I parked my car in their driveway and headed up to the door, I tried the door handle before knocking to see if it was open which it usually was because these sur urban moms are trusting within their community and shit like that
I heard Annie talking "-you know the difference between a Manhattan and a sidecar?"
I answered "A Manhattan substitutes the sweet vermouth for sugar while the sidecar halves the vermouth." I walked over to the couches and gave a big smile and Annie for starters was shocked cause it's been a good year since I've seen her in real life and FaceTime calls just don't do it justice.
"What are you doing here?" She asked with a slight grin and then pointed her eyes towards the couch and back at me again.
"Well it's a business call and a-" I said and then realized Beth with puffy eyes and it looked like she had been crying for quite a bit "- family call" Beth just stood up and came hugged me with no warning and honestly it was weird cause I was waiting for Annie to clue me in to what was happening. Then she started doing some weird ass charades and it took me a bit just cause Annie was no good at it and then I realized what had happened.
"That motherfucker" I whispered and then all of a sudden Ruby came in and I smiled again
"Hey, guess who found those caramel bugles at Kroger? What is going on? The Bachelorette is on. Hello" She complained and then turned towards us. Beth let go of me thank God I was feeling a bit squeezed, but never mind me. She went and hugged Ruby. She had he same look on her face that I had before. I saw Annie start doing her weird ass charades again and obviously Ruby wasn't getting it either so I said it.
"Dean's been sleeping with some slut from work" I stated and Ruby mouthed son of a bitch while Annie gave me an amused death stare.
Ruby started talking again "Aww honey what can we do?"
"How about a screwdriver?" Annie suggested
"An axe?" I proposed.
"A sledgehammer" Beth finally spoke. Ruby and Annie looked confused while I on the other hand headed to the garage to get her one.
——
We all watched Beth take hit after hit with all her might in Dean's office and it started reminding me of the time when we all went to a rage room together which ended up just like this. Annie bought over some drinks for Ruby, Annie, and I.
"You planning on stopping this?" Asked Ruby
"Nope" Annie and I replied in unison.
"You?"
"Nah I'm good" She said and then faced over to me.
"So when did you get here?"
"Well I came today and I told Beth a week ago that I wanted to surprise you guys and I thought we would have fun, but guess we're doing rage room 2." I smirked
"Well we are all god that your here and I am ready to here all about Atlanta" Ruby said raising her glass and we did the same and drank. The nice warm feeling was hitting my throat. All of a sudden Beth stopped hitting and picked up some papers and mouthed oh my god.
"What, does he have another hoe?" Annie said bluntly. This time Beth whispered oh my god, but this time in our earshot.
"What is it?" I asked. Beth ended up telling us that they might be losing their house and she needed to talk to Dean which he was coming home soon. We all left and I promise we'd come back in the morning.
I got into my car and started driving back to the hotel, but I couldn't help to think how the hell Dean could let this happen. I mean was I surprised? Not one bit. Dean was always a pig, but I never said anything because if I ever hinted at something like that Beth would just say relationships take work. Though when I look at Ruby and Stan, I see nothing, but love. I fell asleep the moment I changed into an oversized tee and pyjama pants, somehow I was more tired today then I was last night.
—-
The next morning we were all sitting by the kitchen counter and I was having a cookie Beth made I don't when, but I loved her chocolate chip cookies.
All of a sudden Beth looked at us ad said "We're going to rob that grocery store" This confused me because I didn't even know what the hell was going on. When was this even a plan?
I looked over to Ruby who had the same look of confusion while Annie was looking excited. Annie put her hands in the air and yelled yes while Ruby started saying that Beth had lost her mind. They started discussing how they were kidding and Annie wasn't and then Beth looked at them and started giving a speech which once again I wasn't surprised.
"We only do it once and it'll be done. You'll get to help your little girl while Annie can deal with her custody problem and I can pay off my mortgage. Em can do whatever she wants with the money, honestly I don't think she has any financial problems, but if she wants to do then she can have a cut. We are not going to sit back and watch everything get take away from us, no one is going to fix this, but us." Annie put her hand up for a high five for Beth and she just looked at it. As confused as I was that didn't mean I was going to let Annie be left hanging like what kind of friend would I be if I let that happen, so I high fived her.
"So, when did you guys make this plan because last time I checked, Beth had a problem with going over the speed limit. They all looked at me with smiles, well except for Ruby which just looked like she was in a state of shock.
—-
Well I left their house after a few hours and I got explained what the plan was and not gonna lie, it sounded fun. It wasn't like I was scared, I mean look at what I do for a living. I just wondered if I didn't end up coming to Detroit would they have done this without me and not even have told me. Honestly I really needed this because it could be something that we all laugh about in the end and I wanted that. I headed over to this restaurant where me and my friends were set to have lunch.
I entered the restaurant and immediately spotted Tobias who waved me over while the rest of the gang looked over and they all looked over and realized that I was here. Marine was looking happier than usual and so was Tobias, so I was confused a bit on my over to the table.
"What's up" I saw as I took off my cross body bag. I was sitting at the lone seat at the head of the table and it was Tobias and Marine on one side with Val and Jay was on the other. We all ordered food once the waiter came around, I simple ordered a chicken fajita and some lemonade, I try not to drink during the day.
"Well we have something to tell you" Marine said as she and Tobias looked over each and back to the group.
"Cool what?" I asked, trying speed up the process cause I could see Val getting impatient.
"Me and Toby are dating and it's been a few months and we decided to tell once we thought it actually meant something and honestly we think it does" Marlene said and looked over to me as iI feeling approval.
"Heyyy congratulations man, but I don't think any of us appreciate keeping any of this a secret for months" Jay said, looking over to me.
"I agree, but actually I'm happy for you guys and I hope it lasts." I said with a smile which only I could tell was fake. Maybe if I smiled enough I could actually believe it. The whole table started talking in excitement and couldn't believe this while I just smiled and laughed while maybe saying something small every once and a while. Inside I thought I would feel mad and honestly I was disappointed. I blamed myself for waiting so long, but I mean if they're happy then so be it.
I decided not to tell the group about the robbery. I didn't want any questions and honestly this wasn't my moment and it would look like I was trying to distract everything out of Marine and Toby.
—-
I was sitting with Beth in her car waiting for Ruby and Annie to pull up. I could hear how deep Beth was breathing and I could tell how nervous she was. She was so confident during the plan and now she'd rather be anywhere else. I decided to leave my car at Beth's house, so if something did go wrong, then I wouldn't be easiest to find.
Then out of nowhere, I could hear Annie's screech next to Beth's minivan. Beth jumped and flinched to the sound as she got out of the car with a mad face at her siste for being late. I came out from the passenger seat and we headed to the back of Annie's car.
'How was Sara's presentation?" I questioned Ruby.
"Oh it went so good." Ruby said proudly.
"She's so smart, I worry about mine's" Beth added and I laughed. Annie handed us each a mask and a fake toy gun with a the orange tip coloured black. I would have offered to get real guns, but then they would ask questions I did not want to answer. I knew that I had my special gun tucked into the waistband of my balck ripped jeans and covered with my burgundy hoodie.
"Y'all ready" Annie asked
"Now or never" Beth said.
—-
Beth was blanked out on the couch while Ruby was questioning her. Annie was counting the money and I was sitting on the side of the couch beside Beth.
"Are you okay in there? What's your name?" Ruby asked.
"I robbed a robbed a grocery store" She stated
"Who's Secretary of State?" Ruby questioned and then questioned herself.
"Jocelyn Benson" I replied.
"How do you just know that Einstein?" Ruby questioned. I just shrugged and smiled.
"I robbed a grocery store and got away with it" Beth repeated.
"Yes, yes I was there, unless..." I pinched myself "Nah this is real." I continued. Ruby just laughed and so did Beth cause honestly this shock looked like it could kill her.
"How much did we get and please tell me we got the 30?" Ruby asked hopeful.
"We got it" Annie said hold some stacks in her hands and then I realized what we just did.
"Oh thank god" Ruby said.
"I wouldn't start getting on my knees for Jesus." I said when the realization hit of how many bags we grabbed, but it didn't hit to Ruby and Beth.
"We got more than the 30 grand." Annie said nervously.
"How much more?" Beth questioned.
Annie smiled nervously and starting pouring out bags and bags of money and stacks came flying out. The more came out, I'm pretty sure the more Ruby and Beth's eyeballs came out of their faces. I wanted another cookie.
—-
I went to the kitchen and started looking for the cookie jar as I heard Beth and Ruby yelling at Annie. I mean fucking hell, it's not like she expected this much money to come out of the robbery, so I don't know what the point of getting mad at Annie was going to do. I finally found the cookie jar and took one out and headed back to the table.
"Half a mil biatches" Annie yelled and swung her arms in the air.
"We didn't win it, we stole it. And maybe the cops don't follow up on 30 grand, but they sure as hell will follow up on half a million dollars." Ruby yelled. It went silent and honestly she was overreacting in my opinion, but then again I'm me, so I have more experience.
"Glad you didn't get on your knees, huh?" I said sarcastically to Ruby. Beth looked ver and gave me a bit of a death stare. Like god damn okay bitch it was your idea, why you acting like I suggested it.
"What do we do?" Beth asked.
"Nothing, we divide it up and sit on it until we find a way to get rid of it quietly. Without looking like-"Ruby said
"Criminals" I said in a singy songsy voice. I got more stares like expected. I saw Annie eyeing the money like it was me and Beth's cookies. "No spending it Annie and I mean it" I said all of a sudden so serious even Ruby looked a bit surprised.
"Yeah" Annie replied and it was kinda suspicious and not trustworthy.
"Okay?" Ruby asked more like a command.
"Okay" Annie gave in.
—-
I headed back to the hotel with the duffel bag still in my car. I called my real estate agent on the way and she answered on the third ring.
"So how many properties as of right now are you thinking could be of use?" I asked
"Well, there's only one, and my team is on it's way to three more and then we have some tomorrow and then we'll brief you in the properties we want you to see." She answered.
"Alright" I said and cut the call. When I entered the hotel I could see Toby and Marine by the chairs and she was giggling while Toby was saying something to her. I literally felt like someone stomped on the butterflies in my stomach that I had every time I saw Toby. I made a direct contact with Toby and then went back to walking back to my room. I knew it I hid it well, but I didn't know what he felt.
—-
I put on some ripped black jeans with a beige sweater which showed a black lace top on one side. I also put on a pair of Jordan 1 twists, which one thing that you can't change about me is that Jordans are amazing. I got in my car and drove to the bar I went to before and paid money to the bartender, but I forgot the name. I couldn't go back to the hotel bar or restaurant, I just know Toby and Marine would be there.
I walked in and this time there was actually a crowd there and it was packed this time. I came and sat where I did the time before and the bartender came over to see what drink I wanted.
"One sidecar please." I said and watched make my drink and set it on the table. I looked over to the right and saw someone I've seen on file. I pulled out my phone and opened up a PDF sent from Val and went to the third target, Jimmy Premse. He had a sex trafficking ring with girls starting from the age of 10. I don't think I needed any more explanation.
I picked up my phone and called an associate to come, so they would be ready to clean up the mess that would come with the body. I quickly downed my drink and headed towards him with a seductive look on my face. I sat beside him without saying anything and ordered a martini, I could feel him burning holes in the side of my head with his gaze.
A minute goes by and he finally starts a conversation and we talk for 10 minutes before I told if I wanted to get out of there and that I knew a way through the alley. I got a text saying that the cleaning was ready for whenever the job was done. He corners me by the trash can the moment we get out.
"Your gonna wish you stuck with talking to me. By the time I'm through with you, you won't be able to walk for weeks." He started lowly into my ear, trying be sexy and honestly he was a middle aged man who has plugs that went wrong with at least 3 dead teeth from what I can see.
"I think you're gonna have more trouble walking than me" I said as I pulled out my gun slowly.
"What" He said with a confused look on his face. I shot him in the leg and he screamed as he fell over. I waved over the guys from the car.
"You bitch" He spat at me.
"After killing you, I think I'll be more of a saint than a bitch." I winked. I shot him in the head and walked away, giving a nod to the cleaning crew. I walked inside and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I tucked my gun back and fixed my hair. I went back to my seat and waved over the bartender.
"One Manhattan and -" I leaned in "-delete the footage from tonight" I said and went back to sitting upright.
"So how's the family" A familiar voice asked from the left on me. I looked over to see neck tattoo from before.
I chuckled "As good as can be"
"And business?"
"Probably more exciting than sitting around and sipping wine while hearing about the suburban moms" I said sarcastically and he chuckled a little. "And how are you?" I questioned realizing he's been asking me questions from the first day.
He took a sip of his drink and answered "Not great when there's problems"
"Problems?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Can't really say, you know" He replied with a smirk.
"What are you, fucking FBI?" I said sarcastically.
"Yeah, real Donnie Brasco type. " He said with my level of sarcasm, I chuckled and took a sip of my drink again. He looked towards me and then his eyes narrowed to my left sleeve and asked "What happened?" I didn't understand what he was talking about until I looked down to see a red stain that wasn't gonna be hidden too easily.
"Ah shit, someone must've spilt their drink on me." I said as I put my drink down and started to inspect the stain to see if this asshole's blood from outside was going to be able to be washed. My phone buzzed at the same time and I realized it was 12am and honestly all I wanted to was sleep. Neck tattoo stood up all of a sudden and I looked up from my phone.
"Leaving already Donnie Brasco?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow not trying look to disappointed which I kinda was.
"Ah don't miss me too much, I'll be back before you know it" He said before winking and walking out. I watched him leave and sat there for a bit. I decided to leave and brought out my wallet when the bartender came over and i handed him my money, but he didn't take it.
"It's already been taken care of" He said with a smile on his face.
"By who?" I asked, genuinely clueless which I really shouldn't have been.
"The guy that you were drinking with" He replied and walked away.