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“I haven’t. I’ll get on that.” I could hear him sigh in relief. Thank God I hadn’t. If things hadn’t gone the way they did though, that money would have been long gone. Split, spent, and somewhere acting like we been rich our whole lives.
“I need you to get on that now, Bubbles.” I was trying not to get annoyed because I understood his fear.
“I heard you, and I said I’m going to do it.”
“Naw, I’m saying you don’t have to stay on the phone with me. I need you to go fix it.” You could hear the panic in his voice. “If you don’t, you don’t have to worry about coming to court because I won’t be there.” Standing up, I began putting on my shoes. I heard him loud and clear. If I didn’t return the money, they were going to kill him in there. Knowing I couldn’t allow that to happen, I grabbed my gun, Shiesty, and keys. There was no way I was walking in there handing them some money and they could link it back to me, or worse, get the drop on me.
“I’m going to do it now.” We said our goodbyes, and I headed out the door to go to Juanita’s. I would have preferred going when she wasn’t there, so I didn’t have to hear her mouth, but that wasn’t an option. Using my key, I walked in the door. She was stretched out on the couch and watching Family Feud.
“Hey, boo.” She didn’t even look at me when she spoke, so I kept walking past.
“Hey, Juanita.” I was praying I could get out of here without her asking me what was in the bag. Going up to my room, I went in the closet but didn’t feel the bag. Turning on the light, I looked all around, and nothing. Thinking back to that night, I retraced my steps and I wasn’t crazy. I know I put that bag in there. Running back downstairs, I walked over to the couch. Juanita didn’t even look up at me. Her ass kept laughing at the TV. She knew damn well what I wanted. She wouldn’t look at me, so I stood in front of the TV.
“Girl, what are you doing?”
“Juanita.” Her ass pulled on her blunt like she didn’t hear me. “Juanita, where is my money?”
“I don’t know what you talking about.”
“The money I put in the closet.”
“Oh, you said my. That’s why I was confused. Once you put it in my house, it now becomes the property of Juanita. If you wanted to control what happened to it, you should have put it at your house.”
“How did you even know it was here? You were gone.”
“You know I keep them cameras on. I told you, I’m not about to let a scammer scam the scammer.”
“I hid it in my room though.” I was saying anything to try and get through to her.
“I know you sucked playing hide and seek as a kid.”
“What are you talking about? I’m talking about my money.”
“Me too. You hid it, I seeked it, and now it’s mine. Game over, I won.” She stuck her tongue out like this was a joke.
“Juanita, I need that money.”
“Me too, that’s why I took it.” Rubbing my hand down my face, I tried my best to stay calm.
“They want their money back.” Asking wasn’t working, so maybe if she knew what was going on, she would give it to me.
“Okay, so you took somebody money?” I nodded my head yes. “And they are asking for it back?” I nodded again. “And you want to give it back to them?”
“Hell naw, I don’t.” Of course I didn’t want to return it, but I had no choice.
“You don’t want to give them they shit, but I took it from you, and somehow you think I should return it.” I opened my mouth, but I closed it back. I walked into her trap without realizing it.
“I don’t want to, but I have to. They are going to kill Peanut if I don’t.” I decided to tell her everything.
“And!! Peanut ain’t my son.”
“AND I NEED MY FUCKING MONEY!” Me yelling didn’t even make her flinch.
“Girl, just last week you were trying to figure out how to get rid of that nigga. Now, somebody offering to handle it for free and you complaining.” This lady was fucking insane.
“Juanita,” I said in disbelief. “Being tired doesn’t mean I want him dead.”
“I didn’t say it did, but sometimes solutions don’t come packaged how you pictured them. I’m just trying to find the positive.”
