Authors: Shareef Jaudon
“Ya’ll gonna break me.” He joked.
“What do you say kids?” Ranae eyed each of them.
The lil ones both sang out, “THANK YOUUU.”
After the brief shakedown everyone made their way into the living room to chop it up. Angelique was in her usual spot laying on the twin bed holding Khari.
“Hey girl!” Ranae sashayed over to her. “Now you know you gotta play pass the baby so give her to me.”
“Hey Ranae. I thought you said you were gonna be here two hours ago. What happened?”
“Girl you know I couldn’t come empty handed, I had to get my lil munchkin some presents!”
Angelique looked at the shopping bag, “I see. Thank you soooo much Ranae.”
“Girl you’re welcome, you aint seen nuthin’ yet. I’ma spoil this lil one. Let me hold her.”
Ranae put the shopping bag on the floor next to the bed and leaned over lifting the baby into her arms.
“She’s so precious.” Ranae smiled down at her.
As the women and children took over the living room Sway motioned for Tyce to follow him out to the pool. Tyce caught the hint and moved toward the back part of the house.
“Hey babe, me and Sway will be out back.”
“Ok.” Angelique didn’t look up.
She was busy reaching for her purse to give the kids the 20 dollars they’d just begged her for.
Once outside in the privacy of the backyard, Sway opened up about what was on his mind. The two men sat down, but were briefly interrupted when
Carmela brought them two Coronas with pieces of lime sticking out the top of the bottles.
“Thanks Carmela.”
“Denada Tyce.” She slid thru the glass door.
Tyce turned his attention back to his friend as they sat around the unlit fire pit.
“Wasup man?”
“Nuthin’ much I jus’ needed to holla atcha you in private for minute.”
“What’s on your mind? You got beef with somebody? If you got some static we can clear that up right now nigga.”
Tyce cocked his head back and forth as he spoke showing he was serious.
Sway chuckled, “Naw man. It aint nuthin like that.”
“Oh ok, then what is it?” Tyce squeezed the lime into his beer.
Sway was hesitant to spit out his point and he shifted in his chair before he let his words go.
“Man, I’m jus’, ahhhh, I’m a lil…I jus’ need to make some more money man.”
Tyce looked confused, “Are you broke? Did you get robbed or somethin’?”
Sway shook his head, “Naw man, nuthin’ like that I’m jus’ worried about the future. I mean, no woman can go backwards in life financially. Sure Ranae loved me when I was barely makin’ ends meet, but now that she’s tasted the good life she’s not gonna be happy eatin’ anything else. I can’t give her New Years Eve and then fall back to Ground Hog day. I’m not sayin’ that will happen, but I need to make sure it doesn’t you feel me?”
Tyce nodded his head. “I feel you bro.”
Sway continued to express his concerns after he took a long drink from his bottle.
“I got a little over a million left and jus’ like you said before, a mil don’t get you very far in high priced California. Ranae is spendin’ money like crazy man. Jus’ the other day she bought new plates and shit for the house and those muthafucka’s cost seven hundred dollars! I’m talkin’ ‘bout fuckin’ plates and cups!” Sway threw up his hands.
“Damn, those musta been some nice ass plates.” Tyce joked.
“I’m serious man. I wanna give Ranae and the kids everything we didn’t have when me and you were growin’ up, but at the rate she’s spendin’ I won’t have enough money to maintain it. I wanna have money when we grow old. I wanna have money to leave my children, so they don’t have to struggle when we die.”
Tyce sat back in his chair. “Shit, money talks man and to most people it say’s bye bye.”
“That shit is the fuckin’ truth bro.” Sway sighed.
“Look man I can go in the crib and crack the safe. You know I gotchu. I jus’ spanked Diego’s ass for eight mil. I’ll get you a to go bag stuffed with like two million. Come on nigga. Let’s go in the garage and get you straight.”
Tyce put the beer on the table and started to get up, but Sway stopped him.
“I knew you was gonna say that, but I can’t take your money. I don’t wanna hand out. Besides, I look at that money you jacked from Diego as punitive damages for all the shit you went through behind his ass. That money belongs to you bro. I was kinda hopin’ we can get together and hit another lick.”
Tyce stroked the light facial hair on his cheeks as he digested what Sway had just laid on him.
“How much you thinkin’ bout takin’ off?”
“Anything north of a million would be lovely right about now.”
Tyce looked at him. “You have somethin’ in mind?”
“Yeah but I’ma need your help to pull it off.”
Tyce took another sip of his beer and leaned back lighting a cigarette.
“Well shit nigga, you know I stay ready, so I aint gotta get ready.”
“That’s jus’ what I wanted to hear.”
For the next hour Sway told Tyce all about his plan and between the two of them they came up with a strategy that would get them both paid.
Once again it was on!
I Gotta Run
I was feeling much better as the week ended. I was so happy cuz Dr. Rosent officially released me from bed rest! I still had to take it easy, but at least I was able to get up and move around. She wanted me to come into her office but Tyce offered her three hundred dollars if she would make an unconventional house call-and she agreed. She said it was such a nice day and it would give her an excuse to get out of the office and take a long lunch hour.
After she left I immediately put on my hot pink running suit with my pink and white Air Max’s and snatched my keys off the kitchen counter.
“Where you goin’?” Tyce looked up from his rim magazine.
“I’m gonna go get some more cigarettes and swing by the club to check on things.”
Tyce frowned. “Look babe, I don’t want you to overdo it and wear yourself out before you’re fully healed.”
I walked over to him and kissed his lips gently, “I know baby. I promise I’ll be right back and I won’t lift anything heavy. Ok?”
Tyce hesitated a bit. He had a worried look on his handsome face.
“Jus’ be careful babe. I love you.”
I walked out the kitchen and yelled over my shoulder, “I LOVE YOU TOOO!”
It felt good to be rolling down the streets of Los Angeles once again. Although some hater keyed the side of my Jag I didn’t let that sour my mood. Shit,
That was reason I had full coverage insurance. If I knew who did it I would roll up on them and scream
“
I’M RICH BITCH
” and laugh in their fucking face. I whipped into the parking lot of a convenience store and hopped out. I ignored the cat calls and whistles of the dudes hanging out in front of the store and proceeded through the door. I grabbed a pack of clove flavored cigarettes, some Skittles, and an ice cold Pepsi. Seconds later I was back in my ride speeding down La Brea Avenue headed to my club. I rolled down the window to let some air in and allow the cigarette smoke to vent out. I flicked the ashes out of the window and peeked in my rearview mirror out of habit. I noticed a police car creeping up on me a little too fast. Like any other person driving, I didn’t like police following me at all.
My turn was coming up, so I hit the signal and changed lanes. The cop changed lanes also. I started to go over the rules of the road in my head to see if I’d broken any. He continued to follow me even after I made a legal right turn. This fucking holice officer wouldn’t get off my ass!
My irritation went through the roof when he flashed his lights signaling me to pull over.
“What the fuck is he pullin’ me over for?” I asked myself.
I sucked my teeth and complied pulling my car over to the side of the road. I took one last drag from my cigarette and tossed it out of the open window. I watched as he got out of his patrol car and made his way to my driver’s side door. The whole time he approached me his hand was on his gun.
“Ma’am I’m going to have to ask you to please turn your engine off, place your keys on the passenger seat and exit the vehicle.”
“What the hell did you pull me over for?” I asked looking up at his tanned face.
“Ma’am, I’m not going to tell you again, please turn your engine off, toss your keys on the seat and get out of the car.”
The officer continued to hold his palm on his weapon. I’d seen too many cases where black people were victims of holice brutality, so I did as I was told. I didn’t want to give his trigger happy ass any reason to make my ass the latest justified homicide victim.
When I got out of my car he ushered me toward the curb telling me to stand there and not to move.
“Can you tell me why you pulled me over. I wasn’t breakin’ any laws or anything.”
“We got an anonymous tip that you were transporting drugs in this vehicle. I’m just following up that possible lead. I’m Officer Blake and I’m just here to detain you. The K-9 unit will be here shortly.”
I blinked my eyes rapidly and shook my head not believing what I just heard come out of his moustache covered mouth.
“Drugs! What the fuck you mean drugs!? I don’t sell or carry no fuckin’ drugs!” I barked at him.
“Your car matches the description given by the anonymous caller. Is your name Angelique Dupree?” The officer looked at me.
“Yes!”
“Can I see your identification please?”
“It’s in my car in my purse.”
Officer Blake instructed me to put my hands on the hood while he retrieved my purse from the passenger seat. He watched me the whole time making sure I didn’t try to run. After he looked at my driver’s license he placed it in the pocket of his shirt.
“Do you have anything on you that I should be aware of?”