Still thicker than water

by Takerra, Allen

  “I…I don’t know why she wasn’t there. But I hope that she is okay.”

  Sasha hadn’t even considered that maybe something had happened to Amanda, she was just so upset with her for not being around.

  The woman looked at the group and then nodded again.

  “One more question…do you always leave chemicals accessible to your daughter?”

  “My house is baby-proofed, lady. All of my cabinets have safety locks,” Sasha sassed.

  “Really?” The woman asked challenging.

  “Really.”

  “Well, the police found a half bottle of pine cleaner on the kitchen floor…but I guess that’s a safe place for it, huh?”

  The woman could tell by the pain and shame in Sasha’s face that she had touched a nerve. Mike shut his eyes, remembering them rushing out of the house and Sasha sat down slowly in one of the chairs, as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

  “I…I made a mistake,” she whimpered.

  Chauncey didn’t know the full story but he knew that he didn’t like seeing Sasha so upset, especially with what was already weighing on her brain. He knew Sasha was a damn good mother, so all of this extra stuff was irrelevant.

  “Okay, I think that’s a wrap,” Chauncey instructed, guiding the woman with his hand on her back.

  “Please don’t touch me,” she warned.

  “Well, then get the fuck outta here,” he ordered.

  She took one final look at them and made her way towards the doors.

  “You’ll be hearing from me soon,” she threatened over her shoulder and Sasha closed her eyes.

  Please wake me up…somebody wake me up.

  Chapter 19 - Strength

  The all black, tinted out Yukon truck pulled up to the back of the Wingate Hotel, with the back passenger door only feet from the fire exit and employees only entrance. This was the same Yukon that had greeted Tatum and Ree at the steps of their jet, as if they were President Obama and First Lady Michelle.

  A middle aged white man, dressed in a blue suit and red tie, stood at the door, holding it slightly ajar with a welcoming smile.

  “Good evening sir, welcome to the Wingate by Wyndham of Georgia,” he greeted in good spirits, as Ree stepped out and escorted Tatum inside of the small entrance.

  “Good evening,” was Ree’s casual response as he took the plastic keys from the manager.

  “Good evening ma'am,” he addressed Tatum. Tatum smiled through her thoughts of baby Aubrey and Sasha.

  “Good evening.”

  As the man directed them to a back stairwell, he spoke quickly.

  “Hopefully sir I have accommodated you to your liking in the short notice that I was given. Please feel free to let me know of anything, and I mean anything, you may need during your stay here.”

  Ree nodded and Tatum followed them up the narrow staircase that she was sure was not the one for general access.

  She noticed the oversized black man who had driven the Yukon, was also following them up the steps, and was walking close behind her. He hadn’t spoken more than two words since they had gotten into the car. And those two words were a ‘what’s good’ directed to Ree. She wondered who he was.

  When they reached their floor, and approached the first door in view, both the hotel manager and the big man went their separate ways and Tatum and Ree entered the room.

  “Who was that?” Tatum asked once they were inside. The room had a slight chill but did have a fireplace going, and she noticed a jacuzzi off to the side which had a bottle of Ace of Spades on ice. But she doubted it would be of use, being that this was not a pleasure trip. She could see however, that the manager had done his best to have the room to Ree’s standards.

  “You mean the big dude… that drove us here?” Ree finally responded.

  “Mmmhmm,” she nodded as he tossed his duffel bag onto the bed.

  “That’s my man, Crush. He’s a friend of mine that stays here in Atlanta.” Ree walked over to the opened wall-length curtains and closed them quickly with the remote. “I’ve known him for a very long time. And he will be accompanying you to the hospital.”

  Tatum furrowed her eyebrows.

  “You’re not coming, too?”

  He looked up at her and started to make his way over.

  “I wish I could sweetheart… but I don’t think that’s wise. I’ll be right here though. And trust me, Crush will look out for you.”

  Tatum shook her head nonchalantly and waved her hand, feeling silly.

  “No…I’m not worried. And that was a dumb question anyway.”

  He held her by the shoulders.

  “No question of yours is dumb, cut it out.”

  He kissed her forehead.

  “Give Sasha and Aubrey… and Chauncey, my love. Call me as soon as you find out what’s going on, okay?”

  There was a light tap on the door and Tatum nodded.

  “Okay,” she agreed.

  Ree walked over to the door, his swagger more dominant in every step, and when he opened it, Tatum saw that it was the same big man.

  “Ready?” big man asked, in his deep husky voice.

  Okay, three words, Tatum thought as she made her way to the door, hospital bound.

  “Oh my god, I’m so happy you’re here,” Sasha confessed, holding Tatum tight in the middle of the lobby.

  “Are you crazy? This is my god baby we’re talking about…how is she?” Tatum asked, concerned and nervous.

  Sasha sighed.

  “Well, she’s conscious. They’re still working on her, making sure her nervous system is okay. But the doctor says it’s looking good.”

  Tatum exhaled in relief.

  “Oh thank god! Did your parents make it?”

  “We still can't get in touch with them,” Sasha revealed.

  Tatum saw Mike seated at a small chair next to the water cooler and she waved at him with a friendly smile.

  As he nodded and waved back, Tatum noticed Chauncey and E making their way down the hallway from outside. She walked over and met them halfway.

  “Hey E,” she greeted. “Come here, big bro,” she added, embracing Chauncey in a big hug. She hadn’t seen him in so long. “How you holding up?”

  She could smell the smoke on him and could tell that he was probably out having a cigarette; she could imagine how shot his nerves were. Chauncey shrugged and ran his hand over his head.

  “Best I could I guess…that’s my baby girl in there, you know?”

  Tatum nodded and half smiled in an attempt to comfort.

  “But she’s gonna be okay, Chaunc. I know she will.”

  “Yeah, I know…anyway, I hear you an island girl now. How’s that?”

  Tatum smiled, seeing the multiple dimensions in Chauncey’s question.

  “It’s good. He sends his love,” she added. Just then Jayde made her way up to them and Tatum gave a generic smile. Ever since Sasha had told her about the whole queen pin, drug pusher scenario, Tatum didn’t know what to make of her.

  “Hey Tatum,” she greeted. “How are you?”

  Jayde engulfed Tatum in a warm hug and Tatum could smell her prestigious perfume. She tried her hardest to maintain her same demeanor as the last time she’d seen her, pre-drug lord revelation.

  “I’m okay…under the circumstances.”

  Jayde shook her head.

  “I know. I’d say it’s nice to see you, but that doesn’t even feel right.”

  “Yeah,” Tatum agreed, reflecting on what she had just said.

  “Are you alone?” Jayde asked, looking past Tatum and around the room.

  Tatum squinted her eyes at Jayde.

  “I am. Well, me and…him,” Tatum informed her, pointing at Ree’s friend/driver/bodyguard who stood posted by the door.

  Jayde looked over at Crush and pursed her lips.

  “Oh, I see,” she giggled. This bitch really came up, personal escorts and all, Jayde mused. Lucky girl.

 
She took in Tatum fully. She could tell Ree had her living like a queen. Her wardrobe and maintenance seemed to be just as well kept as before, there was no drastic change there. But there was an aura of prestige and of stature that only a fellow boss bitch could recognize in another. Jayde had to give her the props; Tatum carried her new queen bee title well and effortlessly.

  The doctor emerged from the double doors at the end of the hall, breaking up the small talk, and everyone approached him in anticipation.

  ‘She’s gonna be okay,” he declared with a smile, and you could literally hear everyone’s sigh of relief. He continued.

  “We’re going to keep her for a few days for observation, but other than that, she will be good to go. She’s a trooper.”

  Sasha clasped her hands together and thanked god and Chauncey smiled wide and wrapped his arms around her, causing Mike to frown lightly.

  “You could go see her shortly. Parents first,” he instructed, shooting Mike a look, and then walking off.

  Everyone took turns hugging Sasha, truly thrilled that Aubrey had pulled through and Tatum took out her cell phone, ready to fill Ree in on the good news.

  “I’m sorry Miss, no phone calls in here,” the receptionist informed her.

  Tatum rolled her eyes lightly.

  “Okay y'all, excuse me for a minute. I’m going to call…,” She paused and looked at all of the watching eyes. “I’m going to make a phone call.” And then she headed down the corridor. She couldn’t wait to tell him.

  Ree saw Tatum calling, but didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was stunned into silence as he held the phone to his ear. For the first time since he could remember, he couldn’t think straight or rationally.

  “This is not even possible,” he finally managed to utter.

  “How do you figure that, Sean?” Trinity sniffed through the phone, and he could tell she was crying. “You’ve slept with me more than once. At one time, you even shared your bed with me.”

  Ree sat on the hotel bed and stared blankly at the flickering fireplace. He couldn’t believe it. And to think, he wasn’t going to answer Trinity’s call, but after the tenth time, he decided against his better judgment.

  He ran his left hand over his face in frustration as he held the phone with his right.

  “Trinity…I’ve always used protection with you. Always,” he reiterated. Ree was not stupid, he knew Trinity was the type of woman that would love to luck up and have his child. He never slipped with her.

  “Well, that’s why it's not one hundred percent Sean!” She screamed. “When you decide to sleep with someone, there is always a possibility!”

  Ree closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again. He knew she was right. But something about her voice, the venom in it. He just didn’t believe her. He contemplated on whether if it was the fact that he didn’t want to believe her.

  “Trinity, listen to me. If I find out you’re lying to me…if I find out this is a scheme or something…I’m going to…,” he paused, and changed the course of his words, not wanting to threaten the potential mother of his child, if she was in fact telling the truth. “It just…it just wouldn’t be a good idea for you to play around like that.”

  There was a silence and he could tell she was taking in what he was saying, another sign that gave Ree a red flag. But she insisted.

  “Sean! I am pregnant…with your child! I’m sorry if this doesn’t fall into your little fairytale with your American project princess…but you are going to have to deal with it. And before you even ask it, suggest it, offer it, whatever. I will not terminate my pregnancy!”

  It wasn’t a thought in Ree’s mind yet, to suggest that. But he already knew by her temperament that it was not happening. He wondered how Tatum would take the news. Could she handle it?

  “Alright,” he finally simplified.

  Trinity was taken aback by his cool demeanor.

  “Alright?” She asked, not able to mask her surprise.

  “Yup, alright… Let me know what you need.”

  “Really?” She asked, feeling like maybe she had a chance to come back into his life, and his heart.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “And when the baby comes, we will do a blood test.”

  Trinity’s heart sank. Well, first it shattered, and then sunk.

  “How…,” her voice cracked. “How could you even say that to me? There’s been no one else, Sean.”

  “Trinity,” he spoke softly. “It’s nothing personal. I just know... It’s for my own sanity.”

  She cried.

  “Sean, I’m having your baby…how is that not personal?”

  Ree sighed. He knew that if it was the small possibility that she was telling the truth, then he was handling the situation all wrong. He would have to be a man, and face up to his responsibilities. But in the end, there would be a blood test, and Trinity would not be able to escape it.

  “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I’ll…I’ll be here. Just call me if you need anything.”

  He disconnected the call and dropped his head into his hands and wondered how this had happened. Things like this didn’t happen to men like him. Careful, well-calculated, men like him.

  He sat in that position for an hour and a half, deep in thought, until he heard Tatum unlocking the hotel door, breaking him out of his contemplation.

  She walked in, looking radiant. Her skin glowing and her face lit up with happiness. He dreaded the fact that he was about to cut that happiness short.

  “Guess what, Ree?” She walked hurriedly over to the bed. “She’s fine! Aubrey’s fine…I seen her!” She beamed. He smiled through his deliberation.

  “That’s great baby.”

  “I tried to call you, did you see?” He didn’t answer.

  “Did you see me calling you, Ree?” She asked again.

  He looked up at her, feeling a million emotions at once, a million emotions that he had never felt.

  “Tatum,” he spoke seriously. “We have to talk.”

  She faced him with curiosity and he proceeded.

  “There’s something I have to tell you.”

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” Jayde admitted, making her way to the parking lot with E in tow. She had asked Bleek to get her Range Rover from the restaurant and meet them up at the hospital so that he could give them a ride home, being that Chauncey, Sasha, and Mike were staying at the hospital.

  She was relieved that Aubrey would be okay, but was more than curious as to what had actually occurred.

  Jayde had called Sasha' parents for her and left a message that everything was okay, a follow up to the message that she had left before saying that they needed to be on the first flight to Atlanta. Now that all seemed to be calm, her hunger was kicking in.

  “Yeah,” E said blandly. He was trying his best to give Jayde a chance, thinking that maybe working with a female was something that he just had to get used to. Lately he had been being really hard on her, especially since the pool incident. Anything that she had asked of him, he ignored. And he knew that was no way to treat someone on his team. He lightened up. “That food at the party was looking type good too,” he humored.

  Jayde chuckled.

  “Yeah, I know. I should go back to that bitch and eat.”

  They approached the truck and Bleek hopped out of the driver’s seat and threw his head into a nod at them.

  “What up Bleek?” E said in response as Jayde just smiled and watched Bleek climb into the backseat. Her mind traveled back to when she had mounted his face in her living room after he had protested, preaching about his girl and his baby. She wondered if they could have an encore tonight, he definitely had a killer tongue game.

  E climbed into the passenger seat and Jayde changed the CD from the Tupac that Bleek was blasting, to her Mozart classical music.

  “Bleek, next time, don’t touch my shit.”

  E raised an eyebrow to the classical symphony that serenaded them and turned and looked back at
Bleek, who just shrugged. Bleek knew that eventually, E would realize how strange she really was.

  “Y'all wanna hit the waffle house?” She asked over the piercing violins.

  It was close to 4 am, and with the exception of Bleek, neither of them had eaten anything.

  “That’s cool,” E said, looking out of the window as they cruised down Peachtree Dunwoody. It was dead, like a ghost town.

  “I can definitely eat,” Bleek agreed from the back, checking his phone messages.

  Oh you definitely can, Jayde thought and smirked through the rear-view. Bleek matched her eyes and knew what she was thinking. He was down, but only if he could go all the way. E was lost in his thoughts, oblivious to their secret signals.

  As they approached a red light, a black tinted out Escalade pulled up beside them. E glanced at the vehicle but then faced forward.

  He contemplated if maybe they should bring some food to the hospital for Sasha and Chauncey.

  “Yo J, you think we should-”

  “E duck!” Bleek shouted from the back, as bullets began to rip through Jayde’s Range Rover, turning the passenger side instantly into Swiss cheese.

  “What the fuck!” Jayde shouted, trying to drive off but noticing a car in front and one on her left side had them boxed in. A set up.

  E tried to crouch his large frame down, reaching in his waist for his nine as Bleek blazed shots back at the firing Escalade with his .45. The way the bullets were raining on them though, Bleek could tell they were working with Mac-11 machine guns, and he couldn’t match it.

  “Drive J, drive!” Bleek shouted, arm out and firing like a true soldier.

  She dropped her seat all the way down and threw the car into reverse quickly, backing up and escaping the parade of shots. Bleek looked through the back window and guided her as she continued to floor the gas.

  “Alright, bust a U-turn! Bust a U-turn!” He yelled.

  She sat up, when she knew she was a distance away from the other cars, quickly spun a U-turn, and raced down the opposite end of the street.

  E stayed crouched down in the seat.

  They looked back and didn’t see anyone following so they breathed a sigh of relief, and Jayde let up lightly off of the gas.