Honor Thy Thug

8




JAZ

I was at the hospital waiting for them to discharge Faheem. I was over there looking out the window, purposely keeping my back to him and Oni, at the same time ear-hustling on their conversation. I swear, if I turn around and look at that bitch, I will smash kill her. That is, if Faheem doesn’t get to her first.

“Bitch, every time I think you have outdone yourself, you do one even better,” Faheem hissed. I almost wished that the police was still here. The room was that intense. At any moment, I was thinking that her ass was going to get knocked the f*ck out. Her once smooth, silky skin looked ashen and gray. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her eyes were damn near swollen shut. She had a blank stare on her face as Faheem struggled to control his anger.

“It has to be something seriously wrong with me to have ever f*cked with you or f*cked you! Bitch, do you hear yourself?” He gritted.

“I’m sorry,” she pleaded. “He was my son too. I wanted his soul to rest. Do you think I should have left him here in this hospital until you got out?”

“If it took years for me to get out of this muthaf*cka, damn right you should have waited! You didn’t let me get any closure. So later for me and my family wanting to say our last goodbyes. F*ck is wrong with you? Then I know you was being your little grimy-ass self because you could have called and asked me. But no, instead you sneak off and have a funeral without me. Well guess what? There is going to be another one. I swear by the time my discharge papers are signed you better have talked to somebody about digging him up!”

I heard her footsteps stomp out of the room. I turned around, and Faheem was so mad he had tears welling up in his eyes. I stepped out of the room to give him a few moments to himself. I went down to the cafeteria, bought a banana, and stopped at the nurses’ station.

“What’s taking Dr. Ravi so long to discharge my husband? We’ve been waiting all morning,” I reminded the head nurse.

“I’m not sure. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll look into it for you.”

“Thank you.”

I had to get my husband out of that gloomy-ass room. The walls were caving in on me, and I wasn’t in there 24/7, so I knew they had to be crushing him. I walked straight over to Faheem and gave him a hug.

“I can’t believe she did some bullshit like that,” he mumbled.

“I do. She’s grimy like that.”

“Well, I know she better allow me to bury my son.”

“Baby, let me take her out.” I whispered in his ear to be sure that he heard me. But he didn’t respond. “Faheem, I’m serious. Let me dead that bitch.”

“Jaz, this whole situation has got you trippin’. Why are you even talking like this? Look, stop it. Stop the shit right now. And I don’t want you bringing it up again. Got the nerve to be asking me if you can kill somebody and in the same tone that you would ask me to take you shopping. What the f*ck is the matter with you? Go tell them to get the doctor so I can get you the f*ck outta here. You talkin’ about me? I think this room is f*ckin’ with your head. Go! Get out of here!”

“Faheem, I already told them. And I’m serious. I can do it. She needs to be dealt with, and you can’t do it.”

“What?” He looked at me as if he was insulted. “You forgot who I am?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I can’t f*ckin’ tell.”

“Faheem, you know I would never forget who you are. It’s just that I’m not having this bitch breathing or being able to bring anymore bullshit to my door. Don’t you know I’ll ride for you and die for you? I’ll even kill for you?” I looked at him intensely. And what does he do? The nigga laughs.

“Jaz, just because I’ve been awarded husband and daddy of the year, don’t get it twisted. I have been inducted into the Gangsta’s Hall of Fame. All I gotta do is make a phone call, and Oni and her whole family tree can disappear. So what would it look like if you out there killing people?” Again he laughed. “Stay in your place. I got this. You talkin’ crazy, and we are not having this conversation again.”

“You know what? F*ck you and that broad. I’ma do me! Then you can laugh at that!” I walked out and left his ass in that hospital bed. I could hear him yelling out my name, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was becoming obsessed with killing that ho. I couldn’t stop fantasizing about doing the deed, and it was both scary and exciting at the same time. I wanted to feel those same feelings he felt when he killed someone. I wanted to feel it at least once. I didn’t care what Hall of Fame he was a part of.


TASHA

“Call Benny, Tasha.” Trae said to me as they put him in handcuffs and read him his rights.

“What are you charging him with?”

“Attempted murder, ma’am.” Detective Moss answered my question.

“Attempted murder?” I repeated out loud. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Where are y’all taking him?”

“Here you go, ma’am.” Detective Ramos, who was sweating profusely, handed me a card. “There’s all the information right there. We’ll take good care of him. And if you don’t mind me saying, this is a lovely piece of property you have here.”

I wasn’t up for all of the niceties. I snatched the card and called Benny as they were walking Trae to the squad car. His voicemail clicked on, and I dialed the office phone to get his secretary, Jillian.

“Law offices of Buns and Pratt, how may I direct your call?”

“This is Tasha Macklin. Is Benny available?”

“He’s gone for the day.”

“What about Jillian?”

“Please hold.”

“Mommy, where are they taking my dad?” Shaheem asked.

“This is Jillian.”

“To court, baby, he’ll be right back. Hello, Jillian? This is Tasha Macklin. They just took my husband, Trae, away in handcuffs.”

“For what?”

“The detective said for attempted murder. I need Benny to see what’s going on. They gave me a card naming who to contact. Are you ready?”

“Mommy, they had Daddy in handcuffs?” Kareem asked while pulling at my arm.

“Let Mommy finish this call, baby.” I gave the info on the card to Jillian and hung up.

I had to calm the kids down and get them focused on something else. They were acting worse than me. Attempted murder? My mind was reeling. Who in the hell did Trae attempt to kill? Did Kyron’s bitch-ass snitch? Or, knowing Trae, is this some old shit that finally caught up with him? After I got the kids straight, I was going to make some phone calls.

“Who wants to go to the park?” My voice cracked as I called out.

“I do! I do! Me!” they all yelled.

“Okay, let Mommy call Uncle Kaylin first. Everybody go to the bathroom. Aisha is in charge. After you use the bathroom, get one toy and go wait for me on the front porch.” They took off running.

Just as I was getting ready to dial Kaylin, my cell rang. I answered immediately.

“Do I have your attention now?”

If Kyron didn’t have my attention before, yes, he had it now. If that nigga was responsible for Trae getting locked up, then he was more bitch than I thought he was. “I know that you need to stop playing these games. I’m getting ready to call your brother right now. I don’t give a f*ck if Trae goes to jail for life, I still wouldn’t f*ck with you.” Furious, I ended the call and dialed Kaylin.

“Tasha Macklin, what’s up? Angel has been in meetings all day. You can call her back in about an hour.”

“I’m not calling to speak to Angel, I’m calling to speak to you.”

“Oh, my bad. Is everything aiight?”

“No, they just came and took Trae outta here in handcuffs for attempted murder.”

“What?”

“Yeah, and Kyron just hung up. He may be the one behind this bullshit. He’s been calling me and threatening me. I called Benny’s office already, so I’m hoping he can make this all go away. But it’s your brother, Kaylin. Tell him to leave me alone. It has gotten out of hand.”

“Wait a minute. You said Kyron is behind Trae getting locked up?”

“I think so but I am not sure but I won’t put it past him. He’s been trying to get with me. First he had Trina call, then he f*cked up my brother, and now this. He calls after each incident. Me and my dumb ass, I’ve been hiding it from Trae because I’m scared that he’ll think I’m back f*cking with him. I need your help, Kaylin. Make your brother stop this bullshit.”

I heard Kaylin sigh. I knew he didn’t want to hear what I was telling him, but it was what it was.

“All right, I’ll take care of it, but have Benny call me.”

“I will.” I hung up and went to take the kids to the park. I was a nervous wreck. I told Kaylin, and I knew he was going to tell Trae, that Kyron had been calling me and starting shit. On the way to the park, I decided to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few snacks. I could have easily packed something, but I needed to get out of that house fast.

“There goes my mommy!” Aisha yelled out. We were riding past the front entrance of the supermarket.

“Auntie Kyra, Auntie Kyra!” Caliph squealed as he squirmed in his seat, trying to get his seatbelt off. I think my five-year-old son has a crush on Kyra.

I looked to my right, and yes, it was Kyra, but she hadn’t told me she was going to the store. Wait a minute. How did she get there? I didn’t notice any vehicles gone other than Aunt Marva’s. What the hell is she doing? It looked like she was selling something. She was stopping people and talking to them, but everyone was keeping it moving. She had a book in her hands. Was she selling books? I pulled into a handicapped spot and threw the car into park. “Kids, stay here. Aisha is in charge. I’ll be right over there talking to Kyra. I’m not going into the store yet.” I jumped out of the car and rushed over to where she was.

As I got closer, she opened the book and said, “Two Kings, chapter twenty, verse one says, ‘In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos went to him and said to him, Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live, then he said—’”

“Kyra? What are you doing?”

She looked at me, and with a straight face, and said, “Tasha, I’m just calling these sinners back to the Lord. It’s time for the people to get their house in order. You are here to listen to the word, aren’t you?”

“But why are you out here in front of the supermarket? How did you get here?”

“The Lord makes all things possible! Verse two says, ‘Remember now, O Lord, to pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart.’”

What the hell? She rambled the verse off like she was a bible scholar. “Kyra!” I grabbed her arm. “The kids are in the car. Come help me with them.”

“I can’t right now. I’m doing the Lord’s work.”

“Your daughter, Aisha, is in the car, Kyra.”

“‘I have done what was good in your sight and Hezekiah wept bitterly.’” She continued to quote the Bible. “Come to Jesus! Come back to the Lord!” she yelled, and began following a group of strangers.

I was at a loss for words. Could this day get any crazier?