Читать книгу Love and a Gangsta - Erick S. Gray - Страница 14

7

Two things to preserve in life;

your health followed by freedom.

You lose one you lose both…

Omar

The past few days back home felt like heaven to me. Being with America again was great. Everyday we made love and it seemed like the first time. We did it in the bathroom, in the shower, the toilet, on the floor, the sofa, against the wall, in the kitchen, the kitchen table, countertops—shit if we could fuck on the ceiling, then we would have done it there also.

I was home four days, and spent every last one of them with my girl. The only time we left the apartment was to eat. I only wanted to spend my time with America during the first few days back home. I didn’t want any interruptions.

I knew my time alone with America would be short-lived. I ran into Connie in the chicken spot on Liberty Ave late one night. She recognized me on the spot and shouted me out, giving me a hug and was really happy to see me. It was cool seeing Connie again, but I knew she couldn’t keep a secret for shit, even when I told her to keep quiet about me being back.

The very next day, my cousin Greasy called the apartment. America picked up and when she heard Greasy on the other end, her facial expression did not look too pleasing. She handed me the phone with a sigh.

“It’s Greasy. How did he get this number anyway?”

“Hello…”

“What’s up, cuz. Why you ain’t tell anyone that you were getting out?”

“Greasy man… What’s good?”

“You, my nigga… Yo, where you at right now? Greasy wanna come by and scoop you up,” he said.

America was close by, listening to my conversation. He was so loud you’d think he was on speakerphone.

“Right now is not a good, Greasy.”

“How ‘bout tonight? There’s a jump-off on Hillside. The crew’s gonna be up in there. Soul, you need to come through. We missed you, man.”

“I missed y’all. I’m gonna have to take a rain check on that. I’m chillin’ with America.”

“Damn, Soul, can’t she let you off the leash for one night? We family, cuz.”

“You ain’t change one bit.”

“Soul, you know how Greasy get down, pussy and makin’ that gwap. I spoke to Mega the other day too… You know he’s doing his thing and he took over shop while Rahmel’s been locked down. He’s doing it big.”

“Yeah, I heard that.”

I glanced at America and she had a look of impatience waiting for me to get off the phone. She walked up to me, pulled me slightly in her grip, and whispered in my other ear, “I’ll be in the bathroom, getting things ready for us. Hurry up, baby.”

“Ahight,” I answered watching her walk away. “Damn…” I muttered.

Greasy always ran his mouth. I was happy to hear from my cousin again, but I was horny once more and America was waiting for me. I promised Greasy to link up with him over the weekend. I was still making up for lost time after being absent from her for so long. When I hung up, I smiled. It was good to hear Greasy’s voice again, but then I cursed myself for forgetting to ask him what he did to my car.

I walked into the bathroom, and America had everything set up romantically. She was patiently waiting for me while lounging in the bathtub that was filled with bubbles and soothing warm water. Candles lit the room faintly and America stared at me with a seductive smile.

“You know the drill,” she said, raising her leg out the water, and running her hand up and down her thigh.

“Damn baby, you ain’t playing,” I said, quickly getting out of my clothes. I got butt naked and slowly climbed into the tub and nestled against my boo.

Half-hour later, we both were still in the bathtub becoming wrinkled. America had her arms around me with her back against the tub, massaging my chest with her fingertips, with my back slightly pressed against her tits. It was such a serene moment, that I didn’t want to get up from between her legs. The candles still burned dimly.

“You know, I was thinking,” America uttered, breaking the silence in the bathroom.

“What’s that baby?”

“Why don’t you come with me to the studio tomorrow night?”

Her fingers still gently rubbed against my chest and I had my eyes closed enjoying her touch.

“That’s you.”

“And… You got talent, Omar. I know Kendal won’t mind.”

“This Kendal, how did y’all meet?”

“Through a mutual friend from work.”

“Is that so?”

“I already know what you’re thinking, Omar.”

“I didn’t say a word.”

“We’re just friends and do good business together. He looks out.”

“I don’t trust the nigga.”

“You never met him before. What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, if a nigga is giving you free sessions in the studio, and you ain’t even coming out of your pocket for that loot, he’s after one thing,” I hinted.

“Every man is not trying to fuck me, Omar. He’s a friend,” she assured me.

“Ahight, whatever… Have you seen yourself in the mirror, baby you look good, and if a nigga ain’t tryin’ to get at you, then he must be gay.”

She chuckled. “You crazy, but that’s what you want?”

“Nah, I’m just saying, nothing comes free in this world. You gonna end up having to pay one way or the other, either through cash or what you got between your legs.”

“I’ve been going to see him for a little over a year now, and he gave no indication that he wants me like that,” so she said.

“Indeed and maybe he’s just subtle with his, baby. He ain’t trying to scare you off. He knows you got talent. You’re a gold mine to him, and he knows you gotta man you’re serious with, but I guarantee, if I ever fuck up, and we become shaky, that’s when he’s gonna step off the sideline.”

“All you gotta do then is don’t fuck up, and we ain’t gonna have no problems, right baby?”

I smiled. “You think I’m trying to lose all this and have the next man claim my glory.”

“You better not. I love you too much.”

“I love you too, America.”

I felt my dick getting hard again under the water. Her touch always did drive my ass crazy. I wanted her again. I was about to turn myself over and position myself between her legs once more. But she stopped me.

“What are you gonna do with your life, Omar? You’re twenty-five years old, and I love you too much to see you waste your life and talents.”

“I know, I’ve been thinking about getting a job. But I ain’t got no experience in shit but hustling.”

“Why don’t you go back to school and get your GED. I can help pay for you to go to a community college, or maybe you can learn a trade.”

“A trade?” I laughed. “You mean something like becoming a mechanic or cook?”

“Whatever you feel comfortable doing, baby.”

My future didn’t look too good right now. Rahmel warned me that this would be the hard part, change. I was at a crossroad in my life, and knew that I needed to set a foundation for myself. If I didn’t, it would be easier for me to link up with my old crew and do what I thought I did best. I wanted to see them again, but I was hesitant, because I knew they still lived that way of life, and that way of life could violate my parole and I would have to finish my five-year bid. I sighed.

“Whatever you plan to do, I’m with you all the way, baby.”

She kissed me on the side of my neck and continued to massage my chest. There was a long pause. So many things were running through my mind. Then America hit me with, “Omar, promise that you will never go back to that life again? Are you done with the streets? Because if you’re not, then don’t waste my time. I need to know, will it be different now? Will it, Omar?”

I didn’t answer right away. I thought for a moment then said, “America, all I’m gonna say is that I’m different now, and I’m gonna try so hard to do right by you. I can’t predict the future, because I don’t know the future. But I do know what I feel for you right now, is real. And I’m ready to accept the challenge by doing something positive with my life.”

“I believe in you baby. I do.”

I couldn’t fuck up and break her heart. She didn’t deserve it. If I got locked up again, there was no guarantee that she would continue to be by my side. A woman could only take so much from a man.

America began to run her hands smoothly across my skin, nibbling at my ear. I felt her nipples hardening against my back. Then she began to recite a verse from one of her songs in my ear. I remained still between her long legs as America sang softly, “The urge I have to feel you here with me. It leaves me breathless, for that memory. I have to have you more than once in life this situation boy it’s out of my hands. The way you touch me, the way you caress me, the way your not afraid to get down with me, the way you look at me…ooh, the way that you move, says I’m always on your mind, our signs never lie…”

Her words were soothing and in my mind at the time nothing mattered.

The next morning we went down to Queens’ courthouse to get married. It was the last day of her vacation, and America had to be back at work the next day. I wanted her to go back to her job a married woman.

I paid two strangers fifty dollars each to be witnesses. America wore the brilliant cut diamond 14k white gold mount with the platinum band on her ring finger. Even though it was purchased with drug money, the gift came from my heart.

I smiled, and America smiled back. “You nervous?”

“Nah, nervousness is for men who aren’t sure of themselves. I’m very sure of myself today. You know I love you and will continue to love you.”

“You better save that stuff for when we’re in front of the judge.”

“I got plenty more coming for the ceremony, baby. Don’t worry.”

“Come here,” she said and planted a sweet kiss on me. “You are my everything.”

It was after one in the afternoon. We were finally called in the room for the ceremony. An elderly white man stood in a wrinkled suit clutching a bible. He smiled at us and encouraged us to come forward.

While he spoke, my eyes never left America. I had my hands in hers and never stopped beaming.

“Young woman, do you wish to say your vows now?” he asked America.

She nodded and looked straight in my eyes and said, “Omar, you are a man that I love and trust so much. You’re my everything. You are the epitome of what love between a man and a woman should be. You are always the first thing I think about when I rise in the morning and the last I think about when I lay to rest. The first time I looked into your eyes, I knew you would become someone so special to me, someone so dear to me. And I promise to love faithfully. I promise to be one with you, together you and me bringing love, peace, and tranquility. I promise to give you all I can as your woman, because you’re all I want in a man. Let us stand strong together. I love you, baby.”

America had a few tears trickling down her cheeks as she said her vows to me. She gripped my hands tightly and I knew her words truly came from the heart. The Judge nodded, then he turned to me and said, “Your turn young man.”

I gazed at America. I wiped the few tears from her face and smiled. I took a deep breath and said, “You know I love you, America. So let our hearts become one, tightly locked. Let there be no keys to unlock our trust, unlock our love, unlock what those will try to oppose. The first time I looked into your eyes, I knew that you would become someone so special to me, someone so dear to me. You always been there for me, got me hooked on your style and admit that for me, your type is just right, the one I’ll soon have become my wife. You’re my heart and soul, my boo, my lady, and angel in my life, a woman that makes me wanna exceed to become my best… I feel blessed with you and fortunate to have someone like you for my queen to my king. Give yourself to me and I will give myself to you. Placing you on the highest pedestal, then bow down on my knees to cherish and love my Nubian black queen. I promise to give you all I can as your man, removing the feeling of vulnerability, increasing the possibility of true uncompromising love. Now the sensation of your love covers my heart. The look in your innocent eyes, the touch of your innocent face, and I see my world, my all, the one I will always love. So as a man I try to close my eyes, so I can hold back my cries. But the harder I try, the harder I cry. Because the warmth of your touch, and the blessing of your heart, now have my eyes in tears, leaking wonderful soft cries for the love you and I share. Now falling in love I no longer fear and playa for life I no longer care, because I now feel more secure of what you and I share. So I wanna thank you for warming up a playa’s heart, because now it’s burning for just your love. I love you, baby…and today, I want you as my wife.”

When I was done, more tears trickled down America’s cheeks.

“Very well said,” the judge said, nodding and smiling at me.

I held America’s hands, facing her in my dark blue blazer, black slacks and wing tip shoes, feeling like I was on top of the world. The judge looked at America.

“Do you, Ms. America Stallings take Omar Stanfield, to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you apart.”

“I do,” America proudly stated, staring into my eyes with a smile.

He repeated the same vows and I looked at my beautiful woman and said, “I do.”

The judge announced that we were officially married. I pulled America into my arms and gave her a passionate kiss.

“I love you,” I proclaimed.

“I love you,” she repeated.

It was official. She was my wife. Now I had to step my game up and do me on a more positive note. I had opened a new chapter in my life, and so far it was looking good.