CHAPTER 31

Deshonne and Purnell still couldn’t believe what they had just seen, and the story of what went with it made things even more unbelievable. The world that Deshonne was growing accustomed to was crashing down around him. as he and his friend drove on I-95 North towards Wilmington, he contemplated his next move.

As they approached the Maryland Avenue exit, the sight of the Bluerocks Stadium made Purnell open up. “Did you see the bruises that cop left on your snow bunny’s face and stomach?”

“Why you keep calling her my snow bunny?” Deshonne asked out of irritation.

“Hey, she took a helluva ass whipping for you, my nigga,” Purnell told him, childishly rubbing his head. “So that definitely makes her yours.”

“Pee-Wee, you know damn well I don’t fuck with fiends. It’s against my code. So this is a waste of good conversation. Talk about something else.”

“Come on now, Magic. So you mean to tell me that you still turning down that sexy-ass broad, even when y’alls alone?”

“Yep. Especially when we’re alone,” Deshonne reiterated. She didn’t look too sexy today, he thought. I should’ve took her to the emergency room or something. Deshonne felt her pain. And now he had found a new level of respect for her. But he still wasn’t willing to cross that line even if she was a ride-or-die broad.

“Yeah, right!” Purnell said in disbelief. “And I’m not titty fucking Tasty every chance I get, either. I hate the way she lets me nut in her mouth,” he lied. Lying-ass nigga. I know you gotta be balling her up. Cause I would, he told himself. I know she ain’t just get tortured for nothing.

“Hey, if you ain’t want the truth, you shouldn’t of asked,” Deshonne said as he braked at a light on Fourth and Adams Streets.

“Whatever,” Purnell said, not wanting to debate. “Just be glad that those face bruises on her face don’t look like the ones under her shirt.”

The statement went over Deshonne’s head. “Why?” he asked. “She’s still in pain.”

“Because as long as she keeps them clothes on, she can still get us that money,” Purnell replied.

Deshonne let that statement go. He was just glad she was alive. As he turned left onto Fourth and headed up the hill to the bail bondsmen’s office, he changed the subject. “Do you think it was any truth in what Baby Girl said about Fast and them New York boys?” Deshonne asked. He was skeptical about the validity of her story.

“She said he got rushed to Christiana Hospital,” Purnell agreed.

“Pee-Wee, I can’t put my finger on it, but I don’t think both beatings were a coincidence.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. And I think we should be prepared for the weather to come because it’s about to rain.”

“Yeah, well, I’m ready to make it rain on Tonya’s fat ass!” Purnell said vengefully. “I can’t believe she had that nigga up in my shit.”

“In due time,” Deshonne told his friend calmly. “We have to get our money right first.”

“Ah-ight, well, what you working with?” Purnell asked, anxious to return the favors.

“I got six grand in the bank. And the other hammer I got from them bitch-ass niggas. Everything else went down the toilet.”

Damn, Tonya set me back nine thousand! Purnell worried to himself. And she fucked that nigga in my bed. “That’s your personal stash. We can’t fuck with that.”

Deshonne pulled over on the corner of Fourth and Union Street, in front of a office, and parked. “Pee-Wee, do you got my back?” he asked as sincerely as possible.

“You motherfucking right I do! You’ve had mines since we was this high,” Purnell gestured to measure the size of a baby.

“That’s all it is, then,” Deshonne said. As he spoke, he pointed at both of them. “We got six grand.”

“But what we gonna do for a connect?”

“I guess we gotta take a trip up top.”

New York City was considered the drug capital for Delaware dealers because of the quality and price differences. Most dealers feared the turnpike because of how state troopers targeted minorities, but Deshonne had already been down that road, so he didn’t mind taking the chance.

“When we going? I’m ready now!”

“I’ll let you know. Patience cuz.”

“I hope it’s gonna be soon because we need to keep that flow coming,” Purnell reminded him.

“I know. Don’t worry about that. Just go ahead inside real quick so they can take your picture cause I’m tired.”

“You can sleep at my room if you want,” Purnell volunteered.

“Nah, that’s okay. I’m gonna go over to Marie’s spot to take a nap.”

“You smashing her, yet?”

“Why?”

“Cause y’all been spending a lot of time together, and I wanted to know was she worth that change you’ve been spending on her.”

“Get out the car, Pee-Wee. You starting to sound like that faggot Kenny.”

Deshonne’s whole attitude changed without warning. Purnell just looked at him oddly as he walked through the office door.

The sound of two mistreated toddlers screaming in the next room broke up Deshonne’s well-needed nap. As he stretched and yawned, a heavy pillow hurled playfully across the room hit him in the stomach like a sandbag. He quickly picked up his glasses off of the nightstand to stare at his goddess, as she combed her silky long hair in the mirror, in just a bra and pair of loose fitting jeans.

“I guess you gonna act like you really came here to see me,” Marie stated over her shoulder as she twirled her hair into a bun.

“I did,” Deshonne told her with a smile. “I wasn’t sleeping, I was just resting my eyes.”

Marie turned around, with her arms crossing her voluptuous chest, and walked over to the bed to retrieve the Ralph Lauren button-up she had pulled out for the day. “Can you hand me that, please?” she asked with one hand out.

Deshonne cursed himself for not having X-ray vision as he gave her the shirt. She turned her back to put on the shirt, and he reached out as if he wanted to touch her soft skin.

“While you were drooling on my pillow, I made those two phone calls for you.”

Deshonne was anxious to hear what was going on with art because he knew that his future depended on Art’s life or death.

“Which do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad?”

“I don’t care. The good news, I guess,” he answered as if neither bothered him, but deep down he prayed that the man lived.

“Okay, well, Trigg said that Art is gonna make it. So you won’t have to worry about getting a murder charge, Mr. Shoot-First-And-Ask-Questions-Later,” she said while poking him in his forehead.

Deshonne smiled inside at the good news. You can’t pay a dead man off, he thought. “What’s the bad news?”

“They wouldn’t say who, but I heard him tell someone crying in the background that whoever shot Art won’t have to worry about the police because they’re gonna keep it in the streets.”

That’s what it is, he gladly thought.

Marie could tell by the arrogant look on his face that he wasn’t worried about the empty threats, but a part of her was growing fond of him. “Magic, they’re gonna try and kill you!” she warned.

He laid back on the pillow and propped his head up with his hands. “Listen to you, sounding all concerned and stuff.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? You’re my buddy, right?”

“Oh, that’s what I am? Your buddy, huh?”

“Magic, I’m just calling it like I see it. We’re not in a relationship that I know of. We’ve just been enjoying each other’s time.”

“I guess Marie, if you say so.”

Her statement wasn’t what he wanted to hear, and it showed on his face, so she toyed with him. “Why? Did you think there was more than that between us because you’ve been occupying a majority of my time lately?”

Marie sat down beside him, and flirtatiously guided her hand under his T-shirt.

“Not really. But buddies just sounded so distant.”

“Well, if you want to close the gap between us, just come correct,” she challenged. Then she gave his belly button a quick peck and hopped up.

“Wait!” Deshonne said as he grabbed her hand. “Sit back down.”

Marie smiled at him. But on the inside she was planning out her game, play by play. “Nope, because my daughter could come back here at any time, Magic. And besides, we’re not the only ones here, remember?”

“We can lock the door,” Deshonne suggested.” “I won’t moan if you don’t.”

“Sorry, sweetie, not today. Me and my baby are about to go to the mall.”

“Come on, Marie,” Deshonne pleaded.” You just got my hopes all worked up for nothing.”

“No, I didn’t. I just gave you something to work for,” she told him.

Marie walked over to the door, opened it, and hollered for her daughter to get ready to go. Then she turned back. “If you’re good, then maybe next time I’ll tell you how to get past our buddy stage,” she teased.

Deshonne soaked up every word. “Can’t you see that I’m on my best behavior now?”

“Now doesn’t count cause I’m about to leave.”

“I could take y’all,” Deshonne offered. “That way we can pick up right here when we come back.” He wanted her bad, and he wasn’t trying to give up easily.

“Magic, its girls day out. Sorry. But you can stop by later on if you want to.”

Deshonne hugged her sideways and just kissed her on the cheek once he realized that she wasn’t giving in. “Okay, call me later.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked with her hand out.

“What?”

“We need money to shop,” she stated. Marie knew how to manipulate men, and she used every tool that she had as a vixen to do it.