Chapter 18 Relic
“Aye, what the fuck are y’all doing? Pierre should’ve been on stage twenty minutes ago!”
Relic barged inside the dressing room where his label, and a few of his folks, were packed like sardines.
His face balled as the odor of weed, burnt weave, and the alcoholic stench of hair spray assaulted his senses at once.
He stole a glance at Aura in the mirror, while Kennedy ran a flat iron over her sleek wig, before he glared at Pierre who stood in the center of the room with Lexi kneeled in front of him.
“Nigga, I’m trying to get this money, and you in here, trying to get your dick sucked. We ain’t got time for that.”
“Don’t play with me, Relic!” Lexi spazzed, yanking at Pierre’s belt as he laughed. “His damn button on his jeans broke, so I’m checking if this tacky ass belt will keep them up.”
“You can’t glue or sew that bitch back on?”
“If I had glue or a damn sewing kit, I would’ve!”
“See, this is the bullshit that happens when you hire fake ass stylists, Larenn.”
Kennedy pivoted to face him and pointed the flat iron at Shabu. “I didn’t hire her. His wife did!”
“Man, don’t put it on Whoop when she ain’t here to defend herself. My wife was trying to put her friend on.”
“Right. At least she thought to give me a chance at it.” Lexi stood and rolled her eyes at Kennedy before looking Pierre over. “You look aight, baby daddy. This will do.”
“Good. P, get your ass on stage,” Relic rushed him. “If your pants fall, rock out with your cock out. You can take the muthafuckas off as far as I care. Just go make me some fucking money.”
“Oh, hell yea!”
Pierre raced for the door but then he doubled back to Lexi, pulling her into a quick side hug.
“Don’t let them get in yo head. This yo first time, and you’re doing good. Proud of you.”
He mushed her face and jogged off before Lexi could hit him back. Relic slammed the door after Pierre was out of it.
“That nigga finna do everything he can to make sure his pants fall on stage,” Shabu bet, and the room erupted in laughter, knowing he was right.
“Don’t do my brother. His fans know P doesn’t give a damn, and that’s why they love him,” Toot said, garnering Relic’s attention where she sat on the couch beside Calm.
He snapped his head back at Tekken between her legs on the floor, wearing nothing but a wife beater and balling shorts while smoking a blunt as she braided his hair. Relic stepped further into the room and mugged him.
“I see, y’all think this shit is for fun. Someone explain to me why Tek’s hair isn’t finished, and he ain’t dressed.”
“Don’t have a fucking cow,” Kennedy quipped before making her way to him. Relic frowned at her wearing one of those ass jiggling sets he hated. “Tek is only getting half of his head braided, and he’s wearing a jumpsuit, so all he has to do is step in it. I told him don’t put it on yet.”
“And who the hell are you to make the rules?”
“Nigga, the one that’s been in here, getting them right while your missing in action ass did who knows what. I’m waiting for a thank you.”
Relic sent a hard slap to her ass. “Thank you for doing the job you’re paid to do just like everyone else in this got damn room.”
“Damn, so you just smack other girls’ assess in front of your girlfriend. That’s fucked up,” Calm stated, taking the blunt from Tekken as they chuckled.
“Don’t be funny,” Aura sassed, turning to face them as she tugged down her cropped shirt that barely covered her melon breasts.
She tugged up her thigh high boots and rebutted, “At least I’m not looking pissed off while my ex fuck buddy and best friend bump pussies in the bathroom feet away from me. ”
“Who’s fucking in the bathroom?!” Relic barked.
“Tima and Saucy. They’ve been in there for a minute, too.”
“You’re cool, Aura, but keep my sister’s name out of your mouth.” Toot checked her without looking up from Tekken’s hair. “And they’re not fucking. Tima is trying to help Saucy sober up. Calm is mad because he thinks she’s popping pills again.”
“What?!” Kennedy shrilled, darting for the bathroom with Relic on her heels.
He shoved her aside as soon as she reached the door, almost knocking her down before he banged his fist on the plain wood that shook with each blow.
His molars grated after he heard his cousin whispering like they didn’t know that she was inside.
A clang like metal connecting with the floor sounded seconds later, and he pounded on the door again.
“Timari, open the fucking door before I kick it in and drag y’all out. I don’t care who you tell either. Neither one of your brothers can beat my ass.”
“My daddy can!” she hollered back.
Relic nodded, stepped back, and lifted a leg before he sent the red sole of his dress shoe ramming into the door. Kennedy’s eyes went wide before she shoved him away.
“You can’t fuck up these people room, Relic!”
“Fuck this dusty ass room. Timari, on everything, I’m about to wear yo ass out if you don’t open this door.”
“I’m coming, damn! Just hold up.”
“Oh, she thinks I’m fucking playing,” Relic grumbled, unfastening his wood-grain leather belt to yank out of his slacks.
“This is why I don’t have sisters. They’re too damn hardheaded, and everyone babies and spoils them.
That’s why they don’t listen to P and Los. I got something for her ass, though.”
“Sis! Relic has a—” Toot tried to warn her sister, but Calm slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Beat her muthafuckin’ ass, Relic. I been told Tima to cut Saucy off.”
Shabu laughed before asking Lexi, “If I record it, you gon’ post it on your page?”
“Damn, right! Get a close up, so we can see the shock on her face.”
Shabu hiked up his jeans and bopped over with a cup in his hand while toggling on his phone like the situation didn’t faze him because it didn’t. When he moved behind Kennedy, she grabbed his wrist, lowering his arm to peek into his cup. She nodded at the dark liqour, soda, and ice.
“Oh, aight.”
“Damn, Kenn Dog. What, you Whoop’s eyes and ears when she ain’t around? Let me find out you’re an opp.”
“I sure am, and what about it?”
An unexpected tick started in Relic’s jaw hearing their conversation, but he disregarded it while pushing her and Shabu aside after the bathroom lock clicked.
Tima opened it a crack like she was checking who was nearby, and Relic stuck his arm inside, yoking her out by her shirt before he swung, putting belt to ass.
“What the hell, Relic?! Wait! I’m sorry, dang!” Tima screamed, cowering as the leather stung her arm that she ducked under. “I opened the door!”
“When you got fucking ready!” he bellowed, slinging her to the floor. He held her there while whipping the belt across her ass, making her holler out.
“Oh, hell no! Don’t nobody beat us like that but Akon and Esther!” Toot fussed, hopping up to defend her sister.
She jumped over Tekken’s head but didn’t make it a step before his hand clamped around her ankle. Tekken jerked her leg, making her stumble to the floor before he crawled on top of her and pinned her down.
“Yea, hold her ass there. Matter of fact, whoop her ass too, bro,” Shabu directed Relic, panning the phone to Toot with a scowl.
“You ain’t even my Tootie nomore. Just out here wilding, and don’t think Unk ain’t tell us ‘bout yo ass creeping in at the wee hour of the morning ‘cause you was with that football nigga.”
“She was where with who?” Tekken asked before his stare hardened and turned to Relic. “Fuck you waiting on? Come beat her ass, and put some strength behind that shit, too!”
Tekken climbed off her as Relic stalked over, cocked back, and landed a hard hit to her ass that cracked like a fresh whip. Toot screamed and tried to roll over as he hit her a few more times before Lexi rushed over to block his aim.
“Okay, that’s enough! Leave them alone,” she fussed between laughs, pushing Relic and Tekken away to help Toot up. “You got that, right, Shabu?”
“Yep. Bro, you beat them like they stole yo money.”
“That’s alright. I hope Los is here ‘cause when Pierre gets off stage, they gon’ beat y’all ass!” Tima threatened, and Relic snorted to show he couldn’t care less.
“Fuck your brothers, especially that crippled one. Tell Los limping ass to holler at me. Tek can take care of Pierre now that he ain’t getting snuck from behind.”
“Oh, please! Pierre literally had Tekken in the trash!” Toot shot back. “Don’t try to defend him now, Relic, with your wannabe, fake uncle-in-law head ass. Tek don’t even like you!”
“Oh, shit. That was a good one, Toot.” Shabu bigged her up while he and Lexi fell over each other in laughter. Calm shook his head.
“Y’all never know how to act when y’all get together. At least ain’t nobody fighting.”
“Well, somebody is about to be in the damn hospital,” Kennedy called, pulling everyone’s attention to where her head poked out the bathroom door. “While y’all playing, I can’t get Saucy off the fucking floor. She must have fallen when we heard that clang ‘cause they knocked the rack off the wall.”
“I was trying to get her to throw up, but she wouldn’t do it,” Tima said with her voice cracking. “I don’t get why she started doing this again. I’ve been keeping an eye on her, but—”
“You know her story. She’s been popping since she was seventeen, Tima. She’s an addict. You can’t save her.” Relic laid a hard truth on his cousin before heading into the bathroom.
He stalled in the doorway, staring down at Sojourney as she mumbled belligerently and tried to sit up but could barely lift her head.
His heart sped as he recalled Joseph in the same position on too many occasions to count.
At least Sojourney wasn’t spewing hatred about a son who wasn’t blood, or how women were worthless, so Relic had better learn to manipulate them before he ended up stuck with a hoe for a woman and drinking his issues away, too.