“Print that out for me,” I told Rita, but I didn’t really know why. The only time I planned to visit a cemetery was when it was time for my own burial, and even then I wouldn’t know anything about it.
As much as I hated to admit it, I was facing a brick wall. I didn’t know where else to turn, and I was still broke. Gino had told me he was cutting out after six months, and in the back of my mind I wondered if he was still going, if he could just leave me like that.
He didn’t owe me anything of course, and I couldn’t roll with him even if I wanted to. I had Jimmy to think about, and unlike my mother I wasn’t about to put a man above my own blood. I was back to feeling stuck and mad, and when Rita left I stashed the paper with Grandmother’s gravesite on it in between the pages of the Juicy Journal, then put my nightgown back on and climbed into the bed to cry myself to sleep.
The following Tuesday was slow at the Spot. There was a playa’s ball going on in Philly, and G and a lot of the old heads and other pimps had gone out there earlier in the day. I’d called my girl Brittany from school and we agreed to meet downtown on 42nd Street to go to the movies. I wanted to see Barbershop 2, and Brittany did, too.
Gino had slipped me some money and I wanted to treat Brittany since she was always so generous toward me and I was hardly ever able to give her anything in return except a couple of outfits and an occasional free night at the Spot.
We got to the theater early and I bought both of us some buttered popcorn and a box of Bon Bons. Brittany wanted some strawberry Twizzlers, but just the sight of them got me to thinking about Dicey and I convinced Brittany to get some Mike and Ikes instead, telling her the Twizzlers looked sticky and stale.
The theater was small and already crowded. The lights were still on and we sat toward the back where all the young rowdy people were. As usual, I felt free whenever I got the chance to hang out with my friends. Me and Brittany sat there throwing popcorn up in the air and trying to catch it in our mouths, laughing and spilling shit everywhere and not giving a damn.
At first I wasn’t sure I was seeing right, but then Brittany nudged me and said, “Hey Juicy. Ain’t that your friend? You know, the dude you grew up with who hangs out over in Taft?”
Sure enough, it was Flex with his little peanut head walking down the aisle and looking for a seat. But I was even more surprised to see who was with him. It was Cooter, walking right behind Flex and obviously there with him.
There must not have been any good seats down front, or maybe they couldn’t find two side by side, because the next thing I knew they had turned around and were heading back up the aisle, directly toward us.
“Shit!” I said, dropping the box of Bon Bons I had just opened. I scooched down in my seat and bent down like I was trying to pick up those little balls of chocolate-covered ice cream off that nasty theater floor.
“Where are they?” I whispered up at Brittany.
“Sitting up there. Four rows up.”
“Did they see me?”
She laughed. “Shit, how could they as fast as you fell out that chair!”
I eased myself back into my seat and took a deep breath. The lights were going down and the previews were beginning to roll, and I told myself to chill and get ready to enjoy the movie.
But something wasn’t right about Flex and Cooter seeing a movie together. I didn’t know they hung like that. I’d never even seen them two talking or even acting like the other one existed. As the movie played and we laughed and hooted, cracking up and falling out at the jokes taking place on screen, I couldn’t help but keep one eye on Flex and Cooter.
I knew them niggahs was sho’ nuff shady when they didn’t laugh not one time. They weren’t even watching the damn movie. Instead, they were leaning toward each other having some kind of deep conversation and I woulda paid a dollar to be a fly on the wall dipping on that dialogue.
The movie was so funny that eventually I forgot all about Flex and Cooter. But about halfway through the flick they both got up and walked up the aisle heading for the doors. I knew they couldn’t see me in the darkness so I wasn’t worried about being spotted, but I had damn sure spotted both of their asses scheming and I thought about them for a real long time.
Later that night I was dressed and pressed and my hair had been blow-dried and pulled back into flat twists. Me and Gino hadn’t been together in almost two weeks, and I’d been aching for him like crazy. Masturbating next to G at night wasn’t cutting it for me anymore. Not when I knew what was available to me just on the other side of the wall.
And Gino had it hard, too.
It looked like G went out of his way to slam the headboard against the wall when he was getting him a little bit. Like he wanted Gino to know he was across the way ten inches deep in my stuff.
So both of us were horny as hell, but there never seemed to be a time where we could be together alone. Until late Tuesday night. Pacho had driven G to Philly earlier in the day, and Moonie was left to hold it down at the Spot. Flex was in the house again when he shoulda been out on the street, and I watched as he walked past the bar and headed toward the kitchen. A minute later Cooter headed that way, too, and again I wondered why the two of them seemed all of a sudden so thick.
But Flex and Cooter weren’t my problem. Let Moonie check his barman and G handle his street thugs. While the big dog was away the cat was trying to get her some play. I was determined to get with Gino tonight, and I tipped my ass discreetly over to the phone on the bar and dialed his cell digits.
I climbed on a stool and crossed my legs as I watched Gino across the room fumbling at his waist to answer his phone.
“Yeah. Speak.”
“My pussy is popping. I want some.”
I watched as he turned his back on Jimmy and the rest of the brothers who were standing around.
“Hey. Whassup?”
“Meet me in room nine.”
“Aaight.” Click.
Yeah, I thought as I hung up the phone and watched him take his time strolling toward the back of the Spot. Gino was acting all low-profile in front of them niggahs, but I knew he was itching for me as bad as I was for him.
I made sure no one was watching, then snuck into room nine behind him. Gino sighed and pulled me close. I had on a sleeveless black slinky dress cut down low in the back, with no bra, and Gino pushed those straps off my arms and swirled his hot tongue wetly around my nipples. I wanted him to suck on them forever, but the hardness in his pants and the way he squeezed on me told me he was ready for something more.
We didn’t even bother with the bed or a condom. Gino pulled my dress up around my waist and lifted me up, then leaning against the wall he pushed the crotch of my panties aside and entered me deeply. We got busy just like that. With my man lowering me up and down on his thick dick, my wetness soaking both of us.
Gino gave me a long, deep kiss when we were done.
“I love you, Juicy. You know that, right?”
I nodded. I knew. But what could I do? I was stuck with G for life.
Gino was in front of me leaving the room first. He had opened the door and stepped out with me right on his heels when I felt him reach back and try to push me back inside.
“Might as well come on out,” I heard my brother say. “Y’all motherfuckers ain’t foolin nobody.”
Jimmy was standing right outside the door, with one foot propped up, leaning against the wall. I walked out of the room and he gave me a disgusted look, then went to grilling Gino like he wanted to fight.
“What’s up, Jimmy?” I said, and then just like a guilty person I straightened my dress and pushed my hair back.