Rent Money Page 5

  “And a lot of other things I don’t want to get into. Listen, I can help you but it’s not free. I’ll be your eyes and ears. I’m not sure why your son doesn’t live with her, but I know it’s a real reason behind it.”

  He thought about it for a minute then agreed. “What’s the catch?” he asked.

  “Cash, of course. Listen, just give me your number and I’ll keep in touch,” I replied. He gave me his number and I stored it inside my phone. Ricardo walked to the end of the hall and knocked on Essa’s door. Essa should’ve kept her eyes to herself because Governor was off-limits. I knew she was digging him because of the way she looked at him when he came around. All I was doing was keeping the enemy close. No new bitches were going to move into the building and take him from me.

  Essa

  “Y ou need to move from this shit hole. I can’t even park my Bentley in front of the building because someone might steal it,” Ricardo said.

  “Where is my son?” I asked.

  “With my father, I came here to get the rest of his clothes. I’m taking him with me and my fiancée to Disney World,” he said.

  “If you always have him, why do you need to come here to get his clothes? Get the hell outta my apartment and do not come back unless you have our son with you. You and your con ass family have done enough. It’s because of you I’m here!” I yelled at him.

  “I’m leaving,” Ricardo said.

  I opened the door for him so he could get the hell out. While he was leaving, Governor was coming upstairs.

  “Yo, Essa, you good?” Governor asked.

  “Yes, I’m good.”

  “Are you sure? I heard you yellin’ and I’m just makin’ sure you’re straight,” Governor said.

  “Bro, she’s fine,” Ricardo said.

  “Did I ask you, muthafucka?” Governor asked. Ricardo bit his bottom lip and grilled me before he walked down the hall.

  Now that fool might think I’m fuckin’ Governor.

  “How is findin’ a job comin’ along?” Governor asked. He leaned against the brick wall inside the building and crossed his thick tatted arms.

  “Very hard.”

  “What kind of skills do you have?” he asked.

  “Computer skills,” I replied.

  “Listen, me and my brother just opened up a small company a few months ago. We do painting, landscaping and a few other things like remodeling bathrooms, kitchens and shit like that. I need a receptionist with a friendly attitude, not that hood shit. You can get the job if you want it,” he said.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Dead ass, I hope it helps with your situation,” he replied. I wanted to hug him and thank him, but it would’ve been inappropriate.

  “Do you want some Kool-Aid? I just made a fresh pitcher,” I said and he chuckled, showing off his bottom diamond golds.

  “Naw, shorty, I’m good. Appreciate it though, but I’m serious about not smokin’ in front the building,” he said.

  “Sorry about that but with a baby father like that, I need to smoke.”

  “Don’t tell nobody I told you this but smoke in your bedroom or sumthin. Just make sure you don’t fuck the carpet up,” he said.

  Damn, he’s beautiful.

  I was used to dating light-skinned men. I wasn’t sure why but that’s just what I was attracted to but Governor was a beautiful dark-skinned man. He had a few tattoos on his neck and I wasn’t into body ink until I met him. I zoned out as I stared at him; his lips were moving but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. All I could imagine was him fucking me against the wall.

  “ESSA!” Governor called out.

  “Oh, sorry. What happened?”

  “I said I’m gonna pick you up tomorrow mornin’ around nine so be ready. I need you to fill out a few papers,” he said.

  “Okay, thanks a lot,” I said. He gave me the head nod before he walked down the stairs and out of the building. Sinna’s man came upstairs from the first floor wiping the sleep out of his eye. He looked like he could use a bleach bath.

  “Aye, can I use your toilet? That bitch locked me out last night and I need to take a shit,” Dade said.

  “No, the last time you used my toilet, my apartment stunk for two days!”

  “Let me use your fuckin’ toilet,” he said.

  “You need to use a bath!” I replied. He began cursing me out and I slammed the door in his face.

  My house phone rang, and I answered it. I smiled when I looked at the caller-ID.

  “What it do, bitch!” My cousin Tinka yelled into the phone.

  “Hey, Tinka, what’s goin’ on?”

  “Nuffin, on my way to Rainbow boutique with Kitty. You know how we do and afterwards, we are gonna hit up Payless,” she said.

  “I hope y’all not stealin’ again,” I laughed.

  “Girl, I got forty dollas in my purse. I can hit up the five-dolla rack. You know Rainbow leggins be two dollas on a good day. Oh, Kitty said do you need anything? Lip gloss, body wash or eye shadow because she need to go to Walmart. Wait a minute, Essa, this bitch is starin’ at me,” Tinka said.

  “Do you see I’m on the fuckin’ phone!” Tinka yelled at someone. They were always getting into something. Me, Tinka and Kitty were first cousins, our fathers were brothers. I didn’t have any sisters or brothers, so they were like my sisters. The only difference between us was that they wore what they wanted to wear, said what they wanted to say and did things nobody could ever imagine. Honestly, they were hoodrats and proud of it. Nobody liked them and they were banned from almost every store in Annapolis.

  “Where are y’all at?”

  “The bus, girl, where do you think we at?” Tinka spat.

  “I thought you said Cooely got a new car.”

  “He did get a new car and, bittcchhhhh, he pimped it out. His Civic is sittin’ on twenty-six-inch rims. You know he got that promotion at the grocery store. My baby is in the meat department now. He gave me forty dollas last night,” she replied.

  “Ma’am, you have to lower your voice before I ask you to get off the bus,” someone in the background said.

  “Bitch, do I look like Rosa Tubman to you? I’m not gettin’ in front of the bus or off the bus!” Tinka said. I dropped my head down in embarrassment as if I was there with them.

  “Sooo, Governor wants me to work for him. I’m finally gettin’ a job!” I yelled in excitement.

  “A job for the governor? Bihhhhh, you moved on up. You gonna be workin’ in the white house. You don’t have to suck the president’s dick, do you? You know what, I’m gonna call you Olivia Hope. I got a purse full of condoms if you need some. Me and Kitty got them from the clinic yesterday. Girlll, those silk panties gave me a bread infection,” Tinka said, popping her gum into the phone.

  “First of all, it’s yeast infection. Secondly, it’s Olivia Pope. Thirdly, I’m talkin’ about Governor, the landlord. Please get you some book smarts, Tinka. Those people on the bus might be laughin’ at you.”

  “They can kiss my ass, bitch. I said what I said. Bread and yeast, the same thing. Don’t do me, baby. But anyways, me and Kitty will be there tomorrow night so we can celebrate this white house job,” she replied.

  “Governor is the landlord!”

  “Bitch, so is the president of the white house! You need to go back to school. And everybody thinks I’m the dumb one,” she said and hung up.

  I took a cold shower and got dressed in a maxi dress with cute fur slides instead of lounging around in my apartment. The ice cream truck was in front of the building and kids were out in the streets playing with their water guns. The hood was always the place to be during the summer. Everybody and their mama wanted to drive through blasting the latest rap song. Governor was across the street at the basketball court talking to a few of the d-boys that stood on the corner. Dade walked out the building wearing busted shoes, dirty shorts and a T-shirt. He had cold in his eye and crust in the corner of his mouth. The sight of Dade sickened me; I still could
n’t believe Sinna had a baby by him. The hood knew how Dade trapped Sinna. Sinna being a gold-digger, fell for it.

  “Can I use your phone? That bitch still ain’t let me come in but tossed these dirty ass clothes out in the hallway. I need to call my cousins so they can come through and fuck that bitch up,” Dade complained.

  “Nigga, did you even brush your teeth? Get the hell away from me,” I replied.

  Dade rolled his eyes and smacked his teeth.

  “That’s why Sinna be talkin’ about your fat ass now. You think that’s your friend but she hates you. You don’t even have your son. Deadbeat-ass bitch,” he said and walked off. I wasn’t surprised behind Sinna’s actions. She talked about everyone. But the fact she talked about my parenting skills really had me fuming. That hoe didn’t know me like that. I always had a feeling Sinna was fake and I knew Dade was telling the truth because I watched Sinna speak to the same broads she talked about.

  I bet she lied about Governor sleepin’ with all his tenants because she wants him for herself. That dirty bitch better not ever speak to me again.

  Rochelle

  B rand new whip got no keys. Tailor my clothes, no starch please

  Soon as I nut, you gon’ leave…

  Lil Baby’s song blasted throughout my spacious three-bedroom apartment. I stood in the floor-to-ceiling mirror bouncing my round ass cheeks with Governor’s name tattooed across my ass. I met Governor at a strip club a few years ago and we’ve been kicking it since. I’ve been the side-chick, main-chick and everything else Governor needed me to be but he still hasn’t taken me serious. All he wanted to do was fuck me, spend money on me and tell me what to do but I loved him. I used to live in a four-bedroom townhouse close to downtown Annapolis. It was a beautiful brownstone with a glass ceiling on the upper-level. I missed my home but the owner sold it, only giving me thirty days to move. Since it was last-minute, Governor moved me into his ghetto-ass building with Section-8 people instead of letting me live in one of his upscale buildings. The only thing I could come up with was he was fucking a bitch in his downtown building. We had an open relationship but I wanted more. I was twenty-six years old and ready for marriage.

  Damn, I miss the strip club. I should go back so I can piss this nigga off.

  A lot of hot songs blasted throughout my apartment while I got dressed for the day. My best friend, Alexi, was coming over so we could get into some things. I wore a pair of distress booty shorts, a white half-tank top with a pair of hot pink Balenciaga open-toed heels. The pearl face Rolex on my wrist probably cost more than the building. I brushed my hair into a high ponytail and used a toothbrush to gel my baby hairs. I was drop-dead gorgeous. Most said I resembled the actress and model, Zendaya. Every bitch and nigga on the block either wished they were me or could get inside me. After I applied a little make-up, I grabbed my cute crossbody bag and cellphone before I headed out the door. A broad named Sinna was coming out of her dirty apartment when I walked down the stairs. She rolled her eyes at me and I returned the gesture. It wasn’t a secret she hated me and I heard from everybody including her whack-ass baby father how bad she talks about me. I could have that bitch evicted if I wanted to. She also didn’t hide her interest in Governor. Every time I saw her she was in my man’s face. Sinna had a nice body, too, but she was dusty and couldn’t hold a candle to me.

  “Hi, Rochelle,” she spoke with an attitude.

  “Oh, hey girl. I didn’t know you was still here. I thought you were evicted.”

  “I’ll suck the landlord’s dick before that happens. I’m sure you know all about it,” she replied.

  “And I’m sure you’ll never get a chance. Good day!”

  She mumbled, “bitch,” underneath her breath when I walked down the stairs. Essa was in front of the building when I got outside. She was a sweet girl but I wasn’t too fond of making friends because in my eyes everyone wanted Governor. I wasn’t worried about Essa and Governor too much though because she wasn’t his type. She didn’t have a job, a car and sat in front of the building all day. She had a beautiful face and reminded me of a bigger version of Yara Shahidi. Essa had a pretty, smooth medium-brown complexion with thick curly hair. She always smelled good and I heard her apartment was spotless. I just didn’t like ghetto bitches and Essa was one of them—her and her cousins. Even though I was a stripper, I never lived in a fucked-up environment. The reason I stripped was because I couldn’t imagine myself working someone’s nine-to-five. My best friend, Alexi’s boyfriend’s homeboy owned the strip club where I worked. I had the body and the look, so I tried it out and that was the beginning of it for me.

  “Damn, it’s hot out here.”

  “Tell me about it,” Essa replied.

  Well, stop sitting on the fucking steps then, bitch!

  I didn’t respond to her. Me and Essa didn’t speak at all, and if we did, it was short. My cellphone beeped, and it was Alexi telling me she was ready to pull up. It wasn’t much to do but I decided to hang outside to keep an eye on Governor. Sinna walked outside and sat next to Essa. I wondered if those bitches were mad because I was in designer gear. Governor was on the basketball court talking to a few niggas. He shook his head when he saw what I was wearing. Let him tell it, I dressed like a hooker even though I was naked when he met me. Alexi pulled up seconds later in her drop-top candy apple Benz. Alexi was dark-skinned and slim. She was a dime piece, too, and we’d been friends since elementary school. Sinna smacked her teeth after Alexi parked her car and stepped out.

  “My friends look like bridesmaids!” I yelled out, walking over to her.

  “Damn, the niggas are out!” Alexi said when I approached her.

  “Yes, they are includin’ Governor’s hoe ass. I’m tired of him. Do you know this nigga came by last night and only stayed for an hour? We haven’t fucked in two months. I swear I’m going to rat his ass out if he’s doing me wrong. Governor want everyone to think he’s legit now but he’s still dabblin’ in that shit with his brother, Mayor. I can’t stand them and their crazy-ass names. Who do they think they are?”

  “You know you love him,” Alexi said.

  “I’m gettin’ my ring before this summer’s over and you can believe that. I’ve done too much for this nigga for him to be out here fuckin’ around on me. I want kids and Governor still wears condoms with me. We’ve been together for three years and I have nothin’ but a shit hole apartment in the hood. Why can’t this nigga put me in a house like he did for his mother?”

  “Come on, Rochelle. The building isn’t bad, the people just don’t live up to your expectations; plus, you have the best apartment rent-free. And he told you it was either a better place or new truck and you chose the truck. Think about all the money he kicked on you over the years. Maybe the nigga tired of it,” she said.

  “Whatever, bitch. I’m not tryin’ to hear that. He took away my source of income when he told me to stop strippin’.”

  “Didn’t you turn down his receptionist job recently? Y’all are supposed to be a team but you’re down with everything else but his legal shit,” she replied.

  “That’s because I’m not workin’ for nobody, including him. I’m a wife, not somebody’s worker! You are supposed to be on my side!” The thing I hated about Alexi is that she didn’t always agree with me. I told Governor a long time ago I wasn’t helping him with anything if it meant I had to cash a check. I wanted my money fast, easy and right in my hand. He asked me a few times if I could answer the phones and schedule appointments until he found someone, and I turned him down every time.

  “Here he comes,” Alexi said.

  Governor was heading in our direction and I caught butterflies. The man was just SEXY! He was twenty-nine years old and didn’t have kids or never been married. I figured God sent him to me for a reason because he had everything I wanted, including a lot of money.

  “Yo, why in the fuck you embarrassin’ me out here? Go in the house and change your clothes!” Governor barked. Alexi slid away from me and
I grilled her because she was supposed to stick up for me.

  “Nigga, your money paid for this!”

  “Yeah, you right. That’s why I need to stop givin’ it away so freely because you do nothin’ with it but hoe shit. All you do is dress like a whore, Chelle. What did you plan on doin’ dressed like that anyway? Twerk on the basketball court pole? Your pussy lips hanging out!” Governor spat.

  “Do I have a ring on my finger?”

  “You don’t act like you want one. Actions speak louder than words. But on another note, I’ll get up with you later. Rent is almost due, shorty. Since you got all that fuckin’ mouth, do what you have to do so you can pay me my bread,” he said before he walked off.