Tamel pulled his jeep up to the curb and turned off his engine. He looked around and then got out of the driver's seat.
He looked at the building that was once his old promising business before everything went to hell then back to sugar again. The Chicken Strip was under new management and had been torn down to make a nightclub. Tamel had forgotten how much space the building actually had. He wasn't into all that square feet logic so all he saw was a spacious space but didn't know the importance of the property he had.
Right now the building was under construction with a picture of how the finished project was supposed to look like on one of the scaffold walls. He glanced at it and smiled. The name of the club had not been offered in the description or in the picture. But Tamel already had a name in mind.
He heard a noise and another smile crept his face. He looked just in time to see a man scurrying from around the corner of the scaffold platform tucking in his pants and looking around nervously. The nervous man spotted Tamel, nodded sheepishly and ran off like he just committed a murder.
Tamel waited for five seconds for another person to emerge from the same spot the man just did. The figure appeared and smiled their famous toothless grin.
Tamel walked over to the person.
"Still Macky money?" she clutched the money she had in her hand to her chest.
Tamel nodded. "Still Macky money."
Cracky Macky seemed to breathe easier knowing she could keep her take. She really worked hard for this one. Her previous client had a small pinky finger type penis. She damned near had to sink in her cheeks to get the man to reach oral satisfaction. She earned that money.
"Any new information?" Tamel asked looking around.
Even through this place was now about to be a new renovation spot, it was still relatively quiet after the construction workers went home. Tamel was pretty sure that Cracky Macky tried to get some of their money too.
Cracky Macky looked confused like she didn't understand the question.
Tamel tried a different approach. "Anything new?"
"Men work here," Cracky Macky informed. "No good, Cheap. One tried to take. Macky has to wait."
Tamel nodded. She was complaining about the constructions workers not paying her and even trying to get it for free.
"Anybody been around looking for me?" Tamel inquired
Cracky Macky put her money in her bra and looked at Tamel like she was trying to think of an answer.
"Macky don't know," Cracky Macky finally replied. "You need some love?"
The toothless grin went up again.
"I'll pass," Tamel said.
-
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Train looked impatient as he practically banged on the apartment door he was in front of. Train looked at Charmaine who was on the side of him hidden from the doorway.
Finally he heard the keyhole move then the door opened. Lushus stood there blowing a pile of smoke from the White Owl blunt she was holding in her hand.
"Damn, took you long enough," Train said annoyed.
"Why you knocking on the door like you the damn police!" Lushus lashed back at him.
"If I was the police, I would be kicking this motherfucker down and asking for a titty fuck before I haul your ass to jail," Train snapped.
Lushus laughed pushing her chest up in her tank top. "You know my girls are always ready for you to..."
"Ahmmmm," Charmaine coughed gaining Lushus attention.
Lushus didn't even notice her until just then. She looked at Train with malice.
"What's this bitch doing here?" Lushus inquired.
"Can we talk inside?" Train insisted gesturing with his hand. "I don't want to be standing out here like I'm one of your baby daddies."
Lushus huffed then moved to the side so Train and Charmaine could enter. Lushus closed the door behind them as soon as they were all the way in the apartment.
Lushus turned her attention back to Train. "First of all if you was one of my baby daddies, you would...
"Yeah, I know be a candidate for the new treatment for the chlamydia tryouts the clinic is having," Train interrupted.
"Fuck you," Lushus smacked her lips. "I'll get to that little smart ass remark later because I see you showing off. The question is why you even with this bitch? You know she tried to shoot Drama and she is the reason the Chicken Strip is closed down."
"I didn't..."Charmaine was about to defend herself but Train put his hand up.
"You don't know shit about what happened," Train interjected. "And for the record, they didn't shut the Chicken Strip down because of Charmaine, it was because someone called the police with some bullshit about the club."
"Whatever," Lushus waved her hands in dismissal. "Why is this bitch here with you in my house?"
"You need to watch your tone," Train warned. "It's not too early to go upside a chick's head. I didn't even have my morning coffee but my pimp hand is always steady and ready.
Lushus smacked her lips again. "Whatever, nigga. What you and your little friend want anyway?"
Lushus moved from the front door and walked to what seemed like the living room. There was a couch, a baby playpen and a heap of toys scattered around the little area.
"Where are all your little bundles of joys?" Train asked looking at the mess as well.
"Three of them went to the park with two of their daddies," Lushus answered. "The other one is at my mother's house. I needed some time to think and smoke. And right now, you and little Miss Thang is blowing my high."
Train looked at Charmaine who was about to say something. Train shook his head and pointed to the couch.
"I'm not sitting on that," Charmaine protested,
"Bitch, no one asked you to sit down," Lushus barked.
"Calm down," Train said. "Geez, I got enough of a headache. Look, we just need a place to crash until we get in contact with Drama.
"Drama's okay?" Lushus perked up.
"Yeah, Slutney Houston, he's good," Train remarked. "But he won't be for long. So we need your place for just a little bit."
"What about her?" Lushus gestured with her head towards to Charmaine. "That bitch going to be acting snotty while she's up in here?"
"She's cool," Train smiled.
"Just a couple of months you wanted to give me a lap dance," Charmaine recalled.
"Yeah, that was before you fucked everything up," Lushus said. "Ain't no clubs hitting me off like the Chicken Strip. I'm practically fucking bum ass niggas on the stairwell to keep lights on and food on my babies' table. I'm no better than Cracky Macky."
"Cracky Macky?" Charmaine looked confused.
"You don't want to know," Train said. "Look, I'm cool. We're cool. Let me just get in contact with my man. Who knows, maybe this might work out in your favor of getting some money for the groceries."
Lushus looked at Train then licked her lips. "You know there is another way you can repay me in the meantime."
Charmaine coughed again.
Lushus rolled her eyes, "You need Robitussin or something?"
Charmaine just cleared her throat. "No it's just stuffy in here. Could you remove one of the bars and open a window?"
Lushus growled under her breath.
"Now you girls play nice while I make this call," Train smiled. "I don't want to play referee to you two ladies unless there is mud or pudding on the floor and y'all both covered in syrup."
Lushus rolled her eyes again. "Whatever, nigga, you couldn't handle all of this."
"Ya right," Train admitted. "It took 6 niggas. Or was it eight? I miss that Maury episode."
"He only showing off because you're here," Lushus snickered. "If you wasn't here, he would be head first in these puppies."
"And then arm first with a tetanus shot," Train concluded, "Now excuse me."
Train moved over to another part of the room and pulled out his cell phone.
"I don't see what he sees in you," Lushus half whispered to Charmaine as Train started dialing numbers in his phone.
"Same thing he don't see in you," Charmaine winked and smiled.
Lushus smirked. "I see you ain't that same little shy pipsqueak girl I met in front of the club all those months ago."
"A lot can change in a person," Charmaine answered back. "Just depends on how you want to make the change."
"Yeah, okay," Charmaine overheard Train say on the mobile phone and turned to his direction.
Train put his cell phone back in his pocket and looked at the two ladies.
"You two ladies want to whip something up in the kitchen?" Train said rubbing his stomach. "A nigga sure is hungry and we might be awhile."
"What he said?" Charmaine asked.
"You know a nigga can't talk when he's hungry," Train replied with a smile.
"I got something that will fill you up, baby," Lushus winked.
"So will the doctor," Train remarked.
Lushus huffed and walked towards what Charmaine assumed was the kitchen area.
Train was about to say something when he heard a loud knock at the door.
"You expecting company?" Train asked as Lushus emerged from the kitchen. "I thought your clients had to wait until later to get their medicine before seeing you."
"Funny," Lushus said.
Lushus walked towards to the door. "Who is it?"
"I'm looking for the nigga that just walked in," the voice boomed from the others side.
Lushus looked confused at Train and shrugged her shoulders.
"Who?" Lushus finally asked.
"I'm counting to three then I'm coming in there to talk to him myself," the voice responded.
Train pulled out his weapon from his waistline.
"Well, let's not keep the man waiting," Train smiled. "I love a good conversation."
3