Chapter 3

Nu-Nu walked out of the Superior Court Building feeling invincible. He had just beaten a murder beef and wanted to get back to his hustle. After escaping death two years ago for dealing with a rat, Nu-Nu began hanging over Southeast up on 37th around his uncle, Moe-Styles, who was very well respected around D.C.

One night while hanging out on the block, some guys came through the area shooting up the strip. Nu-Nu ran out of the cut shooting a fully-loaded ACP with a drum magazine at the fleeing car and he got off a lucky shot. The guys that did the drive-by shooting ended up telling on Nu-Nu. To Nu-Nu’s surprise, a few guys from around 37th decided to eat that cheese also – the same chumps he tried to protect that night.

Moe Styles eventually found out who was snitching on his nephew and he had them eliminated. After being locked down for twenty-six months and enduring a three week murder trial, Nu-Nu walked away a free man.

Nu-Nu began walking home from the court building, enjoying the sweet air of freedom again. He always wondered what happened to the guy named Carmelo who stormed the uptown dope house he was hustling in that night. Nu-Nu wanted to hook up with him and talk to him about that night, but he didn’t know where to start.

I wonder if my Uncle Moe-Styles knows about Slim. He just might, ‘cause his ass knows everybody, Nu-Nu thought. He walked a few blocks until he reached Chinatown. While standing in front of the Hooter’s restaurant, Nu-Nu got on the public pay phone and gave his uncle a call. Moe-Styles answered on the third ring.

“Yeeaah?” Moe-Style answered in his smooth voice.

“’Sup, Unc? Ay, you know I just got out and I’m tryna come holler at you.”

“That’s what got your lil geekin’ ass in there the first time. You still ain’t learned, huh?”

“Go ‘head with that, Unc. I just need to get back right so I can make a few moves.”

“Well, right now I’m at the hair salon getting my shit done. After that I’m flying out to Vegas for the fights. You know I gotta see my man Floyd knock some shit out.”

“Unc, I need you to get me right before you go outta town so I can be straight by the time you get back.”

“Listen, why don’t you just wait until I get back and we can do whatever you want?”

“Unc, tomorrow is not promised. I been in for two years and need some change for that weak-ass body. I’m tryna get some bread and fuck some bitches. I have to make up for some lost time.”

“Oh yeah? Okay, well meet me up on the Avenue in front of Greenway ‘round three o’clock. I should be finished in the hair salon by then.”

“Okay, Unc, love you.”

“Love you too, young nigga,” Moe-Styles said as he ended the call.

After Nu-Nu hung up the phone, he decided to go home and see his mother before he met up with his uncle, even though he knew he’d have to hear her mouth. Nu-Nu couldn’t ignore the fact that she made the best food he ever had on earth, and he’d just have to endure her nagging so he could get a good home-cooked meal, which was something he hadn’t had in over two years.

********************

Somewhere on the Southside of Alexandria, Markita and her son, along with her brother’s widow, April, stood at Suede’s gravesite. The two year anniversary of Suede’s unsolved murder had arrived and they had gone to pay their respects to him. Markita cried for a while, telling Suede how much she missed him, having no idea that her fiancé was responsible for his death. After releasing her pain and sorrow over his loss, Markita stepped back to allow April to have some time alone with her deceased husband.

“Baby, I know you’re smiling down on us. I wish you could be here to see your nephew. He’s so big and he reminds me of you.” April sniffled and her voice cracked a little. “I just want you to know that your legacy will never die. I just wish that you never made me have that abortion, because you could have left a part of yourself here with me and for the world to embrace.” April paused, trying to keep it together. “I promise you I will never fall in love with another man. Nobody can ever make me feel the way you did or love how you did.

“Markita and her fiancé really have the club doing fine and I’m working on opening up another restaurant and used car lot with what you left me. I miss you so much, baby. I just - ” April broke down crying.

“Momma, auntie cry. Why auntie cry?” little Ray-Nathan asked, pointing at April.

“Shhh…be quiet, baby. Let auntie vent. You stand right here, okay? Mommy will be right back.” Markita looked at her son and he nodded, giving her a cute smile.

Markita went to April’s side and gave her a comforting hug. “It’s okay, girl. Everything’s going to be okay.”

“I don’t think so, ‘Kita. I tried to hold it in, but this is killing me inside. He was all I had and he’s gone…he’s gone.” She cried even harder.

Markita rocked April in her arms until she calmed down and stopped crying. After April got herself together, they left a dozen roses on Suede’s grave and left the cemetery. Once they got inside Markita's 745 Li BMW convertible drop-top and pulled off, April began asking Markita about her fiancé.

“Oh, he’s doing fine managing the club and stuff, keeping me and our son very happy.”

“Is that right? I’m so happy for you, girl. At least somebody is happy around here.”

“You can be happy too if you move on, girl,” Markita suggested.

“I can’t ever move on until I settle a few things first, and besides, I really don’t think Suede would want me to move on.”

“April, I know it hurts, really I do, but you’re only depriving yourself of living if you don’t move on. I know there’s a man out there who – ”

“I care nothing about a man who cares nothing about me!” she snapped, cutting her off. “Suede was my everything. Why you can’t just accept that, ‘Kita. Damn!”   Markita sighed. “C’mon, April. You’re not being rational here. You mean to tell me that you just intend to spend the rest of your life dickless?”

“Oh My God, ‘Kita, shut your ass up,” April said, mortified.

“I’m just being real, that’s all. I mean, you been celibate for close to three years now?”

“And? So what!”

“I’m just saying. That’s why your ass so fucking mean and grouchy all the time.” Markita grinned. “You need to get you some.”

“But what about Suede? I just wouldn’t feel right.” She sighed and wiped her tear-filled eyes. “I wouldn’t know how to approach a man, let alone open up and trust they ass. Me and your brother have been together since I was a virgin, over seventeen years ago, just me and him,” she said. She began telling Markita how she had always wanted children, but Suede always kept telling her to wait until he got comfortable financially. Now she regretted obeying his wishes.

“Look, April, you’re thirty years old with no kids and have only been with one man. Girl, you don’t know what you missing out on. I’m not saying go out there and be no ho, but you need to go explore the deep blue sea and catch you some dick.”

“You stupid.” April gave her a weak smile, appreciating what Markita was trying to do for her.

“I’m serious! You need a man to unclog that oven of yours. You probably got cobwebs and some more sh-”

“Okay now, watch it.” April smiled, sucking her teeth and pointing a warning finger at Markita. “I mean, how will I know when the time’s right to give it up? How long was you with Melo before you gave me up the goodies?”

“Girl, you ain’t going to believe this, but we met earlier that day, right? I went to McDonald’s to get a bite to eat, and…”

As soon as Markita got inside the fast food restaurant, she felt somebody hugging up on her and groping her from behind. She turned quickly, leaping out the disrespectful and unwanted embrace, ready to kick some ass.

“Nnn-unnh, boy! Excuse you!” Markita stated saucily with her hands on her baby-making hip, while popping her chewing gum. “You can’t do no shit like that, boy! You almost got stabbed up in here.”

“For real?” Carmelo smiled. “It would’ve been worth it.”

“That’s what your mouth say.” She sighed, swiping a sandy blond microbraid away from her face.

“Well, I’m not going to apologize for my approach. I had to do something to get your attention.”

“Now that you have it, what’s next?”

“I’m Carmelo. And you are…?”he asked, grabbing her small, manicured hand.

“Does it matter?” she snapped, snatching her hand away quickly. “All you want is one thing. Once you get it, you’ll get missing in action, just like you dogs do.”

“How will you know that if you keep playing hardball and don’t let me in the door?” he retorted, causing her to smile.

“My name’s Markita.”

“Now see how easy that was? Now that we’re on a first name basis, can you join me for lunch at my table and kick the Bo-Bo with your number one fan?”

“Sorry, baby, I’m in a rush. I have class in twenty minutes. Plus I don’t think that your girlfriend would approve of you talking to me.” She smirked as if she had just exposed him.

Carmelo smiled and replied, “Markita, my girlfriend has been my hands for the last ten years. I just got out of jail two days ago. Shorty, I’m straight up, no games, no chaser.” He added that he liked her and wanted to get to know her on a more personal level.

“That depends, Carmelo,” she replied, producing the sexiest smile he’d ever seen.

“Depends on what?”

“If you’re still on the same b.s. that got you locked up in the first place, because I’m not with having my time wasted.”

“I’m tryna do the right thing, Shorty. Maybe you’re the woman I need to steer me in the right direction to help me grow. Will you help me, Markita?” he asked, reaching for her hand again.

“That depends,” she said, slapping his hand away.

“Aw shit, here we go again.” He sighed. “Depends on what, Sexy?”

“If I can be the first, only, and last female to welcome you back into society,” she said with a seductive wink.

He caught on to what she was saying. “You can do whatever your heart desires, boo.”

“And later on that same night, Carmelo came out to my apartment and dug deep up in this good-good,” Markita said, getting hot flashes from the trip down memory lane.

After completing the story on how she had met her man, Markita felt her juices oozing down her tunnel, creaming her thong. She suddenly got very horny while thinking about the first time Carmelo made love to her, and she made up her mind to make love to her man soon as she laid eyes on him.

“You for real?”

“Yep.” Markita smiled, feeling her coochie tingling. “I need to drop your ass off and get home to my baby.” Mmmph, damn, I need some of that dick right now! I can just feel it, she thought. She stepped on the gas pedal some more, picking up a little more speed.

“Girl, you didn’t know his ass from a can of paint and you just opened up your legs wide for him. You didn’t take the time to get to know him? For all you know, he could have been a rapist, child molester, serial killer, anything,” April said, still not believing her ears. She had waited close to a year before giving away her virginity to Suede on her thirteenth birthday.

“Well, he’s none of the above you just mentioned,” Markita said, getting defensive. “Carmelo’s a very sweet and caring man, and FYI, we got to know each other very well after that magical night, and the rest is history. When we get married this year, that will be the icing on the cake to cement our love, partnership, friendship, and parenthood.” She beamed, glancing back, and saw her son sleeping peacefully in his car seat.

“Mmm-mmph!” April snorted, rolling her eyes. “I hope you get the fairytale ending you’re looking for.”

What’s that s’posed to mean? Markita thought, looking at April like she’d just lost her ever-loving mind. Markita wanted to pull the car over and curse April’s ass out. After giving it another thought, Markita figured that the cemetery visit coupled with the anniversary of Suede’s death played a major part in April’s stank attitude.

Bitch, I’ma let that disrespectful shit slide this time, but you got one more time to pop slick out the mouth, Markita thought, picking up more speed while driving April to where she lived:  Park at Potomac, a neighborhood in Delray, somewhere off Jefferson Davis Highway.