8. Khalif
I sat in the police chief’s office with a scowl on my face.
I knew my ass was in trouble, but I almost didn’t care.
I had made it known a while ago that Davis was a racist asshole that abused his power.
I was probably the only officer that complained, but others that he arrested had complained about his derogatory comments and use of excessive force.
Nobody did anything however, and it pissed me the fuck off.
The police chief was black, and I expected more from him.
I didn’t give one fuck about being shunned by some of the other officers for ratting him out.
It wasn’t going to be on my conscious if the day came when his stupid ass killed an unarmed black person or did some other fuck shit.
I didn’t join the force to make friends.
“Moses,” the chief sighed and sat back in his chair. “I understand your frustrations, but you know what you did wasn’t acceptable, right? After all the training you’ve had, all the things you’ve accomplished, how do you let an asshole like Davis set you off?”
“How did I let him set me off?” I asked with a frown.
“That man walks around all day every day with his chest poked out spewing bullshit. Everyone with vision and ears knows he’s as crooked as the day is long yet nothing is done.
If I lost my job for hitting him that’s what it is.
I don’t want to work in a place that lets people like him win. ”
“Khalif, you work at a place that gathers evidence before it makes a final decision. It might seem unfair, but there is protocol. Davis was being investigated before you ever reported him. It may have taken some time, but today’s incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
We have enough complaints from various people and enough proof to let Davis go. ”
At least if I had lost my job that bastard lost his too, so I couldn’t even be too upset. I simply bobbed my head at the chief’s words.
“I want you to go home and cool off for the day. Come back tomorrow refreshed.”
The fact that I hadn’t lost my job either calmed my attitude all the way down.
Standing up, I extended my hand toward the police chief for a shake.
“I appreciate you.” I didn’t want favoritism from him because he was a black man.
I wanted him to be fair and understand that a racist police officer was a dangerous thing.
He had done what needed to be done, and I was satisfied.
The police chief shook my hand, and I made my way out of the office.
I wasn’t sure if Tahli had been processed.
I wasn’t even sure what her charges were, but I kept walking straight toward the door.
I didn’t need anyone thinking that I only defended her because I was checking for her or knew her on a personal level.
I would have intervened if I heard him say what he said to her to anybody.
I just had to trust that Tahli would be able to get herself out of this jam.
I wanted to call Sheniah, but I felt that might be overstepping.
I was just going to mind my business. I had calmed down since finding the fake ID in Tahli’s car.
The situation that I’d just witnessed was one I wanted her to avoid.
That was the reason I was so pissed. It was less about judging her and more about not wanting her to mess up her future.
I knew she’d been waiting for a full-time position at the bank.
Now, more than likely, she was going to lose the part-time one too.
Social media loved cancelling people, so I could only hope her fanbase wouldn’t turn on her.
Tahli had been on my mind every day since our disagreement.
Having full custody of Sierra had been consuming a lot of my time outside of work, but I still had enough energy left to think of Tahli a few times a day.
I had even thought about reaching out to her but decided against it.
Sierra had two more hours in school, so I headed home to get out of my uniform and take a shower.
When I was done with my shower, I saw that I had a missed call from Nook.
He’d called me twice since Sheniah’s birthday dinner, and I hadn’t answered for him.
I didn’t have the brain capacity to entertain Nook’s foolishness.
Walking into the kitchen to look for something to eat, I called him back.
“Got damn, I did something to you?” Nook answered the phone dramatic as hell. “You just said fuck me, huh? Tahli must have some good pussy.”
“Keep Tahli’s name out your mouth.”
“Got damn boy it’s like that?” Nook’s voice rose an octave. “How you turning on me for somebody you met through me?”
“Let’s get something clear. I’m not turning on you.
I’m choosing to keep my distance ‘cus yo’ ass is miserable and on the verge of crashing out.
You wanted to leave Sheniah, and you did that.
Now every time I turn around, it’s a hating ass comment, shade, or you just doing flat out hoe shit.
What you did at her birthday dinner was lame as fuck, and I’m telling you that as a friend.
It doesn’t have a fuck ass thing to do with being pussy whipped.
And if what I’m saying pisses you off then that’s what it is.
I’ll be here when you get your mind right.
” I fully expected Nook to either hang up on me or to go off before hanging up, and I didn’t care about either one.
“You’re right. There isn’t shit else I can say because you’re right.
People tried to tell me not to leave Sheniah, but I wouldn’t listen and now, she doesn’t want shit to do with me.
I see why Clint’s ass wanted a roommate.
This nigga is always late with his half of the bills. I’m sick of this shit already.”
I sat and let Nook vent because that was all I could do.
I didn’t have any advice to give him. I couldn’t read Sheniah’s mind, but if I was a gambling man, I’d bet she didn’t want him back.
Nook damn sure couldn’t live with me. I didn’t do roommates, and I only had two bedrooms. One of those belonged to Sierra.
“What you gon’ do?” I asked.
“There isn’t really shit I can do except leave. I’m going to give him like three months to get his shit together but after that, I’m out. If Sheniah won’t take me back, I’ll just get my own crib.”
“You think Clint is gonna be cool with you moving out?”
“He doesn’t have a choice but to be. He was already moving in this apartment before I even considered being his roommate.
His name is the only one on the lease. We agreed to split the bills, so I will give him a few months to prepare to do shit on his own, but I really don’t care if he’s cool with it or not. ”
Nook mentioned us playing pool later, and I told him about the situation with Sierra.
He knew how Gina was, so he wasn’t even shocked.
When we got off the phone, I ate my food and prepared to run an errand before picking my daughter up.
I wasn’t even mad that I got sent home from work early.
I actually would have been fine with a few more days.
Four days after her arrest, Tahli moved into her new apartment.
Sheniah swore that if Tahli killed her for giving me the address, I better arrest her for it.
She felt guilty about pillow talking to Nook, and she wanted to ‘fix’ the situation with Tahli.
After opening the door, Tahli peered at me through narrowed lids.
She looked around as if she expected someone else to be with me.
“I’m going to kill, Sheniah,” she gritted.
“Her only request if you kill her is that I arrest you.”
“I bet you’d love that,” she smirked before pivoting and walking away.
“Tahli,” I called out to her, and she paused for a few seconds before turning around.
Walking over to her, I hoped she would be receptive to what I had to say.
“I’m sorry. Maybe I overreacted, but seeing you in handcuffs isn’t something I wanted to see.
Neither was jeopardizing your job. It’s possible that I overstepped, but I don’t care about you breaking the law.
I care about what happens to you if you’re caught breaking the law. You get that?”
Tahli released a deep sigh. “I do, and I don’t want anything that I do to ever make you look bad or cause you to lose your job. Did you get in trouble for hitting that jerk?”
“Nah, I didn’t actually. I’ve had it out for him for a while. Please believe that he would have gotten hit sooner or later whether it had anything to do with you or not. He’s a piece of shit and a proud racist. I complained about him a while ago.”
“Yeah, and you aren’t the only one. I actually talked to a lawyer, and she did some digging.
That man had ten formal complaints issued against him going as far back as two years ago, and he hasn’t so much as been suspended up until he got fired.
I’m suing the department. Even if I don’t win, it is what it is. ”
I didn’t give a verbal response. Gripping Tahli’s chin, I leaned in and placed a soft peck on her lips. “I miss you.”
After kissing her teeth and rolling her eyes, she mumbled a response. “I kind of miss you too.”
“Word?” I grinned before snaking my tongue into her mouth. Sierra’s maternal grandmother was picking her up from school and keeping her for two days. Still holding onto Tahli’s face, I kissed her like I had indeed missed her. The kiss became so deep and passionate that she moaned into my mouth.
“You ready to meet my daughter?” I pulled back and stared into her eyes.
“You want your daughter meeting a criminal?”
“Chill out,” I sucked my teeth.
“The day that I got arrested, I did”
“I don’t care, Tahli. I mean I care, but we can talk about that later.”
“Nooooo, we can talk about it now. I didn’t do anything.
I literally got arrested because that dick found the fake ID.
So, the guy I used to get checks from, he was in the mall that day.
Apparently, they knew the card he used was stolen, but they still let him out of Sak’s with the merchandise with their dumb asses.
This mother fucker saw me, shoved the bags in my hands, and asked me to hold them while he used the bathroom.
By the time I realized what was going on, his ass was gone, and the mall cop was up on me thinking we were working together.
I didn’t do shit, but all in all, it’s my fault for still having that damn ID. ”
My jaw muscles ticked as I processed what she said. “What’s that nigga’s name?”
“All of that will be handled in court. I’m telling the truth in that courtroom and nothing but the truth. The fuck nigga didn’t even call to see if I bonded out of jail. It’s all good though. I was already going to stay away from him, but this just sealed the deal.”
“If I find out who he is, I’m still gon’ beat his ass,” I mumbled, and Tahli wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I already told you you’re not getting caught up in any of my bullshit especially when it comes to your job.
I already learned my lesson. I went to work yesterday and was honest. My boss told me I could just resign.
I’m going to go hard with the social media posts over the next thirty days and my next check will determine whether or not I apply for other jobs.
I hate that I have this charge on my record now, but it’s my fault. ”
Tahli’s eyes were filled with regret, and I believed that she had learned her lesson. “It’s gon’ all work out for you,” I assured her before placing my lips back on hers.
“I’ve been in here arranging, cleaning, and organizing all day. I need to take a shower,” she spoke against my lips.
“I’m like ole buddy from Sinners. I don’t mind it with a lil’ stank on it.”
“If you don’t get the fuck,” Tahli laughed backing away from me. “I have a bookshelf that you can put together while I’m in the bathroom. Follow me.”
My eyes zeroed in on Tahli’s ass as I followed her into the second bedroom.
Hopefully, the bookshelf wouldn’t take long because I was past ready to slide up in that.
I was prepared to walk into Tahli’s apartment and apologize to her even before I found out that she didn’t do anything that day besides be in possession of a fake ID.
However, I was glad to know that she hadn’t actively been committing fraud when she was arrested.
I even hoped everything worked out with her lawsuit.
If the police department ended up having to pay her, that was their issue not mine.
I wasn’t rushing just because I had full custody of Sierra, but in due time, I wanted to give her a family dynamic.
Her grandmothers were great female role models for her, but I wanted a woman in the home that my daughter could see me love properly.
I was the one that was supposed to teach her how a man was supposed to treat a woman.
A nigga would never be perfect, but I knew the behavior that I refused to exhibit in front of my daughter.
She’d never see me treat a woman with anything other than respect and despite how much I disliked Gina, I never talked bad about her in front of Sierra.
How my daughter saw me as a parent and a man, was way more important than how I felt about Gina.