Articles Tagged: black author

A Time For Change: Chapter 3

August 10th, 2008 | By Sonnie

From inside the cab I called Travis and gave him Big sistas number. One call from me and he gets $1,200 and sometimes long life clients, even though in this business that could be short. If I wanted to hustle myself I could control this town. Everyone here is weak and not about business. That made doing business to damn risky.

We pulled up to the border of Lynnville projects. It must have rained when we were in the club. The night air was crisp and just on the brink of being warm. Early spring my favorite time of the year. I told the driver to pull over. I offered him the amount shown on the meter. He refused. I said okay and flipped a $20 over the front seat.

“You shouldn’t be walking out here all alone, ma’am.” He said poking his head out the drivers’ side window.

“To me, this is the safest place in the world.” I turned my back and walked away. He stayed there for a moment, then quickly pulled off when a group of local thugs got to close to the side of his cab.

I didn’t like living here. I got the money to move someplace nice, but no place nice could be as safe.

Goldie, by far the scariest of all the rats around here, was the best person to do business with. He didn’t speak to me when we weren’t talking about business. When he did want to do business he always had the money, he was always on time, and he told me I can walk safe in his hood. So I dropped the cost of his inventory. Now he supplies to most of the little rats around here, and most of the city. He never tells anyone where he gets his work, so the whole hood thinks he’s banging me. And that’s cool no one fucks with me. It works for me.

I walked down the street. It seemed to be dead tonight. I bet I’d get a delivery soon. There were no fiends, no little kids outside playing way past their bedtimes. Silence and that was worrisome the longer I walked and the quieter it seemed to get. I quickened my pace and made my way into the dirty corridor that led to my apartment.

I checked the halls, both ways, twice. Something just didn’t feel right. I opened the door and went in fast. I bolted all five locks from the inside. Took off my knock Vera Wang slingbacks, and began to move close to the couch.

He startled me as he began to move around. I knew that he was still having those bad dreams that haunted him the 2 years I’ve known him. I heard him softly murmur ‘I don’t want to be a gangster. It costs to much’.

My heart broke looking at him, remembering how alone I used to feel. Shit, used to feel. The way I have always felt. I stayed a safe distance from his swinging range and called his name sereval times raising my voice each time until he opened his eyes.

“They almost got him tonight.” He didn’t have to tell me who. I knew. Goldie had started making a lot of enemies. He had such low prices on his work, no one else could compete. “I put $135,000 in your safe. Do you mind if I crash here tonight?”

“You know you don’t have to ask. Go get in the bed we’ll talk in the morning.”

“I’ll make you pancakes.”

“I can’t wait.” I said as he sauntered off into his bedroom. He was 13 and on the fast track to taking over his father’s business. He had no fear in dangerous situations, because he had nothing to live for, but boy is he smart. I let him have unlimited access to my apartment as long as he brought good grades home. So, he did. I even had to go to the school and get him put in advanced classes so he wouldn’t be bored.

I can’t have kids so he’s the closest I’ll ever get.

A Time For Change: Chapter 2

July 30th, 2008 | By Sonnie

I snuck out of the club a few minutes after Sky left. I only came out because I wanted to get Sky out of that dank apartment. She was so beautiful; I don’t understand why she just wastes her life away stuck inside the house. If I had those long legs and a smile that lights up a room I wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in now.

“How do you know Sky?”

The voice was one I had never heard before. I turned to look and there was the cutest white boy I had ever seen up close. He had a short hair cut, and the light hue of his hair made his hazel eyes so sexy.

“How do you know Sky?

“I don’t.” I lied knowing he could tell.

“Tell her it’s time to stop running.” He handed me a card, turned and began to walk away. Every girl waiting for a cab on the corner was checked him out as he walked away. With their eyes on him, it was easy for me to snag the first cab that pulled up to the curb. If Sky was running from him, she was a fool.

I stuck the card in my bag and told the driver ‘643 Telsa, please’. I closed my eyes and imagined how wonderful it would be to be Sky. Hell, right now I would be happy to be anybody but Atrishia Baxter.


A BIG HOUSE REALITY: CHAPTER 2

July 21st, 2008 | By Sonnie

James sat in the office once occupied by his senior V.P. It had been six months since he had to sell his business to keep from going bankrupt. He was lucky the new owners saw some potential in him and kept him around. They even kept him as the CEO; the only difference was the office. He hated this office. His new office was occupied by Cindy Walsh, a perky little white woman that swept through like a hurricane.

She fired half his staff, dropped most of his long time customers, but managed to take the near bankrupt company into the black. James had owned Simmons programming for the last twelve years, and he needed seven of those years to turn a profit. Though it was meager, it was a profit none the less. He resented Ms. Cindy for doing what he could never do, in a shorter period of time. He resented her for the fast talking constantly moving people that now surrounded him. Most of all he resented himself for letting it happen.

The phone began to ring. He dreaded when the phone would ring these days, especially when the secretary didn’t buzz first.

“Simmons Programming, this is James Simmons can I help you.”

“You need to come home and get your son. He rigged the bathroom door to electrocute me when I touch it. You need to let him go away so he can stop doing things like this.”

He could hear Tom in the back round yelling over Shavon’s tears. “She got her pills and her vodka in there. She’s alright”

“Come get this boy before I kill him.”

“I know more ways to kill you. Maybe I’ll just up the wattage. What do you think Ma?”

“I’m sure he’ll let you out if you calm down. I don’t know what you did to provoke him this time, but don’t call me.”

“I did nothing to provoke him, he’s the devil. You have to come get him before he really hurts me.”

“Hurt you. Tell him what you did to Julie. Tell him how you called her a slut and pushed her down the steps. Tell him that, while you’re crying about me.”

“Where’s Julie?”

“She ran her fast ass out of here, probably at one of those little boys house.”

“I’ll be home soon just calm down.” He hung up and called Tom on his cell phone.

“Dad…”

“Up the wattage, I’ll be home late tonight. Oh yeah, remember to unplug the phone this time.” He hung up.

The phone rang again. “Daddy, what time you getting off today?”

“I was just about to call you. You alright?”

“I’m fine. It wasn’t as bad as Mason made it out to be. Wanna get something to eat?”

“Scants in thirty minutes?”

“See you there.”

The phone rang again.

“What?” he shouted into the receiver.

“Mr. Simmons, this Wendy Watchman from FR productions. Is this a bad time?”

“No. I’ve been waiting to hear from you. I mean you just send us a check and then nothing.”

“Sorry we were having a little trouble with our financial backers, but know we have a perfect location reserved for two weeks from now. That won’t be a problem will it?”

“No problem. I own my own business I can take off when I want.”

“I must stress that the agreement is only valid if your entire family shows.”

“No problem. I have a wonderful family. I know you’re just going to love them.”

“And you’re sure that you have kept confidentiality?”

“I’ve told no one. My family will just think we’re going on vacation

“Great, all the information you need will be delivered by email. I look forward to meeting you and your family.”

James hung up the phone and let the smile masked his pain slide away. He would have cried but he was meeting Julie and she could always tell. He told his secretary he was leaving for the day, and purposely walked the long route, so not to pass his old office. He missed his office.

Bar Code Glitter

A Time For Change: Chapter 1

July 19th, 2008 | By Sonnie

I shouldn’t have come. Everything in me said go home before something bad happens. Something bad always happens to me. I can never go out and just have a good time.

“Come on, let’s grab a table,” Trish exclaimed as she grabbed my arm and pulled me through the hoards of mother’s that left their kids with god knows who, trying to find one of this men who haven’t seen their kids since their baby’s mama took them to court for not paying child support. God I hate people. Here I was in the middle of the most desperate of them. I shot a tense smile at Trish as I snatched my arm from her grasp. Go home Sky, go home.

Trish jumped into a booth just as a big sista was about to sit down.

“Sorry, taken” she said with a smile on her face. I stepped up and took a seat next to Trish. Big sista was dressed to the T. She wore an all black Armani suit with a pair of heels over 6 inches. Every hair was in place, and her make-up looked like Picasso had painted it. She was sharp, and by the look on her face she was also mad.

Two skinny girls walked up behind her. Neither had half the class of big sista. The one in the bright red and yellow tube top leaned over and whispered into big sista’s ear, which caused her to look at me with a long hard pause.

“Why don’t you sit down and have a drink?” I said as I returned the glance that all three were now shooting at me.

“Okay” said big sista as she slid into the booth opposite Trish. Her two flunkies attempted to scoot in, until both big sista and I focused those glances on them. Bright red and yellow tube top pushed bright yellow and red tube top into the sea of dancing idiots until they disappeared.

“I’ll go and get us some drinks. Rum and coke?” Trish asked.

“Make sure it’s Bacardi white, please.” I replied.

“And you?”

“She isn’t staying,” I said cutting off Big Sista. Trish shrugged her shoulders and disappeared into the crowd. Big sista told me what she wanted and I gave her instructions on how to get it. Then I told her I needed her i.d. She looked reluctant then pulled it out without making me ask twice. I liked her swagger, and returned it in kind by not looking at it. I nodded my head and big sista got up and left. For someone who never left the house I had a face that was to easy to recognize.

Trish came back and put my drink on the table. That was why I could chill with her. She just went with the flow. Never too many questions, and when something went down she wasn’t scared to swing. My nigga.

I grabbed my drink and took it down quick. Then I offered to go and get refills. Trish looked surprised, but didn’t say anything just nodded her head. I got up and tried to make my way to the bar. Then I spotted Travis. He saw me and pushed the skank shaking her ass in front of him out the way. She looked disgusted when she turned to see who had caught his attention. She looked at me, and her face dropped. I shook my head and she lowered her eyes and made a hasty get away.

“What is up?” Travis slurred through the gold teeth encasing his mouth.

“Two rum and cokes to my table please.”

“Anything else?’

“Yeah, stop calling my house after 11:00. I like you, but I really hate repeating myself. We clear.”

“Yes ma’am.” He said as he turned and walked away. His whispered bitch under his breath, but as long as he kept it under his breath, I’d let him keep his breath. I turned to walk back to the table when I noticed Trish’s sister had arrived with her 2 stooges. The booth was now full and I was not about to squeeze in, so I stood at the table until one of them had the sense to get up.

Lisa, Trish’s sister grabbed crony number ones hand and they went off dancing. Crony number two was at the table trying to cover her black eye. I said nothing as I sat down. I had met both cronies before, but they were never important enough to remember their names. Go home Sky, go home.

Travis came to the table carrying 4 little tumblers. He placed them all in front of me and began to bat his eyes.

“Come and check on me a couple times and I’ll call you when I’m leaving.”

“You the best” then he walked right back to the skank he was with earlier and she just smiled and started to shake her ass on him again. I shook my head with the same disgust she had shown me only moments earlier. I hadn’t had sex in 2 years and now I remembered why. I slid two tumblers to Trish and drank one of mine like it was a shot. My insides began to warm and my shoulders to relax. I picked up the second tumbler and took a small sip. Trish and Crony number two had been talking since I had come back to the table, but I couldn’t focus on their conversation because I just didn’t care.

“What would you do, Sky?”

“Huh”

“How would you get a man to stop hitting you?”

I laughed out loud. I mean real loud. It even caught Travis’ attention which allowed me to motion to him for another drink. I tried to control my laughter and it was made a lot easier when I saw the look on Trish’s face. I stopped my banter as I tried to figure out what I was reading on Trish. She looked serious and stern; I had never seen that look before.

“Come on, you’re great at giving advice. What would you do?”

“Do about what?” Lisa asked as she scooted in beside me. I turned and stared her dead in her face; she scooted out and told Trish to move.

“I don’t want your opinion I was asking Sky. What would you do?” I didn’t like the way Trish was pushing this on me. So I figured I’d break some of the promises I had made to her before we left my apartment.

“Okay first of all, one of the first things I tell a man when we meet is ‘If you ever hit me I’ll kill you’ and I mean it. Second, you have to be tired and then you have to be tired of being tired. And until you get there, there’s nothing else that can be done.”

“What would you do when you’re tired of being tired?” That was it. Trish was tired of being tired. The thing was I never knew she had a reason to be tired. I thought she and her boyfriend had a really great relationship. Her eyes pleading for a response made me mad. She’s a dummy. How could I have been so wrong? Well here comes a reality check.

I turned and looked at crony number 2. “Are you tired of being tired?” She shook her head yes. I grabbed crony number 2 and punched her in her unbruised eye. She jumped up, fist balled into knots. “I bet when he hits you, you fall into a fetal position. I can bring more harm to you than he ever could. So if you can fight me back, why can’t you fight him?” Lisa was now behind the booth warning crony number 2 that she didn’t want it with me. “Sit down. She’s a grown ass woman she doesn’t need you to tell her what to do.” I guess the beat down I had put on Lisa when we first meet still rang fresh in her mind.

“You’re my size. He’s too big.” She still had her fist in knots, but I knew she had no intention of swinging on me. She wanted me to tell her how to fix her pathetic life; she wanted me to be her savoir.

“Unclench your fist and have a seat. What is your name?”

“Samantha, but them call me Sam.”

“Well hypothetically, I would make my man a good dinner. Make sure I fixed all his favorites. I’d do nothing that made him mad, just be a good little girl.” I felt myself slipping back to all the scenarios I had played out in my head. “Then I’d run him a shower and tell him to get ready for a terrific night. While he was in the shower I would slip into something real sexy and wait for him to come out. I’d strap him to the bed and well then you could just imagine the possibilities.” I was staring blankly at my empty rum and coke. I picked up the class and tasted the watered down soda in my cup. I snapped my head around trying to locate Travis, but instead HE was there, staring at me.

I turned back towards the girls who were now laughing at my plan, all but Trish who looked like she had more questions she wanted to ask. I saw the pain she was in, but it was nothing compared to what I was feeling. Had something gone wrong? Was Flake ok? No. Can’t deal with this right now.

“Trish, honey, I gotta go.”

“Okay, but I’ve gotta talk to you soon. Don’t forget.”

“Never would. Gotta go.

I rushed out of the club, and straight into a cab. His being here couldn’t be a good thing. Had the time come already? Was it finally time for me to go home.


Bar Code Glitter

A BIG HOUSE REALITY: CHAPTER 1

July 12th, 2008 | By Sonnie

It’s been nine months since the first trees began to fall on my Grandma’s farm. I imagined what it must have been like, growing up with nothing but your family to take care of you. Eating only what you grew or raised was a foreign concept to a city girl like myself. I spent some time with my grandma in the original house before the construction began, and I loved watching as she maneuvered around knowing exactly where everything is located. The way she had everyday planned out, yet still managed to spend time naming the new baby ducks. She was at peace here, and I knew how much she was giving up for her family.

I sat in the car and looked at the magnificent estate being built around me. I had been over every plan for every room a thousand times. I constantly roamed the property making sure there were reminders of the farm in every nook and cranny. I didn’t spend long on the farm, but it was the closest I ever got to a happy home.

The gently knocking at my window startled me. I turned to see a sexy gardener motioning me to roll down my window. I did, but found it hard to concentrate with his shirtless chest at eye level. I managed to hear him say Stacey had just left and ok’d the final plant selections for the garden. I told him to leave the garden for last, because Grandma wanted to supervise the project. I watched him walk away until he disappeared behind the Rose bushes. I looked up and saw grandma in the window laughing.

She made a sweeping motion like talking on the phone, and gave the inquisitive eyes. I motioned no, she flashed the disappointed eyes, then disappeared behind the curtains. I sat there with two choices, make the call from the car or make the call from the house and grandma’s watchful eyes. I dialed the first phone number I ever learned and the only number I know I’ll never forget. The phone rang two times before I heard my mother’s normal chipper tone, and the lisp in her speech assured me dad was still the same.

“Hi, Mom. How are you?”

“Mary, I’m glad to hear all is well with you, let me get your brother.”

“No mom, I would like to talk to you.”

“You know I can’t do that. Goodbye Mary.” She hung up. There was nothing. I knew the feeling and I didn’t understand why it surprised me. She had always been that way. Why was I not surprised, an even better question, why did it hurt so much?”

I looked out the window again and let the beauty of the things around me sink in, and I let her go. I decided to go for a walk. I heard they delivered my horse today. Nothing is going to bring me down today. All the pieces were in place, and soon my grandmothers dreams are going to be realized. Soon my dreams were going to be realized.

I got out the car and stretched and inhaled the fresh air. Yeah, I think I’m going to love it here.

Bar Code Glitter