Chapter Four
Life can't get any better than this,
thought Flamboyant as he chose which expensive piece of jewelry he was going to wear for the day. Conservative he wasn't; it was all about the shine with him. After a few more minutes of contemplating, he finally decided on his twenty-four-inch diamond and platinum chain with a diamond capital “F” pendent hanging from it. After securing his chain he put on his diamond Aqua Master watch and two heavy-looking diamond pinky rings for each of his pinky fingers. He was definitely bling-blinging.
Since Toni had restocked his drug supply, Flamboyant felt that it was necessary for him to make some rounds today around the south side of Oklahoma City. Instead of his 600, he decided to drive his boy toy. He climbed inside of his new GMC Denali with the big twenty-four-inch chrome rims and all of the trimmings, everything from TV screens to DVD players, and an extra-loud sound system. He even had an online PC with e-mail capabilities, though no one ever e-mailed him. As he pulled out of his garage he smiled. Flamboyant was in full floss mode today.
When he pulled onto the block he saw Prince talking to some of the team. He parked his truck and went and joined them. Though he really didn't care to be seen in any drug area, he knew it was important that he occasionally came through and kicked it with his team. The entire south side of Oklahoma City was his; how would it look if he didn't show his face to his peoples from time to time? That's what Prince had drilled inside his head time after time until it finally sank in.
“What's good, my niggas?” Flamboyant asked as he shook hands with Prince and Gunna, the young man standing next to Prince.
“Same old shit, new day, Flam,” Prince responded.
“Yeah, just makin' this paper,” added Gunna.
“I know that's right. What's up with Ken? Did he get at them youngstas yet?”
Prince shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know. He hasn't come through since we got back on.”
“Text that nigga and see what's what.”
Prince pulled out his cell and sent the text:
Ken, baby, what it do?
What's poppin', Prince?
Flam wants to know what's poppin' with them young'uns.
Tell him everything is good. I'll get at y'all later with the details.
Fa' sho'.
After putting his cell back into his pocket Prince smiled and said, “And the money keeps on rollin' in.”
“I know that's right. Okay, what's up with you and that Del City or Midwest City thang?”
Prince smiled at Gunna and told Flamboyant, “That's what me and my mans was just talkin' 'bout. Tell him, Gunna.”
“I got a cousin who stays out in Midwest City. He gets down with the ya-yo a li'l bit. He told me that if we plugged him proper-like he'd hook us up with some of his homeboys out that way.”
“That's cool. What they be spendin' for a zip out there?”
“'Bout nine an ounce. But the real money will come from the weed and the X pills. 'Em niggas be gone on that shit out there. I got this female who stays on Sycamore over in the Panic Zone. She told me that we could make a killin' over there 'cause all of the young gangbangin' niggas over there be shermed the fuck out all of the time.”
“The Panic Zone?”
“Yeah, that what they call they hood on the backside of Midwest City. The Bloods hood is called the Murda One and the Crips turf is the Panic Zone.”
Flamboyant shook his head and laughed. “That shit is crazy. A'ight, y'all go and make some moves. Keep me posted.”
Prince smiled and said, “Nigga, you'll know how good we're doin' by how much more work we gon' be needing.”
“I know that's right. A'ight, then, I'm outta here. I'm 'bout to go over on the southeast side and holla at Milo. I'll get at y'all later.”
“What's up with hittin' the strip club for lunch?” asked Prince.
“That's straight. I'll meet you there around one. I'll holla,” Flamboyant said as he went back to his truck and left his block.
As soon as Flamboyant pulled in the Southeast Fifteen Street apartments he saw his man Milo beating the shit out of somebody. He quickly got out of his truck and ran over to see what the hell was going on. When he made it to where Milo was stomping on some dude he asked, “What the fuck you doin', Milo?”
Without stopping his beat down Milo said, “This. Nigga. Beat. Me. Out. Of. Three. Zips. And. For. That. He. Has. To. Pay. Flam,” Milo replied as he continued to stomp the hell out of his victim.
Flamboyant let Milo do his thing for a few more minutes then said, “A'ight, dog, your point is made. Let that nigga live so he can get you your money. A dead nigga can't pay no debts.”
Milo laughed and said, “You right!” He then kicked the poor guy one last time and said, “Get my money, nigga, or the next time I swear to God I'm finishin' yo' ass! Fuck the money. I'll pay for my losses out my pocket!”
Flamboyant shook his head from side to side and said, “Come on, crazy man. Let's go chop it up a li'l.”
Milo fell in step with Flamboyant and said, “What got you on my side of the south this morning?”
“Just makin' sure that everything is good. Wifey went to school so I thought I'd get out and about.”
“Right. What's up with this Miami trip I been hearin' 'bout? Any truth to the rumor?”
Flamboyant smiled and said, “Yeah, it's true. When I get everything sorted out you'll be notified.”
“How we all gon' bounce out to Miami and keep this machine runnin'?”
“Everybody ain't rollin' with us. Just the capos of the team. You, Prince, Wave, Ken, Gunna, myself, and Wifey.”
“Wifey? Damn, nigga, you in mad love for real! You takin' Wifey to Miami where some of the baddest hoes in the world live? That's got to be some deep love.”
“You sound like that nigga Prince with that shit. It is what it is, dog. I ain't givin' a fuck 'bout no other broads as long as I got Wifey with me. 'Em Miami hoes ain't got nothin' on Shayla.”
Milo shrugged his shoulders and said, “Whatever. But, still, how is everything going to be handled while we're out?”
“What, your soldiers can't keep the block up and runnin' over a weekend?”
“That won't be a problem. As long as I got plenty of work for them they'll make that fuckin' money.”
“You already know you won't have to worry about that. I'll make sure that everyone is properly stocked.”
“So when is the trip jumpin' off?” Milo asked.
“Fourth of July weekend. Like I said, I'll notify you when everything is everything. Now, how's shit over this way?”
“Good. The traps are clockin' more during the late night so I shut 'em down during the day. Ain't no need for all of that traffic during daylight hours.”
“Ain't you missin' money by doin' that?”
“Nah, 'cause I have my boys out here handlin' all sales. I ain't missin' no money that comes through here. Them X pills are fuckin' hot! I can't seem to keep 'em bitches. As a matter of fact I'm gon' need you to slide me some more later on.”
“Hit Prince when you're ready and he'll come through and hook you up. What up with that Indo? Is it bomb?”
“Is it? Nigga, I'm 'bout to roll up some of that fire now. You tryin' to get high with me this mornin', Flam?” Milo asked and started laughing, knowing damn well that Flamboyant didn't smoke weed.
Flamboyant ignored Milo's silly question and said, “A'ight, then, dog. I'll holla.” He shook hands with Milo and jumped back into his truck, heading over to Ken and Wave's block.
Ken was sitting inside of his Navigator with its Lamborghini-style doors, talking on his cell phone when Flamboyant rolled up on the block on the southwest side. Wave was holding court with a couple of females who looked as if their young asses belonged in high school somewhere. Flamboyant jumped out of his truck and strolled over to Ken's Navigator. “What it do, my nigga?”
Ken set his cell phone on his lap. “Everything is good. We dumped four gallons to them young niggas. They told me they'd be back in a couple of weeks for four more,” he told him.
“That's sweet.”
“Ain't it, man? Let me get back to this call, though. My bitch is straight trippin',” Ken said as he put his cell back to his ear and frowned, listening to his girl yell at him some more.
Flamboyant smiled as he went over to where Wave was still talking to the young females. When Wave saw Flamboyant coming toward him he smiled. “My nigga, what's up?”
They gave each other some dap and Flamboyant said, “What the hell you doin', robbin' the cradle, nigga?”
Wave laughed. “Hell nah, they of age, fool.” He turned toward the two young ladies and said, “Ain't y'all?”
In unison they replied, “Umm hmm.”
“Yeah, right. Come holla at ya boy for a minute, though,” Flamboyant said.
Wave excused himself from the teenyboppers and stepped out of their hearing range while he spoke with Flamboyant. “What's poppin', my nigga?”
“I just came over to check on y'all. How is thangs over this way?”
“Ken told you 'bout them young niggas?”
“Yeah.”
“Shit, with that hookup we way ahead of the game. As for everything else, it's all on autopilot, dog. We got these chips comin' in from every fuckin' angle. We ain't missin' a thang. The traps is rollin' with the yay and the bud. The X pills are a li'l slow but that picks up for us on the weekends on this side of town. You already know what we doin' with the water, so all in all we good on the southwest side, baby.”
“That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. A'ight, then, I'm about to roll. You ready for the MIA?
“You fuckin' right! That shit gon' be crazy right there, my nigga, real talk!”
Flamboyant laughed and said, “Yeah, I know. Tell Ken I said to send his girl a dozen red roses to her job. I don't know what he did to get her hot at his ass, but that'll get him outta the dog house for a minute.”
“Gotcha.”
“Oh, and Wave?”
“What up, Flam?”
“Leave 'em young bitches alone before you get yourself into some shit.”
Wave smiled and said, “Call me R. Kelly!”
Flamboyant shook his head and laughed as he climbed back into his truck and left the block.
Â
By the time Shayla's class was over she was eager to get something to eat. She called Flamboyant and asked him if he wanted to have lunch with her. He pissed her off when he told her that he was having lunch with Prince at some damn strip club.
How in the hell can you have lunch at a strip club?
she wondered as she walked to her car. She decided to get something to eat on the northeast side. It had been a minute since she'd been over to her old stomping grounds. She put her bags in the back seat of her car and climbed inside
. Yeah, I'm in the mood for some good old soul food on the east side!
Shayla felt nostalgic as she entered Stells. It had been a long time since she had a good soul food meal at one of the best soul food restaurants in Oklahoma City. She shook her head and smiled as she thought about how old her boyfriend and first love would bring her to Stells every morning for breakfast. After she was seated a waitress came over to her table and asked her if she was ready to order. When Shayla told her what she wanted the waitress said, “Shayla? Shayla Carter? Girl, how you doin'? It's me, Shavonda!”
Shayla smiled and said, “Hey, girl, what's happening?”
“The same old thang; just working and trying to finish school so I can get the hell out of this boring-ass city.”
“You know you need to quit it, girl. You ain't trying to leave the city.”
“Humph, when I finish school and get my mom right, I'm out of here.”
“Where you gon' go?”
“Either Dallas or Atlanta. Most likely Dallas 'cause you know I ain't trying to go too far from home!” They both started laughing. “So, how have you been? Better yet, where the hell have you been?”
“I'm fine, just going to school, trying my best to get something going for myself. I stopped coming around and hanging out when Trevor went away. Things wasn't the same when he left.”
“Shayla, Trevor has been home for two years now. Don't tell me that you two haven't spoken to one another?” The shocked expression on Shayla's face answered Shavonda's question. “Oooh, girl, that means you don't know, huh?” she asked excitedly.
“Know what?”
“Girlfriend, Trevor is major, and I do mean major, out here.”
“Stop playing! Trevor's gangsta attitude always gets in the way whenever money is involved. I'm surprised you didn't tell me that he was in jail again, for murder this time. That man is c-r-a-z-y!”
They laughed and then Shavonda said, “For real girl, Trevor is ballin' big time.”
“Does he still come here for breakfast every morning?”
“Yep. If you would have come in here three hours sooner you would have seen his sexy ass.”
“He still looks good, huh?”
“Good? Girl, that man has a body out of this world. How come you two stopped talkin'? What, you couldn't wait for him while he was in the clink?”
Shayla frowned and said, “It wasn't like that. He didn't want me to wait for him. He told me to go on and live my life 'cause he didn't want to get hurt. So, that's what I did.”