Authors: Cha'Bella Don
“
Ahem! Hello! Now, was that nice? Can you answer me?” Kendra yelled at the top of her lungs.
“
Bitch, I don’t owe you anything, but, since you must know, I was out and about, handling business and getting shit organized. I’ve been running around to make sure you would be straight when you came home,” Nia admitted, pointing to the bags of clothes from almost every store in L.A., including Gucci, Prada, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sheik, Macy’s, Guess, and Coach. There were even naughty girl items in there. Marcos, being nosey, pulled out a dildo and frowned.
“
What are you doing with this?” he asked, holding it up with the tip of his fingers like it was something disgusting.
“
It’s for you. I wanna try it out on you,” Nia said with a smirk.
Marcos dropped the toy back in the bag. Then, he said, “Ugh, like hell, you’re gonna use that with me or on me.”
Nia smirked and said, “Teach your ass to stay outta shit.”
Nia set the table for three. She took out a bottle of Francois Rozay champagne and ice. She sat it on the table. Then, she went back to grab the food and place it on racks by the table. Marcos offered her assistance, but she declined.
“
I hope everyone’s hungry because I’m starved,” Nia smiled at everyone as she took her seat.
Kendra excused herself. She went to the bathroom and washed her hands. Back in the dining room, Kendra joined Nia and Marcos at the table. Just like their mothers had always taught them, they bowed their heads and blessed the food before taking a bite.
“
Mmm. Everything looks delicious,” Kendra complimented as she grabbed a plate and fixed her food. Nia poured everyone a drink and told them to enjoy.
Nia raised her glass and said, “Thank you, God, for my sister being able to share this meal with us because we don’t know when she will be taken from us.”
They held their glass up and yelled out, “Cheers!”
Kendra took a sip of her wine. Then, she cleared her throat and said, “You say it like I’m going back to jail or something!” Kendra stated.
If only you knew
, Nia thought, but she said, “Girl, hush! You’re just being paranoid. Jail got your ass uptight.” After speaking, she stuffed food into her mouth.
“
Sis, you didn’t answer my question. I wanted to know if you had a chance to pick up the safe?” Kendra asked, hoping that the safe was in the house.
Nia thought of a quick lie and said, “Girl, it was hard to go back over there. I mean the police were still investigating shit. Maybe, the cops took it.”
Nia shrugged her shoulders and stuffed more food in her mouth. Then, she turned her focus to Marcos as she asked, “Hey, baby! How are you liking the meal?”
The food was so good. All Marcos could do was nod his head. After dinner, Marcos cleared the table and washed the dishes, so the ladies could catch up. He rolled a blunt while he was washing dishes. As he inhaled and exhaled, he went into deeper thought. He knew that Nia was acting strange. It was funny to him that Nia never told him about her sister being in jail. The fact that she bailed her sister out was really bothering him. As Marcos finished up his blunt, he thought about the stash at the trap house.
“
I’m not sure of what I’m going to do, but I need to do something quick, fast, and in a hurry,” Kendra said hastily.
“
Look. If it’s bothering you that much, why don’t you stay here with us until you find something? I’m sure Marcos won’t mind,” Nia said, reassuring her younger sister.
Kendra finally agreed to the arrangement. Nia grabbed the bags off the floor. Then, she headed to the guest room.
*****
Marcos grabbed his phone and left the house. Something about Nia wasn’t sitting right with him, and he was sure about to find out. His first stop was the trap house. He just had a gut feeling that the money was gone. When he arrived, he noticed that the house they used to cook, cut, and weigh at was now boarded up. Marcos parked and got out. As he walked to the front door, he noticed a pad lock on it and a notice from the city.
He cursed himself, “Fuck! Ain’t this ‘bout a bitch.”
He snatched the paper from the door and balled it up in his hands. He sat on the steps and used his other hand to brush his head. Marcos got off the porch and went around to the back of the house. There were a few pieces of boards missing from the window, making it easy for him to get through. Marcos looked around the room and noticed that the floorboards were missing which meant the money was gone. The only people who had access to the spot were him, Trent, Nicole and Marquise. Now that Trent was fighting for his life and Marquise was now pushing up dirt, that left only one other person, and that was Nicole.
“
Nah, can’t be Nicole. She don’t have as key,” Marcos said to himself, but, then, he remembered what Trent had told him about beating Nicole. Now, it was all starting to make sense.
*****
Kendra got settled in her new living space. This was the third time she had moved in less than a year. The next time she vowed would be her last. Kendra pushed the safe and her sister’s strange behavior to the back of her mind. She would deal with that later. Kendra grabbed her pajamas. Then, she went to the bathroom, so she could take a nice, hot bath. On her way to the bathroom, she heard a conversation that she wasn’t supposed to hear. Kendra thought her ears were telling her lies.
“
What you mean you haven’t sent the gun? Do I have to do that part, too?” Nia yelled. Then, lowering her voice, she said, “Nicole baby, just stick to the plan. The sooner you get this done, the faster Kendra will be prosecuted.”
Kendra thought she was dreaming, but it was more like an nightmare.
How could she betray me like this?
Kendra thought. She couldn’t believe she had let her sister and Marcos play her like that. Kendra crept back to her room. What she had heard made her sick to her stomach. Kendra paced the floor. So many thoughts bombarded her mind at once, but it was all making sense. It had to do with the safe, and Nia was making sure that Kendra would be the fall guy for the murder of Marquise and the attempted murder of Trent.
“
Fuck that! I ain’t goin’ out like that,” Kendra swore.
She put on her shorts and a wife beater. Then, she pulled her hair back into a tight bun. This was what she used to do when she was younger and had to fight kids on her block. That night was nothing different, and Kendra was going to make sure that her sister felt her wrath.
*****
“
Do you think she heard us?” Nicole asked while peeking into the hallway, making sure the coast was clear before she made her exit.
“
I’m not sure if she’s ‘sleep or not, but be quiet, babe. Try not to wake her,” Nia said.
They stepped out the room and made their way to the door.
“
Shhh,” Nia said, gesturing for Nicole to be quiet. Once they reached Kendra’s room, they saw that the door was closed, so they proceeded to the foyer. As soon as Nicole click the lock on the door, they heard a click.
“
Bitch, back away from the door now!” Kendra screamed.
She stood in the middle of the foyer, holding a .38 caliber to Nicole’s temple.
“
Kendra, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Put that gun away,” Nia said, staring at the gun that her sister held in her hand.
“
Bitch, shut the fuck up! I can’t believe my own sister would plot against me. It’s like that, Nia?” Kendra questioned.
She kept the gun steady at Nicole’s head, but her eyes fixed on her sister. Nia laughed at her sister trying to play hard.
“
C’mon, Ken. This is not you, ma, so put the gun down before you hurt yourself,” Nia chastised.
Kendra cocked the gun to let her sister know that she was not playing, and, if need be, she would pop anyone standing. At that very moment, Nicole started making plea bargains to try and save her own life. She didn’t know how the situation would play itself out.
“
Kendra, I’m sorry I hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you. It was your sister’s idea to kill Trent. She had it planned for so long.”
Kendra shook her. She didn’t want to hear what she was saying.
“
Think about it. How do you think Wiz knew so much about you? You didn’t meet him by chance. It was because it was all set up. Everything was a part of your sister’s wicked plan.” After hearing this, Kendra turned the gun on her sister, ready for whatever.
“
Kendra, you’re gonna believe an outside bitch over your own sister? What type of shit is that?” Nia asked like she was concerned.
Kendra didn’t know who to believe. She loved her sister dearly, but something deep inside told her not to be a fool. Kendra oscillated the gun between Nia and Nicole, not knowing whom to believe. Nia used the opportunity to try and wrestle it away from her sister. She reached for the gun, but Kendra snatched it from her sister’s grasp. Punches were thrown. Kendra caught Nia off guard, catching her with a left hook, but it seemed like that punch didn’t faze Nia because she came back full throttle.
“
Bitch, you’re no match for me! You better recognize,” Nia said, head butting her.
This made the gun fly out of Kendra’s hand. It landed by Nicole. The blow made Kendra dizzy. She doubled back. She was not ready to let her sister win. Kendra charged like a raging bull. She threw punches that landed all over her sister’s body, but Nia’s punches were quick and vicious. Both sisters were getting the best of each other. Neither was backing away or trying to go down. All that could be heard was heavy breathing and the occasional “bitch this” and “bitch that”. Nicole jumped out the way and grabbed the gun that was hiding underneath the couch and fired shots in the air.
Kendra and Nia stopped fighting to see what was going on. Nicole stood there, pointing the gun at them. She had control of the situation, so she started making demands.
“
Sit the fuck down now!”
Kendra and Nia both took their time to sit. Kendra was contemplating her getaway. Nicole lit her blunt and took a hit, inhaling the smoke deep in her lungs before releasing it in the air. “I swear y’all bitches is dumb and dumber. Nia, what makes you think I’mma split ten million with you?” Nicole asked.
Kendra’s eyes widened. She never knew that Wiz was holding that much in the safe. Kendra knew that she had to turn the tables back around. She needed to gain full control. Nicole approached Kendra with the gun in her hands.
“
Remember. Payback is a bitch,” she said, slapping Kendra across the face with the blunt still in her hand. “How does that shit feel to you?”
Kendra spit in Nicole’s face.
“
Stupid-ass bitch,” Nicole said with a sinister smile on her face.
“
Stupid?” Kendra asked.
“
Here I am with the gun and the loot. So, ask yourself who’s stupid?”
She sat down in a chair opposite Nia and Kendra. She continued to smoke her blunt and laugh.
Chapter 19
“
Fuck this. It was my plan in the first place, and I’ll be damned if I’mma let this bitch try and switch up on me now,” Nia said.
She got off the couch and attempted to wrestle the gun away from Nicole. Kendra slid out the room and went to the back of the house in search of Marcos’ gun. The match between Nia and Nicole only lasted for five minutes, but, to Kendra, it lasted forever. She found the box that contained the gun. Then, she heard a boom followed by a big thump. Kendra froze in the spot where she was at. She wasn’t sure if it was her sister or Nicole that had gotten shot. She knew she wasn’t going to find out.
“
Kendra, where are you? No need to hide. Come out! Come out! Wherever you are,” Nia stated.
Kendra rose from her hiding space and came face to face with her sister. She stood for a minute before speaking.
“
You hate me that much that you’re willing to kill me?” Kendra asked, holding back her tears.
“
Aww. It’s not personal, boo, just business, and I’m keeping my part of the deal,” Nia cocked the gun and aimed it at her sister.
Kendra’s life flashed before her eyes. She saw when she first was introduced to Starlight, her rendezvous with Bigg Boss, and how she met Trent. Kendra smiled at the thought, at how she had given Trent a hard time. After that night, they became inseparable. Kendra also thought about how she had not finished school and gotten fired.
Damn! I really fucked up my life,
she thought. What really bothered her the most and brought tears to her eyes was when she found her mother lying on the kitchen floor. She realized that she wouldn’t be able to visit her father.