I dialed Soni, and it went straight to voice mail, again. But she had to be the first to know that my days on Madeira Street were over. I was going to get off the block, get my health in order, and start a business—just like Mr. Pete had. I had zero credit but my car was paid for, I had a half a brick of dope to split with Troy with more to come from Pete, and about $200K saved up.
Call from Hurk: sent to voice mail.
Running a convenience store couldn’t be that hard. I bought and sold dope all of the time. I got fronted and paid back. I paid my crew, I paid my debts, stacked buy money, shopped weekly and still had dough left over to save. People don’t shoot at storeowners, well, not normally. And if it all fails, I’d still have dope to sell as a wholesaler until Pete stopped.
Call from Hurk: sent to voice mail.
Nick would be able to hold Madeira Street down. He’d been doing that anyway but now all the extra money could go to him and whatever worker he decided to pick up. Even calling myself a wholesaler felt better than being married to a block. I couldn’t even believe I did that shit for so long. I had to tell Soni, but she was avoiding me like I was avoiding Hurk.
After three days of missed calls, I decided to drive to her mom’s house. I had just picked Long Tooth up from Johns Hopkins, which was a few blocks away. Long Tooth had Perks and vodka. He leaned sideways in the passenger seat and dozed off, only waking when I cut Lil Boosie off. He’d pop up and say, “Pump the Boosie, man! We need dat! Going through some thangs! I swear for God, Boosie the one!”
I pulled onto the corner adjacent to Soni’s mom’s house. “Glad you back, LT, I love you, li’l bro. Tell me what you want, I’ll get you whatever you want, I mean that!” Long Tooth sat up straight and turned the beat down, and our eyes met: “I want some more pills, I want my dick sucked by a Destiny’s Child girl—any one of dem—and I want us to kill dem niggas dat shot me, all of dem.” He leaned back in the chair, took a swig of Goose, and closed his eyes.
“Really, Dee, I just want them niggas got.”
I took a roll of cash out of my pocket and sat it in the cup holder. “Well, this ain’t enough money to get head from a Destiny’s Child girl but I bet you could fuck they friends.” He cracked a smile. Soni’s car was parked out front so I exited with the bracelet I bought her and knocked on her door. She poked her head out of the window.
“Stalker! What do you want!” She laughed. “Do you understand English?”
“I’m not on the street anymore, can we rap about it later?” I yelled. Long Tooth watched from the car shaking his head, looking at me like I was crazy. Soni came downstairs and opened the door. I waved that one I’ll be right back finger at Long Tooth before walking in. Her mom’s house smelled like perfume and turkey wings.
“Are you lying to me?” she asked.
I wrapped my arms around her. “I’ve been thinking, I’m tired of this shit. I bought you a gift.” I kept my left arm around her waist and pulled the bracelet out of my pocket with the right.
“It’s platinum and diamond, I hope you like it.”
“Oh, my God, it’s so pretty! Are these conflict-free diamonds?”
“Absolutely!”
“No, they aren’t!” she said, pushing the bracelet back at me. “I should cash that thing in and pay my student loans off! No, but really, it’s really nice. I can’t take it. I really like you. I don’t want gifts; I only want you as a safe, like a square that doesn’t run the streets. Can that be my gift?”
I put the box back in my pocket. “You mean like a dashiki-wearing nigga with dreads and open-toe sandals?”
She laughed. “No, silly, just you without the crime. I love you.” She stood on her tippy-toes and kissed my lips. I dipped down and stole another kiss when she pulled away.
“I love you too, Soni.”