Payback Is a Mutha (8 page)

“In a couple of weeks.”

All of her paranoia was gone now. “You said the next time you go away you was taking me,” she pouted.

“You can’t go this time B.”
This hoe is really playing the role.
“I’ll holla at you when I get back.”

“When you get back? Can’t you send for me?” she whined.

“I’ll see.” He heard her suck her teeth. “A’ight?”

“Okay. Bye.” She had to hurry and get ready for her hair and nail appointment.

Shadee got up, showered and dressed. He had not forgotten how Janay had been acting. She was totally out of character but at the time he was in pain and too tired to find out what the fuck was her problem. So he figured he would ease up to this job, that all of a sudden she acted like she just had to have, take her to lunch and see what was up. He had a slight headache but told himself it was nothing that a hit of dro couldn’t cure.

At 12:45 he was pulling up to her workplace. As he found a space to park he saw her come out of the building and look around. He paused when he saw a high yellow brotha step out of a black 745 BMW and wave her over. “What the fuck?” He cursed as he started the car.
Honk! Honk! Screeech!
The truck next to him cut him off before he pulled out of his parking space. “Damn!” When he looked up Janay was looking at him. He saw her lean into the Beamer and shortly after it pulled off. Shadee jumped out of his car so fast he damn near got hit by a bus. Janay was calmly walking to meet him.

Before he could get up on her he yelled, “You didn’t have to tell your little nigga to pull off and cancel your date just because I pulled up. You should have fuckin’ introduced us!”

“That wasn’t a date.”

“Then why in the fuck did you get scared and tell him to leave? Who in the fuck was he? That’s the nigga that called this morning, wasn’t it?”

“Why are you yelling?” Janay was getting embarrassed because people were beginning to stare.

“Bitch. Who in the fuck do you think I am?” He smacked her. Then he snatched her up by her throat. Noticing how everybody was all up in their mix, he turned her throat loose but held onto her collar. “Who do you think you fuckin’ with? Who the fuck am I to you!”

Janay shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe you! You sure are mighty possessive for a nigga who is creepin’ nonstop.” She tried to snatch away but he took one hand and began squeezing her neck.

“Who the fuck is he?”

“Turn me loose, Shadee. You’re making a scene and here comes the police.” Shadee still held on tight. “Babee, turn me loose.”

“Is everything all right ma’am?” the short officer with the mustache asked.

Janay had grabbed Shadee by the waist and pulled him close.

“Everything’s okay, officer. Thank you,” she said sternly to the officers.

“Y’all have a nice day.” He stood watching them as they walked away.

After they got out of earshot, she grabbed Shadee’s face. “Listen to me. You my nigga. I know that, so does everyone else. I’m not fuckin’ nobody else. I need you to trust me. Just because you got other bitches don’t mean I have other niggas. Now look at you. You having a fit because you think I’m fuckin’ somebody else. It don’t feel good do it? But you know what? You a dog Shadee and a dog always finds his way home. But right now, I’m handling something. So you are going to have to let me handle mines. You keep doing you and let me do me. A’ight?”

“Girl, you got one second to tell me what the fuck is going on!”

The Beamer pulled up beside them. Before Shadee could say a word she slipped her tongue inside his mouth. She pulled back and said, “I told him to circle around the block because I had to holla at my man. I’ll meet you at the house around six. I’m already packed.” She kissed him again. “I gotta run.” She hurried and jumped into the Beamer. Shadee stood there speechless.

“Sha, I’m so glad you sent for me,” an excited Brianna cooed as she jumped into the rented Suburban that Shadee was driving. The Atlanta sun was bouncing off the hood. Brianna smiled as she slid her Gucci shades on the top of her head and kissed Shadee on the cheek. “I’m down in the dirty, dirty South! Can we go to Club One Tweezy tonight?” Brianna was practically bouncing up and down.

“I don’t know, depends on what Janay got planned.”

Brianna sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. Just when she was getting ready to cuss him out, he held his hand up motioning for her to be quiet while he answered his phone. She purposely sucked her teeth out loud.

“What up Ma?” He gave Brianna a look that said
don’t fuck with me
. “I’ll be there in a few…I had to see some people…I know this is supposed to be a pleasure trip. Just be ready when I get there.” Shadee ended his call with Janay.

“What about me? Where do I fit in on this pleasure trip!” Brianna’s excitement of being in Atlanta was fading fast.

“Chill out B. I’ma drop you off at the hotel and get back with you later on tonight. A’ight?”

“Sha, you brought me way down here in Atlanta to stuff me into some hotel? I don’t think so! You got me twisted.”

“You wanted me to send for you, so I did. Now listen at you, got the nerve to be complaining.” He held out a stack of bills for her. “Do some shopping. You said you wanted to go to Phipps Plaza, right?” She had her arms folded across her chest, looking out the window, pouting. He sat the dough in her lap. “I just
can’t
please you can I?”

“Please me?” she squealed. “How can you please me? You got me playing second fiddle to some dope dealin’ bitch! I only ask for a little of your time. Not much. And you—”

Shadee cut her off. “B, you asked me to fuckin’ send for yo ass. Now you sittin’ here wildin’ out like I did something to you…”

“Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. You got the audacity to say I’m never happy. Why in the hell should I be? All you do is use me to fuck and stash your shit at my house. If it wasn’t for that I’d never see your black ass. You got me fucked up Shadee! I’m sick of this bullshit. All these fuckin’ games you playin’…. Damn it, Sha!” she screamed as the Suburban came to a screeching halt, the jerking almost snapping her neck.

The valet for the Best Western opened the passenger door. “Do you need help with your luggage?”

Brianna turned towards Shadee, mouth hanging open. “Best Western?” She yelled out in a rage. “You know that I only stay at the Ritz Carlton!”

“That’s where me and Janay are staying. You can’t
stay there. What, you want me to invite you in our fuckin’ room?”

“Nigga this is a free country. I can stay wherever the fuck I wanna stay. I can’t believe you gonna put me up in some goddamned Best Western! Fuck that! Move outta my way!” she yelled at the valet as she jumped out of the Suburban.

“I see that you didn’t leave the money!” he yelled after her. “Bitch,” he mumbled as he pulled off, picking up his cell phone and hitting the speed dial button.

“What’s crackin’?” Jo Jo answered.

“Change of plans. I want this bitch to suffer. That job is off. Ya’ll can chill, do whatever.”

“Nigga what happened?”

“Man, that hoe got me so mad, if I didn’t drop her off at the first hotel I saw I would have smoked her myself, in broad fuckin’ daylight. But it’s all good. She got away today. But I’m going to go with my original plan. It will be slower but at least I can watch the hoe suffer.” He hung up.

Jo Jo burst out laughing. “Raney man, you ain’t gonna believe this shit. I knew he couldn’t do it.”

“What’s up?” Teraney wanted to know.

“Sha called it off. We had the perfect murder planned and this nigga calls it off!” Jo Jo still couldn’t believe it.

“Man you kiddin’, right? He got me traveling way across the world for shit? What he say?” Teraney’s voice boomed over the radio.

“He said he wants her to suffer. So fuck it! That’s on him. We down here, might as well go hit the strip joints.”

“Now that sounds like a plan.”

S
han had successfully completed three weeks of training and this was her first week on the job. She was nervous being around so many men. Men of all shapes, sizes, and colors. A mixture of murderers, drug dealers, drug users, child abusers, molesters, bank robbers, to name a few. Some of the inmates appeared to be very timid, mild-mannered, and innocent like they didn’t belong in a prison surrounded by barbed wire.

In training they would place an image on the projector of a timid-looking man with glasses hanging off the tip of his nose, wearing a suit, and say, “Do you see how innocent and harmless he looks?” All of the trainees would nod yes. Then the trainer would continue. “Now look at his jacket, his criminal record.” The jacket would read, armed robbery, rapist, assault with a deadly weapon.

“Excuse me ma’am.” Forever peeked his head into Shan’s office. “I’m reporting for duty. I’m
Thompson.” Shan was obviously stuck on stupid because she remained silent as she sat there staring at this perfect specimen who was an inmate. “I’ll be cleaning your office and the computer classroom, right?”

“Oh. Oh? Mr. Thompson. I’m Ms. McKee.” She managed to pull herself together. “Do me a favor and come see me after lunch. I’ll give you your schedule and we can then get on the same page.” They locked eyes. The only sounds were the distant voices down the hall.

Forever was the first to break out of the trance. “Okay, boss lady. I’ll catch you after lunch.” He closed the door with a sly grin on his face. Shan leaned back into her chair with a sly grin on her face as well.

“Yo, Shorty fine, ain’t she?” New York Blue broke Forever out of his reverie.

“Oh, fo’ sho!”

Later on that afternoon, Forever and Shan got together and confirmed his work hours and days off. The job description sheet explained his duties. It was obvious to the both of them that sparks were flying. You could tell by the tone of their voices, Shan and her hand gestures and giggles, Forever with his outright flirting and comments.

Forever was very familiar with computer networking and programming. Shan went to college for programming but told him she hated it, that’s why she switched majors. He told her that she should have hung in there because programmers get paid.

He spent the rest of the day helping her to get situated into her office, unpack and rearrange the fur
niture. The previous teacher, Mr. Crane, was a slob. Now the office looked as if it belonged to a woman.

“Thank you, Mr. Thompson.” An exhausted Shan offered her appreciation as she plopped down into her cushiony chair. “You’ve made this transition very easy. I do appreciate it.”

“Any time. I’m at your beck and call,” the tone of his voice confirming that he meant that in more ways than one.

“See you tomorrow,” they said simultaneously. Catching themselves, they both smiled.

“Where are you?” Shan yelled into the phone. “Your reception is horrible.”

“I’m sitting under the hair dryer. I can hear you loud and clear. What’s up? Where are you?”

“I’m home. Check this out. I think…do you believe in love at first sight?” Shan let out a dreamy sigh.

“Do I what?”

“You heard me. Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Brianna sucked her teeth and lifted the hair dryer up above her head. “Bitch if he’s filthy rich then yes, I do believe in love at first sight. Do you hear what I’m saying? Now, is he filthy rich?”

“Brianna! If you don’t get your ass back under that dryer! I’m not gonna be here with your ass all night!” Yolanda yelled.

Brianna waved her hand at her faithful hairdresser meaning for her to shut up.

“I don’t know but I doubt it.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? Where does he live?” Brianna probed.

If I tell you, you gotta
promise
not to judge me.”

“Aawww dayum! Don’t judge you? That means you gonna tell me some bullshit. What? Is he homeless?”

“See. There you go. Forget it. I can’t tell you shit! You are so judgmental.”

“Okay, okay. Damn! I’m just looking out for you! Who is he?”

“An inmate at the prison.” Brianna was quiet this time. “Bri!” Shan yelled.

“I’m here.”

“Well?”

“You didn’t want me to say anything remember?”

“I want you to say
something;
I just don’t want to hear anything negative. Guess what his name is?”

“What?”

“Forevvver.” Shan drew his name out as if it was some chewy hot caramel dangling out of her mouth.

“Forever? Dayuum!” Brianna crossed her legs. “That sounds hot as shit.”

“I know girl. And you should see him. Too bad he’s in prison.” Shan’s words dripped with disappointment.

“Hold up.” Brianna held her hand up in the air as if Shan could see it. “Let me school you. Being in prison don’t mean shit. You gotta do your research. A handful of them niggas
still
gettin’ money and they got money on the streets. A handful. Shit! I’ll tell you what. Don’t make a move without me.
We
gonna work this nigga. I’ll stop by later, okay?”

“Girl,
we
ain’t gonna work nobody. I got this.”

“I’ll be over later.”
Click
. Brianna hung up while Shan was left looking at the phone.

“That bitch!”

“Checkmate, nigga! Now clean my windows!” Shan boasted. They had been sneaking and playing chess almost every day before her last class. Forever just looked at her. He was really feeling her. Their conversations were very stimulating. She was smart, genuine, fine, had an ass that he would love to squeeze and nipples that he was dying to suck. Plus, it was sweet to play a game of chess with the opposite sex. “Stop staring at me like that. Let me find out you gettin’ lifted before you come to work.”

“I’m lifted off of you. How you think you be winning all of the time?” he tantalized.

“Nigga, don’t even try it. I’m winning because my mental is a little sharper than yours. Now clean my windows.”

“Hold up. How you figure that?”

“It’s obvious.” Shan leaned forward resting her chin on her hands. “Chess is a mental game. Unless you are purposely allowing me to win, which I doubt very seriously, my mental is sharper than yours. Simple as that.”

Brrng. Brrng.
“Shan McKee,” Shan sang into the phone. Forever’s eyes circled her juicy lips and moved down to her nipples that were poking out of her silk blouse. He stood up while boldly keeping his eyes fixed on her nipples. Shan blushed as she watched him watch her. “Mr. Thompson.” She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. “I need to take this call. Close the door on your way out.”

“I got you, Ms. Mentally Sharper.”

“Glad to see that real recognizes real.” She smirked.

She waited until he closed the door before she let loose a huge sigh. “Big brother, I got a problem.”

“I told you not to take that job. I see you gettin’ caught the fuck up Shan. And don’t be fuckin’ with those faggot-ass niggas. All they do is use naïve-ass chicks.” It was as if he was psychic.

“Oh, you sayin’ your baby sis is naïve now? You about to get cussed out!”

“I’m just trying to tell you, don’t fuck around and get caught up in no shit,” he threatened.

“That’s all you called me for?” Shan lashed out.

“I called to check on my baby sister. I know I can do that. But I’ma let you get back to your little job. I love you anyway.”

“Sure,” Shan dryly replied.

“What? You don’t think your big brother loves you?”

“Bye Peanut.”

Shan hung up on him and immediately dialed Brianna.

“Hello.” Brianna sounded like she was in the tub.

“What’s up, girl?”

“Shit. What’s up on your end? You puttin’ my plan into motion or you decided to bitch up?”

“I ain’t fuckin’ with you like that; I told you I’ma do me. As a matter of fact we was just in here chillin’ until my big-headed brother called. He is such a blocker.”

“Girl, you know how overprotective he is. That ain’t gonna never change. Don’t let him stop you from doing you. So what did you find out? He got dough, or what?”

“Now here you go.”

“Look, if you ain’t gonna do a check on the brother give me his info and I’ll do it for you.”

“Girl…Bye Brianna.”

Forever and Zeke was walking the compound. “I’m in like Flynn, man. We straight. It’s taking longer than I planned but I got this shit on lock!” Forever boasted with a sly grin.

“So where we at?” Zeke was getting impatient with Forever, but at the same time was confident with the way Forever would make sure that all bases and their assess would be covered. Forever was the only nigga he trusted.

“You know the computer teacher, McKee?”

“Who?”

“She’s my boss, man. That fine little sister with the locks.” Forever looked at Zeke as if he was stupid. “Nigga don’t try to act like you ain’t scoped her out.”

Zeke couldn’t help but laugh. “She green, man?”

“Green? That ain’t the half of it. I know who her brother is. And he be movin’ that weight. I got the shit all mapped out.”

“Well let’s get this shit poppin’ off!” They gave each other a pound and went their separate ways.

When Forever went to check in for work, Shan was just turning the corner. He could smell her perfume as he watched the sway of her hips. She was wearing a silk burgundy pantsuit and her locks were wrapped with a burgundy scarf. She stopped at her office door and put her briefcase down and pulled out her prison key ring full of keys. As she fumbled with it Forever walked up behind her.

“You’re late, Officer McKee,” he said as he moved even closer. No one was in the hallway but them.

“I’m not late, you’re early, Forever Thompson.” She backed up into him a little.

She was just telling Brianna about him again last night. Before, she had only told her about how fine he was. But last night she spilled the beans about how they had been flirting back and forth with each other shortly after she had started work. Actually, Brianna was shocked because it was unlike Ms. Goody Two-Shoes to break the rules. She told Shan she was surprised that she was putting her job on the line. Shan told her that she was only having a little fun and now she knew where all the men were: locked up. She also told her how common it was for officers, and other staff, to be creepin’ with the inmates.

When Forever felt her back up onto his dick he knew it was on. He told himself,
let the mind games begin.
He rubbed up against her and whispered, “Too bad you’re not my type.”

This caught Shan by surprise. As a matter of fact, she was insulted but fought to remain calm. “I can’t tell.” She unlocked the door and Forever pushed it open. “I need my trash dumped.” She wanted to say “Nigga!” but instead said, “Thompson. And after I unlock the computer room you can clean up in there.”
No, this nigga ain’t tryna flip the script!
she said to herself.

Forever tried not to smile because he knew he had her right where he wanted her.

For the next few weeks he watched carefully as Shan dressed even nicer, outfits got a little tighter, perfume a little louder and was acting a little stand-offish.

“Nobody likes rejection,” he told Zeke.

“Man, stop the fuckin’ mind games and make a move,” Zeke yelled at him as he did his last set of chin-ups on the pull-up bar.

Forever finished his push-ups before responding. “I got this! Chill out. She’s ready to be plucked.”

“Fuck that! She’s ready to be plucked but I’m ready for the bucks! Put that hoe to work. Go ahead, fuck her and get it over with! We missing out on what? Twenty-five to 30 Gs a week?”

“Man, it ain’t all about the pussy. I gots to put her back up against the wall. That way I’ll get the pussy handed to me on a silver platter and get her to bring my dope in. Watch how I work this hoe. You gonna crown me the king!”

Zeke could only say, “You crazy, man.”

“What’s going on, Thompson? You’ve been mighty quiet lately.” Lieutenant Fargo eyed Forever suspiciously.

“What? You must want me to make some noise. What? You don’t have no other excitement in your life? You need to find you some business man.”

“No it’s not that; I’m just surprised that you haven’t been into any trouble.”

Forever laughed. “Man go ’head with that. Like I said, find you some business.” Forever had a gallon of wax and was pulling the buffer. He was feelin’ good because he had just got off the visit with Nyla and Tameerah. “Who’s gonna unlock the computer room so I can buff? You? Don’t have me carrying this buffer way down there and it’s locked. Y’all know how y’all do. Y’all a bunch of lazy muthafuckers!”

“No Mr. Thompson. We wouldn’t do that to ya.
Your boss is already down there,” he said as he hit the button for the metal gate to open.

This caught Forever off-guard. “You sure man? She’s never here on weekends. Am I in trouble? She said it didn’t matter when I got the floor done as long as they were done by Monday morning.”

The lieutenant laughed as he hunched his shoulders. “I don’t know about her work schedule. But I knew trouble from you was overdue. You’ve been out the hole for what now, two, three months? I think you’re trying to break your old record.”

“Whatever man.” Forever said as he dragged the buffer to the Education Department.

Forever parked the buffer and placed the bottle of wax on top of it. Instead of going to the computer room first he decided to stop at Shan’s office. He tapped lightly on the door before pushing it open.

“I didn’t say come in.” Shan was getting ready to eat and was listening to her Floetry CD. She glanced up, “Aren’t you off today? You got a pass to be down here?” She fired off at him.

Forever couldn’t help but smile. He could see that she was high and had the serious munchies. “Don’t yell at me because you have to work on your day off. I’m working, too, remember? Or did you forget that you have a memo posted up that says I’m supposed to buff this weekend? But if you want me to leave I’ll leave.”

“For your information I didn’t forget. The door is open. I just don’t want you here in my office.”