Authors: Clever Black
“We’re all feeling the effects of this situation, Mary,”
Naomi replied. “The thing is, I did what I did to keep you all
safe here at home. And I never meant to lie to you directly. I
erred.”
“That’s not the thing that bothers me, Naomi,” Mary
said as she eyed Martha briefly. “When we were in Ghost Town,
my daughters, especially Rene, Rene wanted to be just like Martha. We
both did the best we could to keep them away from the street life and
we were fine right up until the night I was shot. Ne`Ne` would still
be alive maybe, if it weren’t for this girl Latasha Scott. She
was stealing from people’s homes in the next neighborhood and
Rene and her friend Sandy got caught up in something they had nothing
to do with.”
“What’s your point in all this, Mary?” Martha
asked.
“I would like to know why you willingly put your children into
harm’s way, Naomi? What was the reasoning behind allowing them
to enter a life of crime?” Mary asked sincerely.
“Doss was involved in a dangerous occupation, Mary—one
that required complete trust of those closest to him. When he asked
me, I was reluctant, but if you know the big three, they’re
every bit their father. They are the only ones involved in the things
happening outside of Oklahoma.” Naomi replied, refusing to give
up information on Kimi and Koko’s role in the family business.
“What are you going to do now?”
“If you must know, we’re still in the middle of
something. We still have enemies laying in wait and unfinished
business with some of our associates. It will be business as usual
for those involved after things settle down.”
Mary leaned back and looked to the ground. “This is not the
life I believed in,” she said as tears formed in her eyes. “You
have something beautiful here and this is what you do?”
“What do you want from me, Mary? You want us to back away? Fold
up and let it end like this?”
“I don’t know what I want, Naomi. I wish I would’ve
never learned the truth, that’s all. I feel let down by it all.
I liked my naivety, it made everything make sense.”
“I’m giving you the truth now, Mary. Take your blinders
off and throw them away because life isn’t always wrapped up
and tied into a neat bow and kept tidy and trouble-free. Some of the
family is involved in illegitimate finance and have been for some
time. That can, and will change, but not until we accomplish our
goals, which is to finish what our enemies have started. There’s
your truth up-close and personal. I understand your anxiety, but we
have to get a hold on things and make it right for our associates
before we’re done with the business. If you don’t like
the truth, if you feel threatened, then you’re welcome to
leave, but I hope that you stay. Nothing will happen to you here.”
“Naomi,” Mary said as she reached out and grabbed her
sister’s hands, “I have nowhere else to go. Ponca City is
where I belong. This is where my family resides, and I’m here
for them. I just, I just need time to accept the reality of the
situation. Give me time.”
“Take all the time you need. Just know, that we’re
planning to get out someday, but there’s unfinished business
that has to be addressed first before we can.”
“I don’t want to know anything unless it threatens our
family here. What happens off the ranch isn’t my concern.
That’s the conflict here!” Mary then blurted out as she
stood up from her chair and rubbed her forehead in frustration. “It
is
my concern because family is involved! I don’t wanna
another day like this!”
“That’s something I can’t promise, Mary. But I’ll
do all within my power to prevent it from ever happening again.”
Mary was in an emotional upheaval state. It was hard for her to
accept that some of her relatives were criminals. The only thing that
made it easier to digest was the fact that Martha had lived the life
once so she could somewhat understand. Still, it would take time for
her to come to grips with the reality that had been thrust upon her
and the rest of the family. She apologized to Martha and Naomi before
walking away, stating that she was going to the guest house to be
alone until it was time to leave for Saint Louis.
“She’ll be okay, sis,” Martha said lowly as she
watched Mary riding off in a golf cart.
“Mary’s a humble woman, Martha. Too humble at times, but
that’s what I love about her. She helps keep everything in
perspective without even knowing. Let’s get ready for this
meeting and then we’ll spend time with Bena and get my
husband’s burial plans together.”
“Let’s do it,” Martha replied as she got up and
followed Naomi into Ponderosa. “Twiggy gone drive the truck
over to the Lou for us, by the way,” she added.
“Good. DeeDee and Mendoza are headed to Cicero tonight. Let’s
hope everything works out with the moves we’re going to make
pretty soon.” Naomi ended as she entered the home.
*******
The Millennium Hotel in downtown Saint Louis was ripe with activity
in mid-September, two days after Doss’s assassination. Naomi
and Martha exited an airport shuttle van and walked amongst the
dozens of Saint Louis Cardinals and Rams fans, both sports teams
having home games this weekend, and were greeted by Dawk, Malik and
Jay-D in the lobby.
Dawk hugged his mother and introduced his most trusted Enforcers to
his family and the group hopped onto an elevator and rode up to the
quiet 22
nd
floor of the hotel where they met Junior, who
led the way to the suite at the end of the hall.
“These guys are scared as shit, family,” Junior laughed.
“I never seen nothing like it.”
“Did you talk to them?” Naomi asked.
“I ain’t say nothing to the guys. They’re too
distraught. Maybe you can sort this thing out.”
“That I can and will do,” Naomi said dryly as she and her
group followed Junior down the hall.
The door opened and Naomi laid eyes on two Asian men sitting opposite
one another on the beds who she knew to be named Phillip Tran and
Grover Kobayashi. Malik and Jay-D remained outside and Naomi, Dawk
and Martha trailed Junior into the room.
The men looked devastated in Naomi’s eyes. Disheveled suits and
weary eyes complimented wild heads of jet black hair, and empty
bottles of beer were all around. There was a musky smell in the room
and cell phones were all over the place.
“We’ve been here for an entire day,” Phillip said
as he stood up and extended his hand towards Naomi, introducing
himself and Grover.
“Junior says you two have a problem?” Naomi asked as she
stood before Phillip and Grover.
“My father is near death. We can’t see him because the
feds are all over Seattle. We don’t know all that they know and
we have no one else to turn to.”
“Your father is?”
“JunJie Maruyama. He was shot by a federal agent the same day
your husband was killed and is in a coma.”
“What is it that you want from us? We’re still sorting
things out here on our end.”
“You have to put us up for the time being. We need shelter
until we can sort things out with our guy south of the border.”
“How will this affect our standing with Mister Gacha?”
“It won’t. We will carry the burden for the time being.
We just have to know who else who we can trust because Asa Spade is
on his way to prison on a racketeering charge. There’s no one
left in our crew but us.”
“What’s with the cell phones?”
“We’ve been trying to contact you since my father was
hit. We used every number. Got a call back from your son, Dawk, and
he set this meeting up.” Grover remarked.
“We’re going to need those,” Naomi said as Martha
grabbed a plastic bag and went about picking up the cell phones.
“We’ll get rid of these for y’all,” Martha
said as Dawk gave Grover two new phones.
“Use these for now, here’s the numbers,” Naomi said
as Dawk handed over the phones. “I have a home in Cicero where
I can set you two men up. It is furnished, clean and very relaxing.
My son and his crew will drive you there and I’m going to have
to ask that you two remain inside. Don’t venture out until our
arrival.”
“How long will it be before you return to Cicero?”
Phillip asked.
“It’ll be at least a week. We have to bury the head of
our family. Then, we’ll sort everything out and began making
amends,” Naomi said as she placed her hands together and bowed
slightly, her way of honoring the Japanese men.
“Thank you for this. We will never forget this,” Grover
said calmly.
“It is our pleasure. We have much more business in the future,
but as for now, we must all fall back.” Naomi responded.
“We’re all on the same page here, Naomi.” Phillip
said as he extended his hand. “We’re ready when you’re
ready, young Doss.”
“You know my name is Dawk, right?”
“I know. You just remind me of your father with your demeanor.
I meant no disrespect.”
“None taken. Let’s move,” Dawk replied as he led
the way out the door.
“Okay, Junior, Martha, let’s get on with the get on. I’ve
been holding back tears for the past two days, but I feel them coming
on as I speak.” Naomi said. “I hope Bena gets through
this ordeal unscathed.”
“You ladies go ahead,” Junior said. “I gotta use
the crapper. The bathrooms at Mercy hospital are the filthiest.”
“Don’t forget to wipe,” Martha joked as she and
Naomi headed out the door. Once the door closed, Martha couldn’t
hold back any longer. “You think this plan is going to work,
sis?” she asked lowly.
“It has to, Martha. The Asians’ asses are on the line and
we owe it to them to make things right in order to keep our ship
afloat. The people working against us aren’t the brightest, you
know? We smelled them coming, but they caught us off guard. Now? We
will play a game of bowling ball—and knock them all down at the
same time and leave no room for a spare.”
*******
“Okay,” Dawk told Phillip as Malik wheeled Jay-D’s
Navigator down Interstate-70 towards the airport. “These are
your flight tickets and we have you two set up at the Ritz Carlton in
Chicago. Lay low until you get the call and you’ll get back at
your man for what he did. My grandfather and his friend will handle
that other thing.”
“You think they’ll buy it?” Phillip asked as he
combed out his hair and straightened his suit and tie.
“Greed blinds people, my man. Y’all just lay low and let
us work this magic. Asa Spade? Where is he?” Dawk asked.
“He really is locked up, Dawk,” Grover answered as he
tied his tie and splashed cologne onto his face and wrists. “The
feds were knee deep in his ass. He may walk if our plans go
accordingly, but he will have to sit for a while. Him and his entire
crew.”
“Good luck to the guy. It was stand up what he did when he sent
that message to call you two.”
“It was, my man,” Phillip replied. “Helped put us
on the offense. We’ll stay out the way and wait on your
family’s call.” he ended as he and Grover enjoyed a
leisurely ride to the airport in order to catch a flight to Chicago,
where they would await their next move.
CHAPTER FORTY
HOLDING ON
Naomi walked slowly, seemingly in slow motion, through the pristine
halls of Mercy Medical Center with her head bowed, a ten gallon hat
covering her head and a dark pair of shades covering her eyes as
tears had begun streaming from her eyes the moment she’d left
the meeting with Phillip and Grover.
For two days she’d been the one leading the way for the family.
On the phone constantly with Tiva getting updates on her oldest
daughter’s condition, lining things up with DeeDee in order to
clean house, having heartfelt talks with each of the young five,
sitting for hours with Spoonie and Tyke, who’d been crying off
and on ever since the night she’d broken the news. All the pain
she’d been carrying with her since the night she’d
received that phone call was pouring out of her heart like a
waterfall—and this was only the beginning of her sorrow, she
knew.
Martha and Junior were tailing Naomi as she approached the double
doors leading into the intensive care unit. She pushed them open
slowly and the entire group of family and friends came into view—and
they were a beautiful sight to see—all of them were such a
beautiful and consoling sight. Tiva, Kimi, Koko, and their boyfriends
Udelle and Chablis, Walee, Spoonie, Tyke, Mary, Malaysia, Malara,
Regina, Tak, Tacoma, Twiggy, Siloam, Flacco, Oneika Brackens, Jane
Dow and oddly, Reynard, who’d flown in to comfort his daughter
and grandson, were all present, sitting in chairs, standing and
sitting on the carpeted floor even. They’d taken over the
waiting area, had set up camp for the moment and were all praying and
pulling for Bena to pull through.
Naomi went and stood amongst the group and they all formed a circle
around her as she broke down into tears. The family hugged one
another tightly and stood in a circle in total silence, some batting
the tears from their eyes as they looked to the ground in disbelief.
Bena had been shot in the head and was clinging on to life. It was a
hard reality, but together, they knew they could be strong for Bay
and help her through the most difficult time of her life.
As the group stood in silence, Kimi looked up and saw the doctor and
his staff approaching. No one except for Tiva had seen Bay, and by
all measures, it wasn’t a pretty sight because she simply
couldn’t, or wouldn’t describe what she’d
witnessed.
“Momma,” Kimi said through her tears, “there’s
Bena’s doctor.”
Naomi turned and eyed the man and stepped forth from the group.
“Bena’s family,” the man said lowly. “You
are?”
“I’m her mother. My name is Naomi Holland-Dawkins.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Misses Dawkins. I’m Doctor
Obadiah Wickenstaff—lead Neurosurgeon here at Mercy Medical
Center.”
Naomi had heard the name Obadiah Wickenstaff back in 2002 when she’d
first visited Lucky shortly after he was shot by Carmella and she’d
never forgotten the name. She had wondered back then what race would
a person by the name of Obadiah be; now she had her answer, she only
wished it were under better circumstances.