Payback With Ya Life (11 page)

CHAPTER TEN

M
ommy, the phone is ringing,” Tameerah sang as Nyla juggled the bags of groceries while fumbling with the keys to open the door.

“Okay. Okay.”

“Mommy, hurry up, it’s still ringing.” Tameerah was bouncing up and down.

“I hear it, Tameerah.” As soon as the lock turned, Tameerah pushed the door open and ran for the phone. Nyla rushed for the kitchen table to set the heavy bags down.

“Mommy, it’s Daddy. It’s Daddy!”

“Nooo, Tameerah!” Nyla yelled as she hurried into the living room to make Tameerah hang up the phone. But when she reached her it was too late.

“Hi, Daddy.” Tameerah beamed. “Fine. Yes. Yes. Uh-huh. From the store. I miss you too. Yeah, she here. Okay, Daddy. I love you too. Here go my mommy!” She held out the phone for Nyla.

Damn, why did I teach her how to press five?
“Go wash your hands so you can help me put the groceries away.” She then said to Forever, “Hey.”

“Hey? I haven’t seen or talked to my wife or daughter in weeks and that’s all you got to say is hey?”

“What you want me to say, Forever?”

“That nigga must be fuckin’ you real good.”

“I ain’t trying to hear that stupid shit. I’ve been running all day, I just stepped into the house and I got groceries to put away. So what’s up?”

“Fuck you mean what’s up?”
This bitch done lost her fuckin’ mind.
“I’m not about to clock out on yo’ ass over the phone. Just bring my daughter to see me, first thing in the morning.”

“How you know I don’t have something to do, Forever?”

“Just be here in the morning.” Forever hung up, pissed off and feeling as if his happy home was now crumbling to pieces. He was trying to ignore it, hoping that Nyla’s antics would stop and everything would go back to normal. But with each unanswered phone call, empty visiting day, mail call with his name not mentioned he had to face it: shit was coming to a close.

How foolish was he to think that he had Nyla that open to where she wouldn’t trip over him getting Shan pregnant? Then on top of that his money wasn’t rolling in like it used to. He’d been hearing several cats give Zeke mad props and saying how he was doing big thangs and was now the man to see. He didn’t want to believe that. But he also knew that there usually is a little truth to all rumors. And since his cash flow was slowing down something had to be up.

“Nigga, take your head outta them clouds. What the fuck is up with you?” Zeke stood in front of Forever.

“Boy, where you been?” Forever asked his cousin.

“I told you, I’m working the midnight-to-seven shifts now. That’s why we been missing each other.”

“Damn, yo, come take this walk with me.” Zeke shrugged as he fell into step beside Forever. “Man, shit has been crazy on the home front.”

“What’s up?” Zeke asked.

“Nyla really been trippin’. I ain’t exaggerating neither, yo. She stopped answering the phone. I don’t get any more letters. I ain’t had a visit in almost a month. One night I called and she was on the phone with this nigga. The next time I called I had JB’s cell phone and it was after midnight. She was just gettin’ to her sister’s to pick up my daughter. Her attitude done changed, man.” Then he mumbled, “I’m losing her.”

“You paranoid, boy.” Zeke’s face was twisted up, not really giving a damn and not wanting to hear the bullshit. His focus was on gettin’ that paper. Plus, he wasn’t feelin’ his cousin like that no more.

“Sheeit, nigga, you been through it already,” Forever reminded him. “So you know it ain’t paranoia.”

“They say all’s fair in love and war. But hell, when wifey starts acting like she cuttin’ out . . . I can’t even explain how I was feelin’, shit was scary fo’real.” Zeke wished he could forget the shit.

“Tell me about it, she’ll be down here tomorrow and I don’t even know—”

“Yo, Zeke, I need to holla at you, man. I need—” Bing, his most loyal runner, interrupted.

“Hold that thought,” Zeke cut his runner off, not wanting Forever in his business. Then he turned to Forever. “Ever, let me go holla at this youngin.”

“Man, how you just gonna bounce in the middle of my crisis?” Forever snapped.

“Chill, nigga, I’ll get wit you later.”

He left Forever standing there with a look of disbelief on his face and shocked that Zeke wasn’t really paying him any attention. Plus, lately Zeke was giving him the cold shoulder.

“What’s up, big pimpin’? Everythang cool?” Skye asked Forever. “I was wondering when you was gonna check in. Y’all niggas keep them contraband-ass cell phones. What’s really good?”

“Shit, I was hopin’ you had somethin’ good for me. Make my day.”

“I don’t know about making your day and all that. But check it. I been watchin’ and ya boy is shinin’. You know he got that from his sister, right?”

Forever took a minute to decipher what Skye had just told him. So it was official that the money and dope that Shan jacked from Forever she gave to Peanut to get him up and running. And now he was quickly becoming the man to see.

“Yo, good lookin’, dawg.” Forever hung up, feeling some kind of way, and went to get ready for tomorrow’s visit.

“Hey, you,” Peanut said to Nyla.

“Hey back, what’s up?”

“You don’t sound too good. Everything cool?”

How does he always know when to call?

“Yo, Nyla, everything aiight?” He heard her sigh.

“Everything’s fine, Peanut. Just a little stressed. What’s good with you?”

“I got something for you.”

“Do you?” Her curiosity got the best of her. “What is it?”

“It’s an outing. A trip to the spa. It’ll be right on time and just what you need. I’ma come scoop you up in about an hour.”

“In an hour? Peanut, how am I supposed to jump up and go to a spa?”

“How? Easy. Just do it. It ain’t like you gotta pack a bag. Get your sister to watch the baby. It’s my treat.” He could feel her crack a smile through the phone. “So you game or what?”

“I’ll see you in an hour.” She hung up the phone and yelled, “Tameerah, you want to go over to Auntie Lisha’s?”

Exactly an hour later, Peanut was pulling up into her driveway. She locked her front door and walked around to the driver’s side of his ride.

“Do you want me to follow you?” she innocently asked Peanut. That was another thing he liked about her.

“Girl, you better get your fine ass into this truck.” He leaned over and opened the door for her. She jumped in and slammed it shut. “I’ma ask you to relax, shawty.” He could see the tension all over her face.

“You have no idea how I’m feelin’ right now.”

“I still want you to relax, I got you. I got just what you need.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Now see, there you go, I’ma ask you to get your mind out of the gutter! I ain’t even on that.” He watched her crack a smile.

“Mmm-hmm,” was all she muttered as she leaned back, got comfortable in the seat and closed her eyes.

“Now see, was that so hard?”

“Believe it or not, I know how to relax,” she mumbled with her eyes still closed. “So where are we going?”

“Now you just said that you know how to relax, so convince me.” He looked over at this woman. And once again reasons ran across his mind as to why he was diggin’ her so much. Was it because she belonged to someone else? Maybe it was because she’s so petite and he was willing to put money down and bet that her pussy was real tight and always hot. Whatever the case, he was anxious to see where they would end up. He knew that he liked how she always looked as if she had just come from the beauty salon and today was no exception. She had on a white-on-white Baby Phat sweat suit, sneakers to match, diamond studs, Cartier watch and no wedding ring.

“What?” She felt him observing her.

“I said relax, not fall asleep on me.”

“Relax, sleep, it’s all the same to me.” She smirked. “So what were you thinking as you were checking me out with your microscope? And don’t lie.”

“How I’m feelin’ your steelo.”

“And what else?” Her eyes were still closed.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Umm-hmm, mind in the gutter. Just as I thought.”

“No it wasn’t . . . well maybe a little,” he confessed.

“How much longer until we reach our destination?”

“About forty-five minutes; you wanna blaze this up?”

Her eyes popped open and he was holding up a big fat joint. “Why not?”

Almost an hour and two joints later they pulled into an office complex and got out. Nyla curiously checked out her surroundings. He grabbed her hand and smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to let nothing happen to you. You’re gonna like what I got planned.” He held the door open for her and they stepped inside and followed the signs for Crystal Waters Health Spa.

“Oooh.” Nyla giggled. “You were serious, weren’t you?” He held open another door for her and the scent of vanilla enveloped her. There were water fountains strategically placed as well as white candles.

“Of course. What did you think?”

“Do you have a reservation, sir?” the young lady at the desk asked. Her nametag read Danita.

Nyla had slipped away to investigate the variety of bowls of white chocolate candies. She was looking around in awe, impressed with the layout of the spa.

“Nyla.” Peanut waved her over. “This is Danita. Whatever you want Danita will take care of you.”

Danita held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Nyla.” She shook Nyla’s hand. “Come with me and we can get you started on the Crystal Waters’ experience.”

She grabbed her elbow, leading her away from Peanut, and the gentleman who appeared behind the desk. She immediately started hyping up the Crystal Waters Spa. Peanut winked at her and Nyla waved back at him.

By the end of the day Nyla had indeed experienced the works: a full-body massage, a mud wrap, which she didn’t like because it felt icky, a facial, bikini wax, manicure and pedicure. She had to admit that she was feeling like . . . a brand-new woman.

“Yo, am I that nigga or what? Damn! You look like you’re floating,” Peanut greeted her as she sauntered through the double doors with a huge grin plastered on her face. And indeed she did look rejuvenated.

“Thank you, Peanut. I feel like I’m floating.” She gave him a hug.

“It’s not over yet.”

“It’s not?” She grinned up at him, excitement evident in her voice.

He grabbed her hand and they headed for the car.

“Got another stop to make but you gotta promise me you won’t trip and get the wrong idea. You gotta trust me on this one. Can you do that?”

“Where are we going?” He helped her into the front seat and shut the door. Before he could get around to the other side she had the door open for him. “Peanut, answer me. Where are we going?”

“You gonna trust me or what?” He jumped in and started the truck.

Her mouth turned from a smile to a pout. “What’s the ‘or what’ part?”

Peanut couldn’t help but laugh at her skepticism.

“Trust you or what, Peanut?” she prodded. “And stop laughing.” She punched his arm.

“I’m taking your ass home right now, or you’re going to enjoy the second part of your evening. So what’s the deal?”

She sucked her teeth and was still pouting. “Take me home.”

“Aiight then. The choice is yours.”

“Siiike! Spark up and give me the rest of my evening.”

“You sure? ’Cause ain’t no turning back and I don’t want no opposition for the rest of the evening. Deal?”

“Deal.” Nyla was practically jumping out of her seat.

“We’re not gonna spark up until we get to where we’re going.”

They drove another forty-five minutes before pulling up to the Ritz-Carlton. He turned and looked at Nyla, whose mouth had fallen open. “Uh-uh-uh,” he sang as he wagged his finger. “Remember our deal.” She started to say something but he held up his finger, motioning for her to be quiet. The valet opened their doors and they both got out. He grabbed Nyla’s hand and tried not to laugh as he practically dragged her into the hotel and to the front desk. Less than five minutes later he was leading her to the elevators. “Chill out, girl, you aren’t even enjoying the scenery of the hotel. This is a brand-new spot, first class!” Peanut teased her. He had the upper hand and he was really enjoying it.

She was shaking her head no. She turned to him and started to say something but instead turned her back on him.

He leaned over and pressed twelve, then put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Don’t panic. We ain’t gonna do nothing that you don’t want to do.”

Shit
. She ran her hand through her hair.

Peanut watched and was enjoying the fact that he had her squirming. When the elevator doors opened Peanut waved his arm and smirked. “After you, madam. We will be occupying suite 1204,” he said in a concierge’s voice.

“Oh, so the concierge has plenty of jokes,” she mumbled as her eyes scanned the room numbers. She stopped and took a deep breath in front of room 1204.