Page 9 of Terrez and Shalene
“I’ll take water,” I responded.
“Let me get iced tea with light ice,” Little added.
“Okay, anything to eat?”
Once she had Little’s order, she walked off and headed toward the kitchen.
“I’m surprised you ain’t get shit to eat.”
“I’m good. I went by the bar a couple hours ago and had some wings and shit there,” I answered.
“Aw shit, you should’ve told me. I could’ve met you there.”
“It was last minute. I was driving past and decided to stop in for a drink. It’s been a long ass few days.”
“Man, who you tellin’? I been on Roosevelt like a mothafucka these last few days. That’s why I called you to meet me here. Ifinally got in touch with that nigga Chris this morning. He said he was tied up in some shit, so he had one of his lil homies do the drop off, but it was all there.”
“Why the fuck would he do that?” I asked rhetorically.
“Somethin’ about his moms was in the hospital. She had a mild heart attack or some shit. It was serious, but still. He told me to give him twenty-four hours to get back to me.”
“Twenty-four is too long.”
“I know. The only reason I’m extending grace is because of his momma. I know firsthand ain’t no love with this street shit, but I try to throw niggas a bone when it’s needed. We both know Chris ass is too loyal to Suleem and Kassir to be on some shady shit. Now the lil nigga that did the drop off is a different story.”
For another hour, Little and I spoke about the situation. By the time I got up to leave, a nigga was mentally drained. Street business never stopped. Add that on top of my own personal ventures and I was over it. All I wanted to do was murk the scary ass nigga behind this bullshit and keep it moving. I didn’t have time for the hide and seek ass games I felt like were being played right now.
Closing my laptop,I stood from my couch and stretched. When I made it home a few hours ago, I planned to get some much needed rest. After tossing and turning for a good hour, I decided to get up and make myself useful. I did a lot of research on stocks and investments. I had enough money to finance my own business, but learned that getting a business loan was a good start to building business credit. Plus, if I could use someoneelse’s money to fund my business I’d rather do that. I picked up my phone and saw it was eight-thirty and I still wasn’t tired.
I found my way to me and Shalene’s text thread and hit the icon to call her. It was early, but I assumed she’d be up since she had a kid. I had no kids of my own, but I knew kids were always hungry as hell when they woke up every morning.
“Hello?”
The sadness in her tone let me know she was crying or had been crying recently. I had no expectations from this call, but I wasn’t expecting this. Especially this early.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated right now. I shouldn’t have answered my phone like this.”
“Shalene, what’s the problem? Are you okay?”
“Yes. We’re fine. I was supposed to be moving my things into my apartment today and the movers canceled on me. They said they double booked my time slot on accident and wouldn’t get to me until next weekend. I don’t have another week,” she explained.
“Dude won’t let you keep your shit there until then?”
“No. When I got here an hour ago, I pulled up to my shit being in the driveway already. He’s here, but won’t even open the door so I can come in. It’s been raining, so I’m just sitting in my car. I don’t know how long my things have been out here, but I don’t want my things water damaged.”
“What’s the address?” I asked in irritation.
“I don’t think you should?—”
“Shalene, I’m not about to waste time going back and forth with you. You just told me that lame ass nigga has your shit outside in the rain. I need the address.”
“I don’t want you to do anything crazy. I don’t want him hurt or you in trouble over my shit.”
“The way that nigga is acting his ass definitely needs to be hurt, but that’s not my focus right now. My focus is you and getting your shit out the rain. So no, I won’t be doing anything crazy…today. But what I will say is, if that nigga even look at me the wrong way I’ll knock the fuck out of him. Now, send me the address and don’t get out the car.”
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I ended the call and sent a group text to some of the young niggas I was cool with. Shalene’s ex-husband was nothing short of a bitch. As a man, there’s no way shit should’ve gone down like this. I didn’t know the details behind the marriage failing, but that shit didn’t matter. I wasn’t saying the nigga didn’t have a right to feel however he felt, but Shalene was still the mother of his child. A certain level of respect needed to be shown at all times, even if he couldn’t stand the ground she walked on. When my phone went off, I clicked the message and saw the location Shalene sent was only fifteen minutes from me.
