Daddy's House (9 page)

“
Sure do, Daddy,” one of the younger white girls responded. They all started giving their fake responses one after another. He seemed to put fear into the room, and everyone had quickly changed their fucked up behavior.

“
By the way…Candice, you’re now Candy.”

I pointed to myself, just to be sure he meant me. A lump formed in my throat when he looked back at me.

“
Yes, you! Every girl in the house has a nickname. Yours is Candy. It’s final,” he said, with authority. “I think it fits you.”

I just smiled, considering his expression showed that I didn’t have a choice. Luckily, Ms. Dottie stepped in front of him, giving me time to pick my jaw up off the floor. I was still in shock.

“
I’ve got money,” Daddy said, waving some white envelopes in the air. “Your pay is goooooooooood this week. Remember, the more money the house makes, the more money you make. Now, before I give these out, I wanna remind you about tomorrow night. It’s a big night. I want everybody up in here to look like Rock stars. You feel me?”

We all nodded.

“
The Music Expo is in town tomorrow night, and of course, who did they choose to host the brothas in the rap and music game?”

“
You Daddy,” they all chimed. I got in on the last part.

I knew I had to learn fast. “Yeah, you Daddy,” I said softly. He obviously liked his ego stroked.

“
These high rollas is ready to spend money. I told‘em we got the best pussy in town. Show time is at midnight. So be ready. Don’t let me down, or there’s a price to pay. You remember what happened to Lisa, don’t you?”

Nobody said a word. You could’ve heard a feather drop, which kinda freaked me out. He stood in the middle of the floor, shaking his head up and down, and looking at each of us for moments at a time. Damn, the whole situation gave me the creeps.
Who is Lisa, and where the hell
is she now
?

Daddy handed the envelopes off to Ms. Dottie, and all the girls jumped up, crowding around her, signaling that the meeting was over. Daddy walked over to me and stared before cupping my breasts. “These babies are gonna make me a lot of money,” he said, with a huge grin. “Consider yourself my new asset.”

His asset
. Damn, I was flattered, but a little concerned at the same time.

Cat watched nearby, and her face wrinkled like unfolded laundry. Strangely, Ms. Dottie was disturbed by Daddy’s extra attention toward me too. She didn’t have to say anything, I just knew the look. When School Teacher walked over to talk to Daddy, it was my chance to leave. I hopped up and made a b-line toward the door. I figured it would be a good time to get on the computer while everyone was getting their loot.

I hurried down the hall and into the office where the computer was.
Damn, the antique desk must’ve cost a fortune,
I thought when I entered. The room was small and cozy, and didn’t contain much more than a phone, a highback leather chair, and a nice sized Dell computer. I looked at the phone and thought about calling Tracey first, but then I hit the button on the computer and the screen popped on. Just my luck, I hadn’t even gotten my passcode yet, but I was on.

Instantly, I started typing www.hmprisonservice.gov. The website popped up, and I typed in my mother’s name. I leaned back in the chair and waited with anticipation. When her picture popped up, it scared me half to death. The closeness of the photo revealed her high cheek bones and flawless dark brown skin. Her hair was swooped up in a ponytail, and had obviously not been done. Still in all, she was beautiful. I leaned closer into the computer screen just staring. The bad memories made me shiver.

I thought about the time when she got into a fight with some loud mouth chick at a Frankie Beverly and Maze show. We looked real good in three-inch heels, bomb dresses, and the best purses money could buy. My mother looked so good nobody knew how hood she really was. Before security made it to her side to break up the fight, she’d gutted the girl like a fish, and had passed her knife off to someone who wasn’t even with us.

I suddenly snapped out of it and took a deep breath. I looked back at the screen and read the red writing under release date. I panicked.

RELEASED it read in big bold letters. I panted like a forty-two week old pregnant woman in labor. I took quick short breaths in sets of threes, like I was preparing to give birth. I swirled around in my chair, unsure about what to do next. My heart sunk into the depths of my stomach. I leaned down to the floor then back up again. Without prompting, one hand reached for the phone, and the other for Tracey’s business card all at the same time. My fingers punched the number keys hard and quick. By the third ring, I felt like I’d already died. When she answered, I just started jumbling all my words.

“
Tracey, she’s out,” I whispered. “Whaaa…t should I…”

“
What the fuck are you talkin’ about Candice?” Tracey questioned.

“
My mother. I went on the site.”

“
Bitch, you playin’?”

“
No… no…listen to…” I stopped mid-sentence. Ms. Dottie was staring over my shoulder like I was a teenager and she was my momma. “Ah huh,” I said into the receiver. “Oh, no,” I continued, making up conversation along the way. Tracey wasn’t saying shit. I started pretending like I was answering questions from someone, like it was a business call.

I hadn’t received my phone time yet, but from the look on Ms. Dotties’s face, I wasn’t supposed to be on the phone.

Before I knew it she scribbled a few words down on her clipboard and ripped the pink sheet off her pad and handed it to me. It was a fine. Circled with a black marker, $100.00 was written in the fine section. This broad had given me a fuckin’ fine for being on the phone. My lips puckered, but I didn’t say anything, ‘cause Daddy walked up behind her, showing his disapproval.

“
Don’t you think a fine is unnecessary this early in the game? Baby girl just got here.”

I didn’t hear what Ms. Dottie said, because Tracey was yelling into the receiver. “What the fuck is goin’ on over dat mufucka? Why you actin’ like you can’t have a normal conversation? What kinda shit is that? You might need to leave…now.”

Daddy escorted Ms. Dottie away from the door, and surprisingly glanced at the screen. He frowned, and just walked away. If he thought anything, he was too cool to show it. I tried to keep my face looking as normal as possible, and turned my attention back to Tracey, while hitting the x on the screen at the same time.

“
Leave!” she continued to yell into the phone.

“
No… no…I can’t,” I whispered.

“
And why the hell not.”

“
Didn’t you hear what I said about my mother?”

“
She don’t know where you at. And she don’t know where you goin’, stupid.”

“
Look, I don’t know when I’ll be able to call again. But I’ll e-mail you or call,” I said, looking at her e-mail address on the card. Then it dawned on me for the first time. Her card read ‘Tracey At Your Service’.
Why in the
hell would an old ass stripper have a business card
, I thought. At that moment I wondered if anybody in my life was good for me.

“
Bitch, don’t too many people e-mail no more. That shit is played. Hit me up on MySpace.”

“
MySpace? I don’t have an account.”

“
Get one, bitch!” Tracey said, hanging up in my ear.

“
No problem,” I responded, like I was ending my business call.

Ms. Dottie was back in the doorway again, so I had to play it off. She gave me a smug look and snatched her pink slip back outta my hand.

“
Your phone time is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Learn the rules,” she gritted through her teeth, then walked away.

Wthin seconds, I was on my way back to my bedroom.“ I gotta hurry up and get out of this damn place,” I said to myself, just before Cat walked by and bumped me on purpose. We stopped and looked at each other for a few seconds, before she turned around and walked away displaying a huge grin. “What the fuck is wrong with these bitches around here?” I said, as I turned back around.
I hope this prostitute shit works out
.

Chapter Eight

The next night arrived quicker than I could handle. I looked out of my bedroom window, while I squirmed and finally squeezed into my tight fitting pants, still amazed at the cars coming through the gate. About four SUVs rolled up like the president was coming. As the drivers hopped out and opened the doors for their celebrities for the evening, my jaw dropped. I had never seen anything like that before. One by one, the blinged-out dudes entered the house, as more cars followed. By the time I was completely dressed, I peeped back out the window one last time, only to see that a Hummer, a few exotic cars, and a white stretch Escalade had been added to the list.

The clock read midnight, which meant I needed to get my ass downstairs. I hesitantly walked out of the room, while tightening the sparkling belt around my waist. Ms. Dottie had decided on a pair of tight gold-colored spandex pants to accent my ass. She said since I was new, the fellas could smell new booty, and would want the more experienced girls, so I’d have to really make them want me. I felt like my outfit would do the trick. I was feeling good about the way I looked: not too trashy, but sexy enough to have a big-tymer bite the bait.

The moment I hit the bottom step, I grabbed a glass of champagne off the waiter’s tray. He had three glasses left, and on the real, I needed all three. I sipped my drink, nodded at two of the bodyguards Daddy hired to protect us, and moved closer to the showroom. Instantly, a few eyes shot my way. They were potentials, but didn’t look like much to me. The place was packed like a club on a Friday night, so I figured there were more choices to come.

Several guys lined the wall in the hallway, just kicking it, while most of the girls hung out in the showroom, attacking their prey. My eyes floated back and forth, not recognizing one familiar face. I thought I would see popular people- MTV type niggas. But all I saw were big chains, iced out jewelry, and plenty of nobodys.

I put on my game face, making sure I didn’t look like a newbie as I strutted across the room real sexy-like. But deep inside, I was scared to death.
Slow Motion
, by Juvenille rocked through the speakers, and was perfect for setting the mood. I hummed the lyrics just a bit until I spotted Cat out of the corner of my eye.

She sat on some guy’s lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. Cat straddled him frontward, like she’d known him for years. He laughed and joked, while groping her breasts at the same time. He must’ve been somebody big, ‘cause another muscular guy stood behind his chair, like he was only interested in his safety.
A
Bodyguard?
If so, he wasn’t easy to deal with. I smiled at the huge man, but all I got was a slight grin in return. No, can you come here, no finger movements...nothing. I had to get somebody’s attention, or Ms. Dottie was gonna have my ass thrown out the next morning. Continuing to prance around the room, I finally heard a faint voice from behind.

“
What’s up, sexy?” the voice asked.

I turned to see a chubby pale-skinned guy, who looked like he’d O-g’d,
way too much gold
. He had more chains than Mr. T., and matching teeth to go along with them. He guzzled down a Corona, while looking directly at my breasts. I knew they were perky, but damn, he was mesmerized.

I played with my freshly done hair, which was placed behind each of my ears. Nervously, I pulled a few strands to the front, and did a sexy dance to the beat of the music, while pretending to be in my element. I could’ve sworn they were playing the same song over and over again, especially when I heard, “Umm…I like it like that. Slow motion baby….” It didn’t matter though, the music was fitting.

“
Hey sexy,” I said, in a faint voice.

“
Yo, Ma. That gold sho look good on you,” he uttered.

“
Oh, yeahhhhhh.” I let my syllables drag. “Those chains look good on you,” I responded. I looked around the room to see who was watching me. Nobody. All I saw were girls going in for the kill. They were boosting egos, feeling, licking, and doing whatever necessary to get the guys to go to their rooms. I took notes, and pulled my chain lover closer to me.

“
So, you like what you see?” I asked.

“
That depends.”

I wasn’t expecting those words, and couldn’t really think about what to say next. “What’s your name, cutie?” I smiled.

“
What’s my name?” He stepped back. “Yo, don’t you watch videos? Besides, where the fuck you been lately? I’m the shit!”

Obviously, he was pissed with me, and decided to get extra loud. His lips puckered after he snarled at me a few more times. Ms. Dottie was already on it, and sent School Teacher over to smooth things over. She wrapped her left arm around his neck gently, and massaged his dick with her left hand, while he continued to go off. I took my cue and backed away slowly.

“
You a’ight?” one of our bodyguards asked me.

“
I’m good,” I responded, with an embarrassing look on my face.