LoVe and Chinese Laundry

She looks good even on T.V. First degree murder of a federal agent?! Damn Piggie. I didn't know how far gone she was. Then again it always more than one side to a story. They say they have rounded up her whole team. Wonder where she is? I wanna call her. Piggie is my friend but I swear she pull on the strings of my heart. My missus don't understand our relationship. Hell I wanted Piggie to tell her she was gay. It'd make my life a helluva lot easier. She was in trouble and I felt a lil helpless at this point. I'm watching my baby sleep. I love this little girl like you wouldn't believe and I'd give my life today if I knew that it would guarantee her the world. They doing a whole spread on her on channel 13. Damn, she not answering me. I text her. Call me succa. I had made plans for my Piggie. She needed my help on the finance end of her businessess and I would be there for her. I had no idea this was what she was facing also. I play back our last conversation. "The nightmares wont stop bae." "Piggie that's why you got to take your sessions seriously. Are you saying your prayers?" She got quiet. Didn't say anything. Me and Piggie was similar in many ways. She could be quiet and say nothing to me but yet she has said it all. I interpret and understand her silence and she is a sounding board for my madness. Text message. Bae, um good. I felt a lil better. I swear its crazy having a narcissistic shoe addicted cop for a best friend. I knew she could handle herself but it never stopped me from worrying about her. _____ was definitely back. I'm still tryna figure out what that really meant for Houston. I needed to see her. Find out if she had heard from him. I knew how she was about her daddy. She talk him about like he a mythical figure. Hope my little girl feel the same way about me one day. Who is this knocking on my door like this. Unmarked Crown Victoria huh. Police. "Levon Walton?" I nod my head. "FBI. We have some questions regarding Sgt. Courtney Coyle. May we come in?" Here we go. "To be honest, I prefer if we stay here." I closed my door and step outside on the front porch. "I'm agent Michael Gatlin. I understand that you and Coyle are rather close." I already didn't like this mf. He was smug and arrogant. He didn't fit the normal description of an FBI agent to begin with. Too flashy. "Yeah, Piggie and I are very good friends. Why is that the concern of the FBI?" He looked away and laughed a bit. Yeah whatever you think you gone get from me, it ain't happening. My love thick for Piggie and Piggie's love thick for me. "Mr. Walton, you won't be doing her a favor by withholding any information from us. She will be caught. She's accused of killing a federal agent." "Gatlin? That's what you said your name is. I tell you what. Since she will be caught, you don't need any information from me." Smug S.O.B. He laid his card on my porch railing. "If you can think of anything then call me." I snorted. Yeah wait on that. I watch him get in his car and drive away. They drove right past her. Piggie was my bitch. I say that because no matter what other man she belonged to, she would always belong to me. No matter what. We were friends for real. Hard to explain our relationship. No titles. She was plain jane today but that was alright with me. I saw her car parked down the way. She picked up his business card. "Gatlin something else. Well damn nigga, you ain't glad to see your best friend?" On tip toes she kissed my lips. "Come on here girl before somebody see you." I wiped her lipgloss from my lips and patted her ass as I followed her into my home. It was just me and baby girl here. My old lady was at work and I was tryna get out myself. She sat down shaking. I knew what this was about. "Piggie, my G, you need to handle this." "Bae, umma be sick. I need something. In my bag is a Chinese Laundry sandal. Get it for me." This habit of hers had gotten worse. I made her go into the guest room. I checked on baby girl and she was sleeping. I watched Courtney roll the sleeve of her shirt up. She tied a shoestring above her vein. Laid the sandal on it. Head back. My friend had a problem. I went into the bathroom and got her some tissue. She blew her nose. I held her while the shaking calmed. "It wasn't always like this LV." "Just be cool hunnie bunnie." We both burst out laughing. I heard her phone ring and Brandy's I wanna be down came on. I shake my head. She don't answer it. "I gotta go LoVe." "You straight?" She nodd her head. She get up like its gametime. Resillent. I give her that. She was just shaking a minute ago. Now she was back in beast mode. "I'm on my way to Meika B's. I needed to come see you. I'm selfish. Don't want you involved in this. But I had to come see you." She knew Gatlin had been by but she didn't even need to ask me if I had gave up any info. She know me. She hugged my neck and kissed my cheek. I watched her leave. Piggie was like no other woman I knew. She drove me crazy with her childish antics. She was dangerous. Her eyes was cold but what you saw is what you got. I had to respect that. She thought I was the livest thing walking. She would love me forever. That's the text I got from her. I just hoped this wouldn't be the last time I saw her. I wanted to and was glad I was down with Piggie. She drove off and now I'm tryna figure out where I was going to take my best girl to on a date. The park to play or Chuck E. Cheese.

Consequences Wait: Piggy and her DADDY

I'm beside myself now. My daddy is home. Couldn't really talk to him because of Gatlin breathing down my throat. He initially act like he got my back but as soon as _____ name comes up, he back into the federal agent mode. "Piggy, you know your father has embarrassed the agency. He's a wanted fugitive." I fold my arms across my chest. "Presumably so am I. You turned your back to that." I walked past him back into the kitchen. He followed. You couldn't play mind games with me. I invented them. Gatlin was different though. Didn't really know what his motives were. I mean what would he gain by letting me go. I knew eventually those charges and that indictment I would have to answer to. It happens. But Gatlin had bought me more time. He kissed his card and placed it in my hand. "Piggy, do what you gotta do." On tiptoes I kissed his handsome cheek. I let my lips linger there long enough for him to smell Rare Gold. Long enough for him to imagine what the inside of my Bermuda Triangle felt like. I knew he could imagine me whispering dirty things. I grabbed his forearm and I heard him groan. I bit him gently on the cheek. "Piggy, you something else." I smiled. "You have no idea." He left. I knew I didn't have much time tho. I went upstairs and kissed my piglet. "Mommy loves you know that right?" He nodded. "Well mommy gotta go in you hear? I need you to take care of Mattie until I get back. I want you two to chill. Don't answer the door for nobody. If you go somewhere call me and let me know." My little man had tears in his eyes but there was no fear. I knew this was hard on him. I kissed him and held him. He went right back to watching cartoons. Its funny how resilent kids are. I went in to talk with Mattie. She was sitting at her window. She had taken her wig off and I could see the smooth contour of her bald head. I walked up behind her and kissed it. "He's back isn't he?" I sat beside her. "He is Mattie. I talked to him." "All those policemen that were here. They were here for you?" I nodded my head. She got up and went into her closet. Came out with a shoebox. "I keep this here for a rainy day. Rest I keep down at JP Morgan Chase." She laid into my hand almost ten thousand dollars. "Take that and you get away long as you need to. I'll call Brian and let him know I got Cobee. You got yourself a good lawyer?" I nodded my head again. Put my head down. This woman loved me no matter what. "Courtney, I can't tell you what to do. I just want you to be careful. You know I want a better life for you. You are not him Courtney Coyle." She kissed my forehead. I gave her the same instructions I gave to my son. "Mattie Mae, I'm serious. You go anywhere you call me coming or going." She politely cussed me in French. I gotta get outta here. I call Meika B. "Hey lady, I gotta get outta here. Where you at?" "Im at home. You need me?" "Like Batman need Robin." I hung up. I threw a few things in a bag. My .40 was loaded. I slipped on a pair of Coach Tennis shoes. Lipgloss. My phone started playing Pandora and I didn't turn it off. I heard Mary J. wailing away about how she was going down. I sprayed misting spray into my blonde locks and put on a headband. Dark sunglasses. I pulled my Camaro out of the garage. I saw two federal cars across the street. I saw one door open. I got in my car and I started it. One foot on the clutch the other on the gas. Reverse. I was gone. In my rearview was my home and the closest thing to family I knew. We wasn't even blood related. In my windshield for the first time I was looking at uncertainty. She sang Sleep don't come easy. I'm going chick you have no idea. All the effed up things I've done is flashing through my mind. Then I think about LV. I wanna run to him. My trusted friend but he got a family and I would never jeopardize that. At this moment though I wanted him to move a lock from my face and tell me this too would pass. But I knew I would hear another dose of realness from my raven beauty. More than a sidekick Meika kept me grounded. I had been tailed. No worries I was used to this. I shifted gears and took a back street down towards Kirby. The asshole kept two cars behind me. I ducked down a raggedy road going back towards my mama and daddy's farm. I couldn't see who it was. Reckon whoever this was didn't know that I was now in survival mode more than ever. I kept driving but then I took my pistol off safety. I was a helluva shot standing still but I was cold moving too. I pulled my car onto the south entrance of my daddy's stables. The suburban pulled in about a thousand yards away. Dear God, I'm repenting now for what you know I have to do. The door of the suburban opens. I aim my pistol. He come out with his hands up. My heart has butterflies in it. "Trouble, its me!!!" Black has never been more beautiful to me so no MJB ain't nothing going down. My daddy is alive! Houston and its taking will have to wait.

_______ Learns the Truth about Trouble

Courtney would always be my little girl. I could tell how excited she was to hear from me. All this she doing has got my nerves bad though. My little girl is running Houston's underworld. I went to see Mike Walker the other day. Can't believe it but my boy is a new man. Straight family oriented. Hell I remember when we ran these streets together. I wasn't mad at him though. If you could get out this game with your hands somewhat clean then I say do it. That's why I did not want this for my little girl. She in over her head, I bet. But then again Mike Walker said she was handling herself. Wonder what her mama think about it? I missed Linda like you wouldn't believe. She was a helluva woman. I wanted Courtney to get the very best of her mother and the very least of me. Things happen I reckon. I've been in Cuba the last six years. No complaints. I live good. Castro takes care of niggas over there all cause he hate the United States. Time and looking over your shoulder will change a man. The only thing brought me back to Houston was that telegram I received from Blair months back. He said that Trouble had killed Ivory Albro and was running Houston. Didn't believe it at first. Now my buddy Mike Walker had confirmed it. This wasn't for her. Not my baby girl. The Doubletree is still nice. I ordered a bottle of Brandy and had it sent up here to my room. Couldn't risk being seen down in the lobby. Still don't feel like its been long enough. I love this city. But I wouldn't die for it nor spend the rest of my natural life in jail for it either. Courtney Danielle Coyle needed to understand this as well. I mean she had a career. I didn't approve initially when she told me she was going to the academy. I didn't mind much when her brother decided that he would. Its different with your girls though. I needed to put my eyes on her. I didn't want to rush it. Had to be at the right time. There was so much I had to ask her. I'm hearing she done popped a federal agent. God I hope that's not true. Been in cahoots with Shannon Monet. That dirty bitch. When I heard they had bombed her car and that she was dead that nearly killed me. Truth be told Trouble had nine lives I guess. Just like her old man. Just knowing the shit I put her and all her other brothers and sisters through, it baffles me why she wanna put my grandson through it. I been getting pictures of him. He sharp. Her belly was swollen with him when I left. Never met him. I hear tell she name him Courtney. My Trouble got a junior. How about that? I wonder where this nigga Thompson is? Something about him don't rub me good either. He said he had some information for me. He seemed alright but years in these streets has taught me that ain't nobody alright. He said he would call when he was headed up here. Its okay. This .357 magnum ain't never let me down. This pistol I've had as long as I've had Trouble. My phone ringing. Where the hell did I put it? My old buddy from the left coast, Henry Hamilton. "Hamilton, what's shaking?" "Nothing old man, calling to see you if you had made it there ok." Hamilton I met back in the feds. He was a slick talking freckled face cat from California. Always talking about us country boys down South. I told him he had better have something to stand behind all that mouth of his. Turn out he did. He was a boss in his neck of the woods and had gotten caught up across state lines. That's how he ended up in Leavensworth with my ass. "You still need that issue ______?" "Yeah, when can I expect it?" "Tuesday." That bastard hung the phone up on me. Thorough. Shit we know better than to keep up too much convo on these cell phones. One day them youngstas gone learn. Still thinking about whether or not I'm gone call Belinda. I know I'm probably the last person she wanna see. I put her through it. This Pandora shit is cool though. Listen to me some Tyrone Davis. This was it back in the day. Oh this Thompson calling now. "Come on up man. I know you by yourself right." "Yeah." He an old country Mississippi nigga. Talk just like my wife people. That's him knocking. Grab my pistol. He standing here. Slacks. Shirt. Loose tie. HPD badge. Just like the one my Trouble got. I figure I wouldn't spend my life behind bars for nothing and noone but my kids. Turn myself in and then Trouble will see she got other things to live for. I figure Thompson could help me do that. "_______ I can't be apart of this." I took a swig of Brandy. "What the hell you talking about?" He chuckled. "I work for C.C. She'd tear up Harris County if she knew I was responsible for turning you in and I didn't talk to her first." What? Trouble doing it like this? My little girl handling Houston like this? This grown ass man. Lieutenant. He standing there telling me he wouldn't go against my little girl. I poured him a drink. "I don't know where C.C. come from. Well she yours. She single handedly has taken over. They on to her but then so far from her." I didn't know if I should worry or be proud. There ain't nothing you can do with a woman like Courtney Coyle but love her!!! My baby...Houston what you gone do?

Piggy's Daddy and a Crossroad

I don't know why Gatlin let me make it. He seemed surprised that I even knew who he was. I mean it was agents everywhere and he let me go. Naturally I invited him in for breakfast. He obliged. It was then I realized that I was inappropriately dressed. I excused myself upstairs. My Mattie Mae was still asleep. I put on a bra. Grey T.shirt. Dungarees. House Slippers. Went back downstairs. Typical G-man. Only he had style. Still even with all those designer tags on you could see law enforcement. I watched him look at the pictures on my Mattie Mae's wall. I startled him a lil bit. "You want some coffee?" "Yeah I'll take a cup. Beautiful woman." He was looking at a portrait of Madison Hayes. An old picture from her years at Prairie View A&M. "Thank you. I got some eggs and grits. Sausage and pork chops. Follow me." I think he intrigued by me. I don't really know why. I'm more intrigued by him. He's not your typical agent. Reckon that's why he is where he is with the bureau. So much for all that now. They were after me and my whole team. And Gatlin had just pissed them off. My piglet comes in. "Who are you?" He smiles. Extends his hand. "My name is Michael. Nice to meet you." Cobee stares at him for a bit. Shakes his hand. "My name is Courtney but most everybody call me Cobee." I smile. He's such a man. Six years ago, I fell in love in an all new way. Gatlin winks at me. I fix Cobee's plate and he takes it in the den. Gatlin sits down at the table. "So you cook too?" I put grits and eggs and a pork chop on his plate. "Yeah, does that surprise you? Rough and tough Courtney Coyle can get down in the kitchen when needed." He smiles. Gatlin is handsome no lie and I imagine he's something else with the ladies but he can't even look me in the eye. He's a square. I'm attracted to him though. "What's your plan Gatlin? You didn't let me make it for nothing." He took a sip of coffee. Looked away. "Coyle, you know you need you a lawyer right? The rest of your team has already been arrested. Captain Fairfield, Ray, Harrison, I mean all of em. You know with you being the only woman they're going to roll over on you first." I didn't blink. Hell I had the best lawyer in South Texas. I called her mommy. I knew they probably had some serious charges against me. "Tameika Benford. You got a package on her?" He grinned. "Your right hand lady huh? Beautiful chick. Glad to know yall run in packs. She's clean. For now." I breathed a sigh of relief. Meika wasn't no snitch but if I could avoid her being involved with my mess the better for everybody. "Loyalty. Don't see that often in our line of work, Coyle but its pouring from you everywhere. I gotta respect that. I don't know if you're guilty of any of the things they say but its something about you I dig." That statement made me blush. Little did he know I was probably guilty of all those things. I ate my breakfast and thought. I thought about him. My son. Mattie. And how Gatlin throwing me a lifeline could benefit me and my organization. I knew that Derrick Thompson had been trying to get in touch with me. Reckon I'd call him back sometime today. One thing for sure I knew what Gatlin was saying was true. They would definitely hang Piggy for whatever. No doubt about it. Wasn't really no loyalty in this game no more. "How come you ain't got no man, Piggy?" I ignored him. This mf thought he could get in my head? Laughable. "I got a man. You just met him. He told you most everybody call him Cobee." He laughed. "Tell me. Why are you here? I mean why are you sitting in my grandmother's kitchen with me eating porkchops and eggs?" I crossed my arms across my chest. This meant I was serious. He needed to tell me something. "Truth is Courtney, I just can't see you being guilty of all this. You too tough for me yo." There go that laughing again. What the hell was so funny? Gatlin was thinking with the wrong head. He wasn't a total square mind you. He had St. Louis show me state written all over him. I needed him to have a clear head. Something about him I felt my organization needed. Just didn't know how he was gone do it. You see you don't turn away from the agency. It just don't happen like that. My phone rings and I almost choke. It's him. I had set Just Like Daddy as his ringtone. My hands were shaking. I answered the phone and I was again that eight year old little girl. "Daddy!!! Where are you?" Tears streamed my face. Silence on the other end. Gatlin sat across from me ears perked. You see my daddy is _____ and he's supposed to be dead or smart enough not to ever resurface. "Trouble, its good to hear your voice." I wiped my nose and twirled my locks around my finger. I gave Gatlin a look of death and excused myself to another room. "Daddy, I need you. Tell me what to do. Mike Walker said to rule this mf with an iron fist. Tell me what to do." I heard tears in my father's voice. I had never heard them there before. "Trouble, this ain't for you. You don't wanna keep doing this baby." I sniffled. You wanna know what breaks Piggy? This man would always pull at the strings of my heart. The stiff nigga I would always love and respect. "Daddy I need you. Tell me what to do?" I heard him behind me. "Where is he? You know where ____ is?" I turned around. Gatlin wasn't loyal to me. Here in lies a dilemna then. "Trouble, who is that?" "Hey Jack, I'll talk to you later." "Trouble, you ok? Remember the song?" "Love won't let me leave, Jack." Chrome feels good in my hands. I had already done away with Drell for being untrustworthy. There was a three million dollar purse on _____'s head. Gatlin didn't have to worry about taking me in or anyone else for that matter if he thought he would come anywhere near my daddy. He's got his hand on my shoulder my back to him. I hang up my cell phone. Mattie Mae upstairs and my piglet in the other room. Hearing my daddy's voice knowing he was okay was the most comforting thing to me. I couldn't bring any more despair on my loved ones. I'd just promised Lv I'd be careful. "Gatlin, my daddy the only thing I got. Don't make me choose between him or you cuz you gone lose." Taken so much from people but so scared to lose. My daddy, ____ is back.

Gatlin Goes Against the Grain: Piggy's Poison

So the time has come. I see her up close and personal. The freaky way we've communicated the past several months is crazy. This time I see the horse up close. My commander called me and said no more waiting. It was time. I gotta admit, that I'm apprehensive about taking her in. This one here is beautiful but according to these files I have, she's also a piece of work. Its her eyes though. They're dark. Mysterious. Warm. Cold. Loving. Deadly. They're all these things in one. "There's nobody here at her place, Gatlin." I rub my head. I didn't see her car and I knew that her grandmother lived right next door. "Let's go next door then. Proceed with caution. Do not be distracted by the fact that she's a woman or that she's law enforcement. This bitch will tear into you." I had three agents at the front door and four at the back. I wouldn't dare walk into chicken coop without turpentine. My daddy said that where there was chickens there would always be a chicken snake. This chicken snake was 5'2 and blonde. Lord help us. The door opened and she was dressed in an oversized Tshirt. No bra. Barefoot. Pretty toes. Her blonde locks hung down soft around her shoulders. Her face was tear streaked. Her shield hung from her fingers. "What is this about?" "Sergeant Courtney Coyle, you're under arrest." I blanked the rest outta my mind because for the first time I saw an innocence in her I didn't know existed. She didn't fight. She looked up at me and my heart broke. The officer was still rattling off charges when I halted everything. I was going completely against everything I knew. "Porter, everybody stand down!" He had cuffs around one of her beautiful wrists. I took it from my officer. "I got this." My agents were baffled. I could not be apart of taking Courtney Coyle in. "What are you doing, Michael?" I looked at her. She knew my name. "Yeah I know all about you like you know all about me." She looked at me and I swear I was changed. I whispered in her ear. "If I do this my career is over, Piggy." She bit her bottom lip and thought. "You like to gamble?" I didn't say anything. "I'm worth it." She caused that part of me to swell. Eve nearly destroyed sanctity for Adam. Reckon he never regretted it though. I again ordered my men to stand down. "Gatlin, they're going to have your ass and badge for this!" Porter was right. But this little Piggy I wanted to save. When I took the cuffs off her she slid her soft hand in mine. "Gatlin, call your dogs off and come on here and have breakfast." It was a command not a request. I was more than happy to oblige. I hear my cell phone ringing. Its my department head. All I could think about was grits and eggs and what was up under tht pink nightshirt. She closed the door behind us to a yard full of federal agents. I didn't even look back. Was this the Big Payback, James Brown? Nothing mattered besides this horse I was trailing.