A Hustler's Wife Page 6

  In the mean time, all kinds of cars were rolling up, new ones, old ones, a car that needed a muffler, and one that had smoke coming out of the tail pipe. Then you had the people approaching the corner on foot, bike or scooter, all in the name of buying crack. This particular corner so happens to be one in Richmond, Virginia, but every town has one.

  When Yarni approached the projects, she would make sure all the windows were rolled down, and the music pumping just to draw attention to the car, so people could see precisely that she was pushing Des' whip. She would never make any eye contact with any of the guys out of respect for Des, but she made her presence known, and was seen by all the broke down hos on the curb that was always hating on her. If she saw a female she was cool with, she'd cut the music down and carry on a conversation with that person, while the whole time exhibiting her newest rock or designer sunglasses, as the haters watched on enviously. Since they despised her anyway, she especially flossed on them. "Hate on that!!!!!," was the statement she made.

  YOUNG BUT NOT DUMB

  That had been the sweet beginning, and now, Yarni had to pull herself together and gather her thoughts. She wanted to call Gloria so bad. She would come and resolve this whole situation, but Yarni's pride wouldn't let her call. She began to ask herself,

  "What would my mother do in this situation?" She peeled the duct tape to remove the letter off of the jewelry box and put it in her pocketbook. She picked up the phone and called the police.

  She reported to the police that there was a breakin at her apartment. She knew none of her neighbors had seen anything because they all were probably at work or they wouldn't say they had seen anything even if they did. The police came and observed the forced entry. They filed a police report. Once they saw the photo of Des on the floor, they drew the conclusion that somebody had robbed Des. They honestly were not concerned about who did it or why. The police silently looked at each other, signaling that the case would be closed as soon as they left there. They gave her a copy of the police report and told her they'd keep her posted. All she was really concerned about was the police report anyway.

  Yarni sat on the plush carpet and telephoned her Aunt Andrea, informing her of what happened. She also called Des'

  right hand man, Slim, and asked him to come over. When he got there, he couldn't believe his eyes. She reached into her pocketbook, unfolded the letter and handed it to him. Slim had just collected some money that was owed to him. He gave her $5,000 to at least get a hotel room and to look for some more furniture the next day. He also promised that he'd give her $5,000 more in 3 days. He motioned to a dude waiting in the car to come in so they could try to fix the door until the maintenance people could get there. They also helped her put what clothes they could fit into her Sterling.

  Slim picked up Yarni's spirits because he was actually doing hard labor, and Slim doesn't do any manual labor for anybody.

  Slim was a bright, light skinned guy who weighed about 270

  pounds Des gave him the name Slim, as a joke. He wasn't your average fat kid. Slim was the coolest, smoothest big dude that Yarni had known or ever seen. He might have been overweight, but he was a bonafide fly guy. She never saw him wear the same shoes twice, or anything about his appearance ever out of order.

  Even his kick around gear was the average person's top-notch wear. Slim's weight was never a factor to him. He knew that he was a big guy, but he finessed the women and everybody else he interacted with. So to actually see Slim carry her clothes to her car and bust a sweat humored Yarni.

  Yarni realized that Joyce had also taken all Des' cars from the complex lot, including the Benz that was in Yarni's name.

  As Yarni waited while the maintenance man fixed her door, the phone rang. Rinnnggg, I hope this isn't Joyce. I swear I don't think I can keep from going off on her. Maybe I shouldn't answer it. Rinnggg, I better answer it, it may be Des. Rinnggg

  "Hello" Yarni said.

  "Hey, sweetie, it's mommy."

  "Hey Mommy" Thank you God, I really needed my mom to call.

  "Listen, baby, I need a big favor of you. I am not feeling well and I don't feel comfortable staying in this house alone tonight.

  I need you to come over and spend the night. Please baby I really need you. I am depending on you."

  "No problem, mommy. I'll be over in a little while. Do you want me to stop at the drug store to get you something?" "No sweetie. I'll be fine once you get here." Yarni hung up the phone. Yarni began to think, mommy I need you now myself, but I'll be strong for you.

  Nothing was wrong with Gloria. She knew Yarni needed her more than anything now. She'd seen the verdict on T.V. and Andrea had called and told Gloria the stunt Joyce had pulled.

  She knew how strong minded and stubborn Yarni was. She knew Yarni wasn't going to call her.

  Gloria had also been keeping up with the trial on the news.

  She had a bad feeling about the outcome. While the trial was going on, she had a big oversized bedroom, gigantic walk-in closet, full size bathroom, and a den with it's own entrance added on to her house. She was hoping that she wouldn't have to put it to use. She prayed that Des wouldn't go to jail. The bottom line is, she had to be prepared for Yarni's sake if he did. She brought a nice canopy bedroom set, and a leather sofa for the den along with an entertainment center, a 31-inch T.V., and a mini size refrigerator. She felt Yarni could entertain her company as well as come and go as she pleased. She accepted the fact that Yarni wasn't a little girl anymore. She even had Yarni's phone line reconnected so she could have her own phone line back there. Gloria knew that Yarni would need somewhere to stay whenever she came home on the weekends from college. She knew that Yarni would be in school for at least the next seven years. This had been Yarni's dream since she was eight years old and found out her father was in prison and nobody could do anything to get him out. And now since Des had been railroad-ed, she felt becoming a lawyer was her destiny.

  While Gloria waited patiently for Yarni to arrive, all she could think of was Joyce.

  I can't believe Joyce's ghetto, no class having ass. I should have put her in check a long time ago. She doesn't know whose child she's messing with. I cannot allow this to go. I've got to call this wench and let her know that my child is not to be messed with and she better leave my child alone or else she's going to have serious problems.

  Just then, she looked in her beach scene cover phone book that Yarni had brought her back from St. Lucia, retrieved Joyce's number, picked up the phone and called her. Rinnnggg, Rinnggg, This huzzy better hurry up and answer if she knows what's good for her. Rinnngggg, she doesn't know who she's playing with. I'll go over her house and sit on her porch and wait for her to arrive. Hum!

  Although Gloria was middle aged, she possessed a nice figure and up beside any 21 year old, she could hold her own. She was a small-featured lady barely weighing in at 115 lbs, but she was a fighter back in her day. She didn't care. Gloria would fight anybody, man, woman, or child, and could care less about their size. Since she birthed Yarni, she tried to tone down her bad temper. But by no means, she most certainly did not play when it concerned her daughter. Just from looking at her, one would be shocked to learn of her temperament.

  "Hello," Joyce finally picked up the phone.

  "Joyce, this is Gloria, Yarni's mother."

  "Yeah, Gloria, how are you doing?" Just as nonchalant and carefree, as if butter would not melt in her mouth.

  "How am I doing? The nerve of her to ask me how am I doing? This woman is so fake! "I didn't call to talk about me. I called to talk about your childish ass."

  "I beg your pardon?" Joyce said, and Gloria could tell that she was no longer sitting and no longer trying to play calm.

  Gloria didn't care because if she got out of line, Gloria had plans on going over her house anyway.

  "No, don't beg my pardon. Beg me not to come over there and personally whip your ass for going out of your way to give my child a hard time. She's been nothing but respectful to you.


  She's having a hard enough time dealing with the fact that Des is in prison for God knows how long. I am giving you this first and last warning, leave Yarni alone or you'll have me to deal with me. And honey, let me be the first to inform you that you don't want that. I am so sick of you and I can't believe that shit you pulled today, you take that furniture and shove it up your ass. Have a blessed day." Gloria hung up the phone.

  I think I handled that well, considering. I guess she knows where I am coming from now. Just then, Gloria noticed the lights on Yarni's Sterling pulling up in the driveway. Gloria headed towards the door to meet Yarni, then she realized, I am supposed to be sick, let me lie on the couch and let her use her key.

  When Yarni arrived, she noticed that her mother had added an addition to the house, as if the house was not big enough already. When Gloria showed it to her and informed her, that it was for her, Yarni got real emotional. She couldn't believe, that after being away from her mom for 2 years, how her mom still had her back regardless of what.

  As soon as Yarni got her mother comfortable, she wrote Des a letter informing him what his mother did. She enclosed the letter Joyce left on the jewelry box along with her new phone number and living arrangements. She told him that she would be there on Thursday like she did faithfully every other visiting day.

  He knew that, though. She also told him that there was no need for him to stress his mom about the stuff she took. She must have needed it more than Yarni anyway.

  The next day, Yarni called the renter's insurance company to file a claim in Des' name. The policy was $50,000, she then mailed off the letter that she wrote Des as well as some "Power of Attorney" papers.

  With the money that Slim had given her, Yarni paid a retain-er to Des' lawyer for his appeal. She set up a payment plan. She went shopping with the rest. She brought an appropriate comforter set for her bed with the curtains to match. The one Gloria had on the bed was the typical mother's comforter: pink flowers.

  She fixed up her room. She bought a cordless phone, VCR and stereo for her entertainment center, and a nice chaise chair for the corner of her room. She also bought stuff to decorate her bathroom. She bought all new personals, perfumes, Chanel, Chloe, Opium and the lotions to match. She also brought a few cases of Pepsi and Mountain Dew so she could stock her refrigerator and have cold drinks when guests came. She went to pick up her Uncle Stanka so he could go with her to the apartment to get the rest of her clothes and any belongings that Joyce didn't take. She also got her uncle Stanka to hook up her stereo and VCR. She bought all kind of music, mainly rap, but she also purchased R&B to soothe her for the times when things were rocky, and these times were sure to come.

  When Yarni and Stanka got to the apartment, she checked her answering machine. Joyce was on there demanding that Yarni bring the title to the Benz to her, she told Yarni to get her mother back in check, because she didn't appreciate Gloria's foul threats. Yarni would never get indignant. She simply told her that she wasn't giving her anything until she spoke to Des. She also told Joyce if she got something to say to her mother, then to address her mother, not her. Pulling no punches, Yarni relayed all of this to Des in a letter.

  When Des received the mail from Yarni he was furious. He could not believe the stunt his mother had pulled. He loved his mother more than anything on Earth, but his mother was dead wrong and out of order. He couldn't understand why she even took the furniture anyway! What did she do with the furniture?

  Des knew his mother didn't need any furniture? He had just brought her new furniture a couple of months before. He couldn't believe how humble Yarni was concerning the incident with his mother. The way Yarni handled the episode made him love and respect her even more. At the same time, he could not allow his mother to just totally disrespect his wife in such a way. He wouldn't let Yarni disrespect his mother either.

  Down in the city jail, the inmates had a phone list, but Des didn't care about anybody's phone time, he had calls to make.

  The first one was to his mother. He stressed to her that he was very disappointed with her. He asked her where she got the gall to put her nose in his business? He also stressed to her that until she made the situation right with Yarni, she could not be a part of his life.

  He then called Slim to make sure he got the rest of his money from off the street. He instructed Slim to take whatever money he collected to Gloria. Familiar with the old saying, "out of sight, out of mind," he wasn't expecting all his money to be straight. When somebody goes to jail and is not present to get their own money, the money is always short. He also told Castro, his other right hand man, to give Yarni an allowance of $300 a week.

  And then, the final call was to Gloria. She answered.

  "Hello?"

  "Hello?" She heard an automated operator. "This is C&P

  with a collect call from, Des. The automated voice continued, "If you do not wish to accept this call, please hang up now. To accept this call, press zero now." Gloria hurried and pressed zero. The automated voice responded after she pressed zero.

  "Your call is being connected, thank you for using C&P."

  "Hello, Des. How are you under these crazy circumstances?" She asked with a sincere voice.

  "Honestly, Gloria, I am fine. I am just a little worried about Yarni, that's all."

  "Yarni will be fine, Des. I promise you that."

  "I know you will make sure of that Gloria, but I have a favor to ask of you."

  "Anything, Des."

  "I need you to promise me that please, Gloria, by no means will you let Yarni get sidetracked. Even though I am locked up now, she still has to stay focused on pursuing her dream to become a lawyer."

  "Oh, I have every intention on doing so," Gloria said without hesitation.

  "I am also aware that the seventy-five G's that I had given you to hold for her college education, well, that's not going to be enough. I am going to need you to take out some loans to cover the difference."

  "I'd already banked on that anyway since the trial was rigged up. I was prepared to do that."

  "My man, Slim, is going to bring you some money later today that he's collected for me."

  "O.K."

  "Gloria, nothing has changed, I still want Yarni to have the best of everything. At the same time, you've got to be very frugal with that money. She is going to have to tone down her spending." Had he not been in such a solemn position, in prison, he might have chuckled at Yarni's spending habits.

  "I know, Des. I will take care of everything."

  "I know you will, Gloria, but you know I worry about her. I want to thank you for getting the house addition for her. I really appreciate it.

  "Des, say no more. I need you to do me a favor."

  "What?"

  "Never give up hope and always remember, tough times don't last, but tough people do." This was a special man, incarcerated or not, and she didn't want him to get lost in the crooked system.

  "Man, Gloria, I got mad love for you."

  "Yeah, son-in-law, I do for you too." He and Gloria had their ups and downs, but overall he knew he could definitely trust Gloria.

  Slim only collected $26,000 off the street, which was no surprise to Des. He knew people would put larceny in the game since he was in jail. Slim brought it to Gloria and she put it up.

  Gloria had already applied for the loans for the full amount of the tuition because she didn't want to bring any kind of heat to herself. Her daughter was going to be a college graduate.

  That night when Yarni got home, Gloria approached Yarni's room. She overheard Yarni on the phone talking to Melanie.

  Yarni was crying.

  "I don't know exactly what my plans are now. I don't know exactly how I will go to college now with Des in jail, or exactly how I am going to maneuver going to college, working a part time job to support myself, study, as well as go see Des. Des is still a priority in my life." Yarni was distant and Melanie had no easy answers for her friend.

  When Yarni got off the
phone Gloria advanced slowly and told her, "Baby, everything is going to be O.K. I don't care what I've got to do to support you. You're going to college. Between the money I've saved for your college education over the years and the money Des has given. Oh, honey, you'll be off to college in a couple of weeks. I've never let you down, and I'm not letting you down now."

  The next day they went together shopping for everything Yarni needed for school. They also traded her Sterling in for a brand new Volkswagen Passat. Des would understand.

  A few weeks later, Yarni left for Norfolk, part of the freshman clan at ODU.

  * * * *

  For the next two years Yarni excelled in school. She was focused on her schoolwork as well as on Des. Not a day went by when she didn't send him some kind of mail. She made sure that his name was blown up at "Mail Call". Every single weekend, she went to visit him. They had him housed at Greenville Correctional Center. She visited him faithfully. She accepted all 55 his collect calls. She would even forward her calls to her cell phone when she wasn't at home. She would never miss any of his calls. Every month, she had at least a $500 phone bill. She always managed to pay it and never complained about anything she did for him. It all came from the heart. She also stayed on top of Des' attorney about his appeal. She would look over his transcripts to try finding any type of technicality. She also went to law schools all across Virginia and North Carolina so the law students could look over his case.