So Gone (16 page)

I was sitting in
the BP parking lot in my whip tickling my son, Antwan's belly. I looked up and saw
Mo' wit' another nigga. Fire shot out of my nose. The bitch was dressed like
that ass was going on a date. She was lookin’ all delectable and shit, smilin’
and throwing her hips like her ass was on fire!

Didn’t she kno’
that I’m the wrong nigga to play wit’? 

I made sure that I
hopped out of my whip wit’ steam coming off my head like a pressure cooker.
Murking her was the only thing on my mind. I didn't give a fuck if we were
together or not, the bitch still belonged to me.

“Daddy, she was
talkin’ ‘bout you,” Devin tattled comin’ out of the store pointing at Mo’.

I flipped to beast
mode in less than a second.

“No, Baby. Don’t go
there!” pleaded Mika as she made her way over to me, and blocked my path. “If
I’m your woman, you’re going to have to let that go,” she said staring into my
eyes.

“It ain’t even
‘bout that,” I grunted as I moved Mika out of the way wit’ my arm trying to
downplay my jealousy.

Mo’ was sitting in
another nigga's whip, like the shit was all good. I thought I had shown her my
getdown when I punked the first lame she tried to go out with. I guess she
needed a reminder that the niggas she hollered at couldn’t stand up to a beast.

“Bitch, bring yo’
ass over here! Don’t make me come get you!” I warned.

She rolled the
car’s window down. “The bitch that you are referring to is the one that gave
birth to your disrespectful ass,” she tossed back at me.

“Oh, you tough now,
huh?” I started in her direction. “I’m ‘bout to show you that slick mouth
bitches get beat like they're a nigga.”

I glanced over at
her dude.
“
And this li'l pussy you wit’ bet'
not say shit or I’ma dead his ass.
”
I pulled
out my strap.

“No,
Blunt!” Mika cried out.

“
Devin, get in the
car with your brother and don't get out!
” I barked at
my son. It was about to pop off and that was that!

The dude with Mo'
stepped up like he was not afraid of a gun.
“Blunt, I
see you’re still thuggin’,” he said.

It had been a few
years since I had seen him, but I recognized the big homie, Rocco, instantly.
“Till I die,” I vowed.

“A man can rush his
death,” he said.

I looked down by
his side and saw the burner in his hand. I knew he was trained to go. Rocco was
an OG who was a street legend in the ATL. We were from the same hood in Zone
One. Being that he was six or seven years older than me, I had looked up to him
when I was coming up. His swag was a trillion, and his gangsta was not to be
tested. He was a leader of a click called The Millionaire Boys.

Back in the days,
Rocco schooled me on every aspect of the game, from pumping work to the ski
mask way, to money laundering to going legit. Which is what he had done before
the feds started knocking off his whole click. By the time those alphabet boys
showed up at Rocco’s door, he was as clean as a whistle. I respected the big
homie, but he would have to respect me too.

“This is my woman,
Fam. You taught me to go hard for mines, and that’s what I’m willing to do.
I’ll kill or die over shawdy. What about you?” I issued a challenge.

“Blunt, if you murk
me, you can’t live in this city no more. I’m outta the game, but the streets
still ride for me. I’ll ride hard for myself. You kno’ that,” he said.

We stood face to
face, burners ready to pop off. I didn't give a damn how far we went back, it
was
whatever
wit' me. But Rocco didn't test my gun. He spoke softly and
with respect.

“Man, looks like
you have yourself a nice lady on your side and a coupla li’l seeds too. Be
content wit’ that and don’t let jealousy take you out the game,” he advised.

Mika stood beside
me nodding in agreeance. 

“Only a clown tries
to make a woman stay wit’ him. Real niggas don’t want what don’t want them.”

I returned my
heater to my waist and acknowledged the wisdom. “You’re right, Big Homie,” I
conceded.

We gave each other
a gangsta hug.

“Slow down,” he
warned before sliding behind the wheel of his whip.

As I watched Rocco
drive off with Mo' in the passenger seat, I was salty inside. I stood there
wondering how I would ever be able to mend her broken hear and win her back.

I didn't have the
answer, but I knew that I would never let her go.

So, there I was
sitting on the front seat after I rolled the window up observing the action
that was taking place between Blunt and Rocco. I was wondering why they had
just given each other a brotherly hug. I could hear a few words that they had
spoken but not much. I was puzzled trying to figure out how it was that they
knew one another.

What made my
vajayjay do jumping jacks was when Rocco didn't back down from Blunt. Courage
is very sexy in a man.

Rocco started the
engine and slowly drove away from the store. After several minutes of silence
he asked, “What you gon’ do ‘bout ol’ boy?”

“Are you referring
to Blunt?” I asked needlessly. Of course, that is who he was speaking of.

“Who you think I’m
talking about?” he replied with attitude. His deep baritone voice became deeper
and he kept his eyes on the road never even taking a glance over at me.

I faked a cough.
“There’s nothing to discuss when it comes to him. He has gone his way, and I’ve
gone mine. But I'll be honest with you, I don't think he wants to let go.”

I sighed and
nervously rubbed the side of my leg. “We were a couple for three years, and I
did love him. He did some things that I can't forgive, so I have chosen to move
on. That’s one reason that he is so upset.”

Rocco nodded his
head, and then replied,
“
Mo’, I’m just trying
to get to know you. I don’t want to get caught up in unnecessary drama. If you
still have feelings for Blunt, I can respect that and fall back. I could never
stand still and watch a man put his hands on any woman, but at the same time I
don’t want to take a life or lose mine defending you if you’re gonna run back
to him. I hope you feel me and understand.
”

“I do.
And you have every right to feel that way, but I am not trying to involve you
in anything. If you don't mind me asking, where do you know Blunt from?” I
delved.

Rocco divulged that
he knew Blunt from back in the days. That left me in shock. I wouldn’t have
ever guessed he and Blunt were from the same walk of life. Rocco was an ex drug
dealer who had turned his life around.

“I
commend you on that,” I said earnestly. “And I promise you that Blunt and I are
a thing of the past.”

I truly meant that.

I had forgiven
Blunt so many times for his mistakes, but this time there was no turning back.
I knew that in order to make way for whatever blessings God had in store for
me, I had to rebuke Satan, aka Blunt.

Rocco turned on an
old school Levert song and the mood inside the car mellowed tremendously.

“Where would you
like to eat?” Rocco asked as he accelerated through a green light.

“Red Lobster would
be nice. My treat,” I offered.

“Well, Red Lobster
is where we will go, but you can forget about that other part,” he said,
leaving no room for debate.

Levert was still
crooning out love songs when we wheeled into Red Lobster’s parking lot on Tara
Boulevard. Rocco killed the engine, we unstrapped our seatbelts, and got out of
the car.

I stood up and
pulled my skirt down a few inches because it had crept dangerously far up my
thigh. Rocco took my hand and led me inside. It was a cute, gentlemanly gesture
that I appreciated.

We were seated
shortly after we arrived. Not long after, a waitress came to take our orders. I
ordered the shrimp linguini Alfredo, and Rocco ordered the wood-grilled fresh
salmon.

As we waited on our
food, we talked easily back and forth. I liked that he seemed interested in my
work, and I found his fascinating.

When the food
arrived, I was impressed that he said Grace before we began to eat. The food was
deliciously prepared, and Rocco didn't spoil it by talking too much.

“I’m glad that you
allowed me to take you out tonight,” he said.

“Me too.” I smiled.

Suddenly, a loud
ear piercing scream rattled the table. It startled me and almost caused me to
take off running. We jerked our heads towards the front where the scream had
come from. There were three masked men pointing sawed off shotguns around the
room. “Y’all mothafuckas kno’ what time it is,” the tallest of the robbers
barked.

Well, damn. I swear
every time I got my butt out of one situation, another one arose.

“
Oh my god!
” I whispered to Rocco in a panicked tone.

“Don't
panic, baby. Just calmly slide your hands under the table and remove your
rings,” he instructed me in a tone as low as mine had been.

“I'm
afraid.”

“Don't
be, they aren't paying us any attention yet,” Rocco coached. His tone steeled
my nerves enough for me to follow his instructions, but I was still afraid.

I eased my hands
under the table and removed my eight thousand dollar ring along with my diamond
tennis bracelet. Shaking like a leaf on a tree, I slipped the jewelry in my
bra. I remembered that I had on the diamond earrings that Blunt purchased for
me two years ago for my birthday.

“Rocco,
what about these?” I pointed to my earrings.

“You
good,”
he said, watching the robbers as I deftly removed the diamonds from my ear. My
hand was trembling like a washing machine on the spin cycle.

“Old Lady, come up
off yo’ jewels right now or I’ma blast yo’ ass.
”
The shortest gunman barked.

I
almost fainted until I realized that he was not talking to me. He pressed the
end of his shotgun to an elderly Caucasian woman's head. She was bejeweled to
the teeth.

The woman wisely
handed over her necklace and diamond rings.

“
Er’body start
emptying yo’ purses and wallets. I want all yo’ jewelry and dough, and y’all
better not play wit’ me! If I check and see that one of you ain’t put all ya
shit on the table, I’m deading you right on the spot!” another of the robbers
barked.

The patrons dug
deep in their pockets and handbags. I placed a one hundred dollar bill on the
table. I looked at Rocco who was just sitting there emotionless and didn’t
budge. “Aren’t you going to do what they asked?” I questioned him in a low
whisper.

He shook his head.
“I ain’t got shit on me, but a debit card. They ain’t gon’ get it.”

Two of the robbers
were running around snatching up whatever loot that had been placed on the
tables. The third one watched the door.

I turned my head
towards the two young white girls in the booth next to us. One of them was
wiping sweat from her forehead and gasping as if she was having a panic attack.
The shortest of the robbers snatched her possessions from the table and aimed the
shotgun at her head.

“Bitch, you must be
deaf and dumb? You kno’ you gotta give me that necklace from ‘round yo’ neck.”

“I’m sorry, I
forgot that I had a necklace on,” she stuttered.

“I should blow yo’
dome back. Now think it’s a game and watch how fast you’ll be posted up in a
funeral home. I’m the wrong mothafucka for you to be playing wit’.” He reached
out and snatched the chain from around her neck.

“
Sir, I’m getting
married next weekend, could you please let me have my engagement ring back,”
she pleaded.

“What?”
He chuckled
at her obvious naiveté. “Bitch, I don’t give a fuck ‘bout you getting married.
”
He slapped her across the face with the butt of
the gun, knocking her to the floor.

He came over to our
table and grabbed the one hundred dollar bill. He looked at Rocco for a long
moment, then said,
“Sup, my nigga? Zone One fa life.”
He dropped our money back down on the table and moved on.

The heavy scent of
marijuana and liquor lingered behind.

 “Let’s bounce!”
yelled the lookout by the door, clutching a bag that contained the money from
the register.

The three of them
ran out the door and vanished. Once they were gone, I realized that my knees
were shaking. Rocco came around to my side of the booth and wrapped his arms
around my shoulders. All I wanted to do was go home. We didn’t even stick
around to give a statement to the police.

When we got home,
Rocco walked me to my front door and gave me a tight comforting hug. I assured
him that I was okay and, we said our goodbyes. I went inside and made myself a
drink before going to bed.