Never Again, No More 4

by Untamed

  I grabbed Adrienne’s trembling hands. “You know I’m there for you and Flava, right?”

  She nodded. “Pooch, I love her.”

  These bitches had fallen in love. I’d be damned. “What about Wolf?”

  She rolled her eyes. “As if you care about Wolf. He was just a meal ticket for you, and Sonja told me what Wolf did. If I were to ever have a man, I need one like you, a real one. Sonja is my concern. She needs our help.”

  “Wait a minute. Did you tell Wolf you knew?” I asked, concerned because this shady bastard could’ve been the one to tell.

  She fanned off my comment. “Hell no. Sonja begged me not to tell anyone—especially him. She said you’d string her up. I’m only admitting it now because we have to stick together for her. Truth be told, I’ve moved in with Sonja, and we’re a family. And when you get out, it’ll be us three—the family. Fuck Wolf.”

  That was when it hit me. That muthafucking Lisa and CO Brown. Lisa was pissed with me about Danielle, so she had taken it out on Flava, knowing that she’d get locked up because she was running for me. I guessed she figured Flava would rat on me too. Slick bitches. Truth be told, a woman could be far more lethal than ten damn men. That shit was crazy, because the only people I could trust were Stein and Adrienne, and even Adrienne was only at about 75 percent, because clearly her loyalty was more toward Flava. I wasn’t getting in the middle of this shit, even if I had caused it.

  “Look, Stein, do your best for Flava. But I have never dealt directly with Skrilla. My testimony won’t help.”

  He turned to Adrienne. “He’s right. His testimony is hearsay. It’s no good in a court of law.”

  She put her head in her hands. “Is there anything you can do?”

  “Let me sleep on it, Adrienne. Everybody’s emotions are real high, and I need to be able to gather my thoughts. You just see about Flava and keep her head up. Stein and I will deal with the other stuff, a’ight?” I lied.

  She stood up and hugged me. “A’ight. Thanks, Pooch.”

  “You’re welcome. Tell Flava I said to keep her head up. We’ll get through this. But in the meantime, keep your mouth shut. Don’t talk to nobody. Not even Wolf. Just me and Stein.”

  “I will tell Sonja, and I won’t talk to anybody.” The look in her eyes told me she was being honest. Her love for Flava was enough to save my ass. She wasn’t gonna do shit to fuck up Flava’s case.

  Stein asked her to wait outside for a moment, and then he spoke with me in a lowered tone. “Do you really want to be involved with Sonja’s case, knowing you’re trying to get out?”

  “Hell no,” I whispered. “That bitch is on her own, but you can’t tell Adrienne or her that. Keep me posted on what’s happening, but I can’t be affiliated with that shit.”

  He nodded. “All right, Vernon. I have to come back to you next week so we can discuss your appeal.”

  “Cool,” I said as we shook hands.

  He called the guard, and CO Brown came back to get me. “See what we can do to you?” she bragged. I knew those bitches had done it. Good thing Danielle’s mouth was a faucet. Now I knew who I could and couldn’t trust. “You shouldn’t have hurt Lisa,” she added.

  “You forget that you helped with that.”

  She got quiet. “But Lisa forgave me and not you. That’s the difference. I bet you wish you could offer me to suck you off now.”

  She had me there. As much bad news as I had just received, I wouldn’t give a shit if I did have to pay her again to get my rock off. Ugly bitch or not, I needed a release. When she brought me back to my cell, Wolf was gone. Good. I needed some alone time. I grabbed my small bottle of lotion, sat in the rear corner of my cell, and got to work. I closed my eyes, thinking of nothing and nobody but Trinity. The way she danced and gave me a show, the way she moved her body in the bed, and the way I used to grip that long, silky-ass hair of hers as I tapped it from the back made tears come to my eyes. I missed her so fucking much. In no time, I exploded. I hurriedly cleaned myself up, then plopped down on my bunk.

  I needed Trinity so damn bad. I realized that a lot of the reason why I’d been able to stay on top for so long was because of Trinity. She had had my back and had given me advice, even if it had seemed like I wasn’t paying attention. I had been. Making sure she was taken care of had helped me keep my focus. Sitting there, thinking about the life we used to live, fucked with me hard for the first time in my life. Not just in my head, but in my heart. It was the first time I’d let myself feel real emotion. I didn’t know if I was ever gonna get out of this bitch, ever see my daughter again, ever see my newborn son at all, or ever see my Trinity again. My chest swelled, and for the first time in my life, I cried.

  As I began to wipe my tears, CO Billings came over to the cell. “Smalls,” he called out. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I got something in my eye.”

  He chuckled. “Thugs do have emotions. I’ve been alive for forty-two years. I know tears when I see them. It’s all right, son. Sometimes you have to cry to survive. You’ve got a lot of time to serve. It won’t be your last time shedding tears.”

  He was probably right. I had to face the fact that there may be a possibility that I wasn’t getting out of this muthafucka. Surprisingly, his words gave me a little comfort. It was funny how life was. Unbeknownst to him, we were vying for the same chick, and even though I’d won, he had still ended up encouraging me behind some bullshit that same bitch did.

  “Thanks, man,” I said, rubbing my head. “I needed that.”

  “You’re welcome, but I ain’t standing here for my health or because we’re friends. You have a visitor.”

  “I already went to visitation with CO Brown.”

  “I know. You have another one.”

  Two visitors in one day? What the fuck now? I stood up like a dead man walking, and he handcuffed me again and took me back to visitation. Who the fuck could this be? OMG! Trinity! It had to be. My baby didn’t forget me. She loved me. I was gonna have to beg CO Billings for a private room, because I was gonna tear that pussy up and impregnate her again. I was so happy.

  CO Billings led me to a private visitation room, and when I walked in, I got the shock of my life. It wasn’t Trinity. It was Big Cal. How had that nigga gotten out of jail? We had all gone down in that bust. CO Billings left, and we stood there staring at each other.

  “I know you’re surprised to see me.”

  “You’re fucking right I am, especially without a white and blue jumpsuit on, with some handcuffs and correctional officers around.”

  He laughed. “That’s funny.”

  “Fuck funny, Big Cal. What the fuck is the deal? How the hell you get in to see me and you ain’t on my visitors’ list? And how the fuck did you get out?”

  “Nigga, sit down and calm down,” Big Cal said boldly.

  “Bitch, who you think you talkin’ to?” I asked, pointing at him. “You must’ve forgotten who the hell I am or who you worked for.”

  He pointed at himself. “And that’s why you’re locked up and I’m not, right?” I couldn’t say shit to that. Something was up. He laughed. “Right. Now sit . . . the fuck . . . down.”

  He pulled out my chair, then walked around the table and sat down across from me. I sat down and interlocked my hands on the table.

  “Why are we in a private visitation room instead of in the general public? You ain’t my attorney. This visit ain’t violating no attorney-client rights,” I said.

  “You’re a smart man. I ain’t no attorney.”

  “The only other people who can meet in here are . . . police,” I said slowly as the realization of what Big Cal was really saying to me came crashing down. “You’re a fucking cop.”

  “That’s not important. Why I’m here is.”

  “Bitch, you gon’ have a shit storm on your undercover ass when I’m finished with you. My right-hand man a fucking narc agent. I can’t believe this shit. Your life in the street is—”

&nb
sp; “Don’t make threats when you’re fucked. I know about your bribes to Judge Watson. I know that Flava is locked up, and you been dealing with Skrilla. I know all about the in-house drug ring you got going on, and your whole fucking crew could get time behind it. Now, do you really want your crew to get additional time behind your ass? Let’s see how long you make it in here then. All those years you got is a long time to have to watch your own back.”

  That nigga had me by the balls. I had no choice but to swallow my pride and my anger and listen to him, ’cause right now, he was one step ahead of my game, and he held all the cards.

  “I’m listening. But not for long,” I said, playing hard.

  “If I told you I knew where Trinity was, how long would you listen?”

  That muthafucka knew where my girl was. I bit my bottom lip until I drew blood. My heart danced with emotion. “Where is she? Tell me.”

  Big Cal’s head bobbed up and down. “Mm-hmm. I got your attention now, don’t I?”

  “What? What do you need? What do you want? I’ll do it. I just want Trinity back. I wanna see her and know how she’s doing.”

  “She’s cool, and you’ll see her in due time. You just have to have my back on something.”

  “What? Anything.”

  “Listen close, ’cause I’m only gonna explain this shit one time. Ask no questions. Just help me, and I promise you, you’ll be back with Trinity in no time.”

  “You’re gonna help me?”

  “If you agree to help me, I’ll make sure that none of this shit with these drugs is tied to you at all. I’ll tie it to another nigga.”

  “Deal. It has to be John ‘Wolf’ McNeil, though.”

  “Deal.”

  “Where’s Trinity?”

  He laughed. “I have a beef with that nigga Terrence.”

  “Her babies’ daddy?”

  “Yep.” He nodded. “He’s also the man she’s living with. He’s responsible for your lockup. And the word is he’s a multimillionaire, living off the millions of dollars he made from hustlin’ you.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Trust me. It’s true.”

  “How did he—”

  “No questions. Just know everything I’m saying is real.” He pulled out photos. “I knew I’d have to prove it to you, so here,” he said, sliding the pictures across the table.

  I let out a nervous sigh as I slowly picked up the photos. Each one showed that fuck nigga Terrence around town with my baby, my Trinity. Looking like a real-life celebrity couple. Everything was designer this or that, and that nigga had a fucking Range Rover. The last picture was the one that got me. It more than got me. It infuriated me. It was Terrence with a new baby and my daughter. My son. My son was really his son. He looked just like Terrence. My jaw locked so hard, I thought it’d crack. That bitch. The whole fucking time she’d been playing me with Terrence. She’d made a fool outta me. All that time I’d pined away for her while she was being his li’l mama with my son. My eyes turned bloodshot red. I wanted his head and hers on a platter.

  “So when do we get to get this muthafucka?” I asked, throwing the photos back at him.

  “Give me three days. I’ll be in touch,” he said and stood up.

  “You don’t plan on snitching afterward, right?”

  He shook his head. “Cop work is business. This is personal.”

  “For me too.” We gave each other pound. “For me too.”

  “But if you cross me—”

  “Don’t worry, pimpin’, ’cause the same shit goes for me.”

  I was quiet as hell when I walked out. A sense of peace surrounded me after I had accepted that this was where I was gonna spend the rest of my life, because as soon as I got finished with Dreads and his li’l mama, I would have no problem rotting away in this bitch. Yeah, li’l mama had Terrence’s baby, and they were a couple. I was damn sure gonna remember that shit for the rest of my fucking life.

  Chapter 16

  Lucinda

  The night I went over to Aldris’s was so emotional for me. All I could do the entire time was cry while he begged and pleaded for me to forgive him. I ended up falling asleep at one end of the sofa, and he at the other. The next morning, when I woke up, he took me to get my car, and I didn’t even bother Mike. Instead of going back to Aldris’s house, I went to my mom’s house. For the entire week, I stayed with my parents, while Aldris came over and called to convince me to stay with him. No haps. I needed to find Lucinda again.

  Walking into my new condo, I didn’t know quite how to feel. While I was proud for getting back on my feet again, I was also dismayed. I should’ve been getting ready to marry the man of my dreams, go on the most amazing honeymoon, and live my life happily ever after, but instead, I was back to being single. Back on my own.

  Nadia was happy to be moving back with me. I believed she enjoyed the serenity of having her own space and not having to share it with a bunch of other people. Grandma’s house was only fun for short visits, she’d told me. I had missed her, and I needed her now more than ever because my heart was aching so badly. Nobody could make me feel better than Nadia. The only blessing was that now that I was back on my own, Raul’s child support was going back up. He already knew it, since he had received the letter from my attorney. Thanks to him pissing off the judge, my court case was going to be “priority.” So here I was again, back at one.

  “Lucinda, are you okay?” my mom asked, coming outside on the porch with me.

  “Yes, Mama. Just thinking.”

  “You remind me so much of myself when your father cheated on me with Maria. Always in contemplation and turmoil. Don’t let it eat at you. Learn to continue on with your life. At least Aldris wants to be back with you.”

  “But do I want to be back with him? is the question. I could have my life back right now, but I’m not sure if that’s what I want anymore.”

  Her head nodded gingerly. “I understand. You’re hurting.”

  “How could you take Dad back after all he’s done? How could you get over that?”

  Leaning forward, she reached for my hand, gently lifted it, and held it. “Because I love him.” It was her answer, plain and simple. “I can’t explain it. The only thing I know is that this time he had to prove it to me. As much as I love your father, he wasn’t going to use me as a rebound for Maria. I set my requirements, and he’s followed every one of them to the letter. Things are different this time, and if I even think he’s reverting to his old ways . . . Well, he better go shack up with Aldris.” She laughed, as did I.

  “When did you get gangsta?”

  “When your dad left.” She laughed. “I’m not the same woman I was when he left, but at the same time, I am still the only woman for him. We both needed it. He needed to become the man I’ve always needed, and I needed to become the woman I am. We’ve grown.”

  “So, what about Eva? Is she staying here?”

  “Yes. He was awarded custody, and she should be moving in with us in a few days. It’ll be hard to swallow having her around, but I’d rather have her here with us than with Raul and Maria. No child should be exposed to those clowns.”

  “That’s one way to look at it. I guess he’ll be hot as hell having to be put back on his higher support for Nadia, but I love pissing him and Maria off.”

  “Speak of the devil.” My mom pointed at Raul’s car, which was speeding up to my parents’ house.

  He flew into the driveway and jumped out, damn near forgetting to put the car in park. “Lucinda! How are you gonna sue me for child support? You know you and that fool gonna get back together, and then what?” he yelled before he could barely get to the porch.

  “Then we cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, I’m single and living by myself. So you have to come up on them payments.”

  “Is this funny to you?” he asked angrily. “I have to support Maria, and she is such a fucking siddity ho,” he said aloud, although I didn’t think he meant to.

&nb
sp; “Good for you. You wanted that siddity ho,” my mom sneered.

  Suddenly, he moved closer to me. Fake sadness washed over him. “Come on, Lu. Help me out. I just found out my mother has cancer. I have to help her out.”

  Shaking my head, I stood up. “I can’t believe you’d use that as an excuse not to take care of your child. I’ve known for months about your mom. You are the only one who just found out because you never cared about anyone but yourself. Had you been more her son than trying to be less of a man, you would’ve known that. And keep your voice down. She doesn’t want Nadia to know. Face the facts. You’ve got five kids, four babies’ mamas, a piece-of-shit job, and your mother’s sick. Don’t you think you need to focus on getting your shit together? Wake up, Raul. This is real life. You created the hell you’re in by yourself.”

  As Raul paced back and forth, in obvious anguish about my revelation, my dad came out on the porch and patted my shoulder. Raul turned around, and the old Raul resurfaced. “Fuck you, Lucinda—”

  My dad put his hand up. “Let me be clear about one thing. You will not speak to my daughter like that again. If you do, I will dig a hole and bury you myself. You made your decision, so live with it. But I know this. You will take care of Nadia, and you will not bother Lucinda. Anything you have to say to her, say it in court. Now, what you are going to do is get off my property and not bother my daughter or granddaughter again. Are we clear?” my dad said sternly, staring him in the eye to let Raul know he meant business.

  Raul swallowed hard. “Yeah, we’re clear.”

  “Good,” my dad said and folded his arms.

  “Tell Nadia I’ll come by to see her,” Raul said. Then he left.

  “Don’t hold your breath on that,” my dad said.

  “Trust me. I wasn’t,” I agreed, looking over at him. “Thanks, Dad.”

  A smile of shock spread across his face as he turned to me. “So I’m Dad again?”

  Giving him a warm smile in return, I nodded. “For now.”

  He shook his head, wrapping his arm around my mother. “You’re always going to be Lucinda—my special child.”