Aqua scrunched her face at the odd sound and shook her head “nah.”
“I’m good,” she proclaimed and popped a frozen Fat-Fat burger in the microwave oven.
“Girl you gonna have a Fat-Fat baby you keep eating all them thangs,” she said taking a break from her task. As soon as Cameisha rubbed her belly, the baby moved against her hand. “It moved! Yo it’s moving!”
“It’s supposed to move. It’s a baby duh,” Aqua replied as if it was her friend who was a little slow. “When you and Trigga gon’ have a baby?”
“Huh? A who? Chile ain’t nobody got time for that! We be too busy to be tyrna make a damn baby,” she replied with mixed emotions.
“I can tell! The way y’all went at it last night. Oh Trigga, oh Trigga, get it Trigga!” Aqua mocked and cracked up.
“So!” Meisha shot back embarrassed. “Girl it’s time for you to get a place. You fucking up my groove!”
She left out the part about her sleeping in the spot of her all-time favorite sexual position, bent over the arm of the sofa. They discovered it quite by accident when they returned after a late night of partying. They were both hot and bothered from the mobile foreplay in the car. Then again in the elevator, hallway, and until they stumbled inside.
There was no way they could make it all the way to the bedroom so he pulled her skirt up and bent her over the arm of the sofa. Trigga entered her so forcefully they both shrieked. A few minutes later, they both howled again from the mutual climax. Best nut she’d ever had but Miss Fat-Fat was in the way of history repeating itself.
“Once this is all over with I’m moving to South America. Me and Trigga gonna have ten kids and live happily ever after!” Cameisha announced wistfully.
Time ceased as she drifted away in those pleasant thoughts. It wouldn’t be anything like her own fucked up upbringing as the child of a crack head.
“What?” Aqua smiled along with the content smile on her friend’s face. Something she’d never seen before. She had seen her happy before, but never at peace. Never content.
“Nothing,” Meisha said snapping out of it. She shook her head wiping the thoughts away like clearing an Etch-a-sketch. It was just wishful thinking because there was no end in sight.
The microwave’s ding stole Aqua’s already short attention. She juggled the hot burger from hand to hand on her way back to the sofa. Meisha got back to work. She carefully wrapped the flour in the same shape and wrapping as a rea
l kilo. She had just sealed it when Trigga traipsed in.
“Looks good,” he nodded approvingly as he handled the fake brick. He picked it up, flipped it over, and asked, “He won’t test it?”
“Nah, we did too much business already. That would be suspect as hell. Plus, I be playing the dumb blonde role around them. They dumb enough to believe it. The robber damn sure ain’t gon’ test it.”
“How you know the nigga won’t just come in bussing?” he asked.
“Black is a grimy, slimy dude. He thinks he’ll be able to rob me, chill for awhile, and then rob me again,” she explained. “Plus, I buss back daddy.”
“Save him for me. I want this nigga myself,” Trigga growled.
“Y’all got some heat?”
“Hell yeah! My nigga Troy done copped us some choppas! Once we try them bitches out on these bitches we gon’ be ready to get at Juan ‘ndem,” he said confidently.
“Ok baby,” Cameisha replied pensively. She knew it would take more than a couple of AK-47s to go up against the Columbians.
She thought about calling her uncle Killa for some help.
****
“Say shawty, why don’t you take my sister to the movies? Black asked when he came in and found Self and Angel cuddled up on the sofa watching DVDs. “All y’all do is fuck. You need to throw it back too lil’ sis.”
“Ugh! I hate you!” Angel spat in disgust and stormed upstairs.
“You right. Ain’t my sister ‘posed to be coming?” Self asked cocking his head.
“Huh? Nah, she um, called and said she can’t come till later. Here, y’all go catch a flick. On me,” Black said peeling a twenty-dollar bill off a roll of bills. “Get some chips and soda from the gas station cuz it cost too much in the movie.”
“That’s what’s up,” Self agreed and took the money. He hopped up the stairs and joined his girl in the room.
“You know why he wants us out of the house don’t you?” Angel asked peeling off her skimpy around the house shorts to replace them with some skimpy around town shorts.
“Huh?” he asked since the sight of her in panties stole his sense of hearing.
“My brother. You know he up to something right?” she repeated.
“And you know what comes along with that, don’t you?” he replied.
“He already got my mama’s house shot up once. Another time some men came in here and held guns on me and my mama ‘cause he was playing with they money,” Angel pouted.
“Well, you won’t have to worry about that no more. Get dressed. I wanna see that “Yung Pimpin’” movie anyway.”
“Ok! I heard it was funny!” she smiled and squeezed into the shorts. Once they were changed, they hit the steps to head out.
“You must be hitting that from the back ‘cause lil’ sis ass getting fat!” Black cheered and high fived Sparks.
“Bye,” Angel waved with an air of finality that even he picked up on.
“Damn girl, you act like you moving to another country! I’ll see you later!”
“No, you won’t,” she corrected over her shoulder as they left. She would see him later, but it would be his wake and he would be asleep. She was cool with that.
“I need to get me a car,” Self announced as they began the walk to the mall. They had to avoid the shortcuts due to the crispy whiteness of their matching sneakers. Still, it wasn’t a long walk, but it was a much shorter drive.
“So get on with some of that money you got stashed under the floorboard in my closet,” Angel teased.
“Girl, you done peeped my stash spot!” Self exclaimed.
“Boy stop! I made that spot! My mama smoke dope remember? I been stashing shit since I was eight. Besides, I would guard it with my life. I love you Self.”
“…It look like? I think it might rain.”
****
Cameisha checked the pistol under the fake kilo for the fifth time as she came to a stop in front of the apartment. It was cocked, locked, and ready to rock just like she was. Instinctively, she scanned her surroundings and processed the information. She noticed Black’s Caprice tucked off a few buildings away. Then Shawty rushed by and ducked his head. She couldn’t see his face, but the bright red, white, and blue Adidas screamed, “Here’s Shawty!” Meisha unbuttoned another button on her shirt and got out.
“Hey y’all,” she sang as she stepped inside the apartment. Both men’s eyes shot to the tittie meat protruding from the top of her shirt just like she knew they would. She had enough time to draw her gun and kill them both if she chose to, but didn’t. She’d promised to save them for Trigga anyway.
“Sup shawty. You brung that?” Black asked when his gaze finally made it up to her face. First, it was the breasts, then down to her crotch, back to her breasts, lips, and finally eyes.
“Shole did,” she smiled and batted her eyes. She kept smiling and pretended not to see him press send on his phone. She knew who was getting that text.
“Well let’s step into my office,” he offered, holding out his arm for her to go first. Black was no gentleman, he just wanted to see that ass. He bit his lip and shook his head as it shook in front of him.
Once they all sat around the shaky old table, Cameisha put both hands in her bag. One came out and placed the coke on the table. The other stayed in the bag gripping the pistol. Cameisha aimed it in the bag, under the table, right between his legs. If shit popped off, he was going to show up on judgment day as a woman. It was obvious by the fake smiles all around that they were all waiting for something. Actually, someone, and there he came.
“Y’allknowwhatthisis!” he shouted barely comprehensible under the bandana tied around his mouth. Even if his eyes, the top of his face, and the grey around the temples didn’t tell on him, the bright sneakers once again announced, “Here’s Shawty!” Meisha still had to fuck with him.
“Huh? What?” she asked and turned to Black. “What he say?”
The gun, the mask, and coke on the table could only mean one thing, but she played dumb. At the same time, turning the gun on him.
“Isaidya…” Shawty started then paused to lift the bandana from his mouth. Cameisha could have emptied her clip in his face while he fumbled with the mask and shotgun. “I said, y’all break y’all self! Come off that damn key! Fo’ I murk y’all!”
Black just shook his head at how badly it was going. Even he knew the robber shouldn’t have known the amount of drugs if it wasn’t a set up. He looked at Cameisha to see if she caught it, but she was in full dumb blonde mode. Just when it couldn’t go any worse, here came his mama. It just got worse.
“Self I need 12 mo’!” Mama Johnson shouted when she bust in the door. Seeing the front room empty, she ran up the steps. “Where you at son-in-law? I need 12 mo’!”
She found her daughter’s room empty and rushed back down and walked into what had to be thee most comical drug stick up in the entire history of drug stick-ups.
“Hey baby, Sparks, Shawty,” she greeted before turning to Cameisha. “Where yo’ lil’ brother at? I need 12 for the fiddy.”
“Um…he’s not here. We’re kinda in the middle of something,” she replied hoping to get on with the robbery. If it went south, she would have murdered everyone in the room. She liked Angel and all but Mama would have to go. She was young; she’d get over it.
“Yeah Mama, come back later and I’ll take care of you,” Black gently urged. Mama Johnson twisted her lips dubiously because her son never gave her that deal. Still, she turned on her heels to catch Bad Ass in the trap knowing he would.
“Um…where were we?” Meisha asked hopefully.
“Um? Oh! The kilo, gimme that damn brick,” Shawty demanded. He snatched it off the table and looked to Black to see what he wanted to do next. Black pointed to the back door with his eyes sending him on his way.
“Oh my God! We got robbed!” Meisha let out a phony wail and fanned herself with her hand. “I do declare!”
“We ‘bout to find out who that was! We �
�bout to straighten this! Come on Sparks,” Black shouted. His acting chops were so good that Cameisha nearly clapped.
“Be careful!” she yelled after them as they rushed out of the apartment. Once they were gone, she pulled her phone out to call Trigga. “You’re up next!”
Chapter 15
Cameisha wasn’t the only one dialing Trigga’s phone. Black hadn’t even made it to his car before he did the same, with his thirsty ass. “TJ? This Black, you ready?”
“Yeah come on. You know the New World car wash on Godby Road?" Trigga asked setting the trap.
“Yeah I know where you talking ‘bout. I need to wash my donk anyway. ‘Bout an hour?”
“That’s what’s up. What you pushing?” Trigga asked.
“A Chevy sitting on 30s,” he said proudly. It was proof that somewhere along the way black people got life fucked up. Who gives a fuck about how big your rims are? Do women say ‘oh he has big rims; he’ll be a good provider”? Probably not, but police will pull you over every chance they get.
“An hour,” Trigga repeated and hung up. He turned to his right hand man seated on his right hand and asked, “You ready?”
Troy twisted his lips like ‘yeah right’ and chambered one of the fifty 7.62 rounds into the chamber. Trigga smiled at the sound of the chopper and cocked his as well. They loaded the guns into the van they’d rented from a junkie. Inside were coveralls used by both painters and hit men. Pretty much for the same reason. Paint or blood, no one wants it on their clothes.
****
“Let me ride with y’all,” Shawty pleaded when Black came to get the stolen kilo of cocaine.
“Nah, my nigga TJ ain’t tryna meet no new people, you feel me,” he explained. It sounded reasonable so Shawty twisted his lips in acceptance. “Don’t worry Shawty, I got you a rack for helping out, plus we finna ball out in the club tonight.”
“Turn up?” he asked hopefully. He had heard everyone talking about turning up but never got to actually turn up himself. It’s not much of a consolation, but he was about to turn up dead for the robbery.
“Hell yeah! Turn up, ball out, all that,” Black cheered. The smile that spread on his face meant he went for it. He handed the fake dope over and sat down to wait. Good thing he didn’t decide to hold his breath.