2. C.O.W （cash on wheels） #2
Walking into my bedroom, I shut and locked the door behind me. My clothes hit the floor seconds later. A nigga’s day was long and all I wanted to do was relax. I had a plan brewing and needed the downtime to make sure it was perfected.
The water couldn’t warm up before my ass was under it. Washing the day off was the only thing I was capable of doing at the moment. I knew when I sat at the table with my family, they were gon’ look to me to speak first. They always did.
Being the eldest meant all responsibility fell on me. If we were in a place of dysfunction, it was on me to bring us out. When funds got low, they expected me to fill the hole.
Was it more than a nigga could handle?
Hell nah. I just wished the game didn’t require me putting their lives at risk to get and stay ahead. I’d rather play alone but my siblings insisted on being a part of it. My parents wouldn’t let me move without them so at the end of the day, the Saint’s was all we knew.
After spending a generous amount of time in the shower washing my ass, I finally stepped out.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I walked back into the room.
With my phone ringing, that grabbed my attention first. Anybody that needed me was already under the same roof as me so I was confused on who could be hitting me.
My cell was retrieved from my briefcase.
I quickly checked the caller ID and smirked from the name.
Sliding my thumb across the screen, I answered with, “What’s up beautiful?”
“I’m in town for a while, come see me. Same hotel, same room.”
“Yes ma’am. Gimme a couple hours. I just got to the crib and shit. Let me break bread with my family and then I’ll be to see you,” I informed her.
She released a small chuckle before saying, “Tell them I said hello. Don’t make me wait for too long, D-Row.”
“When do I ever?” I replied still smirking.
“There’s been times. I want whatever Ma Sasha cooked and D… pack a bag.”
“A nigga get to spinnanight? Yeah, you in a hell of a mood beautiful. A couple hours and I got you.”
She wasted no time hanging up on a nigga.
I was a womanizer before her, now she be having me waiting around for her to grace me with her presence.
My family say I’m whipped and I don’t deny it.
That’s my bitch through and through, but she’ll never admit it.
Let her tell it, anything that requires commitment is too much for her to handle.
I understood her thought process to certain extent.
Tossing the phone on the bed, I proceeded to get dressed and pack that muthafuckin’ bag. I wasn’t letting nan opportunity pass. I could promise you I was staying as long as she wanted me to and try to squeeze in an extra night if possible. That pussy was too good not to bargain for more.
Moments later, I was finally together and ready to take in my family for the evening.
Walking into the kitchen, I found my younger siblings surrounding my mother waiting for a plate.
All I could do was shake my head. Sasha Saint was gon’ give every single one of us what we asked for as if we were still lil’ ass kids. That wasn’t gon’ ever stop.
“Aye, back the fuck up and let my mama breathe, man. Y’all do the same shit every night. I don’t even know why she kept letting that nigga knock her up,” I playfully fussed.
“Cause this nigga got it like that,” my pops said entering from behind.
He slapped my shoulder then gripped it tightly. “What’s going on son?”
“What it do, Pops?” I greeted with a small laugh.
“You tell me. It’s been months. What’s new?”
His inquiry seemed to grab the attention of everyone in the kitchen. They stopped moving and looked right at me for answers.
Nodding, I realized how much of a staple I was for them. “I’ll meet everybody at the table and tell you what I got.”
They returned the nodded gesture. Plates of food were fixed, then one behind another, we filed into the dining room.
My parents took the head, as me and Donovan took the right, leaving Deonna and Draymond on the left.
Three sons and one daughter, no matter how much Deonna wanted us to refer to her gay ass as a boy.
My father gave my mother the exact number of kids she asked for before getting a vasectomy.
She gave him no back talk either. She was satisfied.
I couldn’t even bite into my food good without having all eyes on me. They were ready and all ears. Shaking my head, I dropped the fork and sat back. I guess this was what being the head meant.
“There’s a customer who wants to move his money in cash from Ross Savings & Loans. This isn’t his main branch, but it’s the one that carries more than enough to snag. He has a lil’ over three million dollars that’ll be in cash. We taking it before he can even deposit it again,” I ranted.
“How?” Draymond questioned. He was the quiet one. No matter what was happening around him, he was gon’ remain cool, calm, and collected.
“His appointment is Friday at five. It’ll take me and my team a lil’ over an hour to go over the count with him.
He’s moving vintage diamonds from his safety deposit box as well.
By the time he leave the bank, it should be around six-thirty.
All banks are closed and won’t be open until Monday. Donnie, this is where you come in.”
“Hell yeah!” he shouted with excitement.
Everybody at the table gave him that look to calm down. He couldn’t wait to play his part. Although he was a wild boy, he damn sure ain’t play with a soul when it was time to lock in. Hesitation wasn’t in him, and I loved that ‘bout him. He was the first to shoot, but he wasn’t reckless with it.
“Donovan, let him speak,” Pops chimed.
“Donnie, I need you on him scoping the scenery relaying info. You gon’ drop the lo when he get settled. I have his but ain’t no telling where he going after he get his shit. Once we pull up, Deonna keep the engine hot while we get that up off him.”
“Why the fuck do I always got to drive? Everybody at this table got a license. Have somebody else do it. I want to buss my nine, too,” she complained.
Deonna had no idea how hard it was having her on the jobs.
Regardless of what she wanted to label herself as, she was my lil’ sister.
My only sister. She wasn’t built for this life but because her brothers was all she knew, she wanted to be by our side.
I would never put her in harm’s way so if driving the getaway car was that, then so be it.
Ignoring her, I continued with, “Draymond, I need you on every security system and alarm. Donnie don’t leave my fuckin’ side.
The second we get up in that muthafucka, it’s go time.
Shoot anything that looks armed and dangerous.
The money is all we’re after. Let him keep them petty ass diamonds.
It’ll be hard to move something so rare.
By the end of the night, we’ll be swimming in the same three million I wrapped for him. ”
“Y’all not finna just bypass that, D. I want to go in, too!” she shouted.
I was on my feet damn near stretched across the table in her face. I played ‘bout a lot of shit but the safety of my family wasn’t one of them. Deonna was gripped by the collar of her shirt with my mother grabbing me the next second.
“Let her go, Declan. Let her go,” she cried out.
“I mean this with every ounce of respect, Ma, but please get the fuck off me,’ I said shrugging her off my arm.
“Deonna, you fail to realize who the fuck the big dawg is ‘round here. Don’t shit move ‘til I say so, and when I say so, it’s going the way I fuckin’ want it to.
This family living like it’s living ‘cause yo’ big brother risking his life and freedom for it.
All I ask is for y’all to play yo’ part.
If something happen to you, I’m taking ten times as many with me.
Sit yo’ ass in that car and wait. You got me?
” I spoke sternly simply ‘cause she was still the baby at the end of the day.
I also released her shirt allowing her to gain some control of herself.
Deonna wanted to fight me on this, I could tell from the look in her eyes.
However, that shit wasn’t flying with me.
I gave zero fucks ‘bout her being a stud and dressing like a nigga. She still had the title of being my mother’s only fuckin’ daughter.
I would never bring that kind of pain to my mama.
“Answer him, Deonna,” Pops stated. He was always on my side, and they hated it. He knew the Saint’s wouldn’t be as comfortable as we were if I didn’t make the sacrifices.
“I got it,” she replied with anger on her tongue. I truly ain’t give a fuck how mad she got. If she wanted in, she was gon’ sit her gay ass in that car and wait.
“Cool. I’m gone.”
“Where you going, D?” Draymond questioned.
“My woman in town. I’ll see y’all tomorrow,” I commented leaving my food on the table.
I was over dinner. I knew what was happening in approximately twenty minutes. I had more than enough energy for that. Making my way out the dining room, I strolled pass the stairwell, snatching up my duffle bag.
My mother was on my heels in the process. She was going to see me off no matter where I was headed. I loved her lil’ ass even though she was sensitive as fuck.
“You’ll tell Solenne I said hi, right?” she inquired.
Smirking, I voiced, “I always do. I love you lady.”
“I love you more baby boy. You two be safe.” Nodding, she stood there watching me climb back into my ride.
Family.
I couldn’t live without them. I’d be lying if I said I could.