Forever walked around the car and got into his seat as I stood there looking at Vic and Money across the street still talking. I still couldn’t believe Vic and Milla were a thing. It was the strangest thing ever.  How the fuck didn’t I know my best friend was with the funny shit? I shook my head again, still trying to wrap my mind around it.

“Get yo’ crazy ass in, girl. I’m hungry.”

Still looking at Vic, I sighed thinking maybe I was a bad friend after all. Getting into the car, I buckled up, then sank into my seat.

“The moment you said you were pregnant, you became my family, Netta. It’s forever, girl, right or wrong. I’mma always stand tall behind yo’ crazy ass.”

“So you think I’m wrong?”

“Both of you are wrong, but I’m fucking you, so...” He shrugged, then pulled off.

I didn’t see how I was wrong at all. If anyone was wrong tonight, it was him. He was the one who got all this shit started in the first place.

“Take me home.” I pouted.

“Yeah, right after I take you to change your number.”

“Boy, I’m not changing my number. You’re the one crazy now.” I sucked my teeth, then began whispering shit under my breath.

“Okay, bet.”

He stayed silent and continued to drive. I didn’t like this silent shit one bit. When I met Forever, he was a nigga of few words, but with me, everyone knew there was no getting him to shut up. He was always full of life. Whenever he got quiet, shit was real. He could be cold and distant.

 About fifteen minutes or so had passed when we pulled up to the T-Mobile store. He got out the car and shook his head at me with a chuckle. He wasn’t going to change my number; he didn’t even know my info. Sitting back for a whole twenty minutes, watching him through the window, I wondered what he was doing as he sat there flirting with the bitch at the counter. It was taking everything in me not to get my ass out this car say something to his goofy ass.

Pulling out my phone, I shot him a text.

 

Me: What you doing laughing so much?

 

Looking up from my phone, I watched as he checked my message, then slid his phone into his pocket.

“Did this nigga just—” I started to say out loud.

I made it out of the car faster than the speed of light, then made it inside that building. As soon as I opened the door, the worker greeted me, and I caught an attitude.

“Hush it up.” I rolled my eyes at her, then looked at Forever.

He laughed, then put his head down.

“I don’t see shit funny.” I poked him in the chest.

Looking up at me, he bit his lip. “I told you she was crazy.” He pulled me into his arms. “And I love that shit.” He squeezed me tightly and planted a kiss on my forehead.

Looking at Chelsea, that’s what her badge said. Anyway, looking her dead in her eyes, I asked her what was so funny.

“Jason here was just telling me about how he got that cut on his lip.” She smiled, then looked like she wanted to ask me something but thought otherwise.

“Jason is a handful.” I laughed a little too hard, then tapped his chin.

Forever slapped my thigh.

Rolling my eyes, I watched as the girl headed into the back of the store. That was when I pinched Forever.

“You got me waiting out there while you are here laughing and shit. And who the fuck is Jason?”

“Mo’s boyfriend.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Seriously, though. Ain’t nothing going on, Netta. Just making conversation. No need to kill her,” he whispered as she came back out with a brand-new phone and accessories.

“I wish my boyfriend would buy me a new phone. I’m so jealous.”

Looking at Forever, he shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing to him.

“You didn’t have to do that, Jason.” I smiled.

“Anything for you, Mo.” He pecked my lips, then pulled me close to him.

Whispering, he told me to get back in the car right quick so he could finesse some more stuff out of ol’ girl. Releasing me from his hold, I smiled at her, then headed out of shop. Looking around, I spotted a market across the street. Heading in that direction, I took one more look back at Forever’s crazy ass, then crossed the street.

When I entered the market, the smell of dried spices and a few other things invaded the air. This market was full of fresh vegetables and fruits. What really caught my eye was the freshly made sweet bread. Forever loved sweet bread.

After looking around the rest of the market, I decided to grab a tray of diced fruit, then went to grab some bread. Standing in front of the rather large display case, I looked at all of the bread. There were so many types, but to be safe, I decided on the normal pink and white one. Just as I snatched a bag off of the roll, my phone started to ring.

Answering it, then putting it on speaker, I said hello, then stuffed it in my bra.

“Netta, we need to talk,” Milla spoke.

Grabbing the tongs for the bread, I began to fill the bag while asking Milla what was up. She stayed silent for a second.

“Look, just come over,” she finally spoke.

Tying the bag up and setting the tongs in their holder, I grabbed my fruit. “Well, I have to ask Forever,” I said, and she smacked her lips.

“Why you gotta ask him? You act like he owns you!” There was a sadness in her voice.

Before I could say anything else, she hung up in my face. With my phone still in my bra, I headed to pay for my things. When I exited the market, Forever sat parked right out front.

“I knew you were getting something to snack on.” He got out the car and grabbed my things.

“You know, I could open my own door.”

“You could.” He opened my door.

Taking a seat, I waited for him to pass me the stuff, but he didn’t. He stood there looking into the distance. There was a car parked beside us.

“Netta! Take this, and put on your seat belt.” He tossed the fruit and bread in my lap, then slammed my door. Running around the car, he hopped in and didn’t bother putting on his seat belt before starting her up and pulling out.

“What the fuck, Forever!” I yelled as he cut into traffic without warning.

“Netta!” He looked at me for a split second, then looked back on the road.

 I knew right then and there, he was horny as hell. Only two things got Forever horny, and it wasn’t me, so it had to be the money.

“You love me, Netta?” he asked, still keeping his eye on whatever he was looking at.

“Yes, I love you, Forever. Now what’s up?”

“You down to get rich?” He sped up, trying to beat the light, nearly killing us.

Still with his eyes locked in position, I followed his line of view and figured out he was following a Black delivery van. He ignored me.

“If you love me, it don’t even matter what it is. All that matters is, you down to get a little dirty.”

Forever had never spoken to me this way, and I didn’t like it one bit. Who the fuck did he think he was? No amount of money was going to make me…I paused mid-thought as Forever began talking.

“It's at least fifty bands in that bitch, Netta. Fifty fucking bands. If you ain’t with it, I’ll drop you off at the next light. I ain’t letting that shit go.” He looked at me, then looked back at the van. 

“Fifty bands, you say?”

“At least, baby. You remember my birthday when we took all them pictures?”

“Yeah, and we gambled all night,” I said.

“I fucking love you, Netta.” He chuckled.

“Why?” I was confused as hell.

“No corny shit, but you really my good luck charm. If it wasn’t for you, girl.” He bit his lip.

“You telling me you love me, but not how you know it’s money in there?”

“Netta, I used to work for these niggas. I know the money van when I see the money van. They just made a pick up. They finna make another one. I just know it.” He was so sure of himself.

“How you know, though?”

“When you was taking all day to get in the car, I had seen them at the light. I know these niggas, Netta. I know how they move. It’s been months since I’d been back. Ain’t nobody gonna see this coming, so is you done with the questions or nah?”

“Nigga, who you think you talking to?”

“My partner in crime. Now reach under your seat, Crimey.” He laughed.

“How you know I’m not getting out at the light?”

I reached under the seat and grabbed a gun that was taped to the bottom of it.

“’Cuz you know I keep the burner down there, and you reachin’ for it.  Shit, you love money just as much as me.”

He was right; I was already in. I was gonna have a baby, and one thing I wasn’t gonna be was broke. With the gun in my lap, I opened up the bread and began to snack as he continued to follow the van.

“When we’re done doing whatever it is were doing here, I need you to take me to Milla’s house. We need to talk.”

“Un-huh.” He nodded.

“What’s on your mind?” I sighed.

He was no longer excited, and I could tell he was in deep thought. Something was upsetting him.

“You gotta call the shots. You gotta make it seem like this your play. You gotta be Mo.”

“What you mean, I gotta be Mo?”

“These niggas know me, but I was thinking. They don’t know you.”

He reached over and started to fuck up my hair. He had to be crazy the way he pulled it out of the bun, then looked at my clothes.

“What does that gotta do with me? And why the fuck would you do my hair like that?”

“Oh, shit!” he exclaimed, almost bumping the car in front of us.

“Pay attention, nigga!” I smacked his hand away from me. “Both hands on the wheel, and tell me this damn plan.”

He began to tell me his plan, and I was all for it. I was kind of excited too. The whole time we followed behind them, I couldn’t help but practice the scenario in my head. Forever had a cold ass mind.

It was now about ten when Forever let me know we were getting close to the next gambling spot. That’s when I started to get ready.

Tugging at the neck of my tank top, I began to stretch it, then I distressed my jeans a little more. Parking a block down, we could see two men getting out of the van. One headed inside the alley, and the other stood outside the van.

It was just like Forever told me it would be.

“Remember what I said, Netta. It’s your show. Show out, baby.”

We both stepped out of the car. Forever crossed the street, and I headed up the block looking all types of crazy with tears in my eyes.

As I approached the van, I kept my left hand tucked under my shirt and my right hand over my face.

“Help me!” I cried as I stumbled up the block. “You gotta help me!” I cried the tears of a white girl straight out of a horror film. I could have won an award the way I hit those high notes.

“Shhh!” The man sounded off as I approached him on my hands and feet crawling like I was on the last leg of a marathon.

“Help me!” I screeched.

“Shut the fuck up!” he yelled, and that’s when I really showed the fuck out with the dramatics.

“He…he’s…” I felt to the floor and pretended to pass out at his feet once I saw his partner coming.

“What the fuck did you do?” he asked, bending down beside me. I could see his face and boots through my hair.

“She just passed out.”

“Sweetheart.” His partner brushed my hair out of my face. Looking over his shoulder at Forever, I rolled over and aimed the gun in his face.

“Don't say a fucking word, or I’ll blow your fucking head off,” I threatened, aiming the gun directly at his chin.

Forever grabbed his friend by the neck and placed his gun against dude’s temple.

My heart began to beat fast. I was feeling this feeling I couldn’t really describe. All I knew was, I liked it. There was this rush, and all I could do was keep doing what I was doing.

“Give me your gun!” I demanded, and the man did what I told him.

Power: that was the feeling I was experiencing. Complete power and control as he held his gun out to me. Grabbing the gun, I made him get the money out the van. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t two duffel bags. Forever had to be wrong. Getting off the floor, I directed the man and his partner to lie down on the sidewalk while Forever searched the car.

They had one more bag hidden in the back and a gun. Both of which Forever took.

“Give me the keys.” I kicked one of them in their ribcage with all my might.

“Damn, baby,” Forever slipped up and said, causing me to laugh as I collected the keys.

“Alright, now both of you get into the truck,” I demanded.

As they hopped in the back of the truck, Forever and I headed back down the block to the car. As soon as we got in, he reversed down the block, not once looking in the rearview mirror. It was all so exciting, and that feeling was at its peak as he whipped the car around, then put it in drive.

“Netta!” Forever yelled, and I laughed.

“Forever!” I screamed as I unzipped one of the bags.

“You ever made love on a stack of money?” he asked, getting on to the freeway.

“I’m ’bout to find out!” I screeched. The bag was full of rolls of money. So much money I couldn’t stop smiling in awe of such a beautiful site.

“You ever seen this much money?” he asked.

“Never, have you?” I looked at him.

“Only once.” He got quiet, then cut on the radio.

It gave me bad vibes the way he went from being his normal self to being empty again. Reaching forward, I turned the dial down, then asked what was he thinking about.

“First time I seen that much money was before my brothers died.” He looked down at the money.

Feeling uncomfortable in this situation, I zipped the bag up and tossed it into the back with the other two bags.

“They hit a lick, and guess what?”

“What?” I asked.

“The lick hit back.” He turned the sound system up, and we continued to look ahead.

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