1991
So you going to miss me?”
Sixteen-year-old Regina Harris turned her head to stare out the window so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She nodded her head. “Yeah,” she said in as cool a voice as she could muster. “But I still don’t see why you have to go.”
Little Joe sat up in the bed and gave an expansive stretch accompanied by a loud yawn. He scratched his bare chest and threw his legs over the side of the bed, scrunching his toes on the plush white carpet in the hotel suite.
“Girl, you done wore me the fuck out. I’m too old be trying to keep up with a young-ass girl like you,” he said as he stood up and put on his black silk pajama pants. “You know I gotta go. I got no choice. You hungry? We can go over to Tavern on the Green before I take you home if you want.”
Regina reached over and grabbed his arm before he could move away. “Yes, you do have a choice. You’re not in custody, and I don’t see why you have to turn yourself in to go to prison just because they say you do.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Little Joe said as he sat down on the bed beside her. “Look at you, getting all worked up. I ain’t never seen you this sentimental and shit. Someone would think it’s you being sent the slammer ’stead of me. You need to—”
“No, Little Joe.” Regina jumped up and knelt in front of him. “Please. I don’t want you to go. Please. Let’s just get on a plane and go somewhere. Me, you, and Ray-Ray. We can change our names and live in California, or South America, or anywhere they can’t find us.”
“Aw, isn’t that sweet? You wanna run off together, huh?” Little Joe chuckled as he caressed her face.
“Little Joe, please. You’re laughing, and I don’t see anything funny.” Regina didn’t bother to hide her sobs as she buried her head in Little Joe’s bare chest. “I don’t want you to go. And you don’t need to go. Please don’t leave me. I won’t know what to do without you.”
“You’ll do what you’ve always done, Regina. You’ll survive,” Little Joe said gently as he rocked her back and forth and stroked her back.
“No, I won’t,” Regina moaned. “Please, Little Joe. Let’s just get on a plane. Let’s just go.”
“I can’t, baby. First off, they’ve already confiscated my passport.”
“Can’t you get a fake one?”
“Yeah, maybe, but I ain’t inclined. I’m going to beat this bum rap. My lawyer’s already working on an appeal, and he thinks he can get me sprung in like a year. Shit, I can do a year standing on my head. Ain’t like I ain’t never did no time before. And if I run now, I’m gonna be running the rest of my life, and I ain’t down for that shit. I got all my business handled already, so I can be outta the life and legit by the time I get sprung. Just live off the investments I’ve already made. Let me just do this, and I’ll be out before you even realize I’ve been in, okay?”
“No.” Regina sobbed hysterically. “It’s not okay. I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to go.”
“I know you don’t, baby, but I’ll be okay, and you will, too,” Little Joe said as he continued to rock her back and forth. “And you’ll be the first person I’ll find when I get out. I promise.” He wiped some of the tears from her cheek and kissed her lips tenderly. “Now, stop all this crying before you make my dick hard again.”