Val rubbed her temples in frustration as she listened to December yell through the phone, just as he'd been doing for the past fifteen minutes. It was taking everything in her not to raise her voice at him, but she held her tongue, knowing that angering him any further would be all but beneficial to her wellbeing once he made it back home. With that knowledge in mind, she listened to him quietly. The shoulder massage Nina was giving her made it slightly easier for Val to control herself. Finding a pause in December's seemingly nonstop rant, Val used the opportunity to try to calm him down.
"Daddy, we've already been over this a million times," Val said, speaking slowly and deliberately so that December could understand every word that was coming out of her mouth. "Her phone keeps going straight to voicemail. Whenever I visit the group home, I'm told that she's not there. I don't know where Tamia is."
"I'm not trying to hear that shit, Val! Find her! Either figure out where she is, or start laying on your back again. I left you in charge because I thought that you could keep shit in order. How the fuck did you lose two damn people?!" December exclaimed.
"It's been two weeks since the last time I spoke to her. She hasn't answered any of my calls or made an effort to call me. Maybe she doesn't want to be found."
"Bitch, what? Fuck you mean 'maybe she doesn't want to be found'? Maybe I don't give a damn. Find my woman and my child before I kill your stupid ass, and do it before I call back. Do we understand each other?"
"Yeah, okay, December. I'll find her. I'll talk to you later, Daddy." After listening to December scream a few more threats and obscenities, Val pressed the end button and sat her cell phone on the dresser in front of her. She looked in the mirror and located Nina's line of vision. "That nigga has some serious anger issues."
Nina put Val's silky black hair into a bun and continued to rub her shoulders. "Chica, ya sabía eso. I don't even see why you were trying to reason with him. Talk about a waste of fucking time. What's up with lil mama, though? You seriously have no idea where she is?"
"Not at all. She's probably avoiding me."
"She's not avoiding you. I think she's avoiding December's mean ass."
"Well, December isn't going to kill his damn self over her games."
"He can't hurt you if you-"
"I'm not leaving, Nina. We already talked about this."
"I know, I know... but it's never too late to change your mind. Why don't you want to go? I don't want you to be here anymore. You're better than the rest of us. Leave for me, Val. Please?" Nina begged in her Brooklyn accent, which flowed well with the sultry smooth voice that she'd received from her half-Puerto Rican heritage. Of the pair, Nina was the ghetto, foul-mouthed hood rat with the rap sheet and street credibility in her hometown to prove it. At least, that's who she was to December and his associates. The Tae Heckard-lookalike appeared completely harmless because of her stunning image, but once she opened her mouth or balled up her fist, she proved that looks really were deceiving.
"December will find me and December will kill me, Nina. You know that. Besides, where would I go? My family doesn't want to deal with me. I don't have anyone but you and December. I'm not going anywhere."
Nina sighed and draped her arms around Val's shoulders, resting her head in the crook of her neck. "Okay. If this is all you want out of life, stay. I'd be lost without you, anyway."
Val took note of the hint of attitude in her voice and pushed Nina off of her. "Lose the attitude, Nina. If you want to leave, feel free. I love you. You're my best friend, but I'm not going to force a grown-ass woman to do something she doesn't want to do. Pack your shit and go. Just don't tell me where you're going because if December threatens to hurt me while he's looking for you, I'm giving you up without a second thought."
"Ay, Dios mío, chica! Le dije que me quedo! ¿Qué carajo es tu problema?" Nina threw her hands up in exasperation and shook her head as Val rose from her chair. She quickly reverted back to English when she remembered that Val didn't understand what she was saying. "I never said that I wanted to go anywhere. This is it for me. You can do better! What the fuck is your problem?"
"I don't have a problem. I'm just stressed. There's December, then there's Tamia, plus, I have to keep all of the girls in line... this is too much for me. And you're not helping the situation at all."
Nina walked over to where her best friend was standing and placed her hand on her hip. "Valerie, you're always gonna be stressed here. Trust me, you should just leave. There's nothing here for you anymore. You're either gonna be December's do girl, or you're gonna be laying down, doing people for December. You have no wins in this situation."
"I'd rather be out making money for him than handling all of this. Between him and that little girl, I don't know who's worse." Val shook her head and inhaled deeply. "But I owe December, so I'm gonna do this for him. He'll be home soon enough, and everything will be back to normal."
"Hopefully."
"Yeah. Hopefully." Val looked up at the clock on the wall of their bedroom as a rare silence manifested itself between the two. "You have a client to meet up with soon, Nina."
"Don't remind me." Nina pulled a large sum of money out of her bra and placed it on the dresser beside them. She stared at Val for a few seconds and smiled before pushing a few stray hairs out of her face and kissing her on the lips.
Val laughed when Nina began to slide her hands up her shirt. "Nina... stop. You have to go."
"I have a few minutes to spare." She grabbed Val's hand and led her over to one of the two twin-sized beds in the room. She pushed her down onto it gently and climbed over her, continuing where she'd left off just seconds before.
"No, you don't." Val moved Nina's hands and smiled at her. "And we're not trying to go there, anyway," she said, knowing that neither of them were actually into women. They never went any further than kissing, and they wouldn't even consider doing that with anyone other than each other.
"Then, just let me lie here." Nina made herself comfortable on top of Val, closing her eyes as Val began to stroke her hair. "So, did you find out who December's connect is yet?"
"I haven't had a chance to ask December about it. Whenever we talk on the phone, he asks me about Tamia and his money, and then tells me to call his sister. I barely get the chance to say anything."
"You might want to get on that. Anthony and Tremaine still have to work. Are you sure you've never heard December having any strange conversations or anything? You might know who he cops his shit from and not even realize it."
"I'm pretty sure I don't know who it is. Why do you even care?"
"I don't care. I'm not a drug dealer. I'm just trying to help you hold shit down."
"Yeah, well, thanks for the concern, Nina. Speaking of December and his dealings, you should leave now. I have to find Tamia, and you have to work."
"Okay. I'll see you later, Val." She gave her a quick peck on the cheek and stood up before slipping her feet into her shoes and leaving the bedroom, and then the house.
Nina walked down the street and around the corner, stopping when she approached the white car that was waiting for her at the end of the long street. She looked around to make sure no one was watching her, and then climbed into the passenger's seat of the vehicle and put on her seatbelt before putting the sun visor down and checking her appearance. She turned toward the driver of the car and shook her head. "Valerie doesn't know who December's connect is."
"I still don't believe that. December tells her everything. You're just not prying hard enough."
"What more can I do? Last week, I brought it up when we were watching a movie. She was completely comfortable and she was in a talkative mood. Yesterday, I looked for strange numbers in her phone and didn't find anything. She doesn't know. Even if she didn't want anyone else to know, she'd tell me."
Anthony sighed and pulled away from the curb he was parked by. He started to drive in the direction opposite of December's house. "This is taking way too damn long."
"I agree, but what can we do, Atkins? It'll pay off, and pay off well, eventually. But... I have one request."
"What's that, Balenciaga?"
"Valerie can't go down."
"We can't choose who does and doesn't go down."
"You're protecting Tamia. As your partner, I think it's only fair that I get to save someone too. I choose Valerie. She's not like all of the other girls, and she doesn't deserve to go to prison. She can better herself. I want her to."
"What, are you gonna make her your permanent lesbian girlfriend or something?"
"Come on, Atkins. You know me better than that. I'm not a lesbian. I'm just willing to do questionable things in order to get my job done. I must admit, however, that being touched by Val feels like heaven."
"When are you gonna let me show you that I'm ten times better? I've been trying to for years, but you're playing games, Balenciaga. You know I'm feeling you, so what's the hold up?"
Nina flashed the purity ring that was dangling from the end of the solid gold chain around her neck. "I promised my mom that I'd wait until marriage."
"You're probably the oldest virgin in Miami. I couldn't go twenty-two years without sex."
"I'd rather be a proud virgin than waste my first time on someone who's not worth it. Besides, even as the oldest virgin in Miami, I still get more play than you," the Latina beauty teased just as Anthony pulled into the parking lot of the police headquarters. She got out of the car and strutted into the station with Anthony trailing closely behind her. She twirled into the middle of the station's common room, drawing everyone's eyes to her. "Buenas tardes, damas y caballeros. ¿Que me extrañaba?"
"Balenciaga!" the other cops exclaimed upon seeing their co-worker for the first time that day. She was the only officer that everyone in the station had a mutual love for.
She exchanged hugs and kisses with each of them. Ricky Johnson, a rookie officer who was fresh out of the police academy, made sure that his moment of affection lasted longer than anyone else's. "You two are in trouble," he said after Nina and Anthony grabbed a few donuts from the box that was on the counter. "Sergeant Thompson wants to-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the door swung open, crashing into the wall behind it. Everyone froze as an angry Sergeant Thompson stormed into the room. He looked at Nina and frowned. "Balenciaga, what the hell are you wearing?"
Nina smiled at him and playfully modeled the five-inch stilettos on her feet and the tight black dress that barely covered her shapely body. "What? I'm a prostitute, remember? Gotta keep my customers interested so that I can make Daddy's money. You see something you like, Thompson?"
"Cut the bullshit, Balenciaga. You and Atkins need to come to my office. Now."
"Someone needs a little TLC," Nina joked once he left the room.
"No one has the balls to mess with Thompson like that but you, Marisol," Ricky stated, addressing her by her real name. "You better go see what he wants, though. He seems pretty upset, mamì."
"I'm going, I'm going. Atkins!" She deepened her voice to mimic Sergeant Thompson's. "To my office- posthaste!" She giggled, grabbed Anthony's hand, and pulled him out of the room with her. They walked down the hall to the last room and stepped into the office, where Sergeant Thompson was waiting with his steel-toed boots propped up on his desk and a toothpick in his mouth. His face was still twisted into the scowl he'd been wearing in the common room.
"Close the door and have a seat," he ordered. He waited until his instructions were carried out before speaking again. "December Mitchell is in jail for rape and child abuse, and from what I understand, he won't be in there for long. He has connections. With those charges, he's gonna get off with a slap on the wrist- if that much. That shit's not gonna stick on him, not even if we throw in the prostitution ring. You know what will stick? Those drug charges. What on earth are you two doing? It's been almost five years. No case should take this long!"
"Actually, I've only been here for two years," Nina stated.
Anthony looked at her and shook his head in disbelief. "Just throw me under the bus." He looked at the sergeant. "December is careful, Thompson. He's smart, to say the least. And you said that you wanted his connect too. You can't expect him to tell us something like that just because we ask politely," Anthony countered. "I just worked my way up from corner boy to business associate three months ago. As much as I would like for him to have straight up told me all of the ins and outs of his operation, he didn't, so I have to work with the bones he tosses me. He hardly ever does anything self-incriminating, and when he does, it's nothing to present in court. We're doing the best we can."
"Your best isn't good enough, Atkins. I'm ready to put a lid on this thing. You've got a year to wrap this case up. If you don't, you'll be handing in your badges. Do I make myself clear?"
Nina and Anthony exchanged glances, and then nodded. "Crystal," Nina said with a grin. She wasn't worried about being fired. She and Anthony were good at their jobs, and they planned to be done with December way before another year passed them by.
"Good. Get the hell out of my office."
The duo stood and exited the room. "Fuck TLC. That nigga needs some P-U-S-S-Y!" Anthony noted on their way back to the common room. Everyone was gone when they made it there.
Nina went over to the coffee machine and began to prepare a cup. "Do you want some, Atkins?"
"I'm good."
Discomforted by the silence that soon settled into the room, Nina finished making her drink, and then she turned around. The sentence that she'd been planning to say left her mind when she saw that Anthony had been staring at her the entire time she was making her coffee. "Do you need something?" she asked.
Anthony shook his head and walked over to her. "I like you. A lot. Did you know that?"
"You don't like me. You like that I'm a virgin," Nina said with a laugh.
"I mean, that's great and all, but that's not why I like you. You're beautiful, and you're smart, and you have a great personality. I like you for a lot of different reasons," Anthony admitted, radically understating his feelings for her so as not to give her cause for concern. "Sex isn't the only thing on my mind when I look at you."
"Are you sure you don't want any coffee? This is really good." Nina turned away from Anthony and finished her drink. After she threw her cup in the trash, she felt Anthony grab her waist from behind.
"No, I don't want any coffee. I want you to stop playing hard to get." Anthony lifted Nina into the air bridal style. He carried her out of the room and out of the station completely, ignoring her playful pleas for him to put her down. "Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving, Balenciaga." He placed her into the passenger's seat of their car before going around to the driver's side and getting in. He turned the car on and began driving. "What are you in the mood for? I'm buying."
"McDonalds sounds good right now."
"McDonalds it is."
Nina turned on the radio, and Jennifer Lopez's I Luh Ya Papi instantly filled the air. She gave Anthony the finger when she heard him mumble something about how she was 'always listening to this Spanish bullshit.' She turned the volume up for no other reason than to further annoy him. Just as the song was ending, they pulled up to the popular fast food restaurant. Anthony found a spot near the entrance, and they went inside.
Nina separated herself from Anthony, letting him know that she had to use the ladies' room. She made sure he knew what to order for her, and then she excused herself to the restroom. All of the stalls were full, so she made herself comfortable by the wall as she waited for one to open up. A few moments of silence went by, and then she heard a familiar voice.
"Mommy, I have to pee!"
Nina turned her head to the right and cursed silently when she saw Tamia and Tania. She tried to figure out whether or not she should say something to her about where she'd been. Her first thought was that she shouldn't. As a cop, she couldn't- and didn't want to- aid December in continuing his relationship with a minor, but she knew how much Anthony cared about her, so she opted to approach her for the sake of calming his mind. Undecidedly, she walked over to where the two were standing.
"Tamia," she sang in a way that she knew would get under Tamia's skin. "¿Qué pasa, chica?"
Both Tamia and Tania turned towards her. "Nina!" Tania ran over to her and wrapped her small arms around her leg, causing Nina to smile as she picked her up.
"N-Nina, what are you... ummm... what are you doing here?" Tamia stuttered, a sense of nervousness coming over her as her eyes turned whiskey brown.
"What? No rude comments today? You're not gonna tell me to go lay down and get the money you'll use to go shopping?" Nina laughed. "I should be asking you what you're doing here. We've been looking everywhere for you, girl! And now I see why we couldn't contact you- that's not even your phone in your hand. Not the one your man bought for you. Boy, is December gonna be mad at you."
"My daddy?" Tania asked, her mouth curving into a broad smile. "Where?"
"Somewhere getting ready to put them Scrappy paws on your mama." Nina directed her attention to Tamia. "Why are you hiding from us?"
"Nina, please don't tell December that you saw me. I've been successfully avoiding both him and Valerie for weeks. I don't want to, but I have my reasons."
"Those reasons being..."
"I had to choose between him and my daughter. You'd choose your child if you had one, right?"
Nina whistled and shook her head. "Wait until December hears that one."
"Nina, please don't-"
"Damn, they're taking forever in these stalls." Nina handed Tania to her mother. "I don't even have to use the restroom that bad." She turned to leave the room, but stopped in midstride. "You're really bad at this hiding thing, by the way."
"Nina, don't tell December." Tamia's eyes were filled with tears, and some of them had started to fall down her face. "Please. I love him and I miss him, but I can't be with him. Not now."
"I'll see you two later." Nina ignored the sound of Tamia calling her name as she left the restroom. Of course, she wasn't going to tell Val or December that she had seen Tamia. She was actually relieved to see that Tamia was alive and well. She just found pleasure in messing with her.
Nina located the table that Anthony had chosen for them and sat down across from him. She grabbed her cup and stuck a straw into her strawberry milkshake. "Atkins," she said, drawing his attention away from his cell phone. She smiled and took a sip of her shake when he looked up at her. "You'll never guess who I just ran into."