Rice was coming in wearing red panties under his uniform and shit. He was getting fuckedby that punk named Juwan. They got busted in the infirmary. Red panties and all!”
“Damn.” Forever shook his head in disbelief. “What about Carter and Scott?”
“When Carter saw that, he got scared as fuck and transferred to Atlanta. Scott is still around but he just made lieutenant so he’s chillin’ for now. I can’t talk him into doing shit. And you know the visit situation really ain’t worth our while. We need some fresh meat. The market is off the meter. I went up a little on the prices because ya know these niggas still gonna cop. But the little shit I get in now is a fuckin’ joke. You gotta handle your business, and fast.”
“What’d you do?” Forever listened intently.
“An ounce of weed is a “G” and an ounce of powder is double that. I told them that’s all we’ll be moving. Everybody’s waitin’. It’s on you now.”
Forever nodded his head. “How’s your family?” He asked Zeke.
“Man, don’t get me started. That bitch won’t even bring my boys to see me and always bitchin’ about how much money she need.” They walked in silence some more until Zeke blurted out, “I’m just tryna maintain but that hoe be havin’ me stressin’.”
“I hear you man. Some nigga gotta be all up in her head for her to be trippin’ like that.”
“Her head! Fuck that! All up in that pussy!” Zeke spat. Now he was really pissed.
Forever had no comment for that. He switched the subject and Zeke filled him in on the jailhouse drama for the next half hour. “A’ight man. I’ma go try this phone again.” Forever jogged back to the building.
When he reached the phones there was a long line. “Damn,” he mumbled under his breath and leaned up against the wall. He hadn’t held his woman or his five-year-old daughter Tameerah in eight months. He had to admit and be thankful that he was one of the lucky brothas who had a woman on the outside who was riding with him. Finally, after twenty minutes a phone came open. He quickly dialed home hoping that his wife was there. After the fourth ring he heard his daughter’s voice and started smiling. She had the nerve to press five.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hey Tameerah, baby. How’s Daddy’s baby?”
“Mommee! It’s Daddee!” she yelled. “Hi Daddee.”
“Hey baby. You okay? How’s school?”
“It’s fine. We got a rabbit.”
“A rabbit! At home?” Forever acted shocked.
“No.” She laughed. “At school. His name is Fred.”
“I see. You miss me?”
“Yup. Here comes Mommee.”
“I love you baby.” Forever smiled.
“I love you too.” Tameerah passed the phone to her mother.
“Hey baby. How are you? I miss you.” She squeezed the phone tight.
“I’m out the hole.”
“Are you?” She gasped.
“Yeah. I came out earlier today. Can you come see me this weekend? I miss the shit outta y’all.”
“Not as much as I miss you.” Her voice cracked.
“Y’all a’ight?”
“Other than you not being here, we’re fine.”
“How about money-wise?”
“I’m working part time for an insurance agency.”
“Working?” Forever was surprised.
“Our stash is getting low. I know you didn’t think it was going to last forever.”
“Who watches the baby?”
“She’s in school and she’s not a baby anymore, Forever. I take her and pick her up. I’m here when she leaves and here when she gets out. Plus, I’m doing my little balloon hobby, as you like to call it.”
Forever was silent, mulling things over in his mind.
“Everything’s working out fine,” she tried to assure him. “You know I have to keep busy.”
“How does she like school?”
“So far so good. Let’s just hope it lasts. Do you miss me?” Nyla ran her hand across her breast.
“Baby, you know I do. You don’t even have to ask that.”
“I just like to hear you say it.”
“I’ll show you how much when I see you this weekend. I
John Steinbeck, Richard Astro