Beyond the Hurt (11 page)

“What you mean? It’s not safe out here fo’ you. We never let you get down because we were looking out for you. Your parents are good people. You don’t need this life.”

“What!” Samson was shocked by Mike’s sudden change of heart. “I got this! I’ve been runnin’ these streets.”

“Remember who you are talking to. I’ve known you since the third grade. You couldn’t hurt a fly.”

“Oh really? So would a Neighborhood King hurt a fly?”

“You rockin' with Calvin Rogers now?”

“Yep. He officially put me on tonight. Body count one.”

“So that’s the kind of work you are putting in?” His roommate demanded after overhearing his conversation, he was using her landline so she felt she had the right to listen in. He didn’t notice she was standing behind him. Without offering him time to respond, she slapped Samson upside the back of his head causing him to jolt forward. “You ain’t gone be in my house messin' with them.” She snatched up his clothes, the blankets and tossed them out of the front door. In an uproar, she disconnected the line. “Get out!” she yelled, exhausted from all of the lugging and tugging of his belongings.

“So, it’s like that?”

“It’s like that! I didn’t get with you because I thought you might be a thug, I actually liked you.” She left it at that and slammed the door in his face.

“Trick, please.” Samson mumbled to himself. His ego was partially bruised; however, he would not let her kill his vibe. He heard his elderly stalker shuffling down the hallway, still peeping into business that was not her own.

“Little Boy, you can stay the night with me if you like and we can go steady.” The old lady called from down the hallway cackling for all the neighbors to hear.

Chapter 11

The caution and construction tape covered the glass entrance doors and surrounded the exterior of the building. The shop was closed for the day due to some much-needed upgrades that Raquel needed completed immediately. Finding time in her busy schedule always proved to be hectic; women constantly needed their hair weaves tightened and edges smoothed. Despite their grumbles and murmuring, clients were well informed ahead of time of the shop closure. For the most part, it created a daily soiree for the ladies of the community. She maintained the state-of-the-art equipment to keep the shop in its true elegance, by periodically shutting down for maintenance. However, the closing of the salon presented the perfect opportunity to meet up with Calvin and discuss her son’s behavior as of late. She was still unable to get a hold of him to calm him down and talk him off the ledge of going on a killing rampage. She didn’t want him becoming the headline on the 10 o’clock news for increasing the steadily growing homicide rate.

She did not raise a killer, and it was not his style. Charles had his occasional tantrums as a child, but generally, he was a very mild-tempered young man. He found himself in trouble, not on the account of his hot-tempered attitude, but due to his ability to stumble into mishaps and misfortune. He lived for drama and dysfunction. Almost as if all hell was not breaking loose around him, that the universe was somehow off scale and needed his assistance to keep itself balanced. He respected authority to a certain degree, but hated following rules. All his principals had Raquel’s personal number on speed dial for every time he made a grand entrance into the principal’s office. His love for drama is what attracted him to the bodyguard profession.

The first time he mentioned the idea of being a close protection officer to Raquel, she flipped out. Her only son could have found something a little less dangerous, but it was in his DNA. Although he found himself in trouble constantly as a minor; before the incident at the nightclub, he didn’t have a record. He needed the sustained thrill of life, so naturally being a bodyguard worked in his favor. He paid his dues as a security guard and worked diligently to be accepted into the police academy, which he eventually dropped out of due to irreconcilable differences. He used much of the trainings he did receive to start his own company offering personal protection and high-level security for the upper echelon of the community. Yet, when he got in his own way there was no stopping him and for Raquel desperate times called for desperate measures.

There was a light tap on the glass door.
On time as usual
. She waited a moment before heading towards the door to let him in. With a swift glimpse in the mirror, it graciously informed her that she was in need of a few touch ups herself. She gently pressed the curling iron across her edges, added a few curls where they had fallen and applied a new layer of gloss to her lips to make sure they were shimmering and enticing. Despite the fact that she was no longer interested in Calvin, she still wanted him to desire her. It was definitely a turn on and an ego booster for her to watch men seductively scan her body from head to toe, drooling over her frame. Calvin happened to be a lips man, so if she wanted to make any progress with him, it was imperative that her best feature, in his opinion, was on point.

He knocked a few more times on the glass, God natured him to be a moderately patient man, unless it interfered with his moneymaking. He waited knowing Raquel had no sense of urgency especially when it came to him. Notwithstanding, that he refused to settle down with Raquel in their younger years, he still cared about her. As a teenage boy, his priorities were not set on maintaining a long-term relationship. It was more-or-less set on having sex with as many attractive women as possible, while still dating her. He was immature when they dated, no different from any other boy his age at the time. Truth be told, Raquel was not Miss Faithful. She dibbled and dabbled in dirt of her own, but her hurt was not immune to the hurt he bestowed upon her and neither was his. Yet, even in their seasoned years of adulthood, their priorities remained the same.

When Calvin first met Raquel, times were different. He, being a few years older than her, saw her as mature for her age and much more developed and attractive than the other girls his age in and around the neighborhood. As an older boy with money in his pocket, he already had the advantage over the little boys that would attempt to court her. He was aware that young girls lived to brag to their girlfriends that they had a boyfriend that was out of school with a car. But Raquel was not that easy to woo. She was sassy. It was evident she knew what she was working with and promised herself that she would make him work for it.

Eventually, they began dating and things were fun, he paid for everything and took her everywhere. At the time, he was in the midst of building his business and street credibility. As he made more money, he spent less time courting her. He heard from a few of his friends that she had been spending time with a boy from her school that was on the track team. He didn’t pay it too much attention, because in his mind this young boy could keep her occupied while he was handling his business. The words of his father always stayed with him “never let a woman come between you and your empire.” When he needed or wanted to see her, she made herself available for him to slide through and for him that was enough. Unfortunately, for her, it began to take its toll.

She began to spend more time with Edmond. Edmond made promises that he wouldn’t treat her like Calvin did. He stepped up in ways she had never known a man to do and before she knew it, she had fallen. Yet, her adolescent heart still clung to the idea of Calvin, so when he called, she continued to make herself available to him, even behind Edmond’s back. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, is what she convinced herself of. Over time, she wanted to come clean. Before she knew it, she had convinced herself it really didn’t matter either way because she was only getting half of two men, which equaled one whole. It worked for her.

“What’s up Mama? You look good!” Just as Raquel had hoped, he was plugged in to her. He grabbed her by her 30-inch waist and pulled her in close for a quick embrace. The gap of time that lapsed between the two of them seemed minimal, as it was only yesterday that they frolicked in the bond of lust. He appeared as if time stood motionless and decided that it refused to allow him to age.

Damn he looks good!
Raquel thought to herself. He still possessed the sex appeal that so easily got her caught up when they were teenagers. The fact that he was so confident, so sure of himself, so focused on business, even now turned her on. She turned away briefly to gain her composure, to hide her face, which always made her emotions obvious. She was beginning to lose sight of the reason that she had invited him to her workplace in the first place.
Think, think, think! Snap out of it!
He playfully slapped her butt to let her know he was still very much in control and had no animosity toward her. He had no reason to. He knew why she moved on and he could not blame her. She giggled like a schoolgirl. His timing made it seem as though he was reading her inner thoughts.

“You better stop! I didn’t call you here for that.” She regained her composure to focus on the business at hand, took a seat in the VIP chair, and offered him a seat, which he refused. “Now Calvin…” It was best that she jump right into it before she lost her zest and zeal in the matter. “I try to leave you alone when it comes to Charles, since you gave up custody and have never really in no way, shape, form, or fashion been present as his father; however, things have gone too far. I can’t help him anymore. I am all out of ideas and tricks up my sleeve. And I refuse to get Ed involved in this.” She fought back the tears that were fighting to make their acquaintance. The thought of her only boy in trouble overwhelmed her.

“What is the issue, Rocky? I don’t understand what you think I will be able to do. As you have so eloquently stated, I am not his daddy and I don’t want anything to do with him. You were never even able to prove he was mine in the first place; but when you are in trouble, he mysteriously becomes my son again.” He replied nonchalantly. He spoke the truth even when he knew it might upset her.

“You practically know everybody in this town! Charles is trying to kill someone and I can’t have my baby going to jail or worse getting killed. He is all I have. You gotta do something!” Ignoring everything he just said, she frantically ran over to her purse and snatched out all the bills she had from the clients she serviced the previous day, counting it out and throwing it in the air. “How much is it going to cost? I’ll pay you.”

“I don’t need your money, Baby Doll. But there is something you can do for me?” He cocked his head to the side with a devious smile plastered across his face while he rubbed his graying goatee underneath his chin. He moved in closer to her grabbing at her waist again. “You can give Big Daddy some of your sweetness. I mean you are handing it out like candy on Halloween anyway. Judge Frederick Price got a piece, right?” Her jaw dropped immediately and eyes widened in shame.

“How did you know about that?” She was dumbfounded. It was supposed to be their secret. Judge Price knew that no good would come from the uncovering of their agreement. Especially since, he could lose his judge seat and never work again.

“It is my job to know everything that goes down in my city. I already took care of the problem anyway. Just keep your damn legs closed, so I don’t have to take out anybody else. Imagine I used to like Judge Price; he was one of the better-paid judges on my payroll. Just don’t forget who taught you the game.” He slapped her butt one last time with the intent of playful discipline.

“Mama, what the hell is this
son-of-a-bitch
Calvin doin’ here? I told yo’ ass to stay away from me and my family.” Through the intensity of the conversation, they failed to see Charles slip into the shop to catch the tail end of the conversation. He immediately reached for his back pocket to ensure his gun was in place.

“Pook! I don’t need you to get upset. I called him here to talk,” explaining as she ran over to him, ready to play defense against his attack. Raquel was aware that the two of them in the same vicinity would not fare a positive outcome if not handled correctly. Charles had not responded to her message to come and see her, so she figured he was out in the streets stirring up trouble.

“What the hell do you have to say to
him
, Mama?” Now addressing her directly. Charles was definitely on edge. It took every fiber to restrain himself from doing her company any harm. The hatred he had for Calvin was birthed years ago when he initially approached him about being down with his organization and refused. He did not agree with his business tactics and how he preyed upon the youth, filling their imaginations with hopes and dreams that he had no desire to fulfill.

“Calm, yo’ ass down Charles Simmons! He is leaving,” she demanded. Raquel reluctantly placed her hands upon his shoulders to grab him before he made any attempt to lunge at Calvin, who stood facing Charles unaffected by his harsh language and tone.

“Oh, Baby Doll. Now you want me to leave? First, you want me to fix
his
problem and now when he shows up, you want me to leave. Well, I ain’t ready to go yet. Have a seat son, let’s all have a family reunion.” His tone was patronizing.

“Mama, what the hell is he talking about? Fix my problem?” Raquel was speechless. He slowed his speech to calm himself. He would give his mother the opportunity to offer a logical explanation, just in case she failed to hear him the first time he asked. “I’m gonna ask one more time…Why…the hell…is…he…here?” Charles sensed that certain things were not adding up. He seemed more disturbed by Calvin’s presence than his mother did and she knew the type of reputation he had around town. For all he knew, Calvin was attempting to get her caught up in some illegal business or after her for some reason. He figured he might be after his mom since he refused to be a part of the “Neighborhood Kings.” No one was going to come in his space and threaten his family. It was his responsibility to keep the family protected.

“Rocky…” Calvin plopped down in the nearest styling chair and propped his leg up, finding this the perfect time to accept the seat that she previously offered him. “Please explain to the boy why I am here.”

All eyes and attention were on Raquel. Charles was fuming; his eyes were deadlocked on her to avoid any interaction with Calvin. He tightened his fists to keep himself from reacting out of emotion, but he was equipped with his gun if he needed to use it. It was hard to keep his composure with so much hatred and anger inside of him. Hatred for Calvin as a man, anger for the man that killed his boy Elijah, and not knowing if the two had anything to with the other. Ultimately, he feared what he might do to anyone in his path and the impact it would have on his mother.