Copyright ©2020 by Creole Gaudet. All rights reserved.
No part of this chronicle may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system – except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper – without permission in writing from the publisher, Creole Gaudet.
HOME – 4:42 p.m.
I’d called ahead and given Sway the news. She greeted me at the door with a warm smile and a soft kiss to the lips. “Hungry? I have a plate for you.”
I stepped in, closing the door behind me. “Smells good, what did you fix?”
“I fried some chicken legs with French fries to go with it.”
“That quick?”
She set the heaping pile of food onto the kitchenette table. “Sit down.”
I eased back my chair. “These fries are homemade, too.”
“I didn’t put any salt on them. I know how you like to do it.”
“Thanks, baby.” I sprinkled from the box of Morton. “I’ve noticed you don’t put any on yours.”
“Not when I have ketchup, but it has to be Heinz.”
“Riiight?”
“You want a Coke…or a Heineken?”
I chuckled. “I need a fucking beer.” I took my first bite. “Oh fuck, Sway! This shit is delicious! What did you use?”
“Just some flour and Season All… I slow-cooked it to let it settle in.”
“It’s tender too… I’m ’bout to start calling you maw.”
Sway laughed as she cracked the bottle cap. She placed it on a folded paper towel in front of me. She took her chair, looking me into my eyes. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I got you. I don’t even want you to begin to worry.”
“I’m not used to that.”
“I know… You’re a real man. You handle your own. But that doesn’t mean that your woman can’t bring it in. Let me show you, okay?”
“I guess so… Okay.” She took off to the closet, retrieving the scale and baggies, and placing the kit onto the coffee table. “You got that?”
“Yeah, how do you want to do it?”
“Take half of the ounce… On the scale, it’s fourteen. That’s going to be like we did the last time.”
“Eight one hundreds and the rest forties?”
“Yeah, exactly… Now the other half, we’re going to make nothing but twenties.”
Sway smiled. She picked up the Ziploc, holding it to her eyes. “Is this the cut? It’s a lot.”
“Yeah, he gave us way more than we need. That’s for sure.”
“How much are we going to put?”
“Weigh out about seven grams. That’s going to be it. Then mix it all together real good. You have to make sure because you want it nice and even.”
“You don’t want to do half and half?”
“My conscience won’t let me do that.”
“You could.”
“That’s okay.” I studied the math in my head. “That will bring us back about sixteen eighty. That’s a little over a thousand net profit.”
“How many twenties is that?”
“It should come out to forty-two.”
“If we go to Ecstasy tonight, I’ll get rid of it all.”
“I have to meet Dan first. Like at about ten.”
“I’ll be ready when you come back.”
“Nah, you’re coming with me.”
“Are you sure?”
“He’s always wanted our thing to be private, but you’re with me now, so he’ll just have to be okay.”
CHEVRON – NORTHWEST HIGHWAY – 10:00 p.m.
“I can’t believe it. He’s on time.”
“That’s a nice car.”
“Ferrari.”
Dan pulled next to us. “Whoa… What do we have here?” He exited, stepping to Sway’s side. “My goodness. If I knew you had beautiful girls like this…” He crossed his arms along the door frame. “She’s gorgeous.”
Sway acknowledged him. “Thank you.”
Dan extended his hand. “I’m Dan.”
Sway accepted. “Nice to meet you, Dan.”
“What, I don’t get to know your name?” Sway looked to me. Dan followed.
“This is Sway.”
Dan flashed a fistful of hundreds from his pocket. Sway ignored, looking in my direction through the driver’s window.
“Let me get two if you have an extra one… Just in case you decide to not answer your phone again. I called you, buddy. Where were you?”
“Spending some time with my girl.”
Dan dropped two of the bills onto Sway’s lap. I handed him the coke. “Hey, I’m throwing a party this weekend at the mansion, brother. It’s going to be warm for a few days, so I’ll have the pool open. You know how I do it. Plenty of food, extra rooms if you want to stay for a while… You bring the party supplies and the little lady.” He looked to Sway. “You’ll love it. Get him to bring you, okay?”
Dan pulled away, still eyeing from his rear view mirror. This time, there was no loud music or burnouts.
“I can’t believe it.”
“What, Andre? That he was about to nut in his pants?”
“You think he was?”
“What were you about to say?”
“As long as I’ve known him, he’s never invited me to anything… Not ever.”
“Why do you think he did this time?”
“He probably just wants another pretty girl at the party.”
“He wants to fuck me. He’s trying to steal me from you.” Sway smiled, caressing my chin. “This is why I fucking love you so much, man. You’re a hustler but you’re a square all at the same time… And you have a good heart.
“I’m convinced that there is no possible way I could have found a better man than you.”
“You’re right… He just disrespected me… I didn’t even see it. That motherfucker?”
“Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll deal with Dan later.”
Creole Gaudet
Feeling generous? If you enjoyed this content, please consider leaving a tip in my Cash App or Venmo. Thank you.
