Tears of a Hustler 2 (2 page)

Skip pulled up into G-money’s driveway in his 2001 Expedition and beeped the horn five times. “This nigga always late,” he said to himself.

“You got everything you need?” Coco asked innocently. “Yeah I got everything,” G-money replied with a smile. “You be careful okay?”
“You know I am ma,” G-money said as he headed for the

door.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Coco said, clearing
her throat with a strange look on her face.
“Oh I’m sorry baby,” G-money said as he came back and
placed a soft kiss on Coco’s lips.
“Thanks, but I was talking about this,” Coco said, holding
out a .380 in the palm of her hand.
“Oh shit, good looking out boo!” G-money said as he
stuck the .380 in his sling that hung around his neck and cradled
his arm, as he headed out the door.
“What’s good? How’s the shoulder holding up?” Skip
asked, backing out of the driveway.
“It still hurts a little bit, but fuck all that. What you doing
driving while you on the run?”
“Got me a fake I.D.,” Skip said calmly as he hopped on
the FDR drive.
“How’s it looking in the hood?”
“Slow,” Skip replied quickly, keeping his eyes on the
road. “Knowledge said he’s only pulling in about $500 a day.” “Damn that’s it?” G-money asked with a frown on his
face.
“Yeah that nigga Rell locking shit down because he got
the best product out,” Skip said matter of fact.
“Who he getting his shit from, Frankie?’
“You know it,” Skip said, shooting G-money a private
look.
“Fuck,” G-money cursed loudly. “I know it has to be
somebody out here with some pure uncut shit. We just not
looking in the right places.” He sucked his teeth.
“So what we going to do until we find this new connect?” “We gonna have to go O.T. (out of town) so we can
keep the money rolling in. Smell me? Get back on our old school
shit.”
“You know I don’t give a fuck!” Skip said, as he pulled up
to the corner of the projects.
“Call that fool Knowledge and tell him to hurry up.” Skip dialed a number in his phone; spoke briefly, and
then hung up. “He said he is on his way now.”
Minutes later, G-money and Skip saw Knowledge
bopping towards the vehicle.
“Hurry the fuck up and stop trying to look cool,” Gmoney huffed.
“I’m not trying to look cool. I’m just naturallycool. You
dig,” Knowledge said playfully as he slid in the back seat. “You got somebody holding down the block for you?” Gmoney asked.
“Yeah I got some young swoll head nigga holding it
down,” Knowledge replied.
“Good because I’m going to need you and Skip to round
up a few goons and take our operation O.T. until I find us a new
connect,” G-money told the two.
“A’ight, cool. So where we going? Albany, Georgia,
Kentucky? Just let me know where we going and it’s on and
popping,” Knowledge said from the back seat.
“Florida,” G-money said in an even tone. “That chick I
bagged from the club the night I got shot, Ashley, she said she
has an apartment out in Florida. So I want ya’ll toset up shop in
her apartment and get this money.”
“A’ight, bet that shit sound like easy money,” Skip said,
shrugging his shoulders.
“Yeah but I don’t want ya’ll going out there on some
cowboy shit. Ya’ll niggaz go out there on some lowkey, laid back
shit and get this money. Ashley is going to have all the drugs
and guns in her car. All ya’ll have to do is follow her in separate
cars, dig?”
“How long are we staying out there?” Knowledge asked. “For a month,” G-money replied quickly. “I should be
done found a connect by then.”
“So where we headed now?” Knowledge asked. “Skip is dropping me off at Mr. Goldberg’s office. He left
me a message talking about he needed to holla at me. After he
drops me off, I want ya’ll to go pack ya’ll shit and get ready for
this trip.”

Rell entered the small diner with Debo and Mad Dogin tow. As soon as Rell entered the small restaurant, he saw Frankie sitting in a booth in the back of the diner.

“Glad you could make it on such short notice,” Frankie said, forcing a smile on his face.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, fuck all this bullshit! Let’s get straight down to business. What’s up with you raising your prices?” Rell asked, not hiding the fact that he didn’t like theItalian man. “I’m not raising the prices that high,” Frankie protested. “Listen if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it,” Rell shot back.
“Listen Rell, my peoples are having a little trouble getting the stuff in,” Frankie said, sipping on his coffee.
“That don’t have shit to do with me. You go take that shit up with Detective Nelson, that’s between ya’ll two. I’m not paying no increase because you scared to talk to Detective Nelson!”
“You don’t have no choice. You’re going to haveto pay the increase, that’s just how the game goes,” Frankie said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.
With the quickness of a cat, Rell reached over the table and slapped the shit out of Frankie. “You must got shit twisted around here,” Rell growled as he as shot to his feet, snatching his P89 from his waistband. “You don’t tell me what fucking choices I have,” he said as he slapped Frankie twice across his face, but this time he did it with the toast (gun) in his hand. Once other diners saw the gun, they quickly exitedthe small diner.
“Open ya fucking mouth,” Rell growled, taking off the safety as he placed half of the barrel in Frankie’smouth. “I’m not paying these high ass prices. You make those other clowns pay extra, you understand?”
Frankie nodded his head.
“And if any of your spaghetti eating friends have a problem, ya’ll know where to find me,” Rell said as he gave Frankie one last slap across his face. “Bitch ass nigga,” Rell said over his shoulder as he peeled four, hundred dollars bills off of his huge knot of cash and handed it to the waitress. “Sorry about the trouble I caused,” he said as the trio made their exit.
“I can’t stand that fake mafia motherfucker,” Rell huffed as he placed a blunt between his lips.
“He really tried to make us pay extra for some shit he don’t want to take up with Detective Nelson,” Rell said to no one in particular.
“Don’t even worry about that slick hair cocksucker. If he even think about retaliating, I’m going to take care of him personally,” Debo said, never taking his eyes off the road.
“Retaliate,” Rell echoed. “I wish he would.”

“What’s up? You wanted to see me?” G-money asked, stepping inside Mr. Goldberg’s office.
“Yeah I was just on my way to go visit Ali. Why don’t you come take a ride with me?” Mr. Goldberg said, looking at Gmoney for a response.
“Cool let’s roll,” G-money said as he followed Mr. Goldberg to his car.
“Where they got Ali, in the tombs?”
“Nah they just transferred him to Rikers Island,” Mr. Goldberg answered.
G-money and Mr. Goldberg sat in the visiting room patiently waiting for Ali to come from up stairs. Ten minutes, later Ali came through the visiting room door wearing the gray D.O.C. (Department of Corrections) jump suit.
“My nigga what’s good?” Ali smiled as he gently gave Gmoney a hug, not wanting to hurt his injured arm.
“I’m still standing,” G-money replied with a smile. “I’m sorry about what happen to your brother.”
“He gonna be aight, he’s a tough kid.”
“What are you talking about?” G-money raised an eyebrow.
“I heard he got knocked out,” Ali said clueless.
G-money lowered his head as he began quietly. “Ali after the fight was over, Spanky went back home and killed himself,” G-money said, refusing to make eye contact with Ali. “Yo don’t play around like that,” Ali said with fire in his voice.
“True story,” G-money said in a frail voice.
Ali looked over at Mr. Goldberg.
“I am too busy to watch the news.” Mr. Goldberg shrugged his shoulders in shock.
“Fuck!” Ali cursed loudly as he jumped to his feet and flipped the small table over that was in front of him.
Immediately, four C.O.’s came over and roughly escorted Ali out of the visiting room.
G-money and Mr. Goldberg just sat and watched the four C.O.’s escort Ali to the back.
“I don’t think you should have told him that shit straight up like that,” Mr. Goldberg suggested.
“I thought he knew about it already,” G-money said, regretting having to be the one to break the news to Ali. For the entire ride back home, the two rode intense silence.
“It was something I had to tell you,” Mr. Goldberg said, finally breaking the silence. “Oh yeah, the last time I went to see Ali he told me to tell you he found out who the snitch was.”
“Who?” G-money asked, giving the lawyer his full attention.
“Big Mel,” Mr. Goldberg said, glancing over to see Gmoney’s facial expression.
G-money sucked his teeth. “I knew that nigga was snitching the whole time.”
“I kind of suspected he was snitching myself,” Mr. Goldberg said in agreement.
“It’s all good. Gimme 72 hours and his body will pop up floating in one of these rivers. Mark my words,” G-money assured his lawyer and long time friend.
“What ever you do, just make sure you do it discreetly,” Mr. Goldberg said as he pulled up in front of G-money’s house. “You know I’m going to cover my ass,” G-money winked at Mr. Goldberg as he disappeared through the front door of his house.

“Ya’ll ready?” Ashley asked, loudly popping her gum. “Yeah we ready,” Knowledge answered as he watched Ashley’s fat ass jiggle from side to side as she swayed towards the car. “Damn G-money stay with the good quality smuts.”
“Stop worrying about some ass and start focusing on getting this money,” Skip checked him.
“Damn what’s wrong with you? I’m just having a lil fun,” Knowledge huffed as he slid in the passenger seat of the Benz.
“Just stay focused, we already got enough problems,” Skip reminded him.
Ashley pulled up along side Skip and beeped the horn. “Ya’ll ready?”
“We about to follow you right now, and make sure you keep your music to a minimum,” Skip said, making the engine come alive.
Ashley sucked her teeth as she slowly pulled out into traffic. She drove a green Mazda 626. Skip and Knowledge followed her in a Benz, and a van full of soldiers followed the Benz.
“Yo son we going to shut this town down when weget there,” Knowledge boasted as he placed a Newport between his lips.
“Remember G-money said to go out here on some laid back shit.”
“Damn why don’t you loosen up?” Knowledge hissed as he reclined his seat back.
“Listen I can’t afford no slip ups. And if you slip up, that means I slipped right along with you,” Skip told him.
“Aight, aight I feel you. I ain’t gon slip,” Knowledge said, pulling hard on his cigarette. “We just gonna go out here and get this money, maybe even some pussy if we get lucky,” he said, laughing hysterically, nudging Skip the whole time.
Skip did his best to block out all the ignorant shit Knowledge was talking about. The only thing on his mind was his wife April. “I wonder what she’s doing right now,” he thought as he cruised along the dark highway. His thoughts were rudely interrupted when he felt Knowledge nudging him again.
“Yo these country bitches be having the stupid fat asses, know what I’m saying?”
“Yeah,” Skip replied emptily as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed April’s number.

“Come and eat,” April yelled as she piled spaghettion two plates and set them down on the table.
“What you cook mommy?” Little Michael asked, licking his lips for extra emphasis.
“Your favorite; spaghetti and meat balls,” April answered as she poured her and him a glass of apple juice. “Bow your head for prayer.”
After a short prayer, April and Michael began attacking their food like animals. “Damn I think I out did myself tonight,” she boasted, looking at Little Michael for a compliment. “Is something wrong?” She asked, sensing something waswrong.
“Is daddy coming home for dinner?” Little Michael asked innocently.
“Not tonight sweetheart,” April answered quickly. She knew this conversation would present it self sooner than later.
“What about tomorrow?”
April cleared her throat before she spoke. “Michael your father won’t be coming home for a while. He has to straighten out a few things in his life. He’ll be back. And ifI know your father like I think, he’ll be back sooner than we both expect.”
“Are you and daddy getting a divorce?” Little Michael asked, twirling his fork around in his spaghetti.
“Damn these kids are too fucking smart nowadays,” April said to herself, looking around the kitchen formulating a response. “No baby we’re not getting a divorce. Meand your father are just working out a few things. Once everything is worked out, your father will be back, I promise.”
“Okay, can I go to my room now?” Little Michael asked dryly.
“You don’t want to finish eating your food?”
“Okay go empty your plate,” April said as she watched Little Michael empty his plate and stomp off to his room. Times like this, April wished Skip was home so he could be the one to answer their child’s questions, instead of her always having to be the bad guy. Before April could get up from the table, she heard her cell phone ringing. She looked at the caller I.D. and saw Skip’s name flashing across the screen. April was about to answer it, but then decided to just send Skip straight to the voicemail. April loved Skip, but she knew he stillwasn’t ready to give up his lifestyle. Until then, she had nothingto say to him.

“Damn,” Skip cursed loudly when he got April’s voicemail. Please record your message after the beep beeeep…
“Yo when you gon’ stop playing these fucking games? I know you see my number on the fucking caller I.D. You know what? Fuck you!” Skip said, ending the call.
“Problems at home?” Knowledge questioned.
“What else is fucking new?” Skip huffed. “Bitches ain’t shit but problems,” he said out of frustration.
“Don’t sweat it. It happens to the best of us.”
“But I don’t get it; I buy her everything she wants. She lives in a nice ass house and drives two nice cars. She don’t have to do shit but go to school,” Skip hissed. “Iwould love to stay home all day and get token care of. Shit if a bitch is paying for all my shit, you wouldn’t hear a peep out of me. As long as she ain’t out selling her ass, I don’t care. Smell me?”
“I feel you. But you know chicks don’t think like that. They be wanting all that romantic bullshit,” Knowledge chuckled. “Every chick that has a drug dealer for a boy friend will always say she liked it better when you didn’t have money. But that’s only because now they already got everything they wanted, and now they bored living in that big ass house. Chicks are crazy. No matter how hard we study them we’ll never understand them,” Knowledge said, lighting up another cigarette.
“That’s the most non-ignorant shit you said all night,” Skip said, giving Knowledge a pound.
“Yeah bitches are crazy, but we wouldn’t be shit without them,” Knowledge said, staring blankly out the window.
“I know that’s right,” Skip agreed as he kept a small distance between the Benz and the Mazda he was tailing.