by Chunichi
“Talk to me,” Breeze answered the phone.
“Maria came to the bank and slapped me. Breeze, I have never gone through anything like this before in my life! You better get control of her, now, before I send her to jail. I’m not going to put up with this crap! Oh, and by the way, you could have told me that was the house you had with her. I don’t like to be in the dark about certain things,” I said, and hung the phone up on him. I decided to go to my mother’s house to cool down. Breeze quickly called back but I just turned my phone off. For one day, I just didn’t want to deal with it.
Chapter 18
Setting Boundaries Breeze
My head was pounding as I kept dialing Maria’s cell phone number and continued to pace the floor. Who does this bitch think she is? When we was together at first, I cared so much about impressing her, the snobby parents, and her snotty-ass friends. The irony is Maria is just as bad as any other average ghetto bitch.
I wish she had given me her house phone number because I would have called that number too. Knowing Maria, her ass was probably laughing at me, hoping Tanisha would have left me by now. I couldn’t blame Tanisha for not wanting to get into a whole bunch of drama. She was right. I should have told her about the damn house. That way, Maria wouldn’t have been able to throw that shit in her face. Deep down, I knew a real woman like Tanisha didn’t want to feel like as if she was taking second place. At this point, I still hadn’t been able to get through to Tanisha. I tried calling, but I couldn’t get a hold of her, either. Worst of all, I didn’t know if Maria had told her about us having sex. I knew I couldn’t put nothing past Maria’s conniving ass. That bitch just couldn’t stand to see me happy. What I couldn’t believe was that she had actually put her hands on my woman.
“Hello?” Maria finally answered in tears.
“Now you finally want to pick up the phone,” I snapped.
“Biggs hit me again. He thinks there’s somebody else because I won’t sleep with him anymore,” she said between tears.
“Bitch, if I had his number I’d tell him myself that I fucked you the other night. Shit, who knows how many other niggas you been fuckin’ lately. I mean, it shouldn’t be that hard to figure it out. Just see what dudes are making the most money. You all about the dollars, right? Your pussy goes where the money goes. So I guess that makes you a ho. Matter of fact, tell that nigga to smack you again for me,” I shouted. I couldn’t give a fuck about Maria getting smacked. She had truly crossed the line this time.
“What? Breeze, how could you talk to me like this? The only person I’ve slept with is you. I put that on my kids,” Maria vowed.
There was no way I could believe anything Maria said anymore. Deep inside I knew Maria wasn’t the ho type, but I also knew she was all about the dollars. On the real, that was probably the only reason she even slept with me. She saw the money leaving Biggs and coming to me. I knew if a chick was that crazy about money anything was possible. I couldn’t put nothing past Maria.
“Whatever, Maria, save it, please. That’s not even important to me right now. I’ve been calling you about a more pressing issue. Now listen to me and listen to me closely. Stay the hell away from Tanisha. She ain’t got shit to do with me and you,” I demanded.
“Breeze, I’m sorry. Baby, please forgive me. It’s just that I’ve never thought about you being with anyone else. Then to find out about Tanisha, it killed me inside. I’ve been thinking about getting our family back together. The kids love you so much and I’m starting to fall back in love with you all over again. Please, Breeze, we can work this out,” Maria begged.
“Maria, you’re wasting your breath.”
“Baby, just give me another chance to prove to you that I won’t leave you ever again.”
“Maria, please,” I shouted to get her attention. Her begging was really starting to get under my skin. “You’re becoming borderline pathetic. We ain’t ever getting back together. I don’t want you. In fact, I plan to marry Tanisha. I’ll be drawing up divorce papers real soon.”
“Not so fast. We had sex, which means I get another year of convincing you to stay with your true family,” Maria stated as if she where some sort of divorce attorney. I had to wonder if she’d planned this all along.
“What judge is going to believe you slept with me? Remember, I’m the convict you deserted in prison. You been moved on now to Mr. Biggs, who definitely ain’t going to go for that. I’ve always told your dumb ass, Maria, to think before you speak.”
“Fuck you, Breeze, you won’t marry that bitch, and you won’t see your kids again, either. I’m gonna make sure of that!” Maria announced, and hung up the phone.
I kept calling back, but I continued to get her voice mail. Even though I wanted to, I didn’t leave a voice message or text because I didn’t want her to come back and say I was harassing her. There was no telling what Maria was capable of. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she tried to pin her battered bruises on me so I could go back and sit in a prison cell.
Chapter 19
Going In Mr. Biggs
“Hey, baby.” Maria walked in the room in sexy lingerie.
“Hey, honey,” I responded, not giving much attention to her.
“I know money and work have been stressing you out lately.” She began to massage my shoulders. “So I have a little bit of information that you may want to hear.”
“And what is that, Maria?” She finally had my attention. I was interested to hear just how much information Maria could provide that would actually help my financial situation.
“I know where Breeze is,” she whispered in my ear.
“Oh, yeah?” I said, knowing that was no fucking surprise.
“Yes, sir. He’s staying in Virginia Beach near the courthouse. I can give you the address.”
“And how did you get this information?” I asked just for fun. I knew exactly how Maria knew, but I was curious how she would answer.
“I’ve been dropping the kids off there to visit. It looks like he’s making a lot of money, Biggs. You should see the size of the house he lives in. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if his come up is the cause of your money losses,” Maria added.
I didn’t say anything as she spoke. It was amazing how Maria really thought she was manipulating me. She had no idea that I knew everything she did. I wondered at that point if I should tell her I knew this house she was speaking of was the house she and Breeze used to live in. Not to mention this same house had supposedly been sold.
“Baby, I think it’s time you showed Breeze you mean business. He’s gotten away with too much. Besides, our family is suffering. You and the boys should pay him a little visit. I don’t want anyone to get hurt; just shake him up a little bit. This time you guys will definitely come out on top. I’m sure he’s there relaxing, thinking he’s safe.”
“I wonder what would make a woman turn on a man so quickly,” I said to her, insinuating that there must be something more she’s not telling me. I wanted to know Maria’s motivation.
“Baby, I hate seeing you like this. You’re always on edge and we are constantly fighting. You don’t even touch me anymore. I just want you happy. I want our relationship back.” Maria almost sounded sincere.
“Thanks for the information. Guess it’s time I show everyone I mean business,” I said, knowing that, in the end, it wouldn’t be just Breeze who felt that wrath.
Chapter 20
Last Breath Tanisha
After a lot of convincing from him, Breeze and I spent a quiet weekend in Richmond. He brought me up to speed on everything. I mean, this man poured his whole heart out to me. It was a lot to take in. Now, worry and uncertainty had really settled in my heart for him and his children. It had been proven that Maria was a loose cannon.
I struggled with myself on what to do. Can I really deal with this? A small part of me feels I should leave. Hell, my life could be in danger. Meanwhile, Mr. Biggs still comes in the bank every week, smiling in my face, knowing damn well I’m Breeze’s lady
. Breeze got on his knees and begged me to stay. Deep down, I truly loved this man. I had to wonder if I was willing to gamble my heart for him.
“I loved that movie,” the kids expressed after watching The Princess and The Frog. We had just gotten back from Busch Gardens. I figured letting them watch a movie would settle them down so they would go to bed. Breeze loaded them up with way too much sugar while we were at the park. After eating snow cones and funnel cakes all day, my teeth started hurting.
“Tanisha, can you come in the kitchen, please?” Breeze asked.
“Okay,” I responded, leaving the kids in the living room.
“Wow, I didn’t even hear you come downstairs,” I stated. Breeze was pacing back and forth.
“They’re coming for me,” he replied in a low voice.
“Who?”
“Tanisha, now isn’t the time. You know who’s coming. We talked about the worst-case scenario. Well, it’s happening now. Take this gun and take the kids to the panic room. Remember, don’t open the door unless I say our code word: grapes,” he instructed.
“I don’t know how to use a gun,” I responded with fear.
“Just aim and shoot. We don’t have much time. I can see them beginning to surrounded the house. I guess they waiting for us to turn the lights out. Meanwhile, I put clothes and food down there just in case. The kids are sleepy so hopefully they won’t hear a thing. I love you,” he replied.
“I love you too,” I said before kissing him. I quickly moved the kids down to the panic room and locked the door. My eyes were fixated on what the security cameras showed. I began hearing shots fired from all different directions. Breeze was handling his gunfire with these men who appeared to look like black ninjas. A few minutes, which seemed like hours, passed. It was so quiet that I could have heard a pin drop. Suddenly, I saw someone get into Breeze’s car and speed off; but I couldn’t tell if it was him or the culprits.
The police sirens were coming closer. I was silently praying that Breeze wasn’t dead. I left the kids in the panic room with cartoons on. They were drifting in and out of sleep and had no idea what was really going on. I slowly crept upstairs so I could see if anyone was still in the house. These voices were coming closer; I hid in our bedroom closet and I cracked the closet door open.
It was none other than Mr. Biggs and Maria. He had a gun to Maria’s chest.
“Please, Biggs. What are you doing? You promised no one would get hurt,” Maria cried frantically.
“You worthless, cheating, money-hungry bitch. Don’t tell me what the fuck to do. I gave you everything. All I wanted in return was your loyalty. If your greed would set Breeze up to die, then your greed would do it to me too. I’m not dying for a whore like you. That nigga ain’t been out a year and you already fucking him. Maria, people talk. Besides, I had a private investigator on your ass the whole time,” he said, flinging pictures on the bed.
Biggs shot Maria in the chest and simply left. Once I heard the front door open and close, I came out of the closet. Shortly after, the police entered the house. One officer called for an ambulance.
“The paramedics are on the way,” I told Maria while compressing the wound on her chest with some clothes I’d grabbed in order to stop the bleeding.
“Where are my babies?” she asked, barely able to breathe.
“They’re safe,” I assured her.
“Biggs shot me. All of this is my fault. I told Biggs everything about Breeze and his business because I wanted to get back at him. Biggs promised me no one would get hurt. He was only supposed to rob Breeze and scare him a little. I didn’t expect things to end this way. Tell my kids that Mommy loves her sugar babies. They’ll know what it means. Please take care of them,” she asked before taking her last breath.
Chapter 21
Faced with Death Breeze
“Ah, fuck,” I yelled as I hopped into my car and sped down the road.
My whole right side was killing me. I felt pain in my ribs and in my right leg. I didn’t know where I had been shot and really didn’t give a fuck. The greatest thing was I was alive. I hated to leave Tanisha and the kids alone in the crib, but I was sure they would be safe in the panic room. There was no way anyone would even know it existed, and even if they did, there was no way they could get in there.
“Think, Breeze, think,” I kept talking to myself as I drove.
I was feeling weak and knew I needed to get help, but I wasn’t sure that going to the hospital was the right thing to do. That’s when I had to call the only person I trusted, my ma. The only safe place I knew was Grandma’s house. I managed to dial my ma from my cell.
“Hey, baby!” My ma said, happy to see my call.
“Ma, I need you. I need you bad, Ma,” I said, knowing I needed my mother right then more than I’d ever needed her before.
“Oh my God! What’s wrong, Breeze? What’s wrong?” Ma started to panic. “Don’t tell me the police is after you again?” Ma thought she was reliving her worst nightmare.
The first time I got locked up, I was on the run for months, and when they finally caught up with me I was hiding out at my grandma’s crib. The police ran up in the house in the middle of the night with guns drawn. That scared both my ma and grandma half to death.
“No, ma, I’m hurt. I’m on the way to the crib now,” I said, then hung up. I didn’t have the energy to say anything more.
Ma was from the streets, so in most emergency situations she stayed calm and did whatever needed to be done. As I looked down at my T-shirt, I noticed it was soaked with blood. I felt like I was starting to lose consciousness but I was determined not to close my eyes. I only had a couple more minutes before arriving at my grandma’s crib.
I was thankful when I saw Grandma’s house from a distance. I pulled up on the curb, not giving a fuck how I was parked. I dragged myself out of the car and rushed toward the front door.
“Grandma.” I barged through the front door, fell to the floor, and literally began crawling across the floor. She was in the living room, watching something on TV
“Oh, Lord,” she screamed out.
“Please, Grandma, I need help. No cops or paramedics,” I begged before coughing up blood.
“What happened?” Ma asked, grabbing a hot washcloth before dashing onto the floor beside me.
“I’m getting cold,” I replied, shaking.
“Boy, I was looking out the side window for you,” she explained.
“We can’t lose you now. I need you to fight,” Grandma insisted.
“I got a plan. Just focus on them grandkids of mine,” Ma pleaded.
“Okay,” I responded, barely able to move my head. Ma knew that, if nothing else, I would strive to live for the sake of my kids.
Ma and Grandma managed to get me back into the car. As we drove, I heard Ma make a phone call to her longtime girlfriend, Roxanne. Roxanne was a registered nurse. I heard Ma tell her I’d been shot and to meet us at the Red Roof Inn. That’s what I loved about Ma, she was so gangster. She kicked right into motion. She didn’t need any coaching or anything.
It didn’t even seem like a whole thirty minutes had passed before I was laid out across a hotel room bed with Ma and Roxanne standing over me. Roxanne shoved some kind of pill cocktail in my mouth, and gave me a couple of injections. Then she patched up my wounds. She explained that the wounds looked worse than they actually were. I only had a flesh wound on my side and the bullet went straight through in my leg. She explained there wasn’t any way to be sure if my leg was broken, but by touching it and by visual examination, she didn’t think it was broken. She said the only way to know for sure was if we did an X-ray, and that wasn’t gonna happen, so we just had to take her word for it. Later, Roxanne explained to Ma how to change my bandages and when to give me my medication. She’d given her antibiotics for possible infection, and some pain medication. Ma spent the next couple of days with me in the hotel, then she took me back to Grandma’s house. There, they cleaned me up real good and made s
ure I was comfortable in bed. I was in and out of consciousness, but I clearly remember Grandma’s crying and constant praying for me.
“Good morning, baby,” Grandma greeted me while changing the bandages on my wound.
“Did I sleep through most of the night?” I asked abruptly, not able to really remember.
“Boy, you’ve been asleep for two days straight. The two medicines we’ve been giving you are strong; but you’re healing well,” Grandma said.
“Where’s Ma at?”
“I’m right here,” she spoke before entering into the bedroom. I attempted to sit up but I was too weak.
“It will be a few days before you’ll get your strength back,” Ma said. “We need to get some food in your system. You haven’t eaten, but, we did make sure you had plenty of water and Powerade. Roxanne said to make sure you were well hydrated,” Ma added.
“All right,” I responded frustrated.
“How about some chicken broth to start off?” Grandma suggested.
“Yeah, whatever,” I said, not really caring.
I had other things on my mind. For one, I hated not being able to do what I wanted and when I wanted. This was worse than being locked in a fucking cell. So much shit had gone wrong and everything happened so fast. There were so many people who could have been the ones to cause all this. At this point, everybody was a suspect and I didn’t know who to trust. The way I saw it, everybody had motive to set me up. I wouldn’t put it past Trixy. I knew she was pissed about how everything had gone down between us. She could have been on some payback shit since I called her out for robbing me. Not only that, she could have done it because of her whole jelousy thing with Tanisha. The way she had gotten all emotional and turned into a psycho bitch when she found out about Tanisha, she probably did it hoping Tanisha would get hurt too.
Then there was Maria. She wanted to be on some baby momma drama shit when she found out about Tanisha. Plus, she was all about the dollars, and you never could put nothing past a greedy bitch. Come to think of it, Maria was at the top of my list as the number-one suspect. She was Biggs’s woman. If anybody had the best connect to take drama to, it would have been her. Plus, Biggs had a beef with me to begin with, so Maria probably didn’t even have to try to convince him to go fuck with me. She probably gave him a copy of the keys to the front door of the fucking house. Even Tanisha was suspect at this point. I never really did know what or if she and Biggs had something going on. She would always mention how he would flirt with her every time he came in the bank. Besides, who knows if she was still fucking with that Mexican cat, Jose. She could have planned this up from day one. This nigga Jose was with the Mexican cartel. She could have been his inside worker this whole time and I never would have known.