by Roy Glenn
After all, the nigga is psychic.
When they arrived at Bones, Baby Chris led them in, followed by Jackie and Carter. Rain waited outside while Baby Chris spoke with the hostess and just as they were about to be seated, Rain walked in and followed them to the table. Although the hostess made no notice of her, Rain’s entrance did not go unnoticed.
As soon as Rain passed him, Dennis Smith, who was AD’s eyes and ears at the restaurant, recognized Rain from the old days when she used to come there with Ronnie. He immediately called AD. “What’s up?”
“Rain Robinson just walked in here with her crew.”
“What?”
“You heard me, Rain Robinson and her crew just walked in here.”
“What are they doing?”
“Paula just seated them,” Dennis said and paused to watch them. “Now they’re looking at the menus.”
And the menu was loaded with favorites to make your taste buds jump for joy. There was chicken, smothered, baked or fried turkey wings and hot or fried chicken wings, smothered or fried pork as well as turkey chops. You could get southern style chicken, smothered steak and meatloaf and of course, there were those fall off the bone ribs.
“What do you want me to do?” Dennis asked, and AD had to think for a second or two.
“I’ll call you back,” AD said and ended the call.
“I’ll call you back? Fuck you mean, you’ll call me back? I don’t have anybody here to deal with them. You need to do something.”
“I am gonna do something,” AD said.
“What?”
“I’ll let you know when I call you back,” AD said and ended the call. “Niggas.”
While Rain was looking at the menu, she didn’t notice the woman coming at her.
“Lorraine?” the woman questioned, and Rain turned to her. “I thought that was you. Come here girl and give me a hug.”
As Rain stood up and gave the woman a hug, a shocked Carter, Jackie and Baby Chris looked on. Baby Chris leaned close to Jackie.
“Who’s Lorraine?” he asked.
“Duh, that’s Rain’s real name,” Jackie said in a way that made Baby Chris feel a little stupid. Lorraine … Rain. Yeah, I should have figured that one out for myself.
“How are you, Miss Betty,” Rain said.
Bones was her place and during the years, she had resisted pressure from Robert and now AD to, shall we say, add a little spice to the menu, but she steadfastly refused to have any parts of drugs or drug money. She would delight in reminding Robert that, “you ain’t slinging that stuff out of your restaurant. Ain’t no way in hell you’re gonna make me sling it out of mine,” and she didn’t. Bones was strictly legit.
“I am doing just fine, Lorraine.” Miss Betty stepped back. “Let me have a look at you.” She paused. “How long has it been?”
“Nine, maybe ten years,” Rain said.
“That is far too long, Lorraine. Even though you and Ronald couldn’t make it work, that didn’t mean you had to stop coming here to see me.”
“You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry,” Rain said and smiled. “In fact, I think we’re gonna start coming here to eat a lot more often. Baby Chris here was just telling us that the meat still falls off the bone on them ribs.”
“Paula,” Miss Betty said,
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Take up these menus and tell Kevin that I said to make four loaded sampler platters.” She paused. “And I do mean loaded. We have two big strong handsome men here and they look like they can put away some food.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Carter and Baby Chris both said almost in unison.
“I know you can.” She turned and looked at Jackie. “I don’t know about you, young lady, but I know Lorraine had quite the appetite.”
“She still does. And I’m dying to try those ribs I’ve been hearing so much about.”
Miss Betty hugged Rain again. “It so good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too, Miss Betty.”
“Now you sit down and enjoy your friends while I go see that Kevin does right. He gets a little stingy with the food sometimes.”
“I’d appreciate it if you watched over our food personally. You know how I like my bones,” Rain said and sat down knowing that Miss Betty understood what she really meant.
“Almost burnt and dripping with sauce,” she said as she left the table and headed toward the kitchen knowing that she knew without saying that she needed to watch over anything they were going to serve Rain Robinson.
Everybody in the world knows that she had something to do with what happened to Robert and Ronald and she has the nerve to show up here.
“That’s right. Make sure they don’t poison our food, Miss Betty,” Rain said and everybody at the table laughed as she went in the kitchen.
It was just about that time that AD finally got the call that he had been waiting for with instructions from Rona. He first had to call Erica at the King Family restaurant and get her to call Rona. Once she relayed the message and got instructions, Erica called him back.
“Do nothing. She isn’t there to start anything,” Erica told AD.
“She said to do nothing?” He questioned, thinking that this was the time to get a team down there and end this war. The fact that Rain was there meant that things were about to take a turn and it would be for the worst.
“Rain Robinson came there to make a point, not start shit,” Erica said, recalling the conversation that she just had with Rona.
I had actually expected her to come there to you at the restaurant, Erica but this makes more sense. I should have anticipated her going to Bones. That’s where her and Ronnie used to go.
“So, what does she want me to tell Dennis?”
“She said do nothing. And that means that you tell him to do nothing,” Erica said and ended the call.
Chapter Seventeen
AD sat there for a while after Erica hung up on him before he called Dennis back. He had a decision to make. Do nothing, or defy Rona and get a team down there, end this war and apologize to her while he was standing over the dead bodies of Rain Robinson, Carter Garrison, Jackie Washington and Baby Chris. He knew in his heart that was the right thing to do.
It’s what Robert would have done. Fuck all these mind games that Rona wants to play.
If it were up to him, AD would have Dennis discreetly start getting civilians out while moving his team of shooters in. Once the restaurant was flipped from civilians to shooters, they would open fire and kill them all. But it wasn’t up to him.
“Fuck it,” AD said and picked up his cell to call Dennis. If Rain’s there, she knows it’s Rona that was backing them fools. He laughed as the phone rang. Rain’s gonna kill her.
“Thank you for calling Bones, this is Dennis. How may I help you?”
“Do nothing.”
“Fuck you mean, do nothing?”
“What does do nothing mean?”
“I fuckin’ know what do nothing means. It’s means do nothing,” he said excitedly as Paula came in the office and closed the door behind her. “And then what do I do?”
“And then nothing. Your boss said she isn’t there to start anything, so do nothing.”
“Yeah, well, your boss gonna get us all killed,” Dennis said and hung up the phone.
AD pressed end. “Unless somebody kills her first.”
“Who gonna get us all killed?” Miss Betty asked.
Dennis was startled because he didn’t see her come in. “Rona,” he said.
“What she say?” Paula asked.
“She said don’t do anything.”
“Told you.” Paula said and started toward the door.
“Told him what?” Miss Betty asked sternly, expecting her question to be answered. Paula stopped and they both looked at Dennis.
“When Rain and them came in, I called AD and asked him what I should do. Well you know he had to call Rona and—”
“And I told him that she would say not to
do anything,” Paula said.
Miss Betty looked at Dennis. “And what did you think she should do?”
Dennis paused for a second. “I think AD need to get Danny Quinn and the boys down here and—”
Miss Betty looked terrified at the mention of Danny Quinn. He was the man that Robert used to call when he wanted to make a particularly violent and bloody statement.
“And do what?” Miss Betty’s fists hit her hips. “Commit murder … in my restaurant? Is that what you were suggesting happen?”
“No, ma’am,” Dennis said meekly.
“Yes, he did, Miss Betty.”
“Shut up, Paula. Wasn’t nobody talking to you.”
“He said AD was gonna send Danny Quinn’s psychotic ass up here and—”
“Shut up, Paula. You talk too much.”
“He was gonna bet me, Miss Betty,” Paula said on her way out of the office. “I’m going to check on the sampler platters.”
When Paula closed the door, she left Dennis to face Miss Betty alone. Her clenched fists were still on her hips, so he knew there was a lecture coming. He just hoped it would either be short or her husband, Theo would come save him.
“We are not even going to talk about you wanting Danny Quinn anywhere near this place. For any reason,” she said and pointed in his face. “Now, whether she is a welcomed guest or not, Rain Robinson is a guest in my place, and we will treat her like any other guest. Is that understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now go on, get out of here and go do your job.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dennis said, and Miss Betty followed him out of the office and went to the kitchen to check on the food.
The second round of drinks that Rain ordered had just been served when Miss Betty led her wait staff to the table with four loaded sampler platters. She personally placed Rain’s platter in front of her.
“Almost burnt and dripping with sauce. Just the way you like them, Lorraine,” Miss Betty said.
“Thank you, Miss Betty,” Rain said, and once Carter, Jackie and Baby Chris received their food, she and her staff left them to eat, drink and enjoy.
And after the meal was eaten and thoroughly enjoyed, Miss Betty told Rain that it was on the house and wouldn’t take no for an answer. But Rain wasn’t having it either.
“Everybody drop a hundred on the table for a tip,” Rain said and after she hugged Miss Betty, they headed back to J.R.’s. And when they were gone, Dennis called AD to report.
“Any problems?”
“Naw, they ate, drink, Rain talked to Miss Betty, and they left. No problem just like Rona said.”
“Yeah,” AD said. “Crisis averted. I’m headed for The System, come holla at me when you close, and I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Bet. I’ll see you there,” Dennis said, ended the call, and got back to work.
Once Rain arrived at J.R.’s, she told Carter and Jackie that she needed to talk to them, and they followed her through the club to the office. When Yarrisa saw them coming on her monitors, she stood up, came from behind the desk, and straightened out her dress.
Instead of her usual jeans and J.R.’s T-shirt, that night, Yarissa was wearing a red A.L.C. Hadley front slit knit sheath dress. When Mileena asked her why she was dressed up, Yarrisa said that she just felt like it. But the reason that she was wearing it was to get Carter’s attention.
“Hey, Yarissa,” Rain said.
“Hey, y’all,” Yarrisa said as Rain walked by her and punched in the code to get in her office.
“Hey, Yarissa,” Carter said and followed Rain in the office seeming not to notice how good she looked in the tight dress she was wearing. Jackie noticed. She looked her up and down as she followed Carter and Rain into the office.
“Nice legs,” Jackie said as Yarissa went behind the bar. “Who knew, since you always have on jeans every time I see you.” She glanced at Carter and then back to Yarissa. “What’s the occasion?”
“I just felt like wearing a dress tonight. No particular reason,” Yarissa said, picking up a bottle of Patrón and looking at Carter while she poured Rain’s drink. She handed it to her.
“Thanks,” Rain said and went to sit down.
Yarissa’s eyes were fixed on Carter and he was looking straight at her as she picked up a bottle of Hennessey Paradis and poured a shot for him and Jackie. Carter stood up and walked to the bar to get the glasses.
“Thanks.” He took the glasses, went back to the couch and handed one to Jackie. Although he was looking at her the entire time, the emotionless expression on his face told Yarrisa that she might as well had worn that dress for Jackie.
Yarrisa left the office thinking that maybe it was time to let this one go. She’d had her fun with Carter, it was everything that she had always imagined that it would be, but now it was time to move on. The only things that she would have to look forward to now were pain, aggravation and embarrassment.
“What I wanted to talk to y’all about is me and Black talked, and we decided what we’re gonna do with Doc and Ed Weather’s businesses.”
“New captain?” Jackie asked and Rain shook her head.
“No. Black doesn’t see anybody that he thinks is ready for the kind of responsibility and I agree with him. So, here’s what’s gonna happen. We’re gonna keep it simple. Jackie, all of Ed’s people kick up to you now. Carter, all of Doc’s businesses are yours except Jelly’s. I want you to take that Jackie and make it upscale like you did with Conversations and The Game before Flip ran it in the ground.”
“I can do that, no problem.” Jackie laughed “I just need to establish myself.”
“And we all know how you’re gonna do that, Shooter,” Carter joked and then he motioned with his hands. “Two to the head to the first man that looks at you wrong.”
Chapter Eighteen
As Mileena walked upstairs to the offices, she thought about what she was about to do. She had been thinking about it for weeks, thought long and hard about it, and had thought that she had made up her mind. But now, walking up those stairs to actually do it, now she wasn’t so sure.
She reached the top of the stairs expecting to see Yarrisa, but she wasn’t at her desk. Had she been there, a bit of idle chitchat among friends may have been enough to change her mind. But Yarrisa wasn’t there, so Mileena knocked on the door. When the buzzer sounded, she opened the door and went in.
“What’s up, Mileena?” Rain said from behind her desk. Although she been in that office thousands of times, the distance between the door and Rain’s desk never seemed so great.
“There’s something that I need to talk to you about,” Mileena said and sat down in front of the desk.
“Okay, what’s up?”
Mileena looked at Rain’s guns on the desk and swallowed hard. It’s not like she’s gonna shoot you for it, she thought before she said, “I’m quitting. Tonight is my last night.”
Rain leaned back in her chair and smiled. “It would probably be more dramatic if I looked all frantic and shit and said, what? Oh my God, why?” she said in a softer voice and they both laughed. “But I’m not surprised, and I know why.”
“I just can’t keep coming here and have to see him every night.” Mileena dropped her head. “It’s too hard for me.”
“I understand.”
Rain remembered how hard it was for her to watch Nick move on and be happy with April. She wanted to be happy for him, tried to be happy for him, but she wasn’t happy for him, at all. Although Rain readily admitted that they shouldn’t be together because Nick was no good and no good for her, Rain loved Nick with everything that she had, so no, she was not happy that he was happy with somebody else. So, Rain understood why Mileena felt that she had to go.
But still.
“I’m gonna miss you,” Rain said.
“I’m gonna miss you too.” Mileena looked at the live feed from the club on the big screen. “I’m gonna miss all of this.” Mileena said and laughed. “I lost my family to the g
ame.”
“I remember you telling me.”
“And I swore that I’d never have anything to do with it.” she laughed. “But here I am. I run a gambling club.”
“And you’re damn good at it.”
“I am, aren’t I?” Mileena said confidently and smiled. “I used to tell myself that I run a dance club and the gambling club is just a part of it. But I had to be honest with myself.” Mileena stood up and picked up Rain’s empty glass. “Demi runs the club and has since the day I hired her.” She went to the bar to pour them both a shot of Patrón. “I am in the gambling room all night and I don’t come out unless something is going on that needs my attention.”
She handed Rain her drink. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said and sat down.
“I remember when that was your whole job,” Rain laughed. “Me and Wanda’s personal bartender.”
“And I used to hate it.” Mileena laughed. “You were all right, but Wanda,” she shook her head. “It was like she would wait until I’d be at the door getting ready to walk out and then she’d say, one more thing. She used to get on my nerves.”
“I remember the look on your face.” Rain laughed. “She used to get on my nerves too, but for a number of other reasons. You know, I was fuckin’ her man, then she was fuckin’ my man, but anyway,” she laughed and so did Mileena. “Wanda was just testing you; checking you out. You were about to be fuckin’ with the money, her money, so she needed to see who you were.” Rain paused. “When we brought you over here, it was always to take over the gambling club. Only one who didn’t know that was you.”
“I guess not. Because I thought I was coming her to bartend, so being Wanda’s personal valet didn’t surprise me at all.” She laughed. “Even though Wanda got on my nerves, it was easier than bartending.”
“You see how Yarissa turned it into a job.”
“I know, right? I knew she’d be perfect for it. She had the right temperament to deal with Wanda,” she said but then she thought of something that Rain just said and she had a question that in her heart and mind, she already knew the answer. “Whose idea was it to bring me over here to eventually run the gambling club?”