A Misfit & A Thug

8. The Plot Thickens

Paul

Inez has been distance as hell lately, I've been calling and getting the voice-mail and when she does finally reply to my texts it's hours later. Now that I'm thinking about it, she been acting funny since that Benji situation. Benji knows me, well knew me. He knew alot of shit that even my family and OG's didnt know and it's bothering me I never found out why the fuck he was even there.

My ringing phone brought me out of my thoughts, it was my nephew Charles. I sat up in my lazy-boy before answering.

"Wassup boy!" I said laughing, cause he hates that shit.

"Fuck outta here. I'm a grown ass man!" He said more jokingly than I expected.

"What got yo ass so hyped this morning." I said standing up going into the kitchen to make me some breakfast.

"Same shit. Money stacking, drugs moving, business being handled. You know boss shit." He said sounding like he was smiling hard as hell.

"Alright Boss! What's the move for the day?"

"Actually I'm in ya driveway, I've been sitting here about 20 mins rolling up" He said with a chuckle. "You lacking b."

"I guess I am, I was sitting in the lazy-boy lost in my thoughts. You know that shit comfortable as ya bitch titties." I said cracking the eggs into the bowl. I was making my favorite breakfast meal. Scrambled eggs, brunt toast with butter and jelly, maple syrup bacon and a nice tall glass of O.J!

"Remember stay on your P's and Q's unc. Come open the door so I aint gotta use my key, I'm tryna light my blunt.

"Ight, one!" I said ending the call.

Walking to the foyer of the house I see wifey pulling up from checking on her businesses and running her morning errands. I unlocked the door for Charles and went back into the kitchen. I knew it would be a while before Mercedes comes in because if she's on a business call she'll sit in the car until everything's handle.

Mercedes and I met when we were in grammer school. I was in 6th grade she was in the 5th. It was like love at first sight. Well, at least it was for me. Mercedes couldn't stand me and I couldn't blame her. I always ribbed on her and made fun of her braces and uni brow but at the same time gave compliments about her long curly hair and pretty teeth.

One day I'll never forget, I was bothering Mercedes like normal but that day was different. I gave her my ice cream during lunch and let her beat me in dodge ball in gym. I was being extremely nice and didn't know why. It was just every time she smiled my heart fluttered. I didn't know what love really was but with Mercedes you couldn't tell me nothing. I let her play in my hair which I never let anybody do. I had dreads back then and my shits had to be on point. Anyway we ended up cuffed all day like we we're already a couple everything just felt right.

When 8th period started this 7th grader named Alexis Brown came strolling in with her fast sexy ass. I always wondered if her parents let her come outside like that or if she changed before she got to school and home. Either way it didn't matter because why the hell did she have the clothes to begin with.

Alexis came swaying over to me while giving Mercedes the side eye. When she finally approached us she bent down and told Mercedes to move out of her seat. I was shocked at first so my reaction was slow and Mercedes being Mercedes she didn't like confrontation so she was eager to get away. In the mist of her getting up and grabbing her things I grabbed her hand and told her sternly to sit back down.

"This isn't your seat Alexis, I don't see your name nowhere in sight. Stop being a bully." I said sticking up for Mercedes. She was my best friend and didn't even know it yet.

"You sticking up for her Paul? You even call her uni-cedes and braceface." Alexis said tryna to understand why her plan backfired.

"She is mines, I can call her that. Nobody else!" I said while place my arm around Mercedes shoulder. "Bye Alexis, if you can't speak to my girlfriend with respect don't speak to me either." I said waving my hand motioning for her to leave.

Alexis laughed and pulled Mercedes hair and tried punching her in the face but I caught her hand. I don't know where I got the strength or what made me slam Alexis but I did. Ever since that day me and Cedes have been thick as thieves.

She's my everything, I only creep with Inez because Mercedes is all about business and don't get me wrong that's what made me fall in love. She wanted her own shit, worked and grind hard for it. It's just times where I want to be romantic and go out on dates and get some affection. Mercedes is always "tired" or "gotta finish up some business ventures" so after feeling lonely so long I started seeing Inez.

Snapping me back to reality Charles walked in the kitchen passing me the blunt. "What's up nephew? What brings you to my side of town." I said taking my bacon out the oven.

"Nothing major, I just thought you should know what's popping in ya camp, feel me?" Charles said take a seat at the table.

"That's exactly what I got you for. I'm listening, inform me." I said finishing up making my plate and sitting at the table across from him, giving my full attention.

"Paris has been asking a lot of questions but we both know that's not unusual. It's the questions she's been asking that is." He said looking at me real sternly.

"And what's that?" I said stuffing a spoonful of eggs in my mouth.

"If your married, do you have children, where you live. I don't think it's her really wanting to know it's Inez." Charles said with a big sigh.

I stopped eating in mid chew, I knew this day would come, the questions started forming slowly months ago. They picked up more when I couldn't stay the whole two weeks in Miami four months ago. I've been giving Inez wifey attention and now she wants more. Fuck! I knew I shoulda been cut her off but she's fun and adventurous and that's what I was missing so I kept her around.

"The fuck am I gonna do b?" I asked rubbing my hands across my face and losing my appetite.

"Going to do about what baby?" Mercedes asked in the most seductive voice.

"Nothing major my love, just a few connects seem fishy." I said lying while wondering how much of the conversation did she actually heard.

"Ok, well that's nothing for me to worry about. Handle your business." She said while bending over giving me a kiss and caressing my manhood at the same time. "I met a new friend outside admiring the neighborhood." She said sitting on my lap.

"Oh, what are there tourist checking out the scenery or a potential home buyer." I asked cause that's what we usually get on this side of town.

"She's a home buyer her name is Inez, she mentioned something about being a model." Mercedes said while grabbing a piece of bacon off my plate.

My eyes flew out my head and my heart starting beating faster. Why the fuck is Inez on this side of town? Did she purposely come here because knows wassup or is she really looking into moving out here. "Where is she now?" I asked while slapping Cedes on the ass signaling her to stand up.

"She's in th-" Cedes started to say but was interrupted by Inez walking in.

"I'm right here. Your home is amazing Mercedes. Your pictures are beautiful and I wanted to know who's your interior designer?" Inez said while smiling but her eyes was sad.

"Thank you love, our designer name is Amad Damon, top designer in the world." Mercedes said while getting up walking towards me. "Paul this is Inez, Inez this is my husband Paul."

Inez just stared at me, with hurt, pain and a broken-heart in her eyes. The tension was thick and now Mercedes is looking confused and looking at me for answers too. Looking around trying to focus my attention on anything in the kitchen except for the two worlds I never wanted to meet. I noticed Charles branched off to the living room sitting on the couch macking to whoever he was on the phone with. "Bitch nigga." I thought.

"Why are u staring at my husband like that. Is there something going on that I don't know about?" Mercedes asked while standing up walking over to me.

"You wanna tell her or should I? Inez said having a seat at the table and intertwining her fingers looking like a school teacher ready to tell on their student at the teacher, parenting conference.