No Mercy (24 page)

             
“Sure thing, mom,” Chase says, piling his plate with bacon and eggs.

             
Mrs. Carmichael’s cell rings. “This is Lindsay.” After few moments of silence she yells into her phone. Someone’s got her hotter than fish grease early on a Sunday morning.

             
“Hell no David can’t have the villas in Cancun, Italy or anywhere else for that matter. Excuse me you two,” Mrs. Carmichael says, stepping out of the kitchen. “Chance, see that Jayd gets enough to eat.”

             
“I love how she still calls you Chance,” I say, eating off of his plate. He’s got enough for us both.

“My mom named me a
fter the main character in Sweet Bird of Youth. She loved that movie and Paul Newman.”

“Never heard of it,” I say, adding toast to the collection.

“You should check it out some time. Then you’ll see that I didn’t have much of a choice in how I turned out.”

“Yeah, but your birth name is Chase, remember?”

“Chase, Chance…what’s in a name, really?” Chase says.

The doorbell rings. Chase leaves me alone to answer it. If he takes too long he’s going to be one hungry brotha when he returns.

“Jayd, I want you to meet some friends of mine,” Chase says, stepping back into the kitchen. “Javier and Mauricio, this is Jayd, the woman I was telling y’all about.”

“Senorita Jayd, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Julio says, kissing the back of my hand.

“Likewise, but I haven’t heard anything about you two.”

“That’s because you weren’t supposed to until it was the right time. I believe you know our hermanita, Maggie,” Mauricio says, making the link.

“Chase is our newest investor,” Javier says, taking a seat at the kitchen table near the window. “And Maggie says you and she go way back, like family.”

“Si, la familia,” Mauricio says, nodding affirmatively. “She told us you’re having problems with Esmeralda’s house, no?”

I look at Chase who’s posted by the entrance and wonder what the hell is really going on. “I’m not sure what you’ve heard but the issues I’ve got with Esmeralda are personal, not street.”

             
“Chase, filled us in on tu problemas,” Mauricio says. “Sin piedad is our family name, and also the name of our family’s Santeria house. Hector’s been our adversary for many years and now that he’s working with Esmeralda he’s become a serious thorn in mi abuelita’s side.”

“Si, and we’re also
against that man made shit Esmeralda’s slanging through that punk, G,” Mauricio says, letting all of his cards out on the table. “From where I’m sitting, we’re family, Jayd. We have the same enemies and I think we can be of a great help to one another.”

“Si, Jayd. Sin piedad means no mercy. Whatever we do, we do with the full understanding that our adversary deserves no mercy from us because of the simple fact that he or she is our enemy. So, like I said, having the same enemies makes us family in my book.”

“And how do you play into all of this, Chase?” I ask, seeing my friend through new eyes. He’s known more about me and my family than he’s ever let on. His mother and Mama go way back but I didn’t think she shared it with Chase. I guess now that our worlds are crossing he’s ready to step in and be the friend that I need on my side to win this battle.

“You remember when we saw the movie Savages?” Chase says, folding his arms across his chest. “Well, I’m that dude who believes weed makes the world a better place. The fact that we have to go through illegal means to keep the peace isn’t my fault, nor is it my concern. I just want you to be happy and safe again, Jayd.”

I look at Chase, Javier and Mauricio and realize that we’re all on the same side. They’re my street and spirit soldiers, and like any embattled queen, it’s time to go to war.

“Sin piedad,” Mauricio says, raising his glass of juice in the air like it’s spiked.

“Sin piedad,” Javier and Chase say, also raising their glasses.

I pick up my glass of water and catch my reflection seeing myself as the woman I feel like. “Sin piedad,” I say, joining the salute. “The time for playing childish games is over. Let’s put an end to Esmeralda’s reign once and for all.”

“That a girl,” Chase says, walking over and kissing me on the forehead. “Whatever you need me to do I’m here.”

“I know, Chase. Believe me, I know.”

EPILOGUE

Practicing what I’ve learned over the past couple of weeks, I purposefully fell into a deep sleep tonight thinking about how to declare a private war on Esmeralda’s house without my grandmother and mother finding out. I have been in and out of a dream state ever since. I can feel the answer slowly revealing itself.

“If you don’t want us to see then take us
off of your arm,” Queen Califia says, looking down at my jade bracelets. “They represent the five of us because we are your jotos—your sponsoring elders. Maman is your ancestral joto who came with you into this realm. She cannot be removed. But if at any time you don’t want the rest of us to see what you see, remove a single bracelet and call one of our names at the same time. We won’t be able to hear a thing you think or witness a vision you have.”

“Is that all I have to do?” I follow my ancestor’s directions and feel the mental separation. Where there were
five bracelets there are now only three.

“Place them inside of your Oshune vessel for safe keeping
,” Queen Califia says, removing the thick cloth cover. “Like the voodoo dolls, these possess ashe, too.”

I gently set the fragile jewelry down in the water with the stones and other sacred items that represent our mother orisha. “If I had known it was that easy I would’ve done this a long time ago.”

Queen Califia replaces the cover and smiles. “Sometimes the simplest answer is the most difficult one to see, iyawo.”

I wake up and shake my head at the powerful vision. My left arm is noticeably lighter without the extra weight.

“You good, Jayd?” Chase asks, reaching out for my hand.

“Yes, I’m perfect.” I pat his hand and turn back over to finish my night’s sleep.
Sometimes my dreams are so active that they prevent a completely restful slumber. Still, I wouldn’t trade this spirit talk for anything in the world.

Discussion Questions

1.
       
Does Nigel have the right to sue for permanent custody of Nickey? How will he make a better home for Mickey’s daughter?

2.
      
Do you think Jayd can handle a sexual relationship? Why or why not?

3.
      
Was Mama right to make Dr. Whitmore her medical proxy instead of her husband? Explain your thoughts.

4.
     
Make a pros and cons list of all of the reasons Jayd should/shouldn’t allow Rah to stay in her life as a friend.

5.
      
Describe a time when you felt trapped between two friends or situations where you had to make a difficult choice.

6.
      
Have you ever had a lucid dream that came true in reality? If so, please describe. If not, would you like to have this experience? Why or why not?

7.
      
Explain how you think Jayd’s naturally brown eyes influence her powers.

Stay tuned for the next book

in the DRAMA HIGH series,

SWEET DREAMS

Recommended Reading

              Listed below are a few of my favorite writers. The list is in no particular order and always changing. Please feel free to send me your favorites at
www.DramaHigh.com.

Octavia E. Butler

Alice Walker

Zora Neale Hurston

Tina McElroy Ansa

James Baldwin

Maryse Conde

Madison Smart Bell

R.M. Johnson

Napoleon Hill

Jackie Collins

Mary Higgins Clark

J.K. Rowling

Stephen King

Iyanla Vanzant

Rhonda Byrne

Amy Tan

Nathan McCall

Nikki Giovanni

Edwidge Danticat

J. California Cooper

Toni Cade Bambara

Richard Wright

Gloria Naylor

James Patterson

Luisah Teish

Queen Afua

Bri. Maya Tiwari

Hill Harper

Joseph Campbell

Tananarive Due

Anne Rice

L.A. Banks

Francine Pascal

Sandra Cisneros

Danielle Steele

Carolyn Rodgers

Stephanie Rose Bird

Chief FAMA

Gwendolyn Brooks

Bell Hooks

Amiri Baraka

START YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB

Courtesy of the DRAMA HIGH series

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

The following is intended to help you get the Book Club you’ve always wanted up and running!  Enjoy!

Start Your Own Book Club

A Book Club is not only a great way to make friends, but is also a fun and safe environment for you to express your views and opinions on everything from fashion to teen pregnancy?  A Teen Book Club can also become a forum or venue to air grievances and plan remedies for problems. 

To start, all you need is yourself and at least one other person.  There’s no criteria for who this person or persons should be other than a desire to read and a commitment to read and discuss during a certain time frame. 

Just like in Jayd’s life, sometimes even Book Club discussions can be filled with much drama.  People tend to disagree with each other, cut each other off when speaking, and take criticism personally.  So, there should be some ground rules:

1.
       
Do not attack people for their ideas or opinions.

2.
      
When you disagree with a book club member on a point, disagree respectfully.  This means that you do not denigrate another person for their ideas or even their ideas, themselves i.e. no name calling or saying, “That’s stupid!”  Instead, say, “I can respect your position, however, I feel differently.” 

3.
      
Back up your opinions with concrete evidence, either from the book in question or life in general. 

4.
     
Allow every one a turn to comment.

5.
      
Do not cut a member off when they are speaking.  Respectfully, wait your turn. 

6.
      
Critique only the idea (and do so responsibly; again, saying simply, “That’s stupid!” is not allowed).  Do not critique the person. 

7.
      
Every member must agree to and abide by the ground rules. 

*Feel free to add any other ground rules you think might be necessary.