Chapter 13 Heidi #2
She took it and ran inside the ring like a child. Mercedees really did behave like a child at times. I was on her heels going after my cell. If I knew my girl, she was about to respond in the most hoeish way possible.
“Nope. He ‘bout to know wassup though,” she squealed tapping while running.
When she was done, she tossed the phone in my direction and sprinted out the ring. I didn’t bother to go after her. I really just wanted to see what the hell she sent that man.
Me: Nah love. I’m not uncomfortable at all. If anything, you put me at ease.
“Cedees!” I screamed.
“What? I kept it PG. Is that the first time he did that? I like his voice.”
Kissing the back of my teeth, I rolled my eyes while shaking my head.
Mercedees was and would forever be that free spirit that went with anything.
If it felt good to her, she was doing it.
Me on the other hand had precaution about any and everything I did.
When it came to Bentendo94’, I wasn’t giving him anything that was too personal.
Each detail was surface level. Something you could find off a damn google site.
With that reply, he sent another audio chat, and my nerves went to jumping from the top ropes. I was panicking, and it was Cedees fault.
“Dammit Cedees. He sent another one.”
“Then listen and fuckin’ reply. I can’t believe this is really what you doing. I’m telling Royce,” she teased.
“You better not!” I shouted with a finger pointed in her direction as if I was her mama. She was starting to get on my nerves.
“You don’t tell me what to do. Press the button and see what he talking ‘bout,” she encouraged wearing that mischievous smile.
I hit the button once more and that baritone came through loud and clear. “At ease, huh? That’s cute. We done talked about all the shit I could think of. Tell me something random. Interesting but random. I need to hear something unordinary.”
I looked at Mercedees for help, and she just stood there laughing. She was of no help. I now understood why Royce and Striker only called on her to handle female problems. She was a headache in any other department.
“Bitch, you started this shit,” I chimed through tight lips.
“And you ‘bout to finish it. Tell him ‘bout yo’ hideout. Don’t tell him the name of it of course but tell him how your introverted ass found a swarm of introverts that shared the same interest. You need a hobby other than sorting books by the way. Look, I’m heading back to the office to catch up on paperwork.
Holla at me if you need me,” she said throwing her duces up.
I waited until she was out the main area before taking a seat in the middle of the ring. I was cool with talking to Bentendo. It didn’t feel creepish or anything like that since the conversations were so light. Bentendo was slowly but surely making Chats with Angels straight again.
Me: Ms. Frizzle without the shit load of kids behind her. That’s me in a nutshell. Anything in a book, especially surrounding science is my thing.
As soon as my message delivered, his bubble showed.
He was so eager to respond. I lowkey felt pressured to say something back.
Outside of the Atkins men, no one else got this from me.
I guess my comfortability came in knowing we would never cross paths.
Bentendo was my introduction back into the dating pool even though he had no clue on what he was being used for.
Another audio message came through, and I didn’t let it sit for a second before I was pressing on it.
Bentendo’s voice was soothing, giving me a sense of relaxation to a certain extent.
I was still just as cautious walking on pins and needles while speaking to him, except the bed of needles didn’t hold thousands anymore. We’d decreased to hundreds.
“Aye, ain’t shit wrong with that. I guess I can call you Reading Rainbow, huh?”
His comment made me chuckle. The fact that he could match the vibes was crazy. Anything I came with, he had something for it. Magic School Bus and Reading Rainbow was from an era that could never be duplicated. He was cultured, and I appreciated that.
Me: I’d prefer you address me as Patience. Calling me Reading Rainbow means I can switch shit up too, right? Green Mile?
The jokes were refreshing. Michael was just as sweet at first. Thinking about him caused an instant snap back to reality.
I was aware of innocent people serving a sentence that didn’t belong to them.
However, I was also aware that some inmates did exactly what the hell they were charged with.
Conversation was just conversation with them.
The attachments could never be there again.
“Aye, I been trying to get right with Jesus for a long time. This walk got my feet rougher than a muthafucka. Them Florida streets ain’t no joke,” he replied with a slight chuckle. He was enjoying today’s convo just as much as I was.
Me: They say don’t drop the soap, but you got to bend over and take care of them corns. Be careful.
“Fuck you, shawty. I see you in a good mood today. That’s really good.
I was hoping I could do that for you. Atkins, wrap it up.
It’s chow time. I ain’t hungry. Bentley Atkins, wrap it up, now!
And who the fuck you think you barking at?
Oh, aight. Look, that’s my time. Let me handle this, and I’ll get back to you in a few hours. ”
“What the fuck?” I said aloud. “Cedees come here!” I screamed out. I know I heard what I heard but with her hearing it too, I’d know I wasn’t tripping.
She came sprinting around the corner with her gun in tow. She was raised by Royce. Of course, she shot first and asked questions later. “What bitch? What?”
“Come listen to this. I ain’t fuckin’ crazy.” I climbed out the ring and met her halfway. She looked down at the phone and waited until I replayed the message.
“…Atkins, wrap it up. It’s chow time. I ain’t hungry. Bentley Atkins, wrap it up, now!”
Her gaze found mine within seconds. With eyes as big as saucers, I knew she caught wind of it too.
Being an Atkins was rare. I hadn’t run into anyone else that shared their name.
Every single one of us traveled and had yet to experience another fuckin’ Atkins.
This wasn’t a coincidence. The odds of a man suddenly appearing as Bentley Atkins only for another to be connected with me on ChatMate.
“I’m not tripping, right? You heard that just like I did?” I needed her confirmation. I was a woman that followed her instincts and never doubted what life presented me. It was a reason this niggas name was what it was. “Bentendo. Bentley. It makes sense!”
“Hold up, hold up, hold up. I ain’t the smartest fish in the pond, but I know for a fact the name Bentley Atkins ain’t common. Heidi, who the hell are you messaging? Better yet, who the fuck is trying to get into my family?”
Cedees were asking the right questions that I had absolutely no answers for. I was just as puzzled myself. Things were beginning to be too much and going to Vegas didn’t seem half bad.
“Bitch, if I knew, I wouldn’t be here looking dumbfounded. My head starting to hurt off this shit,” I started rubbing my temples.
“I’m calling Royce. Get whatever lies you need together cause I’m not sparing you, that nigga in that chat, or the nigga snaking his way into my bloodline. I will flood this bitch red, and you know it,” she threatened.
She meant every word. The only person crazier than Royce was Mercedees. She was the unpredictable and untamable one out the family. I always thought she’d be the one behind bars first, but Royce debunked that theory.
“Call me for what?” Both Cedees and I looked to our right and Royce stood with Striker by his side. Both them niggas had their Glocks pulled as if something was going to pop off any second. “Oh, so y’all don’t hear a nigga? Call me for fuckin’ what?”
“You better tell him before I do,” Cedees whispered.
Royce’s long stride managed to close the distance between us within seconds. All I could do was look up at him nervously. When he was in protective mode, this nigga was intimidating as fuck. He could make the devil rethink decisions if you asked me. Towering over me, I cowered fast under his glare.
“Don’t make me snatch yo’ lil’ ass up in here Heidi. What the fuck you got going on? And I dare you to lie to me,” he threatened.
Swallowing my spit, I took a step back and he took one forward. He wasn’t giving me time to breathe. I hated when he got like this. Mercedees talked this nigga up. I blamed her for this. He didn’t blink once while he stared me down and waited impatiently for my response.
Dropping my head, I figured I might as well just give it to him raw.
Releasing a deep breath, I tapped the message for the umpteenth time and allowed him to hear it for himself.
When it was done, I looked up at him and saw nothing.
His face was still, and I couldn’t tell if the nigga was mad, confused, or what.
I took it a step further and went to explaining myself.
“So, I ended up joining Chats with Angels again. It’s everything that First Lady and the members claimed it to be.
Everything is anonymous and discreet. I got paired with him from day one.
We been chatting it up for a while now. Today was the first day he sent voice messages.
That was the last message I got from him.
I let Cedees hear it, and she wanted to tell you about it. ”
“And you?” he inquired.
“I was going to tell you Royce. I just needed a minute.”
“Right. You planned on telling me ‘bout getting yo’ dumbass back in that program too, huh? Man get the hell out my face Heidi,” he said shooing me away.
“Royce, what the hell are we ‘bout to do with this? This ain’t no coincidence. Who the fuck is that?” Cedees asked pointing to my phone. “And who the fuck is that?” she pointed behind her acknowledging the other Bentley.
“I don’t know,” he answered looking directly at me. “You care to tell us?”
“Royce all I know is the guy through the chat is an inmate in Florida…” The dots were connecting as I spoke.
Inmates were called by their name or number.
There was no reason for a guard to call him anything else.
Bentendo94’, him mentioning Florida, then the guard…
this wasn’t just by chance. I swiped out the app and called Niyani.
If anybody knew Bentley Atkins, she did.
She answered after the first ring with excitement. “Friennnnnd. I was just ‘bout to hit you. I got these tickets to see—”
Cutting her off, I voiced my reason for calling. “We can talk ‘bout that later. You know everybody in Miami, right? Does Bentley Atkins sound familiar?”
“Bitch, who birthday party you thought we were at that night? I could’ve got us up to VIP to meet him if we stayed. Too bad he locked up. I heard he got caught with some bricks and they hit his ass cross the head,” she ranted.
“You know what he look like? Like can you send me a picture?” I questioned with not an ounce of patience coursing through my body.
“Girl yes. Hold on.” A few seconds passed before my phone got to vibrating. I quickly opened the message and hit with three pics that weren’t of the man portraying himself to be Bentley Atkins. “He fine as hell ain’t he. Why you asking for pics? What happened?”
Turning my phone in her direction, Mercedees just had to get a glimpse at the pics as well. “Damn. Cousin or not, he is fine!” she shouted.
Snatching my phone back, I answered Ni with, “I’ll call you later and run it down. Thank you, friend.” Hanging up, I looked up at Royce, and asked, “Can you go somewhere with me?”
“This ain’t the time for that Heidi. Who the fuck you been talking to?”
“Dammit Royce. Stop trying to control shit all the time!” I shouted.
I was getting frustrated with him. “When we were at the game, I had small talk with Bentley. He never answered any of my questions. However, he did volunteer he was from Florida and could show me a good time. Mercedees thinks whoever that fraud ass nigga is up here wants the inheritance money.”
Finally, everything was starting to click for him too. Royce was the only nigga I knew that could make shit shake and he suffer little to no consequences. “Go where Heidi?” he inquired.
“Miami. Niyani not lying, so I’m checking this shit out for myself.”
Opening the app again, I sent back a chat.
Me: This is sudden and random as hell, but I need you to do something for me. Can you add Heidi Mitchell and Royce Atkins to your visitation? I’ll explain everything once we get there. I promise.
“When we flying out?”
“A week or two. My gut is telling me we’re welcoming the wrong Bentley Atkins.”