Read Payback Is a Mutha Online
Authors: Wahida Clark
Tags: #Psychological, #Psychological fiction, #Fiction, #Urban Life, #African American women, #Female friendship, #African American, #General, #Short Stories
“W
hat the fuck is this fool doing?” Hook laid on the horn as the forest green Hummer blocked him in. “Move the fuck outta the way!” he yelled.
“Shit, Hook, this looks like the jackers are gettin’ jacked!” Rob said as he cocked his glock. “Ain’t this a bitch! We bout to get jacked! Fuck! I told you we should have brought some more bodies for this nigga.” Rob’s adrenaline was pumping. Just the two of them were supposed to rob Shadee.
No sooner than those words left his mouth the car was surrounded. “Shadee is lying in the backseat!” Doc screamed in disbelief.
Pop! Pop!
He fired. “These niggas is busted!”
Pop! Pop!
The gunfire rang and glass shattered everywhere. Doc was hit in the arm while Rob, sitting on the passenger side, was hit in the head, the bullet bursting his head wide open. Two bullets caught Hook in the shoulder as he screamed out in pain. Glass and blood was all over. The win
dows on the passenger and driver sides were gone. The front windshield was all cracked up.
Hook was yelling like a bitch. “Shut up, nigga!” Teraney punched Hook in the face. “Move the fuck over!” He pushed him. “Get from under the fuckin’ wheel!” Teraney pushed Hook over and jumped in the driver’s seat. He was sitting on top of Rob’s dead body.
Hook figured that he could get away since he saw that they were occupied with Shadee. He reached in his sock and pulled out his little .22 and pressed it to Teraney’s temple. “Let me out right now, or I’m taking this chump with me! Ossssh! Ahhhh!” Hook yelled as Teraney knocked the gun from his hand. Slim crushed a piece of glass into his cheek. He was still yelling as the blood gushed out.
“You dummy!” Teraney said as he shook his head in disgust. “What was you planning to do with that little shit?”
“Shadee still breathing y’all!” Doc yelled as he felt his pulse. “We gotta move from this spot. Pop the trunk! Get something and tie my arm, I gotta stop this bleeding.” He was barking orders. In a matter of minutes they threw Rob’s dead body in the trunk and put Shadee in the Hummer. Teraney, Slim, Hook, and Jo Jo rode in Shadee’s Benz. Doc didn’t want to go to the hospital because he had a friend who could attend to his bullet wound.
“We gotta get Sha to the hospital.” Slim said.
“Naw, fuck the hospital. Get him to a street doctor,” Doc ordered.
“He almost dead man. By the time we find the street doctor he’ll be gone.” Slim looked at Teraney and Jo Jo for help.
“I’m with Raney. Fuck the hospital, we’ll be taking a chance,” Jo Jo added.
“We taking a chance either way. It’s best to be safe instead of sorry. Fuck that. Let’s get him to a hospital!”
“Hell, naw! He ain’t going to no hospital,” Doc yelled.
“We wasting time and you hurt. Let’s do something instead of arguing like a bunch of bitches,” Teraney said as he had made up his mind that his boy was going to see some real doctors.
When Shadee woke up he was looking up at bright hospital lights, lying in a bed at the “Med;” the local hospital. He now had fourteen stitches traveling down the back of his head. He tried to sit up but felt dizzy and his head was throbbing so he slowly laid back down. He felt around for a switch, button, or something to page a nurse. Unable to find it, he said, “Fuck it! Mind over matter,” and forced himself up.
“Mr. Watson, how are you feeling? I’m Nurse Richards, Debbie to you. I need to check your blood pressure.” She grabbed his arm.
“I need some pain pills.”
“I’ll get you some.”
“Where are my clothes?”
Sensing that he was trying to leave, she said, “The doctor would like you to remain overnight for observation, Mr. Watson. But your clothes are over there in that closet. You have two family members out front waiting to see you. Visiting hours are well over but I will allow them five minutes,” she told
him with authority as she recorded his blood pressure and then placed a thermometer in his mouth. After the machine beeped she said, “I’ll send in your visitors. Remember, five minutes Mr. Watson. You need the rest.” She left the room.
Shadee tried to sit up but his head was spinning. He eased back down on the bed.
“What up man?” Born burst into the room. Shadee’s seventeen-year-old nephew was relieved that his uncle was all right.
“Get me the fuck outta here. That’s what’s up!”
“Where’s your clothes nigga?” Kay-Gee, who had been down with Shadee since day one asked.
“Over there in the closet.”
They helped him get dressed so they could bounce before the police decided to stop back by. When Nurse Richards saw them come out of the room she ran over to them.
“You can’t leave now Mr. Watson. The doctor hasn’t discharged you yet.”
Plus I wanted to get them digits,
she thought to herself.
“I’m discharging my damn self. I’m grown.”
She looked from Shadee to the two thuggish niggas on each side of him and decided against arguing. “Well here, let me get these papers for you to sign.” She took off for the front desk.
“Fuck her man. She probably goin’ to get security. Let’s roll!” Born said, grabbing the nearest wheelchair and helping Shadee sit down.
“I’ll go pull the ride around front,” Kay-Gee told them and jetted.
Nurse Richards hurried back. “Here you go, Mr. Watson. Can you please sign right here, here, and here.” Nurse Richards pointed as she held the clip-
board steady for him. “And here are the rest of your painkillers.” She shook the bottle. “We need you to come back on the seventeenth to get the stitches out. Any questions?”
“No ma’am. No questions.” Born was already wheeling Shadee towards the elevator.
Kay-Gee was waiting out front. They helped Shadee into the car and headed towards his house. “A’ight. What the fuck happened and where’s my money, my dope, and my ride?” Shadee wanted to know as soon as the car door slammed. “Ah, shit!” He groaned out in pain.
“Doc has the loot and the dope. We’re gonna meet him at his spot later on. Slim is taking care of your ride.” Born reported.
“Who the fuck did this shit?” Shadee was pissed.
“Them Jack boys. Them niggas ain’t see us lying in the cut down the street and we didn’t see them until they was up on you. But I’m willing to bet it was that bitch Brianna. This shit got that hoes name stamped all over it. Your bitch set you up man. I tried to tell you that hoe ain’t shit!” Born was pissed off.
“Brianna? How you know it was a set-up?” Shadee moaned in pain.
“Nigga, that medication got you fucked up! Them niggas was waitin’ on you dawg! I’m tellin’ you it was that bitch! I got much love for you Unc, but that hoe got your mind fucked up!”
“Naw man, it wasn’t her. Your mind is fucked up young nigga!”
“A’ight, Unc. I see this conversation is going nowhere. Anyway, those stick-up kids Hook and Rob, are the ones she sicked on you. When we left, Hook was being handled, but who knows what shape he’ll
be in once Teraney finishes with him. You know how that fool is. Rob is already chillin’ with tha Grim Reaper.”
“Naw. I wanna see Hook.” Shadee began looking for his cell phone.
“Here man.” Kay-Gee handed it to him.
Shadee grabbed it and dialed Teraney. “Teraney, what’s poppin’? I need you to hold up.”
“Won’t nothin’ be poppin’ in a minute. You know I don’t like to sit on shit like this. But if you insist, I’ll hold up. But y’all need to meet me at our chillin’ spot, soon.”
“Wait for me. What do it look like?”
“What it look like?” Teraney looked at the phone as if he was insulted. “It looks like one of your bitches! And I hope you know which one.”
“I’ll holla at you later.” Shadee turned off his cell phone, leaned his head back on the headrest, and closed his eyes. “Let’s swing to our chillin’ spot.”
When they got to their chillin’ spot, which was Kay-Gee’s grandfather’s crib, they entered the back and went down into the basement. Teraney and Jo Jo had tied Hook up, and he was naked, stretched out onto two folding chairs with a sock stuffed in his mouth. Jo Jo had on a painter’s jumpsuit and a pair of goggles.
“Why is he tied like that?” Shadee wanted to know.
Jo Jo pulled out a chain saw, grinned and said, “I’ma cut his body in half. I always wanted to do this shit man.”
When Hook heard that, he was tryna scream as his eyes got big as saucers and he tried to squirm loose.
Shadee tried to hold his balance as he walked over to Hook and pulled the sock out of his mouth. Hook began yelling, “Don’t let him do this, man! I can take y’all to Rob’s stash right now. Please man, don’t let him do this,” he pleaded.
“Who put you on me?” Shadee asked through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know man. I was with Rob,” Hook pleaded.
“Wrong answer.” Shadee stuffed the sock back into his mouth and nodded towards Jo Jo who pulled the chain to start the chain saw. Everybody stepped back in anticipation.
Hook began withering like crazy as he pissed on himself.
“Hold up. This nigga ready to talk. Turn it off.” Shadee looked down at Hook, who was shaking his head up and down.
As soon as the sock was pulled out of his mouth he blurted out, “It was that bitch Brianna. It was Brianna man! She put us on you. I swear!”
Shadee was embarrassed as hell.
That fuckin’ bitch!
He was talking to himself in disbelief.
Is that hoe that desperate for money? All that we’ve been through and that trick got the nerve to set me up. All I ever did was look out for her.
No one in the room was saying a word. From the look on Shadee’s face they knew that now was not the time for “I told you so’s.” Snapping out of his silent rage he asked, “Where’s that nigga Rob’s stash house?”
Hook began singing like a canary. “At his mom’s. In the hallway there’s a small door inside the linen closet. It’s yours man, just let me go.”
“C’mon y’all. Slice that nigga up!” Shadee ordered.
“O
h, now I can’t touch you?” Briggen grabbed Shan and gave her a big bear hug. He whispered in her ear, “Why are you treating me like this? I swear I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
“I don’t know you. Who are you?” She was trying to squirm out from between his arms.
“You don’t know me?” he asked, surprised. “I could have sworn I heard you calling my name when I was lickin’ on this juicy pussy.”
“Nigga, please! What is your name? Is it Briggen or is it Calvin? I should have at least known who it was that I was allowing to lick my pussy!”
“Why are you so pissed about a name? Damn girl. My name is Calvin. My nickname is Briggen. That’s what my friends call me.”
“What about the other women who you fuck? Who are you to them? What do they call you?”
“When I was bangin’ you I wasn’t thinking about
other women. I was only concerned with you, so other women shouldn’t matter.”
“Nigga fuck you!” she spat.
“Damn girl. All you doing is turning me on with this attitude of yours.” Along with the smell of her hair, skin, and the warmth of her body. “A’ight look. I prefer that you call me Calvin. When I’m with you that’s who I am. I didn’t want Briggen to scare you away. You appear to be a good girl.”
She laughed even though she was pissed. “That’s a good one. You know what? Y’all niggas ain’t shit! Now let me go!” She punched him in his chest. “Big liar! That’s who you are to me.”
“A’ight. I deserve that, but I’m not letting you go until we talk.”
“Talk about what? What is there to talk about? You got what you wanted. Talk!” She was practically screaming. “You wasn’t trying to talk when I was paging you. You never even answered your cell phone. Talk? You didn’t even call to say that I was a good piece of ass, let’s do that again! Nigga, please! We don’t have shit to talk about! Now let me go!”
“Are you going to at least let me apologize?”
“Let me go liar.” She tried to squirm away.
“I’m not letting you go until you at least hear me out. I had to go out of town for some important business. And then as soon as I got back, I had to turn right back around and head back out that same night. You were on my mind, but business comes first. And that’s not a lie. You think I was wrong for not telling you about Briggen but on the real, I like to see how women will act with Calvin. Most bitches are just tryna get paid. I apologize. Can we move on and you give me another chance?”
“Another chance? Why do you want another chance
with me? Don’t you have about three or four steady bitches? You probably got a wife! Or are you ready to lie about that too? Liar!”
“Where are you getting all this misinformation from?”
“I see you didn’t answer me liar! Just let me go.”
“Not until you talk to me.”
“We’re done talking,” she snapped.
“We haven’t talked enough. I understand you’re mad, but why don’t you have a seat over there in the VIP section. Let me holla at my boy and I’ll be there in ten minutes. A’ight? Can I at least get that? I like you Shan, and I wanna make it up to you.”
“I’m ready to go
now
.” She heard Brianna clear her throat and then felt her tapping her shoulder. Brianna was ear hustling on their entire conversation and didn’t miss a word.
“Hi, I’m here with my girl Shan. My name is Brianna. Can we get a bottle of Moet while she’s sitting over there waiting on you? The night is still young and plus I’m waiting on someone.” She flashed a seductive grin.
“Anything your girl here wants is on the house.” He squeezed her ass while enjoying the feel of the soft butter leather. “Shan, you looking good baby. Can you please wait ten minutes for me? Plus, your girl is
thirsty
.” He said thirsty meaning a greedy gold diggin’ bitch.
“Let me go.”
“Ten minutes. Ten minutes?” He pleaded. When he heard her suck her teeth he turned her loose but then grabbed her hand, pleased that he got his way. “Let me take y’all over there.”
As they walked through the club, anybody who was somebody was checking out who was in Briggen’s
company. Shan felt like a fool for not knowing who he was and disliked the attention, but Brianna was loving every minute of it. Shan made a mental note of the pack of rats moving across the room. They were grillin’ her and Brianna so hard, she was sure that if looks could kill, she and Brianna would be dead and stinking. Shan pouted as Briggen led them to a table in the VIP section. She was caught by surprise when her feet sunk into the thick red carpet. Mirrors and candles were everywhere.
He looked into Shan’s eyes. “You gonna wait here for me, right?”
“Ten minutes.”
Just as the rat pack reached their table, Sharia spoke up. “Who the fuck is that hoe?” she said to her crew.
“Who?” her sister Demetria asked.
“That bitch with Briggen over at the VIP section, that’s who!” Sharia snapped. Sharia was one of Briggen’s girls.
All four pairs of eyes turned towards the VIP table that was now getting served a bottle of Moet and a bottle of White Zinfandel because Briggen knew that was what Shan liked to drink. Both bottles were sitting on a bucket of ice. When they saw Shan cross her arms and roll her eyes at Briggen, it was on.
“Who is that hoe?” Vicki asked as she snapped her neck and rolled her eyes. Vicki was Sharia’s overprotective best friend.
“The bitch obviously got an attitude with him about something,” Sharia said.
“Better you than me,” Demetria added, pouring salt on an open wound while hatin’.
“I’ve seen that other hoe somewhere, but I can’t place her,” Nay Nay added.
Mad as that hoe is they done fucked,
Sharia told herself. But knew she better not even think about confronting Briggen’s crazy ass in public. “I’m so tired of this shit,” she said to Demetria.
“You obviously ain’t too tired, you’re still with him.” Demetria rolled her eyes at her sister. “And you know not to get me started. And don’t you start no shit, either! See, look. He’s gone.”
“Bitch, you know he’s coming back. That’s why her hoe ass is sitting with her arms crossed. And look at her gold diggin’ friend, guzzlin’ down the free drinks.”
“Aww, hell naw! Stop the motherfuckin’ presses! Look who just sat down next to her friend!” Vicki practically jumped off her stool. “Where them hoes from?” She was getting mad jealous as Skye moved in close to Brianna.
“I believe y’all bitches are gonna make tonight very interesting,” Demetria said. “Now pass me the dro and gimme a light!”
“Were you anxiously waiting for me to come and find you?” Skye asked Brianna as he moved his chair closer to hers.
“Waiting? Yes. Anxious? No.” Brianna coolly answered. “Let me introduce you to my girl Shan. Shan this is Skye. Skye this is my girl Shan.”
“What’s up Shan?” He stared at her for a minute. “You’re Peanut’s little sister aren’t you? You look just like that nigga.”
She nodded her head yes. “Nice to meet you Skye.”
She halfheartedly commented. He noticed that she was watching the time and that she had a major attitude.
He turned his attention back to Brianna. “Whose table you got me sitting at? Ain’t nobody gonna run up on me are they?” He grabbed her chair, turning it around and placing it directly in front of his so that now they were facing each other. He ran his hand up the outside of her thigh.
“Looks to me like you’re not worried about anybody running up on you.”
“You never know. Y’all know how y’all do. But it’s on you. What’s up Brianna? We can kick it here or we can leave. It is Brianna isn’t it?”
“That’s who I am. I see you did a little research.”
“Fo’ sho. So what’s up Brianna?”
“I’d rather leave but me and my girl came together.”
“Can’t we drop her off? Then you can tell me where we can go.”
“Let me talk to her.” He slid his chair back so that she could get up.
Seeing B get up Shan asked, “Are we leaving now? I’m ready to go.”
“Girlfriend, come here.” Brianna pulled Shan up and away from the table. She peeked at her two-way, smiled, then asked, “You mind driving my car home?”
Placing her hand on her hip Shan snapped, “You leaving with him?”
“Yeah. I thought you was gonna wait for Briggen.”
“Girl please. His ten minutes has now turned into fifteen. If you wasn’t so anxious to sit in the VIP section and suck up free drinks, I could have been gone.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.” She handed Shan the keys to her Lex and the valet stub.
“How is this supposed to be worth my while, hoe?”
“I’m a paid hoe! Now drive my Lex and I’ll give you all the details.”
“Be careful.” Shan rolled her eyes at her girl. Brianna turned away and grabbed onto Skye and didn’t look back.
Once outside Brianna said, “Thanks for walking me outside. Something came up that I need to take care of. Can I get a rain check?” She seductively smiled at him.
“You owe me more than a rain check.” His left eyebrow raised.
“A’ight then. Just let me know.” Brianna was glad that Skye gave her the perfect alibi to leave the club and her car with Shan.
Just then a fully loaded burgundy Yukon pulled up and one of the lightly tinted windows came down. “Yo, B! C’mon.” Peanut yelled, making eye contact with Skye.
“Oh, it’s like that?” Skye asked her, not taking his eyes off of Peanut.
“Rain check,” she mouthed at Skye as she got into the Yukon.
Skye stood watching as they pulled off. He pulled out his celly while going to his ride. “Ain’t this a bitch!” he mumbled.
Shan grabbed her Coach bag and headed towards the bathroom. She spotted Briggen talking to two of Memphis’ finest, Six-Nine and Tareek. They made
eye contact and he waved her over. When he saw that she wasn’t coming he excused himself and went to catch up with her. He was watching where Shan was going and Sharia was watching where he was going.
“I knew they were fucking.” Sharia said to no one in particular. “Damn. I promised myself I wouldn’t do this shit no more. If he don’t give a fuck, then why should I?”
“That’s what I’ve been tryna tell you for the longest. Don’t say you’ve finally seen the light?” Demetria teased.
“Yeah, fuck it! The more I beat bitches’ asses for messing with him, the more they come around. Then he looks at me like I’m in the wrong.” Sharia said, not taking her eyes off of Briggen.
“I know you saw me wave you over,” Briggen said as he grabbed Shan by the hand.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room and then I’m going home. Your ten minutes was up ten minutes ago. However, I will allow you one phone call.”
“Damn. When can I call?” He was trying to not get pissed knowing that he wanted to fuck her again. But at the same time, she just showed him that she still wanted to play.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It doesn’t matter? What kind of answer is that? Obviously I must be on your shit list.” He leaned towards her to kiss her on the lips and she turned her head. “I’m reduced to a kiss on the cheek?”
“Call me.”
“Let me walk you to your car.”
“I’ll be all right. Go finish doing what you was doing. Call me.”
Sharia was sitting at the table watching as they parted ways. As soon as Shan came out of the bath
room Sharia jumped up and followed her to the front of the club. She couldn’t help herself. Briggen was an addiction. The only thing she said to her crew was, “Let me go check on something. I’ll be right back.” They didn’t even hear her because they were running to the dance floor to jam to Mr. Cheeks, Missy Elliott, and Petey Pablo.
When she caught up with Shan, she tapped her on the shoulder. “Excuse me. Excuse me.” As soon as Shan turned around Sharia punched her in the face. “Bitch, Briggen is already taken!” Still catching Shan by surprise she punched her again. Shan slipped and fell backwards onto a table where Sharia was able to really whip her ass. Sharia blanked out as she threw continuous punches on every unprotected area of Shan’s body. When they pulled Sharia off Shan, her nose was bleeding, her necklace was gone and the buttons on her leather jacket were dangling.
“Where’s my fuckin’ purse?” Shan screamed. “You skank bitch!” She lunged at Sharia. “I don’t even know you!” she yelled as she tried to break away from Dino the bouncer.
“I’m Sharia, hoe! And Briggen is my man of three years. This is my club hoe! You will show me some fuckin’ respect!” Sharia’s size 38C’s were heaving up and down. Her and Shan’s eyes locked as their gazes were full of contempt and rage. Sharia’s gaze wrestled with ego and humiliation.
Shan saw Briggen coming their way. “Briggen, tell this big nigga to get his hands off of me.”
“Let ’em both go.” He told Dino the bouncer. He looked from Sharia to Shan. They were now the center of attraction. Shan especially, since the black lace Victoria’s Secret bra that he bought her was in full view.
“Calvin, find my fuckin’ purse and my necklace,” Shan ordered. Her chest heaving up and down.
“She called you Calvin?” Sharia was really hurt by that. “How can you disrespect me like this?”
“You need to train this ugly bitch!” Shan lashed out. Of course she didn’t mean it because Sharia was downright beautiful. From the doe-shaped eyes, long eyelashes, and the radiant tan skin tone, she could easily give the actress Meagan Good a run for her money. Running up on Sharia and grabbing her by the hair, she said, “Bitch, I fucked your man; you need to show
me
some respect!” She got a punch in before Luke, the other bouncer, lifted her up into the air.
Briggen grabbed Sharia. “Go into the office and get yourself together.” Shan was able to get in another punch as she grabbed Sharia’s blouse, ripping it open. Then again, getting a fistful of Sharia’s hair.
“Let her hair go Shan.” Briggen was pulling on her fingers until Sharia’s hair was freed.
Sharia burst out crying. “What is up with her Briggen? Who is she to you? I’m so tired of this shit!”
“Go into the office, now, Sharia!” Briggen ordered.
Dino the bouncer, put his arm around her and was guiding her towards the office. She tried to break away and get in her man’s face. “What’s up with her Briggen? How long have you been fuckin’ her?” she screamed.