Me: I’d prefer you address me as Patience. Calling me Reading Rainbow means I can switch shit up too, right? Green Mile?
The jokes were refreshing. Michael was just as sweet at first. Thinking about him caused an instant snap back to reality. I was aware of innocent people serving a sentence that didn’t belong to them. However, I was also aware that some inmates did exactly what the hell they were charged with. Conversation was just conversation with them. The attachments could never be there again.
“Aye, I been trying to get right with Jesus for a long time. This walk got my feet rougher than a muthafucka. Them Florida streets ain’t no joke,” he replied with a slight chuckle. He was enjoying today’s convo just as much as I was.
Me: They say don’t drop the soap, but you got to bend over and take care of them corns. Be careful.
“Fuck you, shawty. I see you in a good mood today. That’s really good. I was hoping I could do that for you.Atkins, wrap it up. It’s chow time.I ain’t hungry.Bentley Atkins, wrap it up, now!And who the fuck you think you barking at? Oh, aight. Look, that’s my time. Let me handle this, and I’ll get back to you in a few hours.”
“What the fuck?” I said aloud. “Cedees come here!” I screamed out. I know I heard what I heard but with her hearing it too, I’d know I wasn’t tripping.
She came sprinting around the corner with her gun in tow. She was raised by Royce. Of course, she shot first and asked questions later. “What bitch? What?”
“Come listen to this. I ain’t fuckin’ crazy.” I climbed out the ring and met her halfway. She looked down at the phone and waited until I replayed the message.
“…Atkins, wrap it up. It’s chow time.I ain’t hungry.Bentley Atkins, wrap it up, now!”
Her gaze found mine within seconds. With eyes as big as saucers, I knew she caught wind of it too. Being an Atkins was rare. I hadn’t run into anyone else that shared their name. Everysingle one of us traveled and had yet to experience another fuckin’ Atkins. This wasn’t a coincidence. The odds of a man suddenly appearing as Bentley Atkins only for another to be connected with me on ChatMate.
“I’m not tripping, right? You heard that just like I did?” I needed her confirmation. I was a woman that followed her instincts and never doubted what life presented me. It was a reason this niggas name was what it was. “Bentendo. Bentley. It makes sense!”
“Hold up, hold up, hold up. I ain’t the smartest fish in the pond, but I know for a fact the name Bentley Atkins ain’t common. Heidi, who the hell are you messaging? Better yet, who the fuck is trying to get into my family?”
Cedees were asking the right questions that I had absolutely no answers for. I was just as puzzled myself. Things were beginning to be too much and going to Vegas didn’t seem half bad.
“Bitch, if I knew, I wouldn’t be here looking dumbfounded. My head starting to hurt off this shit,” I started rubbing my temples.
“I’m calling Royce. Get whatever lies you need together cause I’m not sparing you, that nigga in that chat, or the nigga snaking his way into my bloodline. I will flood this bitch red, and you know it,” she threatened.
She meant every word. The only person crazier than Royce was Mercedees. She was the unpredictable and untamable one out the family. I always thought she’d be the one behind bars first, but Royce debunked that theory.
“Call me for what?” Both Cedees and I looked to our right and Royce stood with Striker by his side. Both them niggas had their Glocks pulled as if something was going to pop off any second. “Oh, so y’all don’t hear a nigga? Call me for fuckin’ what?”
“You better tell him before I do,” Cedees whispered.
Royce’s long stride managed to close the distance between us within seconds. All I could do was look up at him nervously. When he was in protective mode, this nigga was intimidating as fuck. He could make the devil rethink decisions if you asked me. Towering over me, I cowered fast under his glare.
“Don’t make me snatch yo’ lil’ ass up in here Heidi. What the fuck you got going on? And I dare you to lie to me,” he threatened.
Swallowing my spit, I took a step back and he took one forward. He wasn’t giving me time to breathe. I hated when he got like this. Mercedees talked this nigga up. I blamed her for this. He didn’t blink once while he stared me down and waited impatiently for my response.
Dropping my head, I figured I might as well just give it to him raw. Releasing a deep breath, I tapped the message for the umpteenth time and allowed him to hear it for himself. When it was done, I looked up at him and saw nothing. His face was still, and I couldn’t tell if the nigga was mad, confused, or what. I took it a step further and went to explaining myself.
“So, I ended up joining Chats with Angels again. It’s everything that First Lady and the members claimed it to be. Everything is anonymous and discreet. I got paired with him from day one. We been chatting it up for a while now. Today was the first day he sent voice messages. That was the last message I got from him. I let Cedees hear it, and she wanted to tell you about it.”
“And you?” he inquired.
“I was going to tell you Royce. I just needed a minute.”
“Right. You planned on telling me ‘bout getting yo’ dumbass back in that program too, huh? Man get the hell out my face Heidi,” he said shooing me away.
“Royce, what the hell are we ‘bout to do with this? This ain’t no coincidence. Who the fuck is that?” Cedees asked pointing tomy phone. “And who the fuck is that?” she pointed behind her acknowledging the other Bentley.
“I don’t know,” he answered looking directly at me. “You care to tell us?”
“Royce all I know is the guy through the chat is an inmate in Florida…” The dots were connecting as I spoke. Inmates were called by their name or number. There was no reason for a guard to call him anything else. Bentendo94’, him mentioning Florida, then the guard… this wasn’t just by chance. I swiped out the app and called Niyani. If anybody knew Bentley Atkins, she did.
She answered after the first ring with excitement. “Friennnnnd. I was just ‘bout to hit you. I got these tickets to see?—”
