If it Aint One Thing it's Another Page 3

  She leaned across his chest and started biting his chin and sucking on his bottom lip. He grabbed a handful of her hair and threw his tongue down her throat. They kissed until he pulled away and asked her, ”You gonna feed me again or what, ma?” Share fell onto her back and propped herself up with a pillow.

  ”I can’t take another round. Let’s wait until morning,” she said. She reached over and turned off the lamp, kissing Will one last time. ”Goodnight, baby. Sleep with the angels.”

  Chapter Four

  Venus parked the car, grabbed her briefcase from off the back seat and walked down the steps. She lived on the ground floor of Share’s brownstone on 144th right off Willis Avenue in the Bronx. As soon as she put the key in the door, Bullet began barking and jumping all over the place. He had gotten so big and strong that she had to push her way in every day. That was a good thing because Venus knew he held the house down while she was at work. And she never worried about anybody breaking into her place; Bullet would tear a muthafucka apart, so she definitely didn’t need an alarm system. He didn’t even want to let her man, BJ, in sometimes, let alone a stranger, and on days like today when the weather was good, Venus didn’t think twice about leaving the front door open and allowing the late September breeze to flow through the screen door.

  Bullet was jealous, like most male dogs with female owners, and Venus knew her dog was funny style. He was one of those sometimey dogs; some days he would bark and growl and some days he wouldn’t. Venus loved that dog to death, and she couldn’t wait until Diamond had their puppies.

  Venus stepped into the living room and turned on the ceiling lights. She walked to the back to let Bullet out in the yard for a little while so he could do his thing. She then called Porscha, who rented a one-bedroom upstairs on the third floor, to let her know she was home and to come down a little later. Porscha told Venus that she was sending Diamond down so she and Bullet could spend time with each other. ”Spend time with each other? That’s why she’s having puppies now,” Venus said laughing. They talked about their pits like they were real people, and as far as they both were concerned, their dogs were smarter than a lot of people they knew.

  Venus let Bullet inside and walked back to the front of the brownstone. He was fast on her heels now. ”Oh, boy, be quiet; she’s coming.” Bullet seemed to know when Diamond was coming down. He was patiently waiting by the time Porscha let Diamond downstairs. Diamond was his pit chick. Bullet barked and ran behind her to smell her butt. She lifted up her tail and then went into the living room and spread out on the carpet. Bullet followed and lay beside her, licking her nipples. She was going to have those puppies any day now. Venus watched Bullet licking Diamond’s nipples until he gave her a ‘beat it’ look. Yeah, my dog is definitely human, she thought.

  Venus checked her messages to see if Share had received the e-mail she sent her. She hadn’t. She had tried calling her, but the phone just kept ringing. She knew Petie was there and that Share probably had a dick in her ass and couldn’t get to the phone.

  Venus went into her bedroom, got undressed and put on a pair of shorts and sneakers. She popped her aerobic videotape into the DVR for her daily workout and did a couple of stretches before the music started. She set the timer on her watch and began her usual thirty-minute exercise routine. She went to the kitchen when she was done and got a big glass of ice water. As she sat at the kitchen table catching her breath, Diamond started growling and Bullet jumped up and raced to the front window. Venus heard a car door close outside and then her gate being opened. She knew it was BJ when she heard his keys. Diamond and Bullet were both growling now, just waiting for the door to open. Bullet was bearing down on his front legs in an assault position and Diamond was to his right, holding him down. Venus looked on from the kitchen, observing how well the two pits were guarding the house.

  BJ had stopped at Pathmark on 125th Street to pick up some milk, juice, Applejacks for him and Fruity Pebbles for Venus. He also picked up a twenty-pound bag of Pedigree for Bullet, and he had copped some trees from his man, Derek, outside a corner bodega, where he purchased a Heineken and a pack of cigarettes. They talked for a few minutes, and BJ told him that Diamond would be having her pups any day now. BJ knew Derek wanted one, so he told him that he would sell him a newborn baby pit for a hundred—take it or leave it. Derek agreed to it, but he was hoping that BJ would just give him one on GP. Derek told BJ that he would throw him a buck next time he came through on the strength that he gave him first dibs on the puppies. BJ agreed. He knew that Venus and Porscha each wanted to keep one for themselves. The rest they would sell.

  When BJ had slammed the car door, he saw Bullet jumping up and down in the front window. If it hadn’t been closed, he would have jumped right through it. Now here he was, trying to get inside the house with grocery bags and his backpack.

  BJ pushed the door open, stepped around the dogs and went straight to the kitchen where he put everything away. Then he hung his coat up in the closet and pulled out a phillie and a dime bag to roll. ”Ma, what’s good,” he yelled out when he heard the shower running.

  ”Ain’t nothin’. Come wash my back,” Venus yelled back. She had always attracted younger guys, and it seemed like they understood her better than men her own age.

  BJ walked into the bathroom with his Sean John’s hanging off his ass and a doo-rag tightly secured around his braids. This nigga looks so good, Venus thought to herself. Even after almost a year, she was still infatuated with him.

  BJ took a bar of soap and lathered up the scrubbie that Venus handed him. She tilted her head back, letting the water from the showerhead beat down on her scalp. He ran the soap from her chin down to her nipples, circling them with the edge of the soap until they were hard as peanut brittle. ”Turn around, ma,” he said, ”and put your hands on the wall.”

  Venus loved being in this position with BJ, when she played the cop and he played the robber. ”Like this, baby?” she asked in her sultriest voice. She arched her back and stood on her tiptoes while demonstrating the pat-and-search position.

  ”Yeah, ma, just like that. Don’t move,” BJ said. He had jumped out of his Timbs and jeans and was now stepping out of his boxers. He slid off his socks and T-shirt and was up in Venus with one swift movement. He held her hands against the wall as she bent forward and gave her the anaconda. Water was all over the floor now, and their bodies were slippery with lather when BJ let loose. His body shook and his legs became weak. He stood under the showerhead and washed the sweat from his body. Then he dried himself off and went to roll up his vanilla flavored blunt.

  Porscha called downstairs and BJ told her that Venus was in the shower. He told her she’d call her back when she got out, but Porscha didn’t wait. She called her sponsor and went to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting on 139th and St. Ann’s; she had to make a meeting every day. No matter what happens, don’t use, she’d always keep in mind. Porscha had been doing all right since she came home, but lately she felt like getting high. However, she was scared to use and she was afraid of failing and losing everything she had worked so hard for; so she made her meetings and stayed connected.

  When she got back home she noticed that Venus’ living room lights were out, so she went right upstairs. Venus had left her a message, saying that she was crashing for the night and would call her in the morning.

  Porscha got undressed and laid back to read her basic text: Recovery and Relapse and How It Works. She had just celebrated two years of being clean. No matter what, don’t pick up, she thought.

  Chapter Five

  Petie had two bowls of Cap’n Crunch and some orange juice and bagels for his little men. Renee was getting them dressed and putting their books in their book bags. They wore doo-rags that matched their outfits, and today they’d each wear one of their many North Face jackets. They had one in every color, so they were crisp every day.

  ”Dad, what we havin’?” Darnell asked Petie. Darnell was his first born and stubborn just like he was.
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  ”Cap’n Crunch without the berries, bagels and some orange juice,” Petie answered.

  ”Dad, I don’t want Cap’n Crunch this morning; gimme some Frosted Flakes and let Dante have the Cap’n Crunch.”

  ”Listen, little man, eat what Daddy fixed for you and tomorrow I’ll remember to fix you frosties, aiight?” Petie said, waiting for him to protest.

  ”Good morning, Dad. What’s good?” Dante said reaching for the milk and cereal. Dante was the slow one; he never did anything on time. He was more like Renee; he took his time with everything.

  ”You, little man, that’s what’s good,” Petie said smiling at him. He always let his sons know that it was about them, that they were somebody important and special. It was definitely working, because they were both conceited already. He knew they were going to be a piece of work when they hit their teens.

  Petie dropped them off at school and called Alexis. He told her that he was coming through today and to go and pick up a box of umbrellas. He then call Des and told her to listen for the bell; he would be there any minute. She was with it, and she liked talking on his microphone...a one-two, a one-two.... She was a dick jockey fa sho.

  Petie parked the truck and rang Des’s bell. She buzzed him right in, and her door was already open when he stepped out of the elevator.

  Her place always smelled like a litter box. She had two cats, and they always wanted to rub on his legs. Petie hated those cats, and their hair was all over the place. He never looked, but he was sure there was cat hair in her refrigerator. That’s why he never wanted anything to drink. It was more like, ”Come drink me so I can get outta here.”

  Des was losing weight. Petie wondered if she was smoking on the down low; her hands were looking darker than the rest of her body and she was always in the bathroom, which was the case now. Yeah, she was hitting the stem. He sold enough drugs to know the signs when he saw them.

  ”Come on, let’s go,” Des said coming back into the living room where Petie was sitting on the couch. ”I got something to do after you leave.”

  Yeah, go cop, Petie thought. He opened up his jeans and pulled his gun through the zipper hole; he didn’t want to take off his jeans and get cat hair all over them. She kneeled down in front of him and ran her tongue along the sides of his dick. She opened her jaws and deep throated him. He thought she was going to choke. He placed his hands on the crown of her head to help her along. ”Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, ma...yeah, like that. Keep your chin up, Des...yeah, a little more...don’t stop,” Petie said coaching her along. Damn, she was good. She could suck the skin off a beef stick.

  Petie didn’t bother to hold back. He busted off, and she held his cum in her mouth and ran to the bathroom to spit it out. When she came out, Petie went in, washed himself off and told her he would call her tomorrow morning. Before leaving he gave her three dime bags of crills and a ten-dollar bill.

  ”Nigga, what’s this? I don’t smoke,” Des said trying to play it off.

  ”Sho’ you right. Take it and sell it then,” Petie said before walking out and slamming the door. He was done with her. He never fucked with chicks who smoked that shit. He decided to find a new head nurse. He could easily replace her. I’m that nigga, he said to himself.

  Petie called Ladelle to let him know he was on his way to pick him up. They had to go to Mitchell projects to pick up their money and throw the workers some more material. Petie threw on Tupac’s Greatest Hits CD and headed to the Polo Grounds to pick up his partner.

  Renee slid on a red thong with a valentine heart in the center. She put on the matching bra and rubbed some Ocean Dream over her skin. She loved the way the Muslim Oil smelled, and so did her lover. She called him and was disappointed to hear that he had to make a run and would see her in about an hour. She put on a porno DVD and laid back and masturbated. That would hold her until she saw him. She enjoyed dropping down and getting her eagle on for him. He took his time and made her feel wanted. Petie just did the damn thing and that was it. He did it like he was punishing her or something. She didn’t even like him touching her anymore.

  Even after two kids, Renee still looked good—no stretch marks or fat pockets. And she felt good about herself, too. She just didn’t have it for Petie anymore. The only thing holding them together was Darnell and Dante; if it weren’t for them she would have been gone. But that didn’t stop Renee from doing her. She saw her lover five days a week, and she was sexually satisfied. She fixed herself a cup of coffee and raisin bread with jelly, and waited for him to call.

  Chapter Six

  Will went to the kitchen and started making breakfast. Some time during the middle of the night he woke up, and Share had him in her mouth. Afterward she got on top of him and rode him like a chick on a motorcycle with no helmet. He firmly grabbed her butt, spreading her cheeks. They came at the same time and Share fell back to sleep on his chest. Will knew he had a sleepy dick; he put chicks to sleep after just one round.

  Will made grits with cheddar cheese and onions. He knew what Share liked to eat. He had made it his business to learn her, and that’s exactly what he did. She was his princess. He knew her eating habits, how she slept, her facial expressions, what kind of books she liked to read and the type of movies she liked to watch. He knew almost everything about her. She was the only thing that mattered to him, beside his mother, and he was certain that God had brought them together.

  Will woke Share and they ate breakfast and watched the news. She complimented him on the good breakfast and asked him to make a deposit for her this morning. She didn’t feel like going out this afternoon, but she wanted the money to be in her account. She told him she opened up a new one at the bank on 145th Street and St. Nicholas, and to take the car and drive over there for her. Share gave him a deposit slip and nine grand in an envelope. She trusted Will; he had proved himself trustworthy. Will grabbed the envelope and the car keys, slipped on his jeans and hoodie and headed out the door.

  Petie and Ladelle had finished their business in Mitchell projects and were coming back over the bridge. The money was right...those cats never came up short. If they did, Petie would send a Harlem team over there six cars deep and niggas would be thrown from rooftops.

  Ladelle was a no-nonsense nigga, too. He and Petie grew up together, got money together and regulated together. He was Petie’s mi-dan.

  They were driving up the 145th Street hill, approaching St. Nicholas. Petie pulled the truck up to the side of the train station and peered through his rearview mirror. After about fifteen minutes, he saw a young cat leave the bank and get in Share’s car. He told Ladelle what he had just seen.

  ”Follow that nigga,” Ladelle said, and Petie trailed him all the way to Share’s brownstone. Will got out of the car and hit the alarm. He walked up Share’s front steps and stuck the key in the door.

  ”Oh, shit. She gave some little boy the keys to her crib, La. Who she think she playin’ wit, dick? I should go ring the bell and put her on front street,” Petie said. He was vexed. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen. Maybe it was her nephew, he thought. Nah, that ain’t no nephew.

  ”Yo, pull off, nigga. Let’s ride. Fuck that ho,” Ladelle said. He didn’t want Petie to dwell on it too much, because he knew that at any minute he’d be banging on her door. He would snatch her out of the house and stomp her like a Newport. Ladelle wasn’t ready for this type of drama at ten in the morning. ”Come on, my nigga. Let’s roll. See her later,” Ladelle pressed. They pulled off and drove back to the Polo Grounds. Petie dropped Ladelle off and headed for Alexis’ house.

  Chapter Seven

  Renee was washing her coffee mug out when the phone rang. It was him. He told her to get a cab to the hotel and he’d be outside. She grabbed a box of condoms and dabbed some Muslin oil between her thighs and called a cab. She met him at the hotel on St. Nicholas between 152nd and 153rd Streets. They got a room and headed upstairs.

  Renee pulled off her clothes and unbuckled her lover
’s belt. He was already hard. They kissed and he went down south, sucking and licking until she exploded. Then she returned the favor until she couldn’t wait any longer. She assumed the doggy style position, and he grabbed her cheeks and entered her, moving like a professional. ”Do Petie make you sing like I do?” he asked.

  ”No, he could never do it like you, baby pa,” Renee replied. They went on and on until he came. His body shuddered and he gripped her butt even harder now. Finally he pulled out of her and lay back on the bed. He grabbed the TV remote and watched ESPN as they talked about the kids, money, crime and politics. Renee liked the fact that he was an intellect. No matter what they discussed, he always had something worthwhile to contribute to the topic.

  They ordered Chinese food and went at it again. Five hours later it was time to go, even though there were many more hours available on the room. Renee knew Petie would be home with the boys and she wanted to be there. They kissed and left the hotel separately. She called a cab and went home to find the house empty. Oh, well, she thought—shower time.

  Petie was on his way to pick up Darnell and Dante after leaving Alexis’ house. He was so angry at Share that he dug Alexis a new hole. He couldn’t wait to get at Share. ”She’d better have a good explanation as to why that young buck was pushing her Lexus and had the keys to her crib—not to mention coming out the bank. I know she ain’t got son handling her money. Yo, she gon’ make me hurt her,” he said out loud to himself.

  When Petie and the boys got home Renee wasn’t there, so they dropped off their book bags and headed to the park. Petie watched them play football with some other kids their age as he made calls to the Bronx to check on his money. He hollered at Ladelle and told him to bag up 150 more dimes so they could drop them off in the morning. Ladelle told him to come through as soon as he took his sons to school. He’d be waiting.