Part 18 (1/2)

”No, but you should,” the woman stood firmly, leaning up against her pearl handle black marble cane.

”Is that right?”

”Yes, it is. And stop using his bulls.h.i.+t a.s.s phrase. That n.i.g.g.a's d.i.c.k has been in everybody's mouth. That phase makes my a.s.s itch,” the woman said as she reached in her pocket and pulled out a business card. ”Here. Come see me; unlike the rest, I am the only one who has nothing to lose or gain,” she paused and extended her arm.

”See you around seven,” she looked down at her diamond and platinum watch. ”And bring me some weed; we will both need to smoke to this,” the woman said with a smirk and walked off.

KoKo's brow creased as she watched the woman hobble off. She then flipped the card over that read, Pas.h.i.+on Allen. She read the address and recorded it in her memory then dropped the card on the empty chair and headed for the door.

”You good?” Baseem asked as he opened the car door for KoKo.

”Not yet,” KoKo said as she slid comfortably into her seat.

Baseem jumped into the driver's seat and pulled out.

”What time you coming home? Daddy needs to nibble on your s.e.xy inner thighs.” Kayson asked as he pulled his T-s.h.i.+rt over his head.

”I'll be there shortly, baby, so mama can give daddy whatever he wants,” she cooed into the phone as she eyed the red brick house.

”Hurry up,” he commanded. ”Love you, baby.”

”I love you too,” she disconnected the call and looked down at her watch.

KoKo checked her gun then grabbed the small black velvet bag from the armrest and hopped out the car. She walked quickly up the few steps that lead to the porch and rang the bell. KoKo waited with great antic.i.p.ation as she thought about whether this was the meeting she needed to get her questions answered. She rang the bell again, then stepped back and looked up at the light in a front window then back at her watch. Just as KoKo became impatient, she heard small barks coming from the other side of the door.

”Hush and move,” the woman's voice echoed from behind the door as she clicked the locks and pulled it open. ”Come in, child; don't mind these dogs, they are all bark,” the woman said as she turned and walked to a side room and took a seat in an ice-grey high-backed suede chair.

”Close the door,” she yelled out as she settled in her chair.

KoKo closed the door and looked at the bossy old lady with the salt and pepper dreads and silenced her tongue.

”Have a seat, I don't bite,” she ordered as she leaned her cane against the coffee table. ”And grab that ashtray on your way over,” she continued to instruct.

”What else you need?” KoKo spat with a frown in her brow.

”I'll let you know. Now take a seat and let's get acquainted. And roll that heat up; it will help with this old lady's memory,” she smiled and sat back.

KoKo had to chuckle herself at the woman's c.o.c.ky att.i.tude. She took a seat on the matching love seat and pulled a bag of sour and diesel mix and laced two blunt wraps and rolled them up with ease. KoKo became more relaxed as Billie Holiday played in the background and the small logs kindled in the fireplace. The home felt warm and welcoming.

As she lit one of the blunts and took a deep pull, she eyed the pictures that adorned the walls. There were pictures from one wall to the next in fancy frames of cookouts, reunions and events; also a variety of family portraits. Her eyes stopped on one in particular and her heart jumped as she realized it was her father and a woman from one of the photos she had. The woman was holding KoKo tightly in her arms and looking at her like she was her world. KoKo pa.s.sed the blunt to Pas.h.i.+on then walked over to the photo and stood a.n.a.lyzing every inch of it. The woman holding her was so beautiful; she had long, pretty brown hair and a smile that exuded confidence and love; her father stood next to the woman with pride adorning his face.

”Why do you have this?” KoKo asked turning back to Pas.h.i.+on.

”Come sit down and let me share something with you that I believe will finally release your demons,” Pas.h.i.+on put the blunt to her mouth. ”This is some good s.h.i.+t,” Pas.h.i.+on said as she tried to m.u.f.fle her cough.

KoKo stared curiously at the woman with a raised brow then returned to her seat.

”Start that other one I'm smoking this one,” Pas.h.i.+on said as she nodded and sucked her tongue, tasting the elegance of the bud.

KoKo picked up the other blunt and lit the end and sat back.

”I have been waiting for you to find me. I guess it took the grave of our enemies to bring us together,” she took a few more pulls then sat it down in the ashtray.

KoKo remained silent awaiting the woman's revelations. She had been invited to many sit downs and each one was a dead-end. At this point, KoKo was really trying to see if she would finally get the truth.

”Firstly, I don't want anything from you and I don't need you for anything. The only reason I am sharing what I know is to clean my own hands. I am too old for this war and really if I died tomorrow, I would have only one regret,” she paused. ”That regret is that I never got to look you in your eyes and see how beautiful you are,” Pas.h.i.+on smiled as her heart filled with joy.

Again, KoKo say silent.

”Just like your mother, a woman of many quiet words. Her silence caused her the only thing she truly loved, and that was you,” Pas.h.i.+on choked back her tears as she realized she was actually sitting across for KoKo for the first time in over twenty years.

KoKo felt a lump form in her throat as the woman gave her a piece of a life she never knew and for the first time, she actually felt connected to something. Pas.h.i.+on looked at KoKo's face for a few more seconds then began. ”I am going to tell you a story and I can only pray that by the end of it you will be free.”

”Ma, I don't know what to do?” Sabrina whispered to her mother as she tried to hold the tears back from falling down her face.

”You let that n.i.g.g.a f.u.c.k other women, so this is the price you pay,” Pas.h.i.+on responded as she lit a cigarette and blew smoke into the air. She was perched up on a bar stool at the Island in their kitchen as Sabrina tried every bit of patience she had left.

”Ma, you know Malik don't like you to smoke in here,” Sabrina said, fanning her hand in front of her mom's face as she looked out the kitchen door.

”f.u.c.k him, he controls your p.u.s.s.y not mine; and get yo d.a.m.n hand out my face,” Pas.h.i.+on spat as she continued to blow smoke in her direction. ”So, what you gonna do. You just gonna let your husband have a side b.i.t.c.h or you gonna make him own his vows?” Pas.h.i.+on said, then dotted her cigarette out.

”I'm confused. You know how I feel about him. I'm not walking away from my marriage,” Sabrina a.s.serted and as the words left her lips, tears escaped her eyes. She grabbed a paper towel from the counter and dabbed at her cheeks as the reality of Malik's actions set in.

Pas.h.i.+on got ready to speak plain words, but stopped as Malik walked into the kitchen holding KoKo in his arms.

”What's going on in here?” he said, looking over at Sabrina's teary eyes.

”Nothing,” Sabrina said as she turned to the refrigerator and pulled it open. ”What you want for dinner?” she asked as she tried to collect herself.

”Whatever you want to fix, baby,” Malik looked at the anger on Pas.h.i.+on's face, he placed a kiss on KoKo's cheek as he gagged the energy in the room.

”Can you hold her while I talk to my wife?” he asked as he pa.s.sed KoKo to Pas.h.i.+on.

”Yeah, you do that,” she said as she put her arms out and took KoKo then walked into the living room.

Malik waited until she was out of sight then began. ”What's wrong, ma?” he asked as she walked up behind Sabrina.

Sabrina took a deep breath and tried to formulate her words. ”Why do you need to be with her?” she asked, choking back the tears.

Malik stood silent, carefully forming his answer. ”You know she handles my business.”

Sabrina turned to face him. ”But does she have to handle your d.i.c.k?” she looked him in the eyes and waited for his response.

”You know me and Keisha are cool as h.e.l.l, that's it,” he lied to save her feelings.

”Don't play with me. I'm your wife. I know you better than anyone. I know you are sleeping with her. I'm not stupid,” she said as her heart broke into a million pieces with every word.

Malik looked in her eyes and saw that the naive little girl she used to be was far gone and clouding her head with fantasy was a not an option.