glanced at Bubba, then Bubba glanced back at him. They both bust out laughing and I tried to join them, though mine came out more like a nervous cackle.
“Yeah, man.” Red continued to laugh. “That shit’s funny as hell. Tell me if you think this shit is funny.”
Before I could react, Bubba punched me in the stomach then grabbed me by the neck, lifting me off the ground like I was a rag doll.
“Where the fuck is my money, Rodney?” Big Red asked sternly. “I gave you twenty thousand dollars’ worth of drugs and all I asked for was fifteen thousand dollars in return. Now I want my money or I want my product.” Big Red stared at me as if he thought I was gonna answer him. But the way Bubba was holding my neck I was having a hard enough time trying to breathe. Talking wasn’t even an option.
“Let him go, Bubba.” Bubba did as he was told and I dropped straight to the floor like a piece of lead. Red bent over and got in my face.
“Where’s my money, Rodney?” Red demanded again.
“I’m sorry, Red. I don’t know how but I lost it.” As much as I hated to look like a punk, I was crying by now. Red glared at me, then nodded his head three times like he’d made a decision.
“Carry this nigga in his apartment so I can put a cap in his ass,” he told Bubba. Before I could even think to holler for help, Bubba’s huge hand was around my neck, lifting me up in the air again. A few seconds later I was in my apartment, about ready to pee on myself. I was sure I’d be dead in ten minutes.
“Where the fuck is my money, Rodney?” Red demanded again as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head. He pulled back the clip and I closed my tear-filled eyes, praying that there was a heaven and God was going to accept me into it. “I asked you a question. Where the fuck is my money?”
Bubba eased up on my throat so I could speak. “I lost it, Red. I swear to God, I ain’t take it. I lost it. Look around you. Can’t you see I’ve been tearing this place apart trying to find it?”
He looked around. “Damn, this place does look like shit.”
He scratched his head then reached into my pockets, pulling everything out. “Let’s see what he’s got, Bubba.” He thumbed through the contents of my pockets. “Eight hundred dollars. Rent receipts…” He stuffed the eight hundred in his pocket. “Two lottery tickets. What the fuck you got these for?” He laughed and tossed them on the floor.
“A dollar and a dream,” I said sheepishly, and he laughed.
“Yeah, well, you better hope your dream comes true, ’cause if you don’t have my money by Monday, you gonna be dreaming permanently. Do I make myself clear?”
“Perfectly.” I nodded.
“Let ’im go, Bubba.”
Bubba did as he was told and I went crashing down to the floor again.
“I want my money on Monday night, Rodney. I’m not playing with you.”
“I’m gonna have it, Red,” I told him as he headed for the door. “I promise. I don’t care if I have to rob a bank. I’m gonna have your money for you on Monday.”
“You better,” he growled, “or you’re gonna be pushing up daisies on Tuesday.”
5
Katrice
I was so pissed at Jordan. I couldn’t go back into the apartment, even if he wasn’t there. Just the thought of having him walk through the door and having to look into his face made me sick to my stomach. I decided to go upstairs and see if Kerri had at least part of her rent.
“You okay, Kerri?” I asked softly as I tapped on the door.
“Yeah, I’m cool,” she said, and opened the door.
I followed her into the candlelit room. “Candles? And Luther? What was the occasion?”
“Happy Broke-as-Hell Night.” She lifted a glass of wine in the air in an imaginary toast. She tilted it back and drank it all in one swallow. I knew she was down. Kerri hardly ever drank.
“I take it that it wasn’t a happy celebration?”
“No, it wasn’t. Want a glass of wine?” She stood up. “I sure need a refill myself.”
“What the hell? Yeah, bring me some. Hell, bring the whole bottle,” I told her.
“My girl!” she yelled as she went into the kitchen. “Where is the love of your life tonight?”
“Went to the Quick-Mart.”
“What? He trying to win the big jackpot, too?”
“What jackpot?”
“Girl, you know the lottery jackpot is fifty million this week. That’s why the lines have been wrapped around the building at the convenience stores. You didn’t know?” She sauntered into the room carrying the bottle of wine and two glasses.
Kerri was a very attractive girl. She reminded me of one of those video chicks. Not the ghetto-fab ones, but the classy model type. She kept her long, thick hair in a ponytail piled high in the middle of her head and her face had that high-class look—almond-shaped eyes, full lips. Her body was to die for. I still didn’t understand why she couldn’t find and keep a good man. She was really nice, smart, and funny. Maybe there was something to her that I didn’t know about.
“I didn’t notice, I guess. Too much other stuff going on in my life.”
“Join the club,” she said, and filled our glasses.
“Look, Ker. I know your luck these past couple of months has been just as bad as mine, but I really gotta have your rent money.”
“I’m trying, Trice. I damn near had it tonight, but I lost my head.” She slumped back on the sofa.
“What happened up here?” I asked her out of curiosity.
“You know that older dude Charlie I been messing with?”
“Yeah. The one that said he wanted to marry you.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What about him?”
“Well, I decided to break him off a li’l something real good. Then I was gonna hit him up for some money for the rent.”
“The way y’all were moaning and groaning, it sounded like you were breaking him in two.” I laughed.
“I worked it. I know I did. Hell, he even went to the ATM to get the money for me.” She sighed.
“He got you the money? Then you should be straight. Gimme my money, girl.” A smile came over my face.
“I didn’t finish. While he was gone—get this, girl—his motherfuckin’ wife called.”
“Shut up! That nigga was married? He’s been coming over here for, like, months. I thought y’all were doing a’ight.” I couldn’t believe it. Men are a trip. I knew I’d seen this man come over all times of the day and night. Shit, we even double-dated a couple of times. You never would’ve known that he was married. He sure as hell hadn’t acted like it.
“Can you believe this shit?” She turned her glass up again. “And at first he tried to deny it, but then he just left when I told him I was gonna call the cops on his ass.”
“So that’s why you was cussing his ass out? We heard you yelling and him leaving,” I told her.
“What are y’all, professional eavesdroppers or somethin’?”
“No, but when your ass is loud, and you are loud, we can hear everything, and I do mean everything.
“So what about the money? Did you at least get the money?”
“Hell