Country Boy (22 page)

Spotting June in the crowd Elbony grabbed his arm. “Hey Lil’ brother. Is Q here yet?” she asked.

“Nah sis,” he answered, “but they should be here soon.

“Okay. Let me know as soon as they arrive,” she said.

“Aiight sis.”

Q pulled in first with Van following close behind. He got out of the car and walked to Van’s. Before he reached the passenger’s side Tee was already in tears.

Q spoke, “Looks like they did a good job uh.”

Tee nodded in agreement.

“Come on, let’s surprise everybody.”

When Tee stepped out of the car she looked stunning. Her pregnancy was beginning to show. The whispers throughout the crowd suddenly became cheers.

“What’s all the commotion?” El asked Terri while trying to see over the crowd.

“I don’t’ know,” said Terri.

As the crowd parted they got their first look at Tee, who looked like magic walking towards them they both ran to their friend with open arms. As Q. looked around the crowd he didn’t see a dry eye in the building.

“You guys did a good job,” said Tee. “I couldn’t have done it any better myself. I’m proud of you both.”

The hair show was a success with people already talking about next year. Q sat at the table alone watching the crowd. He was indeed a lucky man. Out of a terrible situation he had been blessed. His whole family was there and together. He never thought the day would come when Van and Tee would be side by side. But the news of the new baby had brought all things together. Hell Van had already been out shopping, for the baby’s bedroom set. And had informed Tee she would be by her side all the way through.

Truth Is Harder Than a Lie

That Monday, Q met up with Asia to take her up to Charlotte to pay her tuition. On the way up Asia was acting a little funny but Q brushed it off, maybe she wasn’t an early bird. Hell he wasn’t used to being up this early in the morning either.

“Q when we get to charlotte, can we stop and get something to eat before we pay the bill?” Asia asked.

“Yea that’s cool, what are you in the mood for?”

“Let’s go to the I Hop on Harris. I want some of those strawberry waffles.”

“The I Hop is cool, but why not go to the one on Independence, since we already on this side?”

“They don’t have turkey sausage and you know you don’t like me eating pork around you.”

“True, true I told you to stop eating that shit period though, that hog will have your skin all fucked up.”

“Ok, ok don’t start that Muslim stuff.”

“That ain’t no Muslim stuff, that’s just some good shit, a nigga trying to put you up on.”

“Alright, so can we go to the one on Harris then?”

“Fo sho,” Q replied.

When they pulled into the I Hop parking lot it was packed, even at 8:00 in the morning. Q drove around for what seemed like an hour, before he finally found an empty spot. He followed a true OG move and backed his new pearl white jag into the open space.

As Q was about to exit the car Asia blurted out, “Oh, I need to get the money from you.”

“Damn you can’t wait until we come back to the car?”

“No baby I want to put it in my pocket book, that way I will already have it when we get to the school.”

“Alright, Damn,” Q said looking at Asia as if she was crazy. He reached into his glove box and gave Asia the money. She immediately began to count it.

“Yo shawty what you trying to do, get us robbed or something?”

“No, I’m sorry babe; I just wanted to make sure it was all there.”

“A nigga know how to count.” Q said jokingly.

Asia put the money in her purse. And they proceeded inside and sat down. Asia was busy choking down her food, while Q was busy checking out the Dominican hostess that had seated them. She had long black hair and a phat ass. Her face was so beautiful that he was trying to find a flaw. Unable too, Q was trying to figure out how he was going to crack on her without Asia knowing. Asia seemed to be so preoccupied by the way she kept looking at her watch. That it wouldn’t be that difficult.

“Damn you acting like you late for an important meeting or something.”

“Naw I just realized I left my phone in the car, I will be right back.”

“Girl quit tripping we almost done, whoever trying to call you can wait 10 more minutes.” Then Q realized this could be his chance to holla at that Dominican princess and egged her on.

“Yea maybe you better go head and get your phone; I don’t want you to miss your call. I will pay the bill and be right out.” Q handed Asia the keys and when he was sure she was out of sight. He made his way over to the hostess.

“Excuse me Adre…Adrianna,” Q said trying to pronounce the name on the name tag.

“It’s Adrianna” the women responded.

“Yea Adrianna, well Adrianna, I won’t to know what fool got a beautiful woman like you up in here working around pancakes. You need to be at home having someone bring you pancakes and whatever else you want.”

“Oh is that so?”

“Yes definitely so,” Q said with a smile. “Look here’s my number, call me if you want to change your life” Q wrote his number down and paid the bill.

He walked outside to find Asia talking to some guy. Q gave the strange man the once over. By the way the man was dressed; he looked like a 50cent wannabe. He had on the whole NY hat and do rag, with the timbs and all. Yea this dude was definitely from New York. When Q heard his voice it was confirmed. Q figured he was just some cat trying to holla. Hell he had to admit Asia was looking good. “Funny how someone else tryin' to holla to remind you of what you already got,” Q thought to himself as he approached them.

Asia turned to him and introduced the New York stranger, “Q this Tyreek, Tyreek this is Q.”

“What up Fam?” Both men spoke as they dapped one another up.

Behind him Q could hear tire’s screeching and siren’s going. The next sound was Police and federal agents yelling, “Get Down, everyone get down, get down on the ground!”

Q knew in that moment he was being set up. He just didn’t know by whom and how. All the little things Asia had done begin to play back into his mind. Why didn’t he trust his intuition?” While he was being arrested in Charlotte the rest of the crew was being round up back in Rockingham. Once he was taken to the

Mecklenburg County Jail, and booked on conspiracy charges. The federal agents told him how everything was about to play out.

“Man you must have really pissed some people off,” one agent replied. “The state handed us your case on a silver platter, with a state witness to go along.”

“Yea it doesn’t get any easier.” The old gray head white agent agreed.

Q learned that Asia had told the feds, he had her buying the dope for him from the New York nigga. That’s why she needed Q to hand her the money. She had to make sure the Feds was able to see him reaching her the cash. She also had them dap up to show the completion of the deal. Asia had already put 2 kilo’s of cocaine in Q’s car. She had really done a job on the man she loved and would supposedly die for. He would later find out Asia had agreed to help the Feds after being approached by state agents, who had informed her that she would never practice law in North Carolina after being a known associate of a drug king pen. Not willing to give up her future she agreed to help them bring down Q. When it came down to it, Asia was only going to be there for Q, if it didn’t mean harming her self. All Q could do was laugh. He knew that all this was bullshit, but he also knew that a lie was harder to disprove, then the truth was to prove. In fact these people didn’t care about the truth. They had what they wanted (Him).

The news of Q’s bust had made it back to Rockingham, and it was the talk of the town. When the media was through with the story you would have thought he was Pablo Escobar.

***

All the girls had gathered at the salon. Van and Kiki were on the way. As soon as Van walked in she took control of the situation. There wasn’t a dry eye in the building and she didn’t like it.

She spoke, “What did I walk into, huh? A funeral? Look, you bitch’s better soldier tha’ fuck up! Each and every one of them niggas had all of our backs. Now it’s time we had theirs. What would they think if they were to walk in and see us all puffy eyed and shit, when we’re supposed to be out there picking up that money that we all know they left out in them streets? This is the best time for someone to try and get ghost on our people. And we not having that shit!”

Looking around the room Van finally locked eyes with Tee who, as she expected, had not shed a tear, only because they had been schooled by the same man. They stared at each other for a moment before Van turned to leave. Stopping at the door she turned and spoke again, “Everybody keep your cell phones on and the lines free… I’ll be in touch.” With that she stepped out the office with Kiki by her side.

The End

The Crews freedom?

Find out in the sequel:

Country Boys II - The Aftermath.

This will be the girl’s time to shine!

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Last Train For Paris

(An Epic Tale)

Ebony S. Garris

Copyright 2011 by Ebony S. Garris

Chapter 1

Everyday I’m Hustlin

The cold brisk Chicago air hit Paris hard smacking her right in the face chilling her body as she tugged the door to the Cat Box. It was rounding about eleven o clock at night and while the normal eighteen year old would be rushing home to make curfew after a date with their boyfriend Paris was on her way to work. The Cat Box was one of the classiest gentlemen’s clubs in Chicago and she had landed herself a primetime gig as “Candy” one of the most sought after strippers in the club. While her profession was something that she wasn't proud of it paid the bills and put food in her mouth every week. The whole mentality of the stripping business was quite simple “Don’t Take it Personal!” Keeping that in mind Paris dragged herself into that club every night for the past two years. Thinking back her life was great two years ago before everything changed. When you're young and your elders always tell you to be careful what you wish for, you never hold any merit to it because you think you already know what you want. Well now Paris wished she would’ve taken that advice a long time ago and ran with it. As a young girl she always thought life would be flawless, like the perfect fairytale. You know big house, fancy car and so much money she can’t even count it. Well ironically Paris' life did turn out that way and she had everything she asked for. So why all the talk about thinking twice about what you ask for? Life has taken a drastic change for Paris in a matter of three months and she didn’t even see the change coming! Born Paris Alexis Harris raised in the windy city of Chicago was the second child of her mother Helene. She only knew her mother by face when she first looked into her eyes after she was born. Helene died the very next day of internal bleeding. Her father never was around and the only person Paris had to depend on was her grandmother Ella. Ella took Paris and her sister Sherry in and never thought twice of them being a burden because they were her “babies”. Seventeen years and two months later Paris found herself by herself after her grandmother passed due to a heart attack. Four years her senior Sherry got strung out on drugs when she was 17 and Paris hadn't heard from her since so in her mind she was the only child. Ella had lots of dreams and aspirations for Paris but being alone at eighteen made Paris an adult who had to make adult choices about how to survive out in the real world. Which is why she had been working at the Cat Box every since. Desperate times call for desperate measures so she took on a gig as a full time assistant store manager from 9-6 and a stripper from 11 until whenever there was enough money to take care of the rent. Things really began to go down hill every since her grandmother passed but Paris pushed through it all and wasn't doing too bad for herself. She was a young woman with a great job and a stable boyfriend who proved to be all the family she needed. Paris' boyfriend Sean had been there for her every step of the way supporting her in everything she did, even if he didn't agree. This night her life changed was no different than any others as Paris prepared to work.

“Paris when are you going to drop this dead beat ass club and pursue a real career?” Sean asked. Sean Hunter and Paris had been dating since they were freshmen in high school so about four years. Sean loved Paris more than anything they both shared one common goal and that was to break into the music industry. They used to go to the studio all the time and grind out tracks, Sean spitting the lyrics and Paris laying down the vocals. It seemed lately he had been the only one pursuing their dream because Paris was so caught up in making money at the Cat Box that nothing else even mattered. “Sean studio time and recording demos don't exactly pay for themself." "You don’t seem to complain about my job then do you?” Paris shot back. She was so tired of Sean and his bullshit, if he hated her working there so much why did he bring his ass down there every night. Paris moved from the dressing room making her way up the steps to the VIP room. She was like the main event and from her understanding there were some niggas here from New York with lots of money to spend.