FALL 1983

ONE MONTH LATER

Nicole stood on the corner with Leon and their new muscle, Fat Back. A cool breeze sent goosebumps down her skin.

They were like zombies looking for their next fix. All sluggish and deluded. Nicole felt her stomach twist anytime she had to reach for her pistol tucked behind her back.

"You too pretty to be out here late at night." A junkie seemingly reached for her.

"Man move along unless you buying." Nicole was used to the way the streets talked to her. They would never love her.

Fat Back stood behind her using his ugly face to scare off the man. Leon laughed watching the junkie scurry away. Nicole turned to the guys, "Really? I can handle myself."

"Not with that death grip you got on that gun." Leon muttered turning to Fat Back, "Ain't Kevin supposed to be here."

Nicole rolled her eyes, "You mad cuz I'm filling in for Kev? Get a grip."

Leon held up his middle finger ignoring the girl. Fat Back looked at them back and forth, "Y'all got something you wanna get off ya chest?"

"I'm coolin." Nicole stated leaning against their post.

"It's sad what happened to his cousins though." Fat Back wanted to make conversation to get rid of the tension.

Nicole shrugged, "We told them niggas not to go down Pico Union. Messing with Mexican territory that's not even ours."

"Nah we should blow their heads off instead of sitting here doing nothing. They castrated them boys for selling."

Nicole turned to Leon, "Shut up! Do your job and shut the fuck up. All that complaining is giving me a headache."

Fat Back sighed, "Y'all fight like an old married couple."

...

Nicole tried to swallow the fear in her throat when Leon pulled up to the front of her house. The porch light was on and she could see the living room lights on.

Leon eyed the time, "It's a little late for the lights to be on."

Nicole got out of the car, "Don't wait up."

Leon sighed, "Nicole wait!"

She turned around trying to steady her breathing. "What Leon?"

"I'm sorry okay? I know I left you like that and then I pop up with Wanda. Shit ain't right." His brown eyes seemed sincere.

"It's cool, Lee. Ain't that what she call you? It's cute." Without another word she made her way up the steps.

She gasped when she noticed her parents in the living room. Her father, Julius, sat next to her mother whispering.

Their eyes moved to her when she finally came into the light. Nicole saw her gun and a stack of cash on the glass table. Her mother had been crying.

"This is what you been into?" Her father asked.

Nicole wanted to shake her head. Her mother's weak voice quivered, "Please don't lie baby."

Nicole didn't say anything except, "Dad carries a gun."

His hand slammed onto the table, "It's my job! Last time I remembered you ain't no officer."

"Baby what is all this? You can talk to me. I know you came back from school early but for what? What are you running from?"

Nicole saw her suitcases by the table. "It don't matter. Seems like y'all made a decision about me."

"You damn right! I won't have criminals in my house." Her father shouts seemed to shake the house.

The patter of her sisters footsteps could be heard over the shouting. "Daddy you kicking Cola out?"

Crystal placed an arm around Bethany's shoulders, "Y'all are gonna wake the baby up."

"Wait let's talk about this." Nicole's mother wanted to break the tension.

"No! She can go."

Nicole grabbed her bags before stopping at the family photo of them on her college move in day. When they were all a happy family.

She reached to grab it only for her father to snatch her hand. Nicole winced from the pressure, "Can I at least take the picture."

"Get out and take your shit with you."

Nicole scoffed, "This is my shit."

The darkness in her father's eyes grew angry. With ease he pushed her away from the pictures. Nicole fell landing on her face. Her mother screamed. Bethany's sweet cries drew Nicole from her daze.

Blood trickled from her forehead, "Fine. Keep the damn picture. I'm gone."

...

The house party was banging. A celebration from Franklin Saint for one month of work. Crack was flooding the streets and their paper was getting heavy.

Nicole pulled the sleeve of her blouse down hiding the bruises on her wrist. Uncle Jerome found her first, "Damn girl what happened to you?"

Aunt Louie looked concerned, "Is there somebody we should be looking at?"

Nicole shook her head, "I'm straight. My daddy kicked me out but I'm good."

"He what?"

"Leon, it's not nice to listen in on peoples conversations." Nicole spoke as Aunt Louie put a piece of ice on her face.

"Well, maybe if you hid that better I wouldn't be asking." Before Leon could say anything else, Wanda threw herself around him.

"Lee! I'm glad you made it. Let me introduce you to everybody." Wanda smiled at them before dragging Leon through the house.

Nicole rolled her eyes but winced at the pressure Aunt Louie put on her face, "That boy still love you for sure."

"I still remember when Franklin first told Leon about the new girl on the block. Leon's ass was so mean he made you cry." Uncle Jerome's laugh made her smile for the first time in a while.

"Cola, please don't tell me you got beat up on the block?" Franklin's smile put her at ease.

"Nah. You know me better than that."

Bethany and Mel made their way inside the house party. Nicole sucked her teeth, "Really y'all?"

"Aye wassup!" Franklin pulled Mel into a warm hug before bumping Bethany.

"She's too young to be here. You gotta go." Nicole grabbed Bethany's arms.

"I was just checking on you. I know dad did that to your face." Bethany reached up to her bruise on her forehead.

The family seemed to stop when Nicole went wide eyed, "Momma still crying about it?"

Bethany nodded, "She wants you to come back."

Nicole shook her head, "I'm not coming back. Imma get my own crib and then you can come over whenever you want."

Bethany smiled, "Before I go I wanted to give you something."

Nicole wanted to cry at the folded up picture that she tried to take. "Thank you. Now get back home before I beat your ass."

Franklin watched as the girls took off. He cased the party watching as people seemed more drugged than usual.

"Aye Nicole."

She looked up from the punch bowl, "Yeah?"

"Don't they look high."

Nicole's eyes scanned the dancing bodies. On cue, Wanda handed a family member a small baggie. "You see this shit?"

Franklin kept calm as Wanda and Leon approached them. "Franklin thank you so much for letting me work with y'all!"

Nicole noticed Wanda's blown out irises and the white powder under her nose. Franklin stepped forward, "You're done Wanda. Don't you ever step foot where we work again."

"You ain't gotta talk to her like that." Leon pushed Franklin watching as Wanda sauntered off.

Nicole sipped her punch, "Leon, ya girl is on that shit."

"Fuck yall! All she wanted to do was thank yall for the opportunity but look at what yall doin."

Franklin's jaw twitched with irritation. "Nicole, we gotta talk strategy soon."

"Losing control huh?"

"This ain't funny. Money is missing. I did the count today."

Nicole sat up straighter and lowered her voice, "Who the fuck took money, Saint?"

"I don't know but I want you to find out."

Authors Note:

Ignore mistakes

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Sorry I've been gone long