Every Thug Needs A Lady (Thugs) (25 page)

When they got in Friday night Tasha ran straight to the toi- let and threw up.

“I told you not to eat that shit,” Angel said. “Should’ve had the fried flounder like me. It was nice and fresh. Them scavengers of the sea will kill you.”

“Shut up!” Tasha said. “I don’t think it’s the scavengers. I threw up yesterday, too. I think it’s that stomach virus.” She crawled out the bathroom and lay down on the carpet.

They enjoyed a full day as planned, getting their nails, hair, and feet done and even a bodywrap. They had the tailor hook them up with leather wraparound miniskirts that were butter soft. Angel picked out a Chanel blouse, and Tasha, a Prada. They planned on wearing stockings with Victoria’s Secret garter belts, picking out the sexiest ones they could find. It was on and popping.

Around 6:30 the next morning Angel went into the guest bed-room to see what Tasha was doing. When she opened the door and saw that she was still in the bed, she turned on the lights and stood over her.

“Girl, it’s 6:30. I thought we were leavin’ at 7:15?” Angel began opening the blinds.

“I don’t feel good. Plus, I’m exhausted. I ...” That was all she got out before she flung the covers back and ran to the toilet to throw up. Tasha ended up on her hands and knees hugging the toilet bowl. Angel stood there with her arms folded watching Tasha crawl on all fours back to the bed.

“Bitch, you done fucked around and got pregnant.” Angel gig-gled.

“Where’s my phone?” Tasha asked, ignoring her.

“Where did you put it?”

“I don’t know. I’m not going with you. Can you put my cell phone on this nightstand before you go?”

“Anything else?”

“Close the blinds and turn the ringer off the house phone.” She threw the covers over her head. “Have fun and knock that nigga off his feet. Suck his dick if you have to,” she mumbled under the covers.

“I will,” Angel said, closing the blinds and turning off the lights.

Angel was processed and riding the elevator by 9:10 a.m. She felt like a million dollars. Her shit was tight. The guard taking her up the elevator was undressing her with his eyes. When she got off the elevator, the guard didn’t tell her which side to go on. She walked to the huge glass wall on her left and peeked in, then to the right. Kay was nowhere around. After everyone went in, the officer called her to the desk.

“You here to visit Santos?”

“Yes.”

The offficer leaned back into the chair. “Santos refused his visit.”

“He did what?”

“He refused his visit. He doesn’t want any visits today, ma’am,” he said with a smirk.

“Can you tell him Angel Smith is here?” she said, embarrassed.

He picked up the phone. “I’ll have them tell him, but I doubtif it’ll do any good. You’re the lady who was fighting him, right?” He was trying not to laugh.

Angel didn’t answer his question. “Look, are you gonna call, or what?”

The guard rolled his eyes at her and picked up the phone. “This is Perez in visiting. Tell Santos a young lady by the name of Smith is here to see him.” He laughed, then hung up. “It’ll be a few minutes, so just stand over there.” He stood up to process a few more visitors. After about ten minutes the phone rang. He looked over at Angel while talking, then hung up. “Sorry, ma’am, he said he definitely does not want to see you.”

Tasha had finished throwing up for the third time and just crawled back into bed when her cell phone rang. She fumbled around before she found it. “Hello?”

“I have a collect call from a Mr.—what is your name, sir? Macklin. Will you pay for the call?”

“Yes.”

“Baby, everything alright?” he asked, his voice reflecting con-cern. “It’s after 10:00. You coming to see me or what?”

“Not today. I’ve been throwing up for the last three days. I feel horrible. I’m nauseous, and my breasts are sore. I’m pregnant again Trae.”

Trae remained quiet. He didn’t want to show any sign of excitement, especially since he didn’t know if she was happy or going to be tripping. “I thought you was takin’ the pill.”

“I am or was. But if you remember, we had three or four visits together before I got my new prescription.”

“So you’ve been in bed all morning?”

“Mmm hmm. I love you.”

“I love you too. You want me to call you back later?” “Yeah.”

“What time?”

“It doesn’t matter. I wish I could see you today.”

“Me too, baby. I hope you feel better. Get your rest, and I’ll holla at you later on.” Trae hung up, wanting to run and shout.

Angel left the jail in tears. Mecca called her cell phone to invite her and Tasha over. Angel told her what had happened. As soon as she got to the house she kicked off her shoes, sat down at the dining room table, and wrote:

Dear Kaylin,

First off let me say that I miss you and I love you more than anything. I’m sitting here at the dining room table feeling deflated. I’m wearing a tailormade, butter-soft leather, wraparound skirt. I also have on a lacy garter belt, silk stockings, no panties, and a see-through blouse with no bra on. I had every intention of making your day today, which I should have been doing all along.

I thought I could just pop up there and everything would be back to normal. I should have known you better. You wasn’t letting me off this easy. You always have to have the last word. Yeah, I was crushed when the guard said, ‘He definitely does not want to see you.’ But I deserved it. I realize you are putting me in check and letting me know that I’m not running shit. You’re the HNIC.

I am so sorry and I apologize for losing my cool. Mecca told me that the main reason why I’m so uptight is because I’m not breaking you off. She said if I was I would never have responded the way I did. I agreed with her for the most part. If I didn’t lose my temper all the way, I most likely wouldn’t have went off on you. But I still would have beat that bitch Brittany’s ass. I had to keep my word. I told her I better not catch her in your face or see y’all in the same room, or else. Well, that ass-whipping was the ‘or else.’

I know I pissed you off big time and that’s why you told me to pack my shit and get out. I know you. And I know you didn’t mean it, or you would have called me yourself and told me or you would have sent somebody over to put me out. I also know that you’re not concerned or worried about me having all of your shit. That’s called trust. I should have shown you that same trust when I saw that ho, instead of going ballistic. Again, I apologize and ask that you please forgive me. I am very sorry.

I’ll close by saying I’m glad you are in my life. You surprised me in several ways. You definitely cannot judge a thug by his cover. I got with you at first just looking to bust a nut (smile) but instead found my soul mate. You notice how we don’t even have to talk sometimes but we each know what the other is saying, feeling, and thinking? How we are at so much peace in each other’s presence? I was convinced that I could never love any one more than I loved Keenan. I wasn’t even going to try. But you just swooped me up and took me beyond what I felt for him. I thank you for that.

I miss you. I miss you coming home and waking me up in the morning. But more so, seeing how happy you would be that I was here. I love you and I am waiting on you, no matter how long it’ll be. You can trust and believe that.

Let me go check on Tasha. She’s upstairs in the guest bedroom, sick as a dog. I know she’s pregnant (smile), but she won’t admit it to me. I am so happy for her and Trae. Don’t you get any ideas! (smile) Please, puhleeeeese call me.

Love, Red

AKA your Angel.

PS. Your sister told me that the word is out amongst all those hos you used to fuck with that the Red bitch is crazy, that I got you on lock, and I’m living in your house. They’re even talking about you got me a Lex to push. They better recognize that they ain’t got shit coming. See how far an ass-whipping will go? Please call me.

Angel folded her letter up, sealed it inside an envelope, and went upstairs. She eased open the bedroom door to find Tasha still under the covers. She opened the blinds and flopped on the bed next to her. Tasha poked her head out from under the covers and took one look at her, then covered her head back up.

“You don’t look like you got fucked. What happened? You chickened out?”

“No, he refused my visit.”

Tasha pushed the covers off her head. “No shit! You’re lying?”

“I wish I was. He wants me to know who’s runnin’ shit, so I’m

not mad at him. What about you? When are you getting up?” “After you fix me something to eat.”

“What do you want, with your pregnant ass?”

“Girl, please. I can’t even believe this shit. Either I’m one of them women that all you have to do is look at and she gets pregnant, or Trae got some real potent sperm. I think we only did it three or four times before I started popping them sorry-ass birth control pills. I should sue.”

“When are you gonna tell Trae?”

“I already did. You know he called.”

“So what did he say? I know he’s ecstatic.”

“He was trying to act all cool about it. I think he was trying to see what frame of mind I was in.”

“Well, what’s on your mind?”

“What can I say? If he’s happy, I might as well be happy.”

When Tasha went to the doctor, he told her she was six weeks pregnant. He also told her that the birth control would have worked if she had waited a little longer before having sex.

And, yes, Trae was very glad that they were trying it again.

Another month passed by without Kay calling Angel or allowing her to visit. She had just walked in the front door

when the phone started ringing. She kicked off her shoes and tossed her briefcase on the Italian leather sofa.

“Hello.”

“This is the New York operator. I have a collect call from Kaylin. Will you accept?”

“Yes I will.” Angel was trying to be cool.

Kay’s voice came on the line, “Is everything a’ight?”

“Kay it’s been over a month since I’ve spoken to you or seen you. You haven’t even written me. Don’t you think it’s kind of late to be asking me if everything’s alright?”

He acted like he didn’t hear her. “We go to court in the morning. In case I get released I need you to pack me a pair of jeans, a jersey, boxers, socks, and one of my leather jackets. Take it to work with you, and Tasha will swing by to pick everything up in the morning. I need a set of house keys and a cell phone. Don’t I have one there?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it activated?”

“Yes it is.”

“Send that too.”

“How come you’re not asking me to come pick you up?” she asked, trying to hold back the tears. “Don’t you think I would want to pick up my man especially since that he has been away for almost nine months?”

“Baby listen. If they let us out, I got a few errands to run. Now, are you gonna make sure Tasha get my shit or what?”

She was now wiping tears off her cheeks. “Is that all you need? What about money?”

“Yeah, send me a G. I gotta run.”

Angel slammed the phone down and began pacing back and forth. She called Tasha on her cell phone, but it rolled over to voice mail. Then she dialed her home number.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” Angel said, sniffling.

“What’s the matter with you?” Tasha asked.

“What time are you coming to pick up Kay’s things?”

“I’ll be there between 9:00 and 9:30.”

“If he gets out and when you see him, tell him I said I’m catchin’ a cab to work. I get off at 5:00. If he’s not here to pick me up by then, don’t bring his ass home because I’m burnin’ this shit to the ground.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll pass on the message,” Tasha laughed.

That next morning the limo pulled up in front of Tasha’s house at 6:45 a.m. Akbar, the driver, helped her carry the bags out and load them into the trunk. She went over the second and third floor apartments one final time to make sure everything was straight and locked. If Trae got out today, they’d be going back to the bungalow in Jamaica for a couple of months. Tasha had ripped and ran nonstop for the past twenty-four hours, making sure everything was in place. Then she did a little packing. She could hardly contain herself.

Once in the limo her first stop was at Angel’s job. She hugged Angel goodbye, took Kay’s duffel bag and leather jacket, and headed for the jail. En route, she called Trae’s attorney and found out from the secretary that if they got released, it would be from the courthouse, not the jail, and that it was going to be a closed hearing.

When they pulled up in front of the courthouse, Tasha couldn’t believe the amount of press that was waiting on the courtroom steps. Now her heart was beginning to race. She called Angel and said they must be getting out because it’s a whole bunch of people, press, and police all around. After another hour went by she called the lawyer’s office back and asked if they had heard anything. The secretary told her no and said for her to just sit tight.

After another hour, Tasha noticed the hustle and bustle, cameras flashing, and people running up and down the stairs. Shortly afterwards she spotted Kay.

“Kay!” she yelled, as if he could hear her inside the car. She saw him fighting his way down the stairs and opened up the sunroof, stuck her upper body outside the car, and waved her arms. “Where is Trae?” She waved her arms again, trying to get Kay’s attention. “Kay!” she yelled.

They finally made eye contact. She watched him as he turned around. Then she saw both of them sprinting down the stairs, trying to get away from the crowd. Tash ducked down and closed the sunroof. Akbar jumped out, ran around, and opened the car door. First, Kay dove in, with Trae close behind, almost falling on top of him. Then there was the crowd in hot pursuit. Akbar slammed the door shut, and Tasha locked it and broke down in tears.

“Goddamn!” they both yelled, trying to get situated. Kay was on the wrong side, and Trae had to climb over him to get to Tasha.

“Hey, baby!” he said, kissing her on the lips and flashing that big smile. She hugged him, yet looked at him like he were an alien. As if he could read her mind he smiled at her and said, “Nah, you ain’t dreamin’. Your husband is home.”

“What up Tasha?” Kay yelled, pulling his clothes out of his duffel bag. “Why y’all always gotta cry?” he teased.

“Shut up Kay.”

“Oh, she does speak,” he joked.

“This shit is foul, dawg!” Kay said, undressing. They had on the same clothes that they got busted in.

“Hell, yeah. I’m tossin’ this shit right in the trash,” Trae said. “Did you bring me some boxers and some socks, ma? Why you so quiet?”

She reached over and pulled them out of the bag, then said, “I’m just checking y’all out and glad to see y’all, that’s all.” “Awww! How sweet,” Trae teased.

“I’m glad to see you, too,” Kaylin said. “It means I’m the fuck outta that cage,” he was adjusting the strings in his Timbs. “Did Red send me a leather jacket?”

“It’s hanging right behind you,” she said, wiping her eyes. “Good,” he said, balling up his dirty clothes and stuffing them in the duffel bag.

“She also made you a lunch. I stuck it in that little refrigerator.”

“See, that’s why I’m gonna make her my wife. She’s jealous as hell, but see how she look out for a nigga? Look how she packed my shit up and didn’t act all stupid. She even sent this.” He held up a nice, long blunt. “It’s the little shit that impresses me.”

Trae was now dressed and balling up his clothes. “Tell the driver to pull over.”

“What’s his name?” Kay asked.

“Akbar.”

Kay knocked on the glass. “Yo Akbar! Pull over right here then drop me off on 125th Street.” When Akbar pulled over, Trae got out and handed the clothes to a homeless brotha. “Here,” Kay said, throwing him everything except his shirt. “I gotta keep this shirt. Red bought this for me.”

“Isn’t that cute,” Tasha teased.

Trae jumped back inside and pulled Tasha onto his lap. Tasha looked at Kay and said, “Angel told me to tell you she took a taxi to work and she gets off at five o’clock. She said if you’re not

there by five to pick her up, don’t even think about bringing your ass home tonight because she’s going to burn it down to the ground.”

Trae and Kaylin both burst out laughing. “She said that?” Kay asked, still laughing. Tasha shook her head yes. “Last time I checked I could have sworn that I was the one paying all the bills in that house. How could a sista that fine and so innocent looking be so off the chain? Fuck the chain. She’s off the meter.” Kay and Trae started laughing again. “What’s up with these women, dawg?”

“Man, I threw up my hands a long time ago.”

“Red, Red, Red,” Kay sighed. “That’s my heart. She know it, too. That’s why she think she can get away with saying shit like that.” He was now dialing his cell phone and puffing on the blunt.

“Puff, puff, pass, nigga,” Trae said. Tasha reached over into the bag and pulled out another blunt. “Oh, shit. Never mind. I should have known my baby hooked me up.” He leaned over and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

Tasha overheard Kay talking about a ring as she rubbed and kissed Trae’s bald head. “What you got on under this leather trench?” Trae whispered in her ear.

“I’ll show you when your boy leaves,” she whispered back. When Kay hung up, Tasha couldn’t help asking him, “What kind of ring are you so in a hurry to get?”

“Dawg, get your wife all out of my business!” Kay joked. Tasha started laughing. “C’mon Kaylin. Why are you being so secretive?”

“Yeah, dawg, let me know what’s up. I’m curious myself,” Trae added.

“I won’t say anything Kaylin,” Tasha pleaded.

“Oh, now I’m Kaylin?” He shook his head and dialed another number. He looked over at the both of them and said, “It’s a big, fat engagement rock. I’m hoping to pick it up today.”

“Oh, how sweet and romantic,” Tasha teased. “Congratulations!”

The limo then pulled over. Kay leaned over and kissed Tasha on the cheek. “Have a nice trip and make sure you give me a little nephew.”

“You make sure you take care of my roadie. Where are y’all going?”

“Rio de Janeiro, Puerto Rico to see my grandparents and my brother, then St. Thomas. But I gotta pay a visit to my brother Kyron on lock first.”

“Wow! Angel doesn’t even know about this, does she?”

“Nope.”

“Dayum! Well, y’all have a safe trip as well.” She gave him a hug, and he got out.

“Be right back, baby.” Trae got out and shut the door. She watched them hug and then started walking.

“Well, dawg,” Kay said, “We did it. We out. We free. Am I dreamin’?” They both just stood there reminiscing.

“I know, man. It’s hard to believe. We beat the fuckin’ odds,” Trae reflected. “When are y’all leaving?”

“I got a few things to go over. Make sure everything is straight. That should only take three or four days, then we out. But tonight, I’ll be sittin’ on the floor at the Lakers-Sixers game.” He faked shooting a basket. “Tonight’s game four.”

“I hear you. My money is on the Sixers.”

“Well, you gettin’ ready to lose, dawg. It’s Lakers all the way!” He turned serious. “I heard you had to make an example out of that punk-ass Jaden.”

“He’s a pussy or was. I kind of wish it was somebody else. I never had no beef with him. But how that nigga gonna disrespect me like that? I made an example hoping to send a message to everybody. Don’t fuck with nothing that belongs to Trae: My woman, my business, my paper.”

“I hear you. Red mentioned the situation. She said his boy Saleem wasn’t even trying to go out like that.”

“Well, I know he’s glad that he didn’t. A’ight, dawg. Nice doing business with you,” Trae said. They hugged again and Kay disappeared into the crowd. Trae got back into the limo.

“A’ight, mami, what did you bring me?” he asked, unbuttoning her leather trench and sliding it off.

“Dayum!” He was drooling over her nipples peeking through her sheer blouse. She had on the leather mini wraparound that she never wore to the visit. And she opened her legs to show him the designer garter belt, silk stockings and her wet pussy. “How much time do we have before our flight?” he asked, pulling off his shirt.

“Three hours,” she said, smiling.