Thug Lovin' (2 page)

They were so exhausted that after they settled in they slept until almost noon the next day. They were chillin’ while waiting
for Tasha’s cousin Stephon to come over. They had about six houses to look at and he had volunteered to be their official
tour guide. They were sitting on the couch in front of the big screen, which was on mute, watching ESPN2. Tasha was devouring
a bowl of fruit salad and had her legs thrown across Trae’s lap as she listened to him dish out demands to the Realtor.

“Listen, I need somewhere to stay, like, yesterday. I’m expecting my first child.” Tasha popped him on the forehead. “I’m
sorry, we’re expecting twins any day now so we need to get settled in as soon as possible.” Trae reached over and began rubbing
Tasha’s belly. He was silent as he listened to the excuses the Realtor came up with. Tasha placed her hand over his as she
guided it to where the movement was.

“What’s up, twins?” Tasha whispered to her belly.

“Call me within the next hour. If I don’t hear from you, I’m moving on to the next man.” He pushed the end button, then leaned
over and began kissing Tasha on the belly. “Man, these LA clowns are crazy. They got so much money they don’t wanna make no
more! They acting like my money ain’t green. I have no understanding of this bullshit. Couldn’t be me. I don’t give a fuck
how much bread I got, I ain’t stopping until I see Bill Gates type of bread!”

“Give the poor man a chance, baby.” Tasha laughed. “I mean, what you want the man to do? Throw the people out of their houses
today?”

“Hell yeah! Daddy needs a house.”

“And Ma Ma needs for Daddy to chill out.”

“I need to chill?” He tongued Tasha down.

“Mmmmmmmm, mmmmmm,” she moaned as she came up for air. “Yes you do. That’s my job, to clock out on niggas.”

“Aiight then. You got that,” Trae told her.

There was a knock at the front door.

“Thank you. Now go answer the door,” she ordered.

“I love you more than anything. You know that, right?” Trae leaned over for another kiss.

“Of course I know that. You show me that every day.” She kissed him back.

“Aiight then. Just don’t forget that shit.”

“Don’t you forget it. Don’t get out here and get caught up in this Hollyhood lifestyle and lose your mind,” Tasha warned him.
“I’m not going to put up with no bullshit.”

“What?” Trae laughed.

“You heard me loud and clear. Now go open the door, nigga!”

“We gotta talk,” Trae teased and winked at her as he walked across the room to open the front door.

A feeling of nervousness came over Tasha as she overheard Stephon’s voice when he entered the suite. Even though they talked
and kept in touch she hadn’t seen him since twelve years ago, when they were teenagers. He was the one to bring her the bad
news about her brother getting shot to death. He was around when both of her parents were hauled off to prison. He was there
when Social Services came and took her sister Trina and brother Kevin into state custody. She felt that seeing him was like
reopening a door to her past, something she wasn’t ready to do. She didn’t like that feeling.

He had spoken with Tasha and Trae over the phone on plenty of occasions, especially when they had confirmed that they were
coming to LA, which Stephon called his playground. He promised them that he would do everything to make their transition from
Jersey to Cali as smooth as possible.

“What up, man?” Stephon greeted Trae. They gave each other dap followed by a brotherly embrace.

“Good to finally meet you in person,” Trae told him.

“Meet you? I feel like I already know you. My cousin talks about you all the time and she sounds like you’re keeping her very
happy.”

“Well, actually we do that for each other,” Trae said with sincerity. Then he turned to his wife and said, “Yo, Tasha, your
cuz is here!”

“Damn, look at this room. Y’all rollin’ like this?” Stephon was admiring the plush suite. He looked around at the marble floors
with gold molding, eighteen-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, leather sectional couch and fully stocked bar, and that was only
the living room.

From talking to Trina and Kevin, Tasha’s siblings who were living in New York, he knew that Trae had stashed a shitload of
drug money, but damn!

“Ewwwww, ugly boy,” Tasha said playfully when she got up on her cousin, immediately forgetting those bad feelings she had
just been having. “You look just like Uncle Bill.” Stephon could grace the cover of
GQ
any day and stood six foot tall, with broad shoulders, a clean bald head, coal-black goatee, light brown skin and a perfect
set of pearly white teeth. He was fine. Absolutely a lady’s dream. Wet dream, that is. She gave him a big hug while Trae stood
back and watched his wife interact with family. Stephon twirled her around before staring at her face.

“And you look just like Aunt Seleta. So I don’t know why you turning up your nose. My dad and your moms is sister and brother,
remember? So if I’m ugly, so are you.” He held her back to get a good look at her. “Damn your belly looks like it’s about
to burst. Even though I look better, I must admit you do look good. But for the most part, you look very satisfied and pregnant,”
he teased. “I’m happy for you.” He hugged her again.

“Thank you. I’ll be happy when these boys come out. I feel like a whale, but I’m still a dime, big belly and all. But you’re
wrong about looking better than me. I see you’re going to be a problem already!” She pushed him away, joking. “So where are
you taking us? I’m ready to get out and smell some of this Cali air. You know, see some sights. That Realtor you referred
us to is moving too slow for Mr. Make-It-Happen-Right-Now over there,” she said, referring to Trae.

“You damn right. I ain’t got time to be playing with the type of money I’m trying to spend,” Trae snapped. “Later for the
bullshit.”

“Later for that bum. That’s what I wanted to tell Trae. What I got to show y’all you’re gonna love. It’s in stupid-ass O.
J.’s old neighborhood. It’s nice, quiet, and most important I should be able to get the keys in less than a week if you want
it. And if you got the paper, which I know you do, my man who owns the house got other moves he tryna make. Plus he got the
connections to make the deal close very fast. Y’all couldn’t have arrived at a better time.” Stephon was elated. “I can make
it all happen,” Stephon said as he pulled his cell out of his pocket.

“Now see? That’s the shit I’m talking about,” Trae said, ready to go.

Stephon proved to be a man of his word. It was just a matter of days before Trae and Tasha were able to move into their new
home. The owner had no problem once Trae gave him a hundred grand down payment. Since O. J. was no longer in the area, Stephon
promised that the Brentwood Estates was a quiet, upscale neighborhood. Other than Trae and Tasha, the family of the detective
who lived a few houses down the street seemed to be the only visible black family on the block.

The house was a monstrous 6,200 square feet. To both of them the challenge of getting it furnished and decorated was almost
overwhelming. However, Tasha was so excited about their new home on West Eric, but Trae was even more worried about Tasha
overdoing it with her pregnancy. Nevertheless, Tasha was in heaven. And as far as Trae was concerned, if Tasha was in heaven,
everything else would fall into place.

Trae heard the phone ringing but refused to answer it.

“Baby, pick up the phone!” Trae yelled from the family room. He was posted in front of his sixty-inch flat-screen TV.

“Hello,” Tasha said into the phone. She knew Trae wasn’t moving from his favorite spot.

“What’s up, girl? How the hell are ya?” It was Kyra. Tasha could recognize her childhood friend’s distinctive voice anywhere.
Kyra and Marvin Blackshear had moved—to some suburbs in Long Beach, Cali—right before Trae and Tasha did. Marvin and Trae
had become tight in Jersey on the strength of the girls and their respect for one another being in the game. Just like Trae,
Marvin had retired from the game. They were all like family.

“When are you coming over?” asked Tasha. “Can I see my peoples for a change?”

Kyra laughed. “Awwww, your fat ass miss me? You need to be resting because it’s a wrap once you hit that delivery table. Plus,
I told you we’ll get over there. It’s not like I live right around the corner. I’m taking two online classes that are kicking
my ass, Marvin has been doing some things, and I know you and Trae are trying to get settled in. And I know your hyperactive
ass is overdoing it.”

“No, I’m not. I’m just excited and anxious at the same time. Trae just put up the cribs for the twins, so my main concern
is their room and our bedroom. I’m dying for you to see it. It was empty the last time I spoke to you, but now I got a few
thangs going on,” Tasha bragged.

“Trae told Marvin that your belly is about to burst. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. But like I said I am soooooo excited!” Tasha crooned.

“Look, Tasha, you don’t need to be overdoing it.”

“I’m not. When I feel myself getting too worked up I chill out.”

“Umm-hmm.” Kyra doubted her. Plus she knew how Tasha was. “Ho, I think I need to come visit your ass for real now!”

“You gotta see the twins’ bedroom and I need to see my niece Aisha. You know every time I talk to her she tells me how she
is going to help me with the twins, right?”

Kyra laughed. “Let her help, ’cause she is only five, and I ain’t having no more no time soon that she can play house with.”

“Yeah, right.” Just then Tasha’s phone beeped. “Hold on, Kyra, let me take this call.”

“Girl, just call me back.”

“No, Kyra, hold on,” Tasha told her.

Kyra sucked her teeth and said, “Girl, go ’head. Call me back.” Tasha didn’t want her to hang up, but reluctantly did and
clicked over.

“Hi, baby.” The voice on the other end cracked.

“Hello, Nana.” It was Trae’s mother.

“How are you feeling?” Nana asked before her voice began to break up. She was not sounding like her usual vibrant self.

“I’m fine, thank you. How are you and Pop Pop? Is everything all right?” Trae appeared in the doorway.

“How long are you going to be on the phone?” Trae asked in an agitated tone.

“It’s your mom,” she mouthed.

“Give me the phone,” he demanded.

Tasha rolled her eyes at him. “Nana, here’s your rude son. I love you.” Tasha covered the mouthpiece. “I think something’s
wrong,” she whispered before passing him the phone.

“Hey, Ma. Everything aiight?” Trae was silent as Tasha watched his facial expressions. When he ran his hand over his head
and those nostrils flared she knew something wasn’t right. “Ma, calm down. Put Daddy on the phone.”

“What’s the matter?” Tasha was now standing in front of Trae.

“Pop, what happened?” Tasha watched as the tears rolled slow and steady down Trae’s cheeks. He then took the receiver and
began banging it repeatedly against the wall. Tasha jumped back, not knowing what to do.

“Baby, what’s the matter? What happened?” Trae threw the cordless phone across the room, knocking the lamp over.

“We gotta go back to New York.”

B
aby, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Tasha pleaded as she followed Trae, who was pacing from room to room in an
attempt to calm himself down. His last words to her had been, “We gotta go back to New York.” But those words had been spoken
over a half hour ago. “Trae, be fair. You can’t keep me in the dark like this.”

“Shaheem. It’s my cousin Shaheem.” His voice cracked.

“Shaheem? What about him? Isn’t he still in New York?”

“He’s gone.”

“He’s gone. What do you mean he’s gone?” Tasha asked, even though in her heart she already knew the answer.

“They found him bound and gagged. They stuffed him in a New York Housing Authority bag, Ma. They treated my cousin real dirty.
Muthafuckas!” he spat before he punched the wall.

“Baby.” Tasha embraced Trae warmly. She squeezed him tight and whispered in his ear, “I am so sorry.” She held him close as
he cried, releasing a lot of his frustrations and hurt. She had a flashback and thought about the day that she met Shaheem
for the very first time. She had been with Angel, her other childhood homegirl. She and Trae both considered Angel like family.

Angel was dragging Tasha to a party that Kaylin, Angel’s newfound man and Trae’s partner, was going to be at. Tasha didn’t
want to go because she hadn’t heard from Trae in almost a week and wanted to be home in case he came by. And of course she
was very worried, especially since Kaylin hadn’t seen or heard from Trae in a couple of days either. Then on top of that Angel
hadn’t told Tasha that the party was damn near three hours away from where they lived in Trenton, somewhere in Wildwood, New
Jersey.

Angel kept saying, “You know I would do it for you.”

“Angel, three fuckin’ hours? You can’t just wait for the nigga to come by your house? This shit is crazy.” Tasha rolled her
eyes and slammed the passenger-side door, damn near tearing it off its hinges.

“It’s not three hours. Two, two and a half tops. Tasha, you don’t understand. This nigga just does something to me. He’s like
a drug. l’m telling you, he is the one. Watch what I tell you. This nigga is going to have my babies,” she joked. “Plus, you
know he didn’t want me to come by myself. He told me to snatch you up.”

“Bitch, just drive before I jump out this car and take my ass back in the house,” Tasha snapped as she whipped out her cell
phone and dialed Trae again, only to get his voice mail. She had started to hang up but decided to leave a message, only to
be surprised by Trae’s message recorded on his voice mail. “Yo, if this is my baby, Daddy is on his way over. So take ya ass
home. To everybody else… fuck y’all! Please leave a message after the beep.” Tasha decided she would do just that.

“Trae, you went through all of this trouble to change your voice mail message when you could have easily exerted that same
energy to call me. So if Mommy is not home when you decide to stroll in… fuck you!”
Click.
Tasha sighed.