In the sticky heat of August, Kareem seized the moment to invite Dre and Marquis on a trip to Atlantic City. During the drive, the three of them talked about the clothing line. Finally, Kareem turned off the music and made an announcement.
“Yo! That was D-Block, fool,” Dre shouted from the back seat.
“Calm down. I need both of your attention.”
“Here we go,” Marquis said.
“Look in my briefcase. There’s a manila envelope. Pull it out and take the folder that is yours, and give the other one to Marquis.”
“What the fuck is my face doing on this ID?” Dre asked. He was puzzled.
Kareem smiled. “That’s the new you. For the stay at the AC hotel at least.” When that sank in without any questions, Kareem said, “Study the profile. Once at the casino, you will use all that you have to be convincing enough to clear the accounts of its cash and at least double it gambling.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” Dre asked, having paid Kareem’s instructions no attention. He was still puzzled.
Marquis understood perfectly.
The troika pulled up to the Trump Taj Mahal and was ready to rock. Even though Dre’s stomach churned, he planned to pull off the job. They entered the lobby, side-by-side, in their power suits. All eyes watched them. They strutted to the music made by the slot machines and gamblers cheering. What a grand beat.
Kareem had his left hand in his pocket, just far enough for the coiled Philippe Cherriol watch to show. Dre’s ears glistened with the four-karat Harry Winston studs in his ear lobes. The yellow diamonds shone like a block of frozen lemonade. Marquis had on a Barry Keiselstein-Cord belt with a gaudy crocodile buckle, which was brilliant against his all black attire. The three amigos, led by the fraud baron, Kareem, checked into their suites and then headed to the casino. Each of them took $20,000 in chips against their room accounts and hit the casino, prepared to triple the $20,000.
***
Toi laid across the king-sized bed with her feet propped up on the leather footboard. She stared around, listening to Sade. Bored, she decided to call Tasha, who was busy chasing after the screaming Amare.
“Dre needs to have his ass here,” Tasha said, provoking Toi’s anger that both brothers had left them alone.
“Experiencing loneliness, huh? And I thought that it was only me?”
“I understand my man’s mission, Toi. I just need to deal with it for now.”
Is this bitch crazy? Toi thought. “Better you than me.”
“Maybe I should have a hot...no...fervent, love affair,” Tasha joked.
Toi had taken that into consideration. You have no fuckin’ idea.
“You sound foolish,” Toi said, lying. That was a good idea to her at that moment. She heard Amare screaming and decided that she had better let Tasha go.
Fed up with her imaginary neglect, she pulled out her cell phone and pushed SEND when she reached an entry in her phone book for Samira.
“Hi, may I speak to Shimir?” He acknowledged that it was him, and she went on. “You may not remember me, but I’m the girl that you met at Justine’s a few weeks ago.”
“Oh, I remember you. What, Don Juan dumped you?”
“No. He’s away on business. Once again, leaving me alone.” She had a hint of anger in her voice. “And he’s no, Don Juan.”
“Sounds like he’s gambling with his relationship. So, is that the reason you called me. Am I the rebound? To be used for sympathy sex, I hope.”
“No...and no! To be honest, I do not know why I called. I guess I just needed to talk to a man.”
“You have one.” He was sarcastic. Talk! He had no desire to converse. He was more in the mood for a good bedroom assault.
“You have a real potty-mouth, sir.” She smiled.
“No profanity, sis. That’s not ladylike.” He joked. “So, since he’s away, what do you say to me treating you to dinner and a movie?”
***
After hours of gambling, something came over Kareem. Toi!
In an instant their life together flashed before him. Kareem sat at a poker table daydreaming when the house intruded.
“Mr. Gem, your bet,” the woman said, calling him by his moniker, Mr. Gem.
“Sorry.” Kareem looked around the table to find everyone had folded except a vivacious woman and him.
The cards shown for the table were a ten of hearts, a jack of hearts and an ace of clubs. Kareem had in the hole the ace and queen of hearts. The woman bet $5,000. Kareem called. He chased that royal flush; after all, he was not playing with his money. The house flipped the next card. The woman immediately cheered with her girlfriends. Kareem was not the least bit pressed when the woman bet $20,000. He saw her bet and raised her $5,000, to which she happily re-raised him another $20,000.
“You silly man. A nice looking man, but silly,” the woman said, as the dealer flipped the river card.
An ace of diamonds. The woman cheered and went all in. Kareem called her and the woman flipped over a full house: aces over jacks.
“Laugh now,” Kareem said, and flipped over that royal. He collected his chips and then headed to his room.
On the way there, he met his homeys at the casino bar, and informed them that he was going for a massage. He reminded them to meet him in the lobby of the hotel by 6:15 a.m. to get to the Philadelphia International Airport by 7:30.
***
Toi and Shimir exited the elegantly decorated Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery after dinner. Toi was impressed with the legendary cheesecake, and felt good being out on a regular date.
“I really couldn’t believe Bucktown, Brooklyn, had such a delicious cheesecake,” Toi said, as they walked to Hoyt and Schermerhorn Streets toward the A and C trains.
“It’s crazy that you’ve never been there. You being a five- star chick and all.”
“I am a classy bitch. Thank you so much, for noticing.”
“I guess it must be nice to be in a relationship with a high- class toy?”
“No, he’s my boyfriend and far from a toy.”
“If you’re so proud, why are you walking from Junior’s with me, after dinner and a movie? And only God knows where lover boy is.”
“I don’t know,” she said, and paused. She gathered herself and said, “He’s into some shit and I fear that he may get locked up, but I lie to him to make him think that his hectic schedule is my problem. If he don’t get locked up, it may be worse.”
“What is he a man-whore, ‘cause I know he ain’t a dope boy. None of that sort of shit.”
Toi chuckled. “You have such a sense of humor.”
“Word? He’s probably rich.” He could use the third party information. “That brings me to my original question. Why are you out with me? He’s a prissy, soon-to-be-millionaire.”
“You seem to think that you have him all figured out. He’s far from prissy. More like well appointed.”
“You seem to be doing nothing but complimenting him, so I do not see what seems to be the problem with him that has you in Brooklyn with me. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my night with you. Baaadassss! was a good movie pick, too.” He stopped, then added, “So, I guess I can call you later, friend?” he asked, glad that she had distanced herself; otherwise, he’d be kissing her good night.
“No, I’ll call you. He’ll be home tonight.”
“Okay, Get back to your prissy man in Manhanttenville safely.”
They both chuckled and smiled at each other, as she disappeared underground into the subway.