I snorted, “You wanna hear some funny shit, man? Ever since I heard about Tara being pregnant, Rayna been sending me texts talking about honesty and trust…how she ain’t wit’ nobody because niggas lie and all that shit, man!” Petey and I laughed together.
“You know how ‘dem chicks be, man. My old lady tried to hit me wit’ ‘dat shit when I met her and look where I’m at now, my nigga!” he joked. “All jokes aside—she quality, Divine,” he counseled. Petey’s always had a good read on people; I valued his opinion.
“I don’t know, Crack. I gotta taste it first. Let a nigga see if that’s quality and then I’ll drench her ass in diamonds!” I joked. We gave each other dap on that and laughed for a minute. He knew I was full of shit but didn’t call me on it. Truth be told, Rayna had me going and the fact that I hadn’t fucked her up to that point was evident of it.
“So what are you over here on this side of town for? I’d suddenly realized that he never said.
“I wanna know what’s up for your born day?”
“Man, I’ve been so stressed out I haven’t been thinking about that shit,” I said stretching in my chair.
“We’ll, it’s what…’bout a week away?”
“I guess, man,” I said yawning.
“Let me and some of the niggas from ‘The Clan’ take care of you…‘dat’s a’ight wit’ you?”
“Do you, my nigga,” I agreed as my iPhone was going off. I picked it up to check it and saw it was a text from Rayna. Petey’s phone rang and he answered it.
Rayna text: GOT PLANS FOR YOUR B-DAY?
Not really. Why? I texted back.
I want to get up with you to celebrate your big day.
Sounds tempting. I may be with the goons that night…
We can get up after…, she offered.
I’m with it. But it may be late. I warned, realizing I was blowing her off. I was really trying to buy us some time.
I’ll wait up. :-) Damn. She’s tantalizingly persistent. I didn’t know how long I could hold out. This was painful. I would take a day with Rayna over my goons any day.
“Indeed…” I hit send. By that time, Petey was off the phone.
“That chick got you wide open, my nigga. You all smiling and typing and shit,” Petey said clowning me.
“Nah, she was asking about my birthday plans, too.”
“Oh, I don’t wanna interfere, man,” he said I assumed offering to cancel his plans.
“I told her I’ll get up with her later.”
We agreed on hanging out that night and Petey headed out.
A week later, I was at Cobalt on a Friday night working when Big D BBM’d me. He asked if we could meet. I told him where I was and he came through. We met up in my office at Cobalt.
“Can I get you a drink, Big D?” I offered.
“Yeah, man! A dry Martini,” he said. I had the runner go get the drink while he settled in. He walked around the office and took the infamous view of the dance floor.
“You know, this is my first time here. I was told that I’ve been past here several times but couldn’t mentally locate it.” Big D peered out of the window that gave view to the main dance room observing the décor of the place. “I remember this area very well. On the force we called this Snow Haven because of the cocaine that was distributed to the rich white folk.”
“Oh yeah?” I said in response. I was curious of the nature of this visit. We strategically minimize our visits. I knew there must’ve been a problem. I hated small talk and I really didn’t have time for it that particular day.
“Well, Cool Breeze…” he began as he pulled up a seat. “I might as well get right into why I’m here...”
“Okay,” I said as I pulled out the chair across the table from where he planted himself. I sat facing him.