Still thicker than water

by Takerra, Allen

  Tatum stared at him and couldn’t believe how calm he was.

  “But what if-”

  “Ssshhh,” he said, cutting her question off, and caressing her face with his hand. “It’s okay. No more what ifs, okay?”

  Tatum nodded and softly kissed the inside of his palm and he pulled her face close and kissed her forehead. As they began to ascend, the fleeting thought of coming clean to her briefly entered his mind.

  Tatum had asked him before if he had been back to the states since he’d left, and he had told her no. She had also asked if he had spoken to Chauncey, and he had denied that as well. As the small plane made its way into the air, Ree reflected on when he had made this same trip back to the states about two years ago.

  “You got five minutes,” the correctional officer had whispered to Ree.

  “Five minutes? Is that what fifteen g’s is worth these days?” Ree had humored. “That’s almost half your salary, nigga.”

  The guard snickered.

  “Yeah, well if I get caught, then that’s my job.”

  Ree chuckled at the rip off, and sat in the darkness in the middle of the quad, on a bench.

  It was almost 1 am. and he was inside of the Prison in Rahway, waiting for Chauncey to be brought down out of his cell.

  After a few minutes, he could see the dark figure make its way to him, dressed in his prison uniform and accompanied by another sideways C.O.

  “Damn, nigga. You everywhere, huh?” Chauncey whispered with a smile, amused at Ree’s power and pull. Respect was the only man in Chauncey's life that he had ever…well, respected. Meeting him when he was so young, Ree was almost like an uncle, or a big brother to him.

  Ree stood and the two went from a hood handshake to a half way hug as Ree patted him on the back.

  “How they treating you in here?”

  “Cant complain. Bricks and bars, aint nothing.”

  Ree nodded and looked up to make sure the officers were a distance away.

  “Alright. Well look, I don’t have too much time, but I wanted to let you know…everything is all set up for you. I know we didn’t talk about it to this extent…but a few things came up. Everything is on you now, I’m out.”

  Chauncey looked on with a million emotions in his face - honor, eagerness, disappointment, and surprise just to name a few. Ree continued.

  “I know you got a lot to learn, but at the same time, you’re a natural born leader, so you’ll learn on your own. The only thing I can tell you is…you gotta tone it the fuck down. No more shine, no more floss, and no more temper. Everything is calculated from now on. You’re a boss, so move accordingly.”

  Chauncey took it all in and then lightly smiled.

  “Man I don’t know why you telling me all this shit for…you gonna lay low ‘til shit cool down, and then you gonna come back.” Chauncey laughed, in a way wanting his words to be true. I mean, of course he wanted to be boss, who doesn’t. But at the same time, he and Ree were a balance. And with that Ree status, comes a lot of problems and headaches. Could he handle it? Chauncey added.

  “Man, plus you got too many sweet things lined up, boss. That new connect. Not to mention your master plan you been working on, that’s all you.”

  Ree sighed and nodded.

  “Well, that’s your master plan now. And that connect, he gonna be waiting on your call when you get out. You make sure you get E to set up your shit for you while you in here. He’s your next in command, and he’s a good choice. He’s loyal to you. Don’t say shit on these phones… and remember don’t let none of these niggas catch no breaks. Make them respect you, just be smart.”

  Chauncey soaked it up like a sponge but felt like he should be holding a pen and a pad. Would this be his last conversation with his boss? …Former boss?

  They stood, knowing that the five minutes was long up, and as they shared another manly embrace, Chauncey could literally feel the passing of the torch in the air, and Ree could feel a part of himself being left behind.

  He left the jail, never looking back, and had one more stop to make before heading back to Jamaica.

  It was the next night and Ree had been sitting in front of Tatum’s house for hours.

  The dark blue van was almost invisible against the night, and he relaxed in the passenger seat, blowing on his signature premium blend of herbs.

  His monotony was broken when her Escalade pulled up on the street and parked right in front of her house. He glanced at his Audemars Piguet watch and saw that it was past 9pm.

  She must be coming from her night class.

  He watched as she stepped out of her truck, dressed in jeans, boots, and a leather jacket for the January weather. Her long hair blew in the night briskness. It had been about six months since he had left her standing in her hallway and she still stopped his heart. Unfortunately he couldn’t say anything to her, because this trip was not in her favor.

  “Yo boss, I don’t know if this nigga coming back here tonight? You sure you don’t want me to just handle it?” Deets, one of Ree’s soldiers, had asked.

  “We wait,” Ree ordered, not taking his eyes off of Tatum.

  She picked up her book bag out of the backseat and looked around with apprehension at the empty and dark block. Ree could see the slight nervousness in her eyes and body language, from it being so late.

  Don’t you worry sweetheart, I’m here. Nobody would dare do anything to you.

  She closed the door and put the alarm on her truck, hurrying to her house and up her steps. As she unlocked the door and pushed it open, Ree’s face dropped in regret.

  Goodnight, baby girl.

  She closed the door behind her, without looking up, and then she was gone.

  About another four hours had passed before they saw what they had been waiting for, and Tatum’s brother Chris pulled up onto the block in his Beamer. Just to their luck, Tatum had taken the last spot on the opposite side of the street, so Chris had to park two spaces behind the van. Ree smirked as he heard the Mobb Deep beats vibrating the quiet of the night from Chris’ system, even through his closed windows.

  Son they shook, cause aint so such thing as halfway crooks

  Scared to death, scared to look. They shook!

  He figured the scene ironic being that Chris was the most shook, halfway crook that he had ever encountered.

  You aint a crook son…

  You just a shook one…

  As the beats came to a sudden halt, Deets discreetly exited the van and crouched down behind it, nestled in between another car. Ree slid gradually over into the driver’s seat.

  He could see through his rearview as Chris exited the car and stumbled drunkenly down the sidewalk. Chris approached closer to the van and Ree’s veins turned cold as if they were pumping ice. Cold, for revenge.

  Just as Chris neared the van, Deets swiftly jumped out and yoked him up, pressing the burner to his neck.

  “Surprise mothafucka!”

  He opened up the back door and threw Chris into the van, jumping in behind him, and Ree slickly pulled off into the night.

  As Deets held the gun pressed against Chris’ cheek, Ree looked through the rearview mirror with a smile.

  “You missed me, sugarfoot?”

  Chris looked up at the cold murderous glare and threw up instantly. He just knew that his sister had spared his life before, but he was wrong.

  “Aw shit, this mothafucka threw up!” Deets screamed, smelling the Hennessey mixed with Kennedy fried chicken. “I think some of that shit got on me!”

  Deets smacked him with the gun out of frustration, and Ree laughed smoothly.

  “That’s enough Deets, don’t worry…we have time for all of that.”

  Chris lay on the floor of the van with a pounding, bleeding head but he heard Ree’s words.

  “Where…where are you taking me?” He mumbled, incoherently. Why weren’t they just shooting him and calling it a day?

  Ree looked through the mirror again with a serious expression.<
br />
  “Oh, we’re taking you somewhere fun…you like fun right?” When Chris didn’t answer, out of pure fear and defeat. Ree just nodded.

  “Yeah Chris, we’re gonna have some fun.”

  Ree walked through the long, dark, and narrow tunnel, the ankle high water splashing every time he took a step. He had waited in the van for about twenty minutes as his boys warmed Chris up, aka, beat the shit out of him. And now, he was ready to wrap it up. He reached a circular metal door at the end of the tunnel and pushed it open.

  When he entered, he saw Deets and Fats, along with a few other soldiers, out of breath and doubled over, saturated in blood.

  Fats, obviously named for his obesity, was the most out of breath, sounding as if he were having an asthma attack as he held a metal baseball bat in his hand, covered in blood.

  Chris hung from the ceiling in chains, in the middle of the room, butt naked and only semi conscious from the agonizing pain. The place was damp and dark, and rodents scurried sporadically around.

  “Yall niggas need to get ya stamina up,” Ree mused at his soon to be former crew.

  He walked up to Chris and tilted his head to the side, placing his hands in his pockets.

  “Damn Chris, you don’t look so comfortable, man.”

  Chris cried, although no tears were coming out. He now realized that snitching on Ree was the worst mistake of his life. He should have ate whatever numbers those cops hit him with. At least he would still be alive when he was done serving them.

  “I’m sor…” he whispered weakly.

  Ree nodded understandingly.

  “I’m sorry too, Chris…You know, I’m sorry that you’re not having as much fun as I thought you would. I thought you would feel at home in the sewer. All rats, should feel at home…in the sewer.”

  Chris tried to talk, but Ree just pulled out his Glock and pressed it to his own lips.

  “Ssshhh, don’t talk Chris. It’s pointless.”

  Chris whimpered as the rest of Ree’s crew stood up, ready to leave the pungent sewer.

  As Ree neared Chris, he managed to make out some of what he was mumbling.

  “My sister…my daughters…”

  Ree shook his head affirmatively.

  “Oh yeah, don’t worry about them. They’ll be fine,” Ree assured him. “They’re better off without you. You would’ve brought them more harm than good anyway.”

  Chris dropped his head in defeat and Ree aimed his gun.

  With his finger on the trigger, he lowered it to Chris’ manhood and pulled.

  “Aarghhhh!” Chris shouted in agony, from the feel of his dick being blasted in pieces.

  “Shit,” Deets, grunted.

  Ree thought he would enjoy seeing Chris suffer but in all actuality, he just wanted the snake dead. Off the earth.

  He had a fleeting thought of Tatum and it fucked him up. Seeing her had taken some of the joy out of this. He shook his head at how she had crept into his thoughts at a time like this. She was a true weakness.

  He lifted the gun, aiming at Chris’ head and as he squinted, ready to fire, he heard Tatum’s voice, back in her hallway when he was ready to kill Chris the first time.

  If you do this, I will never forgive you.

  Ree closed his eyes trying to block the images of Tatum out, and then he re-opened them, looking Chris in his sad and pathetic face. And then, without a second thought, he pulled the trigger.

  Boom!

  “What are we doing back here, boss?”

  Ree paused for a second before answering.

  “Just give me a minute.”

  He toyed with Chris’ keys in his hand, and then swiftly hopped out of the van, took a look around, and then headed for Tatum’s house.

  As he walked up the steps and entered, the smell of lavender and vanilla penetrated his nostrils.

  The house was dark, but he could hear the television from upstairs on. It was after 3 am. so Ree knew that Tatum had fallen asleep with the television on, as she normally did.

  He crept up the stairs, and made his way past the room that Chanel and Tangee were asleep in, and then he approached Tatum’s bedroom at the end of the hall.

  He could hear her lightly snoring, so he made his way quietly inside and could see the imprint of her gorgeous body through the blanket. Her long black hair was fanned out against her pillow, and her serene face peeked from under the covers. She appeared angelic.

  Ree watched her sleep for a few moments, and then he leaned over and placed his nose to her hair, inhaling deeply. He used to love to fall asleep with her head on his chest, adoring the smell of her hair.

  He used his finger to softly trace the bridge of her nose and she stirred gently. He froze and after a few seconds, she was back in her sleep. He didn’t want to risk her waking, so he knew that he had to leave.

  Ree leaned down for one final moment with her, and kissed her so soft, it was as light as a feather on her cheek. And then he whispered in her ear.

  “I’m sorry...I had to.”

  When Tatum awoke a few minutes later, he was well gone and she was sure that it was just another one of her dreams. This time, she could smell him, so it was a good one. She found the large roll of money on her nightstand and figured it was a gift from her brother.

  “Thanks Chris,” she whispered.

  And that would be the last gift that her brother had ever given her.

  “Where are you right now?”

  “Huh?” Ree asked, snapping back into the present.

  Tatum used her forefinger to tap his temple.

  “Here…where are you in here?” She wanted to know where his mind was, and she hoped it wasn’t on second guessing this trip. She appreciated his support but she didn’t want him to take any huge risks, and she didn’t want to risk losing him either.

  He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it.

  “I’m here.”

  He couldn’t believe it either. He was there, and more importantly, she was there.

  Tatum rested her head back on the custom leather seats in the leer jet and sighed.

  “I can’t believe this is happening. I really hope Bri-Bri will be okay…” Tatum couldn’t fathom anything happening to little sweet and innocent Aubrey.

  Ree held her hand tighter, and knew as her man, his job was to rest any worries that she may have, regardless of his own.

  “She will be…,” Ree affirmed, hoping that his words were true. “She will be.”

  “Mrs. Bernstein,” the receptionist called lightly to get her attention.

  Sasha lifted her head and turned, her face swollen and red from crying.

  The receptionist approached her, accompanied by a tall, thin white woman who stared at Sasha blankly. Sasha stood up, sensing the enmity, and Chauncey stood next to her.

  “Yes.”

  “Mrs. Bernstein, this is Ms. Cross from...”

  “Child Protective Services,” the woman interrupted, looking at Sasha confrontationally. Sasha furrowed her eyebrows in anger.

  “Okay?” she responded, defensive, as Chauncey sucked his teeth dismissively. Their daughter was in critical condition, and here these mothafuckas wanted to come with this bullshit.

  “Okay?” The woman spoke sarcastically. “Okay…so you left your daughter alone. Okay, so you’re one year old daughter ingested hazardous materials. Okay, yeah. That’s okay.”

  Sasha flinched, ready to knock this lady’s teeth in, but Chauncey gripped her by the hips.

  “I didn’t leave my daughter alone. Are you crazy, lady? I would never do that! I left her with a babysitter. I left her with my husband’s cousin.”

  At that time Mike had made his way back from the vending machine and stood on the other side of Sasha.

  “What’s going on?” He asked, but no one answered.

  “Where is she, anyway?” Chauncey asked, wondering where this little bitch of a babysitter was.

  “She is nowhere to be found, if there is a she at all. When t
he police arrived, there was no one in the home and it appeared there hadn’t been in a while.”

  What? Sasha thought not believing that Amanda had left her baby. Sasha was also sickened by this woman’s condescending tone and she rolled her neck and squinted her eyes.

  “And how did the police get called? If there was no one home, how did anyone know to call the police?” Sasha asked as if saying ‘duh’.

  “I don’t have time for this. My baby is fighting for her life, and you want to come over here with this bullshit!”

  “Yo lady, I think you need to go ‘head with all this. It’s not the time.” Chauncey waved his hand at her.

  “And you are… the husband? Was it your cousin who was the alleged babysitter?”

  “Alleged?” Sasha shot angrily, as Chauncey chuckled at the woman’s ignorance.

  “Nah, I’m the father.”

  “I’m the husband,” Mike added.

  “Nigga, is that your signature line for the night? We know you the mothafuckin’ husband!” Chauncey barked, getting angry and walking up on Mike, who stood with his shoulders squared ready to fight.

  Sasha jumped in between them.

  “Chauncey! Stop it!”

  The woman scribbled in her pad.

  “So let me get this straight? Your daughter is only one year old, yet you are married… to someone who is not the father?”

  This time Sasha was the one ready to fight.

  “Fuck you, lady!”

  “Okay, lets all calm down,” the receptionist intervened, placing her hand on Sasha’s chest.

  Mike took a deep breath after scowling at Chauncey, and then he turned to the woman.

  “Miss, Sasha’s daughter will actually be two in March, not that it means anything…and my cousin, Amanda Bernstein, was the babysitter. She’s a student at Georgia Tech, you can look it up.”

  The woman nodded.

  “And do you have any idea why she wasn’t present when police arrived on the premises?”

  Mike shook his head as Sasha stood with her arms folded. Chauncey turned his back, not giving this woman any more of his time.