Life Goes On!

I woke up hungover. I was in my bed naked with one pump on. My blonde locks were everywhere. I dragged myself out of the bed. My bedside clock read 8 am. I could see the Houston sun streaming through my window. I stood in front of my window and peered outside. My neighborhood was woke. It was time for me to get a move on. I wondered what time Katy had left last night. I had gotten high right in front of her. Yesterday was crazy. Clearly someone was trying to kill me. I didn't feel like sitting around pondering about who. The list could go on. I turned on Pandora trying to find some music to soothe me. I took a quick shower and put on a silk night shirt no panties. Now what was I going to eat? Turned the television on and Good Morning America was still on. I think I'll make myself an omelette. I pulled out eggs, spinach, ham, and sharp cheddar cheese. So rarely did I have the opportunity to cook but when I did, it was great.Toasted an English muffin and poured myself a glass of orange juice. My cell alerted me to voicemail and text messages. The first message I heard was from my Baltimore lady, Symona Lisa. This bitch was fabulous and her accessories were to die for. She had made for me a custom pair of chain and feather earrings and I had been hooked. I really felt like her accessories would go well with my shoe enterprise. I didn't know much about her except that she was a hustler. She had come up from scratch and was now accessorizing the United States. I was planning to fly her in. Soon as I finished eating I would get online and order her a ticket. There was a knock on my door. I knew this could only be Ms. Mattie. She was my nosy but busy sixty five year old neighbor. I knew it was her because everyone else in the free world rung my doorbell and she consistently knocked. I answered the door and sure enough it was her holding a plate of freshly made Tea cakes. She kissed my cheek and pushed her way on in before I could object. "How you? I see you still in your bed clothes." She walked right into my living room. "You got this big fine house and don't half keep it clean. Let me get to work." I shook my head. Ms. Mattie would always come into my home to clean and gossip. I guess normally I should be offended but the truth is that was just her way. If she didn't clean it it wasn't CLEAN. I let her do her. "So anyway, I was meaning to call you. You know I got new curtains in the kitchen. I decided against butter. We went with the Sage color. Oh and you know I now know for sure that Luane is messing around with Harold. I told you didn't I?" I just listened. Mattie Mae would come over and ramble on and on about everybody's business. I didn't mind it too much. She kept my home spotless and she would always bake me something fresh. Besides I knew that she was lonely. Like me she liked to shop and I always felt like she understood me. "Yeah you said that Mattie." She went on. I watched her run a bucket of hot water. She poured a capful of bleach and then some lavender Fabuloso. "Anyway chile, something else I was gone tell you. Can't think of what it is. Oh, now I know. That damn councilwoman friend of yours, um Monet?" "Yeah what about her Mattie?" "Well she come poking around here the other day. I didn't like it. I snuck up behind her. She kept trying to figure that code on your door." Damn, I wonder what that shit was about? "Go on Mattie." "Well I asked her if I could help her. She said naw, come talking about you knew that she would be stopping by. Asked if I knew the code to your door. I told her I didn't even though you know I have one." I listened hoping for her to get to the climax. "Anyway, I asked her again about what she needed. Wouldn't tell me but I knew the heffa was up to no good. Well my timer went off which let me know that my soaps was on so I left her be. But I watched her during the commercials. Well finally she got the door open. She put in the code for the alarm and went in. I went back to Victor and them. About twenty minutes go by and this big tall guy with them dreadlock looking thangs them kids wear, well he come by and meet Monet and both of them go in your house. They was in there for about thirty minutes. He had tools with him." I looked around my home. My queendom had been violated, I see. There was something boiling inside of me. "Mattie, why didn't you call me?" She stopped mopping my kitchen floor long enough to give me that look. "Little girl, don't play with me. I did call you and when I did I got that stupid message 'Yo this Courtney, call me back'. Lord I wish you would change that. I didn't get an answer." What the hell were they doing in my house. Mattie went on cleaning and I was brainstorming. I went into my room. Nothing seemed out of place. I went into my shoe haven. It hadn't been compromised. I walked over to my office and it didn't appear to be disturbed. What could they have done. I sat in front of my computer and when I glanced down at the hard drive I saw a red light beeping. I moved my mouse and saw that someone was monitoring my activity on it. I went through my hard drive and sure enough a lot of my files had been copied. What was copied? Solitaire. Microsoft Word. FreeCell. Shit like that. My personal files and especially files that could incriminate me in a Texas courtroom, always went with me. I kept them on a zip file that hung on my key ring. So Shannon Monet thought she could kill me and steal from me huh. I quickly ordered a first class ticket from Baltimore to Houston. I got up and walked back into the living room where Mattie was and to my surprise there stood a muthafucker with his hand over her mouth. He had a gun to her head. There was sheer terror in her eyes. So here I was. I was cornered. I would not be killed in my own house and I knew that I would do whatever I needed to to save Mattie's life. "We need to talk, Piggy." I moved closer to my sofa and he raised his weapon. "Easy bitch. I've heard how sneaky you are." I raised my hands and sat down slowly on the sofa. "I'm sitting down so that we can talk. You can let my grandmother go. Mattie ain't got nothing to do with this." Mattie looked up at him and nodded her head in agreement. My hand touched the steel that was underneath the couch cushion. I was cold and today I would find out how cold I was with a gun. The goon kept talking. "No I can't let sweet Mattie go. She has to be here and that's the only way I know you'll pay attention." Through my plantation shutters I saw Meika's beamer pull up outside. This MF had no idea what was about to happen to him. All of a sudden my radio came on and Eightball and MJG's Life Goes On comes on. Mattie coughed. In that instant, I slid the safety off. He raised his gun to her. Meika rang the doorbell. Mattie coughs again. He forcibly pushes her. In an instant I fire a shot into his shoulder and Meika comes through my door with her .50. Mattie runs for cover. With backup, I stand over the bleeding goon. I look at Meika. She has come in like a raven avenger angel. She nods her head. I ask no questions. I pump one in his head. Mattie Mae screams and cries uncontrollably. Thing is I know that its my soul she crying over.

Courtney, Piggy, and Piggy Monroe: That's All She Got in the End....

I looked at my pout in my rearview to make sure my lipglass was poppin'. Remembered what weapontry I had in my car. It's like I really want to do what's right. I then thought about the amount of blood that was on my hands. Things I had done. I mean at the end of the day, I couldn't really pass judgement on nobody. But I knew that when I took it upon myself to take someone's life, I was doing just that. God have mercy on me. I drink, cry, write and buy shoes to take the pain out. This muthafucker just rearended me. Ok, here we go. I changed gears in my camaro. Underneath the dashboard of it I kept a .380. Now the .380 isn't my particular favorite handgun but it gets the job done. Small enough and powerful plenty. I took it off safety and laid it in my lap. I had loaded my .40 but I had decided to let her rest. Me and this idiot, who was in a Tahoe, was about to have it out. We were now racing down an empty road. I shifted into third. We were side by side in the lanes. He had somebody else with him because the back driver's side window was let down. I saw a scope and I immediately put my car in reverse. We were going about eighty then. When I backed up I reached down and stuck my police light on the dash of my car. Whoever was after me probably knew that I was a cop but I wanted to reitterate. They were doing a donut in the middle of the road headed for me. Instead of turning around though they tried to barricade the street. Big mistake. I was a country girl who grew up playing chicken. They figured by cutting me off in the middle of the road, I would stop. Not me! I shifted again and my camaro was pushing ninety. I raced forward and when I was about a feet away I swerved onto the shoulder and fishtailed back onto the road. Did I know how to work the wheel. My heart was beating a mile a minute but I know I had caused them to have heart attacks. A guy well over six feet tall with long dreads stood in the road and pointed an AK at my car. I sat idle waiting for him to hoist it towards me. My back window was opened with a push of a button. I fired off three slugs. He started spraying before he hit the ground. One of my bullets were in vain but another sliced his dreadlocks and the other between his eyes. Seconds felt like an eternity. I then saw an eighteen wheeler coming our way south bound. I had to get outta here. I shifted and almost turned the car over. The second I sped off I heard the truck's horn and then more gunfire. Trouble always finds me or was I in constant pursuit of it? I drove until I was near my queendom. I called Tameika and didn't get an answer. Now I knew for sure that someon was trying to kill me. The past couple of weeks have been crazy but I believed that there was a reason I had been cheating death. I had a higher purpose. I needed to get high. I called Katy. She said that she could be in my neighborhood in fifteen minutes. I was overjoyed. I went inside my home and I shut the blinds. I stripped and got into a cold shower. The water felt good on my skin. I let it fall onto my locks. It pulsated against the back of my neck. I looked down and realized that the DSW pendant was around my neck. I remebered the first time I saw it. Albro blinded me with it. It was the day he had kidnapped me. I touched the pendant. This was it. Wasn't no turning back. I turned the water off. Dried off. Slipped on a wife beater and some cutoff shorts. Poured myself a glass of wine. Yeah, this was where I needed to be. I thought about my Piglet and how things would be the best for him. Whatever it took. No matter what. I put my feet up on my coffee table. My toes were painted in Red Corvette by OPI. I could feel tension in my neck. There goes the doorbell. It's Katy. I opened the door. She was dressed in all black. In her hand was a Steve Madden box. She looked around. I invited her in. "I'm so glad that you could stop by on such short notice." She smiled. "Anything for my girl,you know that." I slid her money to her. I opened the box and inside it was five inch black and red open toed pumps. There was a hidden platform. My nipples got hard. "Let me help you with those, Courtney." She took them out of the box and put them on my feet. When she did, I instantly became Piggy Monroe. My normally 5'2 voluptuous frame now stood at 5'7. Bey's Me, Myself and I came on through my home stereo system. I was high. In a zone. I could only do this around those I trust. Besides, Katherine knew not to fuck with me. So I walked through my living room with those pumps on just like Bey walked through her video. I love me and me loved me back! When I abused shoes, I sat on top of the world and it was a place I didn't want to come down from. Judge me if you will. I need help and eventually, I'll get it. I sipped some more wine and then walked over to my full length mirror in my living room. I got completely naked except for the pumps. I heard Katy clear her throat. I didn't flinch. This was my Queendom. She could always leave.

Trouble Piggy's Sweetest Taboo: Courtney's Lynn-iage

I reclined my seat just enough to get comfortable but not too much. I didn't fully trust Yulonda. She was being nice helping me with my itch. She looked at me. "You know cousin, I'mma nurse and I can see that your habit is pretty bad. What you gone do about it?" I sucked my teeth. One more person commented on how bad my shoe habit was I was gone scream. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. "You said you wanted to talk Yodie." She was quiet for a moment. I heard Thought of Many Ways come on my radio. Hadn't heard it in a while. "Courtney, you know Casey Champagne and Ivory were at odds over territory." This had piqued my interest. Like Albro she had come up on the backs of others. She made money dabbling in shoes, dope and cars. Yeah Casey had chop shops on the four corners of Houston. There was one in South Park, one off Spice Lane, Acres Home and Fifth Ward. Yeah she was as cute as a button but as dirty as Big Lynn. She was also my sister. Her mother and my daddy were briefly married. You divorce spouses not siblings. Sometimes I couldn't stand her but I loved her to death. "What else is new? Casey has always overstepped her boundaries. I get on her about that all the time." Casey much like many of the womenn in my life was bad and she knew it. "You now have a problem. You see Albro took Fourth Ward from her. She was pissed. So that issue is now yours." I shrugged it off. I don't think so. Champagne wasn't a problem for me. Little did she know it her ass was mine. "Yodie, do you think I can't handle Casey? She family. She'll do what I say." Yodie didn't look convinced. I had to remind her that I had taken her better half off the map. "I suggest we set up a meeting with Casey. Meanwhile business is being handled as usual. Did you want to see expense reports?" I chuckled at the thought. See since the day I killed Albro, I had made sure that all financial records had been sent to me. I inserted a flash drive into Albro's computer and had it saved. I was on top of it. I knew what Albro brought in and I was already in the process of setting up new meeting with all of his contacts. "Yodie, I'm cool. I got it." I couldn't help but chuckle because I did see where Yulonda would fit into all of this. She would be my personal assistant. Trust was something that made me nervous when it came to her. We were family true enough but still. So goes the age old adage keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If she knew like I know than she would rather be Piggy's friend than foe. "Yodie, where you living at?" "I'm off Richmond." "Change of plans. You're moving. You are gonna be my assistant. It pays well and I need you ready. I'll look into Shadow Creek Ranch for an apartment." She didn't have any objections to that. I told her to call me tomorrow. I watched her get into her car and pull off. Somethng was still eating at me. You see how would Yodie have known I was at work? I had a rat somewhere. I would find it and when I did... Well you know. I restarted Thought of Many Ways. My life had been turned in several directions lately. I had this new found power but now what? Its like we struggle and work hard to get certain things but once we've obtained them, it's like now what? My cellular jarred my thoughts. It was my mother. "Courtney, you ok?" "Yeah mommy, I'm fine. How are you?" It sounded like she was eating. "I'm okay. Made brunch today. Have you eaten?" I glanced at the clock on my dash. It was 11:30. "No I haven't eaten. What did you cook?" "Oh I fried some chicken wings and made some pecan waffles. Eggs. Grits and some banana nut muffins. Oh how I loved my southern mama. "I'll be there in a lil bit mommy." "Ok, come on." I left the compound. Made sure I got on my radio and let my  team know I was off to lunch. Sitting in Traffic off 59, I passed one of Albro's carwashes. Yeah that was now mine too. I swooped into the carwash. There was cars lined up. Mercedes, Cadillacs, and Jaguars. There was a couple beamers there too. I sashayed to the back. A white chick was sitting in the office. I closed the door behind me. "Excuse me, can I help you?" I smiled. Moved a blonde lock out of my eye and introduced myself. "My name is Piggy. And all of this is now mine." Sharon is what was on her desk. She looked confused. She walked from around her desk and folded her arms across her chest. Hmmn. She was fiesty, I could see. "Piggy, you said your name was? Yeah well this car wash belongs to Ivory Albro and I am sure you are aware of that." I moved closer to the white girl. "No, as I stated earlier, this carwash has been taken over. Now you can either get with these new changes or you can get along." Sharon made direct eye contact with me and then almost instantly looked away. She walked back behind her desk. "I'm calling Albro but I'm calling the police first." As she dialed numbers on her phone she looked up and saw that I was holding a police's badge. The phone dropped from her hand. I wasn't an amateur ladies and gentlemen. By no means. "I see. Well Albro hadn't told me that he was going to sell." I nodded my head. "It was a spur of the moment deal. Sharon, I'm not here to put you out. I mean the only change with this company is that it now belongs to me. Operations are fine around here and I can see that you have done a fine job with running this place." She smiled. I could already see what type of person this bitch was. It really didn't take much to stroke her ego. "All I need Sharon, is a copy of expense reports from this year." "No problem. I can get that to you now. Let me print them for you." I stopped her. "I'd prefer them saved to my zip drive." I handed it to her. She did as I asked. I gave her my business card and told her that I would be back in a couple of days. "Piggy, where is Albro?" I turned around and looked at her. "I don't know. He told me that he needed a vacation. Indefinitely." I walked out the door. I headed to my mother's. One thing about it, I knew I had done it. Albro industries consisted of many businesses. I figured I had it under control. I pulled up at my mother's and I saw my twin brother's truck outside. I smiled. I rarely got to saw him except whenf we had stings at work. He answered the door. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. "What's goin on Trouble Pooh?" I laughed. He and my mother would always call me that. It was cool. "I'm good Boy, how are you?" "I'm great bae." My stomach growled as I could smell my mama's cooking. I went into the kitchen and she had a spread fit for a king. There was salmon, porkchops, sausage, bacon. She had pancakes, waffles and biscuits. Muffins, pies, and cookies. There was grits, eggs, and scalloped potatoes. I kissed her cheek. We said grace and sat down around her marble table and ate like family. "I told your brother about what happened the other night, Courtney." I poured Louisiana on my grits and stirred. I didn't respond. "I couldn't believe that Shannon Monet had sent those men here. I haven't been able to sleep good since." I exhaled. "Mama, this is personal between Monet and me. She was sending me a message. She knew I was here and she knew that while I was here, no harm was gone come to you. Monet was trying to show me how bold she is." My brother nodded his head. My mother seemed satisfied with my explanation. Bottom line, Shannon Monet had effed up and royally. Even still I figured I needed to focus more on Arnissha Lynn. She had to be stopped. She knew that Albro was out of the picture and she was now showing her ass. Not on my watch. I had heard her goons was moving right on in on my territory. This was running through my mind as I sat and ate with my mother and my twin. I looked at my phone and saw that I had received a text from my favorite Baltimore lady. It was Symone. I loved this chick and what she stood for. Besides that she kept me accessorized with her label Pure Vengeance. Custom made jewelry, earrings, cell phone cases, shoes-you name it. I had been interested in getting her designs wholesale. I texted her and told her that I would fly her in down South for a meeting. I got up and pushed my chair back. "Mommy, brunch was great. I'm full but I gotta run." There was a sadness in her eyes but she got up and hugged me. Kissed my cheek. "Boy, I need to talk to you for a second." He walked me outside to my car. "Sis, I need you to be careful. I mean I'm with you on whatever. But be careful. The team still need you." "I know David, look I need some inside information on Arnissha Lynn. I mean I know she BEEN doin her thing but I need to know more. Give me the lowdown. Whatever you can find." "So you going after Big Lynn now?" He chuckled. "I got you Girl. Get outta here. I love you and I'll call you later." He kissed my forehead. Boy was one of the few men in my life that loved me unconditionally. My phone rang. It was Symone. "What you wanna do, Texas Lady?" I smiled. "Same thing I'm doing everynite, Queen of B-more, try to take over the world perfectly accessorized and in fabolous shoes." "Piggy, let's talk." You see I knew that Houston was probably waiting for me to fail or cower. It wasn't gone happen. I told myself that as I loaded a magazine into my pistol. Watching this MF follow me as I left my mother's. "Symone, bae, let me call you back." "Ok chick." I whispered a Hail Mary. I wasn't Catholic but occasionally I took on the doctrine. I saw him in my rearview. He didn't know who I was. I put Lip glass on my lips in Sweetest Taboo and worked the wheel of my car. Lord knows, I really do try and do what's right.....

If You're Nobody Until You Die then Piggy Won't Ever be Shit!

I saw to my guests well into the night. We drank and ate and made merry. Each one of the women in my Embassy had something unmistakably unique to offer. Best believe I would take full advantage of that. It was almost two in the morning when Texas Tea, being the last to leave, was safely in her car. I closed and locked the door. Made sure my queendom was secure. It had been a minute since I had laid my head down in my house. It was hard for me here since my Blahniks had went missing. I would get them back and I would collect the head of whoever took them. I tugged on a pair of boyshorts and wife beater. Washed my face and tied a silk scarf on my locks. Called 50 to check on him and my son. "Red, what you know good?" I smiled. Always glad to hear his voice. It was like the feel of chocolate and silk combined. "A lot, Blackie. How is Cobee?" " He good mama. We spent most of the day together. I gotta give it to us. We did good with him." "I know bae, hell we still doing good." He chuckled. "I know he probably sleep. He was on my mind though." "Yeah Red, he outta there. How you doing? You aight?" Here we go. I've known and loved Brian Wright for the better part of fifteen years. I knew when he was leading. "Won't you come out and ask me what you really want to know Blackie?" He laughed again. "Okay, so it's true. You're the man now huh?" "Yes, I am." "Baby mama, you be careful. It's rough out there." That came from a deep and honest place. I realized then that no matter what, our relationship status, time, life or whatever, I would love this nigga forever! "I gotcha Baby daddy. Houston is now mine and it'll one day belong to Cobee." I heard him blow what was probably hydrobubonic smoke. He coughed. Laughed. "Nigga, you ain't cold." "I know I ain't cold nigga. I'm Coyle." We burst into a fit of laughter. 50 was one of the few people I considered family and a friend. He listened when I needed him to. It took a long time for me to get over him but then I realized that maybe I was supposed to be his Bottom and the most important role that I could play for him would be Cobee's mother. I was content in doing just that. Was I still in love with him? Yeah. I was smart though. If we were meant to be than we would. No other questions. "Want you to have dinner with me sometime this week, Red." "You got it Blackie. Kiss Cobee  for me. I'm layin it down. I love you." He paused. "I know you do, Red." The line was disconnected. I turned the television on. A commercial for Courtney Got Something to Say comes on. I shook my head. That damn Courtney Coyle always tryna get somebody to read her blog about that crazy ass Piggy. I quickly changed the channel. Nothing was on. Kill Bill Vol. 1 was on FX. I thought to myself that those hoes had nothing on my embassy. I watched the movie until I dozed off. I woke up at around nine a.m. I knew that my behavior was borderline self destructive. Today I would go into the office and work my job of being a cop. I dressed in black slacks, white men's button down, Sean John silver tie. Silver Lou Bou five inch pumps. My DSW pendant would stay at home. I ran my hand through my locks. Sprayed them with misting spray and Cashmere. I took a look at myself long and hard in the mirror. I looked just like my mama. Speaking of such I needed to call her today. I lined my eyes with black liner and put on clear lip gloss. Headed to the compound. I went through Pandora to find something to listen to in the car. Came across Voyage to Atlantis. You know the one by Ron and nem Isley. It helped me get through traffic a bit. Fuck, I needed some coffee. As I pulled in the compound, I thought about what my day would entail. I grabbed my bag and my pistol. Made sure I had my badge also. When I got to my department shit was crazy as usual. We had a task force meeting before anything and as usual I was late. Fairfield was gone chew my ass out. I went into the conference room and sat next to Anderson. She turned in whispered, "You know Fairfield gone have you for lunch." I nodded my head. On the board today there was a picture of Dynastie. It didn't affect me like it should. I looked around to gauge everybody else's expression. Stoic. Maybe it was just me. "Look here, Dynastie Ellington, local hair dresser has been reported missing. Normally we don't do missing persons, but we have reason to believe that she's been murdered." I raised my hand to interrupt. "Um Capt, why do you believe that she was murdered?" He gave me a dirty look. He always wanted us to wait until he called for questions but shit he knew I was the problem child. "Piggy, she's been missing for a week. Also we searched her home and seized dope and shoes that was taken from Gitto's warehouse." Damn. Shit was getting sloppy. I made a mental note to call an emergency powwow with my embassy. I let him go on but to be honest, I was no longer interested in this meeting. I excused myself into the hallway. I sent Tameika, Alicia, Mychelle, Michelle and Chad Blair texts that read, Meeting. I called Mike Walker and he assured me that Dynastie's body would never be recovered. I knew better than to question that you just never know. By this time everyone had come out of the meeting. Ragging on me because they all knew Fairfield was gone give me the business. Capt called me into his office. "What's up bae?" His face turned red. "Piggy, I told you to stop calling me that. I hate it." I knew he did too. "What's going on?" He threw a stack of papers on his desk toward me. "You want to tell me why your cell and radio number is on the outgoing and incoming calls on this missing woman's phone? How do you know Dynastie?" My heart dropped to my stomach. I was still cool on the outside. "She does my hair Capt. I was gone tell you that when the meeting was over." He nodded his head. "All I know is that we're investigating Gitto's murder and this is the second thing that YOU could possibly be linked to. I don't like it. Keep your nose clean, Coyle!" His phone rang. "Get outta my office." I gladly did so. Yeah, I needed to take care of some shit. I had plans and sitting in a Texas penitentiary was not one of them. I headed back out to my car and she was waiting on me. Beautiful as the sunrise but poisonous as arsenic. "Yulonda, what do you want?" She removed her shades. "I want in." I looked around the compound. I may have to kill her and I didn't need any witnesses. "Get in." I figured we could talk. I hadn't yet figured out how I would use Yulonda. But she was determined to get at me. I had to respect that. I turned down the radio. "I'm listening....I started shaking. It was about time for another fix. Old habits die hard but this shoe shit had to be contained. Yulonda looked at me. There was a sadness and warmth in her eyes. "You got some shoes in here." I nodded. Pointed to the back seat. She helped me roll my sleeves up and she placed the Chinese Laundry shoe on my pulsing vein. Life is a bitch and I was gone be that bitch but with awesome footwear.

A Hard Head Makes for a Soft Curly TAIL

I turned to my mama. I knew she was probably waiting on an explanation. "Mama- She put her hands up to shush me. "Trouble Pooh. You know I cringed the first time I heard your daddy call you that. He was holding you in the hospital after you and your brother was born. He had stars in his eyes as he held you. Imma call her Trouble Pooh he told me." I smiled. "Baby, it's okay. You know the last couple of months I've watched you walk around here like you got some kind of point to prove. You don't have to prove anything to nobody but yourself." She was right. I constantly had to prove to people that I wasn't weak or that I could do or be anything I set my mind to. Hell my mother had just given me all the validation I needed. There was a knock at the door. It was Mike Walker. My mama opened the door. She embraced Mike Walker. "Oh I'm so glad to see you! Let me look at you." He kissed her cheek and I knew the friendship and camaraderie between them was genuine. "Linda, you look good woman. Don't look like you've aged at all. CC, how you doing lil one?" I grinned. "I'm ok. Need your services." He looked me over. "That's ok. I'm here." My mother's entertaining charm was turned back on. "Mike, can I get you some coffee or something. I got some pecan pie and ice cream?" He chuckled. "Same ole Linda. I'll take a rain check on the pie. Would love a cold beer if you got one." "Still drink Budweiser?" Mike Walker nodded. I just shook my head. This wasn't exactly a social call but I guess my mother was glad to see Walker. She went off to fetch his beer. Mike sat down while two of his boys came in to dispose of our "problem" "Jay, wait a second before you take him." Mike walked over to our friend. Pulled his ski mask off. He didn't flinch. "This is Monet's work. Anthony Scott. He been with Monet for a minute, CC." I shrugged my shoulders. "Well she shouldn't have sent him after me then. Hope she wasn't attached to him." "You killed one of her top guns. You know it's on now huh?" I looked around to make sure my mama was still in the kitchen. "Technically I didn't kill him, Mike. You know his death had to be very necessary." Mike Walker just nodded. "You good, lil one. I'm not judging you. You heard from your daddy?" The mention of my daddy caused strings to tug at my heart. You see my daddy was a sensitive subject for me. He had been on the run for the last ten years. He was doing well. We spoke every Sunday. I lived for the day when my father could come home. Sad to say, I knew that day may never come. "I talk to him all the time. He's doing good." "You tell him I said to stay up next time you talk to him." I appreciated that. If my daddy showed his face around Houston, I knew he would either be killed or put in a federal prison to live out the rest of his days. Daddy would rather die than to be imprisoned. My mama came out with Mike's beer. They sat in the living room and talked like old friends. They were. Meanwhile, Asia aka Alicia called me. "What's up AB?" "Nothing much, CC. Let me ask you something. You been talking to Big Lynn?" I had forgot to get with AB about that. "Look AB, we need to talk about that. Where you at?" "I'm in Sunnyside." "Well look, you get in touch with Mychelle and y'all meet me at my house in about an hour." She hung up. I called Texas Tea back and told her the change of plans. "Mike, come on out so I can pay you. Mama, I gotta go." Mike put his hands up. "CC, this one is on the house. I'm just glad to see you and your mother made it ok." I looked into Mike Walker's eyes. I could peer down into his soul and he could do the same for me. I kissed his cheek and kissed the cheek of my mother's. Mike Walker assured me that this cleanup would go like all the others. I left and headed to my house. I rode and thought in silence. A lot of times this would be the only time I could really think. My son, daddy, mother, and other lives I felt I held in balance. Tameika was already at my house when I got there. AB and Mychelle pulled in after. Michelle called me and said she was on her way. I took my shoes out of the car and brought them into the house. I went in the fridge and got a bottle of Moscato. I hadn't been home in days and so there was nothing we could really snack on. I ordered fare from an Italian restaurant. "This is a nice place you have here, CC." Mychelle took a look around. I put some music on. I felt like hearing some Brad Jordan. My Homies compilation it is. I let Fuck Faces play. There was a ring of the doorbell. It was Michelle. Everyone was here. We congregated in my den. "Ladies, it's time we talk. We now have to put a plan in motion. We are going to take over not only Houston but the Third Coast. That's Texas, Louisana, Mississippi and so on and so on." I looked at the beautiful ladies that sat before me. I had done good. "Now our next business venture? We gone take over Big Lynn's business. That's dope, shoes and daycares. She needs to be taken down a peg." I turned to AB. "I'm sure Asia is more than willing to oblige, ain't that right?" AB smiled. "We need to get started on this like yesterday." I knew that this would be personal between AB and Arnissha Lynn but with me I just needed to show Big Lynn that my name was King Piggy and NOT little girl. Vain ain't it? I know. But one thing I knew was that Fear and Respect was two different things. A nigga like Big Lynn wasn't gone respect me cuz she feared me, naw. She was gone respect me because I would give her no other options. Subliminally I put her and Monet on the top of my shit list. I sat at the head of my table surrounded by what I knew was four of the baddest bitches the lone star state had produced. I wrapped a coil of my curl blonde locks around my finger and bit my bottom lip. I would take over the world, starting southeast of the Astrodome. Damn I miss my daddy.

Pissed Pretty Piggy and her Mama: It's over Monet!

I knew Shannon Monet didn't particularly care for this new reversal in power. But she was gone deal with it, you understand me. She had had her time and it was now mine. I dug my fork into mashed potatoes that would make you slap your mama and anybody else's mama. Finally Monet spoke. "Who you think you are? Huh? Lest we forget, you bad because I made you that way." I thought about this. Yes, it was partially true. Shannon Monet was part of the reason I was the way I am now. But let's not forget. I had my own beautiful biological mother to thank also. Shannon Monet couldn't bear children of her own. So she went about life adopting children along the way. I would always owe Shannon Monet but I would never let that fact stifle me from getting to where I needed to be. I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Took a sip of water. "Funny thing is, you haven't taken a sip of this fine Beretta Street Sweet Tea you just tried to serve me." Her mouth turned up at the side. "Didn't want any." No you didn't want any of THAT tea. "Monet, try as you will to fight this. Help me understand why you are trying to end my life?" "Piggy, why don't we continue this discussion in my office?" She wanted me to continue what could possibly be a heated discussion in her office where at any time she'd have thousands of dollars in steel weapontry? Nope. I'm good that's gone be a negative. "I'm fine right where I am." I patted my gun underneath the table. You see I was badder than a cat. I had more than nine lives. If this was what she wanted.... "Okay Piggy, the thing is I had a slip of the tongue the other day during dinner. I told you about my relationship with Albro. I was drunk and medicated." I nodded my head. This was lame. Especially for Monet. I mean why did she really care about me knowing that? "All in all that was just me popping off at the mouth." I laughed. "Naw Shannon, I know you. You don't pop off at the mouth and every thing you say you gone do, you do it. You say you killed your niece, you killed her." "You have information with which you could destroy me." We stared back at each other. Fury. Passion. "Exactly, Monet. You know I'm not a snitch. I have never been. We've kept each other's secrets. Know this, I am King. We'll run Houston together but as a part of my blueprint. Alvin Ray? Where is he? I need to know so that his family can bury him." "I don't know where he is." This bitch was lying. She just stared at me. I shrugged my shoulders. I tried. I then dropped a hundred dollar bill. "What the hell are you doing? Your money has never been good here." I smirked. "Well it ain't my money, it's Albro's." I moved closer to Shannon and stood in front of her. She remained seated. I tipped the glass of sweet tea into her lap and watched it burn a hole through her pantsuit leg. She grabbed a steak knife and when she did I grabbed her chin and neck and squeezed her until she dropped it. "See that's what I'm talking about. Playing. You try to harm me one more time and I promise I'll be the one who gives the benediction at your funeral." She gasped for air. I kept squeezing her and I bent slightly to kiss her cheek. Traces of my lipstick was left on her face. For some reason that satified me. I looked around me and I saw two of her goons coming towards me. I squeezed harder. "Call them off." I let her go and rubbed her back. "Everything ok, Ms. Monet?" She took a sip of water and nodded. "She's ok guys. She said the pork chops were a little peppery and she choked a bit that's all." They didn't believe that shit but again they didn't want no problems. I let her go. But not before I took the clip out of the .380 she had with her. "You don't need this. I'm sure you have plenty more." I sashayed my fabolous ass out of her establishment. Normally a stunt like that would've been signing my own death certificate. But shit I was King Piggy. Who was gone stop me? So I was now full. I had eaten but there was something calling me to call my mother. On the radio the Spinners sang to Sadie Mae. I didn't call. Instead I just dropped by. I pulled my car behind her Cadillac. She answered the door before I could ring. "Hey Pooh, come on here. Where's my grandson?" I kissed my beautiful mother's cheek. Beautiful as the day is long and wiser than ten people fifty years older than she. "Mama, he with 50. How are you?" "I'm fine. Sitting in here looking at Wheel of Fortune. You hungry?" I shook my head. "No, I just had dinner with your sorror, Shannon Monet." This pleased her. Belinda Ann Elliott-Coyle and Shannon Monet had been friends all through college. My mother thought highly of her and she of my mother. Monet had a side that I didn't think my mother knew about. "How is Monet? I saw her on television the other night. She looks good." I looked at my mother. I was looking at myself twenty years down the road. We were the same complexion with me being a tad lighter. She had moles on her face that were in the same place on mine. A halo of soft healthy curls and hazel colored eyes that told a story. My mama looked at me. "Courtney, something wrong?" I shook my head no. "Yes it is. Trouble Pooh, what's wrong?" Tears streamed my face. I got on my knees and sat between my mothers legs as she tried to console me. She ran her warm hands across my face. "It's okay baby. Let it out." I cried. I cried because there was no turning back. I cried for Ivory Albro. I cried for Cobee. I cried because I knew that  I would never be able to live a normal life. I cried because even if when tonight I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I could not change anything. "Give it to God, Pooh." I knew that what she was telling me was right. I didn't contest that. My mother got up. She saw something on her security cameras. My mother was a retired judge and after being with my bricklayer father for twenty years she had more than her share of enemies. "Were you expecting somebody, Courtney?" I wiped my eyes and got up. "No ma'am." On the camera we saw a black navigator and two men in black with artillery coming up the front part of my mother's property. On cue my mama loaded her .40 seventeen shot. She slid me a twelve gauge and killed the lights. There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" No answer. I cocked the gauge. I looked over and saw my mother's hazel eyes glowing in the dark. "You got about three seconds to leave my mother's house." I heard them speak. "That's her. That Piggy bitch is already here. We can't get her mama if she here!" What the hell? I opened the door. Both had their backs to me. One took off into the night. The other I had by his shirt with the barrell of the shotgun in his back. He begged me for his life. I walked him back in. Mama turned the lights back on. I pulled his mask off and I recognized him from one of the goons who was in Shannon's Plate. "Shannon sent you here didn't she?" He wouldn't say anything. I pulled him by his dreads. He nodded. "What were you going to do with my mother?" "Shannon said just get her but don't kill her." I looked at mama and she couldn't believe what she was hearing. I took the .40 from her. "Because my mama is standing here I won't end your life." I gave the gun back to my mama. I turned my back to him looking for my cell. Didn't know he had pulled a knife and would've stabbed me had my mama not fired. He lay there as life was draining for him. I faintly heard him ask for a doctor. I got down on my knees by him. "You had a doctor. Doctor Monet sent you over to kill my mama. Thank her for this on the way to hell." He took his last breath. My mama was surprisingly calm. "We need to clean this nigga up, Pooh." All that southern belle charm was gone. "Don't worry about that mommy. I'll call Mike Walker." A blast from the past. "How is he, Courtney?" Whenever I would bring up Mike Walker people would ask me that. "He's fine. Probably the best he has been in a long time." I made the call. Shannon had started on a path and it wasn't no turning back. I got Texas Tea on the phone. I needed a really good shooter and somebody I could trust. Piggy pissed Shannon Monet off. Well better to be pissed off than pissed ON!!! You see this heifer didn't believe fat meat was greasy. As I waited on Mike Walker, Arnissha Lynn called. "Little girl, I need to meet with you. Soon." "Lynn, I 'll call you when I'm available." I hung up. Lastly I dialed Monet. When she answered I said one thing. "I told you, didn't I?" The line went dead.

Piggy Picked a Pickled Pepper: A Misplaced Shell Casing?

I got to the compound and needless to say I must have looked a sight. Here I was in a halter romper. Dior sunglasses. When I got to work, I didn't see any of my team. It was just my Captain. "Captain, where everybody at? When we going out?" He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Coyle, sit down." Uh-oh. You see the only time Captain called me by my last name was when he wanted to chew my ass out about something. I did as I was told. "We're not going out tonight. I told you that because I knew you would make yourself available immediately." I guess he knew me. He went on. "CC, you're one of the best cops I got. I appreciate what you do for the team. You know I do." I nodded my head. "Captain, get to it. Please." He reached into his desk drawer. Pulled out a baggie with a spent shell casing in it. I immediately recognized it. This was ammo that only HPD officers use. "That's one of our shells, Captain." He nodded his head. "I know this, CC. Most importantly, the serial markings match a magazine that was issued to you. This shell was found at that warehouse where Salvatore Gitto was murdered. Can you explain this." My heart dropped down to the bottom of my feet. You see I had been effin up. I got so caught up that I was being sloppy. I remember purposefully leaving that shell casing there. "Captain, I don't know how that happened. I reported my service pistol stolen weeks ago." I had. I was on my toes. You see when I took that shell casing outta my bra, and went home after the heist, I knew messing with Albro could get me caught up if I wasn't careful. So I called and had my service pistol reported stolen. I was then issued a new .40 and I kept the old one to reign. Iron Fist, Mike Walker. If Captain doubled checked he would see that report. Boom! I wasn't new to this. I was true to it. He looked at me like he knew I was lying. I didn't care. I had been a cop damn near ten years and one thing I knew, was that it was never about what was true but what you could prove. "CC, you're not in some kind of trouble are you? Because you know you can come to me if you are. I can help. You know I'd do anything for my officers." I shook my head. "Capt, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" He eyed me up and down. "I don't know. You look different. That's all." I smiled. "I'm fine, Fairfield." He continued to stare at me. "You asked me about that Lena Carethers case a while back. Why?" I shrugged. "I heard some people talking about it. I remembered it and was just curious. That's all." "Yeah and that just happens to be your ex partner's case. You ever hear from Chad Blair?" Interesting question. Didn't faze me though. "As a matter of fact I saw him in passing today." Fairfield wasn't a very good liar. Considering he had been a cop before I was born. I happen to glance his desk and I noticed that he had a missing report on his desk. He never handled missing persons reports. I saw the name on it. Alvin Ray Jr. Damn. "Since when are you doing missing persons reports?" He looked at what I was looking at. "I don't but this is a cop. Personnel asked me to check it out. His name is Alvin Ray. You know him I'm sure. He been missing for about the last day and a half. His old lady has been frantic about him. Calling all day. I wonder what's up. You know when cops go missing, it's usually on purpose." I agreed but I knew better. While Fairfield wondered where Ray was I had a pretty good idea where he was. Shannon Monet was behind this. It was time for me to go. "Capt, are we through?" He looked at me for a moment. "CC, if something or someone is bothering you, you can talk to me about it. You want to do it before it's not too late." His words chilled me for a bit and I tried hard not to let him see that. I nodded and left. That was a close one CC. I had really forgot about the Warehouse heist. I mean that was the first one that Chelle, Dynastie and I had done. I stood on the steps of the police station and looked around downtown Houston. I loved this city and would do whatever I needed to do for it. My stomach growled. I knew that I was about twenty minutes from Shannon's Plate. I was in the need for fusion and Soul Food. Why not? I needed to find out what she knew about Ray's disappearance anyway. Monet had an thing about attire when it came to her restaurant. So I slipped on some satin Louboutin black slingbacks and fluffed my locks. Red Velvet Cake lipstick by Ulta and went on my way. I walked right on in and right past the maitre d. I didn't need him to sit me anywhere. I sat myself. I made sure the waitress let Monet know that I was here. I could feel the DSW pendant hitting my breasts and they might as well have been made out of steel. I thought about Albro. He would never leave me. Suddenly I smelled Belluva, Monet's signature scent. I turned behind me and there she was. She was in an Georgio Armani black pantsuit and Armani evening slippers. Pear shaped diamonds hung from her lobes. In my modest attire though, she had to bow to me. What I was wearing couldn't be bought in no store. I now had what I believe the Spanish call cojones. If Monet wanted to see them I would set them right on her nice pristine white tablecloth. "CC, good to see you. Toujours un plaisir!" I smiled. I bet it was always a pleasure. "Monet, I am real hungry. I think I'll have smothered pork chops with Malik from Fakkulty Mashed potatoes. I'll have Green Quail green beans. Bring me some of that Beretta Street Sweet Tea." She nodded and gave my complete order in french to one of the servers. Ordered it twice. "You mind if I join you, CC?" That was a statement and not a question. Out came her little pill box. Yeah go ahead and get comatose. Dodge reality if you want to, Shannon Monet. I looked around her establishment and couldn't help but notice that one of Monet's goons I had seen the night I bust Arnissha Lynn. He stood behind the desk of AB the night I went to see her. Something was up with this dude. Goons came in male or female but there were many cupholders in the city of Houston. King or Queen we all needed them and I wanted to know what he had in common. Y2 Gray started playing in my head. I could hear Mase rhyming it be the same niggas. It's the ones that smoke blunts with you, send you pictures now they wanna grab they glocks and come and get cha. I shook my head. He looked my way and nodded. I nodded back. Monet brought my tea back. It looked cloudy. I knew they put tons of sugar in it. I didn't sip from it. "Hope you're hungry Piggy. That gravy is my special 40 weight gravy. You'll love it. Why aren't you drinking your tea?" I slid it to her. "I'm good. You can have it yourself. I'll have some water instead." This bitch thought I was crazy. You see I hadn't forgotten that she had sent Alvin Ray to kill me. No way was I going to take anything from her. Since she had probably poisoned my tea, I knew my food would be ok. She wasn't going to leave that table and she sure wasn't going to give orders to touch my food. Here we sat across from each other. One Queen who had her time and a new King who had just started her reign. Did I love Shannon? I did like family. What was love without loyalty? Huh. Tell me that. No matter how she wanted things to be different, in a sense I guess they were. I was on top of the world now. She could deal with it or get dealt with. The waiter bought my food and I was famished. I watched her take a bite first. Chess wasn't a game you want to play with Piggy. You'd lose. I look at my once mentor. Did I pity her? Hell naw her venom was like that of a Lousiana water moccasin. I looked her dead in her eye. "Shannon Monet, let's stop stumbling around the real issue. The tables have turned. You now work for me." Her eyes turned another shade. I took a bite of my pork chop. Damn, it was good. You don't like Piggy, that's fine but they'll remember me forever.