Partnerz in Crime

by Kareem

  “Okay, now, O, lock your finger into mine and I’ma do the same with yours.” They locked index fingers, which Hammer and I referred to as trigger fingers. Hammer didn’t use the words trigger finger with Olivia because he was wise enough to choose his words carefully. What he was schooling her wasn’t about anything criminal in essence, but about the science of our bond. As their index fingers locked together, Hammer asked Olivia, “What does our fingers locked together look like to you, O?”

  She thought a second. “Mmm. To me, it looks like a chain link.”

  “Precisely, baby girl,” Hammer said, nodding. “As Partnerz in Crime, all of us in here are linked by love and loyalty. Those two elements, components, are what keep your father, Keisha, Kolanda, and me in unbreakable companionship. If there is no love and loyalty among us, the link is broken. Thus the chain of unity becomes of no effect. You feel me, baby girl?” He unlocked his finger from hers and rubbed his hand over her pretty long hair that she wore hanging.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Okay, then. Give the family a summary.”

  “Well, it’s like what I learned in Sunday School earlier today. Be true to those of your own household of faith, and do unto others, especially family, as you would have them do unto you. And don’t be a traitor or someone who turns his or her back on his or her loved ones.”

  “There you go, baby girl,” I said to her. We all gave her high fives before I had to get her back over to her mother’s. Not to mention, dinner over there had to be ready by now. We’d been gone almost three hours. I could hear Shamika’s ass now: “Where the hell y’all been? It doesn’t take three hours to go get no damn ice cream!”

  “Keisha, I got something special for you later. Will you be here or at your condo?” I said to her before getting into my car. Olivia was already waiting for me inside.

  “I’ll be here. What do you have planned?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Chapter 27

  Get Out Them Panties

  “Daddy, I gotta ask you something,” Olivia said to me as we mobilized back to Shamika’s house.

  “Then ask, baby girl. You know you can ask me anything.”

  “Who do you like best? My mother or Ms. Keisha? Tell me the truth, Daddy. Which one?”

  “I like ’em both, O. Why you ask that?”

  “Okay, nothing wrong with liking them both. That’s cool. You’re a man. But, if you could only pick one, who would it be? Mom or Ms. Keisha?”

  “Your mother, of course.”

  “Why?” She looked over at me, fully attentive to know why I chose Shamika.

  “Your mother and I been together since we were like in our late teens, O. I love her. She’s a real good woman. She’s a partner in crime to me. Keisha’s a good woman too, don’t get me wrong. But your mother, she gave me you. And you are the joy of my life!”

  “Am I your favorite girl in the whole wide world? Like over my mother and Ms. Keisha?” she asked with excitement in her voice.

  “You got my DNA in you, O. No girl in this world means more to me than you. And you know what? I’ll do anything to make you happy. So listen. Whenever you do find your Prince Charming in the future, if he can’t match your daddy’s love for you, then what does that tell you, O? It should tell you that he wouldn’t make a very good partner in crime for you.”

  She held her index finger out with a smile when I said that. Then she said, “Linked by love and loyalty, Daddy?”

  I locked trigger fingers with her and smiled and replied, “Damn right. That much you should never get twisted. You hear me?”

  “I hear you, Daddy.”

  “I love you, baby girl.”

  “I love you too. And I’m glad you are home. I hope you never, ever leave Mom and me again.”

  “I won’t. Don’t worry about that. Now, did your mom tell you that she’s enrolling you in private school up here in Mint Hill?”

  “Yes, sir. She told me.”

  “I want you to have the best education possible. You’re gonna have to if you plan on being an attorney one day.”

  “I know. I just want to make you and Mom and my grandmother proud of me. Nothing else matters.”

  “I’m sure you will,” I said, pulling up in Shamika’s driveway. “But, listen.” I faced her. “Whatever you do in this life, do it because it’s the right thing to do. Nothing wrong with making your parents proud. A child should want to do that. It’s a good thing, for parents are special. They’re a gift to be cherished. But, ultimately, do whatever you do out of it being the right thing to do, O. That’s the only way to roll.”

  “How do you know when you’re doing the right thing, though, Daddy?”

  “You’ll know, O. You’ll know because God inside you will tell you. Now, peep this and be honest with your dad,” I said. “The pastor at the church your mom attends, does he like your mom? Tell me the truth.”

  “I think he does.”

  “And what makes you think that, O?”

  “Because every Sunday, after church service is over, he always pulls my mother to the side to talk to her. And he’s always like extra nice to her. I think my grandmother wants to see them date, but I doubt if Mom likes him. She talks about you too much to give him any play. She loves you, Daddy. You got the playa card to her heart. That I know for sure.”

  “Are y’all coming inside, Korey? Or are y’all gonna sit in the car like I’m supposed to bring plates out there to you!” Shamika shouted, interrupting my convo with Olivia.

  “Let’s go inside now, O, before we both be in trouble with your mother.”

  Shamika had the table set with fried chicken, mac and cheese, greens, black-eyed peas, and sweet potato pie for dessert. To wash it all down, she made sweet lemon tea. I tore off into that food and, like everyone at the table, walked away with a full belly. Olivia went and helped her grandmother with the dishes.

  I couldn’t get it out of my head that Shamika’s pastor was trying to holla at her, backed by her mother wanting to see them together. Her mother hated the fact that I was me and not some Joe Blow she could control or manipulate into being what she wanted me to be: a lame-ass nigga with her approval to fully have her daughter. This was one of the main reasons I secretly refused to put that ring on Shamika’s finger and wed her. I didn’t want her mother at our wedding, pretending she approved of us marrying when nothing could be further from the truth. Korey didn’t cater to nobody, male or female, who couldn’t care less about him.

  My dear mother told me a long time ago, “Korey, always be yourself. If others can’t respect you being yourself, that’s their problem. Not yours!”

  Seeing that only Shamika and I were now at the table, I looked at her with my serious face and said, “So, you wasn’t going to tell me about your li’l pastor who likes you, huh?”

  She looked behind her for the presence of her nosey-ass mother. She was still in the kitchen doing the dishes with O and putting food away. “Can we go to my bedroom and discuss this?”

  “Let’s go, shit. ’Cause you got some explaining to do.”

  I followed her to her bedroom. I looked at the short skirt she was wearing and got mad inside. It was one of those skirts that was so short that when she sat down, you could damn near see her panties! I bet her pastor was seriously loving the sight of that in his church.

  “And why the hell you all at church with a short-ass skirt like the one you got on for?” I said the moment we stepped inside her bedroom. She shut the door behind us.

  “You know I wear these types of skirts all the time, Korey. So don’t go there.” She sucked her teeth and gave me a dismissive wave of her hand.

  “If you’re going to church, you need to wear skirts that come down to your knees!”

  “Are you serious? We are not living in the 1950s.”

  “You heard what I said.” I looked her in her eyes to show I wasn’t gaming her.

  “Why are you so upset and hostile all of a sudden? I told you that I’m not int
erested in my pastor.”

  “You still could have told me that he likes you.”

  “For what? So you can be all upset like you are now?”

  “No. So that I can be informed of what’s going on with you and around you. That’s why!” I raised my voice while pointing my finger in her face.

  “Well, I’m sorry, Korey,” she said, with her eyes beginning to water. “Damn, I apologize for not letting you know.”

  I just stood in front of her and looked her in her eyes without saying another word, leaving her to wonder what was going through my head. I had to catch myself so that I didn’t allow myself to be overtaken by anger at her keeping from me the crush her pastor had on her.

  “Like I said, I don’t like him like that. Honestly, I don’t. Now stop looking at me like I’m lying to you because I’m not, Korey.”

  “I swear, I better not find out otherwise, Shamika.”

  “Boy, please. You won’t. I wouldn’t lie to you. Now, give me some suga.” She placed her arms around my neck and kissed me on the lips. I played stubborn.

  “So that’s how it’s gonna be? All stingy with your love? You not gonna kiss me, Korey?” She looked at me like, “I can’t believe you.”

  “Korey, I love you. Not my pastor or any other man. So, damn, get it out of your head that I’m holding something back from you. I know how you think. ‘Ain’t nobody gonna have my girl but me!’” she said in a baritone voice, trying to imitate me.

  “Play with me if you want, Shamika, but I’m telling you I better not find out you flirtin’ with that nigga, leading him on and shit.”

  “Boy, please. I ought to karate chop you in the throat for even thinking I would do that. But since we trippin’, Korey, I better not find out you effin’ that lawyer chick, Keisha, since you wanna insist on going there!”

  “Get out them panties,” I told her. “Get out of ’em right now.” I began dropping my jean shorts and briefs and then stroking my dick.

  “Oh, so now you wanna get between these legs? Just a moment ago I couldn’t even get your lips to poke for a kiss!”

  Before we both knew it, she was out of her panties and on her back with her legs open, and I was between them, reminding her that this good pussy between her legs belonged to Korey Taylor.

  * * *

  “I hate your ugly ass!” Shamika pushed me in my chest before putting her panties back on. We got a good five minutes of fuckin’ in.

  “Earlier, you were telling me you love me. Which is it?”

  “I lied.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “You coming back over here later?” she asked while straightening her hair in the mirror.

  “Not if your mother’s over here.”

  “She won’t be. I’m about to take her home in about thirty minutes.”

  “Good.”

  Chapter 28

  I’m Grown

  I opened Shamika’s bedroom door to go wash my dick. Guess who was at her door, fucking eavesdropping? Her nosey-ass mother!

  “Oh, excuse me,” she said, seeing my face, then Shamika’s behind me. “What were y’all doing up in there, ah, Mika? You know you shouldn’t be having sex and y’all not married. God don’t like ugly!”

  “Mama, will you please mind your business? I don’t snoop around your bedroom door when I’m at your house. Why are you doing that while at mine?”

  “Don’t you dare, ah, sass me, Mika.”

  “I’m not, Mama. But right is right, and wrong is wrong. You in my house! You can’t tell me what I can do in my own house. I’m grown!”

  “You know what? I’ma grab my things so you can get me back to my place. You were doing real good before this heathen here got out of prison.”

  “Heathen?” I cut in, seeing that she was referring to me.

  “Yes, heathen! You always been a bad influence on Shamika! What, you think I’m blind and don’t know that you out of prison and back selling dem, ah, drugs again?”

  “Mama, you wrong,” Shamika cut in to defend me.

  “No, Mika. You wrong. And he’s wrong. Talking ’bout he into real estate. You ain’t a bit more vested in real estate than I am in the devil’s work! And if my daughter knew what’s good for her, she would stop seeing you!”

  “Grandma, why you putting my daddy down like that? My daddy bought us a new house and helped my mother get a salon. He spends time with us and has never said bad things about you to me. Don’t put him down like that, Grandma. That’s not right. I don’t like you doing that!” Olivia said with emotion, then quickly walked to her room.

  “Honey, if you only knew. Mika, I’m getting my stuff so you can take me on home.” She walked away. Shamika was so upset she walked in her bedroom and began crying, face inside her palms.

  “Baby girl,” I said to Shamika with my arm around her. “Don’t let how your mother views me and your love for me ruin your day. That’s your mother. She has a right to her opinion.”

  “But she is always so judgmental and critical of you. And I hate that about her. You are not the devil.”

  “You know that. I know that. Our daughter does too. That’s all that matters. Besides, only God can judge me. Only God can judge your mother. It’s all good, baby girl. I ain’t trippin’.”

  “I love you, Korey. Don’t let what she said ruin your day either.”

  “I won’t. Now, get cleaned up. I’m going to O’s room to talk to her.”

  “Okay.” She wiped her face with her palms and got up from sitting on the bed and went to the bathroom.

  On my way to my daughter’s bedroom, Shamika’s mother walked right past me. Inside, I wanted to hate her for always seeing me as the devil and feeling that I was not good enough for her daughter. But then I remembered what the old man in the joint taught me. Hate destroys the hater.

  “Olivia, sweetheart, are you okay?” I asked, stepping into her room and sitting beside her on her bed. She too was crying.

  “If don’t nobody else love you, Daddy, I love you.”

  “I know you do. I ain’t trippin’ on what your grandmother said. People are who they are, O. I’ve learned to take the bitter with the sweet.”

  “Are you staying over here tonight? I want you to. My grandmother isn’t going to be here.”

  “I gotta make a run for a minute, but I’ll be back later. I love you, though, sweetheart.”

  “Daddy, I want you to know that I don’t care if you sell drugs. That’s your business if you do. You’re still my daddy. That’s all that counts with me. But I don’t want you to go back to jail.”

  “Baby girl, look at me. I don’t sell drugs anymore. I’m through with that. That’s my promise to you. You hear me?”

  “Yes, sir. I hear you, and I believe you.”

  “Give me a kiss.” O gave me a kiss, then I went into the bathroom to wash my dick! When I came out to finally leave, Shamika, O, and Mrs. Washington were gone. Knowing Shamika, she couldn’t wait to take her mother home.

  * * *

  Being that seeing Josh again caused Keisha to be down a little, on account of their love affair crumbling for reasons of infidelity, I thought I’d do something thug special for her, which I had secretly prearranged. I picked her up in a white limousine with dark, mirrored tint on the windows. It was driven by a paid driver courtesy of the limousine company. It was complete with champagne and snacks. Keisha was speechless, and so was Kolanda and Hammer when we pulled up in the driveway to pick her up.

  “Romantic-ass nigga,” Hammer said, smiling. “I see ya!”

  Keisha was looking sexy as ever with her li’l Charlotte Hornets jersey skirt and matching Air Nikes. Keisha had all kinds of jersey skirts. Every team in the NBA was in her closet. She knew I loved seeing her in her jersey skirts because they fit her curves to a T and gave me the chance to adore and drool over her Tina Turner million-dollar legs! She had her hair parted in the middle and hanging.

  “I just wanna take you riding,” I told her while kissing her ever-so-
soft lips that were covered with strawberry lip gloss.

  We cruised the highway with Stevie Wonder’s “For Your Love” playing softly through the speakers. We were going nowhere in particular. Just riding and drinking Dom Perignon. I turned down the music and read her a poem I wrote while on the way over to pick her up. She began shedding tears and telling me thanks and that she really appreciated the moment. I told her that she was more than welcome. For she was a queen chick like my other queen, Shamika, one who I highly adored and never would part with.

  I told her to relax back on the soft cushion seat. As she did, sipping on champagne, I got on my knees in front of her. I lifted her short jersey skirt and removed her panties. She gapped her legs, knowing what time it was. Shamika loved this dick penetrating inside her. Keisha liked that too, but more than anything she loved getting her pussy sucked and licked.

  I kissed, licked, and sucked Keisha’s pussy and watched as her eyes slightly closed and her mouth opened to take in air. “Eat it, Korey. Sss. Dayum, it feeeels so good!”

  I ate Keisha’s sweet, juicy pussy until I felt that she felt her breakup with Josh was a blessing in disguise. Then I dropped my shorts and briefs. I placed one of her legs over my shoulder and held the other leg out. I gripped my dick, hard as a rock, and slid it inside her with ease until it was all the way up in her. I deeply penetrated her pussy, stroking it slowly around and around, in and out. All I could seem to think about while hitting her off like a man was supposed to hit his off queen, were all the days and nights I spent in the joint, restricted from doing this. The thought caused me to speed my pace and hit her off harder. Before we both knew it, we’d been making love, drinking champagne, and cruising the highway for two hours.

  I had the limo driver, who was an older white male, take me to get my Vette. I had left it parked at the limo service place. I drove Keisha back to the crib. She was tipsy and ready to bathe and hit the bed. She had a busy week ahead of her, she told me.