Diamonds and Pearl (40 page)

“You ain't gotta say it, because I know you're smart enough not to let a little scuffle get in the way of this paper,” she told him. “The worse of it is over. You tangled with Buda and lived to tell about it, and ain't nobody in the crew gonna challenge you again. Diamonds will see to that.”

“Oh, so your boyfriend is gonna look out for me now?” Domo asked sarcastically.

“It ain't about nobody needing to look out for you—you've already proven you can look out for yourself. And Diamonds isn't my boyfriend; he's just someone I have history with,” Vita explained.

“So you say, but from the way he was cuffing you, it seems like a little more than history. I'd say it looked pretty present.”

“Domonique, is that jealousy I smell coming off you?” She smiled. It had been a long time since a man had taken enough of an interest in her to get jealous.

“Shorty, you bugging. Ain't nobody stunting what you got going on.” Domo turned his face so she couldn't see him blush.

Vita realized she was embarrassing the young boy, so she didn't press it. “You gonna come back to the house or keep standing out here, pouting? Though I can't front, you're kinda cute when you pout.”

“Ha, tell me anything.” He smiled at her. “Nah, I think I've had my fill of your people for the night. I'm going to the hood.”

“Well, give me a few minutes to grab my purse, and I'll take you back to Jersey,” Vita offered.

“You don't have to go through all that. I can get home the same way I got here: on public transportation.”

“I ain't gonna let you do that. I brought you all the way out here for this bullshit to happen, so I kinda feel like it's my fault. Giving you a ride home is the least I can do,” Vita said sincerely.

Domo wanted to stick to his guns and refuse the ride, but he couldn't front like he was really up to taking the train back to Newark. He was tired, sore, and probably looked like shit after the fight. The confines of a car on his long journey would be far more comfortable than the PATH. “A'ight, I'll take the ride back to New Jersey, but that don't mean I'm fucking with you like that,” he told her.

“Whatever, nigga.” Vita smiled knowingly. “Wait right here while I get my keys and see if your people are ready to go.”

“Nah, I took this ass whipping by myself so I'll take ride alone too. They'll be okay.”

“Never took you for the petty type, but the color looks good on you, Domonique.” Vita winked and went off to fetch the car.

 

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Looking at herself in the mirror, Pearl couldn't help but smile at the young woman staring back at her. It was a far cry from that train wreck that had staggered out of Harlem Hospital a few hours prior.

Knowledge was pissed for her running off like that, and made sure to let her know just how angry he was the entire walk back to the hospital. During his tirade, she had expected him to mention their run-in outside Pops's bar, but surprisingly it never came up. He seemed more concerned about Diamonds and her relationship with him. Had it been just his usual badgering of her about staying away from older men, she wouldn't have given it a second thought, but Knowledge seemed to have a special interest in him. He never said why, but from the way he was acting, Pearl deduced that Diamonds was either very important or very dangerous. Both possibilities intrigued Pearl and made her anticipate their date that night even more.

Diamonds had insisted that she didn't have to get all dolled up for whatever it was he had planned for them, but there was no way Pearl was going to half step. It wasn't her style. She didn't have a lot of time to get ready, and there was no way she could get an appointment with her regular beautician on such short notice, so she took a gamble with a new spot that had opened up in the neighborhood called Rouge, which was a full-service salon. She remembered Sandra taking her there one day and introducing her to the owner, Elaine, who was a
friend from the old neighborhood,
as she put it.

Pearl was skeptical, but to their credit, they hooked her up. Elaine attended to her hair personally, while two of her most skilled technicians took care of her manicure and pedicure. Two hours later Pearl walked out looking like a million bucks. She tried to pay Elaine for the stellar job, but she wouldn't take the money. All she asked in return was that Pearl spread the word about the shop to her friends and mention to her father that the girls at Rouge had looked out for her. It hardly seemed like a fair trade for the work they had put in, but she wasn't about to argue. It was just another one of the perks that came with being a Stone.

“Somebody is getting awful snazzy for a night at the movies.” Sandra snapped Pearl out of her daze. She was leaning against the doorway of the bathroom, eyeing her suspiciously.

“A lady never steps out looking anything but her best. You taught me that.” Pearl smiled. “Looks like I'm not the only one getting dolled up.” She gave Sandra a once-over. She was wearing a nice green dress and high heels, her hair pulled into a tight bun.

“Believe it or not, but your daddy is taking me out tonight,” Sandra told her.

“Really?” Pearl asked, surprised, because she knew her dad wasn't the dating type. “What brought that on?”

“Me telling his ass that while he's busy watering them weeds in the streets, the flowers under his roof are starting to dry out and I'm thinking about calling in a
real
gardener.” She rolled her hips seductively. “We've got dinner reservations in an hour.”

“Y'all make such an adorable couple. I don't know why Daddy doesn't stop playing and put a ring on your finger already.”

“You know your father isn't the marrying kind, and to be honest with you, I'm not so sure I am either. Some people might not understand this strange arrangement of ours, but what we've got works for us. Life is too short not to squeeze every bit of happiness out of it that we can, while we can.”

Sandra's words about the shortness of life struck a chord in Pearl. Her mind went to Sheila and what almost was. “Well, even if my fool-ass daddy never recognizes what he has, we do. Sandra, you're the closest thing to a mother Stoney and me ever had or will have, and though we probably don't say it enough, we love and appreciate you.” She hugged Sandra quite unexpectedly.

Sandra's eyes misted, but she wouldn't let the tears fall, for fear of smearing her makeup before her date. “Well, what's gotten into you?” She held Pearl at arm's length and studied her face to see if she was high.

“Nothing, just putting things into perspective,” Pearl told her.

“That's good to hear, Pearl, and I hope you mean it. Don't think just because I talked your father into letting you go out tonight that I've forgotten that bullshit you pulled by sneaking out. I know you were with those girls last night, and it was only through the grace of God that you left before the fire broke out. You had no business being in that bar, and had it not burned to the ground, I'd have sent a few of the boys over there to have a talk with Pops about serving alcohol to minors. Who were y'all in there with? And don't lie. Tell it straight.”

Pearl fidgeted like a child being scolded. “Just some guys. One of them was having a birthday party there.”

“Anybody having a birthday party in that shit hole is obviously playing on the wrong side of the law,” Sandra scoffed. “Pearl, I don't know what your fascination with gangsters is, but you're going to get enough of being fast.”

“Sandra, it wasn't like that. I was just chilling, not doing anything crazy,” Pearl said honestly.

“You ain't gotta be the one acting crazy to get caught up in the craziness,” Sandra shot back. “Pearl, being around certain types of people invites certain types of energies. When you keep company with men who do dirt, you can't expect not to get dirty. A split-second decision can change the course of your entire life. If you don't believe me, go on down to the city morgue and ask Sheila.”

“Gosh, why you gotta take it there?” Pearl rolled her eyes.

Sandra placed her hands on her hips. “Chile, I wish you would roll them eyes at me again so I can snatch them out. This is me you're talking to, not one of your damn friends!”

“Sorry,” Pearl mumbled.

“Don't be sorry; be more mindful of how you're moving and who you're moving with. This is the last pass you're going to get from me, Pearl Stone. The next time I catch you wrong, you won't have to worry about what your father might do to you, because I'm going to handle you personally. I might be getting on in years, but I'm not too old to put my sneakers on and drag your young ass up and down through that backyard. Stop being in such a rush to grow up, and stay in a child's place. Are we clear on that?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

From downstairs they could hear the chime of the doorbell.

“That's probably, Ruby,” Pearl said, glad to have a distraction from Sandra's grilling. She gave herself one last look in the mirror before heading out of the bathroom.

“Pearl,” Sandra called after her. “Your father has got enough on his plate as it is without having to worry about his baby girl putting herself in harm's way. You keep that in the back of your mind while you're out at your
movie
. I've given you the rope, but that doesn't mean you need to hang yourself.”

“I won't,” Pearl promised, and headed down the stairs to greet Ruby.

*   *   *

The conversation with Sandra went far smoother than it could have. Sandra was cool, but when you got on her bad side, she'd jump in your ass. Pearl knew she was still pissed about the lie from earlier, so it was surprising that she'd vouched for her to go out that night. After what had happened with Marisa and Sheila at the bar, Big Stone was adamant about not wanting to let Pearl out of his sight. When she mentioned going out that night, he initially shot it down, but after some coaxing from Sandra, he agreed to it.

Sandra cosigning Pearl's outing helped, but who she was going out with played a large part in it too. Big Stone was old-school in his thinking and was under the misconception that because Ruby was white that she didn't get into
hood shit
, which he couldn't have been more wrong about. Ruby, being under lock and key all the time, was one of the wildest of the bunch when she did get to taste freedom. Still, Pearl was content to let her father's backward thinking work in her favor so she could get out of the house.

Pearl arrived at the top of the stairs to find Stoney leaning against the doorframe and whispering only God knew what in Ruby's ear. He had been trying to get in her pants ever since he discovered his dick, and from the way she was gazing at him and grinning, he appeared to be making progress. Pearl cleared her throat to announce her presence, and both of them jumped like they had just been caught fucking.

“Stoney, why don't get your ass out of that girl's face?” Pearl descended the stairs.

“I don't hear her complaining,” Stoney capped.

“Well, I'm complaining for her.” Pearl shoved him aside. “What's up, girl? You ready to go?”

“Yeah, but I gotta be back by ten,” Ruby told her.

“What the fuck? It's not even a school night!”

“Pearl, you know how my parents are. I'm lucky to have gotten out at all, but they're feeling sorry for me over what happened to Sheila. We went by her parents' house to pay our respects today, but they weren't really in the mood to receive guests.”

Pearl shook her head. “Tell me about it. I saw them at the hospital this morning, and they were in pretty bad shape.” She went on to tell Ruby the short version of their encounter, omitting the part about lying to them about how they ended up at the party.

“My heart goes out to them,” Ruby said sincerely. “The crew isn't going to be the same without Sheila.”

“I know,” Pearl said sadly. “This will be the first birthday I'll be celebrating without Sheila since we've known each other.”

“So what's the plan for your birthday? Did you hear anything from your dad about a party yet?” Ruby asked.

“Not yet. I feel kinda fucked up about even thinking about a party with one friend in the hospital and another in the morgue,” Pearl said.

“I know what you mean. But whether he throws you a party or not, we still need to do something special. Sheila wouldn't want us sitting around like some grieving widows. She'd want us out there, doing us.”

“You're right about that. Sheila loved a good time more than anyone I know,” Pearl said, reflecting on her friend.

“Then that's what we need to do. Let's not only celebrate your birthday, but Sheila's life as well. Lets do it for our girl!” Ruby declared, louder than she needed to.

“What's all this noise out here?” Big Stone came out of the kitchen. He was wearing dark slacks, a white shirt, and red suspenders hanging off his hips. Clutched in his hand was a turkey sandwich. His ever-present shadow, Knowledge, trailed him.

“Oh, nothing, Dad. We're just about to head out and catch our movie,” Pearl told him.

“Which theater did you say y'all are going to again?” Knowledge asked suspiciously.

“I never did, but if you must know, we're going to the one near Times Square,” Pearl said with attitude. “Why are you asking? You plan on paying for our tickets?”

“Slow your roll, Pearl. I'm just trying to make sure y'all don't end up at none of them ghetto-ass theaters uptown. The streets of Harlem are real tense right now, and niggas are acting a fool. I'm pretty sure your dad don't want you hanging around no
undesirables
.”

“Sure as hell don't!” Big Stone chimed in. “These lil niggas running around these days calling themselves players have turned the damn streets into a shooting gallery. Use to be a man could walk through Harlem without having to worry about some young punk with a pistol and a dream trying to take what they want instead of working for it!” he fumed.