Payback Is a Mutha by Wahida Clark

Briggen?” She was driving slow and right up on them.
    “I just told you who I am,” Shan spat.
    “Go home Mia. I’ll be there in a few!” Briggen yelled.
    “I’m not going no-fuckin’-where. Who is this bitch?” Mia was looking at Shan whose nose was bleeding, lip was busted and she was looking like a madwoman.
    “Go home now, Mia! I’m not going to say it again.”
    “Yeah, go home now, Mia, because tonight it’s my turn!” Shan screamed. “He’s coming home with me.”
    “I know you’re not going home with her!” Mia put the car in park and fast as lightning she was out.
    What the fuck? Briggen said to himself. It has tobe a full moon. I’ma have to put my foot in this hoes ass.
    “Calvin, Brianna left. You’re gonna have to take me home.” She smirked at Mia and she crossed her arms across her chest, standing close to Briggen.
    Mia ran over to Shan and swung on her. Her fist landed on her left jaw. “That’s for scraping my door!” Before Briggen could stop her she sprayed Shan’s face with mace. “That’s for fucking my man!” She then went to beating Shan’s ass. Dino the bouncer was now outside with them. Mia was small but quick. She was trying to stomp Shan into the ground. Shan was coughing and choking from the mace while trying to cover herself from Mia’s feet. Briggen was too busy coughing and gagging. Dino finally grabbed up Mia while Briggen managed to pick up Shan, breaking the two females apart. He carried her to his clean, black, fully loaded Denali. He practically threw her inside, went over to Mia, grabbing her in a choke hold.
    “Take your ass home Mia! Let me handle my business.” He was still coughing.
    “Who is she Briggen?” She tugged at his shirt. “Why the fuck are you taking her home?” He opened her car door and pushed her inside. She tried to get back out. He grabbed her by the neck and squeezed. “I’m not going to tell you again,” he threatened and pushed her down into the car, then slammed the door. When she opened the door he punched her in the face.
    “Come on. Get out,” he dared her.
    Dino handed him a wet towel and the necklace. “Dino man, make sure she leaves.”
    Dino nodded. “I got her.”
    “I hate you!” Mia was crying and screaming.
    Briggen went and opened the door to his Denali, where Shan was gagging and crying. He gave Shan the cold wet towel for her face, then went around the driver’s side, slid the necklace under the backseat, and jumped in.

6
FOREVER
    I t was 8:20 Saturday morning and Forever was finally dressed in his beige khaki visit uniform. He had spent all morning overseeing the perfect pressing of his uniform, the shining and polishing of his boots and the precise trimming of his goatee. The only thing he forgot was some picture tickets. He was impatiently walking back and forth in his cell waiting to be called to go to the visiting hall. He hadn’t held his woman or daughter in over eight months.
    Nyla, on the other hand, was waiting impatiently in the visitors’ processing area with Tameerah who couldn’t be still. “Mommee, is it our turn to go in yet?” she asked for the fifth time.
    “Not yet, baby. In a minute.”
    Nyla thought to herself, In a minute. In a minute. Everything for the last five years has been hoped to be over in a minute. She would ask Forever, “Baby, when are you coming home?” His answer would be, “In a minute.” “When will we be able to live like afamily?” “In a minute.” She was so sick of that phrase. “In a minute!” But being the strong, loyal, and dedicated black queen that she was, she had to show strength and stay positive. For the last five years every weekend she was in line by 7:45 A.M. to see Forever. So she told herself that she needed to go ahead and put on her game face. Not only for herself, but for Tameerah and Forever as well. But today, unfortunately, wearing that game face was kind of hard. She just wasn’t feeling it. And it was most likely because