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  The dogs barking awakened Venus and BJ from a good sleep. She looked over at the clock; she knew by the time that Bullet and Diamond were barking at the African guy on his way to work. She rolled over and went back to sleep. BJ moved up behind her and wrapped his legs around hers. She knew he’d be getting up soon for work, so she let him sleep. He needed his rest. She decided to get up and prepare some home fries and eggs with toast for him before he went off to work.

  Share was still in bed when Will got back. He took a shower, got dressed and woke her up to let her know he was leaving again. ”Take the keys. I’ll see you tonight,” Share said.

  ”No doubt, ma. I’m closing up, so I’ll be back here about eleven-thirty,” Will replied.

  ”Okay, baby. And stop somewhere and get a set of keys made for you. The ones you have are the ones I always let Venus hold.”

  ”Aiight, I’ll see you tonight,” Will said before bending down to kiss her. He took her car keys off the ring, placed them on the night table and locked the door behind him. He walked to Amsterdam and caught a cab to Fordham Road.

  Venus and BJ ate breakfast and made love, and he went off to work feeling happy as ever. Damn, ain’t nothing like an older chick, he thought. He got in the car and drove to Lincoln Hospital where he did custodial maintenance. The job paid almost eleven an hour. He liked that legal money, and his family was proud of him. Venus always encouraged him to strive for the best.

  He hollered at his man on his lunch break to see what was up for the weekend. Will couldn’t talk too long because three people had called in sick and he had to work the grill. He told BJ he would see him Saturday night for sure.

  BJ and Will had gone to school together. It was BJ who had told Will to check the McDonald’s on 125th Street, because he knew they would hire him. He didn’t mention that the owner was his girl’s best friend. BJ had already called Abdul and told him that he was sending a friend over, and asked him if he could hire him on his strength. Abdul knew BJ was living with Venus, and that she was Share’s best friend. He didn’t want to upset anybody, so he hired Will the day he came in and filled out the application.

  When Will started seeing Share, BJ finally told him that Share was his girl’s best friend. ”Oh, word? You serious, dog?” Will had said, thinking how small New York really is.

  ”On the strength,” BJ replied. BJ went on to tell him about the call he’d made to Abdul, because he knew Abdul only liked to hire foreigners. He also told Will about him and Venus, and how she had just about moved him right into her place.

  Chapter Eight

  Petie parked the truck and went inside the house with the boys. Renee was cooking dinner when they came in, and she asked them where they had been and how was school. Petie came up behind her and kissed the back of her neck.

  ”Petie, please, I’m cooking,” Renee said.

  ”Why every time I touch you it’s always ‘Petie this and Petie that’?” he asked. He now had his suspicions.

  ”Because you always catching me when I’m not in the mood. And when I am in the mood, you’re not around,” Renee answered, pissed at herself for explaining anything to him. Shit, he never explained anything to her. Petie gave her a ‘whatever’ look before going into the bedroom and lying down.

  He was gonna creep by Share’s crib and catch her out there. He wanted to be sure before he broke her jaw, even though his gut told him that he was absolutely right.

  Darnell and Dante told Petie and Renee about their day as they all ate dinner. They talked about how they had chased the girls around the school playground. Dante told them about Yolanda, the little girl who kissed him. ”Yuck,” he said. Darnell began to laugh. Yolanda liked Dante. She sat next to him in class, and she would always try to help him with his math.

  ”I would have told her, ‘Let me see something, and then I’ll let you kiss me.’ Right, Dad?” he said smiling at Petie. Ah, man, Petie thought. He blowin’ up my spot. Renee cut her eyes at him. He would have to talk to the boys a little later about keeping their conversations a secret, mainly because of her. He was molding his little men to be playas—not the ones to get played.

  Venus showered, got dressed in a Donna Karan suit and headed to work. She was a supervisor at Chase Manhattan on 168th Street and Broadway. She handled the accounts and money transfers. Share kept an account there, so Venus always checked on it and did any money transfers when necessary. She and Share were having dinner tonight, and later she’d go over to Share’s and cook some baby back ribs, macaroni and cheese and collard greens.

  Andre walked up to Venus and handed her a cup of coffee with vanilla creamer. She thanked him and watched him walk away. Andre was a cutie, but he was her age, which meant he was too old. And besides, she only had it for BJ.

  Venus knew Andre liked her. A couple of times they went to lunch together and had a drink after work, but that was all. She wouldn’t cheat on BJ; she wasn’t loose like that anymore, so she ignored him and didn’t play into his seductive glances.

  Share was at the 125th Street restaurant, discussing the new menus that would start next month. She talked to the new employees and let them know what she expected from them and what she wouldn’t tolerate. She had a good crew at the 125th Street restaurant, and she owed it all to Abdul for choosing them carefully. As a matter of fact, there was always a good crew there, and Share trusted his judgment. Abdul was very efficient and professional when it came to business.

  Will, on the other hand, hired ex-cons. He considered it giving back; someone gave him a chance, and now he was giving others coming home a chance. Share liked that Will hadn’t forgotten where he came from. He was faithful and consistent, which was why she finally gave him a set of keys. She was tired of Petie and his back-breaker calls. Besides, Petie never made love to her; he only boned her. She was done with him; enough was enough. Share made a mental note to holla at him and let him know to lose her number. Even though Will was eleven years younger than her, she had decided to settle down with him. Venus and BJ were doing fine, so why couldn’t she and Will do the same? Yeah, I’m gonna cut that nigga off tonight, she thought as she got in her car.

  Renee washed the dishes and put them away. Petie was playing Play Station with the boys, and she knew as soon as it got dark he would be hitting the streets. That was his M.O. it didn’t matter to her because he paid the bills and kept their sons in the latest gear. And she knew he wouldn’t be around long because parole was looking for him. He hadn’t reported in four weeks, so his P.O dropped a warrant on him. They had come to the house a couple of times, but Petie wasn’t there—lucky him. Renee remembered the last time they violated him. They hit him with ninety days and she spent all her free time with her lover. But Petie made sure that money was left for the rent, phone and cable bill. The one thing she gave him credit for was being responsible. He never let her or her kids be without the things they needed and wanted.

  She went into the boys’ bedroom, picked out their outfits for the next day and ironed them. Then she ran a bath for Dante first, since he was the slow one.

  After bathing, the boys watched the Nickelodeon channel with Renee. Petie had changed his clothes and was preparing to go out. Bye, Rene thought. She would be asleep by the time he came back.

  Her lover would be calling in the morning for their usual session. She met him every morning except on Saturdays and Sundays, mainly because the kids were home then. But Monday through Friday, it was on and poppin’.

  Chapter Nine

  Petie jumped in the truck and called Share on her cell phone. ”Yo, who was driving your car this morning?” he demanded before even saying hello.

  ”Listen, don’t worry about who was driving my car, nigga. Last time I checked, I paid for it and the title was in my name,” Share barked.

  ”Oh, you got a lot of mouth over the phone, gangsta. I’ma see you in a little while—ya heard?”

  ”No, no, I don’t think that’s possible. Look, I’m busy and I’m not in the mood for you ton
ight or any other night, so lose my number, Petie. It was fun while it lasted, but my plate is full,” Share said preparing to hang up.

  ”Yo, who the fuck you think you talkin’ to—some twenty-cent nigga? Bitch, you don’t tell me no dumb shit like—” Click. Share had already hung up. Petie could not believe this chick. He called her right back.

  ”What?!” Share said with attitude.

  ”Yo, stop talking to me like I’m one of your burger flippers. You don’t run this shit—I do. Don’t make me come over there....” Click. Petie couldn’t believe this shit. He started to think that maybe she was on mental meds or something; there was no way she was talking to him like that in her right mind.... He now knew that his suspicions were right from the beginning; it was that young cat. Petie decided to wait until she got home and then bring the drama. He wasn’t gonna do that at her restaurant and disrespect her like that. But he would definitely catch her at the crib, smack her around, pull her hair and run up in her ass for talking mad shit. ”Yeah, I got something for you, ma,” he said grinning from ear to ear.

  Share parked her car and called Venus at the bank. She needed to vent. After being put on hold for a few minutes, Venus came on the line. ”This is Venus Winters, how can I help you?” she said not knowing that it was Share on the other end.

  ”Girl, you are not gonna believe what just happened,” Share said. She told Venus about the phone call from Petie, and how she told him not to call her anymore.

  Venus could tell that Share was shaken up by the tone of her voice. ”Share, you knew he was wild-style when you started fuckin’ him, so what made you think he wouldn’t flip on you too? You better get a restraining order and let Will know so he can be on point,” Venus said starting to worry. She knew Petie would bring the drama—right to Share’s door.

  They talked about their dinner date for tonight and Venus said she would stop at the meat store to get what she needed to cook. They agreed to meet at Share’s place at five-thirty. Venus wanted to be home by the time BJ came. He had a class tonight and she knew he’d be home around nine, plus she had to feed Bullet.

  Share hung up and leaned back in the driver’s seat, thinking about whether to tell Will about Petie. She didn’t want to, but Venus was right. She had to so he could be on point. Petie was possessive and she didn’t know what length he would go to in order to prove his point. She decided to let Will know soon. Besides, she figured it would give them a fresh start, with no lies or secrets.

  Porscha was about to leave work and go to a meeting. She worked at the same rehab center where she had once been a resident. After serving eight months for possession, she came home and went into a twenty-eight-day program. After graduating from the program, she maintained her sobriety, stayed in touch with the staff and later joined them as a counselor.

  She was driving up 135th on her way to the Bronx when Giselle called her. Giselle was Porscha’s wife. They had been together since she had left the program, and they were in love. Porscha told her that she was on her way home, and Giselle said she’d meet her there after stopping at the grocery store and getting something for them to eat.

  Porscha would never go back to men. Giselle made her feel good, and she made love to Porscha better than any man she’d ever been with. Porscha would cook a full course meal, and they would make love and lean back for the remainder of the evening. Porscha stepped on the gas, anxious to see Giselle and forgetting about her NA meeting.

  Will was vexed after Share had told him about Petie, but he was neither impressed nor depressed about the nigga. He called his boys, BJ and Kalif, to let them know he might have some drama with a knucklehead. ”Your beef is my beef, son,” Kalif said.

  ”Let’s set it on this cat...anytime you get ready,” BJ said. Kalif and BJ were his left and right hands. Will was closer to them than he was with his own brother. They were always already to set it on whoever—ride or die.

  Will wasn’t having it. ”Knucklehead callin’ my girl poppin’ shit. Nah, scrams, it won’t be none of that,” he said talking out loud to himself now. Share had told him where she was parked, and he told her to wait there; he’d get a cab from the restaurant and they could drive home together. She told him to tell Abdul that she’d said to close up.

  Will counted up the money in the safe and put the total on the safe sheet. He called Share before leaving and told her he’d see her soon. He went out to the street and hailed a cab.

  Petie called Share’s number and got no answer. He figured she was-n’t home yet, but he drove past her house to see if her car was there and she just wasn’t picking up the phone. He drove around her block twice and decided to go back home. Give her time to get in, he thought.

  Kalif was outside waiting for BJ when he got off from work. Kalif was packing heat and ready for whatever. They hopped in BJ’s car and headed to Manhattan. BJ called Share and asked if Will was there yet. Share had told him that Will was on his way to meet her and she told him the exact spot where she was parked.

  ”Aiight, tell son we comin’ across the bridge. Don’t leave till we pull up.” Then he called Venus to find out where she was. She was headed to the meat store to pick up a couple of pounds of baby back ribs and cheese for the baked macaroni. Kalif got on the phone and asked her if she knew Petie and what kind of car he drove. Venus told Kalif everything, and she stressed that he was wild-style.

  ”I don’t give a fuck. Nigga ain’t ‘bout it like my team,” Kalif said ready to set it. He was ‘bout it for sho, and he had a hard body. The only things soft on him were his balls.

  Kalif and BJ pulled up to the location Share had given them, and she and Will were already in the car waiting. BJ hopped out and hollered at Will for a minute and they decided to wait for Venus. BJ didn’t want his girl coming alone in case this cat was waiting or some shit. He called Venus and she told him she was two blocks away from Share’s house. BJ could hear the worry in her voice, so he pulled off to go meet her and Will followed him with Share now in the passenger seat of her car.

  Venus turned onto Share’s block preparing to park, and she couldn’t believe what she saw. Petie’s truck was parked across the street from Share’s apartment. ”Oh, shit,” she said. She rode past the truck to make sure it was him—it was, and DMX’s Niggaz Done Started Something was blasting from his system. Venus knew Petie wouldn’t recognize her because she had bought a new car since he last saw her. She turned the corner, pulled out her cell phone and called BJ. Two cars behind her started honking their horns; she had-n’t even noticed that the light had turned green. She pulled off to the side and told BJ what she had just seen.

  ”Oh, yeah, ma? Listen: park the car and wait outside the building. We about five minutes away. Will said he has your keys, so just wait on the steps and make sure the nigga sees you,” BJ said anxious to get there.

  Petie was in the truck talking to Alexis when he saw Venus approaching Share’s house. He turned his music down and beckoned her over to him. She shook her head no and kept it moving.

  ”Oh, you don’t know nobody no more, huh?” Petie yelled out to her from where he was parked across the street. Venus said nothing. She didn’t even look his way. Petie got out of the truck and crossed the street.

  BJ and Kalif turned onto Share’s block and double-parked. Will and Share pulled up and parked behind them. He told Share to go into the house with Venus. Share got out of the car and pulled out her keys. ”Let’s go,” she told Venus after walking right past Petie.

  ”Oh, you can’t speak to daddy unless we in the bed, huh bitch?” Share put her key in the door and opened it, and she and Venus went inside the brownstone. Petie ran up and stuck his foot in the doorway to prevent Share from closing the door back. ”That’s all right, Share; I really want to hit your friend anyway. Your asshole stinks,” he said before moving his foot.

  Petie never saw BJ, Kalif or Will double-parked up the block, and now he was so busy harassing Share that he didn’t notice them pull up; he was far from on point. As
he turned to leave, Will clipped him and said, ”Hold that, old man.” Petie reached inside his coat and Kalif pulled out on him. Petie froze. He wasn’t used to niggas putting guns in his face; he put guns in nigga’s faces.

  Everything happened so quickly. Will began spitting out razors, and one caught Petie across his cheek. Another one hit him across the nose. He was leaking. Petie grabbed at him but couldn’t focus with all the blood, and BJ kicked him in the cut on his cheek. When he fell, Kalif pistol whipped him while BJ and Will stomped him. Afterward they picked his bloody ass up and threw him in his truck.

  ”I should take this shit and let my man step it. What you think?” Kalif asked Will.

  ”Nah, we don’t need nothing from this old man,” Will replied.

  ”Fuck him and his truck,” BJ said cutting in, ”but not that ice on his neck and pinky finger—I’m baggin’ him.” Petie was out cold with blood coming out of his ear, dripping onto the seats. BJ took his keys out of the ignition and dropped them down a nearby sewer. They didn’t know whether Petie was dead or not—and they didn’t care. They headed up the steps of Share’s brownstone like nothing happened. After getting comfortably inside, they rolled up two blunts.

  Share and Venus had seen everything from the front window of Share’s apartment. It was their first time seeing the young men in action, and they had both watched with surprise.

  ”They gonna kill him,” Share had said when she saw Kalif pull out the heat and point it at Petie’s forehead.

  ”No they won’t; they just givin’ him a message,” Venus replied.