Piggy and Calamity Calandra

I swear C.C. ain't changed but then again why the hell would she? Walked up on my shit like she was Obama. Gave me some things to think about though. I've been doing alright. Reggie got sent up and I had to pick up the slack. My family was comfortable but we could be doing better. Fact is Courtney owned Houston. She had killed Ivory Albro and now she had all his money too. Reckon she a lil bit better than Albro because since he been out the picture we all been able to eat. Albro was greedy. Wonder what she done about that shoe habit of hers. I wonder if them chirren in bed yet? Better be. I swear my mama let em get away with murder. I guess that's what grannies are for. Right now I pretty much have Mo City sowed up. I mean what Reggie B ain't got cornered. It's crazy how years can separate people but circumstances put us rght back in the loop together. Here Piggy is a cop being tried for murder. She the underworld Queen. Reggie B on kingpin status. I hear Cookie is doing awesome things with her makeup business but now even she has picked up a side business laying bricks. Damn. I think I'll put some pork bones on tonight for tomorrow. Yeah cook em slow. I think I got some cabbage greens in there too. I don't know. I had to do what I had to do. Reggie had made us comfortable. I had lil Reggie. I was doing the collections thing and was good at it too. Had made it all the way to manager where I was training other people on how to get that money. United Recovery Systems was paying me a grip in salary and bonuses. One day Reggie was just like quit. So I did. I'm old fashioned I guess. I stand by my man. Mama always said you take care of a man that's working and providing. One and twenty years is what they gave Mr. Dearmon. I hate talking about it or even thinking about it really. I knew I had to do what I had to for my children. I needed them to know that Daddy and mama loves em. So I picked up where my old left off. Let me stop here in Sunny's and get me a few cigars. I go home I'm in for the night. This Suburban sho look familiar. It's been behind me since I turned onto 2234. My pistol in reach. That's where I keep it most times anyway. I know if they pull up in this Sunny's behind me I know they following me. "Baby, if a mf following you for more than five miles in Houston, they asses is up to no good." I hear Reggie clear as day saying that. And these assholes are pulling up behind me. Let me call Liv. "Where you at?" "I'm turning down Paiter St. On my way to my mama's house. Why?" "I got a situation." Liv hung up. Both driver side doors and passenger doors open up. Two older guys get out. Oh shit, its ______ wonder where the hell he been!? Surely Piggy knows he's home. I relaxed a little bit. Lately I was constantly feeling like somebody was after me. See Courtney had been following me for about two weeks. Little did she know I almost peeled her cap a couple times. With her leopard spotted ass. I gotta hand it to my friend though. She had a beautiful head full of blonde locks. She was in my face earlier and I wanted to touch em. Let me put this pistol back. I still feel funny though. Something ain't right. I look around and the only two cars in this here parking lot is mine and ______'s Suburban. I got dope in my trunk.Pistol on me off safety. "Bitch I know you got weight. Today aint your lucky day in the hood." Fuck! I"m being jacked. This nigga was by himself. "Nigga are you serious? You know who I am?" He looking around. "Bitch, I ain't tryna hear that shit. Open this muthafuckin trunk. Do it slow." I keep seeing my babies and how they need me to come home every night. Corner of my eye I see him slippin. I fire two shots center mass. He falls. I look down on him. He a baby. Maybe twenty. I'm not distracted by that. He would've killed me for less than what was in my trunk. All was quiet around me. Two cars flew past me on 2234. All lights went out off inside Sunnys. I pumped one more into him. Let me get my ass outta here. I hit the back side of Quail Run on my way to Hunters Glen. My phone rings. Unknown number. "Hello." "I saw what you did. Wait its cool. It was justified. You did what you had to do Boone. Its a pecking order that can't be crossed." "Where are you Piggy?" I hear her take a breath. "This my city. I love it and everything about it. Even the bottom feeders. Leverage Calandra." "Piggy, I'm in." "Call me tomorrow, we'll go shoe shopping." So now ain't no turning back. Shit! Still didn't stop and get nothing to make no cornbread with. Fondren and Main playing in my car. First Lady, you done jumped down now. Question is what though?

When the BOONE drops!!!!!!

She's calm. Thick. Curvy. Ain't tall as nothing. Reckon she stout like me. Maybe 5'4. Dressed in a wife beater. She had on Levis. They hugged that big butt of hers. Another horse. Tameika and I watched her yards away. One by one she stood out there on the court dumping shots into that basket. If she was a professional she'd definitely be point guard. Meika and I got out the car. I left my pistol in the car but Texas Tea stayed strapped. I had been watching Calandra for weeks now. She was modest. Paid but she wasn't flashy. She donated back to her hood. She made her money in real estate and dope. Took care of her children. Reggie D's ole lady. But hell he would spend the rest of his life in a federal penitentiary so she took over. I could smell weed as I got closer. I nodded to her entourage. One had his hand behind his back till he recognized me. Another approached me. "Wait a minute lady, Landra aint seeing no company right now!" I looked at him in his eye. He looked away. I wasn't armed but you see the rest of her calvary knew to get the fuck back. "Landra can see me." She looked up. Her facial expression didn't change. "Hold up man, this here Piggy. Get back! Piggy you aight?" I nodded at him. With my eyes on Calandra Boone, I hollered at Tameika Benford. "Easy Bae, its under control." Tameika put tht .50 back on safety. "This nigga, only you come up here and disturb me schoolin these out here." I laughed. "Girl, please you stil ain't got no game yo!" Calandra and I went back to high school. We never ran in the same circles but there was always a mutual respect. "We need to talk baby." She nodded. "Hey, I need to talk to Piggy. We need privacy." The court cleared. Tameika stayed and so did Liv. Liv was a bitch from another side of Ridgemont. She was loyal to Calandra. "Hear you into a lotta shit these days, King Piggy." "I'm doing alright. Tryna beat these murder charges." I grabbed the ball and dumped it. "Oh I heard and seen you on television. You looked good. Damn near had me convinced. What you want, Piggy?" I hit another one. "Boone, won't you jump down with the Embassy and stop small timing? Huh? Ain't you tired of this?" She laughs. Drinks Gatorade and laughs. "Coyle, you know Umma simple country girl. I just want my family taken care of and as long as we all fat and eating that's fine with me." I hit another basket. "Hey Tameika." Meika B just nodded. "Calandra, you jump down with me and you and your family can do more than just eat." "All due respect, Courtney, how I know that? Word is you on  your way to death row." I looked around Missouri City and I remember what this community used to be. Things had changed. Economy. Culture. Generation Gaps. It was crazy. I looked over at Calandra. There was a calmness about her that unnerved me. I got as close to her as I possibly could. "I don't have to lay out all the particulars right now do I? You see you owe me. It ain't been that long ago. You in business right now because of me Remember what I did?" Her face hardened. "Liv fall back!" "Tameika, wait for me by the car!" Both Meika and Liv left. "Bitch, I hear you loud and clear. Yeah you did help me out. Told you I owe you for that. But now you gone muscle me into your organization? You know that ain't how I operate." So here we are face to face toe to toe. I love this haircut on her. Boone has gorgeous bone structure. I bend down to tie her air force. Many of the women I knew were manic. "Boone, I'm not gone argue with you. I'm offering you opportunity. Take it." She stared me down. This heffa here hard headed which is why I felt the Embassy needed her. I hit one more bucket on her ass and walked away. "Hey Coyle?" "Yeah?" "Stop with all this Boone. It's Dearmon now." I turned around and she had a smile on her face more beautiful than the sun setting over the Astrodome. Some dudes across the street was playing Let Me Roll. I smiled listening to Brad Jordan knowing that now my circle was complete. So I got a text from my Captain. Katy's dead. Yeah I know. I'm knowing full well somehow I would have to answer questions about that too. It costs to be the boss I guess.

TEN TOES DINE!!!!

"What in the hell was that, Axel? You made me look weak and foolish on live T.V.!!!" I'm pissed. He didn't even let me respond to those assholes. "I could've handled them. This is my city!" I can't even sit down. Tie loosened. Shirt sleeves pulled up. Feet up. He's calm. "I mean how I come back from this now!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Courtney, you're going to lower your voice. Calm down. I told you, YOU do as I say. That's your problem. The public can't see you as no kingpin. A menance? Really that's what you want? Think about it. Half the public has already condemned you. I want you to take this in. If you don't listen to anything else I tell you know that there is a difference between fear and respect. You tripping." I relaxed a bit. Axel had a point. I mean he was calm but then again it wasn't his life that was on the line. I agreed to do exactly as Jeremy said. He had been doing this and he knew what to expect. We had spent the better part of six hours together. They set my bail at four hundred grand. Only because I was a cop. I paid forty grand and answered questions on where it had come from. I wondered if I was going have to surrender my badge. You see I love the Embassy but I loved that shield also. I had been through so much to get there. "Courtney, I told you that we need to soften your image. I look at you and I see vixen. I don't see remorse. I see reign. Thing is Houston isn't a kingdom. Its a municipal city. We don't have a monarchy here. Do you get that?" I turned to look at him. Handsome he was and he had to know that. I dug him intellectually though. We had talked about a wide range of things on that drive back from Galveston County. He asked me what I had done with the murder weapon. I giggled when he said that. Truth is I never went anywhere without that. I wasn't no dummy though so I gave him my service pistol. He knew the truth anyway. That attorney client priviledge wasn't something else. I was getting claustophobic. I texted Meika B to come and get me. I needed to get in the streets. I had stuff to do. "Axel, I'll be in touch. I gotta go." He raised an eyebrow at me. "No, Coyle I don't think that's a good idea. You're coming home with me." I raised an eyebrow back at him.  "Axel, this ain't what you want." I licked my lips. He chuckled. "I swear Houston ain't big enough for you and your ego Piggy. You're staying with me because its the only way I can keep an eye on you. You'll have your own guest bedroom and bathroom." I look at him. He was staring into my eyes. "I tell you what. Give me a key. I got some stuff I gotta do. I'll be in at a decent hour." He looked me up and down. "Don't get in any more trouble." I pouted a bit. Kissed his cheek and made sure I smeared my lipgloss across it. Axel didn't have a woman. He was married to his work. Workaholic. He obsessed over the law and loopholes. His assistant Trina, I couldn't stand but I had a feeling that she had a thing for her boss. She didn't think too much of me either. We would have our time I'm sure. Meika B said she was outside. I needed to take care of something. I needed to know that everybody in my circle was Team Piggy or the Embassy. I was going to send Meika B to test Reggie B only to really test her. I love Tameika. I think she live but I've put her into some shit she maybe didnt wanna be a part of. She been here ten toes down. I needed to be sure that she wanted to go all the way. Funny thing is I knew she felt the same way about me. I had to get out these clothes. I stripped out of these angry white women clothes. Gray wife beater tights black air maxs and a Houston Astros fitted. DSW pendant around my neck. I put Axel's key in my harness next to my .40. "Meika B, let's go." I put on Just Like Candy. Eightball and MJG. Threw my feet on her dash. She glared at me. There has got to be more to life than this. Mattie Mae is dying. My daddy is back but risking his life. My son barely get to see me. Meanwhile I got more money than the law allow. This chain heavy around my neck but I did the ultimate to get it. "When the last time you talked to L.V." I smile. "I need to see him today." At the end of the day I was gone have to trust Jeremy Axel Esq. No way around that.  I believed him when he said he could get me off. I giggle. I mean get me off this murder rap. I lay my head back while Meika drives through Houston. Close my eyes and think about when times were simpler. Would I trade all this and go back? I don't know. Did I care whether I lived or died? It didn't matter to me. I would be remembered. I'm assumig that's a problem I feel that way. I do. But I was true to whatever I did tho. TEN TOES DINE!

Piggy's Keeper: Fine Texas Tea

Same ole Reggie. I needed to come see him on behalf of King Piggy and the Embassy. We knew each other from way back. Reggie B was cool. Straight forward and it had to be something about him because Courtney think the sun rise and shine on him.. Still he had to be handled with a certain kind of finesse. These were Piggy's exact instructions for me when dealing with Reggie B. Said he didn't mind a thorough woman but he was like most men only in the way of aestethics. You see you could be a gutter bitch but you need to appease his eye first. "Reggie B smell foolery a mile a away Meika B. Tight jeans. Sweet perfume. Lipgloss. These things won't cloud his judgement. They'll just tame him a lil bit." I laugh thinking about my friend. She definitely had a way with the opposite sex. I won't take that away from her. "Well ain't you gone let me in?" He eased the door open. Bent down a little and kissed my cheek. Modest digs for a nigga of his stature. It was clean though. Nice furniture. Impressive television and gaming system. Such a man. "What you doing here? Piggy sent you?" I watched him pour a drink. He sat it in front of me. "I don't drink cognac." He ignored me and sat the drink on a cocktail napkin. "Drink it in good health and be content," he barked. I did what I was told. "Why are you here? It ain't to reminisce." Piggy said he was about his business, didn't waste no time either. "Reggie, we need you. Piggy in a bind now. I'm sure you know this. She say you bout the only one in these streets she can trust right now." He rubbed his goatee. Sipped Hennessy and listened. "The Embassy and its business will go on. As normal. She got a big shipment coming in. We need to meet with connects. This connect is expecting a woman and I need you to play the part of my goon.." He chuckled. "What? Piggy said you was gone do it for her anyway." "Did she now? How would she know that if she ain't never ask me? You bitches crazy." I let that one slide. "Come on Reggie, we'll take care of you. Its a big pop and we need this to go smoothly. I just need you to ride with me. Make sure we come out on top. Courtney going through this court mess and she really need to be off the scene for a little bit. You understand that." He hit play on his bose stereo system and I immediately hear Milllie Jackson hollering. I smile. "Grown folks music, Reggie." He finish his drink and waits for me to finish mine. Ugh. I can't stand this shit but I swear Courtney consume it like it's water. He takes my glass. "Meika B, I tell you what, anything Piggy need me to do I'm with it. You didn't need to come over here and sell me though. But she knows me though. Tell her I appreciate her wanting to hold my hand. Ten toes down." I got up to leave. "Well bae, I'll be in touch." I kissed his cheek and then he wraps his arm around my waist. "You still married, Meika?" I bite my lip and in true Piggy fashion, "Yeah but it ain't like you care one way or the other." I winked. He pat my backside and walked me to the door. I know she been playing with the buttons on my car radio. LV says she does that when you leave her alone in your car. She's on the phone. "Hey bae. Oh yeah? When? Uh huh. What she say? What she wanted? Right. Well its cool. Naw. That's what we need. I need you to be there for her. Uh huh. She a little nervous about it so I figured  you would handle it for me. Ok. I'll get at you later about it." I applied more lipgloss. Where the hell did I put my shades. "Meika B, I can trust him." "Damn Piggy, he didn't wait till I got out the door good fore he called you." She smiled. "He thorough." "Where to next?" "Let's see Walton. I need to put my eyes on him." She put on shades and laid her seat all the way back. I knew Piggy better than most but my friend was still a mystery to me. I'm watching this game consume her. Yet and still I didn't mind being Piggy's keeper just needed to be sure that Piggy was Texas Tea's keeper.