“Because I heard the nigga is a killa and I think you’re too cool to be dead,” Desi stated. “Anyway, what are you going to do?”
Remedy sighed, moving away from the window and leaning her back on the counter. “I really don’t know. I have to do something because sitting around all day ain’t going to cut it. I’ll figure it out like I always do, I guess.”
“Yeah, I hear you. I’ll text you about some gigs worth your while. You heard Trae Way MB is going to do a Waynesville Spring Fest? Ballers and rapper niggas crawling through the city means money for your phat ass,” Desi giggled. “Talk to your pimp about it.”
“Bitch,” Remedy huffed. “He’s not my pimp. He’s my very demented, very lonely neighbor.”
“I’m just playing. Just like I was last night. You’re too smart to be pimped out. Shit, half the bitches in the club are living on their backs and knees and you’re just floating by.”
“That’s what you think? I’m floating by? Not by a long shot,” Remedy replied to Desi.
“Well, I wouldn’t know. You’re like a mystery,” Desi stated.
“And you’re nosey as fuck,” Remedy replied. “I’m not telling you my business so the whole west side can know about it.”
“Me being nosey doesn’t mean I run my mouth,” Desi defended.
“No? So when Tammi danced pregnant for three months, you weren’t whispering about it?” Remedy posed.
“Yeah, to you. You don’t talk to them bitches. My gossip was safe,” Desi spoke with a laugh.
Remedy shook her head. “I hear you, Desi. Look, I got shit to do. Just let me know what’s up with the gigs. I’m going to need something while I’m floating.”
“I got you girl. Oh and Rem, I’m happy you’re not in the club anymore. You were never supposed to be there. Talk to you later.”
A small smile covered Remedy’s lips before she pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up. Sucking in a deep breath, she went back to what she was doing, busying herself. At one twenty three, she stuffed her bags of laundry into the trunk of her car before heading toward Ernie’s. Upon walking into the house, she heard the grumble of the brute from the night before.
“You just walk into people’s houses like you own it?” he grumbled.
She curled her lip and studied him; a low temple fade, silky black hair like his father’s. His skin wasn’t as dark as Ernie’s but smooth, nonetheless. “Oh, look. You’re still here.”
“Where else would I be?” he posed.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Hell.”
“Remedy,” Ernie called. “We’re going?”
“Yeah, after I get your clothes in the car,” Remedy replied, moving toward the bags of laundry she’d bagged up during the week. She felt his presence before spotting the largeness of his size moving her out of the way to grab the bags. “I had it.”
“How long you been doing this?” he posed.
“This?” Remedy asked with fused brows. “Hoeing, letting your father pimp me out, or whatever it was you said last night.”
“Taking care of him,” the man clarified.
“Ever since I noticed he needed someone to help him with things. Like paying the light bill, cleaning up. Eating food that hadn’t rotted.”
“He has money?”
“As his son, shouldn’t you know that? I wouldn’t. He can’t remember where the money is. Whoever he sees when he’s sundowning is taking it. I’ve just been paying the bills so that way I know he has the basics. Anything else you want to know or is your twenty-one questions done?” Remedy snipped.
“What else you doing to keep up with his shit and yours? He might not remember shit but he knows he was a pimp.”
Remedy laughed with irritation and snatched the bags from his hold. “You got a lot of fuckin’ nerve for a nigga that just popped up. What have you been doing for him? Huh? When he’s running down the street all hours of night, banging on my window because he’s afraid that someone’s in his house? Don’t fuckin’ ask me shit about shit. Aight? If you don’t mind, I promised him a day out.”
“Erys, why you bothering her? Watch out Remedy, he’s a thief,” Ernie stated, fully dressed in another sequined outfit. A hot pink iridescent suit. Remedy couldn’t even get past the suit to see the scowl on his face. “Muhfucka took my got damn pistol.”
Erys groaned. “Yeah, like almost twenty years ago.”
