Lovin' Harlem

Ch. 21

"Hello, Eva Rodriguez, an inmate at Forsyth County Jail is attempting to contact you. To accept this call, press 1. To decline, press 5." An automated voice played in my ear as I held the phone up by my shoulder. Goosebumps lingered down my arms while I sat up in an unfamiliar bed. My head was pounding and looking at the phone to press 1 made my headache worse. Nicki's body wasn't in the bed next to me but Harlem was still curled up in a ball.

                                "Terrell please don't hang up. Nicki won't answer the phone and neither will Junior. I need help," Eva begged desperately but I didn't feel sorry for her. Maybe if she asks about Harlem I'll consider helping her depending on what she needed help with.

                                "Whatchu want Eva?"

                                "I got a safe at my house and I need you to get in it and find a way to send what's in there to me. Put the money on my books cause my lawyer said imma be here for a minute," Eva spoke quickly but it was hard to focus on anything because she still didn't mention anything about Harlem. She might be the most selfish person I've ever met.

                                "2008, that's the year we met. That's the code. I miss you Terrell,"

                                "When you gon' ask bout Harlem?" I asked as I watched Harlem sleep peacefully. Her hair was messy from the pig tails being taken out before she went to bed and she always drooled a little bit.

                                "She's with you, right?"

                                "Yeah," I said calmly even though that was the last thing I was feeling. My blood started to boil as the phone cut out for a few seconds. The call was almost over.

                                "Okay, look I gotta go. Send me that money please," Eva said before hanging up. I couldn't process the fact Eva really didn't care about Harlem. She never asked if she recovered from overdosing or if she was even alive and that made me hate her even more. Nicki walked into the bedroom and stopped when she saw me sitting there pissed off with a death grip on my phone.

                                "What's wrong?"

                                "Eva really don't give a fuck about Harlem and that pisses me off," I looked over at Harlem's sleeping body and shook my head. She was the definition of perfect, how could Eva not see that? Nicki sighed and came to sit next to me. Her hair was in a French braid and I smiled as I noticed the lack of makeup. It was hard not to admire her when she was so beautiful without even trying.

                                "Yeah I know but she got you now. She really loves you, ya'know? You're all she talks about and I think that's so sweet that you have that kind of effect on her. She doesn't need Eva. None of us do,"

                                "She ain't even ask bout Harlem." I rubbed my temples and closed my eyes. The headache was slowly getting worse.

                                "What she want?"

                                "For me to get in her safe and send her whatever's in there. I even brought Harlem up and then she got off the phone hella fast." I finally opened my eyes and watched Nicki's thoughts take off quickly. She smirked and then turned her neck to face me.

                                "I'll show you where the safe is but I hope you don't think you're bout to send her all that money."