done, her face beat and her clothes crispy. She refused to let anyone know she was hurting and near death.
"Yeah?" Nessa answered.
"Where you at?" Piper snapped.
"Handling business. But the real question is, where have you been, Ma? I’ve been calling you for days."
“Been busy.”
“Busy?? First, you hunt me down like prey, watching my every move…then you disappear and I can’t get in contact with you.”
"Look, you get money from NaNa yet?"
"It's coming slow."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean word has gotten around to everyone Luke did business with that the family's locked up. They're all scared the Feds are watching. Not too many of them want to do business with us."
Growing angry, Piper said, "Nessa, I don't want to hear excuses. Make shit happen."
"What the hell do you think I've been trying to do? It's going to take time."
Obviously time was a gift Piper didn't have too much of.
“Look, I need money, and I need it sooner than later.”
“Just hold tight , Ma. I’ve been dealing with a lot.”
"And. What the fuck are you expecting…a violin to play? Or what you want a hug? Bitch please, this grown folks shit right here. Handle it.”
“I’m trying. And this fuckin’ Brandon is a damn Coke head?"
"What?"
"Yes, he's a damn Coke head?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean he's snorting Cocaine like fifty going north. Every time I look around, he's got his nose buried in the shit. And he’s supposed to be guiding me in this shit."
Piper had no idea Brandon was using cocaine.
"And he's got me tied up in some shit with these crazy Cholos out of Los Angeles."
"Is it serious?"
"Not yet. Nothing a little money can't buy me out of. But still, I don't like being surprised."
Piper felt her daughter. When folks got caught up in snorting Coke, they didn't think straight. They got sloppy.
"I'm starting to feel like he can't be trusted," Nessa said.
"Well, just keep an eye on him for now."
"Alright."
Piper was getting ready to hang up.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"Looking back on when you and dad were together, did you ever want him dead?"
"Why would you ask that?" The question caught Piper off guard.
"Just curious."
Piper thought back on her relationship with Byron. It was rough at times; actually most times. When it was good it was good, but then when it was bad it was dreadful.
"Well, did you?" Nessa asked again.
"No."
Silence.
"Why did you ask that?" Piper asked.
Silence.
Then...
"No reason," Nessa answered.
The line then went dead.
Holding the phone in her hand, Piper stood there not liking the tone of that conversation. Something wasn't right. Whatever it was, she had a feeling it would affect things from here on out.
Chapter 7
Nessa pulled up to NaNa's and climbed out of the car. Heading up the walkway towards the porch, her mind was still being pulled in numerous directions. She'd never been this restless before in her entire life. At the moment, the one thing that was stressing her out the most was her father. Damn, why did he have to be such a fucking asshole? Why couldn't he be a damn father? Shaking her head, Nessa could only accept that her father was as deadbeat as they came. Hopefully, what she had planned for him later would knock some sense into his head.
Reaching the door, Nessa knocked. As she did, she looked around at the dark street. Slipping her hand into her purse, she rested its palm on the handle of a gun. She didn't trust the streets. She knew far too well that they could reach out and touch her at any time, simply out of jealousy and envy. She'd be damned if she was going to get caught slipping.
After peeking out of the curtain, which was a bed sheet nailed over the window, NaNa opened the door with a gun in his hand. Like Nessa, he didn't trust the streets either.
"What up, Nessa?" he asked shirtless and dressed in a pair of Dickies and Jordan's.
"Came to pick that up," she said, looking at the way he was dressed.
"Yeah?" Nessa answered.
"Where you at?" Piper snapped.
"Handling business. But the real question is, where have you been, Ma? I’ve been calling you for days."
“Been busy.”
“Busy?? First, you hunt me down like prey, watching my every move…then you disappear and I can’t get in contact with you.”
"Look, you get money from NaNa yet?"
"It's coming slow."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean word has gotten around to everyone Luke did business with that the family's locked up. They're all scared the Feds are watching. Not too many of them want to do business with us."
Growing angry, Piper said, "Nessa, I don't want to hear excuses. Make shit happen."
"What the hell do you think I've been trying to do? It's going to take time."
Obviously time was a gift Piper didn't have too much of.
“Look, I need money, and I need it sooner than later.”
“Just hold tight , Ma. I’ve been dealing with a lot.”
"And. What the fuck are you expecting…a violin to play? Or what you want a hug? Bitch please, this grown folks shit right here. Handle it.”
“I’m trying. And this fuckin’ Brandon is a damn Coke head?"
"What?"
"Yes, he's a damn Coke head?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean he's snorting Cocaine like fifty going north. Every time I look around, he's got his nose buried in the shit. And he’s supposed to be guiding me in this shit."
Piper had no idea Brandon was using cocaine.
"And he's got me tied up in some shit with these crazy Cholos out of Los Angeles."
"Is it serious?"
"Not yet. Nothing a little money can't buy me out of. But still, I don't like being surprised."
Piper felt her daughter. When folks got caught up in snorting Coke, they didn't think straight. They got sloppy.
"I'm starting to feel like he can't be trusted," Nessa said.
"Well, just keep an eye on him for now."
"Alright."
Piper was getting ready to hang up.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"Looking back on when you and dad were together, did you ever want him dead?"
"Why would you ask that?" The question caught Piper off guard.
"Just curious."
Piper thought back on her relationship with Byron. It was rough at times; actually most times. When it was good it was good, but then when it was bad it was dreadful.
"Well, did you?" Nessa asked again.
"No."
Silence.
"Why did you ask that?" Piper asked.
Silence.
Then...
"No reason," Nessa answered.
The line then went dead.
Holding the phone in her hand, Piper stood there not liking the tone of that conversation. Something wasn't right. Whatever it was, she had a feeling it would affect things from here on out.
Chapter 7
Nessa pulled up to NaNa's and climbed out of the car. Heading up the walkway towards the porch, her mind was still being pulled in numerous directions. She'd never been this restless before in her entire life. At the moment, the one thing that was stressing her out the most was her father. Damn, why did he have to be such a fucking asshole? Why couldn't he be a damn father? Shaking her head, Nessa could only accept that her father was as deadbeat as they came. Hopefully, what she had planned for him later would knock some sense into his head.
Reaching the door, Nessa knocked. As she did, she looked around at the dark street. Slipping her hand into her purse, she rested its palm on the handle of a gun. She didn't trust the streets. She knew far too well that they could reach out and touch her at any time, simply out of jealousy and envy. She'd be damned if she was going to get caught slipping.
After peeking out of the curtain, which was a bed sheet nailed over the window, NaNa opened the door with a gun in his hand. Like Nessa, he didn't trust the streets either.
"What up, Nessa?" he asked shirtless and dressed in a pair of Dickies and Jordan's.
"Came to pick that up," she said, looking at the way he was dressed.
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