Dirty Greed (An Urban Story)

Chapter 5

Angela walked into their two-story 5th Avenue penthouse, with the doorman in tow carrying her shopping bags.


"Just put them right there by the door." She told the chauffeur. He did as he was told and placed the bags by the door. She slipped him a few bills and he graciously thanked her and left.


She grabbed the bags and began walking up the stairs to the master bedroom.


The girls were probably downstairs in the rec room, their babysitter CeeCee picked them up from school at 3.


When Angela got to her bedroom she closed the door, put her bags down and began to undress. She stopped when she heard whispering coming from somewhere in her room.


She slowly started to walk towards her bathroom.


"No I want to use that one. You use this one."


"No but that one looks better on me."


Her two girls Kaia and Kayla were sitting at her vanity holding a handful of makeup. Several of Angela's eyeshadow palettes were sprawled out over the vanity and tubes of mascara lay open.


"What are ya'll doing in here?" Angela said. "I told ya'll about playing in my makeup."


The two girls jumped when they heard her voice and then turned around to face her.


"Sorry Mommy." Kaia said.


"Yeah sorry Mommy." Kayla agreed looking down at her feet.


"Y''all need to get out." Angela said with a stern look. "Imma have to start locking my door now."


The girls quickly got up and scurried out the door.


Angela shook her head and continued undressing. Where the fuck was CeeCee? she was supposed to be watching the girls.


Angela stepped into the glass shower in her bathroom.. She closed her eyes as the hot water ran down her body. She stood there enjoying the pressure of the beads of water hitting her skin for another 5 minutes before she washed her body and got out. She wiped her body down with a towel and threw on a robe. She put her hair up in a towel and walked downstairs.


She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.


"Mommy?"


"What?" Angela asked not turning around.


"Can you take me and Kaia shopping for Brittney's party next week?"


"Sure." Angela said waving her off. Angela had been meaning to take them shopping anyway. To her, it was important that the girls had current stuff. Some parents insisted on not spoiling their kids but Angela didn't. She wanted them to have better clothes and accessories than everyone else at school. Their closets were filled with Gucci, Burberry and Ralph Lauren.


"Wait." Angela said when Kayla started walking away.


"Yeah?"


"Where is CeeCee?" Angela asked.


"Oh." Kayla giggled. "She fell asleep on The Princess and the Frog."


Angela bit her cheek. She was going to have to fire her when she came back from her anniversary dinner tonight.


Angela went back upstairs and crawled into the king sized bed she shared with Marshall. She needed a long nap.


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Driving through the neighborhood was a blast from the past for Seven . She hadn't came back in years.
She took note of all the upscale brownstones on Fort Green and Clinton Hill. Things had changed since she'd last been there. But she knew if she were to get deeper, into the projects she would find that those changes were only on the surface. She pulled up on the curb of one of the brownstones and got out. When she reached the door she hesitated a bit before she knocked.


She stood there for a while and decided to go back to her car before the door swung open widely. A heavy-set old woman with an apron on stood in front of the door. She squinted her eyes at Seven before looking at her in awe.


"Seven?" She whispered. "Oh Seven! Is that you??"


Seven closed her eyes before smiling. "Yes it's me Momma Red."


"Where have you been girl? You know I've missed ya." Momma Red said pulling Seven inside and embracing her. Seven held her embrace until she heard a male's voice from the back say "Momma who dat?"


"Oh Raheem it's Seven!"


A few seconds later a dark skinned man appeared.


"Seven?" He whispered.


Seven straightened up. He moved closer.


"What you doing here?" He said looking her in the eyes.


"I need your help." She said.


He looked away and rubbed his head before looking back at her.
"Aight." He finally said.


Momma Red looked back and forth between the both of them for a while before saying "Well you gotta eat first. Come on, I got a pot of greens on the stove, and some chicken frying in the skillet."


Seven smiled a little at Raheem who put a hand on her back and escorted her to the kitchen.


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Monica slipped a red dress over her body. She checked herself in the mirror and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Someone knocked on the door. She opened it and tried not to roll her eyes at who was on the other side.


It was Antoine holding a bottle of wine. " I was wondering if you felt like chillin tonigh--dammmn ma where you going?"


Monica held back a sigh and slowly smiled. "I was just going to the Bellagio hotel- as a matter of fact, you should come with me. I like their restaurant."


Antoine scratched his head. "Uhh...yeah you know I don't know if I got that kind of money..."


"It's fine--" Monica interuppted him. "You can just buy me a drink at the bar." She said pulling him inside.


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The driver dropped Marshall of at the building and a doorman rushed to open the door for him. He entered the lobby elevator. When it reached the top he straightened his tie and sighed. The doors opened.


"Daddy!!! Daddy!!" The girls screamed and ran to him.


He picked them up one at a time and lifted them in the air. "Hey, how's my two favorite girls?"


"Can we go with you and Mommy tonight? Please?" Kaia pleaded.


Marshall shook his head. "I'm sorry pumpkin, this is just for Mommy and me tonight."


They both lowered their heads disappointed.


"But hey," Marshall said. "I got you both something."


They looked up at him and he reached into the pocket of his peacoat pulling out two Tiffany's boxes and handing them to them.


They opened them to reveal two matching diamond tennis bracelets.


"These are like the one you got for Mommy...Thanks Daddy!" Kayla exclaimed.


"Yeah thanks Daddy!!" Kaia repeated enthusiastically.


"Your welcome." Marshall smiled. "Now go show your mom."


They nodded and sprinted upstairs.


He turned around and saw CeeCee standing behind him.


"Hi CeeCee."


"Hello Mr. McCoy." She was a petite woman with a honey complexion who wore prescription glasses. She was wearing a sweater made of a light material that fell off her shoulder, and a pair of leggings.
"You got mail over there." She said pointing to the coffee table.


"Thank you." He said picking up the mail. After he flipped through the bills and junk-mail, he started to put the pile back down when he saw a note addressed to his wife. He picked it up and read it clenching his jaw.


He turned around and looked at CeeCee.


"Has Angela read this mail yet?"


"No, she's been upstairs napping."


"Did you see anyone drop this off?"


"No, no one." CeeCee shook her head confused.


"That's all then." He said walking into the other room and reading the note again before ripping it up into several pieces.


Dear Mrs. Angela McCoy


I think it's time I tell you about your husband.


Sincerely, Nia Henderson