Chapter Twenty-one
The trip back to Virginia was a quiet and awkward one. Treacherous and Baby rode in silence. They had only exchanged a few words once when they had stopped for gas. Baby still felt guilty about what had happened to them back in Miami, while Treacherous was preoccupied with contemplating their next move as he navigated their stolen SUV on the highway. Baby slept most of the ride back. Treacherous’s mind was a million miles away as he floated up the highway. Occasionally, Baby would wake to check on him and to see where they were. Treacherous’s mind was elsewhere. Each time she awoke, he had the same blank stare on his face.
The last place she remembered passing was exit 74 for Dunn, North Carolina, which was why she was surprised to see the Virginia state line sign. The SUV coasted on the interstate as the speedometer approached five miles over the normal 65mph speed limit. Treacherous had been putting some work in behind the wheel as he traveled in deep thought. An eerie feeling swept through Treacherous as he passed the overhead billboard displaying the state’s red cardinal on a branch and reading VIRGINIA WELCOMES YOU. For the first time since they had left Miami, Treacherous reflected on the situation back at the South Beach hotel. The whole ordeal still left a bad taste in his mouth. He knew he had to shake it off. What’s done is done, he told himself in order to cope with the loss. He focused more on the fact that Ghetto Governor was in a position to offer them a way to get back on their feet. Treacherous had no idea what the offer entailed, but he had already made his mind up that he was accepting it no matter what. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he stared at the speed on the SUV’s dashboard. He hadn’t realized he had been going so fast.
Baby had gotten a funny feeling of her own. She dreaded being back in Virginia. Despite how their trip had ended, Baby would take Miami over Virginia any day. But even if she had wanted to stay she knew she couldn’t. Now that they were broke they had to return to Virginia. On what terms, was the million dollar question she wondered. They were wanted in Virginia and although they had been lucky so far, she knew the risk they were taking. It seemed like every time she closed her eyes, images of what had led to her being a fugitive from justice invaded her head. She was all too glad to be free, but at what cost, was what weighed heavy and the most on her heart. Distant memories skipped through her mind. As images of her life flashed before her eyes, Baby couldn’t help but appreciate her right-hand and crime partner. Either way, no matter what he wanted to do, Baby had made up her mind that she was riding out. Occasionally, she peered over at Treacherous. Her heart warmed with each glance at him. She smiled at scenes that played in her head of her and Treacherous. I love this man. She smiled within.
Treacherous could feel Baby staring at him. His eyes shifted from the road over to her and back to the road. “What’s wrong?” he asked with concern in his tone.
“Nothing.” Another smile appeared across Baby’s face. She loved the way his voice always made her feel. It sent chills through her entire body and made her feel safe.
Treacherous glanced back over at her for a second time. He was just in time to catch the end of her smile. It made him grin. He reached over and grabbed hold of Baby’s hand. “I love you.” He took Baby’s hand and raised it up to his mouth. He kissed the back of it and winked at Baby before directing his attention back on the highway.
“I love you more,” Baby rebutted.
Treacherous chuckled. The tension and awkwardness that once filled the air was now replaced with love and laughter.
The playful exchange relaxed Baby. She closed her eyes and dozed back off. Treacherous looked over at her. A huge grin was plastered across Baby’s face as she slipped back into a light sleep.
He couldn’t help but smile as he switched lanes. He knew his Baby was back to normal.
Treacherous veered off onto the exit. Moments later, he was cruising down the back road of the quiet neighborhood they had recently moved into. Treacherous pulled into the driveway of their place and threw the SUV into park. He had told himself he was going to get rid of the stolen vehicle as soon as they got back into the area, but, out of nowhere, exhaustion overcame him.
Treacherous rotated his neck from side to side, extended his arms, and yawned. You could hear his muscles popping and his bones cracking. He had just released 800 and some-odd miles’ worth of tension as he stretched. He began to brush the back of his head with his hand as he continued to rotate his neck.
Baby massaged the back part of her neck and right shoulder. It had stiffened from the way she had been positioned in the passenger seat during her nap sessions the whole ride home. She looked over at Treacherous. She could tell he was sleepy. He always rubbed the back of his head like that when he was tired. She smiled lovingly. She had first noticed it when they were in the mental institution, and she thought it to be funny in a cute way. Aside from that, he had just driven them the entire way back from Miami, so it was only right that he be tired. By now, Treacherous was leaned over on the steering wheel holding the bridge of his nose. Baby thought he had dozed off for a second.
“You want me to get rid of the truck, so you can go in and get some rest?” Baby suggested. She knew they’d have a full plate when the sun came up.
Treacherous shook his head. “Nah, we can dump it in the morning before we hook up with Ghetto Gov. We both need our rest. We both gotta be on our A game,” he told her.
Baby nodded in agreement.
“I don’t know what he got for us, but, whatever it is, I want us to be ready to handle it,” Treacherous added.
“Okay, let’s go in the house.” She was the first to exit the vehicle. She dragged herself to the front door while Treacherous struggled to get out of the SUV. He snatched up the duffle bag containing the casino chips from the back seat. Between being tired and the weight of the duffle bag, Treacherous had to use what little strength he had to lug himself and the duffle to the front door. His trap muscles were on fire from toting the duffle and his eyes were so heavy he was having trouble keeping them open. Without realizing it, he had dozed off. Which was why he hadn’t noticed Baby backpedaling until he ran into her. The look on her face woke him up.
“Get back in the truck.” Her voice was a tone higher than a whisper. Treacherous didn’t ask any questions. Her facial expression was enough to let him know that something wasn’t right. Baby’s wide eyes and tight lips as she spoke alarmed him. He looked left then right in rapid succession while backpedaling to the SUV. Seconds later, he was backing out of their driveway and zooming back in the direction from which they came.
“What was wrong?” Treacherous asked Baby. She still had the same look on her face as she did at the house.
“The front door was cracked,” she announced. “Someone’s been in the house.”
Treacherous’s facial expression now matched Baby’s. “How?”
“I don’t know.” Baby shook her head. It never crossed her mind that they could possibly be coming back to VA with more drama at their doorstep so soon.
Treacherous pulled out his phone. He hooked a sharp right up the street intended for the highway. Luckily he made a right instead of a left. Had he chosen the opposite direction, he would have been likely spotted by the two Irish henchmen who had trashed their home earlier and were told to return to the house and wait.
Ghetto Governor answered on the first ring. Treacherous went straight in as to the nature of his calling so late.
“There’s been a change of plans,” he started out with. “We’re coming to you now,” Treacherous ended. He knew there was no time to waste at that point. He didn’t even give Ghetto Governor a chance to respond. Instead, he hung up. Then he pressed down on the circle on his iPhone 6S and commanded Siri to pull up the directions to Ghetto Governor’s house.