Piggy Lets Go: Love is One Thing, Dumb is Another....

I followed Mac into the office. He looked at me. He sat on the edge of the mahogany desk. Opened his arms. I fell into them like that was where I belonged. He rubbed his hand down my bare shoulders and back. I heard him whisper into my blonde locks that he missed me. I sighed against his heartbeat. "Piggy, you gone put your gun down now?" That snapped me back into the here and now. I had forgot for just a moment where I was. His Happy cologne would send my hormornes raging. "Oh, I'm sorry." But I knew better. You see I was in love with _____ but I wasn't a damn fool. While my love for him was strong, I didn't fully know if I could trust him. I mean the man would cheat on his wife with me. Crazy ain't it? Or do you think I'm crazy? Either way, I knew I had to watch him. I laid it down on the desk beside him. I kissed him like I was trying to save his life. He moaned. We had so much passion between us. We stopped kissing for a second. "You miss me for real?" He nodded his head. Breathing heavy. I could feel his large hands on my backside. "You look different, Piggy. You in love with me so I know it can't be love that has you glowing." I laughed. Cocky son of a bitch ain't he? "No baby, this is power that you see." I bit my bottom lip and I felt him harden through that bad Italian suit he was wearing. "You know you drive me crazy when you do that." I pulled a loose lock behind my ear and bat my eyelashes. I craved this man. I don't know what it was, but he definitely made me feel like I'm a natural woman, Aretha. He continued to rub his hands down my body and I damn near melted. "Take this off!" I smiled. "Not here. Not now. Meika out there waiting on me." He bit me hard on my neck. I didn't think he was listening. The small amount of pain went well with the pleasure of him touching me. "I told you I was gon do it, didn't I? I did it with my own team and now Houston is mine." He stopped kissing me and looked into my eyes then away. "You telling me like I doubted that you could do it. You can do anything you want to do." I held my head down for a sec. "Except be with you." He stepped back and placed his hand over his heart. "Piggy you know it ain't like that. You too much woman for me. I can't handle you." I smirked. "Yeah but you'll make love to me. Anytime the opportunity presents itself." My heart was breaking. I had always loved _____. I told you he loved the streets and I couldn't make him choose between them or me. Funny thing is now the tables had turned and I would have to choose. I let him see a tear fall. He took his hand and gently wiped it away. "Truth is, Courtney, I've always known that you were too good for me." I scoffed. "No. No. Let me finish. You give so much of yourself. When we were together, your whole world revolved around me. I felt like I was holding you back. I knew that telling you not to worry about me would be the same as telling you not to love me. That would be impossible." Okay so he was telling the truth. I once loved this man more than the air I breathe. I gambled that he would think of me and know that I was Bottom Bitch. I lost. No sense crying over spilled milk. "You know I love you. In fact I'm in love with you. My wife doesn't understand that." "_____ I don't want to hear that. You see it's a reason Jody's your wife. Something in her you see that you don't see in me. Now don't get me wrong, I won't allow myself to sit here and think about inadequacies on my part. I'm a good woman and now I'm king. You'll need me in the near future, I'm sure. This, what we're doing? It has to cease and desist." His eyes changed colors. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my tip toes. I kissed his lips. I parted them with my tongue and told him I love him for the last time. I could no longer long and seek after a man that wasn't mine and would probably never be mine. Did Jody deserve him? Probably not but then I'm no judge. Who's to say I deserved him? I tried to let go and he held on longer. " Courtney Danielle, I will always love you." I nodded. I grabbed my glock and walked to the door. "Mac, I'll be in touch." "Piggy, wanted you to know something. Starsha Danielle is out. She's been released." Gotdamn! You know what I could have went forever and a day without hearing that. Who was Starsha Danielle? Another boss bitch. Only thing is I had put her away in the federal penitientiary years ago and she had vowed to get back at me. Starsha had sold dope and had cornered the shoe market as well. It was her and Albro. Albro managed to beat her out but we had been on her case for years. Mac watched to see what my reaction would be. I didn't crack. "Tell her to look me up. I expect we got business to discuss." That was all I said. Mac chuckled. "Hmmn. That was hot." I walked outta the office. Tameika was there paying for her selections. I told her no. This would be on me. I advised Anna to put all twelve pairs of shoes on my tab. She then had Guillermo take our packages out to the car. Meika snickered. "What you grinning about?" "You. What y'all do in there?" I rolled my eyes. "Nothing. I was gone let him smell it." We both burst out laughing. "No but we talked. I had to let him know that we can't keep going on like this. I mean he married, Meika. You know one day I want a husband of my own and I believe in Karma. I don't know lately, believe it or not I have been on a path of what's right and wrong." Meika removed her sunglasses. "I mean I look at you and your husband. The family you have, I mean I want that. I can't keep sleeping with Mac. I love him but I gotta do what's right." Meika smiled and put her arm around my shoulders. "Damn! Piggy growing up." I laughed. We followed Guillermo to the valet where they were bringing my corvette out. Damn, I forgot that we were in the two seater with all these boxes. That's okay. We would make it work. I let the top back and we put what we could in the trunk. I saw on my windshield there was a pink slip of paper. I peeled it off and read it. Piggy, I'm out baby. You miss me? We got business to settle. You don't strike me as the type to run so get at me. I need to talk to you and Albro. Starsha is a cutie! This bitch was a gorgeous narcissist. 5'9 brown skin, thick raven hair, curvy with a mean punch. I arrested her and while doing so we went at it. The bitch wasn't going easy. Almost dislocated my jaw. But I got her ass when I two pieced her. Broke my nail that day too. Meika curiously asked, "Piggy, what's that?" I smiled. Put on my sunglasses. "A lil note from an old friend, that's all." I started my car and turned the radio and heard Queen Aretha croon. I shifted outta of the galleria parking lot. We had shoes. We had money now we were headed to lunch. To my surprise, Shannon Monet dialed my phone. "What's goin on Monet?" "Look, Starha Danielle is out. We need to figure out how we gone handle her." I laughed. "She won't be a problem for me. I got her. Why you really calling?" There was silence on the other end. "Keep on laughing little girl. The same thing make you laugh will make you cry." The line went dead. I knew what that meant. You see eventually, I would have to kill Shannon Monet. There could only be one Queen at a colony. I was now King and there was no way I was going to go for disrespect. She was gone get down or lay down too. Her manic bi polar ways didn't scare me. My phone rang again. It was my captain. I was needed ASAP. Meika's phone went off too. She had weight coming in. I laugh at our idiosyncracies. You see I worked tactical narcotics and she moved narcotics. On different ends of the spectrum but we were friends. Funny how life ends up that way ain't it? I dropped her off at her car. We promised to meet back up after business was handled. I changed my shoes and attitude. Got the location of the sting. I reapplied lip gloss and took my gun off safety. I switched the DSW pendant for my badge. Time to get in there.

Piggy is Here:The Embassy Forms

All in all, I would say that the meeting went quite well. I got my point across. Wasn't expecting to see Lynn and Blair there, but hey they don't shake me. So here I am with Tameika in this blazing Houston heat. We were going shopping and have lunch at Vic and Anthony's. I could use some Merlot and a good steak. As we walked in I heard someone call my name. I turned around. It was Chenitre Peterway. We called her Cookie. Cookie was a longtime friend of mine as well. I was proud of her. She had come up and opened her own beauty school. She now had six of them across the state of Texas. Always flawlessly made up. We embraced. She placed her hand on my chin and turned my face side to side. "Babe, you're getting better at blending. Love the eyeshadow and brows." I blushed. Peterway was one of the world's top make up artists. She had been consultants and ambassadors for companies like Mac, Ulta and CoverGirl. A magician is what I called her because she could find natural beauty even in some of the most naturally UGLY heifers. I'm serious. Cookie was also an amazing marksman. Her aim was dead on and could handle just about any handgun. It was a passion and hobby of hers. She was coming out of the Mac store that she probably owned. In her hand was a fab Prada bag and a Mac shopping bag. I eyed her Mac bag and she eyed my shoes. "Can't leave that makeup alone can you?" She rolled her eyes. "I'll leave this alone when you stop your shoe habit." We errupted into a fit of laughter. I introduced Tameika to Cookie. No introductions were needed as they already knew each other. "Where you headed to Cookie? Meika and I were just about to have lunch and do some shoe- well I mean shopping today." Cookie smiled. "Girl I was on my way out. I have a photo shoot today." "Ok, well why don't you call me. I may have something for you. I know you'll be interested." She eyed my DSW pendant. "Oh ok, that's what's different about you. I knew you looked different." She looked at me and then away. There was a mutual understanding now. She kissed my cheek and said goodbye to Meika. She left. Meika watched her leave. "Piggy, what was that all about?" "Nothing. We can use her too. We forming an embassy of some of the baddest, Meika. I think Chenitre Peterway would make a good fit." "Ok. Come on girl, let's eat. I'm hungry." We walked into Vic and Anthony's. It wasn't crowded but it wasn't empty either. The maitre 'd sat us at a table in the middle of the restaurant. I ordered a bottle of Merlot. "I want a Tbone steak. Cook it medium rare. It needs to still be mooing when it come out here." The waiter laughed. Tameika shook her head. "Unlike my friend here, I want the grilled Salmon and make sure its cooked all the way through please." The waiter left us to our devices. "So Piggy rules the world now." I laughed and took a sip of wine. "Naw Texas Tea, not yet but maybe some day. You ever have regrets?' She sat her glass down and looked at me. "What do you mean, Piggy?" I paused. "I mean like regrets. Like are you ever sorry for the things you do? I mean like really sorry." "Sometimes. I mean I know I have done some effed up stuff. But I can't let that hold me back. I know I gotta push forward. Pray. You gotta pray and ask for forgiveness." "You right. The thing is, Meika, I don't have regrets. I mean even with all of this, I don't have regrets. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change nothing. I think about how what I'm doing is wrong. I know this but then you have muthafuckers like Lynn and Albro who did stuff that was horrible and they did it for years." Tameika listened. "You can't get caught up in to what other people do. You just can't do that. You gotta do you. I say you in a position to do a lot of things. Take your time. You do realize that Albro's enemies have now become yours." Boom! Meika had hit me with that flex. She was right. But I would handle them no doubt. Meanwhile, I knew that there would soon be an investigation into Albro's murder. I had recently got word that they were looking into Gitto's warehouse massacre. I needed to lay low for a while. I figured that tomorrow I would go into the office and spend some time on my HPD caseloads. Yeah that is what I was going to do. My steak was brought out to me steaming. It smelled great. I cut into it and sure enough it was bleeding. Just like I like it. We finished up with lunch and went into our favorite shoe spot in the Galleria. Anna was expecting us. When we walked in she immediately handed Tameika and I with champagne flutes. "Sit, sit dahlings. You'll never guess what I have for you." Meika leaned over towards me and whispered, "Know your limit Piggy." Anna brought out Rhinestoned heeled platform pumps by Steve Madden in six different colors. I saw that Arnissha Lynn had on a Taupe pair the other day. I took off my Lou Bou pump and Anna proceeded to massage my toes and feet. "Regardez-Anna," I responded sharply in French. She looked up at me with glassy eyes. Needless to say I believe Anna was a closeted lesbian. I'm not knocking it. It's just not for me. She responded back in French. "Ooh Mademoiselle, vous avez une telle beaux pieds." I sucked my teeth. I didn't care how beautiful she thought my feet were. Her behavior often wierded me out. Tameika shook her head. "You and Monet kill me with this French dialect." I took another sip of champagne. "Yeah, I'm fluent in Spanish and French. You never know when you may need it to survive." Anna placed my foot in the shoe. She looked at me. "Votre collier. C'est vous! Courtney, qu'avez-vous fait!" Damn! Everybody recognized this chain. Her eyes had gotten big. She looked around. I did the same. There were people in the back. Men. "Dont à l'arrière e? Sont-ils des problèmes?" Who's in the back? Are they trouble? Meika sighed. "Um can you please tell me what y'all talking about? I don't speak french?" "Meika, Anna says that her bosses are in the back looking for whoever offed Albro." "Dahling, you have to take that off. Now! We have security cameras in the back." I unhooked the clasp and the heavy chain fell down into my cleavage. Then two men emerged from the back. One very handsome gentleman looked at me and smiled. Anna had my calf and was carefully putting the pump on my foot. I bit my lip and nodded. I heard Tameika say Damn! As they walked towards the exit, I shivered. This man was power and it oozed out of his pores. Black as the day is long. Tall. Broad shoulders. Tailor made suit. _______ was back. Oh we knew each other. He stopped at the door. Turned around and looked at me. The DSW pendant clenched between my teeth while its chain lay between my breasts. His eyes got big. He looked to his comrad. Here stands the man that I am in love with. He didn't believe in me either though. Surely, he wasn't thinking about doing what Anna was saying was he? As if on cue Tameika had her .50. My .9 appeared in my lap. "HipHop, fix your face, baby. You ain't glad to see me?" He walked towards where I was sitting. Took my foot from Anna. Rubbed his hand up and down my calf. I moaned. It was something about his touch that would drive me crazy. "Piggy, we need to talk." Yeah I bet we do. I wasn't concerned. I could make Hip Hop stutter. He extended his hand to me so that I could get up. I heard Diamonds up Against the Wood play. Got to the point where I could not decipher day from night. I got up and sashayed beside him. Left hand in his and my glock in the right hand. We headed to the back to "discuss" things. Was I gone be okay? Huh? You better know that shit.

Mud is thicker than what, Piggy?

I turned around and sure enough there was a black Tahoe behind us. "Meika, how you know they tailing us?" She exhaled. "Piggy, when we pulled off of Katy's street, their lights came on and they started creeping behind us." I thought about this for a minute. Here we were almost to Anderson Rd. They were still behind us. We got closer to Rosebud. "Turn here on Rosebud, Meika."We made a quick turn. They went straight. So we ducked off in a cul de sac to be sure. I thought to myself crazy life could be. Texas Tea probably thought I was insane. But I knew she believed in me. That was the thing about her and I. We weren't like most women. You know petty or catty for no reason. I recognized the caliber woman Tameika Benford was. She motivated me to be better even if that meant being the BEST BAD BITCH I could be. I would never forget that. We sat in silence for about fifteen minutes. "I think we good, CC." We hit Almeda and headed back to my Queendom. I switched the radio and I heard Shalamar's This is For the Lover in You. Feel good music. I love this song. I smelled ganja. Looked over and Meika had lit a blunt. She inhaled it and passed it to me. I had to piss in two weeks. I knew this. I would be prepared for it though. Before going to my home, we stopped at Shipley's and got a half dozen doughnuts. Tameika had never been to my house. I told her to make herself at home. I went in my room and looked through my closet. Let's see. What did I want to put on today? I got it. A black halter top romper by Isaac Mizrahi. I would wear silver accessories. There was a bad pair of fuschia Christian Louboutin open toe pumps I would wear. I slid into the romper. Admired my tattoos. My mother hated them. But each one of them reflected my individuality. From the leopard spots that were inked on my left shoulder to the Officer Piggy tattoo on my left thigh. I turned side to side and admired my figure. A super models body I did not have. I was finer than a mutha-well you get the picture. I lotioned myself down with Marc Jacob's Daisy. I smoothed on some eyeshadow and eyeliner. Brushed my teeth and then put on some clear lip gloss. Fluff my curly blonde locks and misted them with Mixed Chicks misting spray. Long chain earrings completed my look. The DSW pendant I never removed. When I stepped into the living room and I saw that Meika had also changed. She was in Marc Jacobs. Black skinny jeans and a white button down shirt. On her feet? Five inch round toed red Marc Jacobs pumps. She had on white and black diamonds around her neck. Red lipstick. "Well, damn Meika B! You clean up nice." She smiled. "Thanks, love those Lou Bous." I figured we needed to look the part. We hopped into my corvette. Two seater. I put my Dior shades on and pressed play on the CD player. Touch screen came on and I scrolled until I got to Shalamar's For the Lover in You. I had to hear it again. We headed 288 downtown. Off to see the wicked witch southeast of the Astrodome. Shannon Monet. As I we pulled up outside her offices, she called me again. I sent it to voicemail. Make her sweat. I mean I just didn't feel as obligated to Monet anymore. Tameika and I sashayed into City Hall. Neither of us removing our sunglasses. I walked onto her floor. Her secretary asked if we had an appointment. I kept walking in. I knocked one time on her door and opened it. I removed my sunglasses. There stood Shannon Monet, Arnissha Lynn and Chad Blair. WTF? That's what I was thinking on the inside. On the outside I was cooler than a fan. I saw fire flash in Monet's eyes and I know she saw the same in mine. She put on a fake smile. "Well, CC, I'm glad that you could make it." Arnissha turned to acknowledge me. Looked at me but spoke to Monet. "This little girl impressed me the other day. I like her Monet." I looked around and realized that there was a whole lot of crazy in this office. Blair, Monet, Big Lynn and Meika B. Fact is I myself was included in that but you see the difference is: I was KING! I would not stop. Monet hadn't bargained on that. I sat my plush fabolous ass down on her chair. Meika did the same. "Ladies and gentleman, let's talk." Monet nodded her head. "Cecily, hold my calls please." Yeah you do that, Cecily. "CC, you know why we're here. I gotta hand it to you. Didn't think you'd have the balls to actually carry it out." "Why's that Monet? You raised me. If I said I was going to do something, I'm gonna do it. The least I can say of you." Arnissha Lynn's eyebrows rose. Monet looked around. She hadn't expected that little rise of uncivility from me. But she should have. She had created a monster. "Excuse me?" I smiled. Got up and sat on the edge of her desk where we were face to face. "You tried to off me. Twice. Didn't that tell you what kind of woman I am?" She growled. "Get off my fuckin desk!Mince je ne vais pas vous tuer?" I smirked. When Monet got really angry she would speak in french. I was fluent in it. "I know you would kill me IF you could." Arnissha Lynn intervened. "Whoa, now we're supposed to be here about money. Whatever this pissing contest you bitches got going on needs to end." She was right. Monet took a deep breath and looked at me. " Regardez vous-même salope!" I peered back. "Je le ferai. Vous faites de même." Likewise, you do the same. Chad Blair stood up. Handsome he was. I always believed so. His bald head contoured with the way he walked. Fine cigars and that country drawl usually could bring a woman to her knees. I had been his partner five years though. I knew that it was more to him then this. He looked at me. "Monet, like it or not, Piggy here is on it. She got the power. You gone have to eat crow. We can all be in a position to make a lot of money. The question is do we wanna have to answer to Miss Piggy." When Blair said that I looked for reactions from everyone in the room. This is when I needed my own theme music to play. I looped my finger through the DSW pendant around my neck and crossed my thick thighs. "What's it gone be people? I ain't going nowhere." Arnissha Lynn laughed. Chad Blair didn't say anything. Meika B nodded her head. Shannon Monet seethed. "I'm forming an embassy. As you know everyone in here got a history if you know what I mean. Ain't nobody in here is a saint. I prefer it this way. Albro industries has been taken over. I'll keep the name. No sense changing it. We meet in two days to discuss the market." And that was it. All I planned to say. I got up and pulled my romper down a bit. I think I may have been too fine for it. "Meika, what you feel like for lunch?" She chuckled. "I think shoe shopping and Vic and Anthonys." We walked out headed to the Galleria. I'm a King or Queen. However you want to call it. Run this with an iron fist, Mike Walker. I would. Houston would tattoo my name indellibly on its mind and heart. I put my radio on something Robert Davis-ish and headed out. This little Piggy was going to Market, the Galleria that is.

That Damn Piggy.....

Katy answered the door in a red kimono dress. She was wearing matching Chinese Laundry slippers. She was a lot more calmer since the last time I saw her. Her family was away on vacation and had left her here. That's how it was for a hustler. She looked at me. Nodded her head in approval. "Queepin status fits you, Coyle." I introduced Meika B to Katy. I had explained to Meika how eccentric Katy was. Nothing surprised Meika anyway. We went into Katy's living room which was immaculately decorated. On the table was some of her famous coffee crumb cake. "Tameika, I don't know if CC told you but I make a mean cup of coffee. What do you take in yours?" "Caramel and ice, splash of vanilla." Katy looked at me. "CC, I like her." "Katy, make mine the same way." Katy had been my dealer for long as I could remember. If anyone knew how I would move my product she did. I would pay her handsomely. I then remembered I had Yulonda in my trunk. "Katy, we need to use your shed out back. Need to have a convo with someone." Katy looked at me and her green eyes went sininster. "Sure dumpling. You need anything else?" She saw me scratching my veins. I needed to get high right now. Tameika intervened. "Courtney, you're King now babe. You must start acting like it. You gotta kick this shit. No." Katy patted and rubbed my arm. I looked at my friend. "Meika, just this once. I promise I will kick this shit." Katy coaxed, "You've earned it CC. Won't hurt. I have some Marc Jacob foot creme. They're Italian uppers. Strappy sandals. Come on. Enjoy yourself." Tameika stood firm. "Piggy, you're gonna get your ass up from here. Get this girl out of this car and make her talk. FOCUS!" I looked up and Tameika was speaking to me through clenched teeth. I knew she wasn't playing. I pulled my arm from Katy's grasp. "No thank you, Katy. We got business. Bring the coffee out back." Katy looked at Tameika. "She's pure mustang, CC." I smiled. Proud that I knew her. We went out to my car and Yulonda was still out. Me and Meika dragged her out back to the shed. I pulled the light switch. Sat her up in a chair. She was still snoring. Katy rubbed her face. "What you do to this child?" Her and Meika both looked at me. "What was necessary." Katy unwrapped an old leather bag. She pulled out a Betsy Johnson beaded black ballerina flat. She waved the shoe under Yulonda's nose. Immediately after the smelling "shoe" was waved under her nose, she was up. She groggily opened her eyes. "Hey. Hey. Hey." She looked at me. I had bruised her pretty bad. "My head and face hurts." "Katy here is gone examine you. Make sure nothing is broke." Katy placed a hand on Yulonda's face and touched her nose. Yulonda winced. "CC, you broke it pretty good. It's a clean break though." I looked at Katy. "Think she need to go to the hospital?" Katy knew the rules. I'd kill her before I took her to the hospital. If she needed real medical attention, then she would have become a real liability to me. Hell naw. "No, I can definitely fix her up right here." Yulonda's eyes got big as she tried to focus. "Now Yulonda, you got some explaining to do. You hungry? Katy here makes the best crumb cake ever. You don't want that, I can have her fix you something else." She looked at me like I was crazy. I was. "No I'm not hungry. What happened to me?" "Don't worry about that. You got hit by pride. That's all. It happens to all of us sometimes. Pride is a sin, did you know that?" She didn't answer. "Look, you sought me out. I was minding my own business at Chuck E. Cheese's with my baby and you- "Wait a minute, CC. You went to Chuck E. Cheese with out me and my son?" Damn Tameika, we need to focus. I glared at her. "Tell me why are you after me?" Yulonda didn't say anything. I pulled her hair. While doing so I was amazed at how good it felt in my fingers. It even smelled great. "Love, what are you using in your hair. It's so soft." "It's called Mixed Chicks. You can get it at Whole Foods. You should try it." I pulled at one of my blonde locks. I had been wanting to go natural for a while now. I mean my hair was in a bountiful amount of blonde curls. I had already cut the perm and - Wait a gotdamn minute! I'm off task again. I pulled harder on Yulonda's hair. "What do you really want? You seeing me in that establishment was not a coincedence." "OW! Okay, you're right. I had been planning for weeks to get Albro. One night he and I got to arguing. I thought that we were going to be together. Maybe get married but he said he didn't even know if we would last." I looked at her. She was telling the truth. "So he starts telling me I should be more like this chick he had on his team. She was bad. Handled her business and didn't wait on no man. He told me her name. Courtney Coyle. She goes by Piggy. I hated you from then on. I heard the way he said your name. Some kind of way I knew you had grown on him." "Yeah ok. But you need to get on with it." She swallowed and continued. "I asked him if he was sleeping with you and he said no. Said you would probably never have him. I made up my mind though. If he didn't want me, I would have his business. I knew I would have to kill him to do that. I started making plans to do so and I heard that you had sights on him. Dynastie, a friend of mine told me so I knew I would have to move quick. Saw you with his pendant and I knew the deed had been done." Tears streamed her face. She shut down. Meika B and I looked at each other. Katy cut Yulonda a piece of crumb cake. When she tasted it, her eyes rolled back in her head. It was that good. I looked at Yulonda. "When we were at the zoo, you made me an offer. You remember that?" She nodded. "You're in. I'll have Katy fix you up. She can get you back to your car. I'll stay in touch." Yulonda smiled. She seemed grateful. Katy looked at me. "Uh CC, I have things to do. I mean you didn't even bother asking- I looked at Katy long and hard and she bowed her head. She knew not to play with me. Katy kept my secrets because she knew who I was but most importantly she kept my secrets because I kept hers. "Here's something for your troubles, Katherine." I slide a thousand dollars in her hand. Meika and I took our crumb cake and coffees to go. As we passed the front of Katy's house, I got that itch as I craved those shoes Katy had offered. Tameika pulled my arm. "You think we can trust Yulonda, Piggy?" I turned to look at my friend. "I don't know, Meika. I know that if she is not who she say she is, I'll kill her. And I don't want to have to make that phone call to my uncle." Meika stopped dead in her tracks. "Uncle? You mean that's your cousin?" I know what you're thinking. You see Yulonda and I played games with each other. Out in public, we didn't recognize each other. Her and my daddy were both kingpins. We did so to protect our identities. "Meika, you didn't notice the family resemblance?" Meika chuckled and got in the car. When she turned on the radio, MJG's That Girl played. "Come on chick, let's hit my spot. Need to check on it." In the rearview, Meika's eyes were glued. "Piggy somebody tailing us." "You sure?" She nodded. "Okay, let's hit Glen Iris then." I reloaded my .40. Just another day being That Girl

Everything That Glitters aint Gold, Piggy: It could just BE Glitter!

The night air was cool. Cooler than normal for Houston, Texas. As I drove, I thought about Arnissha Lynn. Here she was a second generation bricklayer. She also had a Master's degree in education and business. I knew that I could always use a woman of her degree. Well spoken. Well traveled. Well shoed. What? The bitch had on the baddest pair of Ramona Cavalli shoes I had ever seen when we arrested her. I started feeling that itch. I thought about the shoes I had bought at the Galleria the other day. Remembered the six inch red suede open toed pumps I'd bought and never even wore. They were in the trunk of my car. I exited Hillcroft from 59. Went a little further and maneuvered my way into the Hillcroft Metro Park n Ride. I parked in the very back. I got out slowly and looked around. Made sure there were no jackers in sight. Pulled the Chinese Laundry shoe box out of the trunk. I got back in the car and locked the doors. I turned the car off and let the radio play. The Spinners' It's a Shame played. I took the right shoe out of the box. I rubbed my hand down its beautiful suede heel. Beautiful this shoe was. I brought it with my outfit in mind. I would pair it with a pair of shredded stone washed jeans, a Vneck men's Hanes undershirt. Red lace bra underneath with silver jewelry. Red nail polish. Red lips. It would all be a lovely contrast to my blonde hair. I sat the shoe in my lap and reclined my seat back. I thought about the last days of my life. I remembered the DSW pendant in my bra. I took it out and put it back in its rightful place. Around my neck. My cell rang. It was Yulonda. "I'm here. Where you at?" "I'm close." I hung up. I started the car and jumped on 59 and took it to the beltway. I exited W. Fuqua and headed to the zoo. When I pulled up, I saw a black Cadillac CTS. She got out. Dressed in a Baby Phat romper and matching Baby Phat wedges. I flashed my lights at her. Before getting out, I grabbed my .40 and put it in my holster. I wiped my AF1's off. Applied more lip gloss. She stared at me. I looked her directly in her eye. She looked away. "How can I help you, Yulonda?" She was quiet for a minute. Like she was thinking seriously about what she was going to say. "Where is Ivory?" I looked around and crossed my arms across my chest. "What are you really asking?" "I call him and his phone is going straight to voicemail. No one has seen him. Here you are wearing his chain. Where is he?" "Albro is no longer with us." There I said it. I watched what little color she had drain completely from her face. "What are you saying? He's dead?" I nodded my head. Tears fell from her beautiful eyes. A part of me felt for her. I had never been in this type of situation before. I had never lost somebody close to me. She looked at me. "You kill him?" "What if I did?" I stuck a piece of Double Mint gum in my mouth. Offered her a piece. She accepted. "If you did, then you MUST know what you've gotten yourself into." I looked around. The humidity was starting to come out. I felt beads of perspiration at my temples. "I'm not worried. I got it under control. But if it's any consolation to you, I'm sorry for your loss." She scoffed. "Thank you, I guess." Ok, so I wasn't really sorry. Hell, if she wanted somebody to be sorry about Albro's death then she should have moved where nobody knew him. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not all that sorry for myself. Ivory and I have been growing apart for years now. I am sorry for my daughter. Did he suffer?" I shook my head. "It was instantaneous." I didn't tell her that I had kissed him before I blew his brains out. No she didn't need to know that. "You must trust me." I kept a straight face. "Now why would you think that?" "You have admitted to me that you have killed my child's father." I nodded. "Prove it." All she knew was that I had this chain. That's it. "Listen to me. Whatever you think you want to do such as going to the cops. Forget it. I am a cop. A damn good one. It'll be your word against mine anyway." She knew I was right. "Albro had an empire. Don't you think my daughter and I is entitled to some of it." I bit my bottom lip and walked towards her. She stepped back. "You caught me at a good time. Lately, I've been all about family. So I'll do this. Ivorie will be taken care of. She's an Albro. You? I won't do it. You're a registered nurse working at one of the largest medical centers in the world. Why would I feed you? You weren't a kept woman. Albro made you comfortable but he didn't support you." She looked shocked that I knew this. "Little girl, little girl, what are you going to do with all this power you now have?" "Make the best of it." "I want in." I took my fittted off and pulled my blonde locks into a bun on the top of my head. This Houston humidity wreaked havoc on a girl's hair. "Say what?" "I want in. You can use me. I need extra money and I used to be Albro's bottom. I can get in places and with connects that they might not let you into." I thought about what she said. She had a point. Albro and Yodie was on the scene for a minute. She wanted in. I probably could use her. I kept looking at her cleavage. There was a red dot that had been stagnant on her left breast. I eyed my surroundings first. That dot moved. It was infrared. "Are you packing, Yodie?" She looked suspicious. "Yes, why you ask me that?" I saw shadows about a hundred yards from us. "Hope you know how to shoot." I pulled my weapon. Yulonda pulled a .9 milimeter out of her purse. The hammers went back. Somebody fired and I ducked behind my car. Yulonda was next to me. In tears. "Omigod, what the fuck is going on?" "Listen, don't bitch out now. Do as I say and we'll get outta this. Somebody follow you?" "I don't think so." I heard movements in the grass. "Did we get 'em?" A man's voice. "I don't know. That Piggy bitch is slick. Most times she ain't going." As he approached our side of the car, I didn't hesitate. I blasted. One. His other friend came around the car and realized he was surrounded as Yulonda had her pistol on him too. He dropped his gun. I kicked it outta the light. Hands up. "Who are you?" "We work for Albro. Say if we hadn't heard from him today, then you or his baby mama had something to do with it. So we tailed her." I looked over at Yodie. "Why would Albro think you was out to do him something?" She sucked her teeth. "This nigga lying. Albro ain't told you no shit like that." Suddenly I didn't like the way this was going. I turned to ask this nigga what was going on and Boom! Yulonda had shot him. This beautiful creature now had the look of a beast. She was fixated on his body. I walked up to her. I calmly talked to her. "Yulonda, what's wrong? Why you do that?" She shook her head. "He was gone kill us. So I shot him." I knew what I had to do. She turned to look at me and when she did the ass end of my .40 went across her face. She was out. I smell a rat now. She didn't want me to hear what that mark had to say. That's why she offed him. I dragged her ass and put her in the trunk of my car. I then picked up my cell and called the only two people I could halfway trust. Texas Tea aka Tameika and Mr. Mike Walker. I texted Mike and said CLEAN UP. He responded 20. My response. Hiram Clarke Zoo. Meika followed me to Katy's house. I needed to get high and I knew Katy would be holding. Meika saw Yulonda in my trunk and asked, "What have you done, Piggy?" I looked at Meika. Raven beauty. Skin the color of mahogany wood flawless at its best. Her eyes held a strength that most women including myself envied. My response, "I did what I had to do." That answer satisfied Meika B. She prepared to help me. We would put our heads together over coffee, crumb cake, blunts and fine Italian shoes. Long reign, Piggy. Houston and its problems were now mine.

Misses Misses Piggy was Comin Down the Block...

I rode in the county Suburban and looked at the men who surrounded me. True enough we had been on this ride countless of times. Each one of them just like me brought something to the table. We were all silent as we listened to Captain Fairfield bark orders over the radio. The camaraderie amongst us was thick. It's like that with cops. No matter what civilians think, they really don't understand what goes on and or what it takes to be an officer unless you have been through it. We were on our way to Sunnyside, Asia's Queendom. Check a Hoe Texas is what the streets called it. But we weren't after Alicia. No we set our sights on her nemesis. Arnissha Lynn. Arnissha Lynn had a cocaine trade you wouldn't believe. She had been dealing out of the Sunnyside district for about the last twenty years. Alicia had started under her. Lynn was a mean bitch. She made no qualms about it. She had beautiful skin the hue of a new penny. A crown of beautiful natural locks, full lips and hips and the deadliest shot in Houston under me. Her weapon of choice? Well she had a pair of .45 gold plated. On each handle "Monkey" was inscribed. This was in the memory of her legendary mother. There was something about Lynn though. She carried herself not like the hood chick you would expect but she had an extensive vocabulary and very well traveled. I remember her writing a very large check for Shannon Monet's run at taking Sheila Jackson Lee's spot. We got a tip that she would be going out to one of her trap houses to collect. We had been trying to get her for years. I knew that Arnissha Lynn wouldn't go quietly and even after we made the arrest she would probably get off. She was one of the wealthiest women in Houston. I put on my vest and fastened it tight. I could feel the platinum DSW pendant still in my bra. Lynn didn't put any fear in my heart. I had taken down Ivory Albro. She would be nothing. We pulled up a block away from her trap. I had phoned Alicia and she told me as a courtesy to me she would shut business down. I laughed. A courtesy to me huh? I called my informant and he said that Lynn had just pulled up. Bet. We waited. The informant would call us when she went into the house. My adrenaline was rushing just as my team members. Times like this we were all on one heartbeat. "Change of plans, Piggy." He threw a white tshirt at me. "Change your shirt." I did as I was told. I took my black HPD shirt off right there in front of twelve other men. They whistled. "Y'all are some perverted assholes." Laughter exploded. I put my gun in a holster and slid the holster to my back. "Piggy go get her. We'll be in your ear. Holler when you need us. Split. East and west of the house. Piggy and Bertran through the front." I nodded my head. I got out of the truck and cut through an alley on to Tangerine. I blended in. Walked up the street with my thumb in my mouth. This particular house sold weed, cocaine, and pills. In large volumes but you still get the occaisonal dime sack here too. I walked up to the screen door. I heard somebody whistle. "What's up Red?" I nodded my head. "What's up? Can I get a ten?" He said yeah. Hold on." This shit was sloppy. There was about five men in the front room. I could smell Donna Karen's Apple. Arnissha Lynn was in this house. I peered straight to the back and a door opened. She walked out. Dressed head to toe in Ramona Cavalli. She had on red Ramona Cavalli satin pumps. I saw her push a wad of money into her cleavage. She didn't look my way. The man brought me my weed and I slid him the marked ten. In my earpiece, I rapped "Mister Mister Scarface was coming down the block, out jumped some fiends and they tried to steal his rocks!" Arnissha looked up at me but then it was too late. She drew her pistol but mine was at her temple. My team was everywhere. "Face down motherfuckers. Bertran, see what and who all in the back." Lynn laughed. "I can't believe this shit." "Believe it chick. DROP these pistols." She obeyed. "I ain't worried. I'll get those back. They registered." I took my handcuffs and added them to the bracelets she already wore. All in all we arrested twenty individuals including the Queen Bee herself. I escorted her outside and put her in the car. She looked at me. I peered back at her. She shook her head. "How long you been doing this?" "For a while. Why?" She snorted. "Cuz I've been doing THIS for a long time and you're nothing like any officer I've ever seen. Your eyes tell a story." I wasn't about to let her get in my head. I started on the report. "Didn't have a good feeling about this anyway. Knew something was going to happen. It's cool. I was just here." I turned to look at her. She looked away. "When I was your age, I was already a millionaire and could account for it too. I paid taxes that year." She smiled. "So you confessing?" She laughed again. "I can say what I wanna say and you MF's couldn't do a thing about it." Damn this bitch is cocky. "You are sitting here admitting to me that you bricklaying." She nodded. "Yes I am." I kept writing. "Tell me this. Why didn't you turn on that dash camera and recorder." Damn! She had me. "My guess is that you want to talk to me. And what you wanna talk about, can't be heard by anyone else." With her head she pointed to my captain standing on the front porch. I looked back at her. She looked me dead in the eye and then she bowed her head. "Lynn, I might need your help. Only thing is I don't wanna have to kill you." She nodded her head. "I feel the same way little girl. Our dillema. What have you done?" "Nothing, I didn't have to do." "I tell you what, after I'm released, and I will be released, you look me up. I'll see what I can do. Do you come from AB's camp?" I shook my head. "You know her though, don't you?" "Yeah I know her." I knew what that meant so I would talk to Alicia because she was now a part of my camp. She hit the back of the seat. "Come on now we need to hurry this along. Gotta contact my lawyer so these ridiculous charges will be dropped. I have reservations at Shannon's Plate." I got out of the car and an officer took Lynn downtown. We recovered a couple of Kilos and several pounds. Lynn had close to twenty thousand dollars on her. Me and the boys got ready to bring it in. My cell rings. Its Yulonda. I knew she'd find me. "Hello." "I can meet you at the Hiram Clarke Zoo in a hour." "Make it two." I hung up on her. I was King. I wasn't bending for nobody. I said my goodbyes to my team and I headed southwest. I put Scarface is back in the CD Changer. Marvelled at my city. How I loved Houston. It would love me back. What is the opposite of love? Hate. Houston would hate me too. Didn't matter because there would be times where the feeling was mutual. I had a meeting with an exotic yella bone. I called Texas Tea and let her know where I would be and drove off into the night. I would give Yulonda some options. She could be with me or against me. We all knew what would be conducive to her health. Misses Misses Piggy was coming dine the block out jumped some goons who wanted her crown with rocks....

Hard Headed Piggy Listens to Centered Mike Walker

The piglet AKA Cobee and I rode through the city of Houston. I marveled at my Queendom. This was the city I loved. And it now belonged to me. As I drove through the city, I slipped on some Dolce and Gabanna eyewear. Albro's DSW pendant around my neck, for some reason I now saw the city through his eyes. "Cobee, where we going?" I looked in my rearview as he sat and thought. How handsome was my son. Perfect. His features was a combination of 50 and I but he looked more like me. My love for him existed and it didn't need a reason or rhyme. "Mama, how about we go to Chuck E. Cheese and then to Souper Salad for dinner." "You got it, Courtney." I remeber when his dad decided that he should be named Courtney instead of Brian. He didn't want a junior. I still laugh because now I had one. On the radio, Smile plays. I nod my head as I Brad Jordan "opens up his story with the blaze of my blunt". We pulled into the parking lot of Chuck E. Cheese and Cobee had barely let the car come to a complete stop. What was it about this place that made children go crazy? I grabbed my purse, tossed my keys and cell phone and felt the weight of Nina Simone in the bottom of it. The minute we walked in, there was chaos everywhere. Kids running and screaming. Before mine could get out of control, I grabbed him and let him know that he needed to not lose sight of his mama. I paid for tokens and we went at it. While were playing at the basketball hoop, there was this chick eyeing me from across the store. She didn't look familiar but she looked as if she knew who I was. Same complexion as me. A little taller. She was with a group of other women I didn't recognize. I walked up to the counter to order Cobee a small pizza. Brought it back to the table. "You having fun, bae?" With a mouth full of pizza he answered, "Yeah mama. I am. Are you?" I smiled. "I'm having the best time of my life." I noticed that this chick was circling through the kids and around the area that my son and I were sitting at. My spidey senses were tingling. She circled around one more time and I really got a good look at her. Gorgeous she was. Natural hair. Full lips and chinese slanted eyes. "Excuse me, do you know me?" She looked at me and then she looked away. "No, but I know that chain around your neck. It belongs to my old man. Its only three like that in the whole world. The one you're wearing belongs to Ivory Albro. How did you get it?" Boom. I took another glance at her. Yeah she was his type. Exotic looking. Yellow. But she wasn't made. She was definitely a square. I noticed the little girl she had with her. She was the spitting image of him only she was bright like her mother. I smiled. "I'm not going to discuss that with you here. However you think I got it will just have to suffice for now." She shook her head. Moved closer. I put those eyes on her. She backed up a bit. "Naw bitch, see I know about the hoes he mess around. I don't like it but I deal with it. You all want the life I have. But he don't take that chain off for nobody!" I made sure my son wasn't in ear range. He was too busy scarfing down pizza. "Look, I'm with my son here, so I'll make this quick. I'm not who you think I am. If what you say is true, then you might wanna watch how you talk to me. Like it or not, I have his chain. So why don't you take a moment or two to figure out WHY I have it. Beautiful girl you are, but insecurity is ugly on you." Her eyes dilated. "Can we talk later?" I thought about her request. "Sure, why not?" "How do I get in touch with you?" "The Hiram Clarke Zoo." She nodded. I prepared to gather our things so that Piglet could cash his tickets in. "Hey, what do I call you?" I stopped and turned around. I smirked. "King Piggy." The look on her face told me that she had heard my name before. She then knew exactly who I was. "Ok my name is- "It's Yulonda. Born in Longview and raised in Dallas, Texas. I know who you are pretty girl. Ivorie looks just like her dad." With that I headed to the prize center. I had heard Ivory mention his other half numerous times. He was bored with her. Said Yulonda didn't want anything past what he offered her. That disgusted him. I figured Shannon Monet had given Albro the taste of being with a go getter. Maybe that's what he saw in me. Courtney cashed in his tickets and got some toys that I would probably throw away later. My cell rang as we exited the building. Shit! It was my captain. I answered. "Captain." "Don't captain me, Piggy. Where the hell are you? You know what it doesn't matter. I want your ass here at the compound at nine. Sharp. Don't make me have to look for you! We're on tonight." He hung up without another word. "Whatever." "Mommy, you gotta go play cops and robbers, tonite?" I looked at him. "Yeah kiddo, but later on." We headed to his favorite restaurant, Souper Salad. I walked in and spotted him sitting down eating. That must have been his wife. They were with their children. He looked up from eating and he saw me. He nodded. I waved. I remember my dad telling me that Mike Walker, Smitty, Cory Blount and him ran Houston, Texas from corner to corner. The night they killed and pulled Smitty's body out that limo in Galveston, was a turning point for Mike. He was worth an estimated sixty million dollars. He walked away. No explaination or anything. He just vanished. My dad took over his territory and sent money to his mama. She would always send it back. In 2000, he returned a whole different person. He had married a southern belle. Lisa's beauty on the inside was as apparent as it was on the outside. She had a beautiful spirit and it was obvious that she and their children is what kept Walker's beast at bay. I went up and spoke. "Courtney, how are you? Hadn't seen you in a while." Lisa and I embraced. She held me longer than usual as she must have sensed that I needed it. Mike spotted the pendant around my neck and he peered into my eyes as if to look into my soul. He nodded his head. So it was true, Piggy. I knew that what he was thinking. Lisa began pulling tables together to allow us to eat together but I didn't wanna intrude. "Baby, why you don't take them to the restroom so they can wash up. I need to speak to CC about my case." She kissed him and obeyed her husband. I envied her at that moment. How I wanted to have my own King I submitted to. "So you got him?" I didn't answer. "Lil one, I hope you know what you're doing." "Yeah I do. I'll take it day by day." He nodded his head in blessing. "I won't tell you to walk away. That's a decision you make. Lord knows I've done my share of dirt. Still doing a little bit. I decided though that none of this was more important to me than that lady, you understand. You got eyes like mine. Your daddy. Smitty. That's rare. I have never come across many women like you. You're in a position to make an impact. I tell you this. You decide. You corner the third coast like Albro did and you'll die young. But Houston, will remember your name forever. You walk away and raise that little boy, and your name will fade away with the times." I knew what Mike Walker said was probably true. I was hard headed. He knew that. He touched my hand. "You have my blessing lil one. I know that you've been seeking it. You in transistion. It's normal. Get some help for your shoe habit, girl. And then you rule this muthafucka with an iron fist. If you don't have an iron fist, I'll let you use mine." He laughed and I did too. Lisa came back with her children and mine too. I got up to fix Courtney something and Lisa told me not to worry. "Chile, fix your own plate. I got him." I ate with Mike Walker and his family and for the first time in weeks, I felt normal. I left the restaurant with a new purpose. Nine was fast approaching so I dropped Courtney off with my mother. She would get him off to school in the morning for me. I hadn't been by my queendom in days so I went to check on it. Everything looked okay. I grabbed some more clothes, re-upped on shoes and got more ammo. Changed into a form fitting HPD black tshirt, black fatigue pants black low Air Force 1's. I put a black fitted over my blonde locks. Clear lip gloss. I traded my .9 for a .45. I headed to work. Before I got out of my car, I took the DSW pendant off and stuck it down into my bra. On the radio, I could still hear Aretha Franklin singing Chain Chain Chaaaain, Chain of Fools. Maybe that's what I had become. You live and you learn. I locked my car and headed into the compound. We had a kickdoor operation in Sunnyside. I needed to inform Asia. Whether Sunny or Gray, Alicia.

Piggy Regretful? Hell Naw!

I took a long swig of my drink. The brown liquor burned my chest. I looked and analyzed the glass. Prints. Prints that were not mine. I let Alvin Ray talk. "Piggy, you need muscle. I mean don't get me wrong. You a bad motherfucker but you can't completely run Houston by yourself." I raised a meticously waxed arched eyebrow at him. "Alvin Ray, what make you say that? You saw on tape what I just orchestrated. Excuse me if my nuts are a little inflated. I can do and be what I wanna be." He chuckled. Nodded his head. "You're right. But why put all that pressure on yourself? You need somebody for security. Hell, all the things I do for Monet, I can do for you." My back was turned to him staring at the glassware on my bar. Another mysterious print. I glanced at the carpet right in front of the bar. The tread pattern of my Nike Air Force One boot was distinct. The pattern before me was that of a work boot. Alvin Ray was wearing Suede Timberlands. Odd footwear for a Texas boy. I turned to face him. He was holding a little brown bottle. "Why didn't you go through with it?" I looked into his eyes and he looked away. He put his head down. "How you know I didn't go through with it?" I smiled. " My chest is burning from cognac not poison." "Shannon Monet is waiting on me to call her and confirm your death, CC. This is a combination of ethylene glycol and arsenic. That's why I was here. I had some time to think. I figure you're worth more to me alive than you would be to her dead." I nodded. But I kept my eye on this nigga. I mean I couldn't trust him. "The first time I met you I knew it was something about you. There's something about your eyes that a story about your soul. Daunting. Piercing." I looked at him. Alvin Ray had a Type A personality. Most cops do. Even me. "So what you are saying, Alvin, is that you want a piece of my empire?" Empire. Empire. I rolled that around in my head. I loved the way that sound. Alvin Ray smirked. "Empire huh? Touche, Piggy. It fits you." "Alvin Ray, you ain't gone bully me you understand? It ain't gone happen like that." Alvin puts his hands up as if in surrender. "Piggy, I spared your life. A little measure of gratitude don't you think?" "Tell you what. I need to go pick up my son from school. Let me think about it. I'll be in touch." He didn't say anything for a moment. Finally he stood up. "Alright, Piggy. Don't make me wait too long." I watched him as he exited my hotel room. I guess he figured he had me. Saved my life, huh? Well I had just cost him his. God only knows what Monet would do to him. The price to pay for disloyalty. I changed into some Louis Vuitton ballerina flats. Traded my .40 for a .9. Tugged on some blue jeans and a men's button down shirt. I buttoned it halfway to my cleavage and I was out the door.  I passed a mirror in the hallway and realized that I didn't see my shadow. The old folks say you miss your shadow cause your soul has gone on. Could be true. One thing about Courtney Danielle, accurately known as Piggy, was that I survived and against all odds. Choosy lover I am because I love me first. Was God pleased with me? No. Would I pay for my sins? Yes, I do so every night when I can't sleep or when I twitch and pace. A good shoe sends my body into convulsions. I had lost faith in human nature. I didn't really trust anyone. Let me rephrase that. I trust that anybody is capable of anything. When I got in the car, my phone rang. It was Monet. I sent it to voicemail. I then sent a text to Texas Tea, Asia, Machete and Melodious saying, Great job, Ladies. I meant that. I had some ideas. I would form an embassy. Ivory Albro crossed my mind. Wasn't no turning back. I had contracted Mike Walker and his squad to do the clean up at Albro industries. We met up right before I got to the hotel. I paid him and before we parted ways, he said that he had been praying for me. You don't get that often. Again I looked Mike in his eyes. I peered at him and he didn't flinch. I came to the conclusion that he was one of those men my mama told me about. Regal. Rough. Sure. Mike Walker was a King. Rumored to be a former kingpin. I didn't know how true it was but people say that after cornering Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and parts of Louisiana's underworld, one day he just walked away. For ten years, no one had seen or heard from him. Now he's a family man. Wife and kids. He also has his "Disposal" business along with a few traps here and there. Nothing flashy about him but his aura is calm. You know that he's centered. Mike assured me that Albro would be taken care of  respectfully. Now here I am headed to my son's school. I couldn't wait to see him! I missed him. The world I lived, played and worked in was lonely. Few people understood it. As I turned into the parking lot of his school, I heard Ron Isley croon about how proud he was of me and glad that I had chose him. The smile on my son's face was worth more than that 100 k in my trunk. He got in the car and jumped across to kiss me. I realized then that he would be the only person I would lay down and die for. No matter what I had to do to ensure that he got everything life afforded him I would. You know I was shocked that Mike Walker had been praying for me. Little did I know, it was because of his prayer, I had cheated my own fate. How long could that last though? "Mommy, what you want to be when you grow up?" I looked at him in the rearview. "It ain't important WHAT I want to be but know that your mama will leave a legacy and it'll one day be passed to you." My five year old nodded his head like he understood. "That's what's up, Mama." I turned the radio back up as Ron Isley crooned. The adventures of Piggy and her piglet, let's go.

Piggy's Mud is Thicker than Water!

I stepped out onto the second floor. It was eerily quiet for some reason. I looked around. I could still smell smoke from where Melodious blew the safe. "Melodious, this HTOWNPIGGY, where yall at?" "We in the warehouse, CC! You cool?" I said a silent thank you and prayer. I walked around the second floor. I was impressed by its layout. Albro had good taste. HAD. I made that past tense. I would like to tell you that I was feeling bad or that Albro didn't deserve that. Truth is he did. You see Albro had did more than his fair share of dirt. If it hadn't been me then it would have been someone else. My cell rang. It was an unknown number. I sent it to voicemail. It rang again. Same number. "This Piggy." "Was it good to you? You satisfied?" It was Chad Blair. I looked around. My hair stood on end. Spidey senses was tingling. "WTF do you want, Blair?" "I want to know if you're good now. After all this I want to know if you feel better, bae?" I sucked my teeth. I knew I wasn't crazy. He had been there. Probably was still there. "What do you want, Blair?" He chuckled and I could smell the Havana smoke. "I just want to be a part of it. You fucked up my deal with Albro. You wanted his crown, little girl and so now you gotta make good on that deal. I'll keep in touch." He hung up. Fuck! What had I really done? I hear Asia in my ear. "Piggy come quick, me and Texas Tea need to talk to you." "Where you at Asia?" We outside in the back. "Hey has anyone got the security tape?" "That's what we need to talk about. It was already gone when we got to it. The truck is loaded and we got the money." Fuck! Chad got me now. I started hyperventilating. I had been having anxiety attacks the last year or so. I stood back and slid against a wall and slowed down my breathing. Get a hold of yourself, Courtney. You can handle this. Chad Blair was a small thing to a giant. I was a bonified Queenpin. So I put on my big girl panties and prepared to reign. Once outside, I saw that the truck was loaded and my girls were waiting for me. We recovered $500,000 in cash and close to four million in product. I'll say that this heist was lucrative. We would all ante up at Asia, I mean Alicia's house. We headed 610 to Martin Luther King Blvd. I turned the dial and Al Green was singing to me again about me being Simply Beautiful. Machete Mychelle lit a joint. She passed it to me. I inhaled and choked. I passed it to Texas Tea, who was on the phone with her son's PTO organizer. She hit it and passed it to Michelle. Alicia put another joint in rotation. "CC, I love you. No matter what the church say bout cha." We all burst out laughing. "That's what's up Alicia. I love you too." We rode and blew. My cell rang. It was Monet. Fuck her. I knew I would have to deal with her too. I would do so when I got ready. I was Queen now and I would jump for nobody. The only thing is was how was I gonna be Queenpin and cop? How do you balance that? I picked up the phone and called 50. "Bae, how are you?" I smiled. "I'm good baby daddy. I need to speak to the love of my life." "He getting ready for school. Hold on." I exhaled and blew weed smoke. My manicured hands wrapped around a blunt was surreal to me. This whole situation was but Lord knows I had fantasized about it for weeks. "Mommy, what are you doing?" Tears fell from my eyes. I heard my baby speak. You see that's what makes Piggy cry. "How are you, baby? You miss me?" "I miss you, mommy. What you doing?" "Nothing ridin with your aunties. Thinking about you. You getting ready for school?" "Yeah, daddy says I have to go." I laughed. "That's right bae. You have to go. Mommy is picking you up after school today. You hear. Just me and you." "You promise?" I placed my hand on my heart like he could see me. "I promise, Courtney." He blew me a kiss. "I gotta go Mommy. Tell my aunties I love em and I love you too." He put his daddy back on the phone. "What you crying for nigga?" I had to laugh. "I'm good, Blackie. Imma get him after school." "You got it beautiful." I hung up. I turned the radio up. We rode the rest of the way in silence. Pulled up on 3424 Botany St. Alicia got out and scanned her street. We were cool. Once inside we made an even split. I kept the product and we each got $100,000 in cash. My cousin turned to look at me. "So cousin, what you gone do now?" I didn't say anything for a moment. I looked at her. "Shit, what you think? Imma enjoy life." "Touche, bitch. Touche." Once we anted up I went back to the hotel. I needed some rest and I still had some time before Courtney Jr would be out of school. I entered my hotel room and locked the door. That's when I heard his voice. "So you the man now, huh?" I pulled that .40 so fast it scared me. Alvin Ray didn't flinch. He was sitting on my bed and in his hand was a videotape. I knew what was probably on it. "What you want Alvin?" He didn't answer me right away. He held the videotape up. "Impressive." "What do you want, Alvin?" "Calm down, Piggy or is it HTOWNPIGGY? You know you might wanna call your captain back before you lose your job." Fuck! I hadn't been checking in with him like I had promised. "I'll take care of that. Why are you here? Where is Shannon Monet?" "She's in some townhall meetings. She'll be there all day. She asked me to get her footage. Didn't think she could trust you." I breathed a little easier. That made sense. She wanted physical proof. I knew that. I put my gun away. Walked over to the bar and poured myself a drink. Offered one to Alvin. "Put me on, CC." I looked at him. "Huh?" "Put me on. I'm tired of working for Monet. The bitch don't love nobody but herself. I gotta eat too. I'm about to retire with HPD and I need another hustle." My cell phone was in my hand. This was the leverage I needed. I pressed six on my blackberry and it dialed Shannon Monet. In my Bluetooth, I hear her answer. I disabled the bluetooth and and adjusted my BB's volume. "You want to work for me now, Alvin?" "Yeah Piggy,put me on. You're King now, like it or love it and I want in. Fuck Monet." Checkmate, Monet. I hung the phone up. That's what I needed to hear. I had become a supreme manipulator. Did I feel bad? Hell naw. Success comes at a price. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a thing except for my shoes. "Piggy? Piggy? You there? I can also take care of this pesky little Chad Blair for you too." Here we go. "Alvin Ray, when can you start?" "The day I met you ten years ago." Do I really want to know what he talking about? "I'm listening, Alvin Ray."