Patrice's POV
"Mayor Woodbine don't ya think you taking this a lil too far?"
Here I was sitting up in front of this city council tryna convince them that certain establishments should not be in this city. Then I remembered who I was na. I'm the mayor of Chucalissa and I ain gotta convince nobody of shit!
"It's Mayor bishop to you. And per your observation no I don't think I'm taking this too far. This here is my city and I don't want nun up in it that isn't up to my standards. As the council I would hope y'all would agree."
"We agree on that part but Mayor...Mayor Bishop we just can't go forcing deserving folks outta there property."
"Since when them folks over there deserving?"
"Since both them folks you talm bout own there land. Listen we think..."
"It don't matter what y'all think I said....
"Mayor bishop?"
"What Denise? Don't you see I'm busy?" I said looking back at her, this girl stayed interrupting me.
"Yes Mayor bishop but the deacon is on the line and he said he wants to talk to you."
"Alright tell him I'll be there in a minute."
Damn this heffa stay up my ass.
"Na Where Wayne Kyle? He needs be here fa this shit!"
"Listen Mayor bishop we can pick this up next week, most of us have things to do." The council said tryna walk out.
Was these niggas serious? They better be glad I ain in no bad mood.
"Listen y'all we can talk more about this at our next meeting but fa right na just thank bout why I said."
"We will." They said rudely walking out my office. I don't care what them niggas say my city is my city and what I say is gon come to pass.
Big Murda's POV
After I got off the phone wit my momma last night I can't say I believed a word she said, but I did wanna give her a chance. Sum started telling me she may be serious this time.
"Lamarques you okay?"
I ain wanna lie to Cliff bout nun of this shit. Before I meet wit my momma today I gotta tell her why. Why I feel the way I feel towards her.
"Cliff, naw I'm not alright."
"What's wrong?" She said turning over in the bed to face me. Then she put her hand on my face and started caressing it. My eyes started to fill wit tears. "Lamarques, Ion like seeing you cry na. What's up?"
"Cliff, can I tell you sum...?"
"Of course. You know you can tell me anythang. Na what's on ya mind?"
"Listen the reason Ion talk to my momma is......."
*FLASHBACK*
"Lamarques?! Where you been all night huh? I been calling ya phone and you wasn't responding! You know what time it is?!"
"Yeah I know what time it is Ma."
"If you know what time it is you know yo ass shoulda been back home hours ago!"
I just wanted to run upstairs but because of what I was doing I couldn't.
"Why you walk in like that Lamarques? You act like sum wrong." She said looking me up and down. She wasn't wrong, sum was wrong. I was out all night making money. Sum I had to do. The lil bank she was bringing in wit that lil job of hers wasn't bringing in shit and we needed to eat for two not one.
"Ma don't worry bout all dat, I'm back now so what's the problem."
"Mmmmm, Lamarques you really needa watch ya mouth." She said letting her grip on my shirt go walking in the living room to sit back down on the couch and smoke her cigarette.
"I see you still smoking them thangs."
"Keeps me calm."
"Yeah, I know why you gotta stay calm."
"What's that supposed to mean baby bwoy?!" She said getting up pointing her cigarette at me.
"Well err since dad left yeen been yaself, you been all high key and on the wire."
"You needa worry bout yaself." She said walking away from me.
"Wish I could but I can't cause I'm too busy worried bout this family!" I shouted putting my hands in the air.
"Whatchu mean worried bout this family? Huh Marques? You think you can take better care of this family then me?"
"Yeah, actually I do and I am."
"Just how in the heyell you doing that?" She asked me wit an attitude.
"Wit this!" I said slamming a stack on our kitchen table.
"Marques....Marques where you get this money?! That's why you walking funny? Whatchu been out here doing Marques?!"
Instead of answering her I just started walking upstairs to my room and before I knew it she started following me.
"Marques! Answer me! You been out here tricking?" She asked holding my face in the palm of her hands looking at my watery eyes. I couldn't speak. She backed away from me wit a look of disgust in her eyes.
"Marques...you gotta go."
"Go? Whatchu mean go?"
"You can't stay here. I can't have this around me."
"Around you. Fuck you mean?!"
"Watch ya mouth boy."
"Watch my mouth?! Watch my mouth?! What are you saying to me right now ma?"
"I'm saying" she said getting in my face "You gotta go and ya can't stay here!" She turned her back on me and went back down the steps. I followed her and chased her
"So that's it? You just gon kick me out? Huh? When I need you the most you just gon kick me out Ma?!"
"Yeah, Lamarques get yo shit and get gone!"
*BACK IN REAL TIME*
"So you see Cliff. You see why I'm so hesitant to let her back in my life. When I needed her the most she ain want no parts of me. So why she want sum parts of me na?" I asked crying in her arms.
"Lamarques, listen okay...she feels bad I'm guessing since she wanna reconcile."
"What if I don't wanna reconcile Cliff?"
"Don't try fa her, try fa you. Listen you only get one momma, I know that better than anyone. You don't know what she was going through back then."
"Are you tryna sit up here and tell me she wasn't wrong Cliff?!"
"No Marques that's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is here her out fa you make a decision."
"Yeah I guess you right."
"You know I am." She said kissing me on my cheek tryna get up.
"Where you going Cliff?" I asked kissing her neck. I knew that was her soft spot.
"Marques, I'm going to check on Granmuva..."
"Stay a lil bit..."
"Bwoy you have me to yaself errynight, lemme go check on my Granmuva."
"Alright den, but we gon finish this later." I said slapping her ass as she got up.
*DIALING MA❤️...*
"Hey Marques, you finally made up ya mind?"
"Yeah you can say that. Listen if you really wanna talk you can slide on to my spot by 8 I'll send you the addy."
"Alright, I'm glad you changed ya mind."
"I ain saying all dat yet, just slide."
"Alright I'll see you tonight." She said hanging up.
I just hope after tonight wit my momma she'll see where I'm coming from.
Big L's POV
*DIALING CLIFFORD🙄🤯...*
"Big L? What the heyell? Why you calling me so early fa?."
"Clifford mane I wanted to see if you was stopping by the club later tonight."
"Yeah I'll be there why?"
"Tonight the Pynk Booty battle mane."
"You stay coming up wit shit Big L!"
"We gotta keep the money niggas rolling in here sumhow. Anyway I just wanted to let you know that sum new bitches was gon be rolling in here fa tonight."
"Well thanks fa that Big L, listen if I don't see you just make sure errythang stay under control."
"I gotcha boss." I said hanging up the phone.
Lemme head over to this club early to get things set up.
Roulette's POV
Damn it's been days since I've heard from Whisper. Where this bitch at?
"Aye Duffy I'm gonna go slide over to Whisper's. I'll hit you back laters."
"Hey Hey Hey... where my kiss"
I ran up and gave him a kiss and headed over to her house.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
As I knocked on the door she wasn't answering.
"Whisper! You okay girl? Is someone in there?"
Before I knew it she opened the door. And she ain't seem like herself. All I seen was her bags packed at the door.
"Sis, where you going?"
"Roulette, babes.. I gotta go."
"Whatchu mean you gotta go? Where you going? Why you leaving?" I asked her seriously.
"Ion know. But I can't stay here. It's time for me to go."
"Whisper this ain making no sense na! What's going on?" I asked her concerned.
"Someone, I thought I left in my past. He found me."
"Listen Whisper I told you I was gon protect you girl. Well dead this nigga don't worry".
"No, Roulette it ain like that."
"Ohh... Well damn. Whisper if you know this nigga what you so spooked out for?"
"I ain spooked. I'm just done."
"Listen don't let no nigga run you out ya house. This home na. We family. Just don't give that nigga any time of day. Listen I got chu." I told her leaning in for a hug. But before I could wrap my arms around her she started crying... then screaming. She was mad, I ain't never seen her this mad before.
"Listen Whisper you can stay wit me for a few days Duffy's there so you'll be safe" I told her.
"I ain worried about being safe, I know he'll never put his hands on me he ain rocking like that, I just want him to leave me alone....but knowing him he ain gon do that. Listen Imma just stay here" and she started to act like herself again. "Thanks Roulette."
"If you sure that's what you wanna do okay. Just know all you gotta do is call me and I'll be here fa you girl. Now let's go make this money sis"
"Wait on me... I'll be right out" she said.
Ner nigga was gon stop Whisper from staying where she wanted to be. I was gon have her back fa life.
Whisper's POV
Standing here putting on the rest of my makeup and perfume to tie this look together my mind drifted to that night.
*FLASHBACK*
Text messages...
Me: Hey baby I'm on the way to the crib, I picked up that milkshake you like while I was out.
Rod🥰🥵:.....
Hummm he must be still typing.
I parked my car infront of our apartments and when I did I could feel the aura shift. It felt like my heart sunk in my stomach. The closer and closer I got to the crib the feeling was getting stronger and stronger, so strong I ain even wanna open the door.
Still staring at myself in the mirror I started looking at my body, my face, errthang. Thanking why wasn't I good enough back then.
*DOOR TURNING AS IT UNLOCKS*
"Rod..." I dropped the milkshake on the floor and started stepping away. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He stopped when he realized I was standing right there. All I heard was her laughing.
My face was turnt up real bad. Was this man serious? Got me out buying him milkshakes and shit while he doing this. I started running to my car and he just followed me. I turned around and started getting in his ass.
"So this what you been doing Rod, this how you treat me? And wit the bitch I work wit!" I said pushing his chest.
"Whis, please, please just let me explain." He said tryna pull me closer to him.
"Explain?! EXPLAIN?! Bwoy bye." I said unlocking the car. "You know I gotta look this woman in her face erryday, meanwhile I'm looking stupid cause you up here fucking her ass!!!" I just seen red and I kept hitting him.
"C'mon Whis, Please! I'm sorry okay!"
Here the bitch was following us outside. "You coming back baby?" She asked waving from my mafuckin' house. I was so heated. I looked at him then at her, and this mane had the nerve to turn around and look at her like he was gon say sum shit.
" Well it look like you boutta be busy." I said pointing my finger in his face. "Move Rod."
"Where you going?"
"Sumwhure far from here. You don't need me here nomo right? Ole girl can take care of you."I said starting up the car.
"Don't put words in my mouth."
"You can't want me here, not after that. She was doing a good enough job from what I saw."
"Listen the shit just happend Whis."
"Just happend? JUST HAPPENED? Fuck all that, move" I told him pushing his hand off my car.
"Listen it was a mistake, but you know that already I know you feel it." He said.
"Just how I felt what you was doing, you liked that shit Rod!"
"Whatchu want me to say?"
"I don't want you to say nun. Na get away from my car."
"Whis..."
"So you want me to run you over?" I asked him mean mugging him, till he finally backed away.
*BACK IN REAL TIME*
That's how I found myself out here. It was the best decision I ever made. I can't thank bout that shit right now. Lemme go on and go.
Me and Roulette was here at the Motel and it was time to make this money. To be honest after last night I couldn't get my mind off Rod. Turning this trick tonight was gon be hard wit him being back in town. We was connected. My chain.... He gave it to me the first time he told me he loved me. It's a joint chain wit his. That's what he meant last night when he asked "why you still wearing my chain if you ain't want me to find you"? Honestly I ain't never wanna take it off. Even after that night...
We were walking in the motel and Roulette talked to the guy, laid down the rules, and went and waited in the bathroom. This guy gave an aura off like the rest of them. He wasn't bout shit. But as I was fucking him sum funny happened. I was on top riding him and all of a sudden I seen his face. Rod's face. The moment started becoming pleasurable. Bright lights was shining over me and I knew I was close. Like I said when it came to Rod my intuition was off.
"Fuck!!!" I screamed while I was riding this nigga. I was boutta cum. Normally I don't. He must've been trying to reach me through my chain. I know the shit sound weird but that's what it is. I couldn't break our soul tie no matter how many times I tried after that night...
The nigga was done and he handed me the money and left. Roulette came outta the bathroom saying....
"Bitchhhhhh! It sounded like you was out here enjoying yourself"! She said smiling.
"Yeah I... I think I was. Here" I said handing her her cut. "Let's get outta here".
Toys POV
"Nawl Ion thank Uncle Clifford here tonight Ion see her car or her nowhure around here."
"Alright Toy good, listen just do what we talked about. You sure she gon wanna be part of this shit?" Roulette asked.
"Awe I'm sure na, and once I tell her how much money she could make she gon be on board."
"Just don't let Big L see you."
"I know. Imma hit you later when it's done."
"Alright gurl, me and Whisper sliding."
"Alright talk to y'all soon."
I just got off the phone wit Roulette and I brought it up to her that I thought one of the girls at the club would be interested in this fast money. Guess I better do what it do then. While I was walking in the back entrance I ain see no security . "Humm I wonder where Diamond at?"
"Toy gurl! That's you!"
Shit did I say that out loud?
"Hey gurl you was just who I was looking for."
"What's up!" She said hugging me. "I ain seent you in a minute. I ain thank Uncle Clifford was gon keep her word bout you not coming back round here. Me and the girls been missing you."
"I miss y'all too." I said putting my head down, I really did miss it here my framily.
"Awe gurl, what did you wanna talk to me about?"
Big Murda's POV
"Ayo Cliff? I'm headed out" I had told Cliff earlier that I was gon head to the trap house to go meet LaTanya. Shit I was nervous.
"Lamarques!" She said rushing down the stairs. "Baby just remember who you are okay.... I know you nervous cause I know you, but you got this" She said giving me a long kiss.
I'm so glad I got Cliff in my life. She be keeping a nigga level headed fa real.
I kissed her lips.
"What's was that for?" She asked smiling.
"Fa listening, Fa being there, Fa everythang."
"Lamarques imma always be here fa you, you my man..."
"Oooo say it again." I said kissing her neck.
"Marques..."
"Aht Aht I wanna hear you say it again." I said grabbing her ass in my hand.
"You my man..."
"And you my shawty. Alright y'all imma slide over there, I'll be back quick fast" I said heading out the door.
Later at the traphouse....
"Aye Murda that's you?"
"Wassup mane" I said dabbing up one of my customers.
"You still rolling wit that good good?" He asked.
"You already know, lemme bring it out to you." I walked in the house and grabbed sum hydro for the dude and went back outside. "Here mane" I said dabbing him up placing the weed in his hand while he traded it for the cash. While he was walking away I seen my momma getting out the car. "Fuck!" I said annoyed.
"I see you out here slanging shit huh?" She asked walking up to me.
"Ma you wanna talk or not, cause I could be Sumwhure else right na."
Her annoyed face turned into a casual one as she said "I came to talk so imma follow ya lead baby bwoy".
We walked up on the porch and inside the trap house.
"So this where you staying?" She said picking up some of my clothes off the couch I had left there, all while looking around. Honestly she had sum nerve saying shit. It's because of her I had to go live on my own so young.
I just looked at her annoyed and said "this used to be my crib but it's not nomo."
"Hummm." She said looking back over at me.
"That's not why you here though. You said you wanted to talk so talk."
"Look at you." She said walking up to me "You still do that same thang you used to do when you was younger. Part of me like to thank you got pulling on ya nose when you nervous from me."
Instead of saying anything I just looked deep into her eyes and before I knew it my eyes started watering.
"Listen, Marques I'm here to apologize. You know face to face" she said trying to rub my face but I pulled away.
"Why you wanna apologize now for? When I needed you back then you ain't want no parts of me. Now you wanna come on through here talking bout you sorry. What I'm supposed to do with that Ma?" I asked her seriously.
"You right! I ain't want no parts of that! But that don't mean I ain't want no parts of you bwoy". She said angrily, but then she took a deep breath and said "Listen looking at you that night reminded me of thangs, thangs I wanted to keep buried Lamarques. It ain't have nothing to do wit you. I need you to understand that." she said hollering at me. She looked like she was gon cry. So I just stood there and let her finish. "Listen, I wanna be here now. What's done is done I can't change that. Just know I wanna make up for it."
What she was saying was foreign. All these years I ain't never heard her open up like this.
"Ma I can't promise anything right na, I need time. Just know I hear you... now I gotta go." I told her and I escorted her out the house and back to her car.
"I see you moving up" I told her looking at her Mercedes Benz .
"Yeah it's just a lil ole sum to get me around". She said smirking back at me.
I opened her door for her and let her get in the car.
"Ma?"
"Yeah..."
"Even though you did what you did, I'm still glad...glad..." I couldn't keep my words straight and I had tears in my eyes.
She just grabbed my face and said... "Hey, I already know what you gon say. These past few years without you been hard. Ain a day that go by where my heart ain bleed for you, that's why I kept calling these past few weeks."
I couldn't even speak and I felt like she was telling the truth.
"Whenever you ready I'll be here okay?"
"Alright Ma..."
Maybe she really did want a second chance. Only time would tell.
LaTanya's POV
*FLASHBACK*
"So you really gots to go?"
"Tanya....Yeah I gotta go..." he said. Did he really have to go though? All this running he was doing...we was doing, it's tearing this family apart.
"You sure you got to, or you want to? Listen I ain stupid Tony! If there's someone else just say that!"
"What's that posed to mean? Huh?! You know why I have to! And you know damn well there's no one else!"
"Oh do I? Ya can't convince me of that and you can't convince me leaving ya boy and his mom to fend for themselves is a good idea!" I said getting all up in his face, sometimes I swear that's the only language he understands. "Listen ain you tired of running Tony? I know I am! I ain gon let you keep putting this family through this! Lamarques needs you, erry boy need his father!"
"He young so he'll understand!"
"You think that's a good enough reason to leave? I can't raise a boy on my own Tony and I shouldn't have to! We took a vow baby..." I said holding his face close to mine, our heads were touching as I cried. "Don't leave Tony, don't leave ya family."
Lil did I know my pleading wasn't gon change his mind.
He just kissed me on the forehead and grabbed his bag and left. I heard footsteps running back up the stairs. "Shit! Lamarques must've heard us!"
I ran up the stairs behind him to his room. He was only ten years old. He wasn't gon understand.
"Baby..."
"So he's really gone mama?"
"Baby..." I didn't know what to say. Tony selfish ass don left me to pick up the pieces of our sons broken heart, and this ain the first time. Him being involved in this game put a target on his back on our backs. That's why we've been on the run for so long. Marques ain neva have no stable life since he was in pampers.
"Why couldn't he stay? Why couldn't we go wit him? We always go wit him!"
"Baby yo daddy ain want us to have to run like him, he want us to enjoy life." Ion know why I was lying, to protect him I guess.
"Ma what we gon do without him?"
"We gon make it!" I told him and from that day forward I did the only thing I could do to take care of this family.
A few days later...
"Hi Mrs Harrison."
"Yes this is she."
"Yeah I'm just calling about the job you applied fa here over at Taffe's"
"Yeah."
"You got the job."
"Oh shit!"
"Mam'"
"I'm sorry, did I say that out loud? My bad."
"It's all good, is it okay if you start tomorrow?"
"Yeah that works fa me."
"See you then."
Damn I really got the job, I ain thank I would seeing as I don't have no experience. I ain never have to work cause Tony always took care of us but since he gon I gotta start taking care of us. I know I won't be making a lot of money but it's better than nun.
A few days had passed after I started working over at Taffe's and me and Marques was barely getting by. I was starting to miss our old life where money was in reach, then I started thinking bout Tony. Thinking bout him made me close to spiraling into depression, so I stopped thanking bout em' that is until a few years later...
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
I went to go get the door and it was two officers. I already knew what they was gon say. They either found him and he was locked up or he was dead.
After that night I froze in time. It's like the world stopped wobbling round. I was really on my own now. And how was I gon tell Marques he ain have no daddy nomo? By the time I got the news Marques was fifteen going on sixteen. Marques started staying out late at night, sometimes he would walk in the house at midnight or later. That one night I decided to wait up for him changed our whole relationship. Lil did I know my baby boy would one day find himself caught in the life. I ain wanna think the worst but what I seen wit my own eyes broke me.
That night I made the worst mistake of my life.The reason I kicked Lamarques out that night was not just because he was out here tricking but because I used to be out doing the same thing. After his daddy left that's what I was doing before I got the job over at Taffe's. I got too tired of it so that's why I stopped. That and the fast money was too addicting.
Someone's POV
"Alright Toy, imma have to get back to you on that one" I told her as she left the club. Honestly thanking bout her offer right na don't seem too bad, especially wit errythang going on. All of a sudden I felt a slap on my arm.
"Girl! I know you ain really gon go through wit this shit!"
"Gurl you wasn't posed to be listening! Anyway what's so wrong wit it? Listen this money good too but I need more now especially wit errythang going on at home." I said looking back at her
"Listen just be careful, did Toy say who it was wit anyway?"
"Naw, not yet she said I'd know when they came to scoop me" when I said that I seen the rest of the girls walking in the locker room "shushhh" I said as we both looked at the locker room entrance. "Nobody can know bout this shit okay...." It took her a while to respond cause she was just looking at me all sad and shit.
She finally hugged me and said "Yeen gotta worry bout it. I ain gon tell no one".
"Tell no one what?" Brazil asked walking up to us.
"Nun girl, let's just get ready fa this next set."
Cliffs POV
"Yeah y'all get ready for that next set!" I said walking in the locker room.
"UNCLE CLIFFORD!!!" The girls said running up to me. "Where you been?"
"Y'all act like I was not here the other night!" I said laughing.
"All that time you spending wit yo son feel like we hardly see you." Monroe said rearranging the floss behind the desk.
"Awe heffa, you know I love y'all." I said winking at her. "Seem like errybody here cept...where Dianna at ya'll?"
"Member she don't work tonight Uncle Clifford." Jupiter said.
"Hummm, well I hope Ion have to go out there on that floor cause wit my lil titties and fat ass Ion know what y'all gon do!"
"Aht, Uncle Clifford!"
"What?"
"You sure yo son would let you do all that?" Monroe asked.
"Gurl, last time I checked this is my club! But you right though lemme fall back. Hooch on heffas."
After the girls left I decided to talk to Monroe and see how errythang been going. "What y'all been up to round here? Where Big L?"
"He in the office thanking he running shit! But we been missing you boo, seem like you ain around as much nomo."
"Well Monroe that's why I want you here, you my Ace Boon Coon so I know you gon make sure errythang straight fa me."
"You know I will." She said coming in for a hug.
"Na I gotta get back home, but I'll be here tomorrow. And tell Big L I'll see him later."
"You sure you gon be here?" She asked me laughing.
"Heffa! Bye!"
Big L's POV
"Ion even know why we steady stay taking on mo bitches".
"Brazil don't worry bout that, just hit that floor."
It was a lot of gurls in line tonight waiting for the next spot.
"What's yo name?"
"They call me Full stack baby."
"Is that right?" I asked her looking her up and down.
"That's right boo."
"Well I guess we'll see Whatchu got when you get up on that stage, member you only got two minutes to turn up so make it count."
"Oh imma make it count boss man..."
Mercedes POV
Sitting here at my kitchen table I'm looking at the papers Patrice gave me the other night. Is this shit real? Why now? I started to cry, cry so much my tears were falling on the pages. I looked over at lil mama, she was in her room on her phone. This all I ever wanted for her to be wit me, where she belong.
"Mama?" She spotted me crying from her room. I quickly hid the papers back in one of my kitchen cabinets. "Mama why you crying?"
"Awe it ain nun baby. What's up wit you, how ya day was today?"
"Awe it was good..."
"Just good?" I asked her laughing pulling her closer to me.
"Yeah Mama" she said hysterically laughing, I love her smile.
"How bout we go out and get sum food tonight, maybe we can even stop by Miss Dianna's. How you feel bout that?"
"Yes to the food, and Mama I'm starting to like Miss Dianna."
I was surprised to say the least when she said that but happy to hear it.
"Let's go then."
I still ain't know how to tell Dianna what I did last year. I killed Montavious and the only other people that knew was Uncle Clifford and Hailey and I know that bitch ain't never coming back. After we got the food we pulled up at her house... and when we did...
"What the fuck!"
"Mama what's wrong?" T asked cause I had turned the car off and didn't pull in the driveway.
I couldn't answer her cause I couldn't speak.