Jakki’s mouth dropped opened. She couldn’t talk let alone move. Not sure of what her mother had just blurted out she just stood there trying to process it all.
“Stop it!” Ruben demanded as his wife lunged at his alleged baby momma slapping her across the face.
“Naw, Ruben, let’s be honest for once. Your brother would still be alive to this day if it wasn’t for him coming home from prison doing time for the precious Crayton Clan and finding out you not only slept with his wife, but knocked the dirty tramp up as well! What kinda family loyalty is that huh? If he wouldn’t been so messed up in the head behind finding out about y’all little affair, he’d never messed around with that other skank who ended up stabbing him! See what all your secrets got you: a dead brother and son!”
Jakki couldn’t believe her ears. What her mother said once, she just said twice. And if it was true, that would explain a lot: why her father always forgave her “cousin” no matter what and gave him special treatment; why her mother hated him so much; and lastly why her father was so adamant about wanting him to stand at the head of the table when he stepped down. “Son? Is this true?” After fighting to swallow the lump in her throat, she finally asked the million dollar question to everyone inside the room who seemed to have knowledge about this longtime scandal. “Is it true?”
The room grew silent. The only thing that could be heard was the sounds of Ruben’s heart monitor and the tiny mournful whimpers from School Boy’s shocked mother.
“Jakki.” Ruben reached his hand out to his daughter, but she didn’t move. “Look, what your mother said is true. School Boy is, I mean was, my son,” he finally confessed. “But it never stopped or stood in the way of the love I had for you or your sister. I’ve always been proud of you both and for the past week you’ve made me even more proud stepping up to the plate holding the family down.”
Jakki totally zoned out. It was like she was having a terrible nightmare, one she couldn’t wake up from. “Your son?” she mumbled in a trance walking by his extended arm and out into the busy hallway. For years she wanted, even fought for, her father’s approval and to show him she could stand at the head of the table and now he’d just given her his blessing, but in her eyes it was too late for all that. Son? School Boy was his son? As she pressed the elevator button, Jakki stood there fighting with the fact she’d not only killed her cousin, but her brother as well. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She felt like she even wanted to kill someone again. As the doors finally slid opened, in tears she stepped onto the crowded elevator not knowing where to go or what to do next. The only thing she knew for a fact was that family ain’t shit!
Six Months Later
“Yeah, Carla, like I told you real bitches do real thangs!” Jakki walked out the door of the condo she and her homegirl shared ever since she’d moved out of her parents’ house. “I swear if I didn’t have to handle this business I’d be partying with y’all tonight.”
Carla stood in the doorway shaking her head. “Yeah, all right, best friend, I hear you talking. You been saying that every since you started trying to go so hard.”
“You know me, baby, that’s what I do, go hard!” Jakki jumped in her new truck and headed to meet up with her uncle who was still doing what he’d been doing for years: keeping an accurate tally of the Craytons’ assets. As she pulled up at their regular designated meeting spot, she got a call from one of the people she’d had making money for the family. “Yeah, hello.”
“Hello, how’s everything?”
“Everything is everything this way, Maino.” Jakki turned off the truck’s ignition and reclined her seat. “You got our half of that cheese or what?”
“Um we kinda short; you know this is the last week in the month.”
“So what you saying? You think people who need to get high only get right the first three weeks and just magically wake up on the fourth and say oh well, forget getting blasted today? Hell naw, it don’t work like that, homeboy, so we gonna expect a double up tomorrow.”
Maino had been strong-armed into cutting Jakki and her infamous family into his and his partner’s small-time hustle or cutting it out all together. Legendary in the treacherous acts they’d commit if they didn’t get their way, he opted to just take the loss and make the best of it. He’d attempted several times to get in contact again with Ruben, but was met with opposition forcing him to finally give up and into Jakki’s extortion with a smile tactics.
Ending her impromptu conversation with Maino, she placed another one to the florist. After getting over the initial shock of finding out School Boy was her brother, idiot or not, Jakki made sure he as well as his jump off Lena had fresh flowers once a month laid out on top of their unmarked graves that were located in the very rear left tree-covered unkempt corner of a cemetery run by a close longtime trusted friend to the family. Sure Lena’s kin didn’t deserve not knowing why their loved one supposedly ran off with School Boy and never once called home to check in, but that was part of street life that touched innocent people’s world when their loved ones signed up for a bid in the game.
Finishing that task, Jakki finally went inside the building and into the small-sized conference room where her uncle along with the other family elders were waiting. Feeling a sense of bittersweet pride she stood at the head of the Crayton Clan table knowing she was not only groomed to but born to lead. Jakki listened to her uncle explain to the others that thanks to their new leadership in her, the family had obtained over twenty properties, both commercial and residential, and now had branched out having interest in several extremely lucrative projects that would have them and the next generation to come set for life.
When the short but productive meeting had concluded, Jakki was unexpectedly met in the hallway by her semi-estranged mother. Blaming both her parents equally for the decades of deception and lies, she was still not raised to be rude to her mother and was at least always cordial when forced to be in her presence.
“Hello, dear.” She leaned over hugging her daughter. “I miss you so much.”
“Hey, Mom, how are you?” Jakki’s response was standoffish as she put little to no effort in returning her mother’s hug.
“I’m doing okay, baby, I just miss you being at the house. It’s so empty with everyone gone. At least your little sister is supposed to come home this weekend for a visit.”
Jakki wanted to feel bad for her mother roaming around in the house by her lonesome, but knew that’s what happen when your lies catch up to you. “Yeah, well you knew I was gonna move out someday and yeah, she texted me yesterday.”
“Well that’s really why I came by,” she confessed, sensing Jakki’s attitude was quickly going south. “I wanted to know when your sister gets home if all three of us can go visit your dad? I know it would mean so much to him if we were all there at his side.” Jakki’s mother was hopeful that her firstborn would be big enough and have enough compassion in her heart to let bygones be bygones and not only forgive her, but her ailing father as well.
“I’m gonna be busy that day,” Jakki snidely remarked while pretending to be cleaning underneath her nails.
“Jakki.” She knew her child and knew she could be stubborn when she wanted to and unfortunately this was one of those times. “Come on now, I didn’t even tell you what day me and your sister planned on going.”
Thinking back on how she was raised and all the school programs throughout the years her father missed out on while running the streets claiming he was doing this and that, she frowned. Or all the multitudes of times she wanted to just hang out with her dad, but instead he chose her cousin, now known to be her brother, treating her differently acting as if he was mad she wasn’t born a boy. After her short trip back down memory lane, Jakki gave her mother an earful.
“Okay, Mom, if that’s really who you are.” Sarcasm filled the small outer hallway. “Please don’t come in here trying to mess up my good mental mindset behind your cheating and lying husband. You chose to put up wi
th him and his bastard seed and I ain’t mad. That’s on y’all. But me, I’m out for self! I’m not trying to direct be a part of his circus anymore; this cage animal done broke out and about to get it how I live out here. So if you think you’re going to guilt me into visiting the old man in that sad, dreary nursing home you had to put him in a few months back after he had that stroke, trust, you’re sadly mistaken. Maybe him being paralyzed is God’s way of telling him that He ain’t liked all the ugly he’s done in the supposedly name of family.”
Jakki’s mother was mortified by the callous things her oldest child was saying about her husband, but deep down she couldn’t blame her for being caught in her feelings. Holding back the scandalous truth about School Boy had been haunting her since his birth. Now she was free of that secret but had lost her own daughter in the process. “Look, baby, I understand how you feel and you have every right to think like that. I get it, but since the day you walked out that hospital room, you father lost his will to live.”
Jakki looked at her mother with disdain. “Come on now, him feeling like that ain’t got shit to do with me. That’s all about his beloved School Boy is gone. That’s all that ever really and truly mattered to him. So guess what?”
“Jakki.” Her mother’s face grew even sadder know she was fighting a losing battle.
“I’m not gonna be able to visit your husband today, tomorrow, or even next week. See I gotta lot of business to take care of; Crayton Clan business.” Jakki seethed knowing her words were cutting her mother to the bone. “My father will understand; after all, in his book loyalty to the family is above all else. Like he always used to say, when you stand at the head of the table heavy is the head that wears the crown. Well right about now, I’m rocking that bitch to the fullest and ain’t got time for nothing else!”
THE END
Counterfiet Love
Prologue
Balil stood at the top of his basement stairs yelling down for his daughter, Sanaa, to hurry up.
In a rush, Sanaa turned the dial on the huge steel safe imbedded in the wall. She opened it, grabbed the large amounts of cash and jewelry inside, and began tossing the contents into the oversized Louis Vuitton bag she had on her side.
“Sanaa, you gotta get the hell outta here,” Balil yelled again from the crown of the entrance. “They’ll be here any minute.”
Balil was referring to law enforcement and the many branches that were currently looking for his daughter. The State of Georgia wanted her on weapons charges, as well as an assault and battery case as well drug cultivation, and intimidating a witness; but the Feds had plans on trumping them with a warrant of their own for drug trafficking, counterfeit currency, and a possible RICO charge. If convicted by the Feds, these charges would surely put Sanaa away for the rest of her life.
“Call Joi and tell her that I’m ready,” she yelled back up to him as she stuffed the last few stacks of money into her bag.
Sanaa was now officially on the run. She was going to need every dime she had if she was going to be successful in hiding out while the statute of limitations ran out on her current state and federal cases. The last two months the fools had added some additional charges that she had not been indicted on as of yet. She gave some girl a place to lay low and she got caught up with Ringworm; he pimped her ass out and the little bitch dropped her name. It felt like they were just making up shit to add to her charges to ensure she wouldn’t see the light of day. Her lawyer had advised her to lay low for at least four or five years. The weapons charges would be dismissed by then and any witness on the assault and battery would be difficult to find and get to court to testify after so much time had lapsed. The federal case was going to be a lot more difficult so she was going to need the time to build her money back up for the long trail she knew was ahead. So for now Sanaa’s destination was Philadelphia, her original place of birth, and where she had spent her early teenage years. She still had a lot of friends and family there, so her concern of being alone for the next five years wasn’t that great. Well, that and the fact that her best friend, Joi, and her younger brother, Sleepy, would be accompanying her on the long trip back up North.
“Did you call her?” Sanaa asked, coming up the steps with the heavy bag over her shoulder.
“Yeah, she’s three minutes out. She had to pick your brother up. You make sure you watch over her. Right now, she is only wanted for questioning, but you know how the police do. We can’t afford to have her in custody at all,” Balil told Sanaa.
She figured that was going to happen. Joi’s photograph and license plate had been captured in connection with the shooting and possible murder of a former family friend. She would have to lay low until the investigation died down. Balil had learned from his source in the police department about the evidence implicating Joi, and decided it was best for her to accompany Sanaa and Sleepy back to Philly.
“So when am I going to hear from you?” Sanaa asked, looking into her father’s eyes before walking over and peeking out of the front window.
“No contact for a while, baby girl. At least six months,” Balil answered, walking up behind her.
Sanaa sat staring out of the window, thinking about the crazy run she had experienced in Atlanta. She had managed to turn the city upside down, and had the cocaine game sewn up on her part of town. Not only was she a major player in the drug world, she was also responsible for multiple shootings related to turf wars in and around her neighborhood.
Over the last couple of years, she had become a problem for the hood niggas as well as the local authorities who eventually had to call on the Feds for help. Once they stepped in, it took them less than eight months to build a strong enough case to indict her, as well as the people she ran with. She now had no choice but to go on the run or face going to jail. Sanaa had chosen option A. Being in the street would give her the chance to stack the cash she was going to need to find and retain the best defense lawyer for the federal charges.
“Here they go,” Sanaa said, seeing Joi pull up to the house. “Daddy, I’m gonna miss you,” she said, turning around and giving him a tight hug.
“I’m gonna miss you too, princess. Take care of your brother and be safe. Oh, and put some flowers on ya mom’s grave for me.” He smiled. “Now get outta here,” Balil said, pushing her to the door.
As Sanaa walked down the steps, Balil hoped she wouldn’t look back. It was hard watching his baby girl walk away, knowing this would be the last time he would see his family for a while. He and Joi temporarily locked eyes as the silent words “I love you” were mouthed with their lips.
Balil took a deep breath as he watched his family pull off; he instantly began to miss them. Less than fifteen minutes later, police cars, black-tinted SUVs, and the SWAT unit swarmed the block. They ransacked Balil’s house looking for Sanaa. He silently said a thankful prayer to God, glad that she was gone.
Danielle jammed her hands into her jacket pockets as soon as she got out of the car. She was trying her best to keep warm from the constantly blowing midnight breeze. But on this evening, it would take more than cold weather to stop her from handling the business at hand. This kind of work always seemed to separate the boys from the men, or in this case, the little girls from the grown women.
“His car is still out there, but I don’t think he’s in the house,” Royce, Danielle’s partner in crime, said as he walked out of the Chinese restaurant to meet her.
Home invasions, breaking and entering, and robbery were at an all-time high in Philly. It had gotten so bad that even chicks were starting to get in on the action. Sky-rocketing cocaine and weed prices were the main causes of the problem, and those who were still somewhat relevant in the drug game became prey to the many wolves that roamed the dark streets, looking for that quick come up.
“So, let’s just do this and get it over with,” Danielle insisted, walking back to the car to grab her gun.
It was a simple B&E, but she knew one could never be too safe when it came down to ta
king another man’s money, especially since the person she was taking from tonight was known in the hood for making people disappear. It was a risk that at this time Danielle was willing to take.
Royce felt the same way, knowing that the lick on this job could reach well into the six figures, not including the strong possibility of some drugs being in the home also.
“Fuck it, you ready?” Royce asked, looking into Danielle’s eyes for any signs of fear or doubt.
She displayed no fear, and Royce just hoped that she would keep that same ice water running through her veins if shit ever turned sour.
They hopped in the car and pulled off down Third Street. Once they got to Norris Avenue, Danielle pulled over and parked. They both got out and walked the rest of the way down the dimly lit road until they reached Pethrobe Street.
The block was small, and so were the homes. Danielle wasted no time walking straight up to Rico’s house and pulling out the set of keys she had manage to duplicate during the time she spent with him over the summer. Despite Rico’s car parked right out front, she casually walked into the house as if she was still staying there.
Royce followed in right behind her, but stopped her at the door so that he could check to make sure no one had seen them enter the residence.
The house was clear, so Royce and Danielle went right to work. “In and out,” he yelled before walking back into the living room where Danielle was waiting.
She already knew a few of the stash spots in the home, so she went straight to them. Royce stayed guard at the front door, just in case someone attempted to enter.
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