The Finale

Treasure Hernandez

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Halleigh sat behind the counter, tending to her job at the Baltimore bookstore quietly, going unnoticed as she read a new novel. She had changed her appearance, so nobody who had ever known her before would be able to recognize her now at first glance. Her hair was cut in a short Nia Long style and dyed jet-black; her now studious look was a far cry from the glamorous wifey persona she had before leaving Flint. Her Gucci frames also helped to make her a new woman.

After escaping the misery that haunted them in their hometown, she and Malek were trying to piece their lives back together. Paranoia and the fear of being found plagued her every day. She was finding it difficult to adjust to her new life, and she wanted nothing more than to remain low-key.

It was a Sunday and Security Square Mall was unusually slow. She hadn't served a single customer all day, but she welcomed the peaceful environment of the black bookstore. She had no coworkers or nosy females around her trying to figure her out, so she was left to her thoughts.

She was trying to adjust to the East Coast lifestyle. The people there were much different than those from Flint, and Halleigh stood out with her Midwest twang and cold demeanor. Her hometown of Flint bred society's grimiest. Even the women had “an edge of callous” about them that was hard to shake. She was constantly on guard, which sometimes made people suspicious of her, and she had to remind herself that it was okay to be friendly to people she met in Baltimore.

It's okay to relax here. Nobody is going to find us. We picked Baltimore out of the blue, so nobody even knows where to begin looking,
she thought as she stood to check the inventory in the back of the store.

As she did her weekly count, a chill swept up her spine, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She ignored the anxiety creeping into her soul because she knew nothing was wrong. She had to stop torturing herself.

She was so used to looking over her shoulder; she always felt like someone was out to get her. In fact, for the past few years there was always someone out to do her harm—Mitch, Toy, Manolo, Sweets, the feds. Every time she thought she was safe, someone came into her world and shattered her peace. Always. So she was always expecting the worst.

Just as she was about to shake the feeling off, she heard the sensor of the store ring loudly, indicating that someone had walked in. She put down the books in her hand and made her way back out to the front of the store. When she didn't see anyone, she froze.

Her brow furrowed as she stepped from behind the counter. “Is anybody here?” She began to look down each aisle of bookshelves. Oddly she received no response, but when she peered down the last aisle, she saw a girl standing there.

Halleigh froze instantly, paralyzed by fear, as she assessed the chick from behind. She remembered the description of Toy that Malek had given her, and this fresh chick with rock star–tight jeans, a cardigan, and long, silky braids seemed too familiar. Halleigh had never seen Toy personally, so Malek made sure to give her an accurate idea of what she looked like. She wanted to take off running, but instead she took a deep breath and spoke again. “Can I help you with something?”

The girl turned around and stared Halleigh directly in the eyes. Her gaze was intimidating, and Halleigh began to backpedal, her eyes darting for the door.

“What's wrong? Looks like you've seen a ghost,” the girl replied as she approached.

Halleigh's eyes grew as large as saucers when the girl reached into her back pocket. She wanted to scream, but before she could open her mouth, the girl pulled out a book.

“I'm looking for the sequel to this joint right here.” She handed it to Halleigh.

Halleigh felt like a fool for overreacting.
God!
She thought to herself.
Every gay girl with braids ain't Toy. Calm the fuck down.
She felt so foolish, her entire face turned red. She exhaled loudly and put her hand over her racing heart.

“Yo, ma, you a'ight?” the girl asked.

Halleigh nodded as she wiped away the tears that had accumulated in her eyes. “Yeah, I-I'm fine,” she responded. “I thought you were somebody else.”

“Somebody you not trying to see, obviously,” the girl remarked with a smirk.

Halleigh didn't respond, ignoring the sarcasm in the girl's tone, and then proceeded to ring her up. Once she left the store, Halleigh collapsed into her seat. “You've got to get a grip, girl. Get a grip.”

Finally closing time came around, and Halleigh couldn't leave the mall quick enough. Gripping her Mace in the palm of her hand and checking her back as she walked, she hurriedly located her car. Once she was safely inside she clicked the locks and drove to the apartment she shared with Malek.

As soon as she stepped inside the door, she saw Malek lying on the couch asleep. The sight of him was the only thing that made her feel protected. They had been through the storm for one another, and she loved him more than anyone in the world.

She dropped her bag onto the floor and walked over to where her man was sleeping. She crawled directly on top of him, and without thinking twice, he wrapped his arms around her.

“Shh, I just put li'l man to sleep,” he mumbled. He gave her a quick peck on the forehead and went back to sleep.

Halleigh smiled as she thought about how lucky she was to have Malek and their son. She nodded her head and remained silent as she laid her head on his chest. For the first time all day, she felt safe as she drifted off to sleep.

 

 

A plague of guilt ate at Tasha as she leaned her head back in satisfaction as Toy took her to ecstasy. Their love affair consisted of nothing but sex, and being Tasha's first lesbian experience, Toy had easily blown her mind.

There was nothing that Tasha wouldn't do for Toy, so when Toy asked her to help find Halleigh, she easily obliged.

Tasha closed her eyes as Toy plucked at her love button, and enjoyed what she considered to be a little piece of heaven. Never in her life had any man stroked her this way. The treasure between her legs was like a ripe piece of fruit, and Toy was plucking it just right, her juicy lips sparking a flame in Tasha that she never knew existed, making her weak to Toy's deception.

Although Tasha was an exceptionally attractive young woman, Toy had many playthings. She had no desire for love. She was into head games, making her chicks do whatever it was she wanted and needed for them to do. Toy got high off power and control. The more, the better. The hold she had over Tasha was good for Toy's ego and very soon would satisfy her quest for revenge.

Toy had taken the death of her beloved brother Mitch personally. She hated to admit it, but beneath the hard exterior was a vulnerable sibling in deep mourning. On top of being disrespected my Malek, she felt robbed of the only family she had left, and because of that, Malek had to pay. She would go to all ends to ensure that he and everyone that he loved felt her pain, including Little Miss Halleigh.

Tasha had told her their entire history from beginning to end, at least all that she knew, and Toy knew that Malek and Halleigh were like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. If she found Halleigh, she would find Malek. If Malek couldn't be touched, then certainly Halleigh could, and the blow would prove just as deadly to a man as deeply in love as he was.

Toy knew that their love would be their downfall, and she was waiting patiently to pinpoint their exact location. Halleigh had called Tasha once already, and Toy learned that the couple was hiding out in Maryland somewhere, but she needed a more accurate location before she could make her move. She wouldn't make the mistake of being overzealous and give them a chance to get away.

It had been six months since Halleigh's last call, but Toy waited. In the meantime she kept Tasha's head in the right place, making her wifey, sexing her right, and giving her a position to play, all of these things helping to keep Tasha in line.

Toy had done her research on Tasha before she had even approached her. She found out that she was one of the original Manolo Mamis, but her personality was strong, and she was no pushover.

Toy was an expert at the art of seduction. She knew what many men wished they did. She'd learned early on that every woman wanted to be a part of something. They all wanted to be down, and if you gave them that sense of belonging, they would be loyal. She had talked Tasha into submission, and now she had her loyalty. So when that phone call from Halleigh finally did come, Tasha knew what she had to do.

So as Toy went to work on Tasha, fulfilling her every fantasy, she was sure that sometime in the near future all of her efforts would pay off, and she would have Halleigh and Malek exactly where she wanted them.

 

 

As Halleigh sat with her baby son, Malek Jr., in her arms, she watched his father get dressed.

“You're going out?” Halleigh glanced at the clock, noticing that it was eleven
P.M.
She raised one eyebrow at Malek as she awaited his response.

“Yeah, I've got to hit the block,” Malek stated, not noticing Halleigh's attitude.

Halleigh shook her head in disappointment. She hated the mentality that Jamaica Joe had instilled into Malek. The streets had ruined their lives in the first place. It had destroyed their plans of the good life long ago, and after escaping Flint, she thought that Malek would finally let them go. But she was sadly mistaken because Malek had dived full force into the Baltimore drug trade, blaming it on their situation, saying that he was doing it to provide for them.

True, their finances had dwindled, and they were barely making it when Malek decided to get back into the game, but Halleigh didn't care. The risk wasn't worth the reward. She had seen firsthand what that life could get you, and they had barely survived the first time. She wasn't sure they could deal with the ups and downs of the game again, but it was like Malek lived to hustle. It was in him like DNA. He acted as if he had never had a life before the streets began to raise him, and Halleigh felt like no matter how hard she tried to hold on, eventually she was going to lose him.

“I thought we came here to start over, Malek. I don't want you out there. This isn't our city. We don't know shit about B-more. We're supposed to be lying low,” she reminded him.

“Don't worry yourself, Hal. I know what I'm doing. That li'l bookstore job you got ain't gon' pay the bills or put food in my son's stomach at night. I don't love what I do, but it's all that I got, so just trust me. I got you. I got us.” He bent down and kissed his son on his head, then Halleigh.

Halleigh nodded and smiled a smile of uncertainty. She heard the words, but in her heart of hearts she knew Malek was moving all wrong. “I've just been feeling crazy lately. I'm constantly feeling like I have to watch my back. I have a bad feeling like something bad is going to happen or like someone is going to recognize us.”

Malek shook his head and sighed. He knew the pressure of being on the run was getting to Halleigh. The stress was evident on her face. “You're just paranoid, ma. Relax. Nobody can hurt you from here. We're good. You're just thinking about the past too much. Let that shit go, Hal. Flint is miles away. And I know you don't like me hustling either. I hear you. Once I get my paper up, I'll stop. I promise.”

Halleigh nodded. She walked Malek to the door and watched him until his car disappeared around the block.

She looked down at her son and cradled him gently in her arms. “Looks like it's just you and me today, baby boy,” she whispered as she closed and locked the door.

As she looked around their small apartment, she couldn't help but think how their lives had come full circle. She had lived and seen it all. From the glamour and hood fame the game had to offer to the seedy side of life, she knew it in and out. Unlike Malek, she didn't miss it. She had a child to think about, and there was no way she was going to allow her child's life to be thrown off kilter the way hers was.

Halleigh sighed as she put her son into his crib for the night. Life in Baltimore was lonely, especially with Malek being constantly away from home. She had no friends, partly because she chose to keep to herself, but mostly because she didn't trust anyone.

But on nights like these when she had a lot of stuff on her mind, she needed someone to talk to. Someone she could relate to. Someone who had been through the same things as she, and would listen without judgment.
I miss Tasha,
she thought.

Although their friendship had been tested and stretched to its limit, it was the only one she had left. All of the other Manolo Mamis had been lost to the game, and at the end of the day, she and Tasha were the last two standing. In an attempt to separate herself from her old life, she had cut off all communication with Tasha, but as she sat in the empty apartment, the loneliness that crept into her soul made her yearn for her friend's understanding.
Maybe I'll give her a call,
Halleigh thought.