Jackie D. - Life After A Balla

“This is some bullshit. Here I am broke, eating fucking fast food everyday so Sandino’s son can have pampers and Skye is obviously set for life! What the fuck is taking so long with me getting my damn money?”

Furious, she started pacing the floor and mumbling under her breath. The revelation was a devastating blow as she punched the cheap mirror that was hanging on the wall in frustration. Blood splattered everywhere as several pieces of glass pierced her skin.

“Shiitttt!” she yelled out loud.

Disappointed and pissed, Asia looked at the reporter’s card sitting on her nightstand as she turned around to make her way to the bathroom. She smiled as she grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped her hand.

She walked out the bathroom, retrieved her phone off the table and picked up the reporter’s card. After looking at it for a few seconds, Asia dialed the number on the card. When the call went to voicemail she left a message.

“Hello, my name is Asia Jones, and I think I have some photographs you might be interested in publishing. Please call me back when you get this,” Asia said, providing her phone number and ending the call.

“It’s time to turn this shit up another notch.”

Kareem was slightly irritated as he rode in a cab listening to the African driver talk loudly on his cell phone in his foreign language. Trying to drown out the noise, he reached into his backpack, grabbed his OVO headphones and started listening to Drake’s new album Take Care . He was headed back to Le Le’s after storming out earlier that morning from another one of their huge arguments. Kareem just couldn’t seem to do anything right lately and he was beginning to wonder if moving in with her was such a good idea. He felt bad about yelling at her, but Le Le was starting to get on his nerves by asking so many questions about why his mother left and where she’d gone. It was hard enough for him to deal with his family leaving yet alone getting the third degree about it. He was very close to his family and even though he and his mother didn’t get along at times, she was his rock and truth be told he was lost without her.

They shared a very emotional conversation before she left about his feelings towards his father. She’d even held him tight as they both cried together. He felt a burden had been lifted and both of them telling each other their true feelings was the best therapy he could’ve ever had. It was a major breakthrough, and truth be told Kareem missed his family desperately. He couldn’t wait to see them again. But until he could go to Miami and pay them a visit, Le Le was his family. Kareem knew he’d put up a shield and needed to open up more, so he was on his way to apologize for being so cold towards her.

When the cab pulled onto her street, Kareem noticed a car backing out of her drive way. Instead of stopping, he told the cabbie to keep driving past the house. When the car passed them, Kareem glanced over at the man who didn’t see him. He looked familiar and so did the car. After instructing the driver to turn around and pull in her driveway, Kareem paid the fare, headed to the door, inserted the key, and walked inside.

When Kareem didn’t see Le Le in the living room, he walked towards her bedroom, but stopped once he realized she was inside her closet talking. It was something he’d heard her do in the past, which had him wondering if that’s where she liked to talk on the phone. As soon as he walked up behind her, she turned around completely startled.

“Who are you talking to?” Kareem asked, looking around like he expected to see someone. “And why are you always talking in the closet?”

“How did you get in the house?” Le Le asked ignoring his questions. “I didn’t hear you ring the doorbell.”

“I took your key, is that a problem?”

“Yes it is…a big problem. If I wanted you to have a key I would’ve given you one,” she said. “Just like it’s a problem with you being in my closet. You know this area is off limits.” After Kareem made his way out, Le Le quickly turned the light off, and locked the door only wearing a thin, silk robe.

Kareem looked at her up and down furious, then wondered why she wasn’t dressed.

“Who the fuck was that nigga I just saw leaving here? And why don’t you have any clothes on?” he asked pissed off.

Le Le immediately rolled her eyes. “I know you’re not coming back in here asking me fifty thousand questions after the way you acted this morning. If you must know, that was my cousin. He’s in town visiting and stopped by to see me. Why, what’s the big deal?”

Kareem looked at her funny, squinting his eyes.

“Why you looking at me like that? You don’t believe me? Do you want me to call him back and introduce him to you?” she questioned with an attitude.

“No, if you say it was your cousin then that’s who it was,” Kareem said, following her into the living room.

They both went over and sat on the couch.

“Look, I need to apologize to you about storming out earlier, but seeing that nigga pulling out your driveway got me all fired up again.”

“Well, I’ll accept your apology this time, but don’t make that shit a habit. Just because your mother let’s you talk to her any kind of way doesn’t mean I’m going to.” When Kareem shook his head, Le Le finally smiled. “Now, come here and give me a hug.”

Being in Le Le’s arms always seemed to make things right , Kareem thought as they embraced. He then planted a huge kiss on her lips.

“I love to make up,” she continued. “It’s the best part about fighting.”

“Me too. You know my mother’s ex-boyfriend used to have a car just like the one your cousin was driving,” Kareem added.

“Oh really. So, who was your mom’s ex boyfriend?”

“Nobody important. Just a low life muthafucka named Justice who double crossed us.”

“Double crossed you? How?”

“He claimed to be so in love with my mom, but called my father and told him where to find us just to collect money because he was in debt.”

This information took Le Le by surprise. “Hold up, he called your father? What happened once he called him?” Le Le couldn’t believe Kareem was finally being so open. The anticipation of him answering her questions was almost too much to handle.

“Look, I don’t want to keep talking about that shit,” Kareem said trying to change the subject.

Le Le stomped her foot in frustration. “Why do you get so damn defensive and shut me out when I ask you questions about your family?”

“I just don’t like people asking me a lot of questions,” Kareem responded.

Le Le took a deep breath. “So, I’m just people now? You know what, since you obviously don’t think I’m trustworthy enough to learn a little about your precious family, but I trust you enough to stay in my fucking house, you should think about moving out,” she said, walking off with an attitude.

Le Le circled the block several times looking for a parking space before she finally found one. After checking her cell phone and realizing there were ten missed calls from Kareem, she finally got out and walked toward the building. When she entered the coffee shop, the aroma of several different types of gourmet coffee lingered in the air.

“Welcome to The Singing Bean, can I interest you in one of our homemade deserts?” a lady behind the counter asked.

“No thanks, maybe later,” Le Le said, looking around. The place wasn’t very big, but the relaxed atmosphere was nice and cozy. She made her way past several people who all had their laptop computers out and walked toward the back.

“Why the hell did I have to call you so many times today before I finally got a call back?” she asked the person she was there to meet.