Chapter Nine
After spending the entire day with his kids, King felt that it was time for him to hit the block. Even though it was a holiday, he wasn't letting anything interfere with his money. Fourth of July or not, he was going to get his. When he brought li'l Trevor and Tandy back home he knew Lawanda was going to give him some grief when he told her he was leaving; so instead of walking the kids into the house, he waited outside in his car and watched as they went inside the house. Just as he was getting ready to put the car in reverse, Lawanda came to the front door waving her hands, signaling for him not to leave. He sighed heavily as he turned off the ignition and climbed out of his car.
“Where are you going? I've been barbequing while y'all were out poppin' them fireworks. I got all of your favorites, too: chicken as well as some ribs,” Lawanda said.
“That's cool, but I got some shit to get into. If I can, I'll come back later on and get my eat on.”
“That's fucked up, King. It's the Fourth and you can't even spend it with us.”
“What you talkin' 'bout? I've been with the kids all damn day. I gots to do me, so don't be givin' me no shit right now, Lawanda. I'm not really in the mood.”
“Yeah, you've been with the kids; but what about me? Don't I deserve some of your time too?”
“Like I said, I'm not in the mood for this shit. You know what time it is with us, so don't be trying to make it seem like we're some happy fuckin' family. I'll hit you later on,” he said as he turned around and went back to his car.
“That's fucked up, King. You didn't even have to go there!” she yelled as she stormed back into her house.
As King pulled out of the driveway, he knew he was wrong for saying what he said but, hell, it was the truth. Lawanda had tricked him into getting her pregnant and she knew damn well that he wasn't feeling her like that. Not only did he fall for that, “I'm on the pill” shit once, like a straight sucker he fell for it twice. His lack of dick control when it came to her ass was the reason why he had two kids. He loved his shorties dearly, but he felt they were brought into this world by the wrong woman.
Damn, if I would have held on to Shayla like I was supposed to, none of this shit would be goin' on,
he thought as he headed toward the block.
The block was popping and everything looked to be going smooth as King pulled his Magnum in front of the main trap. Tippi was sitting on the porch listening to some music on her iPhone. When she saw King she pulled out her earplugs and asked, “How was family time?”
“Don't start with me, Tippi. I'm tellin' yo' ass, don't start.”
“Damn, nigga, all I did was ask a question.”
“What's up out here? Is everything good or what?”
“Yeah, we straight. 'Em bad-ass li'l kids down there got them bitch-ass black and whites comin' through every twenty minutes or so though.”
“Why, 'cause the fireworks and shit?”
“Yeah, you know that shit is illegal within the city limits. They just riding through to make the kids stop, but you already know as soon as they leave they got they li'l asses right back out there poppin' away.”
“Where that nigga Flex at?”
Tippi shrugged and said, “Ain't no tellin'. Probably somewhere tryin' to do him. I told you that nigga got somethin' else poppin'.”
“Yeah, we'll see,” King said as he pulled out his cell and dialed Flex's cell number. When Flex answered he told him, “Meet me at the 7-Eleven off of Fortieth on Scott Street.”
“What's up?” asked Flex.
“I'll get at you when I see you.” King ended the call and told Tippi, “I'm puttin' that nigga out in Del City by Keko's new spot.”
Tippi laughed and said, “He's not goin' to like that shit.”
“If he has somethin' else poppin' then this will be his chance to bring it to the table. If not, then he's goin' to work that spot with Keko's people. It's either that or he's off the squad.”
“You need me to roll wit' you?”
“Nah, do you. I'll be back in a li'l while,” King said as he stepped off of the porch. He got into his car and just as he was turning the ignition one of the kids who lived on the block came running toward his car, waving his hands. King rolled down his window and said, “What's good, li'l man?”
“We don't have any more for any more firecrackers. Can you look out for us, King?”
“How much y'all need?”
The little boy thought for a minute then held up both of his hands and said, “Ten dollars.”
“Ten dollars? That's gon' be enough to last y'all?”
“Uh-huh.”
“A'ight. Here, take this and make sure that everybody gets some,” he said as he gave the little boy a C-note.
“Thanks, King!” The little boy smiled.
“A'ight, li'l man, y'all be safe,” he said, returning the smile.
“We will!” yelled the little boy as he ran off to show his friends how much money King had given him.
By the time King arrived at the 7-Eleven, he saw Flex standing next to his Navigator smoking a cigarette. King parked next to Flex's SUV, jumped out of his car, and said, “Take a walk with me real quick.” Flex fell in step with him and they strolled toward an apartment complex down the street from the 7-Eleven. “So tell me, what's poppin', Flex?”
“Same old shit, my nigga, just tryin' to get 'em dollars.”
“Yeah, I see. What you got crackin', dog?”
“I'm makin' a few moves tryin' to get a li'l extra somethin', you know how it is. Just grindin' for real.”
“I feel you, but peep this, I was thinkin' 'bout puttin' you out this way with Keko and his people. Would you have a problem wit' that?”
“It depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether this will interfere with what I'm tryin' to get poppin',” Flex said seriously.
“What exactly are you tryin' to get jumped off?”
“I've been lightweight fuckin' with this white broad out on the far north side behind Quail Springs. She's been hookin' a nigga up with these high-powered crackas. Doctors, lawyers, and shit like that. They be spendin' like a mothafucka. But they ain't fuckin' with the hard; all they want is the soft. I be delivering it to them whenever they get at ol' girl. It's been lovely for me so far. I was hopin' to be able to buy three or four bricks of my own; then I'd be bringin' in more chips for the squad as well as myself.”
“That's cool. For a minute there I thought you was tryin' to shake us. That's the reason I was gon' put you over this way.”
“Come on, King. You know I ain't wit' no faulty shit. I'm tryin' to make as much paper as I can, but I'd never cross you, my nigga. Real talk.”
“Good lookin', Flex, but I had to holla at you, you know what I'm sayin'?”
“I ain't fucked up 'bout it. It's all good.”
“Come on in here with me. Let's see what Keko got crackin'. You might still want to come out this way,” King said as he led Flex past a small security office and into the Summit apartments. Before they were all of the way inside of the apartment complex, they heard Keko yelling at someone. King smiled and said, “That nigga Keko runs a tight ship wherever he gets down.”
“Yeah, but he be on some bullshit sometimes, though. If I do come out here, I'm not gon' be goin' for that punk shit, dog.”
“Don't worry 'bout it. I'll make sure that everything is straight.”
Keko saw King and Flex when they entered the apartment complex and watched them as they came toward him. Keko was twenty-eight years old, a year older than King. He was well known throughout the north side from his old gangbangin' days. He gave up being a Blood for gettin' money with King and the squad. They first met each other when they were doing time in prison. Keko was a slim, light brownâskinned brother with a chipped front tooth. His choice of hairstyles varied from week to week. Either he had his hair cut bald, or kept cut low with designs shaved all over his head. He was known around the north and was a top earner for the squad. He was also well known for busting his gun. His knuckle game wasn't that great, so he made up for the lack of fighting skills with pulling out his pistol. He not only pulled it out, he used it quite effectively.
King observed how the smokers were purchasing their drug of choice from Keko's hand-to-hand man. He also noticed that after every sale was made Keko's workers would then go to the back of the apartments for a few minutes then return to the front to wait for the next sale.
“Don't you think you're a li'l too obvious with your workers takin' the ends straight to the back after every sale?” asked King.
Keko smiled. “Don't miss a thang, huh? Don't trip, my nigga; looks are deceiving. When they go to the back they take the chips to my girl, Neecy. Neecy then takes the chips to my apartment where I keep all the ends. No one knows about this apartment but me and Wifey so, believe me, it's all good. I've locked this apartment complex down tighter than Nino did the Carter building, dog!”
King laughed. “But is the money flowin' like it was in
New Jack City?
”
“You fuckin' right! I've gone through a half unit in less than two days out here. And it's only gon' get better as time goes on. As you can see, I got a straight line on all incomin' traffic. So if the Ones come, they'll be spotted way before they can do any damage. I got the manager in my pocket as well as the rent-a-cops who call themselves security guards. You did notice that they didn't say anything to y'all when y'all walked by 'em, right? That's how Keko gets down. Ya know!”
“You are the man, my nigga,” King said as he gave Keko a pound.
“That I am; but I do have one problem, though.”
“What's that?”
“I got word from a few cluckheads that there's a spot on the other side of the highway that's competin' with a nigga. So far they haven't been able to do any harm, but the word from the clucks is that they're about to step up their game.”
“Do you know who's runnin' that shit over there?”
“Nah, not yet. I'm checkin' on that shit now. The thing is, we don't control shit out this way like we do on the north. I might have to get a li'l physical in order for my presence to be felt. Cool?”
King understood what Keko was asking him and answered, “Do what needs to be done in order for you to be able to do you. Just make sure you don't overdo it, Keko.”
“Gotcha.” Keko smiled.
“We're outta here,” King said as he turned and was followed closely by Flex out of Keko's gold mine. When they made it back to the 7-Eleven, King took a look on the other side of the highway. He saw what looked like several crackheads walking in and out of the Candlewood apartment complex.
“Do you want to come out this way and get a part of Keko's spot, Flex?”
“Nah, I'm good. I'll do better if I stay where I'm at, dog. I would like some more room to get down, though. I need to get my roam on a li'l bit more. When I'm stuck on the block I be missin' more than I should.”
“A'ight, then, do you. Tippi can handle the block for now. If you're needed, you'll be called.”
“I ain't trippin'. You know I'll be there, G.”
“I'll holla at ya later,” King said as he got into his car and drove away.
As King was on his way back to the block he was thinking about giving Shayla another call. He couldn't believe how funny style she acted toward him.
She has to know how much she still means to me,
he thought as he turned onto the highway. He grabbed his cell and called his aunt. “What's good, Aunty?”
“Nothin' much, boy, just sittin' here feelin' real good right about now.”
He laughed and said, “Yeah, I bet you are. You need to stop smokin' so much of that bud. That shit can't be good for you.”
“Believe me, boy, ain't nothing wrong with smokin' weed, especially weed that's this damn good. Now, what you want, boy? You messin' with my high!”
“That's cold. I just wanted to see what you were up to. I see a brotha can't even check on his peoples from time to time.”
“Yeah, yeah, save all of that shit for someone who believes it. If you checkin' to see if Shayla has called back, you're wasting your time 'cause she hasn't.”
He started laughing again and said, “You really think you know me, huh?”
“Am I right?”
“Kinda,” he admitted and started laughing.
Doris May's tone turned serious as she said, “I raised you, boy, and I know when you're worried about something or someone. I can hear it in your voice. Don't be goin' out of your way for that girl. If it's meant for y'all to be together it'll happen sooner or later.”
“I feel ya. Are you good or do you need me to slide by there and bring you some more medicine?”
“I'm cooool, boy, reallll coooool.” She giggled, high as the clouds in the sky.
“You're outta there, Aunty, but I love your crazy self.”
“I love you too, boy. Bye,” she said as she hung up the phone.
As he drove on he continued to think about Shayla.
Fuck it, Aunty's right. If it's gon' happen it's gon' happen. I got way too much money to make to be trippin' off of a broad from my past,
he thought as he pulled back onto the block.