Brick (Double Dippin') (23 page)

Evette gives me a hurt look when I tell her that I want the fancy pillows on the bed. Impatiently, I flick Evette on the ass. I don’t smack her ass real hard, the way I do when I’m making a sexual gesture. That two-finger flick I just gave her generates a sharp sting—lets her know I’m not fucking around.

“Get your ass in gear, Evette. My company will be here any minute.”

D
riving a different whip, Brick was able to slip into his old neighborhood undetected. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Thomasina and his son, he parked in the lot of the Superfresh on Fifty-Sixth Street. It was Tuesday, and if Thomasina was back to her usual routine, she’d be doing her weekly grocery shopping today.

Like clockwork, she came out of the market at ten-fifteen with Little Baron sitting in the cart. She pushed the cart over to her car, opened the trunk, and started loading it with bags. With one less mouth to feed, there weren’t as many bags as she used to bring out of the store.

It took all of Brick’s willpower not to run over to Thomasina’s car, lift his son out of the cart, and cover his face with kisses. Under the circumstances, all he could do was watch from afar. Using binoculars, he got a good look at his son.
My lil’ man is lookin’ real husky. Getting big in only a few weeks.
He watched as Thomasina lifted Little Baron out of the cart. Before putting him in his car seat, she reflexively kissed his cheek. A smile curved Brick’s lips. Despite his absence, his son was well cared for and loved.

He kissed his fingers and blew a kiss in his son’s direction.
Here’s one from Daddy. I love you, son.

Brick was banned from his boy’s life, and rightfully so. He
couldn’t blame Thomasina for doing what she thought was best for their child. Still Brick believed with all of his heart that the day would come when he and his boy would be reunited. It might be years from now, but that day was surely going to come.

Thomasina drove out of the lot and turned right. She never missed a day going to the hospital to see Misty, but at least he knew of her whereabouts right now.

He picked up his cell phone and called Anya. “It’s cool. Her mom’s not at the hospital. Go on up to her room; try to get in at least a five-minute visit. And make sure you tell her what I said.”

“I gotchu,” Anya said and then disconnected.

Knowing that Anya had his back, Brick exited the parking lot with a sense of relief.

Brick waited a few moments and then exited, making a left. He had an appointment with Tayshaun to see what was up with the fake ID he promised to have ready this morning. And he also needed to find out what was up with the gun and the other weapons he’d made a deposit on. There was a delay in getting Anya the gun she wanted because Taye insisted on putting all the weapons in the same order. The killing tools that Brick had ordered from Taye were taking a lot longer than expected.

Anya’s method of revenge seemed too delicate. A bullet between a nigga’s eyes seemed too humane in Brick’s opinion. God help Brick’s victim...that mufucka, bitch or whoever was going to experience a lot of pain. It would be slow and torturous. He was gon’ make the mufucka wish for death exactly like Misty had. And this time Brick would make no mistakes. Misty’s assailant would not be left lingering between life and death. He or she was going to get a one-way ticket to hell—but they wouldn’t be taking the express. Nah, they had to take the slow route. Slow and bloody.

Brick drove to the projects, but Tayshaun wasn’t around and
no one had seen him. A ten-thirty appointment didn’t mean a thing to a nigga like Tayshaun.
’Hood niggas be on their own timeframe!

He was pissed that he had to hang around waiting for Tayshaun to come through. Killing two birds with one stone, Brick decided to get rid of his frustration while improving his running stamina.

He drove to Valley Green in Germantown and hit the trails. Running up steep inclines had perspiration pouring off his body. His mind was no longer on the sorrow of losing his wife and child. He wasn’t pissed with Taye and his CP-time shenanigans. He wasn’t worrying about how he’d manage to infiltrate Smash Hitz organization nor was he pondering the many ways that he wanted to murder the man and his bitch-ass, tranny lover.

His mind was empty of all thoughts. Running was meditative. The sounds of his feet pounding against the ground soothed his troubled spirit.

At Brick’s request, Anya had been calling the hospital daily to check Misty’s status. Brick told her that he didn’t want to bump into his wife at the hospital, and so he sent Anya to visit Misty, requesting that she give Misty a message from him. Anya didn’t like the smell of hospitals. She didn’t like visiting sick people. But she’d do anything for Brick. As far as she was concerned, Brick was her man. Even if his feelings weren’t as strong as hers…she was all in. Committed. She didn’t mind throwing that “L” word around because for her it was real. It had to be love. What else would make a woman come out of her comfort zone and go put in time with her man’s ex. A woman that couldn’t talk back…a woman that was half-dead and in a coma?

Wearing a sundress, shades, and looking respectable, Anya breezed past the nurses’ station. None of the staff even looked up or questioned who she was visiting. She slipped into room 507 and covered her mouth to smother a gasp.

Misty looked like a skeleton. She was surrounded by tubes and machines. The sight of her frail body and deformed face caused Anya to wince. She had to choke back tears, even though she had never known Misty.

This isn’t living. She looks dead! Why would the medical profession allow someone to go on like this? The medical profession should be ashamed to be so cruel as to prolong this girl’s misery.

Anya pulled a chair up close to the bed.

“Hi, Misty.” She waited a few beats, expecting Misty to open her mouth and say something. “Um…you don’t know me. My name is Anya. I’m a friend of Brick’s. Well, I’m more than a friend, if you know what I mean. Just in case you can hear me, I wanted to give you a message from Brick. He said he’s sorry the plan didn’t work.” Anya went silent momentarily and observed Misty…trying to ascertain if there was any intelligent life inside her. But she saw no indication of life. There was nothing more than a corpse lying in the bed.
Poor thing
. Anya swallowed and then cleared her throat.

She felt a little foolish talking to someone she didn’t know personally—someone barely alive—but it wasn’t about Anya’s feelings. She was there for Brick. Being his eyes and ears. His mouthpiece. Visiting his precious Misty since he couldn’t be there himself.

“Brick said he hopes you found Shane. He said, ‘tell him, whassup.’”

As if reacting to Shane’s name, Misty’s hand twitched. Anya reared back in surprise. Had she imagined Misty response? Anya’s eyes darted from Misty’s hand to the door, hoping no one had
popped in. She’d be beyond humiliated if anyone heard what she was saying. No doubt, she’d be considered insane.

Anya rubbed the top of Misty’s fisted hand, telling herself she was doing it for Brick. Doing what he’d do if he were allowed in the room with Misty.

Finally, she stood. She bent over Misty and whispered in her ear, “Brick says to tell you he loves you. Always has; always will.”

It took a lot to share that part of Brick’s message. But Anya wouldn’t be comfortable with herself if she selfishly left out Brick’s parting remarks.

She walked to the door, stopped, and looked back at Misty. “I don’t know what went wrong between you and Brick, but you were a lucky to have a man like him in love with you.”

Anya left the room and hurried to the elevator. Inside the elevator, she released a long breath. If possible, she loved Brick more than ever. No other man would ever measure up to his sensitivity and his strength, the way he was able to put those he loved before himself.

I
’ve been seeing Fawn regularly for a minute now. She claims I’m moving too fast, but this dirty bitch got me sprung and I can’t help myself. I don’t know what it is about her. She’s a slut…no doubt about that. I heard when she’s not with me, she’s out there fucking everything that moves.

The reason I dig her so much is the sex. The first night she came over, I didn’t wanna embarrass myself by cumming too quick, so I spent the whole night sucking on her pussy. I wouldn’t even let her suck on my Johnson for fear she’d find out about my cum-quick problem.

I don’t put my business out there with everybody, so I didn’t tell Pretty Boy Blake about my situation. But I confided in Munch. Munch is a cool ass mufucka. He’s crazy, but you can talk to that nigga. So I told him about my issue. And that nigga came through. He put me on with this potion that you get from Chinatown. I didn’t think it would really work, but what the fuck, I was willing to give it a try.

I told Evette to go grab me a bottle on her lunch break. She brought it home and I’ll be damn… That Chinese love potion bullshit really works. It’s got ginseng and some other shit in it. It’s nasty as hell, but it gets the job done.

Now I’m fucking like a porn star. Banging the headboard against the wall… mattress springs squealing, the bed is rocking.
Fawn be screaming and shit when I give her a good dick down. This shit is bananas. While I’m laying pipe, she’s clawing my back up and screaming my name. This is the kind of good fucking I dreamed about all those years I spent in the pen.

Sometimes I hear Evette sobbing in the next room while I’m plundering inside Fawn’s coochie. Fawn makes so much noise, she can’t hear Evette’s mournful sounds. But I do. Hearing her cry her heart out while I’m fucking another bitch brings out the freak in me. The louder Evette sobs, the harder I bang Fawn.

Times like this, I love my life. This shit is bananas. I got a fulltime freak and part-time slut.

My world could be even better if Fawn would cooperate with me.

See, I wanna take it to the next level with Fawn. Move her in here and fuck and suck that good, slutty pussy every day and every night. But Fawn won’t listen. She’s hard-headed and refuses to get serious. That bitch is coming and going outta this crib as she pleases. She’s making me mad and driving me crazy.

But it’s all good. I got a plan. Come hell or high water, I’ma turn that ho into a housewife.