THIRTY-NINE
“Slow your roll girl. Shoot, now you wanna hurry to get to the place after you wanted to go window shopping.”
“Kim, you’re soo slow,” Tina said.
“I’m saying we ain’t got to be walking so fast. I got heels on. What if I break sump’n?”
“You ain’t gonna break a goddamn thing. Hurry, we’re almost there,” Tina said. She held Kimberly’s hand and dragged her to the entrance of the community center.
“They could’ve fixed the place up a little better,” Kimberly said as she entered.
“You gon’ complain all night, bitch? The after party is at Cheaters.”
“Shoot, I’m saying, his friends and family could throw sump’n a little better. I’m entitle to…”
“Here comes Miss loud-mouth… Pricilla, hi. How’re you doing?” Tina abruptly ended Kimberly’s complaints. They turned and sized up Pricilla as she approached.
“Hey girls what’s up? You’re both looking good, as usual.” Pricilla gave both Kim and Tina the once over. “Y’all stay fly. That dancing thing must be paying off, huh?”
“Yep,” Tina said.
“And I see that welfare thing still keeping you in Mandy’s,” Kimberly said. Her eyes were wide, nose flared and, with her hands on her hips, she took a step closer to Pricilla. They were now toe to toe. Pricilla turned, hissed and walked away.
“That’s right bitch, keep it moving in your Salvation Army giveaways,” Kim shouted.
“Now how you wanna come up in here and start shit and I…”
“I can’t stand that bitch. She knows I don’t give a fuck. She always dropping hint about the ‘dance thing’. Fuck her! Fuck that bitch.”
“You know that bitch is soo fucking ghetto. She can’t bear to see anybody wid shit better than hers. That’ how Ernesto family be coming at you.”
“See, you can take that shit, her cousin is your baby daddy. You family. That bitch, don’t mean shit to me. And she ain’t pay my muthafucking rent. So she better back up before she get smacked up.”
“Easy, Kim. Leave that bitch alone. Lets mingle, get some drinks and enjoy the party, ahight.”
“What party. These niggas bringing their own brown bags filled with cheap liquor. Damn can’t even find a decent drink.”
“Come with me. You complain too much. There goes Mannie and Carlos and them. Let’s go over and say hi.”
“If you on some political mission, bitch it’s too late. The nigga is not here yet. If they didn’t like you from way back, they ain’t gon’ start liking you now. Just chill out one place,” Kim said. She gazed across the almost empty room and saw other relatives and friends of Ernesto coming in. Kim heard champagne bottles popping.
“Let’s go check out Mannie and his friend Carlos. You know I kind a like his boy Carlos. But he too skinny,” Kim said. They slowly made their way.
“It’s gonna get crowded,” Tina said as she air kissed Mannie and his compadres.
“Hey Tina. Como estas?” Mannie asked.
“Bien, bien. How’re you doing Mannie? You remember my girl Kim, right.”
“No question. She’s still fine. You know the fellas, Carlos and Geo.”
“Hi, Carlos.” Kim smiled. They both waved at Geo.
“That nigga gonna be real surprise when he get here,” Mannie said.
“I thought Nesto was coming with you?” Pricilla asked Tina.
“Oh really?” Tina answered. She looked over to see Kim cuddling up to Carlos. Bitch, she thought. Kimberly nodded then raised the champagne glass to her head. The night felt better and her guards went down. Tina turned around surveyed the place. She saw the balloons, yellow with black letters. Littering the room through the ceiling ‘Welcome Home’ they all read. White tablecloth covered a table that held a huge diploma shaped cake. There were bottles and a huge white envelope. Tina smiled outward at Ernesto’s relatives. The crowd continued to swell. Tina glanced around the room, she saw gums flapping.
Her contemplation was suddenly cut off.
“Everyone shush. He’s coming in.”
The lights were dimmed and all held their collective breath. A pang of urgency surged through Tina’s body and her heart was beating violently against her chest. Ernesto staggered in.
“What the fuck is up? Nobody here but Nesto.” His voice was loud in the hushed quiet.
Tina felt her legs go rubbery when she heard him speak.
“This where Geo told me to meet him.”
The lights came on and Ernesto De La Rosa’s handsome mug rapidly transformed into smiling cheeks. The crowd screamed and descended on him. Ernesto was overcome by the respect shown by his family and friends. He hugged and kissed everyone. In the midst of the excitement, Kimberly appeared from nowhere. Tina found herself crushed by the excited crowd of well-wishers gathered around Nesto. She tried but couldn’t get to him before another relative or friend did. She stood and waited for him to approach. She wound up next to Kimberly.
“Where were you?”
“Outside. Why, bitch?”
“Ain’t nothing, bitch. I thought you left or sump’n,” Tina sniffed at Kimberly. “Saved me any?”
“Yes, slut,” Kimberly said. “You know my head-game ain’t free, girl,” Kimberly said. They laughed then hi-fived. “Your baby daddy is whoa!”
“What you trying to say Kim?”
“That nigga is diesel, brawl-lick. Hmm,” Kim smiled.
“He does look good. He got taller, I think.” They both admired.
“Is that your stomach growling?” Kimberly asked.
“Yes, let’s go get that drink and smoke some o’ that ‘dro.”
The girls walked away as the meet-and-greet love fest continued.
“What’s the deal, Tina? I mean, first you were hot to come here. And now that you’re here and your baby daddy’s running around shaking hands and squeezing ass, you gonna act like you shy, girl,” Kim said.
“I don’t feel right. You know me, I can’t chase no man and that’s what that nigga want me to do. He seen me waiting. Yet he made a beeline to his so-called friends. They’re more important to him,” Kim stared at Tina.
“You wanna go outside and smoke some o’ this shit. It’s ‘dro. It’s the bomb, girl.”
“Nah, I’m gonna stick around and see what happens.” Tina was making eyes at Nesto. This was lost on Kim.
“All right, please yourself. I’m a get my partying on with Carlos,” Kim danced away with her dance partner, Lil’ Long in tow. A few songs later Tina and Nesto joined them.
“Funny how a little jealousy can bring out our best moves, huh. Didn’t know you had it in ya,” Kim said.
“Come on, you know I’m straight up Latina, girl,” Tina said.
“You got to show me that move. The one where your leg just kick out like this,” Kim said. Her attempt brought her into contact with Ernesto. “Hey, who’s that?” Kim asked.
“Hey Kim. What’s good, ma?” Ernesto greeted Kim with a hug and a kiss.
“Hi, Nesto.”
“Damn Kim, you’ve been working out? You looking good.”
“Yeah, a lil’ sump’n, sump’n, you know when I gets a chance to? Not trying to overdo it or nothing?”
“It’s working. Got my man Lil’ Long sweating.”
Kim turned to see the seductive stare of Lil’ Long. Ernesto winked and drifted off with Tina.
Ernesto and Tina were alone for the first time all night. He reached over and kissed her full on her lips. She touched his face and giggled like a schoolgirl on her first date.
“It’s so good to see you, baby it feels so good to hold you. Those pictures you sent didn’t do any justice. You’ve gotten so, so big,” Tina said.
“It’s good to see you too, Tina.”
“And you’re, you know, ah so muscular.” Tina took a breath and exhaled. “You got braw-lick and thick.” She licked her lips and winked.
Ernesto’s cheeks reddened and his smile appeared to be pasted on. Tina had known Ernesto since grade school. His eyes sparkled. Ernesto pulled her close and kissed her full lips hard. She held on floating in his arms allowing Ernesto to take charge. He twirled her round and round, across the floor.
“Wanna come back to my place after this, Nesto?” Tina snuggled next to him, batting her eyes.
Stares followed as Ernesto and Tina made their way through the crowd toward the exit. Ernesto kissed her long and hard in the parking lot. The others joined them and paired off into cars,
Tina pulled him into Mannie’s car and shoved an E in her mouth.
“What’s that?”
Nesto opened his mouth and she stuffed one his mouth. BMW’s peeled out and it wasn’t long after that Nesto was overwhelmed by the warm sensation of the drug.
Long after reaching the outskirts of the club, he still felt as if he was floating. Tina watched him sitting in a daze, licked her lips and smile at the possibilites.
By the time Ernesto and Tina walked inside the party was crunked. He spotted Lil’ Long slouched in a corner, sniffing coke while rolling a blunt. The feared street warrior stood and received Ernesto with a hug.
“Oh, shit, oh shit. What we got here? A baller?” Ernesto shouted. “How’re you feeling, daddy? You looking to get crazy powdered up in here.”
“Yeah, yeah, you know a nigga has stay wid da blow and da chronic, dogs.”
“Feel you,” Ernesto said as he jabbed at Lil’ Long’s stomach.
“Easy, big fella. You know I took couple of rounds to da ribs, nah mean? I can’t too hardly fucking breath as it is.” Ernesto sat down and listened to the story of Lil’ Long’s wounds.
“There’s still a contract out on me. Somebody want me and my man dead, you know wha’ I’m sayin’?” Lil’ Long guzzled.
Sipping champagne and inhaling second hand weed fumes, Nesto knew the words from Lil’ Long’s mouth held no real meaning but bore a common theme. They were just stories from the streets where there were no winners or losers, just survivors.
“What goes around comes back. Nah mean?” They raised their champagne glass in a toast.
“Salu,” Ernesto said and sipped. “You should let Nesto know what he can do to help, homey. You know I’m armed with the Russian connect.”
“I got something coming up real soon. I’m gonna call you. You’re gonna be surprised by the amount of cheddar you’re gonna make in one job,” Ernesto said.
“Why are you lookin’ out?” Lil’ Long asked.
“One hand washes the other,” Ernesto said raising his glass. Lil’ Long joined him.
Their friendly chatter was interrupted by the deejay’s voice. Some club-goers cheered loudly. Both Ernesto and Lil’ Long turned as they heard the announcement that Coco was in the house.
“She be puttin’ it down right here!” The deejay shouted.
“It’s a good muthafuckin’ thing I came. That’s that rap bitches I’ve been dying to see.” Lil’ Long screamed and walked away. Ernesto stared toward the lit stage where Josephine was singing.
I only have one life and I’m gonna live it…
Don’t know man woman or child gonna tell me how to do it…
Coco came trudging to the center of the stage. She was hopping and spitting her rhymes.
Ain’t no nigga around me gon play me and make me a clown...
Nah not gonna have never gonna run up on you with fo-fo... real ghetto girls throw your hands up like you dont give a fuck...”
“This bitch buggin’ on stage or what? Nah I ain’t having that! Oh no-you a crow-crow. Bitch soo fucking hood, that she’s wick-wick-wack.” Pricilla stood and shouted.
“Get off the stage bitch and take your man-stealing, no-dancing back-up singer with you!” Pricilla screamed.
She shared hi-fives with Tina and Kim. They relished in having found a common enemy. Tonight, haters were the minority. The single males hooted and hollered for more as Josephine sang demurely and delivered her verse while Coco brazenly trudged onstage. Fans cheered and enjoyed the show.
The combustible combination of Coco’s rapping backed by Josephine’s singing, mixed in with sizzling dance moves had club-goers hopping out of control. The club was rocking when Pricilla stood up in arms, heckling.
All of a sudden the lights went out and pop… pop… pop… gunshots blazed, lighting up the stage. Revelers applauded and danced believing the deafening blasts to be a part of the act. Even as security rushed on stage, the club-heads were still partying. The lights came back on and a loud scream was heard.
“Oh my God… oh my God! Someone call a doctor. Pricilla has been shot!”
It was then that club-goers realized this was not a part of the act. They began scrambling everywhere as more gunshots were fired. Members of the club security rushed to where the shots were fired from, but the shooter easily evaded them and escaped using a side door.
By the time the police arrived on scene, the place looked as if a tornado had visited. Minutes later, the whole place was sealed and crawling with investigators.
“Tell me just how did this go down, Miss Coco?” Detective Kowalski demanded grabbing Coco and whisking her from the others in the club.
“Too bad we’re gonna have to shut you down from performing Coco. It seems like people gets killed every time you go doing your thing. Is that some kind of coincidence or what?”
“Y’all acting like I’m the one who pulled the trigger. The only thing I was doing was my thing, performing.”
“Seems like there are other people out there who doesn’t like your performance.” The detective said and Coco stared as the paramedics rolled Pricilla’s lifeless body out of the club. Nesto and the others somberly brought up the rear.
“How many more people have to die before you cooperate with us? Coco, you know who is responsible for all this killing. Come clean,” the detective said shoving a card at Coco.
Deedee and Josephine surrounded Coco as the bodyguards looked on.