Country Boy 3 Page 5

  “Look, I’ll be down in the lobby waiting on you.” June said, turning his attention to Tee as he spoke. “I’m sorry big sis, I guess I’m part of the blame for why my big bro been slipping.”

  Tee smiled, then punched June on the arm. “Don’t be trying to cover for him, June.”

  “I’m not! I swear I’m not, sis. Now give me a hug.”

  After hugging Tee, June left, but not before giving Q a look that said ‘don’t be too hard on my big sis, homie’.

  “Well?” Tee said.

  Q looked at her for a moment before responding. Damn, she looks good. Very few women were capable of bringing out the best in everything, when it came to clothing. Whether it be gowns, form fitting dresses, business suits, or every day wear like denims, Tee’s personality, style, and exceptionally gifted womanly attributes blended well with them all. Damn, she was destroying those black stretch Karl Lagerfeld jeans, with a pair of Roger Vivier peep-toe heels on her beautiful feet.

  “Are you going to answer me, Quentel? Or, are you going to just stand there?” Tee asked interrupting his silent lustful rant.

  “What do you want me to say Tee?”

  “I would appreciate it, if you answered my questions,” Tee said, a tight edge still in her voice.

  “Alright Tee… to answer your first question of where I’ve been. I’ve been right here at this fuckin hospital.”

  “That’s fine. I expected you to be here but —”

  “Let me finish, Tashonda.” He cut her off by calling her by her full name; a clear sign to Tee that he was upset.

  “Not my son, but our son, has a father who misses him with a passion as well. Don’t you ever forget that! Do you understand?”

  “I hear you, Quentel.”

  “No Tashonda, I didn't ask you if you hear me, do you understand?” he asked her again, more firmly this time.

  “I understand you, but that still doesn’t explain why you haven’t called, or returned any of my messages.

  “I was just about to get to that,” he said, then reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone.

  “Let me see. You called me every day since Van’s accident, a total of eight times each day. You’ve called me five times today. Now,” he paused, then continued. “The reason I didn’t return any of those messages, is because someone took it upon themself to place my phone on silent-mode. Something I don’t do myself.”

  Letting his anger get the best of him, Q said something he immediately wished that he could have taken back.

  “Whoeva did this is, the reason why Van is lying in that damn hospital, shot to fuckin pieces.”

  The painful expression his words brought to Tee’s beautiful face was evidence of the mistake he’d made.

  “Do, do you really mean that?” Tee asked him in a shaky voice. “How can you blame me for what happened? You think that I would purposely hurt her, Quentel?” she asked him behind a wall of tears.

  “Shit, right now, I don't know what to believe and really I don't care or have time for this shit right now!”

  “What? You don't care?” Tee began to cry even more hysterically.

  She could deal with the anger; she knew he had a right to that. But to use those words wasn't Q's style. Even when he was angry at her, he always let her know he understood her feelings and was concerned about them. However, this time, he was talking to her like she had witnessed him speaking to niggas on the street. Maybe it was a bad idea to come to the hospital.

  “You know what, maybe this is a bad time, and I'm sorry if after all we been through, you don't know what to believe. From this point forward, I will make it easier for you. You don't have to worry about me calling you, putting your phone on silent-mode, or anything! A bitch is dead to you, and you dead to me!” Tee turned and walked to the elevator.

  As she was walked away, Q knew he had gone too far. He also knew deep inside, that Tee didn't have anything to do with this situation. It was his own guilt that he was trying to lay at her feet.

  “Wait Tee,” he yelled and walked towards her. “Tee, look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “But you damn sure said it like that.”

  “No…no…Tee, listen to me. I was out of order, and I didn’t mean it that way,” he said.

  “Quentel, what have we both said or agreed upon in the past? What comes from one’s mouth gives a description of what’s in one’s heart.”

  “A’ight, enough with the quotes, I was wrong. You know I love and care about you and I always will. But right now, I need some time and space. I have a lot on my mind”

  “I understand that...”

  “Let me finish,” he said, cutting her off again. “I have a lot on my mind and I think me and you need to chill, while I figure out what I want to do. I think that's the best thing for both of us. I have a wife lying in that room, still fighting for her life. And all of me needs to be here for her, just like I was there for you, and she was also there. Can you understand that?

  “I can perfectly understand that and I will give you and her that much, but please believe, me and you will be finishing this conversation. How is Van doing anyway? I know Terri told me Tim had received some good news.”

  “She's doing fine, but hey, go see for yourself,” Q spoke and smiled. “And Tee, I’m sorry again.”

  “Apology accepted Quentel. Never say something you don’t mean, because maybe, just maybe, you will not be able to take it back.”

  After that, she stepped around him, then quietly entered Van’s room.

  __________

  Q said very little on the ride over to meet Dame. Ten minutes later, they were parked on East Washington Street. June sensed that something was bothering Q and finally asked.

  “Is everything alright, bro? You haven’t said much since we left the hospital, homie.”

  “Yeah, I know June,” Q answered as he gazed out the window at all the comings and goings of street life on the block. “I was just thinking, ya know... about all this bullshit with Van and... and..."

  “And Tee,” June said finishing the statement for him.

  “Not just Tee, June, I mean everything.”

  “Even this problem with Dame, how can I trust him, homie? That pussy ass nigga Scar was his right hand man. How do I know that he didn’t have anything to do with all this shit?”

  “I don’t believe he did,” June expressed.

  “What?”

  “I said that I don’t believe he knew anything about Van’s shooting, Q.”

  Q stared at June. He knew that his words were sincere, and he respected June’s analysis of the situation wholeheartedly. Besides, at one point, he himself hated with an unbridled passion, the man he now spoke highly of.

  “Look June, I understand what you’re saying, but right now, no one knows the true identity of the people responsible for what happened to Van except you and I. And I think for right now, we should keep it that way.”

  “I feel you, Q, and if that’s the way you want to keep it, we will,” he paused then continued. “But something, I don’t know, just a gut feeling that I have, is saying that we can trust him. One more thing you must put into perspective,” June said just before opening the driver’s side door.

  “What’s that June?”

  “We’re talking about a man whose entire family was saved by you. Realistically, Dame would be a fool, and rotten to the core, to betray any man that way, especially one he considered a friend.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but I’m going to let you know now, if this nigga comes off even a little like he trying to game us, I'm killing the nigga on the spot.”

  June said nothing else, he knew that was a promise Q intended to keep. There was no need to speak on it further. Once they stepped outside the car, the aroma of Mrs. Janie’s cooking brought instant rumblings to both their stomachs.

  “Damn, I’m hungry,” Q said.

  “Now that’s something I’ll agree with you on. And dem ox-tails and rice is calling my
black ass.”

  Q laughed, “Well Dame’s supposed to be inside waiting on us.”

  Once inside Mrs. Janie’s place, they found Dame sitting on a stool at the bar all alone.

  “What’s up Dame?”

  “What up Q? What up June?” Dame spoke to them both, his voice low and haggard.

  “What is it Dame?”

  “What’s going on?” Q asked him.

  “It’s... it’s bad Q… It’s really bad, bro.”

  “Damn Dame. Whatever it is that’s bothering you, I’m here for you homie.” Q said patting him on the shoulder.

  “Count me in.” June said without hesitation. Dame was quiet for a moment, then finally broke his silence.

  “Q, what I’m about to reveal to you, I want you and your entire family to know that…” he paused, his face hard and uncompromising, then continued. “That I had completely no knowledge of it beforehand, but I feel that the responsibility of it lies squarely on my shoulders.”

  “What’s on your mind, Dame?” Q asked, already sensing the answer.

  “I know who is responsible for Van’s accident.”

  “What?” Q said as if surprised.

  “I said I know what happened to wifey, Q.”

  Q looked over at June, then seated himself on the other side of Dame. He patted him again on the shoulder.

  “Let’s hear it, homie.”

  Twenty minutes, later all three sat quietly staring at their own reflections in the large mirrors behind the bar. Q finally broke the icy, tomb-like silence.

  “Who was the other man with him, Dame?”

  “I honestly don’t know. I haven’t seen a photo of him either.

  “What about tattoos?”

  “Are you familiar with the letters S.V. inside of a dragon’s stomach?”

  “Very familiar.” Dame said, then rolled his left sleeve up revealing the same symbols.

  “The dead man carried those same markings. One on each arm,” Q said

  “Rico.”

  “Who”?

  “Rico, it has to be him.” Dame said

  “Who tha hell is Rico?” June asked.

  “Rico is from our old neighborhood. He is a top affiliate of the bloods out of the Soundview section of New York.”

  “Are you sure this is Rico?”

  “Has to be,” Dame said.

  “Hold up, wait a second.” He grabbed his blackberry, punched some numbers, then waited.

  “Speak,” someone said on the other end of the line.

  “Bumpy. What up son? This is Dame.”

  “I was expecting you would’ve called sooner, young blood.”

  Bumpy confirmed that it was in fact Rico who Van killed. Dame also informed Q of the fact that Scar believed that he had killed Van, and didn’t know she was still alive.

  “You mean he really thinks that he killed her?”

  Dame nodded his head yes.

  “That was a big mistake!” Q muttered.

  Whatever you have in mind son, you can count me in,” Dame said.

  Q looked over at June once more, who gave him an approving look.

  “You can count on it Dame. You can damn sho’ count on it.”

  “What’s your plan?” Dame asked, already feeling better about the situation.

  Q’s smile was brief and savage.

  “I haven’t come up with a complete plan yet, but I’m confident that I will come up with a way. I’m confident that I will face Scar. I’m confident that he will beg for death to come quickly. It won't”

  Chapter Nine

  “Welcome Back Shawty”

  Three weeks later

  Q stood next to Van’s hospital bed, gazing down at her nude, coma induced body. For nearly three full weeks, he’d barely left her side. And when he did, it was only to spend time with his son, and update his crew on Van’s health, which had improved dramatically over the past few weeks. Tee was still somewhat distant towards him, but he figured that she would eventually come around. Besides, right now he had Van to think about, and a job to do. He was too single-minded about that to deal with Tee’s seemingly ungrateful attitude.

  Chirp… Chirp…

  Van’s machine sounded. Q had just finished bathing her body from head to toe. Something he’d done for the past twenty-one days. The doctors and nurses had become so accustomed to his actions, they would leave all of her bathing supplies untouched each afternoon.

  “Damn I miss you,” Q muttered.

  He then bent over and whispered the same words in her ear.

  “I miss you, Shawty.”

  Immediately, Van’s machine began erratically chirping. Q smiled.

  “I hear you Boo. Tomorrow will be our day.”

  He grabbed his favorite body lotion from Bath and Body works. After squeezing some into his palm, he rubbed his hands together, began to gently apply it to Van’s ultra-smooth body. Unable to express her desires vocally, Van’s body responded to his touch with vigor. Low moans twittered and trailed her mating call as Q massaged her beautiful Hershey’s Kiss shaped breast. The volcano of lust inside her created its lava. Minutes later, the eruption came.

  Q would always continue to massage his soul-mate until she once again showed the peaceful expression of her sleeping. Then, he would fight to get his hard on under control before the nurses would come by on their hourly rounds. After dressing her, Q pulled the privacy curtains from around Vans bed, and began flipping through the channels on the television. Unable to find anything worth watching, he plopped down on the small bed he’d put next to Van’s.

  Immediately, his thoughts carried him away from the present. His mind momentarily settled on his conversation with Dame.

  “He told you to choose, Dame?”

  “Yeah, son. He said some bullshit about, either I choose sides, get out the way, or die, Q. He wants me to back up, or step aside, son”

  “Well this isn’t your fight, Dame.”

  Dame smiled, but his features still held seriousness in them.

  “Funny thing about that, Q,” Dame’s hand dropped to the 357 Smith and Wesson neatly tucked in a hideaway holster. As he looked at June, then back at Q he continued, “when the good lord created me, somehow he forgot to put much backup in me. And if y’all will accept me…”He paused again, “As far as I’m concerned, I’m with my real blood family.”

  They all stood and the three street soldiers embraced.

  He thought of Scar, whom Dame said seemed to be boasting about killing Van. Whenever Q allowed himself to mull over it, he was always filled him with a terrible deadly coldness. He knew that when he finished with Scar, and whoever else that was bold enough to stand with him, none of them would be alive to laugh at anything else.

  __________

  “So, tomorrow’s the big day huh?” Terri asked Tim. He didn’t answer, and continued looking at Kobe Bryant aka “The Black Mamba” and the Lakers get in Boston’s ass.

  “Did you hear me?” Terri asked again, this time moving over and standing in front of the large flat screen TV.

  “Move, ma,” Tim shouted while trying to look around her.

  “No. Answer my question,” Terri held her ground.

  “What question?”

  “Is tomorrow the big day?”

  “Big day for what Terri?” he asked in an aggravated tone.

  “For Van, Tim.”

  “Oh…oh yeah, ma, my bad. Tomorrow, they are planning to bring her out of her induced coma.”

  “Are you going? Will we be there?” She asked both questions at once.

  “Yes, now what kind of question is that? You know we going to be there. Shit, that's family ma, now please get out the way.”

  “Well, I just want to make sure, because lately I’ve seen June and Q together a lot and you seem to be on the outside.”

  “The outside? Terri I don't know what you got going on in that head of yours, but get it out. June and Q are my niggas for life and there is no outside with us. Them boys handling t
heir business and I'm handling mine. Now again, get out the way, the fourth quarter is about to start.”

  “That’s too bad,” she teased.

  “Why is that?” Tim asked, hoping that she would go no further with her line of questioning.