Authors: Asia Hill
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #African American, #Urban, #Women's Fiction, #Genre Fiction
Chapter 26
Lil Mama
I felt kind of dumb for doubting Cee. Lunch with her and her niece was really nice. She truly loved that lil’ girl. It reminded me of the relationship I got with JuJu. Things have slowly but surely been falling back in place. The three stooges have been on their school work. We thought that it would be best if they were all home-schooled. Once they caught up, they’d finish the rest of the year at school. Young Meech was another story. He was falling deeper and deeper into those Kingpin shoes. His attitude was changing. I was starting to get worried. You would have never thought that he was just 15 years old. I figured it was time for us to clean out Shawn’s stuff.
(Ring, Ring)
It was Boo’s crazy ass.
“Yeah, sis.”
“Aww shit, you answered the phone for me?”
“Fuck you.”
“Wha’chu ‘bout to do?”
“Go help Meech pack up Shawn’s things. You wanna come?”
“Yeah, I think I can help. Yo ass shoulda came out with me and Heidi. We met up with Ashley and her new boo. Girl, we had a ball.”
“I ain’t miss shit. You know that girl ain’t fucking with me like that. Shill in her feelings about that bullshit. Maybe me, you, and Heidi can go out this weekend. I was in my chest last night anyway. My girl been walking on thin ice We good now, though. Let’s see how long that shit last. I would have to see this new boo of Ashley’s though. Is she cute?”
“Hell yeah. I’ma meet you at Shawn’s. I’m about to leave now.”
(One hour later)
We were all joking and laughing, trying to lighten the mood. It was real emotional going through Shawn’s things. Young Meech was doing the best he could at holding it together. He usually didn’t smoke his weed around me, but today I made an exception. I saw a few tears when we got to the box that held Young Meech’s daddy’s things.
“Ma, look at me when I was a shorty.”
He was as cute as he wanted to be. King was holding Meech and his mom was off to the side. The expression on her face didn’t read happiness. It looked like she was jealous of the joy King shared with his son. There were a few pictures of King and Tank as well. Meech snatched the one I was looking at and attempted to rip it.
“No, don’t do that.”
“Why Ma? He had my father killed.”
“Good or bad, it was a part of his life. Just know that King was a beast. T was a pussy-ass nigga. He couldn’t kill King. He had to have another nigga do it.”
While I was trying to comfort my baby, Boo’s ass was tweaking off some other pictures.
“Damn, this world is really small.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Here is Ashley’s new boo in the picture with King and Tank.”
“Oh yeah? Let me see.”
When she gave me that picture, I took the blunt my son had and took a deep pull. Yeah, I was still on parole, but I couldn’t believe my eyes. She saw the look on my face and came to my aide.
“What the fuck is your problem? You can’t smoke. What’s wrong?”
“That lying bitch! This . . .” I pointed “is my girlfriend, Cee.”
Boo just stared at me.
“Bitch, is you sure?”
“You don’t think I would know my bitch?”
“Man, ma, what you fussing about? Let me see what you talking about.”
I handed her the picture and started pacing. I noticed Meech was shaking his head.
“What boy? Say something.”
“You fucking Carmen?”
I was shocked that he even knew her name. I said Cee not Carmen.
“How you know her name?”
“This bitch is Tank’s sister.”
Me and Boo were stuck. She grabbed the blunt from me and lit it.
He continued, “I’m about to fuck ya’ll head up even more. The lil’ bitch that Money Man is fucking is Tank’s daughter.”
“That little girl, Spooky?”
Damn we just had lunch two weeks ago.
I was speechless.
“So you mean to tell me that not only am I fucking the enemy, but the bitch is a cheater too?”
Boo was in deep thought.
“Lil Mama, this shit has got to stop. We can’t let nobody take down what we’ve worked so hard to build.”
“Boo, you right. Me and Money Man already had a plan to make Spooky show us where her auntie kept her work at. After that, we was gonna pop her ass.”
I was with that plan, sneaky-ass bitch. Probably got it from her auntie.
“Well, Ashley asked me to come out with her and her boo. Wanna show up and show out?”
“Absolutely.”
“Ma, don’t give away the fact that we know who she really is. Let shit settle before we make that big move. Okay?”
“You asking for too much. I’ll try.”
Chapter 27
Dirty E
(Ten weeks later)
I had been laying extremely low ever since that mothafucker shot me. Ohhhwweee . . . when I get right, that nigga’s ass was mine. I couldn’t stay at my crib because I was almost a hundred percent sure that Lil Man was lurking nearby. I had to grab another crib over on 83rd and Phillips. It was low-key enough. JoJo’s ass was good and pregnant. At almost six months, she was big as shit. Lil Mama paid a tutor to come by and home-school us both. I needed to take things to another level. I was trying to establish myself, so when it was time to graduate I could jump right into this business management course and open my barber shop. I wanted to be a real estate agent; but since my ace boon-coon died, I wanted to open a hair shop in her memory.
“What’chu up in here doing?”
“Thinking, Biggie Smalls. You hungry?”
“I’m always hungry.”
“Alright. I’m ‘bout to cook.”
I had been taking care of JoJo. I was really starting to care for her. She had some family support, but lately her cousin and auntie ain’t been fucking with her. I could tell it bothered her. My friendship with Re was really suffering. She won’t even come in when her and JuJu come through. I wasn’t about to kick JoJo out for her because she was a damn retard.
“Damn, E, somebody keeps playing on my phone.”
“Change your number then.”
“I did already.”
“Well, do it again or you gon’ keep having problems.”
(Knock, Knock)
I jumped up; and before I could reach for my gun, JoJo was handing it to me.
“Go in the back, JoJo.”
When she was safely in the back, I opened the door. It was Meech.
“What the hell you doing this way?”
“Dirty Man, I need to holla at you.”
“Come in.”
I wondered what was so important that he couldn’t say over the phone.
“How’s the arm?”
“I’m good. My trigger finger works better than ever. What brings you this way?”
“I need to holla at JoJo.”
“Why?”
“Are you still in touch with her?”
I was skeptical about that question. Before I could say yes or no, she walked up on us. Young’s eyes damn near popped out of his head.”
“Damn, Joe, you big as shit, girl.”
“What you wanna talk to me for, Meech?”
“What’s the deal with your cousin, Spooky?”
JoJo’s eyes grew big as hell.
“How do you know she’s my cousin?”
“She’s messing with Money Man. I need to know if she ever said anything about us that we need to be aware of?”
“All she said was that she was on a mission to find out who killed her father. When she does, she said that Carmen was going to help her handle her business.”
I was confused like shit. Meech saw my facial expression.
“I’ll tell you the whole story later. Where does she live?”
“She be at our auntie’s other crib on 79th and Essex.”
“I need you to help me get at Lil Man.”
“Meech, I’m six months pregnant. What can I do?”
“He’ll never bother you again. I promise, I won’t miss. I need to get him.”
She thought about it for a few seconds.
“Alright, I’ll help you. I got a plan that will make him come out of hiding. It’s gonna take a few minutes. Let me have my baby. Can you wait?”
“I ain’t got no choice.”
(Lil Man)
“WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?”
I had been posted across the street from Dirty’s crib for almost two months. There ain’t been no sign of either one of them bitches. I can’t believe I lost her.
(Ring, Ring)
I didn’t feel like being bothered. I picked up the phone without even looking at the caller I.D.
“What!”
“Uh uh, mothafucker. Don’t answer the phone like that. Where the fuck have you been?”
“Looking for your punk ass sister. She ain’t staying with Dirty no more.”
“Come on 9th and Essex. I’m at my auntie’s crib. I got somebody over here that knows where JoJo at.”
“I’ll call you when I’m outside
I pulled off in my latest stolen car heading to a destination that I really didn’t want to be at. Mia was something that I didn’t feel like doing. I was tired of all this conniving shit. That bitch was pitiful. She wasn’t really ‘bout that life. If she was, she’d just kill everybody she had a problem with instead of playing with them. I called her when I hit 18th and Essex and told her to come outside. She makes me wanna stick nails in her eyes. That’s how annoying she was.
“Hey lil’ bruh?”
“Whud up? Who you got with you that could lead me to JoJo?”
I wasted no time getting down to business.
“My cousin.”
No sooner than she said that, this chick came out of the door. My palms started sweating. I knew that face. I started giggling to keep from snapping. That bitch shot and killed my cousin, BayBay when we rushed that spot in Englewood.
“Lil Man, this is my cousin, Spooky.”
She smiled like she didn’t have a care in the world.
“So, you JoJo’s baby daddy? I know where she at. I also got her new number if you want it.”
Chapter 28
Lil Mama
It had been almost three months since I found out that shit about Carmen. The night Ashley invited us out to talk and squash the beef, I declined. There was no way that I wasn’t going to show my ass. I would have ruined the whole plan because I would have shot that sneaky bitch. She’s been really feeling herself lately too She was still doing the same disappearing acts on the weekend. I didn’t even care anymore because I turned my feelings off. I just wanted to bust her ass out. She was on a countdown to die anyway.
(Ring Ring)
I looked at my phone and saw that it was Ashley. What the fuck did she want? I didn’t bother telling her that we were fucking the same bitch.
“Well hello stranger. What?”
“I would like to know why you are texting my girl asking her why the fuck she’s not answering her phone?”
“Huh?” I was actually shocked. “Yo girl? Who Carmen?”
“Yes, my girl.”
“Well, I’ve been fucking our girl for over four months. I doubt if she was your girl back then.”
I heard nothing.
“Thought so.”
“That little grey-eyed bitch!”
“How you find out it was me texting her? I’m not saved in her phone under Lil Mama.”
“Boo told me after I called her when I found the text.”
“BOO?”
“She also told me that we needed to squash this bullshit between us.”
“You’re the one in your feelings, Ashley. I’m cool.”
“I’m good now. I forgive you. You mad about Cee? I’m not.”
“I’m Gucci,” I lied. I was in my feelings. Nigga’s and bitches ain’t shit. “So how you wanna bust this hoe out, Ash?”
“She’s on her way over here right now. Come through.”
I jumped up and grabbed my Air Max’s and headed for the door.
“I’m on my way.”
“Leave your gun at home.”
After I fucked Carmen’s ass up, I was going to curse Boo’s ass out for talking about me with that bitch!
(Carmen)
“Ashley, I’m on my way. You want something before I get there?”
“Nope, just come on.”
(Click)
What the hell was her problem? I hope it wasn’t that time of the month. I wanted some pussy. For the last few days, she’s been acting funny. And if that wasn’t enough, Lil Mama been ice cold. I think it’s time that I find me some more pussy.
(Ring, Ring)
Speaking of the devil. It was Lil Mama.
“What’s good baby?”
“Shit, where you at?”
“On my way to drop some money off to Spooky.”
“Oh yeah? Well, come see me when you done.”
“Alright.”
I don’t know what crawled up Lil Mama’s ass, but she can kick rocks with that attitude. I pulled up to Ashley’s crib and smiled when I saw her waiting for me on the porch. Damn, she must be thirsty for some of this long stroke.
“Hey sexy, why you waiting for me out here. It’s cold as shit, girl.”
“I just wanted to see you that bad. Come on in here. I got a surprise for you.”
I hoped it was another bitch. I liked treats. When I walked in the house, I could feel all the color drain from my face.
(Lil Mama)
After I called Cee to see where she was, I was furious. I made it to Ashley’s house in record time. I pulled my car in the garage and made my way into the house. My stomach started to flip. I smelled a very familiar scent. Cee smelled like this when she came to my home. Ashley saw the look on my face and laughed.
“Bitch, don’t start tripping. Why you looking like that?”
“When she comes to my house, I smell this scent on her.”
“Well, when she comes over here, I smell . . .”
“Marc Jacob Dot. I finished her sentence, because that’s the perfume that I’ve been wearing.
“Here she comes, Lil Mama . . . hide.”
“Bitch I’m not hiding shit.”
I sat on her leather couch and folded my legs. I was about to put these hands and feet on this bitch. When she finally walked in, her face dropped.
“Surprise, bitch!”
(Carmen)
“Surprise bitch!”
I was stuck on stupid, I swear. My face showed it all. Think! Man, I got this shit under control. I was a player.
“What’s good, Lil Mama?”
I sat down across from her. I was so nervous that I smiled, trying to lighten up the mood. Why did I do that?
“Oh, you think it’s funny?”
I tried to move out of the way, but I wasn’t quick enough.
(WHAM)
She hit me so hard that I saw stars. I jumped up trying to recover, but she caught me in my eye with two more jabs. And what made matters worse, she started talking shit to me while she was fucking me up.
“You gon’ try and shit on me like that, bitch? This my city, pussy-ass bitch.”
“Ashley, get this crazy-ass bitch off me.”
“Hell naw! Fuck you. Punch her ass for me too, Lil Mama.”
I slept on this girl for real. Man, she fights like a nigga. I had to get the fuck out of this house. I got my chance when she slipped on the throw rug. I pushed her down and took off running out the door. I was almost at my car when I heard Ashley scream.
“LIL MAMA . . . NOOOO!”
(BOC!, BOC!)
Two bullets whizzed by my head missing me by an inch.
“Bitch, quit playing.”
“Do I look like I’m playing? Yo days are numbered, bitch!”
Damn, I thought I knew her. She had me fucked up if she thought I was going to let this shit ride. My eye was swollen. Yeah, I was coming back for that hoe!