A Good Day to Die

by James Hendricks

  Juice knew how much Jon’s happiness meant to Don and respected that.

  “Don’t worry bout a thing. I’ll hold you down. Now you plan that wedding, Mr. Wedding Planner.” They both laughed.

  May came Jon, Lynette, the kids and Kay returned to Gary. This time Kay brought his high school sweetheart with him. Don insisted that things be different this time and went about making plans for the wedding.

  “Are you nervous?” Don asked Jon once they were alone in the church.

  “Negro please,” Jon retorted with a half smile. “For what…? This the love of my life we talking about. I had an idea that this would happen when I was in seventh grade.”

  Don nodded his head agreeing with Jon. “That’s not what I’m talking bout,” Don said straightening Jon’s tie. “You know how people always say that they were nervous right before their wedding even if they were a hundred percent sure. They’d still be nervous.”

  “You need to quit smoking all that weed. Cause you either tripping or thinking about getting married yourself?”

  Don gave Jon a sly smile and looked at the floor. “You bullshittin…?” Jon said smiling.

  “I’ve been thinking about it for awhile now. You know I’m getting old and this street shit ain’t what’s happening no more. I’m proud of you. I’ve always been proud of you. I see you, Ron, Kay doing y’all thing and I’m jealous. I’m out here fighting over streets and buildings that ain’t even mines. I must be crazy.”

  “Nah, brother you ain’t crazy,” Jon said hugging Don. “You just now realizing that there’s more to life than the streets. It’s a big step for you even thinking about it. But look at it this way.” Jon laughed. “If all else fails, you got a future as a wedding planner.” The two brothers joked until the wedding started.

  Shine heard about Jon and Lynette’s wedding. He knew that every member of SCC would be present for the special occasion and saw this opportunity as a chance to put an end to their feud once and for all. He asked Will to come by. Shine hoped that he’d be open minded and back the decision.

  “What’s up folks?” Will greeted sitting on the front porch.

  “Shit, I can’t call it,” Shine said sipping a beer. “You know them niggas having a wedding today.”

  “Don’t even think about doing nothing stupid,” Will said pointing his index finger at Shine. “That’d be the worst mistake you can make. Trust me on this one.”

  Shine slowly moved Will’s finger away from him.

  “Why should I trust you on this one? I mean, you was the one against burning down the apartment building. Acting all scared and shit talking bout the police and a war. I did it and ain’t shit happen so why should I listen to you now?” Shine slurred.

  Will hoped Shine wasn’t too drunk to listen to reason.

  “Do you know whose wedding it is today?” Will asked.

  “It don’t matter who wedding it is because they all gone be up in there. We can hit ‘em up quick and hard and it’s all over with,” Shine said opening another bottle of Corona.

  “It’s Jon’s wedding. You mess with the wedding and Jon is gonna take charge of SCC again.,” Will said grabbing a beer. He continued to persuade Shine showing him that without Jon the SCC is disorganized.

  “All right,” Shine said. He didn’t want to deal with Jon again. “We’ll just sit her and get fucked-up. Maybe we’ll hit the club later or sump’n.”

  “Now Folks, you know I’m down with that,” Will said pulling out a blunt. The two sat on Shine’s porch smoking and drinking the day away.

  The wedding went according to plan. Don and Kay both played the best man role. Victoria was maid of honor. Ron and his new bride were in attendance along with Tina, Jackie, Shawn, Juice, J-Roc, Juan and five other SCC members. Jon wanted to keep the wedding small.

  The reception was held in a club Don recently bought. Affectionately named Zoe’s, the club was in the hood located at the corner of Eleventh and Harrison. No one knew that Don had bought the club which made things go a whole lot smoother. All of SCC were either in the club or outside the club on security detail. Don went all out getting the R&B group, Next to perform their hit song, Wifey. A local group, G.I.B. shared the billing.

  The club erupted when the DJ played Here and Now by Luther Vandross. Kay dropped to a knee and proposed. The party lasted all night long and everyone had a good time. Jon and Lynette left early for their honeymoon in the Bahamas. The kids were left in the care of Tina and Victoria.

  Six days after Jon’s wedding Jackie was on her way to meet Don. She was pulled over by the police and arrested on an attempted murder warrant. Jackie was photographed, finger printed, strip searched and harassed for three hours before given her phone call. Jackie called Don who told her he was on his way. She was sitting in the drunk-tank eyeing the dope fiends and prostitutes. Mad Dog was supposed to make the warrant disappear months ago, Jackie thought. Instead of taking care of his business, he played her.

  Thinking about it made her even more pissed. She couldn’t stop the flow of images popping into her head. Mad Dog lying to her face, assuring her that he had destroyed the warrant then her being stripped and searched. She vowed to make the crooked officer pay.

  Don showed up and Jackie was released on a nine thousand five hundred dollars cash bond. She placed a call to Mad Dog from her cell phone and had Don drop her off at home.

  An hour later, Mad Dog showed up. Jackie had showered and relaxed smoking a joint.

  “What’s up beautiful?” Mad Dog said entering the house.

  “Nothing much,” Jackie said in a normal tone. “I think we need to sit down and work a few things out.”

  Mad Dog leaned back in the living room chair. “What, business bad?” He asked.

  Jackie sat down on the couch. “Business ain’t bad but you bad business,” she said.

  Mad Dog looked confused. “Whoa, wait a minute. I don’t know where that’s coming from?” he shifted nervously in his seat.

  “Oh, you ain’t heard?” She asked getting up. “Let met tell you what I’m talking bout. You lied to me.”

  “What…?”

  “You lied about the warrant,” she said pacing in front of him.

  Mad Dog’s eyes was big as saucers. “I can explain,” he said and sat up. “I did do it. I took care of it, just like I said I would. Someone made another one.”

  “Bullshit!” Jackie said looking down at Mad Dog. “You just gone lie to my face like that, right?”

  “It ain’t like that,” he pleaded.

  Jackie walked to the dining room table. “Our contract’s null and void.”

  Jackie picked up an envelope from the dining room table. She turned around to find a .357 Magnum aimed at her.

  “What the fuck is you doing?”

  “You know I can’t trust you like that,” Mad Dog said getting to his feet. “Now let me see both your hands.”

  Jackie put both her hands out in front of her, holding the envelope in her right hand.

  “This your last payment,” she said waving the envelope in front of her. “Now put that gun away. We don’t do business like that.”

  “My fault,” Mad Dog said and tucked the gun back in his holster. “It’s an occupational hazard. You can’t trust no one,” he said smiling. Mad Dog sat back down in his chair and Jackie tossed him the envelope.

  “What the fuck is this?” Mad Dog asked pulling writing paper out of the envelope. “This some kind of joke, right?”

  “Ha, ha, you right, this is a joke,” Jackie said.

  Don came walking from a back room pointing two 9mm’s at Mad Dog.

  “The jokes on you,” Jackie added.

  Mad Dog wanted to reach for his pistol but knew he’d be dead before he could get it out.

  “Hold up, wait one fucking minute here. I can make it right. I’m asking for one more chance,” Mad Dog said.

  Don laughed and looked at Jackie.

  “The nigga sound like Biggie now…should’ve been more
like TLC Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg.” Don clowned.

  “C’mon, Mad Dog, I know dogs like you know how to beg real good. C’mon, be a good boy and beg.” Jackie laughed.

  Mad Dog became enraged. He couldn’t hold back his anger.

  “Who the fuck y’all think y’all talking to? Don’t you know? I’m Mad Dog,” he said beating his chest. “I got killers on my team, too. Shit, ya’ll better recognize.”

  “Recognize that muthafucka,” Don said as he fired.

  Mad Dog winced and grabbed his stomach wound.

  Jackie grabbed one of the 9’s from Don.

  “This is for the bullshit you put me through and for all the niggas you fucked over.”

  “Fuck you bitch!” Mad Dog shouted as he reached for his gun.

  It never made it out of the holster. Don and Jackie both fired at the same time.

  “Let’s burn the piece a shit!” Jackie said.

  Jackie sat in her truck while Don was inside the house pouring gasoline over everything. He lit a piece of newspaper and threw it inside. Jackie and Don watched the flames. After five minutes Jackie was satisfied.

  “He might as well get used to fire since his ass gone burn in hell.” Jackie said as they pulled off.

  Jackie kept a low profile. Juan’s true colors started to surface. His appearance took a hit. He started looking like a bum. Juan became arrogant, forgetful, disrespectful, and lazy. He was either late for meetings or was falling asleep. Don, Juice and J-Roc discussed Juan’s behavior and concluded that Juan had to be messing with drugs. Juice was sure that Juan was sitting in his car smoking weed one night as he and Don pulled up.

  Don got out and tapped on the window. Juan ignored him. Don angrily snatched the car door open.

  “I don’t know what the fuck your problem is. But you don’t ignore me.”

  Juan looked at Don and started laughing. “You look funny as shit,” Juan said pointing.

  “That nigga high as a muthafucka. I don’t know what the fuck he high on but he definitely high,” Juice said.

  Don took the joint from Juan and hit it.

  “This nigga wet,” Don said holding up the joint. “I took yo ass in and you repay me by smoking water. Don pulled out his gun and smacked Juan in the head. “Nigga, don’t ever show yo face around here again,” Don said walking off.

  “You making a big mistake. That nigga know too much,” Juice said pulling out his gun. “We gotta kill him.”

  Don looked back at Juan and laughed. “Fuck him! Let him try sump’n stupid. We’ll deal with his ass.”

  Don and Juice walked off leaving Juan unconscious in the car.

  The SCC thrived. They opened up another apartment building on Second and Garfield, called Gina. Juan hooked up with his man, Terry, from his neighborhood and the two plotted a quick come-up. Juan had paid close attention to the amount of money SCC made but didn’t know where they kept it. Terry figured the money was close to Don. The plan was set and the two men headed to Don’ house knowing that he wouldn’t be there.

  Juan and Terry waited outside Don’s house. They rang the doorbell. Shawn peered out the window and wondered why Juan was there. Don had told her about Juan and instructed her to call him if he ever showed up.

  “What’s up Shawn?” Juan said as he looked at her through the window. “I need to talk to Don.”

  Shawn had never seen Terry before and was a little nervous. “He ain’t here,” she said closing the curtain.

  Juan looked around. There was no one outside. He kicked-in the door. The two men ran in the house. Juan grabbed Shawn and Terry closed the door behind them.

  “What’s up Shawn?” Juan said smiling.

  “What the fuck you doing? Don ain’t gone like this,” Shawn said trying to wiggle free.

  “Fuck Don!” Juan shouted. “I don’t give a fuck about him. Where the money at?”

  “What money?”

  Juan flung Shawn across the room against a wall. “Oh, you wanna play games,” Juan said walking over to Shawn.

  Her two sons came running out of their bedroom.

  “Mama, mama,” Don Jr. said while John tried to shield.

  Shawn wrapped her arms around the two boys and stared coldly at Juan.

  “Why are you doing this? You know that Don don’t keep his money here. If you leave now I won’t tell him it was you.”

  “Yeah, I bet.” Juan laughed. “Then where do you keep the money?”

  “In the bank,” Shawn said.

  “C’mon, we wasting time,” Terry said.

  “Gimme a minute,” Juan said staring at Shawn and her two boys.

  “Come here!” Juan said snatching Don Jr. “You wanna play this game?” Juan pulled out his gun. “All right, let’s play.”

  “Ain’t no money here,” Shawn said when she saw Juan’s gun.

  Juan didn’t say anything he just shoved his gun inside Don Jr’s mouth busting his lips and chipping four of his teeth. The boy started crying. John jumped up causing Juan to smack him in his head with the gun. John dropped unconscious to the floor and Juan pointed the gun at Shawn.

  “I came her for some money. I ain’t leaving without it. I know y’all got a safe in here.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Shawn said nodding her head. “It’s in the bedroom.”

  Juan turned looking at Terry and smiled. “To the bedroom we go.”

  Shawn got up from the floor and led them to the bedroom. She turned the dial to the safe.

  “It ain’t that much in here. I’m telling you, he keeps the money in the bank.”

  “Shut up!” Juan yelled and pushed Shawn in the back of her head. When Juan heard the click, he pushed Shawn to the side and opened the safe. He pulled three diamond necklaces, four diamond watches, three bracelets, a .380 and one hundred and sixty five thousand dollars.

  “Where the rest of the money at…?” Juan shouted.

  “That’s all that’s here. I keep telling you, he keeps his money in the bank.”

  Terry counted the money. “C’mon man, this better than nothing,” he said.

  Juan looked at everything he pulled out.

  “Fuck it, let’s be out.”

  The two men were walking out of the bedroom and Shawn sighed in relief. Juan turned around.

  “Oh, you think this shit funny?” He asked snatching her up and throwing her on the bed. “Is this bitch laughing at us?”

  Terry stood in the doorway looking at the front door now opened.

  “C’mon man, we ain’t got time fo’ this shit. Somebody done came up in here…”

  “I’m a teach this bitch a lesson first,” Juan said ripping at Shawn’s clothes.

  “I ain’t with this shit.” Terry said and walked away.

  “Where the fuck you going, nigga…?” Juan asked.

  He jumped up from the bed his gun in hand. Terry reached for his gun but Juan shot him twice in the chest.

  “Another time,” Juan said waving the smoking gun at Shawn. “I’ll see you real soon.” Juan gathered up everything he took out of the safe and left.

  Shawn immediately called Don. He made it home in record time. Juice was by his side. They ran into the house with guns drawn. Shawn and the kids were huddled together on the kid’s bedroom floor.

  “You alright…?” Don asked and tried to hug Shawn.

  “Get away from me!” Shawn screamed. “This your fault! You the reason this shit happened.”

  Don looked around then at Shawn, John and Don Jr. He examined the three of them Don noticed a scar on John’s head and blood coming from Don Jr’s mouth.

  “That nigga is a dead muthafucka,” he said.

  Juice nodded in agreement. He wanted to say I told you so, but didn’t.

  “Let’s get them outta here. They can’t stay here tonight,” Juice said.

  “Yeah, you right. We’ll take ‘em to the hotel,” Don said looking at his injured family. Shawn sat on the floor rocking her two sons in her arms.

  “I ain’t going no where w
ith you,” she said with a hateful look on her face.

  “C’mon baby, we gotta get y’all outta here.”

  Shawn stood. “Me and the kids are leaving but not with you,” she said determinedly.

  Don couldn’t believe his ears. “Y’all ain’t going nowhere,” Don said snatching Don Jr. “We’ll talk later.” Don gave Don Jr. to Juice and grabbed John and walked away. Shawn crying, followed them.

  Don and Juice spent half the night looking for Juan coming up empty. Don went to the hotel where Shawn and the kids were. Shawn had gave the kids a bath and put them to sleep. She was in the tub when Don walked in.

  “Are you alright?” He asked.

  “I can’t do this anymore,” Shawn said sitting up in the tub. “You’re never around and people know that. That’s how Juan had the balls to come to our home. Our home Don...”

  Don rubbed Shawn’s shoulders. “You’re right. Give me one month and I’m done. My birthday party will be a retirement party.” Don kissed Shawn on the lips. “I love you and you and my family is more important to me than the streets. You’re my life. Just give me one more month.”

  “Hold me, hon.” She said reaching out to Don. They embraced.

  25

  After Mad Dog was killed, Jackie played the crib. She conducted all her business from her house in the Miller area. Jackie used a driver whenever she needed to go out. The police wanted to question her about Mad Dog’s murder. When they pulled Mad Dog’s charred body from Jackie’s house, it was unrecognizable. The police found out it was Mad Dog through his dental records.

  Jackie grew bored and one evening she went cruising in her Denali. She drove out to the beach. Jackie bumped into a few of her friends they invited her to a birthday party at a popular night spot. She had forgotten how much she missed partying and headed to the club.

  She was pulled over by the police. The patrolman ran Jackie’s ID and found the outstanding warrants for her arrest. He called for back-up. Jackie was arrested and questioned about Mad Dog’s murder. Jackie refused to say anything.