by B. , Ivory
Bzzzz, Bzzzz, Bzzzz Los’s cell phone buzzed loudly on vibrate. He started not to answer but then realized just how shady that would make him look with Lucky right there if he sent the call to voicemail. Damn Shyanne couldn’t of called at a worst time.
“Yo,” Los said into the phone with a hint of irritation in his voice. “It’s about time you picked up the phone. Daddy I miss you! Are you coming back to Philly today? I got a little birthday cake for you,” Shyanne said in a nasty freak tone. Usually that nasty talk would have him going over there to get deep throated and fucked. Today it had no effect on him at all, as a matter of fact it turned him off. “I can taste you in my mouth already.” Los’s eyes flew towards Lucky not knowing if she had overheard Shy or not. Either way he was ending the call.
“Ayo, Shyanne I’m about to hang up.” “Wait! Baby I hope you not mad cause I didn’t come through for your birthday. I tried to be there but your brother ain’t send for me. How the fuck I didn’t get an invite? You need to check your brother, for real.” “I need to what? Fuck you mean I need to check my brother?” Los sneered. “I’m sorry baby. I just really wanted to be there for you on your birthday, you know can’t no other bitch do you like I can!” she boasted with confidence, her voice carrying through the phone. Lucky screwed her face up at that last comment. “Look Shy, I ain’t on it like that, as a matter of fact I’m not fuckin wit you like that period, we through.” “What you mean you ain’t fuckin wit me? Why? What did I do?” her voice cracked with emotion, he could tell she was on the verge of shedding tears. He wanted to be decent, he didn’t want to dog her but she was pressing his patience. “Yo Shy,” Los said. Lucky shot him a look of fury. All these names of endearment Shy this and Shy that nah call her by her fucking government. Lucky thought as she attempted to jump up out of his lap. He grabbed her by the waist pulling her back down. “Shyanne, I don’t owe you no explanations. We were never in no relationship, we was just fuckin from time to time and you know that. But that right there is deaded from now on, I got somebody. I should’ve stopped fuckin wit you after you tried to pull the baby card anyways.” Lucky’s eyes got big with that last statement. “Carlos you and I both know the condom broke! I was pregnant by you but I miscarried,” she said in a tone that wasn’t too convincing. This was news to Lucky now she was ear hustling on over drive. “Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit Shyanne! You tried to pull the okey doke on a nigga, called one night claiming you were pregnant. I told you I wasn’t claiming shit! Till I got a blood test. And when I told you I was picking you up to bring you to my doctor to confirm you were pregnant, You kept ducking and hiding till I showed up at ya spot one morning and you claimed you miscarried the night before. I ain’t ride the short bus to school shorty, give it up Shy you were never pregnant.” “Fuck you Carlos! You and that green eyed bitch! Yeah, I bet you didn’t think I knew about that hoe and how you was all up in her face last night, That’s why you gettin brand new on me all of a sudden. That’s cool though, cause if I catch that bitch in these streets I’ma cut her in her fuckin face! Then let’s see how pretty you think she is!”
Los shot up from the chair knocking Lucky right out of his lap in the process. “Bitch! What the fuck did you just say? Shayanne I will fuckin murda ya ass! Have you really lost ya fuckin mind, you better go find that muthafucka, quick. Make no mistake Shy, hear me and hear me good, run up on her if you want and I will strangle the shit outta you.” Los gritted in a much leveler tone than what he started with.
Lucky was staring up at him like he was crazy. She’d been knocked right to the floor when he jumped up in a rage. A rumbling anxiety built up in her chest, although his anger wasn’t directed towards her it was explosive and she had never seen this side of him before. She made a mental note to never be on the receiving end of his wrath. Most importantly Lucky heard what that psychotic bitch said about cutting her face and that threat definitely had her heart palpitating. “Carlos!” Shyanne screamed through tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, I was just talking out my ass, I would never do that to that girl.” All of a sudden her voice turned nice “Baby why can’t we still creep? I will never tell her.” “Yo you bugged the fuck out. Shy get some help yo, I’m done.” Los said before hanging up on her. He stood there staring off into space his jaw set tight, anger apparent on his face. “Carlos, Carlos!” Lucky called to him. His eyes focused on the sound of her voice and landed on her right there on the floor looking petrified. “Oh shit! I’m sorry,baby girl,” Los said scooping her from the plush carpet as if she were weightless. Lucky wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight trying to calm her nerves but she was shaking. “Why did that psycho bitch say she was…” “Sssh sssh.” Los started to shush her while rubbing her back gently trying to calm her nerves. “Lucky it’s a’ight you know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” Lucky continued to hold onto him, she was mad and scared at the same time. She’d never been threatened like that before, especially not over no damn man. Carlos wanted to clear this up and quick. The last thing he wanted was for Lucky to start having second thoughts and doubts about them because of Shy’s simple ass. “Lucky I’m sorry she even took it there.” “It’s not your fault, you didn’t say it she did.” He held her a little while longer before easing her down to her feet. He pulled back looking deeply into her eyes. “I did what I had to do Lucky, you mine now.” Lucky smiled stood on her tippy toes and planted a kiss on his lips for confirmation that she was indeed his. Carlos broke out into a huge smile making Lucky blush, she didn’t think she could ever get used to him and those dimples. “Lucky Charms I want you to meet me downstairs in three hours, make sure you put on something compfortable. I need to go handle something but I need you to be ready in three hours, okay” he said before kissing her on the forehead and rushing towards the door. “Make sure you ready,” Los called over his shoulder disappearing out the bedroom door. Lucky stood there looking dumbfounded, what the hell just happened? One minute he was there the next he was gone.
As Lucky entered her and Ty’s room the sounds of music hit her before she was all the way in the room. All eyes turned towards Lucky walking in with nothing on but a towel holdng her bathing suit and sandals in her hand. Light laughter and knowing smirks spread across the faces of the three women staring back at her. “Oh now look at this hoe tryna sneak in after getting her back blown out all night!” Keema screamed with a huge smile on her face. Lucky blushed trying her hardest not to smile guitily. “Uh huh You know that’s how she play she so fuckin sneaky, always have been. As close as we all our I never even knew she was fuckin till I caught Cutty sneaking out of her window one night,” Ty said with a laugh. “Y’all leave her alone,” Tamika said with a smile, “What up lil mama?” Tamika asked. “Hey Meek Meek, what you doing here?” “Girl Ty was tryin to convince me to come earlier this week and I was like hell no. You know closing my shop on a Saturday is unheard of, weekends my best days of the week. Come to find out half my damn clientel up here. Philly is like a ghost town, so I came my ass up here to make me a coupla stacks real quick. I know bitches hair gotta be looking a hot ass mess after being in a pool last night.” All the woman started laughing, Tamika was always on her grind.
Lucky had known Tamika for years now and the two had become really close. Mika was the closest thing to a big sister all three of them had. Lucky was introduced to Tamika by her ex Cutty. Tamika was Cutty’s older brother Kwan baby’s mama. Mika had what people called magic hands, she could literally make the baldest broad out here grow some damn hair. Argumentably she was one of the best stylist in the city. Getting on her clientel list was pretty hard because she didn’t fuck with chicks who had slow money or no money, nope she would deligate that to the other stylist in her shop. She owned her own hair salon, which was one of the hottest in the city. Lucky could see only one problem with the shop, it had gotten too damn ghetto. A couple of the beauticians that rented chairs from Mika were messy and had some unsavory type of clients. Mika had been do
ing all three of their hair for some years now and she was there for Lucky when Cutty was shot and killed years ago. Mika had basically witnessed the girls grow into beautiful young women. Her and Cutty’s brother were no longer together. He was serving a 25 to life prison term on a murder rap. Despite Kwan being locked Mika held him down to the fullest. Commissary always full and even looked out for his other kid by a different chick, while raising their son on her own. Not to mention bringing lil Kwan to see his father damn near every week. Lucky really didn’t know how Mika managed to do all this.
She was older than the other girls at 30, she thought she had the wisdom of a wise elder. To her credit she had lived the life you could write about. With being a hustsla’s wife, she’d been through so much she tried to give them advice when she felt they needed it. Mika was short in stature, around 5’2 but she was sick with her hands in more ways than one. She had a reputation of being a brawler back in her hay days, she’d calmed her ass down a lot though but get her mad and that old Mika would be on the scene.
Lucky headed to her room to get some clothes on returning to the living room with a little cotton short sleep set on. She flopped on the couch and leaned her head against Ty. “Oh so ya ass is tired after giving birthday boy all that birthday cake last night,” Keema teased. Lucky tried to keep a straight face but couldn’t help but laugh with everyone else. “Damn, girl your wrist looking like it got the flu!” Tamika screamed. All eyes went to Lucky’s charm bracelet, the sunlight from the windows were hitting it making colorful streaks on the wall. Ty screamed and grabbed Lucky’s wrist to get a better look. “Lucky what the hell you do to that man?” Ty asked. “Well hawt damn!” Keema shrieked. Lucky blushed and laid her head on Ty pretending to hide from all the attention. Ty shrugged her shoulder playfully and frowned. “Oh no, bitch I hope you took a shower. I don’t want you and Los sex juices all over me.” Tamika and Keema started cracking up. Mika was busy working on Keema’s hair putting huge spiral curls in her thick long mane. “Whateva hoe, of course I took a shower. Even if I didn’t my man… wiped me down before I took one,” Lucky said her voice trailing low on the last part of her statement. “He did what?” Ty asked with a huge smile on her face. “He got a soapy rag and wiped me down when I was sleeping. I woke up while he was doing it.” “Oh shit! You got that nigga open already!” Mika said loudly. Everyone in the room laughed. Ty turned her head and looked over at her younger cousin with a look of pride.“So your man ha? Did I hear you correctly?” “Yeah you did,” Lucky confirmed. All the women in the room started screaming as if Lucky hit the lotto and in a strange way she had. “Tell all hoe, we waitin. And don’t skip nothing when you get to the sex part, we know how you get down you try to keep everything tight lipped,” Keema demanded.
Lucky replayed all the events of the morning, when she was done they all had their mouths hung open. “That bitch said what?! I will go to fuckin jail if her looney ass ever,” Ty fumed. “I better not catch that deranged, thirsty bitch in my shop,” Mika warned. Keema was mad and concerned. “Lucky where did Los go? Do you think he went to do something stupid to that girl?” “No. He told me to meet him downstairs in 3 hours, its not like he gon drive to Philly kill her and be back within 3 hours,” Lucky said with a chuckle at the absurdity of her comment. Keema kept her thoughts to herself, Lucky had no idea how Carlos and his team really got down she’d learn for herself oneday.
“That’s a damn shame these dumb bitches out here fightin and cutting each other up over a man That’s some thirst bucket shit. One chick will be wearing a scar for the rest of her life, while the other doing time. And you know where that nigga will be, on to the next one. I swear these dumb broads will never learn.” Lucky sat there letting Mika’s words sink in. “Lucky don’t let that psycho broad stop you from building something with Los,” Ty advised. Lucky locked eyes with Ty, it was weird how Ty could read her at times. She was going to take Ty’s advice. At the same time she wasn’t going to sleep on Mrs. Fatal Attraction she definitely had to keep a watchful eye out for her.
When Mika was finished with Keema’s hair Lucky got up to sit in Keema’s seat. “Unh, unh it’s my turn!” Ty yelled. “Ty I’m running late. He said be downstairs in 3 hours and I’m still not dressed. Let me go first pleeease.” Ty sucked her teeth before saying “Go head.” Tamika washed Lucky’s hair, blew it dry and styled it in a real cute stylish bun on top of her head. By the time Tamika was done with Lucky’s hair she only had half hour left to get ready. After taking another quick shower to freshen up, she threw on a fitted tee and denim shorts that had little rips in them. As she slipped on her open toe Michael Kors flats she mentally thanked Ty for insisting she bring some compfortable and casual wear. After she sprayed herself with D’ior perfume she grabbed her Louie bag and was ready to go. “Okay, ladies how do I look?” Lucky asked coming out of the bedroom doing a little twirl. Everyone in the room shook their heads in approval. “Alright, hugs kisses,” Lucky sang as she whipped through the room giving her close circle kisses and hugs goodbye.
“ Chilly checked these VA dudes out already. They money right, they about they paper but need a supplier. We got that work, so things should go smoothly. I hope y’all noticed we deligating more and more territories and responsibilities to y’all, I’m really feeling like its time for y’all young niggaz to step up and put that work in so me and Nice can fall back. I’ma need for you and Real to be on y’all A-game, nah mean?” Los asked. “We got this Los,” Jah assured knowing Los had his doubts. Carlos looked over at Real, who was a lot like himself in many ways, that’s why Los noticed him early on and put him on. “Big Homie we got this, we on it,” Real confirmed.
Los was a little wary mainly because the sell was so big. If they were talking baby money he wouldn’t be concerned. That’s the only thing that convinced him to work with the dudes from VA, the weight they were talking about coppin, and the fact Chilly vouched for them. Los was putting his trust in both Jah and Real to handle something of this magnitude because he was slowly trying to prep them for higher positions, his main objective was to one day be absolutely invisible in the game. “I’ma be on them, especially ya pup, you know he got some type of mind control over the rest of them lil niggaz,” Jah said with frustration.
Los chuckled to himself, it was true Real did have mind control over the rest of the pack. Los took notice of Real years ago. He was running around reckless making a name for himself in the streets as being short tempered, and ruthless. He had a little street fam he ran with and all of them were on some young and wild shit. They were filthy, grimey, hood, and hungry. Exactly what a boss needs on his team, soilders.
The block, trap houses, and serving fiends on corners was all they knew. Los took Real under his wing, he saw something in him, he needed a little guidance but he had boss potential. Real’s loyalty to his team was admirable, when Los put him on, he didn’t forget to mention his team. The dudes he came up with, hustled with, caught cases with and settled beef with. After Carlos met Real’s team and had them show and prove. He had no choice but to put the whole team on. Giving the younger men the moniker Wolf Pack. That’s exactly what they reminded Los of, a pack of young, wild, hungry wolves. Taming, calming and educating them about the game on a higher level than just street level shit proved to be tedious. Nonetheless, Los had gotten it done. Now he was hoping they could stay on point without him being around or Nice advising them on what to do. This was their test, he was hoping they didn’t let him down.
Your a Big Girl Now
Lucky came downstairs and noticed Los was already there talking to Jah, Real and Nice. They seemed to be immersed in a pretty intense conversation so she fell back and waited until they were done. Los cut his eyes to the side, noticing Lucky standing there, He had to do a double take and admire just how pretty she looked with her hair pulled up out of her face. The rest of the men turned around and followed Los’s gaze. “Damn maybe you could look past the head thing, cause Shorty bad,” Jah said under his brea
th. Los gave Jah the evil eye. “Come on Baby girl,” Los called out to Lucky. Once Lucky got in arms reach, he grabbed her up turning her around so her back was facing him and buried his face in her neck wrapping his arms around her small waist; discreetly he traced his tongue on her neck making her giggle. For a minute, Los got so caught up with Lucky he forgot his boys were there, who were all looking on in shock seeing Los carry on in public like that with a chick; before now that shit was unheard of. “A’ight ma niggaz for life I’m out.” He let Lucky go and dapped out Jah, Real and Nice before giving all of them manly hugs. Just then his car was brought up by valet. He held the door open for Lucky to get in and they were off.
Lucky had been driving with Los for about an hour and had no idea where she was going. All she knew was they were heading North towards New York. Los exited the Jersey Turnpike entering New York. One of the signs read JFK airport in 30 miles. He took the exit towards Queens that lead them to Van Wyck Expressway. Looking over at Lucky he realized how alarmed she looked. He pressed the volume button on his steering wheel, “You a’ight baby girl?” Lucky shook her head yes. “Where are we going?” “You said you was wit me right?” Lucky nodded her head yes. “So don’t worry about it.” He said reaching over and pinching her cheek. Lucky smiled, sat back and relaxed closing her eyes. She hadn’t even realized she fell asleep until she was awakened by Los placing soft kisses all over her face. Lucky woke up slightly disoriented at first noticing they were in some sort of parking garage.
“Last call for flight 237!” Lucky sat up realizing they were in an airport garage. “What are we doing here?” “We about to catch a flight ma,” He said trying to suppress a smile. “A flight? Where?” Lucky asked incredulously. Los chuckled, “You don’t trust me Lucky Charms?” “Yeah I do baby, but I want to know where I’m going.” “Let’s just say out of the country somewhere.” Lucky’s eyes bulged for a second. “I can’t leave the country, Carlos I don’t even have my passport or any of my papers on me.” A mischievous smile spread across Los’s face as he lifted his hand to her face. Lucky’s mouth fell agape when she noticed that he was holding her passport. She already had her driver’s license on her, so she was indeed set to go. “How did you get my stuff?” “Ty. Happy birthday Baby girl.” Lucky threw her arms around his neck hugging him tight as she rained kisses on his cheek and neck. Carlos chuckled when Lucky began to kiss him all over his face like an excited puppy. He broke their embrace suddenly “C’mon, we running late, we about to miss our flight.” Lucky hopped out of the car and rushed into the airport hand and hand with Los.