Page 52 of Honey Sugar
Ivy’s wide eyes took all of it in. I saw ideas popping up in her mind left and right and I knew she would bubble over with them on the way back home.
“Yo, Shadow!” Don, the dispensary owner walked around the counter and slapped hands with me. “Long time no see, man! Oh, and I see you brought your lady with you. Nice to meet you.” He shook Ivy’s hand and she smiled politely. “Damn, Shadow…you know how to pick them. She’s beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Ivy said. She glanced at me and I could hear the thought formulating in her mind. I pretended to ignore it though. She wanted to know why I didn’t tell Don she was my cousin. She wanted to know why I let him call her my lady without correction.
“I got a delivery for you, Don.”
“In other words, you need money?” He laughed and took the book bag from me. When he dug through the dozens of cookies I stayed up all night baking, he looked impressed. I glanced down at the counter where he kept the baked goods and saw he still had a full tray of cookies. They weren’t mine though.
“Shit, these are a blessing, Shadow. You have no fucking idea. The garbage Mario brought me has been sitting collecting dust. Nobody wants them.”
“That’s because his baked goods taste like you’re eating a fucking weed leaf. Nobody wants that.”
“You’re right about that shit.” Don looked at Ivy and pulled something out of his pocket. It was a pre-rolled joint. “You smoke?”
“No,” she said in a soft voice. Don pocketed the joint and nodded.
“I have something else for you.” He slid the back of the glass counter to the side and pulled out a small bottle with an eyedropper for a top. “Take this under your tongue and in a half-hour, to an hour you’ll be flying.”
“What is it?” She didn’t look to Don for the answer to her question. She looked at me. The twinkle in her eyes was breathtaking. Like looking at a shooting star.
“Marijuana tincture. It’s almost one-hundred-percent pure THC so you have to be careful with the dosage. You take it like you would a pill.” Ivy didn’t miss the look I gave her after I was done explaining. She nodded curtly and tucked the bottle in her Chanel bag.
“How much do I owe you, Don?” She quizzed, looking for her wallet. He held out his hand and shook his head.
“For Shadow’s girl? Free. You know how much business this man brings me? I told him he could have his own shop if the shit wasn’t illegal in Louisiana. I wouldn’t even mind him being my competition. Everything he brings me is top quality.” Don’s praise settled down and he looked at me with a somber expression. I knew what was coming next. I knew because it pushed a heavy weight on top of me that made it difficult to breathe. My chest ached with the exertion from inhaling and exhaling.
“I’m sorry about your mom, Shadow.”
“Thanks, Don.” I ran a hand over my face and sighed. It was really an attempt to pull in more oxygen because the mere mention of Mama had gruesome images running rampant through my mind.
“Can I ask you something?” I looked around the shop to make sure there were no workers or customers around.
“What’s up?” Don walked with me to the back where a few employees had gathered to talk and eat. He sent them back to the main shop while all three of us sat in the small break room.
“Did Mario come in here before Mardi Gras weekend and talk to you?” I knew Don was the only person he would have talked to about selling bumpers. He wasn’t stupid and he didn’t stand around talking to the employees of the dispensary because they didn’t hold any weight. Mario only liked to rub elbows with people who could benefit him. He thought I would benefit him by giving him my secrets and showing him how I grew my bud and harvested one pound of weed from each plant.
I always disappointed him.
“I had a feeling you were going to ask me about that.” He looked into my eyes and put his hand over his mouth like he was trying to figure out how to word what he was going to say next. “Nah, he didn’t come talk to me during Mardi Gras. I’ve been hearing a lot of talk surrounding Mardi Gras though.”
“Yeah…I figured. I heard one of Bear’s soldiers got killed.”
“Shot in the fucking head.” Don looked at me and I held his gaze without blinking. “Shadow, I’m gonna ask you this once. Did you have anything to do with that shit? Mario has been real cozy with Bear lately and I don’t like what I’m seeing.”
“Cozy with Bear?” I frowned.
“Well, not cozy. You know Bear is an elusive motherfucker. Nobody can get close to him. What I should have said was, he’s been selling for him. Right beside his soldiers. He’s pushing the harder shit like…”
“Coke?” I quizzed knowingly.
“Yeah. Coke, pills, heroin.”
“What have you heard?” I asked Don.
“I heard there was a skinny motherfucker in a Mardi Gras mask selling bumpers. There are conflicting stories. Some said there was only one seller some said there were two. I know anyone who sells bumpers is usually a loner.” His gaze refused to let up on me. I wasn’t shaken by it though. Don didn’t give me the vibe that he was a snake. Only that he wanted the truth.
My paranoia didn’t allow me to tell the full truth to anyone but Ivy. She was the only person I trusted with my life. I knew I couldn’t distrust everyone in my path but I only allowed certain levels of trust when the situation called for it. Right then, I was getting the sense that I should trust Don at least a little.
