The California Saga (10 page)

 

 

“Jewel! What up, ace?” I answered my cell phone, happy to hear from my homie. “Hello?” I said, after not hearing any response on the other end. I held my phone forward to double-check the name that was on the screen, and it was definitely Jewel's name that appeared on my phone.

My first thought was that we had a bad cell phone connection, and I was about to hang up and call her right back. But then I heard some noise in the background. I listened more closely to try and decipher what it was that I was hearing. After listening closely, I realized that Jewel must have called my cell phone by mistake.

“What the fuck?” I said out loud. I balled my face up.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was hoping it was just some kind of sick trick that Jewel and Calico were playing on me.

“I know, I know. Don't worry, though. I'll make sure I pull out before I cum.”

As I continued to listen, I could literally hear the sound of skin slapping against skin, so I knew that Jewel and Calico were actually fucking. I twisted my lips and shook my head in disgust.
How the fuck Jewel gone sell out like that?
I couldn't believe this shit I was hearing.

I listened for a little while longer and I could hear Jewel and Calico rummaging around and making small talk with each other. It sounded like they were done fucking. Fuming, I hung up on my end. I didn't know what pissed me off more, the fact that Jewel was acting like a naïve schoolgirl and was actually falling into Calico's trap, or that Calico would disrespect the game and fuck with Jewel on that level.

I tried to go back to watching sports highlights on ESPN, but I had to admit, hearing that phone call had fucked my head up. Jewel was my female road dawg, and although we had never really caught feelings for one another, there was a small part of me that kind of made me feel like she was my girl. So listening to that phone call and hearing Calico fuck her was kind of like me hearing some nigga fuck my bitch. I could just picture that shit. I ain't gon' lie, a nigga was real fucked-up.

I got up and went to my kitchen to get a Heineken. After I cracked it open and took a few swigs, I decided to call Jewel. I dialed her number, and her cell phone just rang out to voice mail. I waited a few minutes and called her house phone, and again she didn't pick up, and it rang out to voice mail.

Yo, I can't believe she fucking falling for that clown-ass nigga
, I said to myself as I walked back to my flat-screen television.

What was wild was, as I sat and watched ESPN, the announcers started talking about that old beef that Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal had a few years ago when they were on the same team. Stuart Scott from ESPN, the cool black dude that all of the other announcers try to be like, kept it real, saying how it was wrong for Kobe to snitch on Shaquille O'Neal like he'd done when he got caught cheating on his wife. He continued on and was saying how in his mind that was probably the last straw for Shaquille O'Neal and that was probably what made him demand a trade to the Miami Heat.

Then he summed it up by saying that at the end of the day it also was probably just a situation where Kobe's ego and Shaquille's ego were just too fucking big for the two of them to be on the same team together.

It was crazy for me to be hearing the commentators talking about that because, in a lot of ways, that was how I was feeling about me and Calico. Here that nigga was from Cali-muthafuckin'-fornia, and he was all the way on the East Coast, in my town, coming across like he owned the muthafucking key to the city, and like he was the man and shit. Granted, Calico was a big reason why a lot of niggas was eating, and he and I had done a lot of business together, but that nigga had crossed the line this time.

At one point this nigga used to be humble and about his bread. Fast-forward a year or two, and the nigga is all Hollywood all of a sudden. Now the nigga wants to fuck every bitch, floss in all the clubs, and do all kinds of high-profile shit. I'd learned a long time ago, whenever a nigga stops being humble and it starts becoming all about them, that's when it's time to cut niggas off and stop fucking with them. I mean, I seen it time and time again, niggas go and get Hollywood, and then they get fucking sloppy and fuck shit up for everybody. Hell, that's how I ended up in the penitentiary.

Calico was my man, so I knew exactly what he was trying to do. He was planning on using Jewel's ass so that he could use her crib as a stash house, like he was doing with a bunch of other chicks. He was gonna chill in her spot for a spell and run his product from there, cook up, stash some money and a few guns. Then when he felt like her spot was getting hot, he would be on to the next chick.

Fuck that nigga Calico!
I thought to myself.
This is my motherfucking town!
I was gonna play shit cool, but it was definitely time for me to start making moves so that I could phase Calico out. I had a plan, but to be honest, the easiest plan would have been to pay one of those young-ass cats trying to make a name for themselves to make his ass disappear. It wasn't like he was untouchable. And, after all, my name was
Touch
.

 

 

Sexy muthafucka
. I looked at a sleeping Calico. My body ached from a night of continuous fucking as I rose from the bed and headed toward the bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the mirror with shame. I spoke to my reflection. “You are officially a bona fide whore!” I couldn't believe the shit I'd done. Not only did I let this nigga fuck me as soon as he got there, but I let him fuck me raw! I guess when a bitch is on a one-month drought, the pussy has a mind of its own. I ain't gon' front—I wanted some dick, but a bitch should have at least had a little class about herself. All I can say was, at least that shit was good. I knew it had to be something golden about this nigga for him to have so many bitches, yet no drama. Shit, the money and dick alone was enough to keep my mouth shut! Plus, this nigga's body was as flawless as a coin in mint condition.

I jumped in the shower and threw on some clothes so that I'd look my best when Calico woke. The time was nine o'clock. Remembering Touch needed me to take him to the airport, I called him up.

He answered the phone with little emotion, “What's up?”

“Ugh! What's wrong with you?” I said, noticing he wasn't himself.

“Nothing. What's the deal?” Touch responded with the same tone as before.

“Well, I just remember you said something about the airport the other day. When you going?”

“Today.”

“Today? Why didn't you call me?”

“I was gonna just use short-term parking.”

“No, I'm taking you. What time is your flight?”

“Three o'clock.”

“Okay. Meet me at my house, and we'll leave from here.”

“A'ight.”

“Cool,” I responded then hung up the phone.

Realizing I only had a few hours before it was time to take Touch to the airport, I rushed to cook Calico breakfast. Thinking of something quick, I decided to cook omelets.

Before I was finished, Calico was on his way into the kitchen. “Yeah, I better have some breakfast waiting. Especially when you be cooking that nigga Touch breakfast.” He hugged me from behind.

“Whatever, nigga. Don't think you gon' be getting this kind of treatment every morning, though.” I let him know the deal right off the bat.

“I ain't trying to hear that shit. You gon' do whatever it takes to keep a nigga happy,” Calico said confidently.

Yep. As long as you keeping this bitch happy by keeping the money coming,
I thought.

“What you smirking at?” Calico asked.

I guess my thoughts were written all over my face. “Nothing. Just thinking about what you said.”

“So you ain't trying to keep a nigga happy?”

I responded with a question just as important, “You trying to keep a bitch happy?”

“No doubt. I got you. I thought you already knew that.”

“Nah. That could just be preliminary game you throwing. You can see from how I do things that I'm not your average chick. I like nice things and love having my way. So are you really trying to hold me down?” I asked, to see where his head was really at.

“Jewel, I got you, baby. Relax. Let shit take its course.” Calico took a seat at the breakfast bar.

“Okay then. Well, I got you,” I said, as I handed him his food.

I cleaned up the kitchen and straightened the small mess we'd made in my bedroom as Calico ate.

When he finished he met me in the bedroom. “I'm about to run out,” he said. “You didn't tell anybody I was here, did you?”

“Nope,” I said, just now remembering he'd told me not to tell anyone of his visit. Luckily, I hadn't told anyone.

“You sure about that? Not even your homeboy?”

“I guess you're referring to Touch but, to answer your question, no, I didn't tell him.”

“Cool. Well, I'm going on a few runs. I'll hit you up when I'm done.”

“Okay.”

Deep inside, I wanted to put up an argument, because this trip was supposed to be all about me, but I knew that I had to take Touch to the airport and I'd told him to meet him at my house. So I kinda needed Calico to leave so that I didn't blow his cover. I kissed him on the lips before he headed out the door.

“Damn, I've got another winner!” I said to myself as I watched Calico jump in his rental car from my bedroom window.

Just then my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. “Hey, Boobie,” I answered, realizing it was Sasha.

“Hey, baby. I've been dancing at the club, and it's turning out great! I'm really making some money!”

“That's good. I'm so happy for you. I'm making me a little change myself.” I quickly began to share the news of Calico with Sasha.

“Huh? What you doing? I know your ass ain't on no pole!”

“Hell nah, girl. I finally got this nigga Calico where I want him.”

“Who?”

“Calico. Touch friend. The one from the bar that night, remember?” I tried refreshing Sasha's memory.

“Oh, okay. Damn, how you do that?”

“Well, you know he took me shopping on our first date. That was an indication of how he breaks bread. But, anyway, I talked him into coming to VA, and this nigga sent me three grand, Western Union, before he even got here,” I bragged.

“And what did you have to do to get that three grand?” Sasha asked, sounding all sarcastic and shit.

“What chu mean?”

“I know you gave up some ass.”

“To be honest, yeah, I did, but that was
after
I'd received three stacks and a shopping spree, enough to ensure there was more to come. And if not, it still covered the expense,” I spat back, letting her know I knew what I was doing.

“Umph . . . well, good for you, I guess. I got three stacks too, but it took me a few days in the strip club to gain that.”

“Well, why you not there looking for a nigga? I gave you the rules. Shit, utilize those muthafuckas!”

“I hear you.”

Just then I heard a horn blow in front of my house. Touch was out front.

“Well, let me go. I have to take Touch to the airport. He's coming down your way, as a matter of fact. You gon' be at the club tonight?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“What's that suppose to mean?” I asked, hoping she would elaborate. I'd had just about enough of Sasha's sour-ass attitude. I really hoped it wasn't envy I smelt in the air. Sasha and I had the same opportunities in life. She just chose an alternate route. Was I to blame?

“I ain't got it like you. I got to struggle to get mine.”

“Well, I'm trying to help a sister out. I'm gon' send Touch up there to show some support.”

“Thanks . . . I guess.”

“Yep,” I said, totally ignoring her stupid-ass attitude.
Bitch!
I thought to myself before ending our phone call.

I headed out the door to meet Touch. “What's up, big homie?” I pressed the unlock button to my truck.

“Ain't shit.” Touch climbed into the truck.

I tried to figure out what was up with my buddy. “Damn, you still down, nigga? What the fuck? Guess you got baby momma blues and too ashamed to tell me or something.”

“Nah, it ain't my baby momma this time. Someone else is fucking up. Looks like that shit is contagious,” Touch said, confusing the hell out of me.

I could tell from the way Touch was talking, he was very disappointed in someone, and it didn't look like he was trying to talk about it, so I chose to leave it alone.

“Well, you know Sasha is in Atlanta now,” I said, changing the subject.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yep. She's working at this club called Bottoms Up. You and some of your boys should go check her, show her some support.”

“I'ma make sure I do that,” Touch said, showing interest in something for the first time since we'd been together.

Fifteen minutes later, we were at Norfolk International Airport. I pulled up to the Delta departure terminal. “Here's your stop.”

“Thanks.” Touch pulled out his wallet, pulled out a fifty, and handed it to me.

“Have a safe trip.” I grabbed the money with one hand and leaned forward to hug him with the other.

“Nah. You be safe. You're gonna need it more than me.” Touch jumped out the truck without hugging me.

I sat in awe for about thirty seconds, trying to register what the fuck had just happened. When I finally came to my senses, I looked up to see him walking through the automatic doors and into the airport. The nigga never even looked back.

He's on that Gemini split-personality bullshit for real,
I thought to myself before peeling off.