Chapter 12
Melody pulled up in front of Major's house and cut the engine.
The temperature had dropped overnight, leaving a fresh sheet of ice covering the sidewalk and steps leading up to the porch.
After climbing out of the car, she carefully made her way toward the front door, taking her time so she wouldn't slip.
The door opened almost immediately after she rang the bell. The second he saw her, a smile spread across his face, and he reached out to pull her into a hug.
“Umm, excuse me.” Melody stepped around him.
"Damn, you don't want to hug me?" Major questioned as he shut the door behind her.
"What's up? What's the emergency?" she asked without answering the question.
"Damn, baby. Can you relax for two seconds and come in?"
Melody rolled her eyes and headed toward the living room. The moment she stepped through the doorway, however, she stopped so abruptly that Major nearly walked into her back.
Patty sat on his couch with a bandage wrapped around her head. For several seconds, Melody looked from Patty to Major and then back again, trying to understand why either one of them thought putting all three of them in the same room was a smart idea.
"Why the fuck is this bitch here?" Melody snapped.
"So we can talk," Major replied.
"Talk? Me and this bitch ain't got shit to talk about. Matter fact, I ain't even supposed to be around this bitch, so I'm finna leave before I catch another charge.”
Melody turned toward the front door, intending to walk out, but Major grabbed her hand before she could make it more than a few feet.
"Mel, just listen."
"You got ten seconds."
"She’s dropping the charges."
"Okay, you could've texted me that."
"Look, Mel, I ain't on no bullshit, I swear. I talked to my lawyer and told him I wasn't moving forward. We getting all this straightened out."
"Okay, and what exactly do you want me to say? Thank you? You want yo dick sucked?"
"Nah, but I do," Major grinned.
"Nigga, fuck you."
Patty sucked her teeth, clearly disgusted by the exchange.
"I'm serious, baby. You told me if I got this bitch to drop the charges, then we could give this another chance."
"Bitch!" Patty snapped.
"Yeah, bitch. Now get the fuck out," Melody replied before he could.
Patty looked toward Major as if she expected him to defend her or at least tell Melody to chill. Instead, he pointed directly toward the front door.
"You heard her."
"Major, are you serious?" Patty asked.
"I'm dead serious. You almost made me lose my bitch. Now get the fuck out."
Patty sucked her teeth before storming toward the front door.
The moment she was gone, Major's attention shifted back to Melody.
Without saying a word, he walked over, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into a hug.
His embrace was familiar, and for a brief second, Melody found herself remembering why she fell for him in the first place.
"Damn, I missed you so much," he said while holding her close.
But Melody didn’t react the way he expected. She didn’t hug him back, and she definitely didn’t kiss him. Instead, she stood there stiff as a board, barely moving at all.
"Damn, you still mad?"
"What you think?" Melody folded her arms across her chest.
"Baby, I did what you asked me to do."
"You did."
"So why you acting like this?"
"Hell, for all I know, you fucked her right before I pulled up."
"Come on, man." Major threw his head back dramatically.
"I'm serious."
"Baby, you gotta let that go."
The crazy part was that she wanted to let it go. She wanted to be happy that Patty was dropping the charges and that one of the biggest problems hanging over her head was finally starting to disappear. Instead, she found herself feeling disconnected. Everything about the situation felt strange.
A month ago, Melody would have been all over Major. Sitting in his lap, kissing on him, and acting like nothing else in the world mattered. Now she was standing in his living room looking at him like he was somebody she barely knew.
Maybe too much had happened. Maybe she was tired. Whatever the reason was, Melody wasn't feeling him the way she used to.
Trying to move past the awkwardness, she shoved her hands into her pockets and looked around the room.
"So what's up with the next move?"
"Damn. Can we lay up first? Can a nigga get some ass?”
“Sorry, but my pussy don't get wet when I'm broke."
“Yo ass a trip." He shook his head and laughed.
"I'm serious."
"I know you serious."
"Then start talking."
Melody walked over and dropped onto the couch, and Major sat beside her. For the next several minutes, he explained everything he had lined up. Melody listened while he broke down the details, the location, but most importantly, the money involved.
Right when he started talking numbers, her phone began ringing. Melody glanced down at the screen and immediately answered.
“What's up, Bestie?”
“Aye, I just pulled up to the crib and seen one of Domo's cousins walking into the building.” Ma Ma shared.
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Good looking, Best Friend.”
The second the call ended, Melody jumped to her feet.
“Where you going?” Major asked.
“I gotta handle some business real quick.”
“Mel….”
“I'll be back.”
Before he could ask another question, she was already heading for the door.
Five minutes later, she was pulling into the projects.
Instead of parking in her usual spot, she circled to the back of the building.
After cutting the engine, she climbed out and headed toward the rear entrance.
The second she stepped inside, she noticed the elevator wasn't working.
Normally, that would've irritated her, but that day it worked in her favor.
A small smirk tugged at Melody’s lips as she headed toward the stairwell. Moving quietly, she climbed to the second floor before taking a seat on the steps between the second and third levels. From there, she had a clear view of anybody coming down without being easily spotted herself.
Pulling out her phone, she shot a quick text to Ma Ma, and a few seconds later, the loud sound of a car alarm echoed through the building.
Right on cue, she heard movement somewhere above her. A few seconds later, hurried footsteps entered the stairwell and began making their way down. Remaining seated, she pulled the hoodie over her head and listened carefully while the sound grew closer with every passing second.
When the girl finally came into view, Melody slowly stood up from the steps. At first, it looked like she was simply moving out of the way so the girl could pass. The girl barely paid her any attention, her focus still on getting downstairs and checking on her car.
With no words exchanged, the quiet stairwell erupted into chaos when Melody pulled out her favorite knife and stabbed Domo’s cousin up.
The girl cried out, her voice echoing through the building loud enough to carry through the hallways.
The sound immediately drew attention, and within seconds, Melody could hear apartment doors unlocking.
Knowing she couldn't afford to stick around, she turned and rushed down the stairs. Her heart pounded as she pushed through the back door and disappeared into the cold air outside. By the time people began gathering in the hallways, she was already crossing the parking lot toward her car.
Sliding behind the wheel, Melody started the engine and pulled away from the building without looking back. As she drove, her grip tightened around the steering wheel while the adrenaline slowly settled.
One down. Two more to go