Authors: L. Divine

No Mercy (3 page)

BOOK: No Mercy

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That reminds me of the KJ and Misty gonorrhea debacle last year.
“That won’t happen to me, mom. When and if the time comes you know I’ll use protection.”

"
But it can, even if you both wrap it up. That's why you've got to be careful out here Jayd, especially with those college boys. It’s their job to sleep with as many girls as possible before they graduate
."

"Really, mom. No degree or caree
r involved at all, huh?" I say out loud as if she’s standing right in front of me.

"
Don't sass your mother, Jayd,
" my mom scolds. “
I may not be there to physically slap you right now, but I’ll give that ass a rain check until I come home tomorrow if need be.
”

“No need, mom. My badd.” I grab my hair bag out of the hall closet and set up shop in the dining room. I would ask Nigel about Keenan’s comment but I don’t want to make a big deal about nothing.

“
Good night, Jayd. And heed my words, little girl. I know what I’m talking about.”

“
Yes ma’am
.” After I’m done braiding Nigel’s hair I’ll get to work on finding a mind blocking potion or something to keep my two moms from invading my thoughts at-will. I love our gifts of sight and all but the shit’s getting to be a bit much.

I can hear Nigel walking up the steps two at a time. If I didn’t just talk to him I’d
swear he was pissed.

“Hey N
igel,” I say, letting him inside. “Ready to get that fro in order?”

“Fo sho, my sister,” Nigel says, kissing me on the cheek. “My shit is ratchet right now.”

“Yes, it is,” I say, touching his tangled hair. “Have you and Mickey made up yet?”

I already know that the answer is no but I’m hoping for the best. After the way he went in on Mickey during our last African Student Union
meeting I doubt that they’ll get back together, but stranger things have happened.

“Hell no,” Nigel says, taking his customary seat
at the table. "Did you know that Mickey got that fool out of jail by claiming she was with him on the night of Pam's murder?"

"Yeah, she told me she was thinking about doing it
. I told her it was a dumb idea," I say, remembering her revelation on the day of Pam's home going service. "Nigel, Mickey’s just scared. She does some of the stupidest things when she lets fear run her imagination."

“It doesn't matter
anyway," Nigel says, putting three twenty-dollar bills down on the table. “I’m suing Mickey for custody of Nickey.”

“Say what?” I ask, completely shocked.

“My mom and I agreed that it’s the best thing to do for the baby," he says, matter-of-factly. "Mickey’s, well, Mickey. And G is a thug nigga. My daughter deserves a better life than they could ever give her.”

I begin combing through Nigel's hair and hope that Oshune’s touch through me will calm his hot head.

“Nigel, you can’t be serious. You’re not thinking straight.”

"The hell I am not. This is the first time I’ve thought clearly since I met the bitch."

“Okay, hold on a minute," I say, standing in front of Nigel so he can see me. "First you become Mickey’s knight in shining armor, now you feel that you need to rescue Nickey from her own mother. What the hell is really going on?” I return to my original post, satisfied with the dramatic eye-opener. “And, how are you going to raise a baby and play college football? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Nigel tilts his head to the right and allows me to sculpt the first braid.

“My mom will have the baby while I’m in school, and I’ll be home whenever I can. Besides, I think I’m going to take up UCLA on their offer. That way I’ll be close to home and able to see my daughter as often as I want.”

"I see," I say, parting the second braid.

Of course Mrs. Esop is in on this idea. Hell, it was probably her brainchild. She sees Nickey as her second chance to raise her perfect protégé and stick it to the girl who almost ruined her precious son’s life. Damn, she’s good. Every time I think Mrs. Esop’s backed off she surprises me by making a bitch move like only she can. I bet Mickey didn’t see this shit coming. I told her that providing her ex with a false alibi would come back to bite her in the ass. Her karma came quick, fast and in a hurry.

“Nigel, a year ago you didn’t even know Mickey, and now you want to take her daughter away from her because you’re angry? What the hell?”

“What the hell is that all hell broke loose in my life when I started dating that girl. My mom’s pastor is right; he says that there has to be a deeper meaning to all of it. The only thing I can think of is that I was supposed to be Nickey Shantae’s father. Why else would all this shit have gone down the way that it did?” I know he’s talking about the fact that Nickey’s biological father saved Nigel’s life by jumping in front of the bullet Mickey’s man shot at him. “I’m done playing games with Mickey. If she wants to be the stupid ass bitch she’s become and live her life in danger, then that’s her choice. But I’m not letting her do our baby like that. It’s not happening, Jayd. Not on my watch.”

The brother does have some good points but I can't validate this behavior. “Nigel, I s
till think you’re going about this the wrong way,” I say, nearly halfway through his head. "Babies belong with their mamas unless the mother’s unfit, which I don't think Mickey truly is."

“That's your opinion, not mine. If my mom’s willing to help me raise Nickey then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Mickey can see Nickey whenever she wants to, just not outside of my supervision.” Damn, Nigel’s serious.

"Nigel, I know that Mickey’s not thinking rationally
at the moment,” I say without revealing Mickey's most recent confessions. "But please be patient with the girl. You knew she was a lot to handle when you first started dealing with her. Don't be surprised now that the same leopard is acting like a cat with spots.”

Nigel i
nhales deeply; I know he's thinking about what I just said. I continue braiding in silence, attempting to weave some peace into his head with every cornrow. Nigel's head nods backwards and I know that he's finally calmed down.

My phone vibrates with a call from Nellie. What’s she doing calling me, especially this late at night? She’s got some nerve. I'm still mad at her for not telling me that she was the one who sent me the picture of Cameron and Jeremy kissing when it first happened.

“Hold up a minute Nigel,” I say, reinforcing the comb to maintain the clean part between the last two braids. “Boughetto is calling.”

“What the hell kind of name is that?” Nigel asks, not recognizing my nickname for Nellie.”

“It’s a combination of bougie and ghetto.”

“Oh, that’s only one chick I know,” he says, smiling. “Tell Nellie I said what’s up.”

“Traitors Anonymous. Please state your betrayal,” I say, unapologetically.

"And you're the one preaching to me about turning the other cheek," says Nigel, quoting a very popular Bible passage.

I playfully tap him in the head and await Nellie's response.

“Jayd, I didn’t know who else to call. I need your help.” Nellie’s voice is shattered, almost childlike. She’s scaring me.

“Nellie, what’s wrong?” I ask, glancing at the wall clock. It's almost midnight.

“Can you come and get me? I can’t talk about it over the phone.” What the hell? Before I can tell her off once more she surprises me by doing something I’ve never heard her do.

“Jayd, please,” Nellie begs as she breaks down in tears. "I’ve got no one else to turn to."

"I'll be right there," I say, picking up the dry erasable marker on the white board attached to the side of the kitchen cabinet. "Where are you?"

Nigel turns his head in concern.

"I'm in the parking lot next to the Crenshaw Christian Center's dome. Jayd, please hurry. I don’t feel safe out here by myself."

"What was that all about?" Nigel asks as I hang up my cell.

"Nellie needs us to come and get her. I say us because my mom’s car isn’t working right now. You mind giving me a ride?”

"I wouldn't have to give you a ride if you’d call your boy back,” Nigel says, taking his keys from the dining room table. “You know Rah will hook you up."

"No thank you," I say, grabbing my purse off the coat rack next to the front door and following Nigel out of the apartment. “My days of calling on Rah are over.”

"It's funny how holy people can dish out plenty of advice but never take it."

“Holy people? Really Nigel?" I say, making myself comfortable in the passenger’s side of Nigel's classic green Impala. “I know of a lot of people who would disagree using that adjective to describe me."

“You’re holier than most people I know."

Speaking in holy, I have a sneaky suspicion that Nellie's midnight marauding has something to do with David, her born-again boyfriend. I guess we won't know the truth until we arrive at the scene of the crime.

When Nigel and I reach Nellie, she’s disoriented and unusually quiet.

“Something’s not right,” Nigel says, whispering as if Nellie can’t hear us talk because she’s sitting in the back seat.

“You can say that again,” I say without bothering to lower my voice. “Nellie, what happened? And where’s David?”

“Oh, nothing. We just had a fight, that’s all.”

“What the hell kind of fight did you two have that would cause him to leave you alone on the south side this late at night?" Nigel asks, visibly pissed.

"I needed to freshen up after the revival. I must've been gone longer than I thought," Nellie says, combing through her long weave with her freshly manicured fingernails. "David says I’m too vain as it is."

I know Nellie’s not telling us the whole story, but that does explain why she's not wearing a jacket on chilly night like this. I reach back to wrap my sweater around Nellie and she flinches in pain.

“Nellie, what the hell is wrong with your shoulder?” I ask, looking at Nigel as he glares at a frightened Nellie in his rearview mirror.

“I fell at home,” Nellie says, accepting the sweater without the touch. “Nothing major.”

Nigel and I exchange glances knowing there’s a whole lot more that Nellie’s not saying.

“Did that punk hit you, Nellie? If he did I’ll rip his ass to shreds,” Nigel says, steaming.

“No, no. Nothing like that,” Nellie says with fear in her tear-swollen eyes. “I swear it was an accident. David would never do anything to hurt me. He’s a sweet guy, and the son of a reverend.”

“So are my uncles, and trust me when I say there’s more evil in most of them than I’ve ever seen from anyone else,” except from Esmeralda and her folks, but we’re not talking about them.

“Just drop it Jayd, okay? Thank you for picking me up but please stay out of this one. I don’t need you to save me.”

I don’t want to save Nellie or anyone else for that matter, but she’s my friend and I can’t let this go.

"Your welcomed, Nellie." I know Nellie's digging this new dude and she's also feeling guilty for what she did to me, but allowing her to punish herself in an abusive relationship isn't the answer. There are too many red flags about this David character. I'm gonna do a lot more digging to find out all I can about the pastor's son.