On The Rocks

01

Smokey

"It's either you make the bitch get rid of it,  or you take care of it Samir." Smokey spat angrily between two heavy sips of scotch.

In his late forties Smokey was the owner of the hottest bar and lounge spot in downtown Atlanta Forbidden Juices. Despite his mostly miserable personality and outrageous temper he still made acquaintances, who truly respected him. The women also loved him and he loved them just as much. 

Smokey stood a tall 6'4, with smooth dark skin, a bit of facial hair that was often a mixture of black and grey. The mixture of hair was also on his head in a low wavy cut. His eyes full and honey brown but his yellow iris' showed his often lack of sleep . Nose big and broad and a nose ring on the left nostril, big brown lips that hid a million dollar smile all on his medium built figure.

The brown liquor burned his throat as it went down, but he loved that feeling. It was a feeling that hurt so bad until it made the body feel good in a sense.

He was an alcoholic and everyone who worked at the bar knew exactly what triggered his frequent outbursts of midday drinking. Denise. His wife of twenty six years but business partner of eleven.

They'd gotten married after meeting in college. The relationship went sour quickly but they still managed to produce two children Samir and Yazmine. During they're time of marriage Denise filed for divorce after realizing how womanizing and miserable Smokey actually had become. Though Smokey didn't  completely understand  he went along with her wishes. Later along the line he had an idea for a business, with no actual background in business or administration he turned to the only person he knew who could've helped him out. Though the marriage went sour the business was thriving.

"It's not that simple ole man. If you were in my shoes what would you do? " His son Samir asked referring to his current situation. 

Smokey laughed wickedly and placed the cold glass on a coaster that sat on his desk.

"Well firstly my boy, I'm not a jackass so I would certainly never get myself in this situation." he answered bitterly.

"But if I had no other choice I'd try to make her get rid of it. Give her some money, ghetto bitches like her do whatever for some change. "

Samir clenched his jaw as his father spoke to him.

Samir was twenty three soon to be twenty four and in his sophomore year at Spellman college. He was handsome, almost an exact duplicate of his father besides his mother's light brown skin and light green eyes. Samir was a brain box but his love for women lend him into difficult situations sometimes,much like this one. He was definitely his father's child.

"C'mon. I ain't paying nobody to do that. That shit just don't settle right with me."

"Well. Do what you were doing before and let her continue to ruin your life my boy. " Smokey shrugged.

Samir blew air out of his mouth in defeat. He needed help and he needed it fast.

Just then Smokey's office door was pushed open.

His eyes widened at how bold someone had to be to enter his room without knocking. Everyone that worked  around the bar knew that a closed door meant knock or just wait until it was opened. Smokey had that place moving like a household in the late 80's, filled with respect.

Denise appeared behind the door looking as beautiful as she always did with a clipboard in her hands.

Her hair was pushed back into a low ponytail and it showed off her beautiful strong features. She wore red lipstick on her thick lips and her eyebrows were drawn on thick and black. She wore a red pencil skirt that she paired with a white blazer and a pair of black Louis Vittuton heels. Her light brown complexion was even and smooth all on her curvy full figure. She looked damn good for forty two.

Smokey stared into her light green eyes before speaking.

"Don't you know a closed door means you  knock? "

She chuckled and made her way into their  joint office. 

"That applied to staff and visitors. I'm your business partner Dockus, not staff don't forget it." She replied calling Smokey's government name and resting her clipboard on her desk.

She has always managed to control Smokey. Whether it was in an argument, an actual fist fight and when they were married even in bedroom. She knew him like the back of her hand and that's what made him dislike her a bit more than he should've.

"Hey momma." Samir greeted her as she gave him a kiss on his cheek.

Smokey looked at his ex-wife and admired her for just a second. It was days that he missed how their relationship used to be and wanted to start over with her entirely. But other days he looked at her as nothing more than just a business partner and tried to focus on building himself up. Denise was an attractive female and any man who was able to lock her down again would be lucky. Smokey didn't think so though, any man that did the least of complimenting Denise he would assure them that she wasn't interested. Whether she was or not.

He watched her as she made her way over to the bar and poured herself a shot of vodka.

"When did she start drinking in the middle of the afternoon? " he thought to himself.

"Well the inventory and the income are finally starting to match up again." Denise announced breaking the silence.

Samir raised his eyebrow in shock.

"Since when doesn't anything add up around here."

Denise shot her vodka and wiped her hands on her skirt.

"Ever since your father had Felicia handle the finances."

It was true, Felicia was Smokey's current fling. She handled the business' funds horribly. To Smokey she could do no wrong but Denise had her all figure out already. She would often invite friends to the bar allow them to drink for free and take money out of the cash register as she pleased. When Denise brought up the problem to Smokey he'd push it under the rug not taking it to seriously. But thankfully Felicia was five months pregnant which made her vists less frequent in the bar lately. Not to mention she was only a year older than his oldest son making her twenty five.  

Smokey glared at Denise as if to tell her to stop bringing up Felicia. But she ignored him and continued her conversation with Samir.

"Wow. Don't tell me the ole man starting to let anything slide around here." Samir said looking at an irritated Smokey.

"Don't you have somewhere to be boy. " he answered in defeat. 

Samir grinned and looked at this Gucci wrist watch. 

"Yea, matter of fact class starts for me in about an hour." he said pushing his body out of the leather seat.

He gave his mother a kiss on her cheek and flashed a nod at his father before leaving.

Denise turned her attention to Smokey and slammed the clipboard on his desk.

"Now. Let's talk business."

A tipsy Smokey sat up and folded his arm across his chest. 

" Well. Let's talk. " he said sternly as Denise took a seat in the front of him.