8. Joker
Joker
A couple days later
“ T his will be so fire to wear out tonight,” Monica said, lifting her Victoria Secret bag up into the air. It was crazy to me that she was thinking ’bout wearing anything she bought out that store out the house. Her way of thinking was the exact reason why she wasn’t girlfriend material. For the last couple of hours, we’d been walking around Eastchase. I had come out here to grab me a few new colognes since I was running low on a couple of my favorites. One thing ’bout me, I wasn’t leaving the house without smelling good. Monica just so happened to hop in the fucking truck with me. I should’ve tossed her out on her ass after the shit she pulled with the Plan B pills, but luckily for her, she went on and took the shit. Since I didn’t trust a soul, I stood there and watched her take it then wouldn’t let her leave my presence for a good thirty minutes. That bitch wasn’t ’bout to go puke that pill up.
“Hold up,” I told her when I saw the Footlocker up the street. My mind went back to Brave and how Halo asked ’bout the things he was gon’ need for practice. I peeped the run-down shoes he was wearing and figured that he’d need a few things.
“Where you going?” Monica asked, trotting behind me. When I entered the store, she gon’ ask, “What you doing in here?”
Ignoring her, I stepped to the kids’ shoe selection and just stood there, not even knowing what size Brave wore.
“So you don’t hear me talking to you? Why are you looking at kids’ shoes?” Monica’s nagging ass voice was all in my ear.
“Can I help you with something?” one of the female sales associates asked when she walked up.
Picking up a pair of black Jordan Retro sneakers, I turned to her and asked, “Do you have these in a size five?”
“I can go to the back and check for you. Give me a second,” she said and strolled off toward the double doors.
“So you really just gon’ pretend like you don’t hear me talking to you?”
Removing my phone from my pocket, I checked to see if Academy had any cleats in that size as well. I was taking a risk buying that shit without knowing his shoe size. Hopefully he was able to fit everything or else Halo was gon’ have to return it to the store and get the right size.
I knew the shit Ma went through being a single parent. Knowing Halo was out there doing the best she could made me want to look out for her. It was hard raising a kid, especially on her salary.
Finding a pair of cleats, I placed ’em in the cart as well as a few other things that Brave would need. They had store pickup, so I proceeded to the checkout and ordered everything.
“You’re lucky. This was the last box,” the chick said when she walked back up. She handed the box to me and I popped it out, lifting each shoe out to make certain they were the right size and they were in great condition. “I’ll take ’em.”
“Which one of these bitches you talking to now with a damn child?” From the tone of Monica’s voice, I sensed the attitude. Still ignoring her, I followed the chick up to the counter and pulled out my black card. “I really can’t believe you brought me in here to buy shit for another bitch’s child,” she said and stormed out of the store.
The woman behind the counter cut her eyes at me but didn’t utter a word. Sticking the shoe box into a bag, she passed it over the counter and said, “Have a nice day.”
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I went to the Lyft application and ordered one to pick up Monica’s whining ass. She had gotten on my fucking nerves enough for the day, and it was time she got the fuck on. She would’ve had more to say once I made it to the other store to grab Brave a few more things, and I wasn’t trying to hear the shit.
“Your ride will be here soon,” I told her when I exited the store. She stood outside with her phone lifted to her face and fingers moving across the screen. She was probably texting one of those sorry bitches she called friends, being messy.
“What are you talking about?” Her head snapped in my direction, a scowl plastered her face.
“I ordered you a ride. I’on feel like hearing this shit today, plus I got somewhere to be.”
“You didn’t say all that earlier before I got in the car with you.”
“You don’t need to know my every move. Your ride is here,” I told her and smoothly swaggered off.
“Joker!” she screamed behind me, but I kept treading. This shit between Monica and I was gon’ have to come to an end. She was becoming annoying as fuck and I found myself not wanting to be ’round her anymore.
Hitting the fob to my truck, I climbed into the driver’s seat and tossed my bags onto the passenger seat. Backing out, I headed to Academy to grab Brave’s things. When I pulled into the parking lot, I stopped in the designated area for pickup and alerted them that I was outside. I was doing all this shit and hadn’t the slightest idea as to where exactly Halo’s apartment was. I had all her information back at the stadium, but I wasn’t going that way. I’d just try to call her phone when I made it to Ridgeview.
A shadow caught my eye. When I looked up, one of the associates was standing at my window with some bags. I let the window down and she asked, “Knox?”
“Yeah.” I reached my hand out the window and took the bags from her and then placed ’em on the passenger seat floor.
“Have a nice day,” she said and walked off. Letting the window up, I pulled from my parking space and out into traffic.
When I made it out to Ridgeview, I saw a lot of people chilling outside but none of ’em was who I was looking for. It was a Saturday. Kids were out playing on the playground and running around chasing each other. There were a few men chilling by the front door, running their mouths. From the way they were leaned against the bricks, I could tell they were out here up to no good. This elderly, homeless woman sat on the bench with two large black trash bags beside her. She had to be on some strong drugs to be sitting there talking to herself.
Powering off the truck, I reached over and grabbed the bags and then opened the door and got out. Rocks and sticks cracked underneath my feet as I approached the front door of the building. Stopping in front of the niggas that were posted, I asked, “Do any of you know where Halo lives?” It was a stretch, but if they were out here like this today, I was certain they were out here every fucking day and probably knew the information I needed.
The conversation they were having prior to me approaching ceased. One young nigga looked me up and down with a blunt dangling from the corner of his mouth. The ashes dropped from it to his shirt. “What you want with Mona Lisa?” he mumbled.
“Mona Lisa?” My brows furrowed. That was an odd ass nickname to give Halo.
“Yeah… That’s Halo’s nickname out here.” Taking a toke from the blunt, he blew the smoke out in the opposite direction from my face.
“Why y’all call her Mona Lisa?”
The corner of his mouth curved, and he hit the guy standing next to him in the chest and said, “Aye, he wants to know why we call Halo, Mona Lisa,” then let out a chuckle.
“’Cause she’s the finest mufucka out here,” the guy answered him. My fist immediately connected with his throat, and he choked. Wrapping his hands ’round his neck, he slumped against the wall behind him, eyes bulging from his head.
“Got damn,” the other nigga said. “What you gotta do all that for? We not even the ones who came up with the name. Jah did. He said with all the shit she been through and with her being the finest thing walking out here, she was deserving of the title.”
“I better not catch any of you mufuckas looking at her like that again.”
“Yeah, whatever. She on the third floor. Apartment twelve.” Gripping the doorknob, I pulled the door open and stepped inside. “Jah gon’ whup that nigga’s ass, check—” The door shut behind me before he was able to finish his sentence. I didn’t know who the fuck that Jah nigga was, but he was the least of my worries. Halo had already said she wasn’t looking for a relationship. She was fair game.
I climbed the staircase and stopped at the top. “Got damn you fine. Where you come from?” this chick asked as she stepped out of a door and shut it behind her. Most of her top teeth was missing out her mouth. What she needed to be worried ’bout was going to see the dentist.
Trotting past her, I stopped at apartment twelve and lifted my hand to knock on the door.
Boom! Boom!
“Brave, what I told you about leaving your shoes in the middle of my—” Halo’s sentence cut short behind the door. She must have looked at me through the peephole.
“I know you’re in there, Halo. Open the door.” I could feel her energy radiating through the door. My fingertips grazed the green, paint-chipped door. “Open the door, Ma.”
The lock clicked and the door slowly pulled open. Halo poked her head around the door and asked, “What are you doing here?” Her hair was braided in two French braids. Her face was bare and glowing.
“Are you going to step from behind the door?”
“I don’t have any clothes on.”
“You don’t look naked to me.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m not dressed appropriately.”
“I don’t care nothing ’bout that. Come out.”
Halo’s lips twisted. She stepped from behind the door, and that’s when I noticed her fat ass pussy print in the white boy shorts she wore. Her nipples played peek a boo through her shirt. She had on a pink t-shirt, so I assumed that she was walking around in something other than that. My dick throbbed. I quickly brought my attention back up to her face.
“I got Brave a few things. Can I come in?” She glanced over her shoulder and then brought her attention back to me.
“I don’t think this is the best time right now.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve been doing some cleaning. Whatever you have for him, you can just hand to me.”
“I’m not studdin’ all that,” I told her and brushed past her into the apartment. Her idea of cleaning is a pair of sneakers on the living room floor and pillows tossed all over the couch. Her shit was damn near spotless. I didn’t see a touch of dust in sight. Sure, she didn’t have no fancy ass sofa or huge television in the living room, but at least she had a roof over her head and somewhere that she could call her own. Some people didn’t even have that.
“Where is he?” I asked her and took a seat on the couch.
Hugging herself, she brushed her hand up and down her arm then said, “I’ll go grab him.” I watched her small, round ass eat up her panties as she trotted down the hallway. Shit. I adjusted my dick before she made it back in here.
Feet padded against the hardwood floor. When I looked up, I saw Halo emerging from the hallway with Brave at her side. He was nestled close to her and her hand rested on the back of his head.
“Coach Knox!” Brave beamed and ran in my direction. I lifted to my feet and he wrapped his arms around my waist. I peeped Halo standing away, scratching the side of her thigh. She was uncomfortable with me in her space.
“I got a few things for you,” I told him and sat back down. I handed him the bags and observed as he opened ’em and pulled out the shoes. Getting on her tippy toes, Halo peeked over his shoulder to see exactly what I bought.
“Wow,” escaped his lips.
“You didn’t have to do that for him. I told you to give me the list and I was gon’ go out and get it.” Though that left her lips, we both knew that she couldn’t afford all that stuff right now.
“It’s cool. I wanted to.”
“What do you say?” Halo asked Brave.
“Thank you. I can’t wait to show TJ!” The huge smile on Brave’s face was the exact reason why I did what I did.
“Go put your things up,” Halo instructed him. He gathered all the stuff I bought him back in the bags and took it to his bedroom. Once he was out of earshot, Halo eased in my direction and said, “Thanks.”
“It’s really no problem.” Getting up from the couch, I went over to the door with her closely behind me. “I would stay a bit longer, but I have a birthday party to go to.”
“Aww. Who’s birthday?”
“An associate’s son. I’m just going to show my face. I won’t even be there long. Hit my line if you need anything else.” Opening the door, I exited and shut it behind me. If I had stayed in there a moment longer, I would’ve found myself slipping up inside her.
Taking the staircase down to the first floor, I exited the building. When I got outside, I noticed there was a new nigga holding up the wall with the others I spoke to when I first got here. “That’s him,” one of the young niggas said. The new nigga mugged the shit out of me but didn’t utter a single word. These youngins weren’t stupid for real.
Hitting the fob on my truck, I hopped inside and started it up. Pulling out my parking space, I went straight to Deer Creek where the birthday party was being held. When I turned onto the street, there were cars parked all down the block. White and blue balloons sprouted from the mailbox, letting everyone know where the party was located. Happy Birthday Malakai rested in the center of the yard in white and blue lettering. Parking across the street, I got out and sauntered up to the front door. My fist pounded on it a couple times, and I waited for someone to answer. It took a good minute for the door to swing open, and I was met by this chick with a mocha complexion and chestnut-brown hair.
“Can I help you?” Her brow arched to her hairline.
“I think my invite got lost in the mail. Where’s Nathan?”
“He’s in the back yard with everyone else. You can use the gate along the side.”
Without uttering a word, I stepped off the porch and took the stone walkway toward the driveway. Children could be heard playing and screaming the closer I got to the fence. When I stepped to the gate, I saw Nathan sitting at a fold-up table with a couple of his men standing behind him along the back fence.
Unlocking the gate, I pushed the door in and stepped inside. A couple kids ran across my path and I froze, not wanting to knock either of ’em down. Nathan’s eyes landed on me, and he watched as I crossed the yard in his direction. All the money this nigga made and one would’ve thought that he’d have a fancier party than this for his son. They had a couple bounce houses in the yard and a few games for the children to play.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Nathan asked me soon as I reached him.
“Didn’t seem to have gotten my invite,” I responded.
“You weren’t fucking invited.”
Pulling out a chair, I placed it directly beside him and took a seat. “If you didn’t drop that body at my warehouse, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
“If you came here to do something stupid, I’ll end you,” he threatened, and his eyes zoomed in on his son that was standing in line for one of the bounce houses.
“I just came here to have a conversation with you. That’s something you do when you’re a real man, but your fat ass wouldn’t know anything ’bout that. Would you, you big-back bitch?”
“This isn’t the time nor place.”
“Here’s your food, big daddy,” the chick who answered the door said when she stopped in front of him. She handed him a plate and placed a Coke on the table alongside him. It was fresh out the ice with the water sliding down the sides.
“Damn, this looks good,” his fat ass said when he eyed the plate. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. He was looking at that shit like he was ’bout to stick his dick in between the buns and fuck it.
She bounced away, giving me the opportunity to say what I came here for. “I just came here to tell you that if you pull some shit like that again, I’ll pick yo’ fat ass apart piece by piece.”
I sat there, watching him as he took a huge bite of the burger and chewed it. “Got damn, this probably some of the best beef I’ve ever tasted. I gotta give that caterer a tip for real.” He demolished that burger in two bites.
One of his men stepped behind him and said, “Devin’s missing.”
He choked, hitting himself in the chest with his fist. I reached over and grabbed the Coke and handed it to him. The nigga gulped the shit down so fast and then said, “I was wondering how come he hadn’t showed up to the party yet. Find my fucking nephew before Patrice goes nuts,” he instructed him, and he stepped back to the fence. Out of my peripheral, I saw the other man that was there with him head toward the exit.
“You said that meat was good, huh?”
“You ain’t getting—” His eyes shot to me, and a devilish smirk plastered on my face.
“What the fuck did you do?”
“Did you really think that you were gon’ come for me and get away with it?”
“Did you fucking poison me?” His eyes widened like saucers.
“Let’s just say, you don’t have to look too far for Devin. Enjoy the rest of your food.”
His eyes danced around the back yard at everyone who was walking around enjoying their food. The moment it processed in his mind exactly what I meant, his eyes damn near bulged from his head.
“Don’t eat the food!” he jumped up and yelled. I had never in my life seen a big nigga move as fast as Nathan when he teleported across that yard and slapped the plate from his son’s clutches. I didn’t even bother to stick around and watch the puke fest. Getting up from my seat, I exited the back yard and hit the fob on my truck.
“Joker, I’m gon’ fucking kill you!” Nathan yelled from the back yard and doubled over. Vomit sprayed from his lips like a faucet. My phone chimed as I climbed into my truck. Glancing down at it, I saw it was a message from Monica. We need to talk.