Chapter 14
"Ms. Nazari, you have a package at the front desk. I repeat there is a package at the front desk for you Ms. Nazari."
Amal sucked her teeth and picked the phone up that sat on her desk. She looked away from the white sheet on her desk and quickly dialed a number before putting the phone to her ear. The phone began to ring as Amal resumed filling out the medical form for her patient.
On the third ring an energetic quirky voice picked up on the other end. "Helloooo?" The voice chirped.
"Hannah there was an announcement on the intercom for me a second ago saying I had delivery. Will you get that for me and bring it to my office, thanks." Amal said to her personal assistant, hanging up without waiting for a reply. Amal sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I swear you could never get anything done around here. They know I'm busy yet they just can't bring it to me. These people..." She mumbled to herself.
Even though Amal was technically on lunch break; she never stopped working. That's how she's always been. Due to her strict parents growing up she was very punctual and serious about her work.
A minute later there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Amal said without looking up.
The door opened and a young bubbly black girl stepped in with something wrapped in blue floral paper. She had a big smile on her face like the gift was for her while she extended it to Amal. Amal looked up just as the girl gave her the package and Amal couldn't help but blush either. Right away she could see it was a personal gift.
Amal ripped the thin sheet of gift paper straight down the middle and pulled out a boutique of roses. The first thing she noticed were the colors. There were a dozen roses. Eleven pink and one red. Attached to the only red rose was a small card. Amal opened it and peered at the small handwriting.
"In every bunch there's one who stands out—and you are that one. From Joseph." Amal's heart fluttered.
"Awww," Hannah cooed, putting one hand on her chest. "That is so sweet. I wish I had a boyfriend."
Amal looked up at her and raised her eyebrow. "Hannah don't you have work to do?"
"Nope," She said popping the third letter. "I'm on break just like you. You called me in here so I came."
"Yeah well I have something for you to do. Paul Edman, go take his X-ray, I'm filling out his medical form right now and I need to see the progress in his bone structure from the last X-ray."
"Gotcha." Hannah said putting up her thumb before exiting the room.
Amal smiled when she was alone and smelled the roses. She got up and turned around to rest them in a pretty water colored vase right behind her desk. Then opened the blinds to let the sun hit them. Amal was a physical therapist, dealing with people who suffered from physical injuries making it difficult for them to fuction on their own without help.
She always wanted to own a bakery; but because her parents didn't play and was stern on the Nazari name having excellent jobs; she had to pick something that was respectable.
Honestly Amal did grow to like her career. It wasn't her first choice, but she did love helping people so over time she grew to accept and like it.
"Tell me why this face has been in my mind all day."
Amal yelped at the smooth voice that suddenly whispered in her ear. Before she could turn aroud two arms found their way around her waist keeping her looking out the window. Even though her heart was pumping like it was trying to break free, she sighed and closed her eyes before reopening them.
"I love the flowers and the message Joseph. That was really sweet." She mumbled, "And you happened to see me right on my lunch break, how lucky for you."
"Mm hm," Casper hummed. He kissed the back of her neck, slipping his left hand inside of her mint green uniform pants.
Amal snickered, turning around in his arms. "Nice try Mr. Talley, I'm not fucking you in my office." She smirked in amusement, removing the hand he had between her thighs that was already secrectly aching for him.
Casper snickered, amused by Amal's front. "Yo' why you playing with me ma," His eyes were full of lust as he looked at Amal's full lips and beautiful brown eyes. He placed his arms on both sides of her trapping her between the desk and himself. "Why you actin' like if I ain't really want you leakin' down my pipe with your legs wrapped around my waist it couldn't happen."
Amal's pussy started throbbing knowing it was true. She had no self control when it came to him and they both knew it. Sighing, she smoothly broke out of his hold and turned around as she began walking backwards in her office.
"Anyways, I've started looking for houses in Saint Louis." She cheesed, trapping her bottom lip in her mouth.
Casper hopped up on top of her desk and stared at her, smirking his self from how happy she seemed. "Oh really..."
"Yes," Amal said animatedly, dragging the word. "I have my eyes on three of them. One I think is the most perfect for us. It's eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, a theater room, an outdoor pool, it has huge land for our backyard and the basement is like a school auditorium. And it's really close to the Forest Park."
"Damn, allat? That's kinda a lot for just me, you and a baby."
Amal huffed. "And a dog honey, don't forget the dog."
"Yeah, and the dog, ma." Casper chuckled, shaking his head.
Amal's cellphone rang in the pocket of her white uniform coat. She pulled it out and Faisal's name was on the screen. She denied the call making options pop up as a suggestion to why the caller was denied. Amal sent the pre text the phone already had as default that read 'I'm busy at the moment, I'll call you back later' then dropped the phone back in her coat pocket. "It was my mother..." She lied, "She probably doesn't want anything important, I'll call her back later."
Amal had been secretly contacting Faisal for a favor ever since she had dinner with him a few weeks ago. Over the friendly dinner she found out that he was a lawyer; so she brought up Brittany. Amal began to explain to him that her "friend" had a restraining order on him over Brittany, who was his little sister and that their mother was strung out on drugs. She asked what would be the best way to go about adopting or gaining custody of the child and Faisal suggested Amal hire a private investigator. She did and for months they've racked up lots of statements from neighbors and video evidence that Debra was an unfit parent and a drug addict. Faisal told her that would definitely be enough for Debra to lose custody of her daughter. And ever since they've been gathering more information against Debra to take to the courts. Amal also wanted to lift Casper's restraining order off of him to gain custody of Brittany, through the courts without him knowing about it. Since her and Faisal both had connections, it was a big possibility of it happening. The reason Amal didn't tell Casper about what she's been doing was because she wanted it to be a surprise.
Casper's dream had always been to move back to his own city in Missouri, which was Saint Louis with her and his sister. After he was established down here in New York, he told her he would be perfectly content with settling down with her and a son back in his own city. Amal knew his dream would be complete if he had Brittany but he already put it in his mind that he couldn't be around her so he never brought her name up when it came to moving and leaving New York.
When she was cleaning his house up a few days ago, Amal had found a hardcover book he purchased from a bookstore about obtaining legal custody; but the book was still wrapped in plastic so he had never opened it. The receipt was near the book and when she looked at the date she happened to see it was a while ago that he bought it. Amal wondered why he never even checked it out. He probably got discouraged already telling himself that it could never happen.
Amal was kind of happy he had that negative mindset. Because then she would get to see the look on his face when she got him his little sister. The one person in the world he adored more than her. Amal really loved Casper and would do anything to make him happy. She wanted to show him that their love was not just a one way street. Her pulling through with this would show that it was not just all about her and she cared about him what made him happy as well.
"Yo' c'mere big head," Casper said noticing her spacing out with a smile on her face.
Amal snapped out of her trance and walked over to him, standing between his legs.
"Why you always got a smile on your face you cradle robber."
Amal frowned making him laugh. "Stop Joseph, I'm not a cradle robber I'm only one year older than you." She mumbled, hating when he made those jokes.
"Yeah you know I'm just fucking with you ma. Stop being all sensitive an' shit." He said back in the same low tone that got her panties wet.
"Mm hm," She said twisting her lips to the side.
"How long you have lunch for?"
"An hour."
"Well I need you to help me. I'on think this is functioning probably and I need you to fix it Ms. Physical Therapist," He said taking her hand and resting it on the zipper of his True Religion jeans.
"I can't help underaged boys with those type of problems. I'm too old for you remember?" She winked, playfully tapping him on the face.
Casper snickered and licked his lips out of habit, "Oh you got jokes huh." He pulled her into his body by her wrist with a firm pull, and she hit his chest, making their noses brush against each other.
"Yes, now get out, mommy is busy." She said pecking him on the lips.
Casper just looked down at her lips before taking the bottom one into his mouth. He sucked on it like it was personally his. Amal tried to pull back but he had a firm grip on her and soon after he started hearing soft moans. He got up, one hand still holding onto her wrist as the other one slowly snaked behind her lower back to pull her in closer. Their kiss deepened as his tongue slid inside her mouth. Amal gripped his shirt as he sucked on her tongue causing moisture to run down her inner thighs.
She cursed Casper in her head. She was at work and it was the most uncomfortable place to walk around with wet panties.
"Baby stop." Amal hummed weakly.
Casper smoothly picked her up and turned them around resting her on top of her desk. His mouth went for the crock of her neck, nibbling as he smoothly pulled her uniform pants down to her ankles.
"No baby we ca-"
"Sshh," He whispered, sending a heat wave down Amal's spine. "Don't ever tell me when I could have my pussy." He mumbled in her ear possessively. He moved her panties to the side and pulled her to the edge of the desk until their pelvis' touched. He positioned his rock hard tool that was already leaking pre-cum at her entrance, then used his swollen penis head to part her pussy lips.
Knock! Knock!
Amal jumped like she had springs under her feet and instinctively pushed Casper back even though the door was locked. She hopped off her desk and quickly pulled her panties and pants back up in one smooth motion.
Casper sighed, pulling his boxers and pants back up, but doing it much slower than her.
"Umm...Ms. Nazari, I know you're on lunch break but our Supervisor just asked if you could cut it short. We have a lot of patients today." Hannah said.
Never had Amal found that voice so irritating until now. She huffed, trying to regain control of her breath. "Yes Hannah, I will be out. Just give me a minute."
Amal shook her head and turned toward Casper who stared at her blankly. He sighed, putting his forehead against hers. She gazed into his see through eyes getting so turned on. He got her so hot and bothered and if she didn't just see it herself seconds before, she wouldn't believe his dick was hard from his cool demeanor. "Well...imma get going shawty and let you work." He kissed her on the lips then started walking backwards toward the door. "Imma be chillin' all night in the projects tonight so I'm coming back like three, four, five in the mornin', but I want you at my house tonight. Make sure right after work you there."
"Yes dad. And please be safe out there!" She shouted after him.
"Yeah I got'chu. I love you."
"I love you too."
**************
Santana paced back and forth in the living room of his apartment, shaking his head in approval to no one in particular. He was high off a type of marijuana called Jock Horror as he gathered his thoughts. He couldn't get his thoughts straight about what had been on his mind for a while, so after waking up from a nap he came out to smoke in hopes it would help him think better.
Already dressed in all black, Santana was becoming more and more ready by the second to execute his plan. The weed surprisingly gave him a clear mind and had him feeling energetic, but not in a hyperactive way. "Yeah, fuck it. Imma do this shit!" Santana said to himself.
Waking up to an empty bed Creanna made her way into the living room yawning and rubbing her sleepy eyes. When Santana saw her he ran over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Cre baby, I got another come up for us."
Creanna jerked her head back and looked around their apartment and back at Santana when she realized the entire place smelled like a skunk had ran rampant and the smell tried to be covered up with lemons. When she looked into his eyes she could tell he was high. Creanna didn't mind if he smoked, if that's what he liked it was fine with her, but she didn't appreciate the smell. He was smart enough to open the windows but it didn't really make a difference.
"In the apartment Santana, really?" Creanna mumbled, annoyed. He usually smoked, but whatever he smoked usually had no smell or was something fruity. It was obvious he was on something different because it didn't smell too good.
"Ma, I know where Mid-West Casper keep his guns and drugs. I-I know baby and imma rob em'!" Santana said, shaking her shoulders; his voice full of energy.
Creanna stared at him for a second then scoffed, rubbing her eyes that still held sleep. "Right." She said sarcastically, "You have fun with that baby." She broke out of his hold and went into the fridge to find something to eat.
"I'm telling you ma, I still have the four grand you gave me. I could save that until I get enough to buy a whole key. And I could take his drugs at the same time too---sell that, and make more money. And I know imma break bank too 'cause that shit he got is rare. Some other type of shit. Cocaine called Coca Negra."
Creanna sighed, "Alright babe." She said knowing he was just high as hell and talking crazy.
Santana smiled and nodded his head. "Aight ma, I-I'm going right now."
Creanna put her hand up and smiled without showing teeth, raising her eyebrows to return his goodbye to him. Santana gave her his cute boyish smile that held a nervous look to it before he was out the door. Creanna shook her head knowing he was probably gonna ride around on his motorcycle like an ass before he was back in the house in the next thirty minutes. He wasn't that stoned enough to where he couldn't function; but Creanna just hoped he didn't get hurt in the high state he was in.
************
Santana pulled the bright orange stolen 2003 Volvo minivan at the side of the storage house. He had hotwired the random van a block away from his apartment building for transportation. He knew it would be stupid to bring his motorcycle because he was betting what Casper had in here couldn't be carried back with him on two wheels; and he wasn't trying to get his own bike traced back to him by cops or Casper, if he happened to get spotted by anyone.
Santana remembered the girl that was here last time. The Middle Eastern chick with the smart ass mouth; the one who was potentially one of his boss' bitches. Looking up at the door of the house Santana ran a hand over his mouth. Come on nigga, let's do this. Don't bitch out. He told himself. He nodded his head at his own words then let out an encouraging sigh.
Since there was no key in the ignition and he wasn't planning on staying long anyway, he opened the van and got out leaving the car running. Santana made sure to wear gloves so his handprints wouldn't be all over the place.
He quickly jogged around the car and looked around before opening the trunk. He knew he was being bold as fuck. It was twelve o' clock in the afternoon and this wasn't even his neighborhood. Casper could have goons on deck anywhere watching him right now; but the game was about taking chances and if he wanted to get his name up he had to put the work in.
He grabbed the two extra large black duffel bags he bought at a Sporting store in his neighborhood and closed the trunk, casually walking up to the house.
Santana's palms were beginning to sweat inside his leather gloves. He dropped the bags near his feet and made sure his back was to the outside of everyone, discreetly pulling the 8' inch Chef's knife he took from his house. It was Creanna's favorite knife but that was the last thing on his mind right now.
Images of all the dudes that were also in the house the last time he came here entered his mind. And he suddenly pictured his head getting blown off as soon as he stepped through the door. But somehow he never stopped sliding the knife between the door to try and pry it open.
Come on, come on, come on...Santana thought, not wanting to seem too suspicious for standing there too long having trouble opening the door. It was just his luck when the door creaked open seconds later. "Oh shit..." He mumbled, he quickly slid the knife back under his shirt in a way it wouldn't cut him and picked up the duffel bags.
He gulped, looked around the block one last time to make sure nobody was watching him before he cautiously stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Santana turned the lights on and looked around to a dead silence. The place was just as he remembered. Empty. Only a gray fur love seat couch sat against the wall, with a picture of green grass tacked up on the wall right above the couch, and a sink along with a conjoined marble counter top which was rooted into the ground inside the kitchen.
He knew for sure this was the place he got the drugs from last time. He wondered if there was more drugs here or if they had already been removed. Not coming to stand around and play the guessing game, Santana briskly walked to the back still being light on his feet in case someone was inside the house. He took the gun from his waistband and began going door to door, scared shitless.
Santana wasn't a killer so he was honestly nervous about potentially having to kill somebody. Not everybody in the game was a killer. You could be a hustler, a killer or both; but Santana had no shame in saying he rather just stick to making his money.
There was one last door that happened to be locked. Santana quickly slid his gun in his waistband and pulled out his knife again. He knew the drugs had to be in here. There was no other reason the door would be locked. Plus this was a flat house, there was no upstairs or downstairs so it couldn't be anywhere else. He cracked open the door and just as he suspected, he hit the jackpot. "Damn..." He mumbled in fascination.
Guns of all shapes and sizes were hung up on the walls like sneakers at a FootLocker. It was like a mini gun store. But the guns didn't interest Santana. His eyes darted around and he could tell this was the master bedroom. He went over to a door and opened it and nearly jumped back when hard black rectangle shaped things came tumbling out. He stared at it for a minute realizing it was the drugs. The Coca Negra.
Santana smiled and got on his knees hastily unzipping his duffel bags. Stealthy and hastily he began to pack the bricks of cocaine in the oversized travel bags. In five minutes Santana had cleaned out the entire closet of product with space still left in one of the large duffel bags. Just to make sure he checked every other crease and crevice in the room. There was nothing else, signaling that was it.
Zipping the bags back up, Santana walked out of the house, resting one bag down quickly to close the door that just creaked back open anyway.
He picked it back up and walked over to the van with the bags in his hands and his head low. He packed them in the trunk and closed it before hopping back in the driver's seat on his way back home, managing to speed away with fifty keys of rare cocaine.
*************
Creanna got a fork from the dish rack and went into the living room with her fruit cup. She sat on the couch Indian-style in her purple t-shirt and black shorts skimming through the tv channels on her 40' inch flat screen television. Since she hardly watched TV, she settled on a show called Ridiculousness on MTV.
Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and she had her reading glasses on. Just how she liked to be when she was relaxing. Creanna hummed while she ate the cold fruit cup. The show was about videos of people getting hurt so Creanna didn't really like it that much but the commentary was funny so it kept her attention.
"Mmm!" Creanna winced at a Caucasian teen male who fell down a flight of stairs trying to do a trick on his bike. The audience laughed as the video was rewinded, pausing at the part the teen was in mid-air. The commentator made jokes before the video resumed showing him fall for a second time. "My God..." Creanna mumbled with a mouth full of fruit just as her phone started to ring in the back.
She put her cup of peaches down and jogged to the back and took her cellphone off the charger. She saw it was under 'Casper' and smiled. She had changed it from the crazy name he put in there because she was a Christian and didn't think 'That big dick nigga' was appropriate to have in her phone.
She sat on her bed and answered on the forth ring. "Hello?"
"Skylar Diggins, what's good." He said calling the name of a famous female basketball player.
Creanna chuckled and began to play with the silver stud earring in her left ear. "I'm not Skylar Diggins..." She mumbled. "And I'm just watching TV." She said.
"Word? Whatchu watching? It better be a show with no niggas in it!"
Creanna giggled at his silliness, pushing her glasses up further up on her nose before she went back to playing with her stud earring. "What?" She laughed. "What kind of show would that be? Sorry to hurt your feelings but the show does have guys in it. I'm watching Ridiculousness."
He smacked his lips together. "Oh aight. You lucky, them niggas cool so they get a pass."
Creanna giggled not knowing why she found his humor a hundred times funnier than it was.
"Well I got somethin' I think you might like. It's a one in a lifetime chance—people would go crazy for this but I like you so imma only offer this to you."
"Okay?" Creanna said still with a little bit of laughter in her voice.
"How would you..." He paused for dramatic effect, making Creanna clap a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't start laughing uncontrollably. "Like to...hang out with me, right now."
It was quiet for half a second until Creanna spoke up, "Uh...I think I'll pass." She said unable to control her laughter. She fell back on the bed just imagining the face he made thinking he got swerved.
"Wow..." Casper said dragging the word out with a big smile on his face. "Forreal ma that's how you feel?"
After Creanna calmed down seconds later she shook her head like he could see her. "No I was just playing."
"Aight coo'. You said you don't have a lot of friends and I'm free right now so how bout' I come scoop you up so we could chill out."
"Really?" She asked sounding more excited than she should have been. She scolded herself in her head right after realizing how thirsty she sounded.
It was just she was eager to hang out with him after they played ball together last time. It was just one of those rare connections they had when you felt like you knew someone forever. Creanna wasn't in love with Casper or anything like that, he was just really cool.
"Yeah we could hang out shawty, really." He snickered.
"Okay."
"Aight ma. Macy Projects right?" He asked not remembering if she was the one who lived in that hood or if it was one of his jump-off's neighborhoods.
"Yeah, that's my area." Creanna said less embarrassed to say it unlike last time.
"Yeah you right I'm buggin' cause you live close to my sister housing projects..." He mumbled to himself, "But look I'm on my way. And I liked that thing you did last time where you hurried the fuck up," He chuckled. "No one likes a female who takes forever to get ready. Hint hint, I'm tryna tell you to hurry up baby."
Creanna smiled. "I got your hint."
Casper snickered. "Aight then, cool. Meet me outside in fifteen minutes."
When he hung up Creanna shot a quick text to Santana letting him know she was going to be with Casper when he came back to the apartment and she wasn't here.
Creanna went to her closet in search of clothes. It was afternoon time and bright and sunny out. At seventy-five degrees it was warm but she didn't wanna overdo it and put something on meant more for eighty or ninety degree weather. So she put on a blue tank top with knee length dark blue denim Levi shorts with her white tennis shoes. She took her hair down and combed it out then brushed her teeth, applying lip gloss right after. She took two minutes in her bathroom mirror to make sure she was put together before she grabbed her cellphone and left her apartment.