Nephew

“Nephew! Nephew! Nino! I know you hear me boy!” Lisa yelled out.

“What’s up Auntie?” Nino stated. Obviously, irritated because he was rudely interrupted.

“I need two for fifteen Nephew.”

The dope fiends in the hood called the dealers they copped from “Nephew”. The dealers would call the fiends either “Auntie” or “Unk”. Nino was one of the youngest dope boys in the hood who was actually getting money. Every fiend and dope boy knew of him. When he wasn’t around, the fiends would wait until he came back before they brought their drugs from anybody else because he had the best product.

He stood at 5’10”, 175 pounds, dark brown skin with his hair braided to the side and was only 18 years old. At that age, Nino had seen more money than the average 30-year-old. He was born with crack in his lungs. His mother, Kathy, was smoking crack up until the time her water broke. Born a premature crack baby, Dr. Bell who

delivered him thought that he would have a lot of health complications growing up. To her surprise, Nino was one of the luckiest babies born. Not only was he healthy, but smart, ambitious, handsome and very mature. He didn’t even look his age.

“Damn Auntie you ain’t never got straight money,” Nino jokes.

“Boy, I know you ain’t tripping all that money I spend with you every day.”

“Hey Auntie, I need you to cook up some work for me,” he asked.

“When Nephew? Cause I got a date right now.”

“How long you gone be? I’m about to run out of hard. You know ain’t nobody gone wanna buy this shit soft,” he stressed to her.

“Alright, Nephew. Give me like 30 minutes okay?”

“Alright.”

Nino never cooked up his own coke. It took too long for him. At his age patience was something he lacked. Nino also didn’t bag up his own heroin. He paid fiends to do just about everything but he kept a close eye on them at all times. No matter how much he liked someone, he didn’t trust anybody.

Growing up in a housing project called Fairfield Court on the east end of Richmond, Virginia wasn’t easy for him. Stick up kids and other hustlers in the game wanted what he had: money. It was no secret that he had Rosetta Street sewed up. Nino’s supplier was a guy named Noah. Noah was one of the most feared guys to come out of the city. That was one reason no one really tried Nino. Noah didn’t deal with anybody else in Fairfield except Nino. Out of ten different projects throughout Richmond, Noah would deal with one person out of each apartment complex and that was it. Everybody that he hit off with bricks of coke and heroin was to be sold strictly to fiends. No one was to sell other hustlers’ weight. They broke down every brick into dimes, dubs, fifties or hundred dollar bags. Noah would want 36 grand back from every kilo of coke he fronted to his workers and 80 grand from every kilo of heroin. The rest was theirs to keep.

Feeling the vibration in his pockets from his cell phone, Nino looked at the number, recognized it, and ignored the call.

“She didn’t want nothing but some money.” Nino said to himself, referring to his mother, Kathy.

Nino knew his mother was still getting high despite the three overdoses she had in the last 2 years. He would do anything for his mother but knew all the money he gave her was going straight through her veins or in a glass pipe. Kathy did just about every drug. Heroin, crack, pills and would drink whatever alcohol she could wrap her lips around. When it came to getting high Kathy didn’t discriminate. Again, his phone vibrated alerting him it was a call. Seeing that it was his mother again he answered it.

“Yo, what’s up.”

“Where you at?” Kathy yelled into the phone.

“I’m grinding, what’s up Ma?”

“Can I get some money to go look for a job?” she asked.

“You ain’t going to look for no job! Why you just can’t tell me the truth sometimes?” Nino begged.

“I am going to look for one! I’m trying to get my shit together!”

“I hear you Ma. How much you need?”

“About…three hundred dollars.”

“Three hundred dollars to go look for a job? Just because I’m young you think I'm dumb huh?” Nino said, irritated.

“I do boy! I need to get my hair fixed and buy me something to wear, plus I’ll need gas money to get there.”

“Whatever Ma. Come get it.”

“Where exactly you at out there?” Kathy asked with concealed excitement.

“I’ll be at Auntie Lisa house.”

“Alright, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Nino ended the call without saying goodbye. He knew his mother was lying to him the second he’d picked up the phone. He hated that every call from his mother was just about money. She never asked him how he was doing or if he was alright. He never even heard her say that she loved him throughout his whole 18 years of living. That always bothered him.

Standing on Lisa’s porch, Nino noticed the law slowly creeping down the street towards him. He decided to walk in the house before they got close enough to see his face. The officers that patrolled the hood knew him from previous encounters. The last encounter was with Officer Simmons, a veteran who had been on the force for over 20 years. Accompanying Simmons was his partner of 18 years officer, Sloan, who also served the Richmond Police Department for 20 years. They came out of the academy together and were put together because of their knowledge of the streets.

One day Nino was walking to his Aunt Lisa’s house to count the money he’d made that day when they pulled alongside him without getting out of the unmarked patrol car.

“Hey Nino! How much money you made today?” Officer Simmons yelled from the car window. Nino said nothing, just kept walking.

“Yeah, we know you got this block doing numbers on a daily basis,” said Sloan.

Nino gave them both the evil eye, shook his head and kept it moving not saying a word.

“I wonder if I get you in that interrogation room will you be that quiet. Don’t worry dude, you going to slip up one of these days. Just like your sorry ass uncle did. And when you do, I’ll be there with the cuffs to catch your little ass,” Officer Simmons said before him and Sloan pulled away.

Nino hated cops. Especially the ones that had recently arrested his uncle, Kieth . Nino had no father. Never knew who he was or what he looked like. So his uncle was the only father figure in his life. Kieth is Kathy’s only sibling. He taught Nino just about everything he knew about the game and how to survive. He also taught him the importance of loyalty. Nino listened and soaked up everything Kieth taught him. He loved his uncle to death, probably more than his own mother. Kieth was always there for Nino. He actually raised Nino like he was his own son. Ever since he could remember, it was Kieth who bought his clothes and fed him. It was Kieth who took him to school for his first day of kindergarten. He potty trained him and when Nino was sick, he nursed him back to health. The only thing Kathy did was carry him for 7 months and give birth to him. For some reason Kathy hated Kieth . Whatever the reasons, Nino never knew why. That part of his life was so confusing.

Using the key to unlock Auntie Lisa’s door wasn’t unordinary. Lisa gave him the key to her apartment so that he could utilize the place whenever he needed it. Lisa wasn’t Nino’s biological aunt. Lisa and Kathy used to be best friends up until she came home one day and caught Kathy in bed with her now ex-husband, Charles, years ago. They fought over it and Lisa stabbed Charles six times before putting him out of her apartment. Kathy’s reason for having sex with Charles was she needed to get the monkey off her back, meaning she needed heroin to keep from getting sick. They haven’t been on good terms since then, but Lisa never turned her back on Nino over their falling out. He was aware of the altercation because he was in the house when it all went down. Kathy and Nino were actually living there with Lisa at the time. Lisa put her out as well but made her leave Nino so that he wouldn’t be out on the streets with her with nowhere to live. Nino understood why Lisa didn’t like his mother. Whenever Lisa and Kathy run across each other, they would speak and keep it moving.

Nino noticed there weren't any lights on in the apartment. He figured Lisa wasn’t back from her date yet. Her dates would consist of her just sucking or fucking some guy that wanted to trick with her. For a 36-year-old dope fiend, Lisa still had a nicely shaped body. She never brought her dates to her crib because of the business that her and Nino conducted there.

Nino went to the fridge to grab a soda then back to the living room to sit on the couch. He pulled out his bankroll of money to count it. That was a habit he had. During his count his cell phone rang. No number was on the display, just “UNKNOWN”. Right then he knew who it was, so he answered it. The recorder on the other end said, “You have a prepaid call from ‘Kieth ’. In order to accept this call, dial 5 now. If you wish to block any future calls dial 7 or simply hang up.” He pressed 5 to accept.

“Yo! Unk what’s up?” Nino answered.

“What’s up Nephew? You good out there?”

“Yeah, I’m straight. Just tryna stay focused, you feel me?”

“I hear that. Hey thanks for the money you put on my book. I appreciate it Nephew, but you ain’t gotta put a grand on my books every week. I can’t even spend that much a month,” Kieth joked.

“You know that ain’t bout nothing Unk. You good,” Nino said. “Check this out though. Shawty just left from up here visiting a nigga. I told her come and holla at you A.S.A.P. She coming back up here soon alright?” Kieth informed him.

Nino knew what Kieth was referring to. Whoever he was sending was going to come get some drugs to smuggle into the prison for him. Nino would get a fiend to put some dope in the balloons. Somehow, she would get it to Kieth during the visit. Kieth would swallow the balloons and spit them back up once he got back to his cell. This was a weekly thing Nino would do for his uncle. Kieth would stress to him that a person could have all the money they need on their books, but nothing was like compound money. The money on the compound was the postal stamps.

“You already know I got you Unk.” Nino replied

“Alright Nephew you take your time out there”

“Hey what’s up with your case? You need me to do anything for you?” Nino asked concerned.

“I go back to court in three months. Until then I don’t know what’s up, but I’ll keep you posted.”

“Alright Unk love you nigga.” Nino said sincerely.

“Love you too Nephew. Call shawty and let her know when she could come holla at you A.S.A.P. Her number is 804-555-1122.”

“Gotcha”. Nino stated back. “Cool. I’ll hit you back up later.”

“Later.”

Nino ended the call trying to repeat the numbers in his head. Dialing the lady’s number, he wondered who he was calling this time round. Kieth had plenty of dimes that’ll do whatever he needed them to do. Pressing the last four digits on his keypad he heard the front door open then close. It was Lisa.

“Sorry I took- “ Nino cut her short by holding up one finger in the air telling her to hold on while he was making a call. The lady picked up on the first ring.

“Hello.” She answered.

“Yo what’s up? This Nino I’m calling for- “

“Oh Hey!” She said cutting him off with excitement in her voice.

“Hi”, was all Nino could get out.

“I’m on my way around your way now. Do you want me to call you when I’m pulling into the projects?” She asked.

“Yeah” he replied.

“Okay. Will do.” Then the line went dead. “Damn!” Is what Nino thought to himself.

“Hey Auntie.” Nino yelled.

“Huh! I’m in the bathroom wait a minute.”

“You still got those small balloon’s in here?”

“Yeah they in the kitchen drawer.” “Alright, before you cook that work up, I need you to fill some balloons for me first.”

“Your Uncle don’t think he in enough trouble already? Give me a few minutes I’ll be right there.”

There was a knock at the door. Whoever it was they was using what sounded like a key to knock with.

“Who is it?” Nino asked, looking through the peephole.

“It’s me boy,” Kathy said.

Nino almost didn’t even recognize his mother when he opened the door. She looked horrible. He opened the door wide enough indicating for her to step inside. Kathy looked like she wasn’t going to cross that threshold for a second.

“Come in,” Nino insisted.

“Nah! I gotta hurry up and leave!” she protested.

“Well, alright go ahead because I gotta count out the money anyway,” he lied. Truth is, he just really wanted to spend a few minutes with her.

“How long you gone be?”

“Just come in.” Nino said, frustrated.

Kathy really didn’t want to see Lisa, but she knew that she needed that money. Nino couldn’t help but to stare her down. She looked a hot mess. Her hair was all over her head, her lips were ashy white like she was dehydrated and bags under her eyes like she hadn't been to sleep in days and she was thinner than the last time he saw her. It hurt Nino to see his mother that way. At that moment, he second guessed whether or not he should give her the money or take her to get whatever she needed instead because he knew that the money he’d give her would either go straight in her arm or in a crack pipe.

“When the last time you ate something girl? You look terrible,” Lisa pointed out.

“Look, don’t start with me. Don’t worry about when I ate,” Kathy barked back.

“Well you look like you haven’t been eating at all.” Lisa always spoke her mind no matter who she was talking to.

“Well I’m fine, thank you.”

Lisa went into the kitchen and came back with a styrofoam plate of food, then handed it to Kathy. “Here you need to eat something.”

Nino liked the fact that through all their differences, Lisa still showed that she cared for his mother. Kathy knew her very well and knew that she wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Instead of declining the offer that was being given to her, she accepted it.

“Thank you,” Kathy said dryly.

“Um hmm,” Lisa mumbled.

Nino realized he had business to take care of and company on the way, so he pulled off three hundred dollar bills and placed them in Kathy’s hand.

“I know you ain’t going to look for no job.” Kathy tried to speak but Nino interrupted her before she could lie to him again. “I pay all your bills. Bought you all the clothes you own, and you happy with the life you living right now, because you can party, and do whatever it is you wanna do without any responsibilities. Just be careful and don’t overdo it this time please,” Nino expressed himself sincerely.

Kathy knew her son could see right through her lies so she agreed by shaking her head. Without a thanks, she got up with the money and food in hand and walked out the door. Lisa stood beside Nino telling him that she would be alright. She could sense in Nino’s voice as he was speaking to his mother that he was really affected by the way she was living her life. As Nino was walking to the door behind Kathy to lock it, his phone was vibrating. It was the lady that was on the way over.

“Yo!” he answered.

“Hey I’m coming down Fairfield Avenue right now. Where you want me to come to?” She asked him.

“Turn down Rosetta Street. Come to the middle of the block and you’ll see a white Denali. Park right behind it. What kind of car you driving?”

“I’m in a black-on-black Benz. I’ll be there in a minute,” she said before ending the call.

“Auntie! Shawty about to pull up. How long you gonna be bagging that up for me?”

“About 15 minutes.”

“Alright, I'm gonna have her come in so she won’t be just sitting in front of the spot.”

“Okay! That’s fine!”

As soon as Nino stepped out on the porch, she was pulling behind his Denali as he instructed her to. He walked to her car and told her to come inside for a few minutes until it was ready. She agreed and proceeded to get out the car. She had to bend over to the passenger side to get her cell phone and Gucci pocket book and when she did Nino noticed how phat her ass was. He liked what he was seeing to the point where he got caught staring at her. She just smiled at him. He didn’t want to call her ‘Shawty’ cause a lot of women didn’t like to be called that so he asked her for her name.

“What’s your name?”

“Trina,” She spoke softly.

Extending his hand to her, he introduced himself as ‘Nino’.

“It’s good to finally meet you. Your uncle told me a lot about you throughout the years,” She explained.

“Oh yeah? How long you known my uncle then?” Nino was just curious to know. “We kinda grew up together.”

“That’s what’s up. Come on, we going this way,” Nino said, leading the way to Lisa’s apartment.

“I have something important to discuss with you. It’s something Kieth wants me to tell you. Is there someone else in the house with you?”

“Yeah my Auntie, but she cool.” Nino assured her.

“Nah! This can’t be said around no one else. Kieth told me when I tell you this that no one is to be around to hear it. It has to stay between us.” Trina’s seriousness shown in her eyes.

“Alright it’s a backroom we could use in here. Just follow me.”

Nino wondered what it was that was so important his uncle wanted him to know. Knowing his uncle, it could be anything. Whatever it was, he knew that he would come through for whatever he needed. Going through the front door of the apartment, Trina asked if she could smoke weed inside. Nino nodded his head, indicating that she could.

“Nephew that’s you?” Auntie Lisa asked.

“Yeah auntie. I’ma be in the backroom for a while. I'll let you know when I’m finished.” Nino and Trina reached the back bedroom, then shut the door behind them. Nino turned on the radio that was on the dresser so that their conversation wouldn’t be heard, a tactic that he learned from Kieth .

“You could have a seat on the bed.” Nino told her.

“Thanks. Do you know how to roll up?” Trina asked.

“Yeah.”

“Do you feel like rolling this L?”

“I don’t mind as long as it ain’t no bullshit smoke.”

“Oh I don’t smoke bullshit. I got some Kush,” she stated matter of fact. Trina handed Nino the cigarillo and a half ounce of Kush in a sandwich bag. He took the cellophane wrapper from around the blunt then cracked it straight down the middle and dumped the tobacco out in the trash can. As he was rolling the blunt, he asked Trina what was up with his Unk. Trina pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Nino as he was lighting the blunt.

“What’s this? Nino asked, confused.

“It’s a list of names.”

“A list of names of who?”

“Of the people your uncle need you to murk.”

Nino started coughing because he was inhaling the weed smoke at the same time she dropped the news on him. It was that shocking. At first, Nino thought that Trina was just joking with him until he regained his composure and looked Trina in the eyes to see if she was actually playing or not. She showed no sign that she wasn’t serious.

“You serious, aren’t you?”

Trina shook her head yes.

“Why he need these people murked?” Nino just had to know the way he asked her.

“Because those are the motherfuckas who’s snitching on him. Your uncle is facing 30 years to life in the Feds. If those people testify on him…” Trina put her head down for a second. It was hard for her to phathom what she was thinking and about to say to Nino. A very good friend of hers was facing major time in prison.

“...He’s going to prison for life,” she finished. The prosecutor on the case offered him a plea deal for thirty years the day before yesterday. He declined it and told his lawyer to prepare for trial. The lawyer he has is the best in the city. Even he advised Kieth to take the plea because of the strong evidence the Feds have against him.

Nino was puzzled for a moment, trying to process what he was asked to do because this was definitely new for him. He had shot someone before, but actually having to kill someone was different. The guy he shot was the man who sold his mother the drugs she last overdosed on. He knew his uncle needed him. Nino had to oblige his beck and call for help. He took another

drag off the blunt they were smoking then passed it to Trina.

For a while, silence filled the air between them along with the smell of Kush. The list of names on the paper is what really spooked him. There were 6 names altogether. The first two names were Officer Simmons and Officer Sloan. The others were neighborhood fiends, mothers and fathers of the kids in the hood he grew up in. Nino wondered how in the hell he was going to pull off killing cops.

“What he need these cops dead for?’ Nino asked nervously.

“They are the ones who started his case. The four junkies were caught with drugs right after they brought some from Kieth . In order for them not to get charged with the dope and taken to jail, they agreed to wear a wire and do some control buys from your uncle. Being as though they been copping from him, he didn’t expect them to be wired,” Trina explained.

He didn’t have a clue what he was up against right then. The four fiends would be nothing to murk because they lived right there in the hood. The cops were going to be the problem.

Trina passed the blunt back to Nino. He took it and laid back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling trying to get his thought process together. Taking another drag, he inhaled deeply.

“Are you going to be alright Nino?” Trina seemed concerned about him. She knew that this was asking a lot of a person. She had no idea if Nino had ever done something of this nature in the past. All she was told to do was to deliver the message and pick up the balloons filled with dope.

“Yeah, I’m good. Tell Unk I’ll handle it. That’s my word.”

Nino couldn’t imagine his uncle doing thirty years in prison. He knew he’d do whatever it took to make things go in his uncle’s favor… Even if it meant he had to kill some people. He tried to pass the blunt back to Trina, but she declined and told Nino he looked as if he needed it more than she did.

“You got what he wants me to pick up for him?” Trina asked.

“Come on, she should have it in here ready for you now.”

Nino went into the kitchen to get the balloons from Lisa while Trina waited in the living room. He returned with 20 balloons. Trina accepted them and put the balloons in her pocket book, said her goodbyes then left. Nino walked her outside to make sure she got in her car safely then went back into the apartment with the

weight of the world on his shoulders.