BURY ME A G, #1 Page 3

  “Yo man, I got plenty of shit on here that you can have. I mean, it isn’t like I’m going to need it now that I’m going home.” He turned around with the sheet. His forehead crinkled when he saw the worry written across Tiaz’face. “What’s up, T? What’s happening, homie?” He dropped the sheet at his side.

  “Ain’t nothing.” He exhaled and sat down on the bottom bunk. He steepled his hands under his chin and let his thoughts take him away.

  “How long you been my nigga?” He leaned against the sink, folding his arms across his chest.

  “Since third grade.” He looked up at him.

  “Exactly, I’ve known you long enough to know when something is on your mind.” He tapped his finger against his temple.

  Tiaz blew hard and brought his hands down his face. “It’s this shit with Ta’shauna. It’s eating me alive not knowing. I gotta know, fam. I can’t sleep until I know what’s up with her.”

  Threat looked away nodding, understanding his friend’s position. If he was in his shoes he’d want to know too.

  “Look, once I get outta here I can ask around if you want. See exactly what’s going on with ol’ girl.”

  “You would do that for me?”

  “I would do that for my brother,” he nodded.

  Tiaz shot up from the bed. “Aw, thanks, Crim. Thank you so much.” He gave him a brotherly hug. “Shit means a lot to me. It’s killing me behind these walls not being in the know.”

  “I got chu. Don’t even worry about it.”

  “I can’t thank you enough.” Tiaz looked into his eyes, clutching his shoulder.

  Tiaz felt a little better knowing that he had a set of eyes and ears in the streets to find out what he couldn’t from the inside. He was sure that Threat would find out everything that he needed and wanted to know. Now all there was left to do was wait. He didn’t know what was going to kill him first: the anticipation or the news.

  A few weeks later...

  Tiaz sat on his bunk staring at the contraband cell phone he’d G-checked one of the convict’s for waiting for it to ring. He’d touched bases with Threat a couple of weeks prior and he assured him that he was closer to finding out what Ta’shauna had been up to for the past six months. He hadn’t heard from his right-hand since then. And every day since then he found himself checking the cell phone, anxiously awaiting his call.

  Tiaz’s chest had tightened and his stomach fluttered. He was driving himself crazy waiting to hear from his best friend. His forehead was wet with perspiration and his palms had sweated so much that he found himself wiping them off on his pants every so often.

  Tiaz nearly jumped out of his skin seeing the cell phone’s screen light up and vibrate in his palm. Familiar with the number on the display, he pressed answer and brought the cell to his ear. He gave a cautious scan up and down the tier before he began talking.

  “What’s up, Crim?” Tiaz spoke into the cell. Readying himself for the devastating news his crime partner was sure to deliver.

  “I’m shacked up with three other dicks right now. I’ma get up outta there, though, just as soon as I come upon another lick. I mean I can’t do it my nigga. I’m used to having my own crib and shit. That fool Don Juan talking about letting me work a block for ‘em, but I told ‘em I’ll think about it ‘cause I ain’t never really been too big on slinging, especially for someone else.” He took the time to cough before continuing with his story. “It is a check, though. I might fuck with it until I find a score that’ll put a nigga back on his feet.”

  Tiaz nodded his head. “That’s what’s up, but when are you gonna quit stalling and tell me what’s good with Ta’shauna?”

  All was silent for a minute as Threat thought to himself before answering.

  “It’s just like I figured, she’s fucking around.”

  Tiaz blinked his eyes as if he’d gotten something in them and began hyperventilating. He placed a hand to his chest and tried to calm his breathing. Damn, love hurts.

  “Yo, T? T? Are you alright, man?”

  Tiaz huffed and puffed, struggling to regain control of his erratic breathing. He closed his eyelids and peeled them back open, taking two deep breaths.

  “T, are you still there?”

  “Yeah, I’m still here.”

  Tiaz had already suspected what Threat had told him but it was different thinking it then having it confirmed. Still holding the cell to his ear, he lay back on his bunk. He felt stinging in his eyes and knew tears wouldn’t be too far behind but his pride wouldn’t allow them to fall. Instead, his eyes became glassy and what most would have considered an expression of anger was really one of hurt. He was heartbroken. He cleared his throat. “Who is he?”

  “Man, you don’t even wanna know.”

  “Who.The. Fuck. Is. He?”

  “That nigga, Orlando.”

  “Her fucking baby daddy?” he asked heatedly.He couldn’t believe it. “She got back with that bumass nigga? Dude left her and Jaden out in the cold to fend for themselves, and she goes running back to him?”

  “That’s not all either,” Threat said. “They’re getting married tomorrow.”

  When Tiaz heard that he felt like he’d been shot in the heart with an arrow.

  “I’m sorry, T.” Threat could sense his brother’s hurt.

  “How did you find all of this out?”

  “I broke into her mother’s house and bugged all of the telephones. For the past couple of weeks old girl would call rambling about the typical shit that broads do. Then one day they started talking about the upcoming wedding, and this cat named Orlando. I remembered we ran into him at Universal City Walk that time and you pointed him out as her baby’s daddy.”

  The line went silent as Tiaz was milling over the heart aching discovery.

  Threat picked right up on it. His friend was hurting.

  “I’m sorry, Crim.”

  “Nah, nah, don’t be sorry, Threat.Ain’t cho fault, homie. It is what it is.” Tiaz thought about how his homeboy had always been down for him no matter what. He knew that loyal people were few and far between and he appreciated those that he came across.

  “You’re a good friend, Threat, a real good friend.You always held your mans down, soI hate to trouble you for another favor but it’s one I have to ask.”

  “Name it.”“I want chu to throw Ta’shauna a going home party.”

  “You sure you want me to do that? I mean maybe you should take some time to chill and think it over.” Threat was skeptical of Tiaz irrational request.

  “Nah, I want chu to go ahead and throw her one. Let her see that I’m not even tripping off of her leaving a nigga in here on stuck. She’s moving on and I’m moving on. Ain’t no hard feelings, feel me?”

  “Alright then, I’ll start making the arrangements.”

  “My nigga.”

  Tiaz disconnected the call and slid the cell under his pillow, laying his head back against it. He closed his eyes, remembering how Threat had always held him down.

  He recalled one night,many years ago when they’d rode their bikes out into the wrong side of town to these sisters’ house that they bumped at the Baldwin Hills shopping plaza. They were young niggaz then, so when it came to risking their wellbeing over pussy, it was a no brainer.

  But things took a turn for the worse when they entered the girls’ yard. Right when they reached the first step, the shadows began to come alive giving birth to a hungry pack of wolves, thirsty for blood and reputations. Tiaz and Threat managed to make it out of the yard but not before losing the knives they’d brought along and the shirts off of their backs.

  They hadn’t been on foreign soil ten minutes before they had a mob chasing after them.

  Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa!

  A younger Tiaz and Threat breathed heavily as they sprinted down the dark alley. Their faces were shiny and masked with perspiration. Their chests heaved up and down and their lungs felt hot. Their legs were aching having ran so long but they dared not stop because if they
did that would have been their asses.

  Threat looked to Tiaz as he lagged beside him. He was tired as shit and looked like he was about to collapse. However, the echoes of a thunderous crowd caused his head to snap over his shoulder. Those angry niggaz were hollering and yelling insults as they drew closer.

  “Come on, T, keep up.” Threat yelled over his shoulder to Tiaz.

  “Ahhh!” Tiaz fell to the ground, looking as if he was about to faint.He was so exhausted. “Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa!” He panted out of breath as he looked up at Threat trying to pull him up, all the while checking to see if their nemesis were still on them, they were.

  “Get up, man! We’ve gotta get outta here!” Threat struggled to get him on his feet and moving again.

  “Gon’, Threat, I’m through! I can’t hack it no more.” Tiaz waved him along. “I’m done, go on without me.”

  “Nah, fuck that!” Threat pulled his comrade up to his feet and leaned him up against the brick wall inside of the alley. He looked ahead and their adversaries were still charging after them, their numbers swallowing up the dark path. They wanted blood, their blood.

  Threat’s head darted all around the alley trying to find something they could defend themselves with. He spotted an empty clear glass bottle of Captain Morgan on the ground beside a trash bin. Snatching it up, he shattered the end of it, creating a jagged edge and a lethal weapon. He tossed the broken bottle over to Tiaz, and he tested it out, jabbing it at an imaginary body and head. When Threat looked up he saw a 2 X 4 sticking out of the same trash bin. He pulled it out and practiced swinging it as if it were a baseball bat.

  “Here they come!” Tiaz alerted Threat before springing into action.

  Snikttttt!

  “Gaaaahhh!”

  One of them staggered back grabbing his face with both hands after meeting the jagged edge of Tiaz’s broken glass bottle.

  Sniktttt!

  “Arghh!” Another one grabbed his cheek, the meat hung and blood slicked his fingers.

  Crack! Whackk! Bwhackkk!

  The 2 x 4 broke in half and sent splinters and debris everywhere. Threat had lifted the last of the men off of his feet. He came flying down on his back, legs going up in the air and eventually falling back down. They fought on courageously and were holding their own until a loud noise stopped them all.

  Bop! Bop!

  The report from the handgun froze everyone in their tracks. They looked up to find a skinny light skinned nigga with a Mariner’s S tattooed between his eyes. He sported his long hair in pigtails and a barely visible goatee framed his mouth.

  “You two niggaz don’t move, cuz!” Pigtails moved his gun between Tiaz and Threat. His homeboys pulled their wounded to their feet and ushered them off to the sidelines. “Drop the bottle.” He ordered Tiaz and he obeyed. He and Threat stood there with their chests swelling and deflating as they breathed hard from the rumble. “Now y’all gon’ stand there while my Locs beat ya’ll asses or I’ma leave you in here stinking, feel me?” Although he didn’t receive a response, he knew the young hoodlums understood him. He gave his Locs the nod and they swarmed their prey.

  “Ooof!” Tiaz dropped to his hands and knees from a gut punch.

  “Ahhh!” Threat was slammed against the trash bin from a forceful punch to the face. Then he was slung to the ground beside his partner in crime. All they could do was ball up into fetal positions as they were kicked, stomped, and punched. Once they were handed down their ass whoopings, Pigtails tucked his banger on his waistline and approached them, unzipping his Dickies.

  He smiled fiendishly as his swept his limp dick between Tiaz and Threat pissing on their faces and bodies. After he was done, he stashed his meat and zipped up.

  “Marks.” He kicked Threat hard but Tiaz even harder. He threw up his set and motioned for his gang to follow him as he walked off down the alley, leaving both men unconscious.

  An hour later Threat was groaning as hewas rubbing the back of his head. His eyelids peeled apart and the sky was a murky blue with the sun beginning to rise. He looked to his hand and it was slicked red. He looked to Tiaz and found him wincing and moaning as well. He scrambled over to him.

  “Yo, Tiaz, are you alright, man?” He hunched over him trying to shake him conscious.

  Tiaz eyelids slowly peeled open and he looked up at Threat. He then looked all around trying to figure where the hell he was.

  “Nah, I’m fucked up.I think my fucking ribs are broken.”

  “Come on, we gotta get chu to a hospital.” Threat pulled Tiaz up to his feet and threw his thick muscular arm over his shoulders. Holding him about the wrist and waist, he walked with him down the alley.

  “You didn’t leave me, Threat. You coulda bounced on a nigga but chu didn’t.That’s love.”

  “You’re my brother; I’m always down for you. Like you’re down for me, right?”

  “Right. Til the death of us.”

  That moment in their history would go down as the day they’d proven themselves willing to risk their lives for one another. Love, Loyalty, Honor, Trust and Respect would be what held their friendship together and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Tiaz slapped hands with Threat and embraced him. “I love you, Threat. You’re my truest friend.” With that said, Threat nodded and made his exit.

  Later that day...

  “Tiaz Petty!” His government was called during mailcall.

  He retrieved his letters and headed back to his cell. He lay back in bed with his head propped against a pillow facing the bars. He shuffled through the letters.There were some from his auntie, homeboys, and the women who he’d met and communicated with through Penpals.com, a website where male and female convicts could possibly find their significant other.

  He received at least fifty letters a day from women all across the world. At first he just looked at the women as something to help make the time fly and keep his mind off of Ta’shauna, but one ended up catching his attention. Her name was Chevy and he’d spent quite some time talking with her in particular.

  They’d chop it up over the phone and through letters. Every now and again she’d catch a bus out to the prison to come see him. Light skin had his undivided attention and he didn’t see it wavering any time soon, especially since he’d found out about Ta’shauna’s infidelity.

  Tiaz picked Chevy’s letter out of the bunch and sat the rest of them aside. Chevy’s envelope was beautifully designed with flowers and butterflies. He removed the letter from out of the envelope and inhaled, taking in Chevy’s perfume and the sweet smell of her pussy. The last five letters she sent had the scent of her Vajayjay and the Chanel 5 perfume she wore. That had let him know she felt they’d grown closer to one another. A smile emerged on his face and he looked to her picture, which was on the wall beside him. He closed his eyes for a moment and imagined her in his cell, lying in bed beside him. He peeled his eyelids open and began reading her letter.

  What’s up, boo?

  I read your letter, and I must say you really know how to make a girl feel special. I hope those words are just for me and you’re not using them to have your other lady friends smitten.

  You say you’re keeping it one hunnit, well, I am too when I tell you I’m fallen for you. When I’m up I’m thinking about you, when I’m sleeping I’m dreaming about you. It’s like that song Usher sung from back in the day “You Got It Bad”. Well, I have it bad. I got it bad for you. I love me some you. I can’t wait to see you again, too.

  XOXO

  Chevy

  Tiaz folded up the letter and placed it back into the envelope. He picked up a pen and writing tablet and began penning a response letter to Chevy.

  Chapter 4

  Chevy lay in her canopy bed fast asleep. The morning had brought forth the rays of the ember sun whose rays shined through the openings of the blinds, illuminatingher face and stinging her eyelids like bees. Her face twitched with irritation causing her to turn over and cover her face with a pillow. Then the alar
m clock went off and she covered her head with a second pillow to block its blaring siren. She tried to go back to sleep, but the noisy clock wouldn’t allow it. She removed the pillows from her face and peeled her eyelids open. Staring at the clock on her nightstand, it took a moment for her sight to adjust but when it did, she read the time clearly: 6:40 A.M.

  Fifteen mo’ minutes then I’ll get up, Chevytold herself before turning off the alarm clock. She turned back over and closed her eyes for the few valuable minutes and that’s when the telephone rang. She allowed it to ring the first and second time, but on the third she figured it may be an emergency so she answered it.

  “Hello?” she said groggily and with attitude, letting the caller know they’d put her in a bad way by fucking with her sleep.

  “You still fucking with that nigga Azule?”

  Hearing Faison’s voice Chevy’s eyes shot open and she sat up in bed.

  “And if I was?” she said with attitude, moving her neck like black girl’s in the ghetto do when they’re heated.

  “I’m not playing witcho high-yellow ass Chevy.”

  “I ain’t playing either nigga.” Veins ran up her neck as she talked that shit. “Ain’t none of yo’ mothafucking business who I got up in my house.”

  “You better watch cho mouth and remember who you’re talking to.”

  She took the time to spark up a cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke.

  “Oh, I do, boo boo, my faggot ass baby daddy, Faison.”

  “I ain’t gon’ be too many more faggots, ya hear?”

  “Alright, trick!” She disconnected the call and sat the telephone on the nightstand, running her hand down her face. The telephone rang again and she looked up at it. She stared at it as it rang for a time before picking it up. “Goddamn, nigga, get cho life!” She barked into the receiver. “We’re through so get off my bumper, please, Jesus!”Once she’d quieted down,she heard labored breathing. He was pissed the fuck off.

  “I’ma drive over there and bust you in them bigass lips!” Faison growled.

  “Come and try it, bitch!” Chevy barked into the phone heatedly. “You remember what happened the last time? You bring your ass in here and they’ll be carrying you out! I got my shit cocked, locked, and ready to go. Let me know it’s real and wobble your fatass over here!” she said, sitting up in bed. Then there were knocks at her door and she knew that it was Te’Qui. Every morning she’d get him up for school so he could get dressed while she made him breakfast. Chevy held the phone to her chest and called out to her son. “I’ll be out in a minute, baby. Go ahead and brush your teeth.” She waited until she thought he had left and pressed the phone back to her ear. Faison had been ranting the entire time, but now she was just in time to catch the last of his verbal assault.