A Project Chick (19 page)

neighborhood busters looking out for her.

"Hurry up cuz my car getting hot sitting out here in this war zone." He said to her as she walked over to his big body style LS 400 white Lexus on eighteen-inch chrome rims that the fellas around Richmond hadn't even been introduced to yet.

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She didn't comment, she only grabbed the huge shopping bags from Hecht's, the Gap, Nordstrom's, Macy's and Foot Locker. He motioned to one of Pondee's workers.

"Shawdy, come help her carry this stuff up the steps. I'm a look out for ya."

The worker grabbed the bags, as Lucky told her.

"This is some boxes of fish sticks, chicken tenders, some steaks and some other things. I figured the boys would probably want some of their favorite foods to eat. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, it's about $200 worth of roach motels and raid so those roaches can check in, but won't be able to check out!" Khalil snickered.

She walked away not showing one ounce of emotion towards him. That in and of itself pissed Lucky off, because he wanted to see a reaction from Tressa. At least some small talk to open up the doors of communication between the two of them. She didn't show the slightest bit of appreciation after he'd gone out of his way and spent his $3,500.00.

"Damn, you mean to tell me a nigga can't even get a thank you?"

Tressa stopped in her tracks, gave a slight giggle, made direct eye contact with Lucky. "A thanks shouldn't be required because these are the type of things you're suppose to do for your kids. I don't get a thank you when I feed and clothe your children every day, now do I?" By the expression on his face, she could see she had him where she wanted him, now she went in for the kill.

"Oh, and by the way, we may be in the projects, but guess what boo? This is our safe haven away from Alcatrez, the prison we used to call home, just minus the bars. I know your Don Coleon, shoot' em up, bang-bang ass not afraid to sit out here in this hood. Let me find out I got more heart than you."

Tressa turned to prance back up the steps, never looking back at Lucky. She knew she had gotten up under his skin and knew all the right buttons to push when it came to him. Once back in her apartment, she realized at that moment, that all the items that boys brought over were not because he wanted to do right by his boys, it was simply his way of letting her know that she couldn't hide from him, and he knew exactly where she lived. She was 123

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certain that Lucky was about to set it off. She was still unsure what he had up his sleeve, but whatever it was, she wasn't taking it lying down. Her guards were up and her game face was on.

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-14-

Lucky's Lucky Day

Tressa ran into "Bills Bar-B-Que" to pick up some food, leaving Wiggles in the car with the children. As Tressa gave her order, she overheard some screaming that sounded like Wiggles. She looked out the window and saw a flatbed tow truck. She observed through Wiggles body language that she was having an intense dispute with the tow truck driver. She gave the cashier her money and ran outside to see what all the chaos and commotion was all about. By the time she reached the door, the tow truck driver was attaching what looked like a chain to her car. It was then she realized the man was towing her car!

"What the hell you are doing with my car?" She screamed at the fat white man with a big belly that was hanging over his belt.

"What does it look like?" He screamed back at her.

"Why?"

"I don't owe you no explanation. I'm just doing what I was hired to do, get the car. Remove your personal possessions." He said to her in a nasty tone with a giggle and continued to hook her car up.

"Get this fucking car down, so I can get my kids out." She screamed at the top of her lungs, wanting to punch him so badly.

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She ignored the police siren as a police car rolled up behind her. She didn't care about any police car. There wasn't a police officer in the world that could stop her from getting to her children.

As the tow truck driver went back into the truck, he started pushing buttons to lower the car. The children were in the car screaming, but not because they were scared, they actually enjoyed the lights and movements on the tow truck. Then all of sudden the screams of excitement turned into screams of being afraid, because they could see their mother's frustration and they could tell something was wrong with her and their aunt Wiggles.

One of the police officers approached Wiggles first, trying to make heads of the matter. They next went to talk to the crowd of folks that had come out of Bill's Bar B-Que to be nosey. The other police officer approached Tressa and the tow truck driver.

"Sir, what seems to be the problem?" He asked the driver, but Tressa spoke before the driver could.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Tressa excitedly replied. "The problem is I wasn't parked illegal, over the lines or anything. And this man is towing my car with my children and belongings in it, and won't give me an explanation!"

The officer looked at the car and saw Lil Hadji in the window screaming, and Lil Ali trying to escape through the passenger side window. Wiggles was running trying to rescue him. When they realized he was on his way out of the window, everyone, except the tow truck driver, ran over to the window as the other police officer told the driver to shut the truck off.

Once the children were out of the car, the police officers were too frustrated with the tow truck driver. It took everything in Tressa not hit the tow truck driver with a right hook. The driver handed some papers to the police.

The officer looked over the papers thoroughly.

"Both of you wait here." He instructed the tow truck driver and Tressa, while the officer proceeded to his police cruiser to dissect the writing on the papers. He used his cell phone, as well as called over the cb radio, to try to gather the necessary information.

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The officer returned after fifteen minutes with a disappointed looked on his face.

"Ms. Shawsdale, I regret that I have to tell you that this bill of sale for the vehicle, in exchange for
dog food,
is very legal." He said, as he held out the bill of sale to her. "I will let you gather your valuables out of the car."

"But I don't understand. It has got to be a mistake." She said to the police officer, totally upset, but still trying to stop the tears from rolling down her face.

She looked at the bill of sale in depth, and at that very moment, abhorrence, disgust, revulsion, hostility and hatred for Lucky filled every bone in Tressa's body. Tressa couldn't believe how desperate and determined Lucky was to make her life without him a living hell. Wasn't it enough that she had to fend for herself? Wasn't it enough that she had to be on welfare to make ends meet? Wasn't it enough that she had to explain to her kids where daddy was and why he wasn't there with them? Wasn't it enough that she lived in a roach infested housing project, taking a risk everyday, not knowing at any given moment, if her or her sons were going to get hit with a stray bullet? Wasn't all this humiliation and agony enough?

While he's rolling around in his array of cars; Lexus',
B'mer's, trucks all suited up, living the life of luxury, we're
over here with the bare necessities struggling, scrambling,
scuffling and barely making it. All he can do is to continue to
find ways to try to bring me down. I can't believe this dude
hates me, the woman who bared his two sons, the woman
who rubbed Preparation H on his ass when he had
hemorrhoids, the woman who was his best friend, who
listened and consoled him through the good and bad, happy
and sad. He hates me so much that he's going to sell my
damn car for a car that he wouldn't dare drive around the
block in or be caught dead in. A car that his children gets
from point A to Point B in, for a bag of fucking Purina Dog
food and two cans of Alpo! I can't believe he did this! Why?

So what the car was in both of our names, and so what I got
Gator to sign his name. What difference does it make, shit,
that B'mer was my car. I don't mess with him, I stay out of his
way and I don't contact anybody he knows. And yet, still he
won't let me be. This clown had the nerve to sell my four
thousand dollar car for a bag of dog food. I can not believe it,
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a bag of dog food! It's all good, though. Since he wants to
have jokes, and wanna play games, he better step up to the
major leagues because believe me when I tell you, it's on!

Tressa, Wiggles and the two boys waited while Tressa called Jacko for a ride.

"Yo." Jacko answered the phone.

"Hey Jacko, what are you doing?"

"I'm about to go get me some'in to eat, why, what's up?"

"My babies father just had my car towed, and me and the kids need a ride."

"He had your car towed? Damn, what type of time is that dude on? He had the car towed that you drive his kids around in?"

"Yup." She said. "Oh, I forgot to mention and sold it for a bag of damn dog food."

"What?" He smacked his lips. "This guy is bananas!

Where you at?"

"We at Bill's Bar-B-Que on the Boulevard." She answered him.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes, and don't let that get you all upset. I'll make sure you get back and forth to work and the kids get to school."

Tressa and Jacko had been conversing over the phone for the past few weeks. Always reluctant, and especially not ready to deal with Jacko in an actual relationship, due to the drama that went on with her and Lucky. She never explained in depth just how far Lucky would go, but she made it clear that he was deranged. Her inner self also restricted her from even developing a relationship with Jacko, because if Lucky found out about Jacko and their relationship, she was sure it may cost Jacko his life. Jacko wasn't afraid of Lucky, although he had heard stories, but he never pressured her at all. He knew if he played the background, and was the understanding, consoling friend, what was due to him would surely come.

For the next two weeks, Jacko came to take Tressa back and forth to work faithfully every day. She was grateful for that. Shelly observed that Tressa didn't have a car, and Tressa never confirmed the details of what happened to her car, but Shelly automatically thought the 128

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car was repossessed. Unbelievably, Shelly sympathized with Tressa, having two children, needing to get back and forth to work. By, no means, did she want Tressa to lose focus by getting frustrated with having to depend on someone else to give her a ride to work every day. Shelly took into consideration the money that Tressa was making for the company with her impeccable taste. Tressa had made the company six times the amount the other buyers had made in a year, in such a short time. Tressa never received a pay increase. Shelly, at any point, easily could have bought Tressa a little used car as a gift and wrote it off on her taxes at the end of the year. The reality of the matter was, no matter how big the dividends were that Tressa's expertise brought in to the conglomerate, Shelly wasn't buying any black girl a car. Why would she? For her to think she was almighty and leave her. Shelly did ask around the office, and found out that one of the other employees, Wanda, had a car for sale.

Wanda boldly approached Tressa. "I heard you don't have a car and needed one. Well, my husband has a car that used to be my son's. Now, I am warning you, the car is not beautiful, but the motor runs like clockwork.

Nothing else is wrong with it, but it needs some bodywork.

I can talk to him, but I am sure he'll sell it to you for about $350.00. I mean, it's nothing fancy, but I am sure it will get you to and from work and ride your children around safely until you can do better."

She wanted to hug Wanda. Wanda's news was like music to her ears. Although it was a real hoopty, it beat thumbing it, busing it or begging for a ride any day. Where was she going to get $350.00? She didn't get paid until Friday and it was only Tuesday. Even after taxes, her check would only be about $240.00. She didn't care if she had to spend her whole paycheck on the bucket (usually an ugly small car), but where would she get the rest? Plus, she will have to get insurance and tags from DMV, since the tow truck driver took her car with the tags on it. Then, not to mention, she would still need gas to get her back and forth to work.