God's Temple

Chapter Ten

Chapter 10

Quanndel knocked on the door again, but no answer. Francis said that London was home and it was weighing heavy on his chest about how he just accused of her trying to get at Jeremy. He wanted to apologize to her and do something nice just to make up for it, and he had the perfect thing in mind. But she wasn't answering.

Finally, the door swung open and London looked up at him. "What's up?" she asked, leaning against the frame.

"Damn, who's been in your hair?" Quanndel looked at her hair. It was a mess but she somehow she still managed to pull it off and look very good. He still wanted to do some things to her with her hair looking a mess like this.

"I came over here to talk to you. I wanted to talk about the other week and apologize for everything I said. It was wrong on my part and I'm stepping up to it, you forgive me?" he asks. That was all that he really owed her. Until he felt as if he could trust her then she wasn't going to be getting any special benefits. And tonight he was about to see if he could trust London.

London looked up at Quanndel, fiddling with her fingers. "Yeah, I accept it but you'll have to come back later. I have a hair appointment today and I need to be getting ready. I'll call you later, all right?"

"No, I'll call you," he replied. He walked off of the porch and over to his car with his hands tucked inside of the pockets of his jeans.

As London was running bath water she heard footsteps approach. She looked back at Lemarques as he sat on the edge of the corner Jacuzzi tub. She looked over at him briefly before turning the water off and sitting beside him.

"I thought I told you stop dealing with him" he said, caressing her thigh. She moved his hand and then buried her face in her hands. London was feeling major regret because last night she done herself and Quanndel wrong. She allowed the same man who dissed her to come back and even get something that she possessed, then she somehow got caught up in her anger towards Quanndel and wore the lingerie he purchased specially for him and her. London sighed heavily while looking at the floor.

"I thought I told you to stop dealing with her," she flipped it back on him. He shook his head. "Am I home with her right now? Who am I with? My point exactly. I just want you to stop dealing with him 'cause he can't give you anything that I am."

"And what exactly are you giving me, Marques? Sex? I can get that from just about every man in this city. You're a joke, fucking pathetic. I swear you always try to run me, getting upset because I won't stop talking to someone. Do I ever push you to stop talking to her? No! You know what, get out. I have things to do today and you aren't one of them." she said, pointing to the door.

"You're starting to smell yourself, London. Get yourself together before you not have anything at all," he said, bumping her as he walked past.

Ashanti sat in the bed with her head laid against the headboard. Tears were still streaming down her face and creating a puddle beneath her, beside her arm. She just wanted her old boyfriend back and the old times they shared. She only wanted for him to treat her right and stop being so defiant. She spent all night, tossing and turning. She had had enough so she decided to leave to give herself some time to cool down.

"Are you hungry?" Her mom, Tina, stuck her head inside of the guest room. She continued looking down at the puddle her tears had formed.

"No, I'm fine. I'm about to go home."

"Wait, let me talk to you." Tina sat on the edge of the bed as Ashanti got up to put her feet into her boots. Once she was done, she sat back and listened to what her mother had to say. "Ashanti, you know I love you and I'm going to tell it exactly how it is regardless of the circumstances, and I'm going to say this. I've been cheated on a few times in the past and it's the worst feeling so I can understand what you're going through, but--"

"He's not cheating on me." Ashanti replied. She was sure that her man wasn't cheating, now that he had convinced her for so long. She was tired of accusing him, too.

"Ashanti, yes he is." Tina nodded her head. She knew her daughter was being cheated on. It was just something that she was positive that she knew.

"Stop saying that! Damn, are y'all going to criticize him every time I come home crying? It's not even about that, so get your facts straights before you come trying to down Marques! I love that man and can't nothing change that. You may not like that but you're going to have to deal with it. I know you don't like seeing people happy, but I'm happy and that's all to it." She slammed the room door and then stomped out of the house.

That's all it was. No one wanted to see her happy.

Reggie watched as the barber, Shawn, cut his nephew's hair. He was preparing himself for a date with the London broad and although Reggie was happy that Quanndel was happy, he couldn't shake the feeling that something would happen again.

"Do you need anyone to watch over you while you--"

"No, man. I got it. Just stop bugging," Quanndel said. Reggie looked back at him and Quanndel relaxed in the seat looking away.

"Del, I'm just trying to help you 'cause if something pops off you are going to wish someone was there to protect you. That girl can't do too much and you know these people are on our ass, I've been laying low and I think it's about time that you do, too."

"What are you trying to say?" Quanndel asked. He knew exactly what his uncle was saying and he couldn't believe that he was saying this.

"That you need to stop going at it so hard and start focusing on other things. Just take some time off because they're waiting for one of us to slip up. You feel me?" he asks, looking into Quanndel's eyes. He couldn't believe that the man who had been at this shit for years was telling him to stop chasing his money. It didn't sound like him.

"You sound like a bitch" Quanndel said.

Reggie shrugged. "Nah, I'm being real. If you get caught up then we all get caught up. I'm not saying that you can't get your money but you need to be a little more discreet about it. Stop splurging on this female and running around everywhere with her. You see what happened at the club? It'll happen everywhere else if you don't start being cautious. Quanndel, you're losing your respect in these streets because your pussy whipped. You--

"Come on, man. I'm not whipped," Quanndel interrupted.

"Listen! You let Jeremy catch you with your guard down. Yeah, I seen it all but did you know that? Huh? No, because you didn't have your guard up. If they catch you slipping, then they catch us slipping. This whole falling in love, you can kill that bullshit because it's about your money first. I worked too hard to have you and some broad destroy what I've built, and if I had to rid of you and her then so be it. Del, this in not a game. It's reality and you need to open your eyes."

"My eyes are open. I'm cautious, aren't I?"

"Lift your shirt up, Shawn." Reggie ordered. Shawn did as told, looking down at Quanndel who was staring at the gun in his boxers. He pulled it out and pointed it at Quanndel's temple. Reggie lifted his shirt and pulled out his gun.

He put it to Quanndel's head with a blank expression. "Quanndel, lift your shirt up." Reggie said. Quanndel did as told and as expected, nothing. Nothing was there.

"See what I mean. You're never ready, man. You're never ready, Del! We could put two stainless steel bullets into your dome right now and who or what would protect you? Not the little bitch, not a gun, and damn sure not yourself. In order for you to get to where I'm at then you have to pay attention and study your surroundings. They can and will come for you at any given minute"

"I'm not trying to do this anymore," Quanndel moved his head back and they put their guns away. Shawn lit his cigarette and continued to cut hair.

"No, don't punk out now just 'cause you're getting a taste of what the streets is like. You can punk out when another little nigga that's trying to come up on his money points a gun at your head."