Thin Ice 7 - Echoes of Reckoning (5 page)

He admired the leather bound copies of
Grapes of Wrath, War and Peace
and several other historic pieces he enjoyed reading from time to time. He smiled at the thought. People who knew his handiwork definitely wouldn’t believe he enjoyed the worldly and cultured writings. Sighing casually King Diesel walked over to the bar and made himself a drink. His mind was racing at warp speed. There was a copiously much to do, and it all had to be done to perfection for his plans to work out the way they were designed. Sipping the vodka that he’d added a splash of cranberry juice too, King Diesel thought of his first move. Mason entered the room, greeting him amiably.

“
You want a drink,” King Diesel returned after returning the earlier greeting.

“
Yeah, what you’re having is fine,” Mason replied.

Grunting slightly King Diesel made another vodka cranberry and handed it to him.

“
You all settled in,” he asked.

Mason assured him everything was taken care of.

“
I’m heading out in a little while,” he replied as King Diesel nodded his understanding.

“
So it begins,” he replied cryptically.

Mason nodded his understanding saying nothing as he sipped his drink.

*****

Brent was meeting Santana to make a quick run, but his mind was racing thinking about his father and India.
What the hell is he thinking having a damned baby at fifty,
he brooded angrily. Truthfully Brent was jealous of anyone else invading his territory and possibly diluting the financial empire he knew right now belonged exclusively to him.

“
Hey man, you ready,” Santana threw out walking into the living room where Brent had been waiting.

“
Yeah, I am,” he replied amiably enough.

Santana caught the slight tone deciding to wait until they were alone to broach it.

“
Bye guys, be careful,” Charisma told them heading into the kitchen.

Brent smiled and waved, Santana verbally replied they would as they headed outside and got into the Porsche pulling out of the driveway and heading down the highway.

“
So what gives,” Santana said calmly giving his friend a look.

Brent sighed slightly, knowing he wouldn’t be able to fool his best friend.

“
Trying to figure out my father’s angle with this whole baby thing,” he replied as Santana grunted and nodded slightly.

“
Maybe he’s going through a mid life crisis or some shit like that,” Santana threw out shrugging slightly.

“
Hell buy another car, another house, go on a trip, but don’t have a baby,” Brent replied almost petulantly.

Santana almost laughed aloud thinking how bratty his friend sounded at the moment. He could semi understand Brent’s angst. He’d been an only child forever, now he was grown with a child of his own and his father announces he’s going to have a new sibling.

“
It’s not the end of the world man,” Santana tried to cheer him up. “You don’t hafta play with it or anything,” he added as Brent chuckled slightly.

He put on a relaxed front for Santana but in his mind Brent wasn’t hearing anything about this new competition. He didn’t want this baby to make it here alive.
Might have to help nature out a little on that,
he brooded darkly but didn’t share. Seeing their destination ahead Brent cleared his mind. They had business to take care of and he needed to be 100 percent focused on that.

*****

Kaitlyn was thinking about the call she’d gotten last week. Smiling slightly she recalled the conversation.
“Hello,” Kaitlyn spoke, recognizing the number. “Is this Tejdra,” the woman fired angrily. “Who wants to know,” Kaitlyn returned calmly, sipping her water as Jaleesa watched her intently, knowing her mannerisms very well. “Look this is Cyiarra and Tariq is my man,” she fired off as Kaitlyn casually popped a piece of pineapple into her mouth. “We have a child and a life together, you need to find your own damned man and leave mine alone,” she finished breathing hard now. “Is that all,” Kaitlyn replied after she finished the pineapple. “You stay the hell away from Tariq,” Cyiarra told her full of herself now. Kaitlyn chuckled aloud infuriating the woman. “You think this is a damned joke,” Cyiarra fired off. “I will whip your ass if I catch you with my man again,” she threatened. Kaitlyn knew Jaleesa saw her face change and the controlled rage in her voice when she spoke. “Little girl you have no fucking idea who you’re talking too, so if I were you, I’d ease up on the threats,” she returned acidly. Jaleesa frowned slightly, Kaitlyn knew having a bad feeling about who was on the other end. “I don’t give a damn who you are, you stay the hell away from my man,” Cyiarra screamed. “Do you like to play hangman Cyiarra,” Kaitlyn asked calmly and Jaleesa flinched. “What!” Cyiarra yelled again. “What the hell are you talking about,” she asked completely confused and unaware of the danger she was in. “How about we chalk this up to you feeling yourself and issuing your warning,” Kaitlyn began again. “But this is your one, don’t call me again, ever,” she ended and disconnected, calmly placing the instrument on the table. It didn’t ring again.

Ian walked into the room greeting her sweetly.

“
Hey Ice,” Kaitlyn replied, reeling her mind in.

“
I have a meeting with Ray and Ryan tonight,” he told her as she voiced her understanding.

“
KiKi,” he began tentatively.

“
Hmm,” she returned sensing the hesitation on his part.

That wasn’t like Ian. Normally whatever he had to say he simply said.

“
Would you be open to trying again anytime soon,” he asked softly, coming and sitting beside her.

Kaitlyn swallowed hard, knowing exactly what he was alluding to.

“
Ice, I, I just,” she tried unable to say anything more.

“
It’s okay baby,” he told her pulling her close and holding her.

Kaitlyn felt him kiss the top of her head and tell her it was fine once again. She knew what he was asking wasn’t unreasonable; Kaitlyn was still raw from the loss of their son. The thought of carrying another child for nine months, giving birth, loving, nurturing, and caring for it, only to have it die on them terrified her and the pain ran deep.

“
I’m trying to get better Ice,” she whispered as he told her he knew.

“
It’s fine baby,” Ice told her, lifting her head and kissing her.

Allowing her a few more moments to gather herself he finally rose and headed toward the front door.

“
I’ll call and check on you and girls later,” he told her as Kaitlyn nodded, rising and heading toward the bar. She needed a drink.

Relaxing after the second shot of crown, Kaitlyn closed her eyes and soon found herself nodding slightly.
“You’re getting soft,” Carlo told her, those black orbs regarding her tightly. “What are you talking about, I’m not soft,” Kaitlyn shot back defiantly. “You’re letting some bitch call and talk to you like she’s lost her damned mind,” he growled as Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and said nothing. “I don’t have to kill someone just for being stupid,” she told him finally. “I didn’t teach you to be a fucking coward,” Carlo told her once more. “To hell with you Carlo, after all the shit you did to me,” Kaitlyn screamed. He was on her before she could blink, both hands on her arms shaking her violently. “I’m your father, you will respect me,” Carlo yelled as she began to cry. “Stop crying, that shit is weak,” he told her as Kaitlyn tried desperately to stop the flow. He began chanting softly in fluid French like he used to and she immediately fell silent. “What are you doing now, what spell are you putting on me,” she wailed. “Hush,” he barked never changing back to English. “Who are you,” he asked. “You know who I am,” Kaitlyn returned. “Who are you,” he asked again moving closer to her. “Leave me alone Carlo,” she tried as he held her head forcing her mouth open. “Blood that is my blood,” Carlo continued to chant as the blackened bile rose from his throat and flowed into her mouth, the taste acrid and bitter. Kaitlyn tried to close her mouth, tried to turn her head. It was as if her head were placed in a vice and she had no movement. “Cisneros, seed of my loins, seed of my mother’s loins, I freely give her to you,” he continued to speak as the bile made its way down her throat and Kaitlyn began to choke.

She woke sputtering and coughing swinging at the invisible entity that held her in place, now finally loosed. She jumped from the couch running to the huge foyer mirror and taking in her reflection. The dream had been so vivid and it scared the hell out of her. She hadn’t thought about her father in years, spending every waking moment trying to forget the voodoo rituals and her participation in them.

“
I’m losing my damned mind again,” Kaitlyn murmured heading upstairs to shower.

She needed to feel clean still being able to see the visions of bile and blood in her mind. She could actually taste the mixture as she began to retch and barely made it to the toilet before her stomach revolted full stream.

*****

Kim was glad to be back in Atlanta. She loved the city. Not as much as Miami, but more than Gary. She was headed over to the club to see how the renovations were coming along. They were going to open in another two weeks. They had the club on Bankhead and one nearer to Stone Mountain. Tariq and Mook had mentioned something about a strip club to compete with the several already operating. Kim wasn’t all that keen on that particular venture but she didn’t say anything negative when they all talked. Deciding to stop and grab herself some wings, she pulled into the strip mall and walked inside Wing-n-Things II, ordering a dozen honey bbq wings and fries. She checked the messages on her droid as they prepared her order never seeing the man approaching.

“
Still beautiful,” Tyshon said softly as Kim’s head popped up and her eyes grew big.

He smiled at her reaction. Kim was still speechless as she took in the man standing in front of her. Tyshon Burrell was her first love from back in the day. She hadn’t seen him in almost fifteen years.

“
Look what the wind blew in,” she replied smartly and he heard the anger in the comment.

Exhaling slowly Tyshon smiled at her again. “I deserve that,” he told her calmly still looking intently at her.

Kim couldn’t believe he was standing here talking to her nonchalantly like they’d just met the other week.

“
Yeah, well,” she replied her anger growing.

“
Are you going to let me explain or you going to just keep snapping my head off,” Tyshon asked as Kim sucked her teeth slightly.

“
Explain what Ty,” she threw out, quickly reverting to the way they used to be.

“
How you disappeared without a word the day before we were supposed to move in together,” Kim threw out the anger beginning to take over as she saw red.

“
It wasn’t like that Kim,” he tried as she again sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes.

Kim returned to her phone, hoping he would get the hint and go away.

“
Please,” Tyshon tried once more.

Kim sighed softly. She couldn’t lie and say she didn’t want to know why, not to mention the fact that Tyshon was still as fine as the day she met him. He was her light bright love she thought silently almost laughing out loud. Tyshon was fair complexioned, beautiful brown eyes, thick and muscular, six feet plus, excellent kisser and love making only rivaled by Mook’s skill with her now.

“
Yeah okay fine,” she returned sitting down and allowing him a seat on the other side of the table. “Explain the disappearing act,” she added nonchalantly, leaning back in the plastic chair arms folded across her chest.

Tyshon took her in. He knew behind all the anger there was plenty of hurt and he took full responsibility for that.

“
Kim, the night before you and I were supposed to connect, I made a run with my cousin Nunk,” he began as she regarded him without comment. “He told me it was a quick run to Alabama, but it turned out to be the worst night of my life,” he went on explaining how they were hijacked in Alabama, driven to Texas and held in a warehouse for days without food or water.

“
When we were finally found, shit I wished we never had been,” Tyshon spoke as Kim frowned slightly.

“
The warehouse was filled with dope,” he told her as she finally understood. “Coke, weed, heroin, pills, just all manner of shit, money, bonds,” Tyshon explained. “They weren’t hearing shit about being victims or not knowing anything about the stuff in the warehouse,” he went on. “Court appointed lawyer showed up but that’s about it, they gave my ass 20 years,” he finished bitterly.

“
Thankfully, ten years in they granted an appeal, and I finally got out,” Tyshon told her adding the he’d made his way back to Atlanta almost a year after his release seeking her.

“
Everybody told me you’d left and moved North or something,” he said quietly.

Kim had to admit what he told her made sense but she had questions. “Ty why didn’t you call your mama, or write me or something shit,” she threw out as he sighed deeply.

“
I spent most of my time in solitary, in and out the hole and shit,” Tyshon told her. “I wasn’t going to let any of those dudes punk me,” he added resolutely and again Kim understood.

“
So you forgive me, we good now,” he asked reaching across the table and touching her hand.