Wild Cherry by K'wan Page B

Tashee to come and get me. I had made $5,500 to put with what I had left of Slim’s for under an hour’s work. If all went as I’d planned, within a week or two, I’d be able to leave this bullshit alone and try to piece my life back together.

SIX
    Gina
    It was only eleven o’clock, and I was already pissed off. Two of the girls were no-shows, the toilet in the men’s room had overflowed, and I hadn’t seen Jackie since he left the house.
    â€œWhy the long face, Ms. G?” Randy walked over to where I was standing. He was dressed in a transparent yellow tank top with a pair of purple leather pants. His skin was darker than mine, but he’d highlighted it with some kind of glittery cold cream. Randy was just as gay as the day was long, but he was my brother, and I loved him regardless.
    â€œI’m cool.” I kissed him on the cheek. “What’s good with you? You’re working that outfit, Ms. Thing.”
    â€œYeah, somebody has gotta show these low-class hoes how a real bitch does it.” He executed a model strut.
    â€œBoy, what’re you doing over here bullshitting with me? You know them drinks ain’t gonna serve themselves.” I nodded at the bar, which was damn near empty except for a few drunks trying to holla at the young girl who was doing Randy’s job.
    â€œPlease.” He clicked his tongue. “Ain’t no real money roll up in here yet, and the few muthafuckas that are here are in the back doing the nasty with these skank-ass bitches Jackie got shaking tail in this joint. Speaking of Jackie, where is the mister?”
    I shrugged. “Don’t start me to lying.”
    â€œBeing that this is the grand opening, I thought y’all would’ve rolled together in the limo.”
    â€œLimo?” I asked, not knowing what the hell Randy was talking about.
    â€œYeah, the way I hear it, Jackie rented a white stretch limo for the event. You didn’t know?”
    â€œDoes it look like I knew?” I glared at him. I wasn’t mad at Randy, but Jackie wasn’t there for me to take my aggression out on.
    â€œDamn, don’t shoot the messenger, Gina. I’m only telling you what I heard.” He snaked his neck.
    â€œI’m sorry, Randy. I’m just under a lot of stress right now,” I told him while smoothing the sides of my wig down. It made me feel like I was wearing a furry-ass hat, but it was the best I could do at the last minute.
    â€œSo I see.” He cupped my face and turned my head from one side to the other. “I love the new shade of foundation you’re using.” He ran his finger over the bruise on my cheek, which apparently the makeup hadn’t done a good enough job of hiding.
    I slapped his hand away. “Don’t get cute, Randy.”
    â€œHoney, ain’t nothing cute about getting your ass whipped by somebody who ain’t ya mama or ya daddy.”
    â€œIt’s nothing—Jackie and I just had a little misunderstanding, that’s all.
    â€œUmm-hmm.” He clicked his tongue. I hated when he did that. “Gina, how long has he been beating you, this time ?”
    â€œHe’s not beating me; I told you we just had a misunderstanding.”
    â€œWell, then, that makes two of us, because I’m trying to understand how a girl as smart as you can be so fucking stupid. Gina, ain’t no good gonna come of this. Either Jackie is gonna kill you, you’re gonna kill Jackie, or I’m gonna kill his ass for you, but all the outcomes are bad ones.”
    â€œI’m good, Randy—it’s only a bruise,” I told him.
    â€œThis time, but what about the next?” he questioned. “Gina”—he took my hands—“do you remember Terry and Steve?”
    â€œYeah, the nice couple you used to hang around with. Whatever happened to them?”
    â€œTerry was killed a few weeks ago, and Steve is on trial for the