Chapter 14
“As you can see, profits are up after running the cleaning special I suggested,” Kelly said, pointing at the computer screen.
Today was my usual day for making rounds to check on all my businesses. I liked to think of myself as a cool boss. My employees fucked with me. I was fair, and I paid them above average.
“You can thank me now.”
She held out her hand, and it made me laugh. She begged me for a little more power around here as my manager. I gave it to her on a trial basis. I told her if she could hit a certain sales number in a month that I would give her a little more decision-making power in addition to a bonus. She’d exceeded profits by 70 percent.
“I gave you my word, didn’t I?”
“You sure did. Cough it up.”
“It’ll be on your next check.”
“Nah, big money. I need that in cash. They already eat my ass up with taxes because I don’t have any dependents. By the time they tax it, there is no bonus. I know you’ve got it.”
I shook my head as I dug in my pocket for my money clip. Peeling off fifteen crisp hundred-dollar bills, I handed them to her.
“Don’t say I never gave you anything.”
“Baby, I worked for this, okay.” She quickly counted the money before folding it and sticking it in her pocket. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
“I bet. How is shit around here? Everybody on their job?”
“Yes… well, all except one. Maceo, where did you find this Charity girl? It’s like she’s never cleaned anything a day in her life. All of her clients complain, and I have to send one of the other girls to fix what she fucked up. She comes in here all glammed up and never looks like she broke a sweat by the end of her shift.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry, Kelly. She’s someone I was doing a favor for. It’s a long story.”
“Well, she needs to act like she’s being done a favor and get it together before I have to let her go. She’s making us look bad.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
As if on cue, the door opened, and Charity stuck her head in with a smile. I could see what Kelly meant by she was all glammed up. While she looked good, it didn’t look like she came to work.
“Hey, Maceo,” she said, stepping in.
“Charity.”
She turned to Kelly. “You asked to see me?”
“Yeah. You’ve gotten another complaint. This can’t continue, Charity. I’m giving you grace because it’s only your second week here, but we have a reputation to uphold. I’m putting you with a partner until you can get up to speed.”
“I apologize. I’ve just… my mind has been elsewhere. Maceo can tell you. I’ve just come out of something very traumatic. Sometimes my thoughts take me back there, and I get overwhelmed.”
Kelly gave her a sympathetic smile. “I understand. Just… try to do better, okay?”
She nodded. “Is that all?”
“For now.”
Charity looked at me. “May I speak with you privately for a moment?”
“I’ll give you all some privacy,” Kelly said, getting up from her desk.
She left the office, closing the door. I walked over and opened it back before taking a seat behind the desk. Charity took a seat across from me and crossed her legs.
“How are you?” she asked.
“I’m fine. What do you want, Charity?”
“I just wanted to talk to you. I think your girlfriend got the wrong impression of me.”
“And what impression is that?”
“Oh, come on. As feisty as she is, I’m sure she’s already brought it to your attention.”
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Is she right?”
She blushed. “I mean… you’re a very handsome man, Maceo. Sexy, even.” Her eyes perused me flirtatiously. “I can’t lie and say I’m not attracted to you, but I know my limits. Your girlfriend took me asking about you completely out of context. I just wanted to show you some appreciation for all you’ve done for me. I’m not used to such kindness.”
“Really? ’Cause from what I hear, somebody is being very kind and generous to you right now.”
She gave a nervous chuckle. “That’s nothing. Just someone who wants a little of my time. I have needs, as do you. What’s it to you or your girlfriend who’s taking care of them?”
“Trust me, I don’t give a fuck.”
“Hmm.” She leaned forward. “Does she always get that jealous?”
“Shar isn’t jealous at all. She knows I’m hers.”
“Are you now? You’ve never been tempted to test the waters? Not even once?”
“Hell no.”
“Again… she’s a lucky girl. She should be careful, though.”
I stood to my feet and leaned over the desk. “Excuse you?”
She peered up at me with a smile and chuckled as she stood too. “I’m just saying. A lesser bitch would make it her mission to fuck you after being disrespected the way I was.” She gave my beard a gentle stroke before dropping her hand. “She should count her blessings. See you around, Mr. Dillinger.”
She headed for the door.
“Charity,” I said firmly.
She turned back with an innocent look. “Yes?”
“Make that the last time you fucking touch me.”
She smirked. “Duly noted.”
She left the office, and I reclaimed my seat, expelling a deep breath. That bitch might just be a ho.
“Deja, hurry up, man!”
Somehow, I’d gotten roped into going dress shopping with my little sister. She’d called me to pick her up after school because she had a dance on Friday and needed something to wear. I asked her why she didn’t just ask our mother to take her, and her exact words were, “Mama ain’t dropping a bag like you do.”
She had me there. Even though she had it, my mama didn’t believe in spending unnecessary money on things that wouldn’t be used or only used a few times. I, on the other hand, wasn’t as frugal with my money. That was why Deja always came to me or Smoke when she wanted money. What we thought of handing her a stack was nothing.
“Don’t rush me!” she snapped, sounding like our mother.
“I know you better watch your tone, lil’ girl.”
She huffed. I rolled my eyes as I pulled out my phone to call my brother.
“What up, nigga?” Smoke answered, sounding high as hell.
“What you getting into?”
“Cleaning inventory. I have a weapon’s class in an hour.”
“How are you gonna teach high?”
“Mind your business. This is a private lesson.”
I knew what that meant. He was gonna give a lesson and then go for the extra credit.
“Ho ass.”
“It ain’t hoing if I’m single. Ain’t that what you used to say? You got yourself a lady and forgot your roots.”
I laughed. “Shut your ass up, man. I love my lady. That’s all the woman I need.”
“Yeah, you and Deuce are definitely in love. What are you doing?”
“Your sister dragged me dress shopping for this damn dance on Friday.”
“Mama told me she had a lil’ date.”
“A date! Deja Giselle! What little nappy headed nigga is taking you to this dance?”
I didn’t care that we were in an expensive boutique surrounded by uppity ass people. I caught the stares of a few women who frowned at me.
“We got a problem?” I asked.
They quickly walked away. Smoke was on the other end of the phone cracking up.
“Deja, I know you heard me.”
She snatched back the curtain, glaring at me with her hands on her hips. My baby looked beautiful in this strapless peach-colored gown. I almost forgot she’d kept a secret from me.
“Maceo… I’m fifteen. I’m not a child anymore. Mommy and Daddy said?—”
“You ain’t a child, but you call them mommy and daddy.”
“It’s better than calling my daddy ‘nigga’.”
Smoke laughed. “She got you there, bruh.”
“Your relationship with Alec ain’t the same as my relationship with Pops.”
“You mean I respect my dad and you don’t?”
“I respect that ni—that man.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“You deflecting. Who’s taking you to the dance?”
“A friend.”
“Smoke, you better get your sister, man.”
He laughed. “Let me see her.”
A FaceTime call came through from him. I answered it and turned the camera so he could see her.
“Okay, okay!” he said. “Look at my lil’ Dey Dey. Pose for ’em, baby.”
She started grinning and striking poses while he hyped her up.
“Get ’em, Dej! Get ’em, Dej!” he sang as she danced along. “Stunt on them hos. You look beautiful, baby.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
“Now go take that tight ass shit off.”
“Devin!” She stomped her feet and stormed back into the dressing room, swinging the curtain. “I can’t stand y’all.”
“All right, Penny Proud!”
My brother and I shared a laugh.
“You letting her get that?” he asked.
“I guess. She’s tried on fifteen different dresses.”
“You know she probably already had that one picked out before you took her to the store. Women love to act like they don’t know what they want until you open your wallet.”
“That’s why I just give Shar cash or my card. My baby can run up a check.”
“Please. You and Deuce love tricking on her and Salima.”
I couldn’t even lie about that. It was nothing to spend racks on Shar. It was funny coming from my pops, but he always told us, “When you love a woman, she should never have to ask you for shit. It’s your job as a man to know what she needs. If you don’t know what she needs, give her the means to get it herself.”
In other words, I didn’t have to be a mind reader, but I needed to be a provider.
I chopped it up with my brother for a little while longer, while Deja and the sales lady narrowed down her dress options. Once she finally settled on the peach one, she had to find shoes. That took another thirty minutes because she had to try them on with the dress. I was over it by the time we made it to the counter.
She stood next to me, grinning at her phone while I made the purchase.
“Who’s that?” I asked as we walked out of the store.
She huffed. “My friend, Maceo.”
“What is this friend’s name?”
“I don’t wanna tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you and Devin are gonna make a big deal over it. Then you’ll tell Shar, and she’ll make a big deal too.”
“What does Shar have to do with—” I paused, grinning at her. “Is it Kilow?”
She looked away. “Yes.”
“Damn. I didn’t think the lil’ nigga had it in him to finally ask you out. He’s always stuttering around you.”
“I asked him.”
I frowned. “I don’t like that.”
“Maceo, we don’t go to the same school. It would have been weird for him to ask to take me. Chill out.”
I guess she had a point. “Fine. But he better be a gentleman,” I said, opening the car door for her.
She laughed as she climbed in. I rounded the driver’s side and got in myself, and the conversation picked back up.
“Kilow is sweet.” She blushed as she said that. “I know he likes me, and I like him too.”
“Y’all are gonna give me a headache. Please don’t make me have to fuck either one of y’all up. Ain’t no kissing on the lips, no touching other than holding hands, and if he tries to cop a feel, you better box him. And absolutely no sex.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not you. Mommy told me how you and Devin used to try to sneak girls in the house. Nasty.”
“We ain’t talking about me or Smoke. We’re talking about you. You’re a good girl, Dej. I don’t want you to feel pressured into doing something you aren’t ready for. Even if you think you’re ready physically, mentally, you aren’t there yet. It’s a lot of emotions that come with having sex.”
“I know, I know. Trust me, I’m not ready for that. I do want to kiss him, though.”
“Lord, take me now,” I mumbled. “Just… promise you’ll keep it to a three second maximum.”
“Three seconds!”
“Take it or leave it.”
She crossed her arms and pouted. “Fine.” She was quiet for a moment before looking over at me. “Maceo?” she said sweetly.
“What?”
“You know what would look really good with my dress?”
She was about to run my pockets again.
“What, Deja?”
“Diamonds.”
Jesus be a fence.
I didn’t even argue with her because being the sucker I was, I was going to buy it. We headed for my jeweler. As we got to the corner where I needed to turn, I saw a bunch of police lights, an ambulance, and the coroner’s van. There was no mistaking that there was a body beneath the white sheet on the ground. I noticed the little numbers on the ground, which probably indicated bullet casings. From the array of broken shop windows, if I had to guess, it looked like a drive-by.
“That’s sad,” Deja said quietly.
“Yeah… it is. I don’t think we are gonna be able to get to the jeweler’s today, Dej. I’ll pick you up tomorrow, and we can come back.”
“Okay.”
She sat back in her seat and went back to texting Kilow. I shook my head. I couldn’t wait until I told Shar this shit.