Authors: Nika Michelle
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #African American, #Urban, #Genre Fiction
“Bye Hex,” I smiled closing the door behind him.
My cell phone rung, there was no need for a phone in the apartment.
“Hex come?” Ablo asked.
“Yep,” I said. “He just left.”
“No doubt lil’ ma. I know it’s late, but I’ll be home soon baby doll. Love you.”
“Love you too,” I said. It was after eleven, and I couldn’t wait for him to get home. We would smoke a blunt in the tub and talk about the next cruise we'd take. Then we would be all giggly and high, and that would lead our clean, wet bodies to the king sized bed. He would lick me dry, and I’d scream his name over and over again.
“A'ight baby,” he said interrupting my fantasy.
“Later papi,” I said and hung up.
I opened the tightly wrapped package of herb and pulled off a bud. It was lime green with no seeds, and it smelled so damn good. I found an unrolled Swisher, gutted it, and filled it with the weed. I rolled it tightly, dried it with the flame from the lighter, and lit it up. Shit, I couldn’t wait for Ablo.
My cell phone rang again. “Hello,” I answered. It was Princess.
“Why ain’t you been answerin’ your phone bitch?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I think me and Ablo was fuckin’. What you been doin’?” I asked sarcastically.
“Kiss my ass hoe.”
“The pot callin’ the kettle black, slut,” I laughed and hit the blunt.
“Where your man at?” She asked.
“Mindin’ his damn B.I. Why you wanna know?”
“You must be smokin’. You smokin’?”
“Why? You wanna get high bitch?” I asked flicking ashes into the ashtray.
“I always wanna get high bitch.”
“I thought you always wanna fuck,” I laughed.
“Mmm hmmm. That too.”
We giggled.
“Rahkmon is such a cornball. I gave him a lil’ head and a shot of ass and now he buying me all types of shit. Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Versace’. Girl he got me some hot ass Prada sandals with the thin straps. Oh, and he got me a fly ass Louis bag, and ‘bout six pair of Gucci and Dior shades. Damn, what else…” she bragged.
I didn’t even say a word because Diablo bought me shit like that all the time. I was so used to it that I didn’t have to mention it. I could show and prove. “I don’t give a shit Princess,” I reminded her before she could continue.
“You so mean Yanna. I don’t even know why I fuck wit’ your ass,” she whined.
“Whatever. Come on over here slut,” I laughed. Her men must’ve all been busy, because she sounded bored.
“A’ight, ‘cause I ain’t goin’ to see D-Roc until ‘bout one. That mufucka got the bomb ass dick. Yanna girl, it is so big, black, and juicy. When I suck it he…”
I interrupted her. “I don’t wanna know Princess!” I yelled.
“I’ll tell you ‘bout it when I get there,” she said and hung up.
I didn’t want to know about her sexscapades, but she filled my ears with them anyway. I listened because sometimes I’d get ideas. When she got too graphic with the details I would tune her out. I’d become a pro at doing that.
About thirty minutes later my cell phone rang again. “What Princess?”
“Open the door.”
I got up to let her in. “Why didn’t you just knock?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “What’s goin’ on? Where the weed at?”
I handed her the blunt.
She sat down.
I picked up the remote and flipped through the channels. “Ain’t shit on,” I said and sucked my teeth.
“Never. That’s why I entertain myself,” Princess said.
I laughed. “Give me the blunt wit’ your crazy ass.”
“Damn, I just got it,” she snapped. “That’s some good shit.”
“I know. I couldn’t finish it earlier,” I confessed.
“You? You gave up on the blunt? Shit, that gotta be some killer.”
“Yep. I gave up.”
“What time is it? I’m horny as fuck,” Princess said. “Oh, and look at my nails.”
“Did Rahkmon pay for them too?”
“Nol, D-Roc got ‘em done this morning.”
“Word? Well it ain’t one yet.” I handed her the blunt.
“But like I was sayin’ on the phone. D is so fuckin’ sexy. When he be hittin’ it from the back I be nuttin’ up a fuckin’ storm. That nigga be workin’ that damn back,” she said starting up her X-rated tales.
“I don’t wanna know all that Princess,” I said.
“And that nigga be suckin’ on my clit like it’s a cherry lolli-pop. Mmm!” she said shaking her head.
I laughed. “Okay P.”
“Why won’t you give up the pussy to somebody else?” Princess asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Cause Ablo satisfy me. I don’t need no other nigga.”
Princess passed me the blunt, and sighed. “It’s funny.”
“What?” I asked.
“That a bitch like you is so faithful to her man. I would’ve been gave the pussy up. But that’s you though. You so faithful to the people you love. I don’t see how you put up wit’ my ass,” she smiled.
“Me neither. But you my girl.” I pounded her up.
“No doubt.”
Before we could finish the blunt Diablo walked in looking all good. Although all he had on was some black Sean John sweat pants and a black tee, he was still fine. He had on some black Air Ones with the white Nike check, and a black do rag. A platinum chain with a cobra head that had two black onyxes for eyes hung from his neck. I looked at the black cobra tat on his arm and thought of the night I saw him for the first time.
“Hey baby,” I grinned at him.
“Hey lil' mama,” he smiled back. Things must’ve been going smooth on his blocks. Diablo had to patrol the streets to make sure that his soldiers were on the grind. Things must’ve been productive. He walked over and kissed me on the forehead.
“What up Blo?” Princess asked.
“Why don’t you just move in and shit,” Ablo said and sat down in the brown leather Lay-Z boy recliner that he loved. “I can see that ya’ll ain’t waste no time diggin’ in my stash. I oughta break your fuckin’ fingers,” he smirked at me.
“I just smoked one,” I said.
Diablo laughed. “It’s cool baby. What’s mine is yours.”
Princess glanced at the clock and grabbed her mint green leather Coach bag that matched the tight, short, mint green skirt she had on. “A’ight peeps. I’m ‘bout to bounce,” she said heading to the door.
“A’ight Princess,” Diablo smiled his crooked grin.
She waved and left.
“You so fake,” I laughed.
Ablo smacked me on the ass as I got up to go in the kitchen.
“Want some lasagna?” I asked.
“Yeah lil’ ma. You know how to take care of your man. I’m bout to roll up so fix me a plate,” he said and winked at me.
I went into the kitchen and heard my cell ringing. I ran back into the living room. “Oh hell, it’s Princess. She just left.”
“Well answer it. It’s aggravatin’ as hell!” Diablo yelled.
“Damn, a’ight nigga. Hello,” I said.
Princess sounded like she was crying. “Before I could get in my car good my phone started ringing. It was Chauncey callin’ to tell me that La La shot D in the back. He in the hospital, and he in critical condition,” she sobbed.
“Oh shit,” I gasped.
“She ran up in the crib all mad. Chauncey said he and D was playing Madden when they got into it. He was walkin’ away and she shot him talkin’ bout I’m next. Chauncey said he already got warrants and he ain’t talkin’ to the cops. He called the ambulance and waited for them. Then he jetted when he saw them comin’ up the street. I can’t go to the hospital right now. Can I spend the night at your crib?” Princess asked.
I looked at Ablo and knew that he wasn’t having it. She was my cousin though and I had to try.
“Hold on P.” I covered the mouthpiece. “Ablo, this Princess. Uh, La La just shot D-Roc in the back. She said P is next. She need to stay here tonight. Please say she can,” I pleaded.
Ablo rolled his eyes, and let out an irritated breath. “Shit Yanna. Why you always rescuing her ass? Tell her to stay wit’ Maya, or Vernice,” he said.
“C’mon Ablo…please…just for a lil’ while,” I begged some more.
He just stared at me and hit the blunt he’d just rolled. “Just for tonight, and tell her that’s it. She gotta go tomorrow,” he finally agreed.
I uncovered the mouthpiece. “P you still there?”
“Yeah,” she said still sounding choked up.
“He said it’s cool if you stay tonight. You’ll be a’ight here.”
After I hung up Diablo looked at me and passed me the L. “You always babying her ass up. Why you let her use you?” He asked.
“C’mon D just got shot, and the bitch who shot him threatened to shoot her too. She shook, and she my family. You should understand that shit, ‘cause you down for your boys. They ain’t even your blood. You already know how I feel ‘bout Maya and Princess. Besides my daddy, and my mom, they all the family I got. I gotta hold on to that.”
“I’m your family too baby,” he said rubbing my tense shoulders.
“I know baby.”
* * *
I woke up the next morning at nine a.m. and Ablo was gone. It was no telling where he was. I got up to check on Princess, who had fallen asleep on the couch. She was still asleep.
"Princess," I said shaking her. "Did you see Ablo leave?" I asked.
"Unt uhh," she shook her head with her eyes still closed.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Yep. I'm fine. Chauncey called 'bout six this morning and said that D is stable now. The bullet hit his spine, but was lodged in his stomach muscle. They did surgery and removed the bullet. I might go and see him later," she said sitting up.
"You think LaLa goin' really chance fuckin' wit' you? ’Cause if you do we can go and take care of her ass," I said ready to relieve some pent up stress.
"It'll be hard as hell to find that bitch. She probably on the run. She know the cops goin' be after her dumb ass. They got two eyewitnesses who said they saw her go in his apartment, heard the gunshots, and then watched her leave. If I was the bitch I would be incognito like a mufucka. I'm still goin' watch my back though. You know that."
"No doubt, just let me know if you need me. You know me. I'll make some calls and the shit'll be official. This time them bitches goin' get more than a fuckin' warning," I assured her.
She pounded me up. "For life," we said in unison.
"That bitch ain't ready for what we bringin' anyway." I couldn't believe she'd shot D-Roc and threatened my cousin. If I caught her on the street it was her ass.
* * *
Meanwhile Ablo was on his way to his Uncle Pete's house in the Buckhead suburbs. Pete was an OG, and had stacked enough paper to buy a condo in the nice, affluent neighborhood. Uncle Pete was using Diablo's black, two year old pit-bull Damien to breed with his white pit-bull Pearl. Uncle Pete had called Ablo at about seven a.m. to let him know that they'd already mated and he could come and get him.
Ablo rang the doorbell and Uncle Pete's wife Auntie Ramona opened the door. She kissed his cheek. “Sup Aunt Mona?”