Lady J (10 page)
Authors: L. Divine
“No. That crazy neighbor still got you shaken up from last weekend,” Rah says, reminding me of my headache that wouldn't go away. My temples throb just thinking about that mistake.
“No, this is something else.” As we walk further, up approaching my mother's hall, a car I don't recognize rolls by slowly and then speeds off down La Brea. What the hell was that? “Anyone you know?” I say, leading the way up the stairs to open my mom's door.
“No. I don't know anyone who gets down like that or knows where your mom lives,” he says, looking over his shoulder before stepping into the living room.
“You don't think your girl's capable of stalking?” I say, putting my weekend bag down on the floor before putting the food on the table. Rah puts the drinks and my backpack on the coffee table and looks at me, very amused. “I don't remember telling a joke,” I say, washing my hands in the kitchen sink as he follows my lead and does the same.
“Jayd, do you really think I'd be with someone who's capable of going off like that?” he says, grabbing one of the two kitchen towels hanging over the sink and drying his hands. Men are so silly when it comes to judging women, I swear.
“Now, where have I heard this before? Oh, from every man I've ever talked to, including you,” I say, throwing my towel at him before going back into the living room to retrieve my food.
“Whatever, Jayd. Look, Trish has way more class than that,” he says, sitting on the couch next to me and grabbing the remote, turning the television on. “And it's an open relationship, which means she can date other people too. So she can't be that mad.”
“You can't be serious,” I say, taking a long swig of my chocolate milkshake before devouring my box of food. I don't usually eat red meat. But these burgers are an exception. “Not everyone wants to date around like you, Mac Daddy.”
“Yeah, but she's cool with it. That's all that matters.” I can't believe how stupid guys can be when it comes to the cookies.
“Rah, remember what you witnessed today and you've already seen Trish and Mickey go at it,” I say, recalling the last time we encountered his and Nigel's girlfriends at a session. “It's a thin line between love and insanity, so remember that the next time you underestimate the competition.” Rah hates to admit it, but he knows I'm right. Rah doesn't like to talk about his relationship with Sandy, my former friend from junior high school, and his baby-mama too often because that chick is definitely off her rocker and he's still trying to find his daughter. I hope I'm being paranoid, but I also know better than to doubt my intuition. When it comes to love, even the most dignified broad can become a hoodrat overnight, if she feels justified in fighting for her man. And that justification doesn't always have to make sense to anyone else.
10
Chickenheads
“You don't have to kill your dreams/ Plottin' schemes on a man.”
âTUPAC SHAKUR
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hen I get on the bus this morning, it's foggy and cold. Rah offered to take me to work, but I don't mind the half-hour ride. It's always interesting to see how La Brea changes scenery from Inglewood to View Park, and all the way into Hollywood if I kept on the same route. How money grows in one direction never ceases to amaze me.
hen I get on the bus this morning, it's foggy and cold. Rah offered to take me to work, but I don't mind the half-hour ride. It's always interesting to see how La Brea changes scenery from Inglewood to View Park, and all the way into Hollywood if I kept on the same route. How money grows in one direction never ceases to amaze me.
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“Jayd, I'm glad you're early,” Marty says. Why does she talk to me like we're old pals? If I saw her on the street somewhere I'd never talk to her or hear her talking to me. But in this situation, I'm forced to deal with this trick in more ways than one.
“Oh really? And why is that? Did I miss a spot on the toilet last week?” I'm sure she'll make a note of my smart-ass remark and I'm not even on the clock yet.
“No, I actually wanted to know if you know anything about missing receipts from the register.” I know this broad isn't serious. Did she just have the nerve to ask me about my register when she's had her hands in it the entire time she's been working here? If this ain't a setup then I don't know what is.
“Marty, you've clocked me out most of the time. Why don't you tell me,” I say, marching toward the office. I know Shahid is here because his Jag is parked out front. Something's got to be done about this trick, and now.
“We need to talk,” I say, opening the office door after giving a warning knock. Shahid says he has an open-door policy, but I've never needed to use it until now.
“Good morning to you too, Jayd,” he says, grinning as he counts his cash for this morning's register. I'd love to be in his shoes. Well, not right now because he's about to catch my rage for hiring this broad. “What's on your mind?”
“Marty's trifling management skills, that's what,” I say, with her standing right behind me. I couldn't care less about getting fired today. She's already cut half my hours, so I'm seeing less of the point of coming to work every day when I could be using the time to look for another job. The only thing I would care about is that I wouldn't be able to collect unemployment if I get fired, and that would suck.
“Now wait a minute, young lady, let's all calm down,” Shahid says, sensing my attitude is a force to be reckoned with. And, this morning, it most certainly is.
“Calm down nothing. Your new manager just asked me about missing receipts and she's cashed my register out every weekend since she took over. Not to mention the fact that she cut my hours in half,” I say, rolling my neck I'm so hot. The only time I let my ghetto girl shine in front of Shahid is when I've really had it, like now. If I'm going to lose my job, it's going to have something to do with cussing Marty out.
“Wait a minute, what are you talking about? Marty, is any of this accurate?” he says, putting down his stack of cash and rising to meet our eyes. Marty steps into the small space, standing right next to me, and from the look on her face she's thinking carefully about her next move.
“I simply asked Jayd if she knew where the extra receipts were from last weekend. I noticed they weren't in the bag with the rest of them,” Marty says, quickly changing her tune. Now let's watch her justify messing with my schedule.
“And what about her hours?” Shahid says, reading my mind. I hope he's not falling for her act. Where's Summer? She can spot a liar's scent from a mile away. Even if Summer did ask her to adjust the hours, she would have to be on my side if she witnessed this mess.
“Well, I went through the schedule and compared it to our slowest hours, which coincide with the weekend afternoons. It wasn't personal, but Sarah has a family and I thought she could use the hours more than Jayd.” Damn, she's good. Like I told Rah last night, it's dangerous to underestimate the competition.
“You didn't ask me about changing the schedule,” Shahid says, not backing down. “Jayd's had a solid schedule for over a year and that's a big adjustment,” he says, looking across the desk at Marty and back to me. I know he's asking himself whose side he should take. Men never like to be caught between two women arguing. I know that from living in a house full of them.
“Oh, I didn't know,” she says, trying to save face. But she did know after I told her. She should have backed off then, but no. She's trying to shake me and I don't appreciate it.
“Yes, you did, and you didn't say anything about Sarah when you told me last weekend,” I say, shocking Shahid. I want him to get the entire picture.
“Last weekend? Why am I just finding out about this, Marty?” Shahid says. Now this is what I'm talking about. Sarah and Alonzo walk in, right on time for the real fireworks to begin.
“Shahid, Summer asked me to make some effective changes and to be firm, and that's what I thought I did,” she says, playing on his sympathy and the fact that Summer's not here to validate her claim. If Marty's lying, she's just buying herself some time until Shahid kicks her out on her chubby little ass.
“I agree, we can use some tightening up around here,” Shahid says, rubbing his temples and sitting back down in his chair. He looks more tired than usual. “But cutting back on people's hours isn't the first answer to the problem,” he says. From what I just heard, I got my hours back. I don't know how I'm going to work the rest of the day with Marty on the same shift, but I feel better now that I've at least shown her that I can't be intimidated. She's no match for me, but I do have to find a different approach to getting her ass out of here for good.
“You're right, I apologize for being overzealous,” she says, looking like a scolded puppy. I look over my shoulder and notice Sarah and Alonzo smiling. They give me a silent handclap and go clock in, which reminds me that I haven't done that myself.
“Can I go clock in now?” I ask, not wanting to interrupt Marty's fake apology, but I don't come here to give my time away freely.
“Yeah, Jayd, go ahead. And we'll talk about your schedule tomorrow after I have a chance to talk to Summer,” Shahid says, resuming his money count.
“So you mean there's still a chance I could lose my hours?” I say in disbelief. How can this be happening? He admitted that Marty made a mistake and yet I'm going to lose my money. What the hell?
“Jayd, I have to verify the schedule with Summer. She's always had the last say, since she spends the most time with the other employees.”
“I don't understand. This was Marty's mistake and I could still get burned. I thought you said you'd always have our backs when you hired us. What happened to that manager? You know what, I'm suddenly feeling nauseous. I need to take a sick day,” I say, turning around and strutting out of the restaurant. I'm tired of fighting a losing battle, at least for today. I wonder if Rah wants to play sick with me?
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“What's up, Jayd?” he says, sounding like I woke him up out of a dead sleep. It's barely eight in the morning and he didn't leave my mom's house until well after midnight. We fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. We're not one hundred percent back to nice, but we're getting there. He's a good friend first and foremost, and that fact always saves his ass.
“What's up is I need a ride. I'm trying to make a dramatic exit from work and the bus won't do,” I say, waving bye to Sarah and Alonzo, who don't look surprised by my actions. They know just like I do that my days are numbered at Simply Wholesome. I need a backup income plan, and fast.
“Girl, you're too much,” he says, sounding more awake and slightly amused. “This is why I love you. But couldn't you have caused a scene at lunchtime or something?”
“I see you've got sunrise jokes,” I say, laughing at his silly self. I'm glad I have Rah to call on again.
“Ain't a damned thing funny about losing sleep. That's right up there with playing with my money, girl.”
“So you feel me,” I say, already knowing he does. If anyone understands about not letting someone jack up your funds, it's Rah. He has several investments and he's only seventeen. He learned from his mom's bad money management skills and his dad's hustling how to make money and keep it. Most would call him cheap, but I just think he's good with his money. He could be rolling a sixty-seven Chevelle Malibuâhis dream car. But he opted for his mom's used car and has been saving every dime he makes to work on his music and to support him and his little brother. Yes, the brother has his strong points no matter how much he works my nerves.
“Well, if it's about money, time is of little concern.” Those Westingle boys sound so intelligent, with a gangsta twist. What am I saying? Rah was born and raised in Compton. He didn't get to this side of town until a couple of years ago. “I'll be right there.”
“Thank you, Rah.” Marty comes outside and pretends to sweep the doorway. She's all up in my conversation and it's time to step. “And I'll be walking down Overhill,” I say, crossing the empty parking lot and opening the gate. I look back and meet Marty's eyes before leaving. If I have to go down, I'm taking her with me.
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By the time Rah gets here I've already walked two blocks. It's been a pleasant morning stroll. Older black folks are out walking or watering their lawns. It's nice to see black people doing well. I wish my mom could buy a home over here. But the price of housing is ridiculous in LA, no matter what hood we live in. I still wonder what it's like to grow up on this side of town. Some younger people are outside too, washing their cars for the weekend or going to work.
I'm still processing that I won't be working at Simply Wholesome much longer. It's been such a part of my identity for so long. It's also gotten too easy and monotonous. But that's exactly why I need to shake it up a bit, aside from preventing Marty's evil ass from becoming a permanent fixture in my life. Mama doesn't believe in easy work. She says there's no benefit in sacrificing sweat, time, or anything else if it doesn't sting a little. And this hurts a lot, so the profit I've got coming must be huge.
“Uh, excuse me, miss. Do you want a ride?” Rah says, pulling up beside me. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I didn't notice him creep at all. I've got to get my senses back on point. Ever since my run-in with Esmeralda last week, I've been off. But I think Mama's got that under control.
“Yes, please,” I say, opening the door and getting in. It's not even nine in the morning and he's bumping Mike Jones like it ain't nothing. I know his neighbors must love him. “Your neighbors don't mind you blowing them out so early?” I say, turning down his music. I feel bad for the elders around here. Mama constantly talks about how rude my generation is, and I don't want these people looking at me like she looks at other people my age.
“I don't know, Jayd. But I know you didn't just wake me up out of my sleep to bitch at me,” he says, turning the volume back up and heading toward his house.
“Where you going? My house is in the other direction,” I say. He looks at me as if he wants to throw me out, but instead he cracks a smile.
“What else are you doing today?” he says as he makes a right on Fifty-ninth Place. “You ain't working, your mom's probably going to be out with her new man all day, and you need to chill on the schoolwork. So, I say you spend the day with me. Or a least let me sleep for a few hours before I take you home.” Kamal's probably still asleep and I know it's early for Rah to be up and out.
“Okay, fine,” I say. “But I'm not cooking.” The last time I spent the day with him and Nigel, I ended up making a five-course breakfast for us while they played video games all morning. That was the last time I ditched with them.
“Cool. Just braid a brotha's hair, please,” he says, pulling into his driveway and turning the car off. I get out and head up the front steps as Rah follows and grabs me from behind, hugging me tight.
“I'm wide awake now,” he says, and he's definitely excited to see me. “Miss me this week?”
“Not that much,” I say, pushing his hands from around me and stepping away. “Don't start no shit, Rah,” I say as he opens the door, letting me in first.
“Why not,” he says, bending down and kissing me hard. It does feel good, I admit. But Rah has a habit of feeling too good, and I don't want to go to the point of no return. Besides, he's not done with Trish and I'm not sharing this part of our relationship with her. Oh, but he kisses so nice.
“Just let go, Jayd. You know you want to,” he says, coming up for air. How come when KJ said the same words they infuriated me? But coming from Rah's mouth it sounds so sweet. “You can trust me now.”
“What!” I say, backing away from his lethal lip lock, sobering up just in time to set him straight. “How can I trust you when you're still with Trish?”
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