“Yeah. He never wanted me to have anybody. It was like he felt threatened or something.”
“That’s the same thing with me. He wanted us to be as miserable and as alone as he was.”
I exhale and say seriously, “Well every hog has its day…and Miss Ty’s is right around the corner. But Day, never repeat the story about the murder ever again.”
“I didn’t want to this time.”
“I’m serious, Dayshawn. I’m not sure but I have a feelin’ everything is goin’ to be okay from here on out. But you gotta trust me and remember that quiet is kept.”
“I hope so.”
“Hoping is over, it’s time for revenge.”
Dayshawn, Adrian and I get out of the car and walk toward my house when Ocean, who was in the House of Diamonds with Big Boody Brandy walks toward me. Her red Mercedes Benz sits on the curb in front of my house.
I knew it was Ocean the moment I saw her long lace front weave, tight jeans and double D size breasts. Ocean’s honey colored face was covered expertly with a nice makeup job. I must admit, the girl’s face was beat and the white Louis Vuitton purse she carries swings on her arm.
“Watch out, Miss Wayne!” Adrian screams. “Mad QUEEN walking!”
Dayshawn stands beside me as I look at Ocean stomp in our direction.
“Everything is cool, I just want to talk to Miss Wayne for a minute.” Ocean says looking at them. “Alone. This kinda private.”
Dayshawn and Adrian look at me for confirmation and I because I’m never scared I say, “It’s cool, Diva’s…I’ll talk to her alone.”
Adrian and Day walk into the house taking one last look at me before going inside. Although the door is closed, they look out the window. Now I don’t have a problem with Ocean, but I did have a problem with Big Boody Brandy and how she shot up the house with all of us inside. Just ‘cause she wanted Tyrone.
“What’s up, Ocean?”
“Everything, Wayne. For starters my house mother is gone and I’m left to keep the House of Diamonds legacy alive by myself.”
“Yeah…I’m sorry to hear about Big Boody. I can’t believe Paul did some shit like that.”
“It’s cool,” she says adjusting her Fendi shades, which rests on the bridge of her nose job. “In the end she got what she deserved.”
“With that said, Ocean, me and Big Boody weren’t cool, so what does all of this have to do with me?”
“Nothing…except Brandy did tell me if anything were to happen to her, to give you this letter. And I may be a queen, but I keep all my promises.”
When she reaches into her purse to grab something, Adrian and Dayshawn run back outside.
“What is goin’ on out here?” Dayshawn yells.
“Uh…nothing,” Ocean frowns. “I just want to give Wayne this letter from Brandy that’s all.”
She hands me a sealed envelope with my name handwritten on it. I take it from her hands and examine it briefly before opening it.
“I don’t know what it says…but I hope it clears up whatever for you. I’m out.”
“I’m coming ya’ll. Go inside.”
Adrian and Dayshawn look at me before walking away.
After Ocean switches away and jumps into her car, I take a few seconds to read the two-page letter outside. It revealed some incriminating information. What shocked me the most is that she took the time to write it.
When I open the front door, the letter is still on my mind and I see Tyrone sitting on the couch with his face in his hands. Make-up is streaked up and down his face. Adrian and Dayshawn come behind me and close the door.
“Hi, Wayne,” Tyrone says pitifully. “Everything cool outside?”
I tuck the letter in my pocket, look at Adrian and Dayshawn and say, “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry about last night. I ain’t know none of that shit was gonna happen!”
“Before you say anything, Dayshawn and Adrian don’t know the facts of last night’s events,” then I turn to them and say, “Do ya’ll wanna know what happened?”
Both nod yes.
“Okay, proceed.”
“We handled the situation.”
“How?”
“We hid the body.”
I sigh and wipe my hands down my face. “Tyrone, I knew it was too much for me to expect that you would do the right thing, and maybe take him to the hospital or somethin’.”
“I know you didn’t want the cops around here askin’ questions again. So I did what I thought was best.”
“The key word is…Again!” I yell. “But why is that the second time somebody died in my house? And both times you’re the main culprit!”
“Wait…what body?” Dayshawn asks looking at Tyrone and then me.
“Let me start from the beginning, Wayne, because you probably don’t understand everything I do either. I learned how to do silicone jobs from Miss P. because I was tryin’ to make enough money to get my own place. I was doin’ ‘em with no problems but my client yesterday had an allergic reaction or somethin’ and started spazzin’ out, holdin’ his chest and shit! Had I known he was allergic, I would never have done that shit!”
“Had you been a doctor you would’ve known to ask. You can’t even fuckin’ read, Tyrone! So please tell me how you’re up in here doin’ surgeries?”
“Hindsight is twenty/twenty, Wayne and for real it ain’t shit I can do about it now. All I can tell you is that I never meant for anybody to get hurt.”
“I find that funny…because everybody who comes around you gets hurt or killed. Nothing in between.”
“What does that mean?” he asks.
“It doesn’t even matter anymore. I have a question though, how much were you chargin’ people for that silicone shit?” I ask.
“Six hundred for face procedures and 800 for breasts corrections if you already have them.”
I was floored. Didn’t even realize how much money could be made in that shit.
“Knowing you, you probably don’t have any of that money left do you? Because we all know you can’t save shit.”
“Well I guess ya’ll don’t know as much as you think you do about me. Because I saved up ten thousand dollars already.”
“Really?” I laugh.
“Really,” she smiles and then my cell phone rings.
The number is blocked out and I put the handset to my head and say, “It’s me…who are you?”
“It’s me, Parade…I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me and that I can’t wait to see you again. I also want you to know that no matter what happens, you have real family here.”
“I know, darling. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” she says, nicer than she has in a long time.
“You know what,” I say turning around to them, “all of this shit is too much for me. I should have stayed in LA and never came back. And I’m finally realizin’ after gettin’ off the phone with Parade, someone who actually gives a fuck about me, that this shit is not even worth my time. So…I propose
you all
find another place to live. I just buried my friend and as far as I’m concerned all the shit that’s been happenin’ up in here, don’t even matter anymore.”
“What are you saying, Wayne?” Dayshawn asks in a surprised tone.
“I’m sayin’ you all have to go by the end of the week…together if you want to, apart if it’s better. Either way I don’t care.”
“Wayne…me too?” Asks Adrian.
“You too. I got a little girl I have to think about now and I’m not takin’ care of three faggies no more.”
“After all that…in the hotel?” Asks Dayshawn. “After everything we talked about in private?”
“Like I said, I’m sorry.” I say walking away from them. “But my life and the life of my family matters more to me than all of you! And since my name is the only one on the lease, I have the luxury of cleaning house, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Adrian sat on the sofa along with Tyrone and Dayshawn after Miss Wayne gave them a piece of his mind.
“I’m confused,” says Adrian. “I mean…I thought everything was okay between the three of us at least. I know he was beefin’ with you, Tyrone, but how we get tied up in this shit?”
“It’s like he snapped,” Dayshawn adds.
“I don’t know what to think, but what are we going to do now?” Adrian asks.
“I don’t know. What are you goin’ to do, Tyrone?” Asks Dayshawn.
“Well I have enough money to get a place of my own, I just need some roommates I can trust.”
“You sure you don’t really need someone to fill out the rental applications for you? Since you can’t read?” Asks Dayshawn.
“That too,” he laughs. “But think about it…after this shit blows over, we can make enough money to take care of ourselves because I’m still doin’ the injections. It’s a lot of money in that shit and I could use the help. We don’t even need Wayne no more.”
“I feel like I should talk to Wayne first,” Says Adrian. “Maybe he’s just mad right now but will be better later.”
When Tyrone sees he wasn’t getting through to them he says, “We can even split the profits three ways.”
Now he had their full attention.
“We still need a legal job to qualify to rent an apartment. You know wherever we go they’re going to ask us for pay stubs.” Dayshawn replies. “I really wish that house didn’t burn down. That was a good look for us.”
“Wait a minute…isn’t Miss Rick renting out another place?” Adrian asks.
“You’re right! She do got a spot.” Says Dayshawn.
“We can see if she’ll rent it out to us. You know she’ll be lenient on the paperwork and shit too, just as long as we pay on time.”
“I don’t know, it’s all the way in Laurel, Maryland. You know we don’t go that far up the pike on a regular.”
“Come on, Day! We don’t have a choice.” Adrian persists.
“What do you think, Tyrone? You think we can move that far?”
“I just need a place to live.” He says although they detect slight hesitation in his voice.
“Let me call Miss Rick now and see if the place is still available.”
Grabbing his phone from his pocket, Dayshawn calls. The phone rings four times before he finally answers. He puts the call on speaker.
“What’s up, bitch?!” Miss Rick screams. “Where the fuck you been?”
“Nowhere important but everyplace else. You know how it is.”
“I hear you.”
“I’m calling to see if that place is still available. The one you were renting out in Maryland.”
“For now…but if you want it you better move quick. I had five people come look at it today alone. You know I’ll keep it for you because you’re my peoples but you got to move now.”
“Cool…can we make a deposit at the end of the week?”
“I don’t think I’ll be holding it that long. I need to rent that place sooner than later.”
“What happened to us being your peoples?”
“You know how it is. I’m a greedy bitch first. But to be honest, if you really want the place you should come down here today with a five thousand dollar deposit.”
Dayshawn laughs and says, “Okay…let me see if the deposit is possible on my end.” Dayshawn takes the phone off speaker and says, “You heard him. If we want the house, we got to go down there today to sign the papers and bring the money.”
“Good!” Tyrone pauses looking at the slight frown on Dayshawn’s face. “What’s the problem now?”
“Well, we don’t have the money for the deposit…unless you can front us, Tyrone.”
“Wait a minute…is this a set up? Are ya’ll consipirin’ with that bitch back there to take my fuckin’ money? It is awfully funny that Ms. Rick doesn’t mind renting her house to me when she doesn’t bump with me for real.”
“Ty, I don’t have time for this shit. We ‘bout to be homeless! You heard Wayne. Now if you don’t want to move with us then that’s up to you. I’ll just find another place to get the cash. As a matter of fact, let me go back there and ask Wayne now. He wants us out so bad, he’s liable to pay us to leave.”
Dayshawn walks to the back and Tyrone yells, “Wait! I’ll put up the money. But how do I know I can trust ya’ll?”
Dayshawn walks back and says, “Tyrone, just because the bitch doesn’t want to live with you don’t mean she don’t wanna get money! Ms. Rick will rent to you as long as the money right and she ain’t gotta stay with your ass.” Deshawn pauses when he still senses hesitation. “Look…if you think we bullshittin’ you let’s do this… we’ll let you sign the lease alone. That way if we act up, you can put us out. It’ll be your world, and we’ll just be livin’ in it.”
“Why would you do that? After all the stuff I’ve done to ya’ll?”
“Did you hear, Miss Wayne? He wants us the fuck out of here, Ty.” He pauses. “Now come on! What the fuck are we gonna do? Nair one of us has good credit or a job! This is it.”
“Let me go grab my purse.” The smirk on his face shows that he loves having full control.
When they get to the house, they were overwhelmed at how beautiful it was. Although the rental was only in Prince Georges County Maryland, it had a large back yard filled with trees and a below level pool. It also had five bedrooms and that meant they would each have a space of their own. After Miss Rick showed them the place, he sat them down in his office and went over the details of the agreement.
“So, do you like it?” He asks.
“It’s beautiful!” Says Adrian. “I’m going to hook this place up!”
“You mean
I’m
going to hook this place up. This is my place not ya’lls,” Tyrone reminds them like he had all the way to the house. “Ain’t shit goin’ on in this house unless I approve it.”
Adrian lowers his head and looks at Miss Rick and Dayshawn.
“Well since you’re the renter, where is my money?” Asks Miss Rick.
“Here you go.”
Miss Rick tucks the money into his bra and slides the contract across the table.
“Here is the first contract,” Miss Rick says, sneezing several times. “Let me know if you don’t like something in the verbiage because we can change it right now.”
Tyrone looks at Dayshawn and Adrian for their help. Adrian scans over the paperwork and with an attitude says, “It looks fine to me.”
With that, Tyrone places an illegible signature on the only place on the agreement he could comprehend. The blank line.
“Here’s another document too. I need you to sign this also.” Miss Rick says.
Again he signs. Once he finishes, Miss Rick quickly snatches the documents before Tyrone has a chance to change his mind and his sneezing becomes worse.
“Are you okay?” Asks Adrian.
“Allergies…that’s why I’m renting this house. I can’t take the trees no more in the spring.”
“I’m not tryin’ to be rude, but can you hand me my keys
without
touchin’ them. I don’t want none of that snot on my hands,” says Tyrone.
“Uggh! It’s just allergies, girl but okay,” he says grabbing a napkin and placing the keys in them. “Congratulations home renters!”
Miss Tyrone, Dayshawn and Adrian embrace each other in a hug and leave. They go on and on about how they lucked up on such a good deal.
But when they’re gone, Miss Rick picks up the phone to make a call, “I got what you need. So hurry up and come get your half of the money. I got to go pick up my husband at the airport.”
“I’m on my way.”