Femme Fatales

Digression or Progression

"It worked!! It fucking worked!," I yelled to the sun that was setting as Diana and I walked the beach.

"It's been two months; calm down," Diana giggled as she pulled me to her; smiling as her lips met mine.

"I know, but still... It's crazy. We're fucking rich. Like... I," I said as Diana finished my sentence "made it out?"

"Hey! Come here you two," my mom said waving from the patio.

"Hey ma," I said as I ran over and kissed her forehead.

"Now y'all go eat before it cold," she pushed us into the kitchen.

"Your mom is really great, you know that?," She said looking back to my mom.

I said nothing. We sat to eat and after went to have drinks with the girls. Phara and Tiny are going strong. Pooh and Mila went back to Chicago to get married. They'll be back next week. I told Pooh to stay subtle out there. We don't want to spark any sudden suspicions. Molly and Blaq just returned from Paris. Naja... She bought an abounded strip club out here. She wants to fix it up and start a new club here, with her new boo. Some Puerto Rican chick. She roll with Jorge guys. So she cool in my book.

Even though we're in the clear, I often think about what happened and how we rose so quickly; and how quick all that can change. Everything's good now, but money can change a person. Should I call it quits? It's not like we don't have enough. I try not to think about it. But I don't want my mother or Diana to suffer from my own greed.

"You've been really quiet tonight. What's on your mind?," Diana said as she slowed to a stop.

"Nothing. I'm always quiet," I said casually.

"We don't talk how we used to Shy," she said as she began to drive again.

"Cause everything ain't fucked up anymore. Everything's all good," I said placing my hand on her wrist that laid on the armrest.

"Alright. I can still sense something's wrong. You know I'm still here; whenever you're ready," she said glancing briefly over to me.

We went back to the Villa I was renting. It was way nicer than my place back in Chicago and way cheaper. In all honesty, I'm digging Puerto Rico. I think it's seeing Diana walk the beach behind the house while the sunsets or seeing my mom not have to work.

"Fatima, you tell that Marco that he needs to take me dancing! He promised and I just got a new dress from Rosie. The lady down the way," she said flipping her hair.

"Rosie? The lady with the mole?," I said scrunching my face.

"Yea. Her! That damn lady got some nice clothes in her lil dress shop. She gave me the address and I had the driver take me," she said with a big grin.

I knew she hated driving; especially here in Puerto Rico. So I got her a driver. I'm guessing she likes it. She looks so happy; so much happier. Her smiled melts away as she stopped.

"Fatima? What's the date? What's today?!," she panicked .

"April 17th," I said with a long pause.

"Tomorrow, is his birthday,"she said teary eyed.

"Oh ma," I said pulling her in to a hug.

Tomorrow, April 18, was my brothers birthday. Every year, like clockwork, my mom had a breakdown. She wasn't over his death; neither am I. She usually takes out all his pictures, his favorite jacket, and sits at his grave all day. But now we're in Puerto Rico. She hadn't gone back to Chicago. After we came here she had the neighbor, Ms.Valerie, check it out for her because she had another spare. She figured why fly all the way back when she could just make a phone call.