Chapter 18
 

The first time that Sandy sat down and talked to Honey, she knew that she could not dominate the young girl.  Paula or Honey, as she knew her, sounded completely energized by the killing of Mickey.  She told Sandy how good it felt to castrate her tormentor and watch him bleed to death.  After that kind of victory, a woman refuses to accept defeat ever again and Sandy understood that.

 

She pulls Honey and Peachie into her bedroom one night and closes the door.  All of the other girls were laughing, talking, and relaxing downstairs.  Sandy had taken them all to an Al Green concert in Atlantic City.  Of course, some of the girls accepted high offers from some of the rich guests in the Boardwalk hotel but for the most part, the trip was just a chance for everybody to have some fun.  Sandy liked to work her girls seven or eight nights straight then treat them to a real good time.

 

Honey looks around the luxurious bedroom and sees two overstuffed arm chairs, white trimmed in gold, with matching footstools.  One whole wall has floor to ceiling mirrors. The stereo’s maple wood casing sits in front of the mirrored wall.  “Grazing In the Grass,” floats out of the stereo’s speakers and into the dimly lit room.  The queen-sized bed is also white and gold.  Covering the floor is an all white thick carpet that looks like fresh snow.  Gold drapes cover both windows.   

 

Sandy takes Honey’s hand and walks her over to a pair of white sliding doors.  She pushes a button on the wall making the doors slide open.  Honey gasps when she sees all of the tailored suits, fur coats, silk blouses, and rainbow collection of stylish shoes.  They step inside the huge closet and Sandy points to a white panel on the left.  She pushes another button and the panel, about waist high, slides back revealing a glass case full of all types of jewelry.

 

Sandy closes the panel and leads the way back out of the closet.  All three of them sit on the white satin cover on top of the big bed.  Honey wears a tight red silk minidress.  Peachie wears the same dress but only in black.  Sandy wears monogrammed white silk pajamas.

 

“Peachie, I need you to be patient because you’ve already heard what I’m about to say,” Sandy states then turns toward the gorgeous girl called ‘Honey’.  “I don’t need more workers.  A stable can make money but it takes an army to defend what you have.  That’s why I need soldiers, women who can think, plan, and destroy any threats.  You looked into my closet and my jewelry case.  One day, I might show you my vault.  People call me a pimp because of what they see my girls do.  But a pimp lives off of whores.  I try to turn whores into stars, fantasy figures, dream girls who have power over men.  I’m not a lesbian because I like pussy.  I love everything feminine.  Every part of a woman is precious, especially her brain.  Our strategy, our imagination, our minds make us superior to men.  We learn to scheme and plot when we’re little girls.  But what happens when we try to make things better for ourselves, Honey?  You didn’t bother anybody or owe anybody anything but look how that nigga’ forced his way into your life, abused you, and tried to take everything you earned.  He tried to destroy you,” she pauses to let Honey reflect on how Mickey treated her.  When tears fill Honey’s eyes, Sandy continues, “I sent Peachie to you to show you what we have to do sometimes.  Men think they can turn us into slaves.  It’s the same for me as it is for you and Peachie.  I’ve been beaten and robbed and raped by so-called pimps.  Even now, niggas’ try to gorilla me and take what I got because I have a pussy.  There are a lot of Mickeys out there.  That’s why I’m trying to build an army.  Honey, you didn’t ask me and Peachie to help you so you owe us nothing.  When we finish talking, if you want to leave, I’ll drop you off wherever you want  to go.  Maybe you think that the wolves won’t act like wolves anymore.  That choice is yours but I really need you on my team.  I’ll teach you what I know and share with you what I have.  In return, I want you to help me eliminate my enemies, just like we helped you to eliminate one of yours.”

 

*   *   *

 

Since coming to Sandy’s house, Honey has been sleeping in Peachie’s bedroom.  The two mostly talk about their families and their pasts.  After the long talk with Sandy, Peachie leads Honey down the hallway into the room they have been sharing.

 

“C’mon, I want to show you something,” Peachie says to Honey leading her to a walk-in closet much smaller than Sandy’s.  Honey has already seen the racks of sexy and stylish clothes but this time when they step inside, Peachie moves to the left and presses a button just like the one Sandy used.

 

“Damn, Peachie!” Honey exclaims when the panel slides back.  She sees a glass case with pistols, automatic handguns, daggers, ice picks, razors, and braided rawhide with finger loops on both ends.

 

“If you stay, I’ll teach you how to use each one of these,” Peachie says sincerely.  In the small space, they have to stand so close to each other that Honey can smell the coconut-scented lotion Peachie wears.

 

“How many people have you killed?” Honey asks staring at the weapons.

 

Peachie turns her head toward Honey.  Their mouths were only inches apart so Peachie pecks her lightly on the lips and says, “Mickey made eight and each time it makes me feel a little safer and a lot freer.”

 

Peachie then bends over to press a lower button.  This puts her soft ass against Honey’s thigh.  Honey lightly grabs Peachie’s hips and grinds forward.  The lower panel slides back and Honey sees a small safe.  Peachie stoops all the way down to open it.  Honey sees big stacks of cash inside and a black velvet jewelry box.

 

Peachie flips open the jewelry box revealing gold and diamond pieces.  “Everything you see in here belongs to me.  Sandy told you the truth.  She’s our leader, not our pimp.  I keep every dollar I earn, and that doesn’t just mean tricking.  Some of my kills weren’t personal and I got paid for them,” this time when Peachie turns, her face is eye-level with Honey’s knees.  Peachie pushes Honey’s skirt up around her waist and licks high up on the inside of her open thighs.

 

Honey trembles then says, “You can show me how to use those weapons later, because I’m definitely staying.  For now, let’s get in bed so you can teach me what to do with my tongue.”

 

After they took turns thrilling each other, Peachie dozes off but the excitement will not allow Paula to sleep.  She lies in bed thinking about how quickly Mickey turned her life into a hell by using threats, abuse, and sheer force.  At first, she thought about running away from him but that changed when he threatened to kill Paula’s mother, brothers, and sisters.  Instead, Paula became even more submissive and Mickey became more brutal.  Then Peachie came along and made killing him seem so simple.

 

Honey looks over at Peachie sleeping.  The beautiful Puerto Rican girl looks so soft and innocent.  Paula thinks about all of the weapons, money, and jewelry in Peachie’s closet.  She replays in her mind, Sandy’s words about needing a little army.  Honey strokes Peachie’s hair and says, “If she can do it, I know I can.  It’s easier to kill than it is to live in fear.”  Finally, she falls asleep.

 

*   *   *

 

The next morning, Peachie and Honey take two Berettas out to the woods for target practice.  While they shoot at trees, Peachie explains the proper stance and the double-handed grip.  Honey listens closely and enjoys the little upwards kick of her gun.  “First you work on the technique then the accuracy and speed will come naturally,” Peachie instructs wearing jeans and a black hooded windbreaker.  “Besides, our beauty should get us close enough to the vic so that we can’t miss.”

 

After they finish their lesson, they drive back into Brooklyn and eat lunch at a Jamaican restaurant.  Sitting in a small booth Honey says, “This shoulder holster feels sexy as shit, it makes me wanna’ take control.”  She jokingly pulls the hood of her navy blue windbreaker up on her head then puts on some dark sunglasses, “Do I look like a hired killer?”

 

Peachie smiles and says, “Yeah, but remember that we’re not trying to scare anybody.  We want to look soft and pretty so that the vic will only think about sex.  We want him to feel like he’s in control of us.  We’re just there for his pleasure.  He’s not supposed to sense danger until he’s bleeding to death.”

 

Paula removes her sunglasses, pulls off her hood, and pats her hair back into place, “Peachie, I know this is serious.  I was just joking around because I feel so free. But don’t worry, when the time comes for some real action, I’ll do my part.”

 

Peachie laughs and says, “Girl, you sure did your part last night in bed!  Talkin’ ‘bout you want me to teach you how to use your tongue?  You thrilled my ass right to sleep.”  She then drinks from her glass of ginger beer and changes her tone, “But on the real side, your sex skills are important.  If we would’ve just laid on our back with our legs open, Mickey would’ve stayed in control.  We won because he got so caught up in our act.  They all do.  This pimp used to knock me to the floor, rip off my pants, and stick broom handles inside me.  No matter how much money I gave him, he kept torturing me.  Then I met Sandy and begged her to take me in.  She sent a girl named Raven back to my pimp, along with me.  Raven played the same role that I played with you and Mickey.  She drove that pimp wild.  He stripped naked and climbed on top of Raven.  She locked her legs around his waist.  And just like Raven told me I snuck behind him and plunged a butcher knife between his shoulder blades.  I kept stabbing that motherfucker as long as I could swing my arm.  Yeah, I killed him but Raven’s sexy dance routine made him helpless.  When a man’s dick gets hard, his mind goes blank so remember that sex appeal is our most important weapon.”

 

After they leave the restaurant, they drive to the supermarket.  A day earlier, Paula called from Atlantic City and learned that her mother had run low on food so now she packs bags of groceries into Peachie’s car.  Then they head for Maggie’s house.  All along the way, Peachie passes on the lessons that were once taught to her.  Honey listens intently.  She has no idea what has happened to her mother since their last phone conversation.  Paula thinks this will be a routine food drop off.  She does this all of the time so she just plans to be in and out then on her way.  Staying too long always depresses Paula because she cannot stand how Maggie lets Jet take, take, and take.  She often argues with her mother about what she should do about the father.  Maggie says he needs more support.  Paula insists that he needs a good ass whipping for selling all of the furniture and appliances.  She does not know that he beats on Maggie.

 

Now when Peachie pulled up to the curb, Paula saw Jet sitting on the front steps with his head in his hands.  “C’mon Daddy, help us with all of this food,” she yelled getting out of the car.

 

He didn’t get up and Paula noticed his chest heaving.  She immediately thought that he was going through withdrawal so she grabbed two bags out of the back seat.  Peachie did the same and they headed for the house.

 

“Move Daddy,” Paula said impatiently, not able to get inside the house with him blocking the steps.

 

He lifted his head revealing that he’d been crying for quite some time, “Why, he do that? Why Champ kill Maggie?”  he asked accusingly.

 

Paula froze not wanting to believe her ears.  She figured that his withdrawal caused him to hallucinate, “Whatchu talking ‘bout, Daddy, where’s Mama?”

 

Just then the front door opened, Paula looked up and saw Maggie’s older sister, Mary, also crying.  “Paula, Baby, come on in.  We’ve been trying to find you.”

 

“Where’s Mama?” Paula asked nervously.  Mary almost never visited and her tears spelled ‘trouble.’  “Where’s Mama?”

 

“Come on in, Baby, bring the food in.  I need to talk to you,” Mary said softly.

 

Peachie quickly sat her bags down and wrapped her arms around Honey guiding her up the steps.  Jet picked up the bags and followed.  Paula felt completely numb when she saw the rented tables and chairs throughout the first floor.  More of her aunts and uncles sat down talking and crying.

 

In the kitchen, Jet told Paula how he saw Champ go into the house.  “And when I came back home, I see the kids sitting on the front steps with their school books.  I open the door with my key and that’s when I saw my Maggie.  Why he do that, Paula?  You ain’t having nothing to do with Melco getting killed did you?”

 

Melco dead? Champ killing Mama?  Paula’s brain couldn’t handle the pressure so she fainted.

 

*   *   *

 

“You need to rest, Honey.  Lay back down,” the soft voice sounded familiar and safe.  So Paula obeyed and fell back onto the pillows.

Much later, she woke up and saw that she was in Sandy’s bedroom dressed in a set of her leader’s silk pajamas.  Peachie and Sandy sat on the edge of the bed looking down at her.

 

“Is my mother really dead?” Paul asked weakly.  The strong sedative still had her feeling a little groggy.

 

“Yes,” Sandy replied sympathetically.  “I’m afraid so.”

 

Paula sat up and said, “I gotta go be with my family.  None of them got enough money to put Mama away right.  So I gotta get to the bank.  I gotta . . .”

 

“Shhhh!” Sandy said gently pushing Honey back onto the fluffy pillows.  Then she picked up the phone, dialed a number, and handed the receiver to Honey.  “Your aunt wants to talk to you.”

 

Paula laid back listening to her Aunt Mary saying “Your friends gave me money to pay for Maggie’s funeral and buy the kids some decent clothes to wear.  Peachie went and got more foot and lots of liquor for us.  This house is packed with family and your mother’s friends.  Sandy is gonna get me a bigger place so that I can take your little brothers and sisters to live with me.  But you know how I feel about your father, Paula.  He won’t be welcome in my house, not after the way he treated Maggie.”

 

Paula knew exactly how Mary felt so she said, “I understand, Aunt Mary.  Put him on the phone for a minute.”

 

When Jet got on the line, Paula grilled him about what he saw through the candy store window, “Are you sure it was Champ?” “What kind of car was he driving?”  “Did he look mad?” “Did he have anybody with him?”  “When did Melco get killed?”

 

Jet answered most of her questions correctly.  But he had one important thing wrong.  Only Champ and Melco’s family knew that Lola did all of the shooting and she did it out of jealousy.  On the streets, everybody thought that some stickup boys caught Melco slipping and the two women died to keep them from bearing witness.  And of course all kinds of rumors circulated about who could’ve set Melco up.  That’s why Jet had asked Paula if she had anything to do with Melco’s murder.

 

Sandy and Peachie sat absolutely still while Honey interrogated her father.  Peachie had heard Champ’s and Melco’s names on the streets a lot but she didn’t know them.  So Honey’s end of the phone conversation only made Peachie curious.  Of course, Sandy hung on to every word that fell from Honey’s lips.  Sandy and Sharky both heard about Melco’s murder a day after it happened.  To them, it just meant that they wouldn’t have to worry about Melco seeking revenge whenever they managed to eliminate Champ.

 

But now Sandy had to hide her excitement as she listened to Honey ask her father again, “Are you sure, Daddy? Are you absolutely sure you saw Champ going into the house?”

 

Peachie didn’t know anything at all about any beef between Sharky and Champ.  She didn’t ever know that Sharky used to live in Brooklyn.  Peachie only saw him during some of their trips to Atlantic City.  So when Honey hung up the phone, Peachie just asked, “Did he say that the guy, Champ, had something to do with your mother getting killed?”

 

With tears streaming down her face, Paula said, “I need to be alone to think for a little while.  Let me do that then we’ll talk.”

 

Sandy leaned over and kissed Honey on the check then led Peachie from the bedroom Paula cried hard thinking about her mother’s wasted years with Jet and her brutal murder.  But after a few hours, the tears stopped.  Paula stopped resisting and let the facts fall into the proper place inside her head.  Jet had killed Maggie’s spirit early on then he stomped on her self-esteem.  That’s why Paula had to find her own way which led to being used by hustlers, threatened by girls like Lola, and tormented by Mickey.  With Maggie in her final resting place, Mary could give the little ones the proper guidance.  Those thoughts balanced out Paula’s emotions.

 

Then she wondered why she expected Champ to be any different from the rest.  He was out prowling for pussy that day when he first saw Paula and Angie swinging their hips, walking home from school.  Angie fucked him real good and he fell in love.  He introduced Paula to Melco hoping that Melco would settle down in her pussy.  “Peachie is right,” Honey said to herself still lying in bed.  “It always starts with sex.  If Angie couldn’t fuck, Champ would’ve made her a one night stand.  And if she hadn’t gotten shot, he would’ve married her and still had other girls on the side.  He would’ve done her just like Melco did Lola.  My father loves smack, Melco and Champ loved pussy.  They’re all the same.”  The sound of her own voice gave Paula a jolt.

 

But the facts kept falling into place.  If Angie lived confined to that wheelchair, Champ would’ve pitied her but he’d eventually fall into some other girl’s tender trap. “He knew that Melco was fucking me and he just told us to keep it a secret from Lola.  Champ wanted me to run the restaurants.  He looked at me as a piece of pussy on the side for Melco and a stand-in for Angie.  I know what he did to Teddy and Pike for shooting Melco.  And if he thought that I helped to kill his best friend, Champ would definitely kill my mother.”

 

Paula got out of bed and took a bath.  Then she got dressed, found Peachie and Sandy sitting in the den, and stated, “I’ll help you to kill you enemies if you help me to kill mine.”