Carl Weber's Kingpins (7 page)

“So what! There ain't no harm in callin' an old friend.”

“Now you know good and well me and Trevor are more than just old friends.”

Doris May laughed and said, “Well, hell, there still ain't nothin' wrong with you callin' that boy. What, you got yourself one of them jealous types?”

Shayla laughed. “Something like that. I just don't want to cause any problems. Plus, I know Trevor's moved on with his life. He's probably forgotten all about me.”

“You may be right. But, tell me, why did you really call me? I know it ain't because you missed old Aunty Doris May and decided to give her a holla. 'Cause if that were the case I would have heard from you li'l ass years ago.”

“To be honest with you, Aunty, I heard that Trevor was home doing extremely well for himself. After a lot of debate with myself I finally decided to give you a call to see how he was doing. I won't lie. I do miss y'all.”

Doris May laughed and said, “You're something else, girl. Now write down this boy's number.” After she had finished giving Shayla King's cell phone number she said, “I won't tell him about this call. You can do it yourself if and when you decide to give him a call.”

“Thanks, Aunty. So, how have you been?”

“You know me. I'm gon' always be a'ight. As long as I have my medicine every day I'm A-okay!”

“Ooh, Aunty, I know you ain't still smoking all of that weed?”

“Humph, I don't see why not. Shit, my medicine helps me deal with the day-to-day problems of the world.” They both laughed.

A waiter came with Shayla's and Taj's food so Shayla told Doris May, “I'm about to eat and think about what I'm going to do about calling Trevor. I'll give you a call again soon, Aunty, I promise.”

“You do that, girl. You know you was always my favorite.”

Shayla frowned and said, “You sure? I could have sworn you liked Lawanda more than you liked me.”

“Lawanda? No, you didn't sit there and say that craziness to me! You know damn well I never could stand that silly li'l girl. And now that she's had those kids I still can't stand her ass!”

“Kids?”

“Oops. Girl, g'on and call that boy and let him tell you what's been goin' on in his life. Bye now!” Doris May yelled as she hung up the phone quickly.

Shayla was truly in love with Flamboyant. They had been with each other for close to four years now. After she had broken up with Trevor she went into a deep depression. That depression ended the day she met Flamboyant. She knew that she loved him, but she didn't know why she was feeling so jealous about the fact that Trevor had gone and gotten that witch Lawanda pregnant. More than once, too.
Doris May did say ‘kids,'
she thought as she nibbled on her food
. I can't believe that shit.

“Earth to Shayla, can you hear me?” Taj asked from the other side of the table.

Shayla shook her head and said, “My bad, girl, I was gone there for a minute.”

“A minute? Girl, you have been gone for the last five minutes. What did she say that got you so lost like that?”

Shayla gave her a replay of the conversation she just had with Doris May. “Ain't no way I'm callin' that nigga. Fuck that! If he's had kids with that ugly-ass bitch then he don't need to be hearing from me,” she stated angrily.

Taj stared at her friend. “Don't get mad at me, girl, but can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Why are you so mad at the fact that he has some kids by Lawanda?”

“Because I can't stand that bitch! She used to be all up in our mix tryin' her best to take Trevor away from me. That's why!”

“Calm down, girl, before you give yourself a heart attack. I understand how you feel, but what I don't understand is why you're so angry. Your ex has moved on with his life and so have you. He has Lawanda and you have Marco, one of the richest niggas in the city. You have absolutely no reason to be this upset. Unless . . .”

“Unless what?” Shayla asked, obviously agitated.

“Unless you're still in love with Trevor.”

Shayla was stuck. She sat there and stared at her friend because she couldn't think of a response to what Taj had just said to her.
Oh, shit!

“Dog, I'm tellin' you that shit is crackin' like a mothafucka out there!” Nutta said excitedly.

Boleg and Cuddy smiled at each other as they listened to Nutta explain how much money he was making out the Midwest City.

“Do you need some more work or are you tryin' to chill for the rest of the weekend?” asked Cuddy.

“Chill! Nigga, is ya crazy? I'm 'bout to hit up King now and get at least another bird or two. Them niggas is spendin' like crazy! You know I'm the number one trappa on the squad, and after this weekend my position and title will be upheld!” They all started laughing.

“G'on wit' that shit, fool. You ain't clockin' more than me and Cuddy,” said Boleg.

“Check it, my nigga, just like my nigga Hova said, ‘Men lie, women lie, numbers don't.' In less than two days I've dumped over a bird and a half. Ounce for ounce. That means I've clocked close to forty Gs for myself as well as a nice chunk of change for the squad. So don't sit your big ass over there and tell me that I ain't the number one trappa right about now. I'm 'bout my dollars fo' real,” Nutta said proudly.

“A'ight, fool, you got that. But I heard that Keko and his niggas got that Del City shit poppin' off too,” said Cuddy.

“That's good. The more money he makes the stronger the squad becomes. I ain't no hater. We're all rockin' together and our goal is the same.”

“Yeah? What's our goal, li'l nigga?” asked Boleg.

“Get this fuckin' cake! Act like ya know, fool!”

“I know that's right, dog. When you get at King tell him that I said we're goin' to be out in Midwest City with you. We might as well dump some of this load we have over that way since it's kind of slow out this way.”

“That's straight. I'll get at y'all later,” Nutta said as he jumped into his truck and sped off of the block.

Boleg and Cuddy were like brothers; they'd been best friends for years. The both of them grew up with King on the north side and they all attended the same high school. They were the same height, standing a little over five ten, and were considered heavyweights. Combined, they weighed close to 560 pounds or more. They were each other's yin and yang. Cuddy was the one more prone to use violence, whereas Boleg chose to be more laidback. They were both hustlers to their core. Getting money the illegal way came naturally to both of them. They could smell a dollar miles away. That's why Boleg was confident that this move they made out in Midwest City was going to pay off big time for them.

“I told you, Cuddy, we 'bout to get chipped up for real out there. Them niggas is lovin' our shit. Nutta just confirmed what I knew all along: Midwest City is a fuckin' gold mine,” Boleg said as he leaned against his Suburban.

Cuddy, who was sitting on the passenger's side of Boleg's truck, said, “Yeah, it's sweet right now, my nigga, but shit ain't over wit' yet.”

“What you mean by that shit?”

Cuddy shrugged his broad shoulders and said, “Shit don't stay sweet all the time, Boleg. We gots to get this money, but we also got to watch our asses at the same time. We can't afford to get rocked to sleep, my nigga.”

“I got you, dog.” Boleg smiled.

* * *

Tippi and King were sitting on the porch of the trap on the block watching as the youngsters on the squad made that hand-to-hand money. King frowned when he saw a police cruiser turn on to the block. The police car was spotted immediately, and three shrill whistles came from the lookouts who were strategically posted on each corner of the block. The squad members who were on the block serving hand-to-hand sales all slid into the cut and got out of sight of the police car. The police officer inside of the car stopped in front of the trap where King and Tippi were sitting.

“Looks like today's a profitable one for you, King,” said the officer.

King smiled and said, “Every day is a profitable one, Officer Don. How may we be of service? Do you need anything?” King laughed at his joke and so did Tippi and a few other members of the squad who were in hearing distance.

Officer Don frowned and said, “One day, one day, I'm going to have the pleasure of either locking your ass up, or watching the city medical examiner zip a body bag over your ass, King. I don't know how you done it, but for some reason you've kinda become untouchable. Nobody remains untouchable for long. Remember that.”

“Have a nice day, Officer.” He stepped off of the porch, strolled to his car, and hit his alarm button. As he opened the door he turned and faced Tippi. “I'm 'bout to go over to Doris May's. I'll be back later. You good?”

She shook her head yes. “Tell Doris I said hey.”

“A'ight, then,” King said as he slid into his car and pulled away from the curb. When he passed the police car he noticed Officer Don make a quick U-turn and hurry to pull right behind him as if he was about to pull him over. He smiled because he knew that he was going to trail him for a little bit. That was exactly what King wanted him to do. “Yeah, come on and ride with me, clown. I don't need yo' ass on my block slowin' up my money,” King said aloud as he grabbed his cell and gave his aunt a call.

When Doris May answered her phone she said, “Where you at, boy?”

“I'm on my way over to your house. What's up?”

She smiled into the receiver and said, “I'll tell you when you get here. Hurry up.” She hung up the phone before he could say another word.

King was smiling as he turned onto the highway. Officer Don was still following about three car lengths back. Ever since he hooked with Charlie his life had become extra smooth.
Charlie is one hell of a plug,
he thought as he continued to drive. Not only was he able to get the best drugs in the state for the lowest prices, he also got police protection from Charlie. Charlie made sure that, no matter what, King would be able to make that money for the both of them. The game was good.

By the time King made it over to his aunt's house, Officer Don had chosen to leave him alone. King hopped out of his car and went inside of the house he was raised in: a three-bedroom, two-bath neat little house in a neighborhood called Creston Hills on the northeast side of Oklahoma City. After his parents left him with his aunt, her home became his home and he loved her so much for that act of kindness. There was nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for his aunty.

As soon as he stepped inside of the house Doris May said, “Guess who called me a couple of hours ago?”

He stared at his aunt as she inhaled deeply on her neatly rolled blunt and blew out the potent marijuana smoke in a thick line of her mouth. “Who?” he asked.

She frowned at him and said, “I said guess, boy!”

He sat down on the couch and said, “Come on, Aunty, I ain't got time to be playin' with you now. I got some shit to do. Who called?”

Doris May took another drag of her blunt and said, “You ain't no kinda fun. Shit, I know you gon' be happy when I tell you. Why you got to take away my fun?”

“A'ight, a'ight, let me see. Was it my mommy and daddy?” he asked sarcastically.

She gave him the finger and said, “No, boy, but it was the one girl who loved you more than anything or anyone, except me, that is.”

His eyes grew wide as saucers when he asked his aunt, “Shayla?”

Doris May was in the middle of taking another deep pull of her blunt so she gave him a nod of her head to answer his question.

“Where is she? Where has she been? Did you get her number for me? What did she say?”

“Damn, boy, if you slow yo' ass down I'll answer your questions. First off, she's still here in the city. She didn't tell me where, though. She did tell me that she chose to fade away after you went to jail. I told her li'l ass hell, she fuckin' disappeared! I gave her your number and told her to give you a call. I told her I wasn't goin' to tell yo' ass but you already know I can't keep no secret,” she said with a smile.

With a smirk on his face he said, “Yeah, I know. So what did you tell her about me, Aunty?”

“I kinda mentioned that you had some kids with Lawanda.”

“You did what? Aww, damn, Aunty! Shay's not goin' to call me now. You know how bad she hated Lawanda. What you go and do that shit for?”

“It slipped, boy. I didn't mean to. Don't worry; if she doesn't call you, you can call her. Here's the number where she called me from. I think it's a cell phone number,” Doris May said as she passed him a slip of paper with a telephone number written on it. “I got it off my caller ID. Ain't you glad I let you talk me into gettin' that shit?”

King smiled and said, “You damn skippy!” He got up and kissed his aunt on the cheek and said, “Everything happens for a reason. Shay's come back into my life for a reason and I know it can't be nothin' but a good one!”

“Hold on there now, boy, there's something else she told me.”

“What?”

“She told me that she's involved with someone.”

“She got a nigga?”

“Unless she done switched sides, I assume so.”

“That's nothin'. You know how she feels about me. Why else would she call if she didn't want to get back with me?”

“Why don't you take this one step at a time, boy? Don't take anything for granted. Wait a day or so to see if she calls you. If she doesn't then give her a call and see what the deal is.”

“You know what, that's the best advice you've ever given me. I'm gon' do just that, Aunty.” He gave Doris May another kiss and happily left her home and headed back to the block.
Yeah, shit is goin' my way for real! And I love it!
He turned up his music when he got in his ride.

When King made it back to the block he saw Tippi talking to Nutta. Nutta was telling Tippi about how much money he was making out in Midwest City as King came and joined them. “What's up, big homie?” Nutta said to King.

“What's up with you, young one?” King said as he gave Nutta a pound. “Tell me somethin' good.”

“How 'bout I've been servin' my ass off out there in Midwest City at Boleg and Cuddy's new spot. That shit is rollin' nonstop. I need some more work 'cause I'm done. Boleg and Cuddy are out that way now doin' 'em while I take a break, but I'm tryin' to get back out there before the late-night shift. That's when it really pops off. Feel me?”

“Fa' sho'.” King turned toward Tippi and said, “Go get him a bird and a half. That should hold you for the night.”

“Yeah, if not then I'll snatch whatever Cuddy and Boleg got left.”

“Cool.”

“Have you gotten at Keko? I heard his thang is jumpin' off proper out in Del City too. Looks like it's more than firecrackers poppin' off for this Fourth of July weekend.”

“I haven't heard from that fool in a few days. I'll get with him later on though. I was thinkin' 'bout hittin' the club tonight, though. You tryin' to roll with me before you head back out to Midwest City?”

“Nah, I'm gon' chill at the pad and relax for a li'l bit. I'll get at y'all tomorrow, though.”

Tippi came out of the trap carrying a brown Louis Vuitton knapsack with a kilo and a half of powder cocaine inside of it. She gave the bag to Nutta, smiled, and said, “Just like T.I. say in that song, ‘What You Know 'Bout That.' Here your Louis knapsack; where the work at?”

Nutta accepted the bag from her and said, “You got jokes today, huh, Tippi? At least you ain't out here stabbin' nobody today. That got to count for somethin'.”

“The day's not over with yet.”

“You need a role model. I'm outta here,” Nutta said as he shook hands with King. He smiled at Tippi and said, “Be nice out here.” He was laughing as he climbed inside of his truck and left the block blasting his music.

Tippi shook her head and laughed when she heard Nutta's extremely loud sound system bumping the same T.I. song that she was just talking about. “That li'l nigga is somethin' else.”

“Yeah, I know. And he's a young hog when it comes to gettin' this paper,” King added as he stepped over to the porch of the trap.

Nutta was the youngest squad member; he was only twenty-three years old. He earned his respect among his peers with his moneymaking skills and his knack of always finding good moneymaking spots around the north. He, Boleg, and Cuddy made a formidable squad within the squad.

“What's this shit 'bout you hittin' up the club?” asked Tippi as she sat down next to him on the porch.

He shrugged and said, “I don't know, it ain't shit else to do. Might as well go out and get a li'l bent. It is the Fourth of July.”

“Since when did you start givin' a fuck 'bout a holiday?”

Before he could answer her question his cell rang. He checked the caller ID, frowned, and answered his phone. “Hello?”

“Hi, Trevor. How are you?”

King stepped off the porch and started walking toward his car before he answered. Once he was inside of his car he said, “Shay, is this really you?”

She laughed and said, “Yes, it's really me, silly.”

“Where are you? Can we get together or somethin'?”

“I just called to see how you were doing, Trevor. I heard that you were home and doing quite well for yourself.”

King smiled from ear to ear as he remembered how Shayla always refused to call him by his nickname; she preferred his government name instead. “Yeah, you could say that. But, look, I'm not really tryin' to get into all of that on the phone. Why don't you meet me somewhere so we can chop it up for a li'l bit?”