CHAPTER 15

Kenny’s condominium was a poor man’s dream of a bachelor’s pad. It was furnished by an up-and-coming interior decorator, Tracy, one of his closest late-night female companions from Penn’s Grove, New Jersey, who frequently did house calls.

As soon as Deshonne walked into the living room, his eyes lit up in admiration. This is how I want my spot laid out in the next couple of months, he thought.

Kenny led him back into the bedroom, where he was playing NBA Live on his Play Station II.

“So what’s up, Magic?”

“Ah, nothing much, cuz. Same shit, different day,” Deshonne said as he continued to look around the magnificent home. He dipped into his front pocket and pulled out a small envelope containing $4,100 in 7-11 money orders. “I just came by to straighten out my bill and put something on Pee-Wee’s.”

Kenny waved off the payout. “Why didn’t Pee-Wee bring me the change?”

“Man, come on with that nut stuff, Kenny. Does it really matter who pays you your money as long as you get paid?”

“Not really. It’s just the principle of the whole situation, Magic. Feel me?”

Kenny took the envelope for a moment, then handed it back. “I don’t understand why you brought me that other change though, because I got nothing to do with that. That goes back to Trigg.”

Deshonne looked at Kenny like he was trying to belittle his character by handing back the money and pushing him off on someone else. So he got upset and let his pride kick in. “Well, since this money isn’t yours, I don’t gotta worry about paying nobody back, then. So tell whoever gave it to me to get it like Tyson because they can chalk this change up as a loss.”

Kenny shook his head and then paused the game for a moment to straighten Deshonne out. “Stop playing, Magic. Jerking niggas for a couple of dollars is petty to niggas like us. You know we don’t get down like that.”

“Oh, no? And what about you talking to me like I’m one of the flunkies you got working for you? We get down like that now?” Deshonne asked.

“Come on, man, I don’t even know why you getting all caught up in your feelings like that. I told you what the deal was, up front. I’m not disrespecting you, so don’t go there. I just don’t want nothing to do with drugs no more if I can help it.”

“Man, I’m your peoples though, Kenny. How you gonna push me off on them niggas?” Deshonne complained.

“I wasn’t joking when I said that I was done with the game. Especially when I can make the same caliber money the way I’m doing things now. It’s not worth the hassle,” Kenny justified.

Kenny walked over to his dresser and picked a handful of party fliers out of a box for his upcoming party and tossed them to Deshonne.

Deshonne looked over one of the two-sided fliers. The invitation showcased some of Delaware’s most enticing women partying in Club Utopia. The photos on the flier were from one of Kenny’s recent parties.

“So why haven’t you brought me in on this shit, yet? You already know what I’m capable of bringing to the table when it comes to business,” Deshonne asked.

Kenny leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed as he spoke. “I will in time. But you just gotta be patient for a little while and give me some time to put things together first.”

“Yeah, be patient, huh? And in the meantime where does that leave me, financially-broke?”

“Wouldn’t you rather be broke now if it meant that you would be well off in the future?” Kenny asked theoretically.

“Kenny, you already know the answer to that question. But tomorrow’s not promised to no one but the man above, cousin.”

“You gotta stop thinking short term, Magic.”

“Man, sometimes I feel like I’m still locked up,” Deshonne said in reference to his parent’s rules and his probation.

“So what if you have to do minor shit for your peoples here and there. You living rent-free, bill-free, and you eating up all your people’s shit, for free. And besides, they brought you into this world, remember? They deserve to be catered to sometimes, don’t you think?”

“Come on Kenny, you know what I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t, and neither do you. You’re just making up excuses to hustle, like you always do.” each sentence that Kenny uttered cut Deshonne deeper and deeper. He started to become frustrated. “Whatever, Dr. Phil,” Deshonne said sarcastically.

Kenny had to smile at his friend’s remark. “See, you still think that life’s a joke. I’m just trying to let you know that I see what’s in your eyes, that’s all.”

“What you see in my eyes is starvation, cause I’m hungry.”

“Well, if that’s it, then I’m done preaching. Do you, baby.” Kenny insisted, then he walked over to the bed and flopped back down to resume his game.

Deshonne could see that Kenny was disappointed, by the way his whole demeanor changed. “Yo, I’m just trying to maintain until you do make that big deal for both of us, feel me? Who knows, maybe I’ll hit the Power Ball for us,” Deshonne wished.

The openness Deshonne displayed was hard for Kenny to overlook. And Kenny knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t going to change his mind without a real profitable alternative, so he decided to just let him make up his own mind.

“Here, Magic. You’ll need this number to drop off the money,” Kenny instructed as he handed him a McDonald’s napkin.

“I already got Trigg’s number. What you giving it to me again for?”

“Because it’s not Trigg’s number. It’s my peoples, Wood, Kenny stated. “He’s good peoples, too, so don’t stick him, Magic. I already told him that you’re a stand-up dude, so all you gotta do is call him and do what you do best, ah-ight.”

“What happened to Shaheed?” Deshonne asked out of curiosity.

“It’s election year. He’s falling back for the summer. And I’m falling back forever, so that’s your new connect.”

Deshonne looked at his friend in disbelief for a moment, then stood up, shook his hand, and went into the envelope to retrieve Purnell’s partial payment.

“That nigga owes me two stacks. What the fuck is this?” Kenny asked as he looked at the little money order.

“It’s $500 towards Pee-Wee’s bill, cousin. Don’t worry. I got you every flip. My word,” Deshonne said to calm his friend.

Kenny looked at Deshonne oddly for a minute, as if to read his thoughts. “Ah-ight. Make sure you hand Wood that change yourself, okay? No third person.”

“Aw, shit!” Deshonne blurted out.

“What’s up?”

“I left Dee outside in the car by herself,” Deshonne explained as he rose up to leave.

“I got another party coming up in three weeks, y’all coming?” Kenny asked on their way to the door.

“I don’t know about Dee, but I’ll be there,” Deshonne assured his friend before leaving.

As Deshonne approached the passenger’s side door, he thought about what to say so she wouldn’t cuss him out. But the murder-one grit that she gave him as he slid down into the seat beside her instantly threw off his thoughts. He put his hand on top of hers as she put the car into gear. She didn’t snatch hers away, but the look she gave said enough. All he could do was smile and laugh inside as he thought about how bogus her look was before moving his hand.

“Where are we going at now?”

“Back out the way unless you got something to do first.”

“No, I don’t have nothing to do. And since you don’t, either, I’m dropping you off and going home.”

Deshonne rubbed her thigh as he spoke. “Why you acting like you got an attitude?”

Desiree stopped the car and removed his hand. “I don’t have an attitude. I’m tired. So I’m going home early tonight if you don’t mind.”

“I gotta meet somebody later on tonight. You gonna come back and get me, right?”

“You better tell them to come get you because I’m not coming back out tonight,” she said tartly.

I know she can’t be as mad as she’s acting, he thought. Then he tried to shift the blame. “Dee, I’m sorry for taking so long, but it wasn’t my fault. You know how long-winded Kenny can be.”

“You should’ve remembered how long-winded he is way before 45 minutes, Magic. So I’m not even trying to hear that dumb stuff because you know better.” You think shit’s sweet, she thought.

Her feisty attitude, mixed with her tight jeans, was turning him on. All he could think about at that point was how to get her to stay. “We could take a nap at my people’s spot since you tired. I’ll even massage you to sleep if you want me to.”

I know that he don’t think that I’m gonna give him some of this pussy after what he just did. Yeah right, she told herself. “I’m going home and getting into my own bed tonight, Magic.”

“I guess it’s a first time for everything, huh?”

Not responding to his last statement, she drove on in silence until she reached his house.

Bam! Deshonne slammed the door so hard that it rocked her car.

Desiree quickly put her window down before he reached the porch. “Boy, I know you don’t got no attitude because I’m going home. So don’t start acting all petty.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Dee. Keep it moving,” he said loud enough for her to hear him without turning back.

The hard stance she took since leaving Kenny’s flipped back to passive. “Come back and sit in the car so that we can talk, Magic.”

“I’m tired, Dee,” he said as he put the key into the bottom lock. Besides, the sun is already going down. I don’t want you to be tired for work tomorrow.”

“Is this the game you wanna start playing, Magic? Because you not the only one that knows how to play games.”

“I don’t know, is that what I’m doing? Because I’m not the one that’s tired at five in the afternoon,” he said and then walked inside and closed the door.

“See you later,” she muttered, then pulled off.

Not even an hour passed before he regretted not apologizing to Desiree. As he was putting together the Play Station II that he bought for himself, he realized that his sex life was contingent upon Desiree’s happiness, especially now that Evelyn was out of the picture, limiting his choice of sexual partners to one. The phone rang as soon as he plugged in the last adapter.

“What, Dee?” he answered without checking the caller I.D. first.

“Sorry, babe, wrong chick,” a soft voice answered back.

“Oh, my fault. Who’s—who’s calling?”

“It’s Eve. And who’s Dee?” she asked while walking to her car, sipping on a bottle of Belvedere.

So elated by the sound of her voice, he forgot all about the money she owed him. “Dee’s one of my friends,” he quickly informed her.

“Well, I just called to see what you were doing tonight since I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

“Nothing. I’m just sitting here, bored, as always,” Deshonne replied.

“Ask him,” Crissy whispered insistently as she repeatedly kissed Evelyn on her lips.

Please say that you’re on your way over, he thought.

“Me and Crissy are on our way out New Castle to go to Blockbuster, and we were wondering if you wanted to hang out with us tonight. That’s if you don’t have any plans already.”

“Say yes,” Crissy said into Evelyn’s ear as she licked it.

“We?” Deshonne repeated as if he heard her wrong.

“Yeah, us. Crissy’s bored, too.”

“So do you want us to pick you up, or what?” she asked as if it really didn’t matter either way.

“Sure. Y’all can come and get me now if it don’t involve me spending money because I’m broke.”

“The movies and drinks are on us tonight, sweetie. All you have to bring is your body,” Evelyn boldly stated and hung up.

I can’t wait to see how she reacts once Magic sticks dick to her for the first time, Evelyn thought as she obeyed her girlfriend’s request and spread her legs wide enough for fingers to enter her panty-less jean skirt.

She just don’t know what I’ll do to keep her happy, Crissy told herself. I hope I can get drunk enough not to remember this shit. She thought as she tilted the bottle hard, twice.