I looked over toward Kev as Jason held me. He turned his head away when I connected eye to eye with him, like he didn’t care. I looked back at Jason into his eyes and smiled, never saying a word. He bent down and kissed me, not realizing the silent talking that was goin’ on between me and Kev.
Then Jason reached in his pocket and pulled out the key to the Toyota. “Here.” He held the key in the air and looked at the young girls. The slender girl grabbed it; then Jason said, “That’s for you two. Work it out.”
The girls smiled with excitement and argued about who was going to drive it back to New York. Me, I just sat there in awe. Five grand plus a car. Now that right there could make a chick want to get in the game.
Chapter 12
The Warehouse
Things had only changed a little since Jason apologized and took me to their dope house. He was still doing him, just with a li’l discretion now.
Jason had given me a few more beatings. If he thought I was gettin’ out of hand or when he thought someone was interested in me, he found a reason to fight. I was so lonely and so afraid of him, felt like I was locked away in a dungeon and Jason had eaten the key! I was miserable.
Kev and I didn’t talk anymore because of my decision to stay with Jason. He said he couldn’t stay by as a friend and watch that, so he and Jay remained friends and he and I only ran across each other when we had to.
I was numb to everything and I even thought about snortin’ coke with Jay a time or two just to have something in common with him and maybe ease the pain . . . I didn’t though.
I had given up on anything and everything but staying next to Jason, like he wanted me to. I’d stopped working, the boys were with Toya the majority of the time, and I closed everyone out except Jason. All I did was shop, smoke weed, party like a rock star, then sleep.
One day the boys’ father called and threatened to come get them if I didn’t get my act together. While he fumed, I held the other end of the phone, smoking a blunt and uninterested in what he was talking about.
“Reese? I know you can hear me, girl. Are you listening to me?” Julius sympathetically asked after yelling at me. He took a deep sigh and blew it out into the phone loud. I could hear how frustrated he was at me but I was high and didn’t really care.
“I’m tellin’ you, if one more person in Columbus call me and tell me how you out in da clubs shakin’ yo’ butt and high, I swear I’m comin’ to get my boys!”
“Chill out, Julius!” I flopped down on the couch. “I hear you, but it ain’t that serious! I take care of my boys, and you . . . you can’t tell me anything! If you would’ve had yourself together we would be there with you. So don’t come calling me with this!” I hung up. He was getting me all upset, but deep down I knew he was right; I did need to get it together.
I watched my cell ring over and over. I knew it was Julius calling back and I wasn’t about to answer so he could tell me how wrong I was about something or other. I went upstairs and looked in my bedroom closet, and I grabbed that same silver briefcase I had found. I opened it up and started counting the money in it.
I looked out my bedroom window to make sure Jay wasn’t coming; then I sat down beside the briefcase and money. I had a thought run through my mind: take the money . . . take it all!
Everything was about to change for me later that day when Jason came storming in the house.
I was sitting on the couch in the front room watching Diary of a Mad Black Woman when he came in the house. I knew something was wrong with him because his nose was all flared out and he was breathing heavy. That always meant he was furious. I got a little uncomfortable thinking he was gonna fight with me. I thought back, trying to figure out if I had done something that he may have been mad at me for.
“Hey, Jay, is everything okay?” I hurried and got up and stood beside the front door in case he was gonna swing. I figured I could run out the door real fast.
He was on his cell ranting on and on about how he was gonna get Shy for something or other. He never even noticed me moving around, uneasy, or even heard me asking him if he was all right.
I gave a sigh of relief and sat back down and watched the movie because I knew he wasn’t mad at me. I really didn’t care what Jason was talking about or what he was mad at as long as he wasn’t upset with me.
I was watching the movie, but every now and then my eyes would shift to Jason on the cell. He was going back and forth, up and down the stairs and whispering on his cell as he walked around the house like he was getting prepared to go out. I had no idea who he was talking to on the phone. I just let him be until out of nowhere he said, “Baby, you love me? Huh, baby? Drive me downtown real quick to take care of somethin’.” He stood over me. “I need to go take care of somethin’.”
I looked up at him. I didn’t feel like going anywhere with him. I could feel in my gut he was up to no good.
He winked. “Okay, then, go for a ride wit’ me. You know you my ride and die,” he joked.
“Where?” I asked.
“Oh, just put on yo’ shoes and ride. We’ll be back in a few. You just stay in the car. Pause yo’ movie.”
He smiled. I did. I paused my movie and put my shoes on.
“You ready, babe?” Jason asked.
“Yep, I’m ready.”’
“Where yo’ keys? I’ma drive yo’ car.”
I handed him the keys, and we left the house and got in the car. He started the car and sped down the streets, jumped on the freeway for a few minutes, then got off downtown and went to Front Street.
“Why we over here, Jay?”
He was dialing a number but was irritated when I questioned him. “Reese, don’t worry ’bout it. Just sit out here. I’ll be right back!” He opened the car door and got out. His whole demeanor had changed. He looked serious. “Lock the doors. I’ll be right back,” he stated.
“Jay, is there a bathroom in there?” I really needed to go. I wanted him to tell me to come on in. I didn’t care that it was a warehouse, I just had to go.
“Stay in the car, Reese! I gotta do somethin’. Just sit tight.” He slammed the door, took his gun out and put it in the back of his jeans, and went in. I turned my nose up and wondered what the heck was going on. He pulled me out the house for this . . . to sit in the car. “This don’t make no sense. He gets on my nerves.”
We were at some warehouse that appeared to be vacant, but I noticed there were cars of some of the other guys who worked for Jason too. I looked for Kev’s truck but it wasn’t there. My stomach felt sick when I saw he wasn’t there ’cause I really wanted to see him, even if it was through a window. I sat there for a few more minutes, then started looking in the mirror and playing with my hair. I was used to waiting for Jason to take care of business; it wasn’t no big deal anymore. I just had to pee this particular day.
I laid my head back and patted my fingers against the window while I waited. “Oh my God, I have to use the restroom!” I screamed out, wondering what the heck was taking Jay so long. Even though I hadn’t been waiting five minutes, it felt like an hour having to go the bathroom.
I looked at the warehouse again. I was thinking about going in, but didn’t. I just sat there clapping my knees together and holding it in. I eventually dosed off. When I came to, I looked at my watch and I had been asleep for about forty-five minutes, waiting. I looked around and realized my car was the only one out there now. So I figured it would be okay to go in and use the bathroom.
I put my purse underneath my seat. I grabbed the keys out the ignition, opened the door, then got out. I took a few steps toward the entrance that I had watched Jay go in. I hit the remote to lock the car doors. I heard it beep so I knew my car would be secure. I’d seen on the news all the robberies in that area.
As I got closer to the door I could hear somebody hollering. I thought I was trippin’.
