A Woman's Worth 2 Read online

  A WOMAN’S WORTH

  Part Two

  JAHQUEL J.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  © 2014 Royalty Publishing House. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited.

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  Chapter One

  Melissa stepped into the sunny Florida sun, sheltered her eyes with her hand, and continued to look for a cab. When she finally found one, she waved him down and got into the backseat with her suitcase.

  “Where to, ma’am?” the Russian cabbie asked in his thick accent.

  “4775 Collins Avenue, please,” Melissa told the cabbie politely, although she was fuming on the inside.

  “No problem, young lady. I will have you there in no time,” The cabbie said, and pulled off.

  Melissa rested her head up against the headrest and thought about what she went through just to get to Florida to confront Reshawn. Melissa couldn’t wait for Reshawn to see her pop up at his door. He abandoned her pregnant and with no money. His house was foreclosed on and Melissa was kicked out without anywhere to live, except her mother’s house, but that came with restrictions and sacrifices.

  Melissa paid the cab driver and dragged her bag onto the curb. She walked into the building and took the elevator to the sixteenth floor. Melissa looked at the return address on an envelope Reshawn used to send money to her. When she reached the floor, she fixed her hair, and then continued down the hall until she reached the door she was looking for. She took a breath and knocked on the door. Melissa could hear music playing and her heart felt like it was about to burst out her chest as he opened the door.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Reshawn asked, with a towel draped around his muscular frame.

  “The same reason you’re here,” Melissa replied, pushing past him into the nicely furnished condo.

  “Shouldn’t you be showing by now?” Reshawn examined her flat stomach. He knew from Tiffany that she should been showing by now.

  “Oh that? I got an abortion.”

  “Why would you kill my child? Wait, I know for a fact you were about six months, so how could you get an abortion?” Reshawn turned the music down.

  “I had to do what I had to do. My mother wasn’t letting me back in her house without one and she wanted proof. You think that’s what I wanted to do? You left me. My mother knows this clinic that does it!” Melissa yelled with tears leaking down her face. Melissa acted strong through the decision, but the fact remained she was hurt by it and wished she could take it back every day. It wasn’t even about trapping Reshawn anymore, she had built a bond with her child.

  “I'm sorry, Mel, I knew I shouldn’t have left you, but I was in a bad place when I left. Today, I can say I’m trying to be a better man and right my wrongs.” Reshawn pulled Melissa into a bear hug and wiped her tears. Melissa looked confused. The old Reshawn would have yelled back making the whole situation about him instead of her and their child.

  “Come on and unpack. You can stay with me for a while until I help you get another place.” He grabbed her bag and showed her the bedroom overlooking Miami Beach.

  “What do you mean until I find another place? I thought we were together. Now, you’re in Miami and I have to find another place?” Melissa pulled her arm away enraged.

  “This is my brother’s condo, so eventually I would have to find another place.” He somewhat told the truth. The truth was he didn’t want Melissa around. He was working things out with Tiffany and he didn’t need any distractions. He was trying to be a better man although he didn’t want to hurt her feelings after all she just reveled to him.

  “Okay, that’s fine. I’ll take a shower and take a nap. I had a long flight being a first time flyer.” Melissa cracked a smile.

  “Cool, my brother called me to his house and I need to go handle some stuff. Make yourself comfortable and if you need anything call me. The number is still the same.” Reshawn went into the closet to get dressed.

  *

  Reshawn walked into Moses’ house and into his office where Quinton and Moses were sitting. Reshawn thought back to all the fucked up shit he did and ran through the list in his head before he spoke, to make sure he wasn’t on the receiving end on what was going on.

  “What’s up? You called bro?” Reshawn sat down and poured himself a glass of Henny.

  “Tyrisha is missing. I called her phone and it’s going to voicemail. I called Tiff and she’s on her way. I'm gonna ask you once and if I don’t think it’s the right answer, I’m offing your top.” He pulled the gun from behind his back.

  “What the fuck I got to do with Tyrisha? I’ve been cool with y’all, no hard feelings. I’m stacking my bread. I’m good.” Reshawn looked around the room at both Moses and Quinton. Moses felt confident in his answer and lowered his gun.

  “What you know about that nigga, Tone?” Quinton asked, taking over where Moses left off.

  “Nigga, you used to work with him. I just know him from the hood.”

  “All I know is he was with Tyrisha and he had a couple bitches on the side,” Quinton revealed.

  “I’ll ride around his known spots and see if Tyrisha is there,” Reshawn offered.

  “See, if you can reach out to his pussy ass.” Moses rubbed his temples and stood up. He started pacing again. He didn’t know what he was going to do without Tyrisha and his unborn son. It wasn’t like her to just up and disappear without calling him. He called all the hospitals and precincts and she wasn’t in either.

  The door creaked and he looked up to see Tiffany come in with Madison on her hip.

  “Maddie waddie.” Reshawn got up and grabbed Madison, who was reaching for him. She slobbered him with kisses while pulling his dreads.

  “How is Tyrisha missing? Didn’t you have her under lock and key?” She raised her brow at Moses.

  “I did. She said she had some business to take care at the office so I let her go,” Moses answered.

  “I got some people on it bae, don’t worry yourself,” Reshawn told Tiffany, hoping Quinton felt some kind of way. He didn’t wince. Quinton could care less about Tiffany and Reshawn’s love line. It wasn’t a triangle because he wouldn’t be participating in order for it to become a triangle.

  “Who? My best friend is missing and she is pregnant with an induction date tomorrow. Somebody better get on it.” Tiffany held back her tears.

  “I got you, Tiff. That’s my baby and I won’t let shit happen to either one of them,” Moses tried to convince Tiffany.

  “If that was the case she would be here instead of god knows where.” Tiffany grabbed Madison and left. She couldn’t stand sitting around when Tyrisha was missing, she planned to go over to Tone’s herself.

  Chapter Two

  Tone sat at the edge of the bed smoking a cigarette, watching Tyrisha try to wiggle free of the handcuffs on her wrist. Tone found the whole scenario funny and wished she would stop trying to escape and accept her fate.

  “Tee, please stop, you’re making me sick with all the whining you’re doing.” Tone blew a puff of smoke into her face.

  Tyrisha held her breath trying not to inhale, but Tone kept blowing until she couldn’t hold her breath any longer.

  “When did you start smoking? It’s disgusting and making me nauseous. Please, stop. I’m begging you,” Tyrisha snapped.

  “I don’t give a fuck about you or Moses’s baby. I’ll smoke
, drink, and snort if I want too,” Tone chuckled, lighting his third cigarette in the past ten minutes.

  “If you think this is Moses’s baby, you’re wrong.” Tyrisha rolled her eyes. She wished, for once in her life, that she would have listened when someone told her no.

  “Don’t play me, Tee. I know it is.” Tone slapped her with his free hand.

  Tyrisha winced, but didn’t let out a scream.

  “I don’t know who the father is! So how am I playing you?” Tyrisha screamed in pain. Her stomach started to get tight.

  “Don’t think for a minute if it’s a possibility that kid is mine that I will spare your life,” Tone barked and left the room.

  The doorbell was ringing.

  Tone looked out the side window and saw Tiffany standing with Madison on her hip. He opened the door and stared at her until she spoke.

  “Is Tyrisha here?” Tiffany asked, looking at Tone. He wasn’t the fine man she remembered. He had wrinkles and appeared to have lost some weight.

  “Now why would see be here? We not together anymore. You want to come in and see?” Tone asked nicely.

  Tiffany looked into the darken house and changed her mind. She would come back with Reshawn.

  “Nah, I’m good. If she comes around tell her to call me.” Tiffany shifted Madison’s weight on her hip and hurried to her car.

  She shivered because of a chill that went down her back. She pulled her phone out and sent Reshawn a quick text message.

  -I’m at Tones house and it don’t seem right.

  -WTF are you doing at Tone house? Where Maddie? I’m on my way.

  Tiffany didn’t get to respond. She felt a gun being pushed in the middle of her back. She turned around and came face to face with Tone.

  “What the fuck are you doing? I got my daughter with me,” Tiffany said through clenched teeth. She wasn’t scared. In fact, she was pissed off that he would do this with Madison with her.

  “Grab that big headed baby and get in the house. Make a false move and I will send a slug into lil’ Maddie’s head,” Tone laughed. It was truly funny all the people he needed to off was coming to him.

  *

  Epiphany sat on the edge of her beach towel listening to her sister go on and on about finding a good man. Epiphany didn’t understand why she needed a man when she was always on/off with her baby father. Promise came to Florida to help her sister with something she said would be epic. Being her twin, she never questioned Epiphany’s motives, she just packed her bags and left.

  “I’ve been here for three days and you have yet to let me know what is so epic.” Promise ran her hand through her long honey colored curls.

  That was what separated the two. Epiphany sported her curls jet black. When both girls wore the same color, you couldn’t tell them apart. They was, in fact, identical.

  “Remember that dude I kept bragging about? You know the one who flew you to Puerto Rico with me?”

  “Yeah I remember him. What happened? Didn’t he have a girl or some shit?” Promise quizzed.

  “Yeah, his girl is pregnant by Moses now. The nigga call himself trying to rape me after I called him out about being a coke head. I was hoping we can show him what the Ellis twins do.” Epiphany grinned. She thought back to the many bodies in New York, she and Promise caught.

  “Well damn, why didn’t you warn me? I would have drove down here instead of flying,” Promise said referring to the many guns she and Epiphany had.

  “True that. Let’s go meet with Moses. We gonna need some money for tonight.”

  “What’s tonight?”

  “Plan A.” Epiphany got up, dusting the sand off her mint swim bathing suit.

  Epiphany walked into Moses’s house like it was her own with Promise behind her. Moses had given her a key to stay there after her condo was broken into. Moses was sitting in the dining room with a fine looking man while Reshawn rushed passed them in a hurry. Epiphany walked into the dining room while Promise greeted Reshawn

  “What’s good, Reshawn?” Promise giggled.

  She and Reshawn had previous endeavors being from the same city and hanging with the same group of people.

  “What’s good, P?” Reshawn nodded his head rushing out the door.

  Epiphany rolled her eyes. She couldn’t stand Reshawn.

  “What’s up guys? Promise asked, taking a seat next to the fine man.

  Epiphany cut her eyes at her.

  “Business, nothing that concern you fine ladies. The name is Victor.” Victor extended his hand to Epiphany and then Promise. He planned to have some fun since his stay in America was prolonged.

  “Promise and this is Epiphany. Nice to meet you.”

  Moses looked at Victor and then back at his twin sisters and saw the look in each of their eyes.

  “Easy Victor, these are my sisters and I will kill a nigga over the ladies in my life as you can see. Promise and Epiphany excuse us please.” He nodded his head at the door.

  “I'm a grown bitch and if he want to get at me he can. Victor you know where to find me,” Promise snapped and left the room.

  Epiphany held her hand out, Moses handed her his black card, and she followed behind her sister as Victor watched her backside switch from side to side.

  *

  “What the fuck do you want, Tone? Her due date is tomorrow she needs a hospital, dick head!” Tiffany screamed at Tone while she paced the floor of the master bedroom.

  Tyrisha held Madison who was sleeping peacefully.

  “I don’t know why you think I give a shit about what you have to say. Sit ya ass down before I sit it down for you,” Tone whispered. He had a headache and was coming down off his high. He couldn’t leave to re up because he had the loud mouth sisters.

  “Fuck you nigga. You ain’t high no more, so you want to throws threats. Come on, fight me, I bet I’ll whip ya ass,” Tiffany threatened.

  “Tiff, calm down please. I think this baby is about to come. I can’t have him vaginally it has to be by c section. He is breeched.” Tyrisha gasped in pain.

  “Look, we need to get to the damn hospital. I don’t give a fuck about the plan you had in mind. Tee, pass me Maddie and try to get up.” Tiffany reached for Madison.

  Tone started to panic, he was high when he mapped out all his plans and now he couldn’t remember any of them. He wished he just let Tiffany leave instead of making her come into the house. He pounded the table trying to think of something.

  “Sit the fuck down now! Like I told you before, I won’t hesitate to put a bullet through Madison’s head,” Tone roared.

  Tiffany looked at him and continued trying to help Tyrisha up from the bed. Tone didn’t have any bullets, so he just walked out the room and into the den to find some spare bullets. He was going to make sure he put a bullet in Tiffany’s ass.

  Reshawn pulled into the driveway. He knew Tiffany had to be there. Her car was parked next to a black Impala. He got out the car, walked to the door, and knocked. He stood there for a couple seconds, waiting for someone to answer. When he didn’t receive a response, he crept around the back and hopped the gate. The French doors that led to the kitchen were locked with the blinds drawn. Reshawn used the flower pot to break the door, not caring if he made noise.

  Tone heard the noise from the kitchen. He thanked God for finding some bullets in his safe. Reshawn stepped through the door, cutting his legs along the process. Reshawn heard Tyrisha’s loud mouth whining while Madison screamed her lungs out. To say Reshawn’s adrenaline was pumping would be an understatement.

  “Yo, Tiff, where you at?” Reshawn yelled.

  “Upstairs I’m helping Tyrisha. Tone is downstairs somewhere,” Tiffany yelled back.

  Reshawn could barely make out what she was saying over Madison’s constant screaming echoing throughout the house. Reshawn pulled his gun out, cocked it back as he crept through the living room. He remembered some of the layout of the house from previous visits, but he wasn’t all that certain. He opened a door which e
nded up being a half bathroom.

  *

  Mezzie used her credit card to open the front door. She had her gun, duct tape, and acid. She was going to make sure Tone suffered through the whole ordeal. She was so hype, she didn’t bother to draw her gun until she heard the cries of a baby. I know this nigga is not torturing babies, she thought to herself as she tiptoed up the stairs to the sound of the baby’s now faint cries. Mezzie had never been inside of Tone’s house, so she navigated through the house the best she knew how. She went peeking in and out of each room until she reached the room where she could clearly hear the baby.

  Mezzie put her hand on the knob and opened the door.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Tiffany walked up on Mezzie with Madison cradled in her hand.

  Tyrisha was sitting on the edge of the bed, huffing and puffing before she looked up.

  “That’s Tone’s side bitch, baby mother, whatever you want to call her. Fuck her and get me to the damn hospital,” Tyrisha said in between her deep breaths. She wished she took the Lamaze classes Moses advised her to take.

  “My name is Miranda, but you can call me Mezzie. All the other cars are blocked in. We can use mine if you want. I came to do a job, but that can wait,” Mezzie kindly offered. The hate she had for Tyrisha somehow subsided while looking at her in pain.

  “Wait the fuck up. How the hell I don’t know you and that crazy fuck not working together?” Tiffany questioned as she laid a now quiet Madison next to Tyrisha.

  If this bitch popped off, she would be ready.

  “You think I’m walking around with all this on my face for no reason? Look, I offered the help. If you don’t want it, I will continue with what I came to do. Call the ambulance. They will just dispatch the police and I’m sure y’all don’t want that.”

  “Just let the Chuckie looking bitch take us, damn!” Tyrisha screamed in pain. During her pain, she not once noticed Mezzie’s battered face until she looked up.