I woke up feelin' a little sad. I just kept thinkin' about that day ova and ova and how the one time I finally stood up and fought back it turned out to be one of the worst days of my life. I missed my kids so much. It hurt even worse knowin' they were with Derrick and that it would be a while before I got to see them again.
I got up and did my morning routine and walked to the kitchen. I looked in the refrigerator. I was going to make Woddy and I some breakfast, just to be nice. It was kind of him to let me stay with him until everything got situated with the custody battle and my parole. I didn't see anything other than vegetables, and it wasn't shit I could make for breakfast with just vegetable.
"Woddy!" I called out. I didn't get a response, so I went and knocked on his door. "Woddy?" I walked to the backyard and as soon as I walked out, I turned back around quick. "Oh, sorry." I said, I didn't know if it was because of the weather or what, but my body was getting warm all ova.
"Why you turn around and covering yo face?" He laughed.
"Niggah, you ain't got on no shoes or shirt."
"Does that make you uncomfortable? My feet ain't that damn bad." He asked me laughin'.
"Nah, I'm...I'm good."
"Then come sit down." He laughed.
I turned around and went to sit down at the little table he had set up outside. His backyard was nice. He had a little area where you could sit down and relax and a small garden, which he was at now pickin' even mo' vegetables.
"Woddy, don't you think you got enough vegetables?" I asked him.
"No' Ma'am, you can neva have enough vegetables." He pulled up a carrot and turned around to show me, smilin' all proudly. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.
"What they call you? Garden Nee-gro-dee?"
"Ha ha, they call me WO-DDY, hottest manager in these streets, speaking of...hold on." He pulled his phone out his pocket and started talking.
"Yeah whaddup. Yeah, I'ma slid them beats to em'. Real soon, real soon... iight' cool." He hung up the phone.
"I see you! Keepin' Murda booked and busy huh?"
"Tryin' too, afta tha show with Tina Snow he was supposed to go on tour but changed his mind. It's been a minute since he's done any shows or music but he's finally comin' around and back in the studio."
"You, Murda and Big Teak gon be back on tha road doing shows in no time." I told him. He dropped his head and looked back at me with sadness in his eyes. "What?" I asked him.
"Big Teak...he...he passed away."
"Passed away..."
"Yeah, he...killed himself.
My head started hurtin' instantly.
"UGH! this is all my FAULT!" I was so angry with myself.
"Keyshawn how is it your fault?" Woddy came to sit down next to me.
"That night in the hotel room when him and Rome got into it, Rome told me he would talk to you about not letting him come back on tour with us, I shoulda just told him it was okay and not to say anythin'. He was already dealin' with trauma, and I just added more drama."
"Keyshawn it had nothin' to do with you. That was somethin' that nobody...Nobody could prevent."
"I'm going to kill Derrick." I told him. At this point every bad thing that's ever happened to me was his fault.
Woddy laughed.
"Niggah, why are you laughin'?
"Cause you ain't gangsta, you ain't got no killer bone in ya body. Plus, you can't and don't want to deal with death on yo conscience."
"How you deal wit it?" I asked him. It wasn't rocket science to put two and two together. The day I told Woddy what Rome tried to do to me and that he had a tape of Murda, tha news of Rome's death came tha very next day.
"I saw no need to extend his stay on earth when he lived a life destined for Hell...so I handled it and I deal with it easily." He didn't say anything else and went back to his garden.
"I wanted to cook breakfast foe us to thank you for lettin' me stay buttt, niggah all you got is damn vegetables. I can't make breakfast with that."
"You ain't gotta thank me Keyshawn. You dealin' with a lot and I'm just happy I'm in the position and able to help."
"How you get this house anyways?" I asked him.
"It's passed down to me. It used to be my granny house but when she passed nobody in the family wanted to take ova cause it wasn't in tha best shape. I took ova and just started fixin' it up little by little."
"You did a good job, it's comin' alone nice. Maybe one day all this mess with Derrick will be ova and it'll just be me and my kids and we can live in a nice house."
"How are you doing?" He asked me. I stared at him.
"What'cha mean by that?"
"I mean just what I asked. How are you doing? Most days you just stay in the room or look sad."
"To be honest I'm going back and forth with blaming Derrick and myself. I just wished my plan would have worked."
"Maybe it was Gods way of tellin' you that tha way you wanted to get out wasn't the way you was posed to get out. Don't blame yourself. God don't make mistakes. Eveythin' gon work out, you just watch."
"How you believe in me more than I believe in me?" I laugh a little.
"You just can't see it now cause of everything that's going on but you're a good woman...a little naive but you got a good heart Keyshawn. Shit, you even helped me out." He grabbed his basket of vegetables and came to sit down next to me.
"Niggah what? What I help you do?" I asked him.
"You helped me be a better manager. Before you came into tha picture, I was just Woddy, I was a niggah tryin' to help his brotha make it out tha mud not really knowin how to go about doin that. I didn't know shit about IG or how to use it to my advantage with helpin' Murda. When you came, I sat back, watched and took mu'fuckin notes. Now I'm buildin' his brand and gettin' this niggah out tha mud, so yes, I have you to thank fa that."
My eyes started to water.
"You gon make me cry."
"Cry baby ass."
"Shut up." I playfully pushed him.
"Let's go in tha house so I can cook us breakfast since you obviously blind to all tha many delicious options you have for breakfast with just veggies."
We walked back in tha house, and he sat the basket down and washed his hands. I sat at tha kitchen island.... This niggah really wasn't gon put on a shirt....
"Later today after we leave from tha Sunday BBQ we can go to tha grocery store and get some food that you want to get. Just cause you stayin' hure doesn't mean you have to be vegan. I'on force vegan lifestyle on nobody."
"Um wait, what'cha mean when we leave tha BBQ?" I had no plans of goin' anywhure today.
"Murda mama havin' a small BBQ and if you think I'm bout to hear that Niggah mouth for leavin' you at tha house you crazy. We goin', plus you need to get out and have a little fun, clear yo mind. You worryin' too much on somthin' thats not in yo control."
He was right. I was worryin' myself day and night when it was really nothin' I could do but work on myself and continue to do tha right thing.
"Woddy, I ain't got nothin' to wear...Uncle Clifford gave me some stuff, but I really ain't got nothin'"
"I'm good at handlin' shit and that's an easy task to handle...we can just go to tha mall."
"Well, you kno that can be an all-day thing and plus I kno you don't want to be in tha mall all day shoppin."
"I only manage one niggah and that one niggah gon be at tha BBQ so, I really ain't got shit ta do."
"I mean, well it's gon be hot and all that walkin' round tha mall."
"Keyshawn, cut it out. We goin'"
"Ugh, fine...but I'm just lettin' you kno that if I pass out it's yo fault cause you still ain't finish cookin' this amazin' veggie breakfast."
"Say less, the best breakfast you eva had comin' right up."
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"Fuccckkkk" I whispered to myself .
I leaned against tha kitchen wall and stared at Lamarques, he was at tha stove cookin'. He woke up before me and came downstairs to start makin' breakfast. He was so fine. He looked
at me and came to give me a kiss.
"Good mornin', beautiful."
"Good mornin', um you need ta start wearin' a shirt 'round tha house."
"What fa? Earnestine can't see me," He went back to the stove and flipped the bacon.
"Ha eyes might not work but ha hands shol do and she think she lowkey slick, I be seein' ha trying to get a feel on you. She be flirtin' wit cha."
"Shawty just be fo'real and say you can't handle all this fine."
"Bwoy bye, I'M tha most sexiest one in this house."
He laughed and walked up to me, gettin' supa close makin' our lips just inches apart from each otha.
"You tha most attractive, breathtakin', classy, delectable, exceptional, fashionabl-."
"LaMarques." I whispered. Ain't nobody eva used those words to describe me and I was gettin turned on.
"What?"
"Niggah, is you just gon go down the alphabet describing me?"
"If you want me to." He said getting closer to me. He was so close our dicks were touchin' eachotha.
"You need ta back up."
"What's wrong?"
"You makin' me hot and I'm bout to drop and suck yo dick right hure, right now." I told'em.
He grabbed my hand and stuck it in his sweats. I started caressing his dick.
"It's yours, do whateva you wanna do wit it. You make it hard by just walkin' in tha room, by just openin' yo mouth ta speak, fourplay ain't neva needed, you say go and it's on go. You hold so much power without even knowin'. I'm so in- "
I grabbed tha back on his head with my free hand and kissed him. After about a minute of kissin' I pulled away.
"We gotta go upstairs, I don't want Grandmuva Earnestine sayin' it smell like bussy up in hure." He laughed and went to remove the pots from tha stove. When he turned around, I undid my robe and let it drop to tha floor.
"Make sure to grab that on yo' way upstairs."
He licked his lips and followed me.
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"Heeyyyyy." I waved to tha gurls as I walked into the club.
"Um excuse me, why you in such a good mood?" Nineveh asked me.
"Um, mind yo bizness" I told ha.
"I would just like ta kno why we hure so early?" Brazil said.
"That part, cause a bitch is slee-pee." Extra, Extra said.
"You bitches needs to be gettin' yo beauty rest like me m'kay. Then maybe ya'll might look as fine as me." I told them.
"Tha Universe is speakin' to me and I'm gettin' a different message." Whisper said.
"Yeah, we ain't stupid. We know a "I'm gettin' dicked down on a regular" face when we see it." Roulette said.
They all started laughin'
"Ya'll hush up nah, I called er'body in cause I got's shit ta do later and I only wanna go ova this once. As you all kno, that backstabbin' yellow heffa is gone. Tha club is almost bout to be back to 100% and things are bout to change. I'on want no shit happenin' I done came too close ta losin' my club and I won't eva get to that point again. Everybody gon' have'ta get vaccinated, no exceptions. If you don't want ta do it then don't let tha door hit ya whure tha good Lord split ya." Nobody said nothin', so I guess they all understood.
"We bout to open back up fully soon and I wanna change up tha weekly nights so if you got any suggestions let me kno"
"We can do a Universe Night, make the club look like outer space." Whisper said.
I rolled my eyes.
"Again, if you have any suggestions let me know. Roulette and Whispa gon be tha headlinas for now."
"Why just fah now?" Roulette asked.
"Cause every bitch gotta choice in this game, if a bitch wanna work to take yo spot she can."
"Well from tha looks of it, that ain't gon be nobody." She looked ova to tha bar where Tru and Winter were sittin'. They were talkin' and laughin' wit eachotha. "Seem like lil' new booty don't got her eye on tha pole."
"Anyways that's all I wanted to let ya'll bitches kno. Y'all can go." They all started to leave.
"Hol' up. Not you Roulette. I wanna talk to you in my office." She started headin' towards the office and I walked up to Tru and Winter.
"Winta gurl what happen to yo neck?" She looked at Tru.
"Nothing I couldn't handle...just a little misunderstanding'"
"Y'all must be havin' sex."
"Absolutely not." Winter said.
"Yeah, okay. Are you coming to Sunday Dinner?" I asked her.
"I wasn't invited."
"Tru how you not gon invite yo gurlfriend?"
"You wanna go wit me to Sunday Dinner?" He asked ha.
"Yeah, I wanna go, but to be clear, I'm not your girlfriend." She told him.
"Well, LaMarques said his mom changed it to a BBQ, I'm makin' tha potato salad so ya'll can bring somethin' else."
"Woah nah, you makin' what again?"
"Tha PO-TA-TO SALAD. Why you askin?"
"Oh no reason."
"I swure you not good at liein' what did LaMarques ass tell you?"
"Just that you couldn't cook." He laughed.
"Oohhh, he stays hatin' on a bitch and ha culinary skills, but you watch and see, it's gon be good."
I walked away from them and headed into my office to talk to Roulette.
"I though you fahgot about a bitch."
I sat down and got straight to tha point.
"Roulette I'm serious about everything I said. I'on want no issues or trouble."
"Why you comin' at me? I ain't do nothin." She said startin' to get mad.
"Tha locka room been whisperin' and it ain't been nothin' good. I see you been gettin' a lot of Paradise room request." Ever since Brazil said she been suckin' dick; I been trying to keep an eye on ha.
"I can't help it if I'm tha finest bitch up in hure,"
"We'll let that be the only reason, cause when it come to my club, I ain't no forgivin' bitch. Especially if it's gon put my club in jeopardy"
"Every thang is good."
"And that's tha way I wanna keep it, enjoy yo night."
She slight rolled her eyes and walked out.
When she took her top off on the main stage and broke one of my rules, I knew right then and thur she was a brakin' tha rules type of bitch. One that was eventually gon have'ta be brought down and reminded of where her place was at Tha Pynk. Afta er'bodyy was gone. I did one last walkthrough and left to get ready for the BBQ.
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"LaMarques! LA-MAR-QUES!" I could hure my mama callin' me way from the kitchen.
I pulled tha chicken off tha smoker and closed the door. I went into tha kitchen and placed the chicken on tha table.
"What is you hollin' fah Shawty?"
"Come taste this" She scooped some greens on a fork and held it out for me to taste. "That shit good ain't it?"
I just shook my head yes and swallowed them. It was nasty, but I didn't wanna hurt ha feelin's. I would just fix it lata when she wasn't lookin.
"See told ya, ya mama gettin' betta bwoy. Soon yo lady gone be comin' to me fa cookin' lessons."
"I'on kno bout all that." I told ha. I went to the refrigerator and pulled out some Smokey Denmarks.
"Why she ain't come with you again?"
"Cause ya'll women take too long to find somethin' to wear and she was all nervous about meetin' you, so I just gave her tha address and dipped. She said she'll be hure soon."
"I'on know why she nervous to meet me. I don't bite, less I have ta."
"Everything about done. She brining tha potato salad and I already made tha mac and cheese, baked beans and deviled eggs, Tru brining tha drinks and Woddy bringin that dessert."
"Oh, speakin of Woddy, I want you to put this on tha smoker for him." She went to that refrigerator and came back with some skewers.
"What is this?"
"Heyell if I kno. I went to tha store and got some tofu and I just came up with this, put it on tha smoker, get some of that smoked bbq flavor and it'll be good."
'I'on know bout all that." I told ha.
We walked out to tha smoker, and I pulled the ribs off and put that tofu shit and the Smokey Denmarks on.
"Yo birthday comin up, what you got planned?"
"Same shit I always do on my birthday. Wake up, get on my knees, and thank God for lettin' me live another year."
"You ought to be talkin' to him more than just on yo birthday."
"He'on be tryin to hear me."
"He hear you and always listenin', you blessed LaMarques , God gave you yo own army on earth that's gon ride Fah you till death and you got an angel in the sky lookin' afta you.
I heard tha doorbell ring and I went to answer tha door. It was Tru and ol' girl from tha club Cliff hired. Soon as my mama saw ol' gurl she snatched ha away from Tru and pulled ha into that kitchen. Me and Tru went to that backyard and sat at that table. He pulled out the Dominoes and we started a game.
"So that's yo lil yeah, yeah?" I ask him.
"Niggah we just chillin."
"She done made it to tha Framily BBQ...Niggah, ya'll fuckin'"
"She fine, no lie but we ain't fuckin. We just chillin'" He pulled out a blunt and lit it.
"YO, I got next." We both looked and saw Woddy comin'.
"Whur Keyshawn?" I asked him when he sat down.
"You kno ya mama snatched ha up soon as we walked in. Talkin' about "you so beautiful."
"She give you heyell about coming huh?"
"Niggah how you know?"
"I know Key, she get like that sometimes."
"She really ain't have a choice cause I told ha I was not about to hear yo mouth."
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"Now Grandmuva you needs to be on yo best behavior."
"Aw, shut up Niggah. A bitch kno how to act." She said gettin' out that car. I hurried ova to ha side to help her.
"See you already showin' out. What's in this bag?" I asked ha. She insisted on carryin' it ha'self and wouldn't let me look inside it.
"None of yo' buizness." It's a gift for Lil' Murda mama." I just rolled my eyes and helped ha up tha porch stairs. I took a deep breath and rang tha doorbell. I was so nervous. All tha otha Niggah I messed with never even brought me around they family let alone they mama. I just hoped she liked me cause I really cared about LaMarques a lot.
"Comin'" A lady opened tha door and looked at me up and down for a minute. I assumed it was his mom. He favored her a bit. She was a bad bitch.
"Hi, I'm Cliff-"She slammed tha door and I just stood there shocked. I started to panic. I didn't know what LaMarques had told ha about me. Did he show ha a picture of me? Was she expecting a hood niggah. I almost turned around and left until I heard LaMarques and her talkin'
"Aye Shawty who that is? Cliff?"
This niggah really called his mama Shawty...
"Niggah, why you ain't tell me she look like that?"
"What cha mean?"
"She's fuckin' gorgeous! Ha hur is laid, do you hure me? Lace Front must have been installed by God himself. Nails on point, face beat and don't even get me started on ha fit."
"Ah shit! Why you hit me?"
"Cause you got me out hure looking crazy in this stupid outfit, you ain't even warn me that she was comin' like that"
"Stop playin' and open tha door." LaMarques told ha. She opened tha door and we walked in.
"I'm so sorry, it's just you took my breath away, your so beautiful and fly. I see why my son is head ova hills for ya."
It felt like a ton of bricks has been lifted off my lungs and I could finally breath.
"Thank you." I smiled. LaMarques came and grabbed my hand.
"Don't go blowin' up ha head. It's tha otha way 'round. She head ova hills fa me." He said and kissed tha back of my hand. I just rolled my eyes.
"Niggah please, she got ya heart in one hand and ya dick in tha otha."
"I kno that's right!" Grandmuva said laughin.
"And you must be Miss. Earnestine."
"That's right baybe. I got chu somethin'" LaMarques mama locked arms with Grandmuva she she looked in tha bag.
"Oh, shoot you got my favorite. Oh yeah, you can definitely come back anytime you want. We gone be best friends. Lamarques show Cliff around, me and Miss. Earnestine bout to get into this right hure." She held up tha bag and they walked off into the backyard.
'What's in that damn bag? I asked LaMarques.
"Why you askin me? She ain't tell you?" He laughed.
"You know ha ass ain't tell me and you and ha is like bestfriends so I know she told you."
"I ain't no snitch." He gave me a kiss and started walkin' towards tha kitchen.
"Oh hol' up. Who is this lil' niggah?"
I stopped and looked at a photo of LaMarques.
"I'on like that picture." He took the picture and put it face down.
"Why not? You were so cute, that was before you had your tats."
"I was fifteen and I don't wanna talk about it." I saw his mood slightly change to a serious mode and I just made a mental note to bring it up at a later time. I looked at anotha picture of him. "Let me find out ya talents go beyond rappin'"
"We both know you kno that fah a fact." He came behind me and got so close his dick was on my ass.
"Bwoy, don't start. We at yo mama house." I told him.
"What that mean? I still got a room hure."
"LaMarques..."
"iigh, iight. Let's go, everybody in tha backyard."
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We had all ate and were stuffed. LaMarques thru down on tha bbq. I was so happy to see Keyshawn out and havin' a good time. Her and Winter got along good. Grandmuva Earnestine and LaMarques mom couldn't stay away from eachotha. I guess she had found herself a new best friend. I was gon have ta break tha news to LaMarques that he was now numba 2. I was so happy; my heart was full.
We were all just sittin' around when LaMarques mom went to tha radio and Bobby Browns- Every Little Step started payin'
"Mama no, we not doin' it." LaMarques said.
"Please one-time fuh me. It's been years."
"He'on kno nothin' bout this good music. He too young, all he kno is that rap." I looked at him smiling.
LaMarques looked at me and then looked at Woddy and Tru. They all got up and started to perform. These niggahs really had that whole routine down pack. You would have though they choreographed that video.
No matter what your friends try to tell ya
We were made to fall in love
And we will be together, any kind of weather
It's like that, It's like that
LaMarques stared at me tha whole time like I was tha only person he saw.
Every little step I take
You will be there
Every little step I make
We'll be together
They finished they routine and LaMarques sat back down.
"You betta stop sleepin' on a niggah." I gently grabbed his face and kissed him.
"Bwoy whur yall learn that!" I asked him laughin.
"Man, mama had us learnin' all them old school routines, she had me, Woddy and Tru in a "group" called L.T.W. use to make us perform every family reunion and get togetha. I told you, I'm an old soul."
"Remind me to ask ha to see some videos. I know she still got'em."
"And that's exactly why a niggah ain't gon remind you." I looked at him and caressed his face.
"I'm so happy, You make me so happy LaMarques."
"I'ma stay makin' you happy and givin' you real life, fah-eva and a day, on earth and in heaven."
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