Episode 4 The Hustle

I met Mark when I was sixteen years old, yeah my High School sweetheart. Out of the eleven years we’d been together I’d been pregnant twice. Lil Mark was the second child. The first I aborted when I was eighteen. Mark and I were never really crazy about each other. We loved each other but always dealt with other people. I think it was easier for him to see me with another guy than the other way around. Mark and I had a lot of drama that escalated from him seeing other chicks. I guess it was just the jealousy in me. Lil Mark showed up three years ago and I knew I wasn’t getting rid of my baby. Mark and I were still going through our ups and downs; still not an official relationship. Whatever you call that. We spent time together as a family. He took us out occasionally but Mark was a drug dealer. That only went so far and he wasn’t a Kingpin. He worked for someone else. There were times that me and Lil Mark went without. My job as a receptionist didn’t always pay the bills and I wasn’t close to my family so I really had no one. Mark and his drug money was it.
So now I’m in this relationship with Flex. Good job having, clean, nothing illegal Flex. I love him with all my heart. Something I never felt with Mark but it was hard to let Mark go. I couldn’t stand to see him with someone else. I felt like I had leverage because I gave him his first born; his only child but now he was having a baby with someone else and I was about to lose my leverage; especially if he loved her.

Flex and I had been together for almost a year. We didn’t live together just spent plenty of time with each other when we could. He had a real problem with Mark. Not because he felt like mark was a problem but because I allowed Mark to play too much of a big part in our relationship. With me everything was about Mark. “I wonder where Mark is” I haven’t heard from Mark today” Mark this and Mark that. Flex warned me time and time again to let Mark go that we were no longer in a relationship and the only ties we had to each other were Lil Mark. I never listened. I always felt like Flex couldn’t understand our bond because he didn’t have kids. Now we were sitting here arguing about the incident that happened yesterday in front of Mark’s house.

“Shanece, I can’t keep going through this mess with you. I’m not in a relationship with Mark. I’m in a relationship with you. I don’t care that he has another baby on the way. He’s a grown man. He can do as he pleases.” Flex spoke as he stood in front of the TV at my house. Flex is a little over 5’8 smooth brown skinned with low cut sandy brown hair that he inherited from his mother.
“Flex you don’t understand. He didn’t even tell me that he was seeing someone else.” I sat on the couch trying to make Flex understand my point of view. Lil Mark was upstairs in his room playing.
“Does he know about me? Does he know that I take care of his son when he falls short?” He paused. “I didn’t think so. I’m tired of this mess with you and him. You get so worked up about what he’s doing in his life that you’re not paying no attention to me and you and our relationship. I been dealing with this for a year. But I’m done now.” He grabbed his bag to leave. He planned on spending the day and night but I guess that wasn’t happening today.
“Where are you going?” I jumped up to keep him from leaving.
“Going home Shanece. I told you I was not going to play this game with you for too much longer. Find someone else to pay your bills.” Flex walked out the door but I ran behind him.
“Flex we need to talk about this first. Don’t leave….Please Flex. Wait!!!”
“Shanece, get in the house before your nosey neighbors come out. Get your shit together and call me.” He jumped in his Lexus and pulled off. I went back in the house before someone started peaking out their window trying to see what was going on.
“Dammit!” I screamed at no one as I walked back into the house. I picked up the phone to call his cell but he didn’t answer. I did that two more times before I threw the phone into the couch. This could not be happening. Not right now. I truly needed Flex.

Flex made living in this luxury apartment an option. Everything I had was because of him. I worked as a receptionist and could not afford the rent on my own but with Flex and his great paying job at the bank I was able to live here and buy more for Lil Mark. Something else Mark did not know; another man was taking care of his son yet I was up his ass all the time about other chicks. I needed everything to be ok with me and Flex or it would be time to get a side hustle. Money would be getting low very soon.

Then the phone rang….

Meanwhile at “Forte” across town…

Keith Forbes checked out the crowded club...Rob Base's "It Takes Two" jam was getting the people up and dancing on the dance floor. His good looks and perfect fade with laid back waves was attracting lots of females. They came up to Keith, and asked him to dance. He smiled, showing the whitest teeth, and told them "Maybe next time, babe," and gave them a wink. His "guest" wasn't all that impressed with Keith's smooth ways. In fact, he fell for Keith's smooth ways once before...earning him 13 years in lock up.

Carlos Jenkins was looking sharp...dressed to the nines. His white fedora with the blood-red band, and matching blood-red silk shirt made him look like a true pimp. The Forte was full of pimp-wannabes, but Carlos turned all heads, looking like the pimp daddy...people fully aware of his huge 6'6" muscular frame. He ignored the females, and stared straight at Keith, who seemed intimidated by Carlos's presence.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand...'Keith'," said Carlos, putting emphasis on the name. Keith brought his full attention back to Carlos.
"The matter at hand. Ok, talk to me." Keith couldn't believe how big Carlos had gotten.
"I love the name. 'Forbes", huh? As in Forbes Magazine? And how about Keith-oh I know...from your favorite singer, Keith Sweat, right? Very ingenious, Mr. Randall Williams," Carlos said quietly in Keith's face.
Keith was starting to get furious. "Get to your point."
"Alright, here it is." Carlos saw a little fear in Keith's eyes...knew that this "new" partnership was not going to be like the old one.
"My brothers know about the money. The thing is, they think I'm the one with it. But we know who's holding on to it, don't we?" Carlos paused for effect. "They're scheming to get it, and they seem pretty determined. We need to keep them occupied for the next three weeks so they can work, and bring in the million bucks for us."
"Told you in the first place we didn't need them. How am I suppose to occupy them for three weeks?" Keith shook his head.
"They're good at what they do...that's why we got them here," said Carlos.
Keith continued to shake his head, then stopped. A thought suddenly came to him: His lover Michelle. "Hmm, I think I got a plan." He laughed. "Don't worry Carlos, I'll take care of your bros for you."

There was no reaction from Carlos. He moved in closer to speak quietly again to Keith.

"Remember these numbers: 750,000...for the dollars that we stole from those three banks. 13...for the years I served in lock up, and what you didn't serve. 50...for the percentage we will be splitting for the money stolen, and for this new operation...partner. You owe me that
much." Carlos was now nose-to-nose with Keith, who sat back and wiped off some of the sweat that was on his forehead.
"Carlos, man...we ain't gotta take it there. This is a new partnership, a new me. I was greedy back then, I learned my lesson. I know I owe you, and that's why I had you sent down here...because you didn't rat me out." Keith ordered a shot of Hennessey for him and for Carlos. "Here's to a new and equal partnership." Keith raised his glass to Carlos, who reluctantly raised his glass. They clinked their shot glasses together and downed the cognac, all the while Carlos noticing beads of sweat forming back onto Keith's forehead.

“The Dirty Sexy Chronicles” will be meeting up with “Crimes of Passion in the ATL” Read this series here: http://provocatived.blogspot.com