by T. Styles
“And how we gonna do that?” Foxie inquires scratching her legs. “Because if I don’t have to fuck, I damn sure ain’t trying to.”
“We sell the experience by finding out what it is they really want. And for the record, pussy will always be involved so keep yours clean.” I look at all of them. “All of ya’ll better keep that thing right.” Blaq clears his throat and I wink. “Don’t worry, baby, we making money off of boy pussy too.”
I hold the phone up Sebastian gave me in the air and smiles rip across the faces of those who know what it was. “Using the client base we already have, we’ll capitalize on their weakness and charge big bucks.”
“I don’t understand.” Hadiya says. She isn’t familiar with how we use to roll.
“I’ll explain in a second.” I open my Business Plan book and hand Olive a piece of paper. On it has five questions that she has to ask each of our clients.
“Olive, you are going to interview our clients. When the interview is over, based on the questions on this paper, we’ll arrange to make their fantasy come true. But they must pay in advance for our services. If they don’t pay up front we don’t fuck with them.”
Olive looks at the list. “I can’t read your handwriting.”
I take a pen and paper and hand them to Passion. “Why don’t you write this on a newer sheet and Olive will read it when you’re done.” She does her best to read my handwriting and successfully makes the transfer. When she finishes Passion hands Olive the paper and I study her facial expressions carefully, waiting for her nod of approval. The questions are simple, but the responses will pay off greatly if we do our jobs correctly.
Reading from the sheet she says, “What kind of flavor turns you on?” Olive reads out loud. “Do you prefer one or more flavors? What kind of kinky thing would you like to do but have never done with your flavors? Where would you like your flavors to meet you? What days are you free?” She looks up at me when she’s done. “It sounds good, but a lot of men will be too nervous to answer these over the phone. We are talking about underage girls, Jayden. They stand to do a lot of time if they are caught with us.”
“Yes we are talking about underage girls, that’s why we’re going to test the theory on the ones who call every night. I already got a few people in mind. One manages a real estate agency and the other is a loyal customer who has slept with every girl in my crew when we first started the business. Their names are Spikes and Clay, and that’s just them. Do you know how much this phone rang when I wasn’t answering? At least fifteen times a day. And the thing is, our ads aren’t even in the grocery stores anymore. I’m telling you they’ll pay big. We’re offering a niche service, ladies.”
I look at all of them. “So how much do you think we can make?” Gucci asks, always the greedy bitch.
I’m not about to tell that whore that I need $250,000 in a matter of months. And to make that sort of cash, each girl needs to bring me about $22,727. “And I’ma need everyone to grind 26 days out of a month. Depending on how hard you work there’s no reason you can’t stack paper. Basically your salary is totally up to you.” Olive rolls her eyes, still hating that I’m giving them cash.
“What about when we get our periods?” Catherine asks, her voice loud and strong like she’s still in the penitentiary. “I know you don’t expect us to fuck when we like that.”
Olive jumps on it. “As long as your pussy not closed up, you still gotta work. If a bitch took a vacation every time she leaked, she’d never get paid.”
She frowns and folds her arms into her chest. “And how we supposed to do that? Niggas not trying to fuck when they know you on your cycle.”
“First of all some freaks might request it.” I dig into the plastic bag and pull out a sponge. “But on the days you do have a situation, and your john isn’t feeling it, use this.”
“What the fuck is that?” Gucci asks through squinted eyes.
“A natural sea sponge.” I hand it to Olive who told me how they work earlier last week.
“And how are we supposed to use it?” Hadiya asks.
“You cut this about twice the thickness of a tampon. Unless you want a stank infection before you stick this in your pussy, rinse it thoroughly because it might have grains of salt or sand in it.” She reaches into the bag and grabs the non-applicator tampon. “You put it on this and stuff it inside of you with KY Jelly.
“Now your pussy gonna dry up, so you girls who never get wet, better apply a little extra. We don’t want you scratching up clients’ dicks.” She points it at all of them. “And never, ever, work dry because the condom will break. If a nigga bucks the KY jelly, tell them it turns you on when it’s slippery and shit like that. I’m not gonna tell you how you run your business, just make sure when you on your period that you use this.”
“But won’t it get stuck in my cooch?” Johnna asks.
“I’ll say this, fishing it out afterwards will be a little tricky but you’ll get use to it over time. Squat down and stick your fingers up there. If you still can’t get it, call me. I’m on hand to help you out whenever you need it.” The girls look at each other. Olive never misses an opportunity to play with some pussy even if it’s gross. “Any questions?”
Silence.
“Good. Lighten up, it’s all about the Benjamin’s.” I say.
****
I just came back in the house from the ice cream parlor. I have the munchies. I’m standing in the middle of the bedroom in the black one-arm dress I wore when me, Passion and Olive went to a bar earlier. We had a little celebration party alone, without the other girls. I place the vanilla cone to my lips, tilt it and lick the edges. So sweet. It reminds me of the ad we did for Thirteen Flavors. I’m so excited because finally we’re back in business.
When I’m done I ease out of my dress and in my bed looking up at the ceiling…again. I charged my phone up and it worked. I have my client list back and am actually about to have my hearing surgery and save my house. When I see my personal cell phone light up. I stuff the hearing aid in my ear, roll over and answer.
“How you doing over there without me?” Kreshon says.
I look at the phone like it isn’t mine. He never talks to me like that. “You must be drunk.”
He breathes into the phone. “Stop fucking with me, Jayden, I don’t play that shit.”
What was he talking about? “Play what shit?”
He’s quiet for a minute. “I was thinking about you and I was calling to tell you that. Why you gotta come at me from left field all the time?”
Although I’m thrown off at how he’s acting, I’m interested in what he has to say. “What were you thinking about? When you were thinking of me?”
“I was just thinking what would a little girl like you do with a man like me? I couldn’t answer the question myself so I had to call you to get the answer.”
I blush. He’s considering my proposal. “I don’t know, are you gonna make it your business to find out?”
“Your voice real big for a little girl,” he pauses, “I hope it can hold weight. Can it?”
I hate when he refers to me as a child, especially since its obvious that he’s making the decision to get with me. “I have a big voice for a big girl.”
He chuckles. “Your mother say anything about me?”
I frown. “Why would she?”
“No reason, she just seemed a little confused when she met me. I’ll be glad when she stops fucking with that alcohol so she can get her mind right. She straight tripping. I figured she was filling your head up with all kinds of shit.”
“My mother got her own business. She not checking for mine.”
“That’s good. I want to take you out, you gonna let me?”
My pussy throbs. “You know I’ma let you. When we hooking up and where we going?”
“How about I surprise you. I’ll call you when I want you to be ready. When I do bring a toothbrush, you won’t need nothing else.”
I guess the bakery busines
s is doing well. “Kreshon, I can’t stay out overnight, I got stuff to do at home.”
“Not even for a nigga who trying to show you a good time? You that rich and famous that you can’t take a break for a moment? Even Hugh Heffner takes breaks.”
I like the reference to Mr. Playboy himself. “Why can’t we just hang out for the day?”
“You know what, maybe I made a mistake by reaching out to you.”
I think about Olive and Passion. If I left I knew they had me and I didn’t want this opportunity with Kreshon to pass me by. Thirteen Flavors was my plan but Kreshon could be back up. Especially since he was willing to put his money on me. Before he hangs up I say, “I can get away. For one night. But after that, I gotta come right back home, cool?”
“Good, I’ll call you later.”
When he hangs up I’m about to flip my clit again when I hear something being thrown at my window. My heart drops when I realize it could be Tywanda’s boyfriend coming back to finish me off. I ease off of the bed and crawl to my window on hands and knees. When I get there, I slowly raise my head, until my eyes can see outside. When I see Sebastian’s blue eyes peering at me within the darkness, I hop up, unlock the latches and open the window. “What’s up?”
“Ask me again.” He says, his brother at his side.
I try to hide my smile but I know it’s impossible. That doesn’t stop me from playing uninterested. “Ask you what, Sebastian?”
“Ask me what you asked earlier.”
I smooth my hair down. “Will you and your brother work for me. Or with me?”
“Yes,” he pauses, “but I’m not doing it for money.”
“I’m trying to get paid!” Luh Rod says, nudging his arm. “Everybody not royalty like you.”
Sebastian pushes him a few feet away and he stumbles to the ground and I wonder what Luh Rod means. “Like I said, I’m not just doing it for money.” He looks at his brother who’s back on his feet brushing his pants off.
“So what you doing it for?”
“I’m doing it for you.” He walks away. “To undue some of the things I almost did.”
I wonder what he means but don’t care. He says yes. I close the window and lean up against it. Now, I’m really ready for business.
GUCCI
EAR HUSTLING QUEEN
Gucci is squatting and pissing on the side of the house when Jayden and Olive come out in the backyard. Although there are five bathrooms in the house, with fifteen people living in Concord, it didn’t matter. When she hears the juicy conversation, capable from her ear hustling abilities, she clenches her vagina walls to prevent any more liquid from flowing out. She didn’t want to alert them that she was there.
“I’m telling you, Tywanda’s nigga looked like he wanted to eat my ovaries, Olive. He was mad as shit. And I started to tell her about it, but I need her mind focused. The nigga was crazy and if it wasn’t for Sebastian and Luh Rod, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I hear you, but don’t you think she’ll find out anyway? She'd been running around the house telling everybody who will listen that he won’t return calls. Turns out she was going back to him anyway.”
“Probably, but right now it’s all about money. Fuck love stories. If any of them niggas gave a fuck about my bitches, they wouldn’t pledge their pussies to my cause.”
Grimy bitch. Gucci thinks. All she cares about is the buck.
“I guess you’re right, I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite you later.”
If I have anything to do with it, not only will it come back to bite her red ass, it will chew it off. Gucci thinks, wiping her wet cooch with her fingers.
****
Tywanda is lying on the living room floor picking the meat out of yesterday’s crabs. Gucci crawls in and acts like she’s interested in Braveheart, the movie she’s watching when even the floors know that she’s faking. But Tywanda is smart, and smelled her ass before she even came into her space. “What do you want, Gucci? I’m watching TV.”
“I wanted to tell you something pertaining to your nigga but since you wanna lie on the floor and eat crabs that don’t belong to you, I guess I’ll go back to what I was doing.”
Tywanda hops up like her ass is on fire. Besides, she’d been trying to reach her ex-boyfriend for weeks but was unsuccessful. “What is it?” She’s holding a crab leg and looks as wild as a two year old. “You know something about my man?”
“I overheard Jayden say he came by here not too long ago. I guess she sent him on his way and didn’t tell you. As you can clearly see, the bitch is loyal to no one. And since we both selling pussy, from one whore to another, I just wanted to let you know. Whether you like me or not.” She was about to walk away until she turns back around and says, “Oh, and them crabs you chewing were mine. You owe me five dollars. I’ll collect that from you later.”
****
Jayden is in her room when Tywanda comes in. She knows the moment she’s seen her eyes that’s something is wrong. Her face is wet with tears and she looks exhausted. Jayden…always on her job, hops up and says, “What’s wrong, baby? Who fucking with you and throwing you off your game?”
Tywanda stands in the middle of the room stuck. “Jayden, did my boyfriend come by here? Because nobody in his family has been able to find him.”
Jayden looks at her as if she turned the channel from her favorite TV show. “Oh…yeah…he came by.” Who the fuck told her that shit? She thinks. “But I had to check the situation.” Jayden says. “Don’t worry, it’s over now and you safe. I know you weren’t fucking with that nigga anyway.”
“What happened?” Tywanda sobs.
Jayden reaches out for her and she slides into her bed. She rubs Tywanda’s back and her chin leans on Jayden’s shoulder. “I wanted to protect you, because I care about you. But since you’re asking I’ma be straight. The nigga asked me for money for you and I wasn’t willing to pay him at first.” She rubs her chin. “You deserve more than that. Think about it, since you been working for me, haven’t you gotten everything you wanted?” Tywanda’s baldhead nods up and down. “Damn right, look at how much money you been clocking under Jayden’s watch. The nigga wanted you for his own financial purposes, not for your wellbeing. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I want you to stay focused on our personal goals.” She maneuvers her chin so that she’s looking into her eyes. “And you know what, in the end he said if I gave him one hundred dollars, that he’d leave you alone for good. We talking about a bill, Tywanda. That shit was lightweight and he took it. First he was asking for big money but when he saw it wasn’t working, he lowered his price. All the way down. For one hundred dollars he promised to leave you alone. He didn’t give a fuck about you. He never did.
Tywanda’s cries pulled from her gut. “Are you serious?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you about shit so real.” Jayden wipes her tears. “I’m the only one who cares about you, that nigga don’t. Remember that.”
Tywanda rests back on Jayden’s shoulder. At least I have you. She thinks. Jayden smiles when she isn’t looking because she knows the truth and the shit she just said are on opposite ends of the planet. But she made it so that she would never find out.
****
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
Craig was at his Grandmother’s 80th birthday party getting his life on in her large home in Virginia. He’d bought her the new mobile chair she wanted and a few new wigs so she could set them old bitty’s straight at church. She was the queen bitch at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He came out like a hero and drank heavily from the five Hennessy bottles he brought with him in self-appreciation and celebration. So when Jayden, Sebastian and Luh Rod strolled into the party holding gifts boxes as empty as MC Hammer’s bank account, claiming to be cousins, he was none the wiser.
Jayden was a predator. She stayed at the party for five hours waiting for the right time. So when she saw him on curve due to the alcohol, she approached him with ill intent in mind.
“I been trying to get up with your ass all night. Follow me?”
The moment he saw her red face and fat ass he forgot where he’d seen her before. The juice killed his smart brain cells and his guard was down. It didn’t take long for her to lead him outside to Olive’s van with the promise of a good dick licking. Once inside, the moment he pulled his pants down and leaned back, Jayden had sliced his dick off at the root and ripped his throat. The rest was history.
JAYDEN
PICK UP CHICKS
The rain beat against the van hard. I don’t have my hearing aids on but I know because when I touch the window, I can feel its rhythm. Sometimes I feel like going deaf is a curse and other times I think it’s a blessing. I can see so much more when I look instead of listen at the world around me. I’m excited about hanging out with Kreshon tonight and I hope he sees that although I’m young, I’m ready to do grown women things if he continues to take care of me. I don’t put all my shoes in one closet, I want to make sure no matter what, I’m taken care of.
When I focus on the road ahead of us, I notice we’re stuck in traffic. We’re on our way to make sure the girls’ hair is tight and that Blaq has a fresh cut although he hates not being able to ease into the salon chair too. I was able to negotiate his need to be feminine and my desire for him to be masculine, when I told him he could dress like he wanted around the house.
Things are looking up for me. My business plan is in full effect, money is rolling in and we have exactly twenty clients confirmed over the next few days. If everything continues this way, I’ll have my deposit for my ear surgery next week.
I’m sitting in the back with Hadiya next to me. When I look over at Passion who’s sitting to my left, she seems different. I hope she isn’t fucking with the shit again because I love that she’s clean. She’s the only person besides me who’s interested in getting a high school diploma and going to college next. But I also know she thinks about my sister a lot. On more than one occasion, I caught her in Madjesty’s room, sleeping on her bed…under her sheets. I never talk to her about it because I’m hoping over time that whatever love she has for her will go away.