A few weeks ago. ..
I was at first reluctant to drive up to her place as soon as she called, but I figured I should listen to what she's got to say.
I arrived at the house, and as I walked up to the front door, the memories of this place started to come back to me. I knocked on the door a couple of times, but there was no response. I let myself in since I figured I could do so because I lived here before. As I walked in I met her as she was coming down the stairs wearing a blue silk dress, and with her arms open wide.
"Ethan my baby, you made it", my mother exclaimed as she came down to hug me.
"I knocked and nobody answered, I figured you were out", I tell her. "Remind me to fire that poor excuse for a maid. I was up in the room changing into something more house fitting", she tells me.
"Really. Looks like you're going out for a party with that outfit", I tell my mother. "Enough now. Give your mother some sugar", she tells me. She kisses me on both sides of my cheeks and we take a seat in the lounge.
"Do you want anything to drink", she offers me. "No I'm good. I don't plan on staying too long", I tell her. "Well you're loss, I'm going to have a drink", she tells me. "Vanessa darling", she announces.
The maid walks in and says, "yes Mam". "Could you pour me a glass of wine please from the cellar. Thank you darling", she tells Vanessa. "Yes Mam", Vanessa says and afterwards turns around.
"Oh and Vanessa. Make sure when you're done, you pack your things and leave. You're services will no longer be needed", she tells her. Vanessa can only follow my mother's request and walks off into the cellar.
"Another one bites the dust this week I see", I exclaim. "You can never find good help around here Ethan", she tells me. "So what's up. Why did you call me here", I ask her. "It's about your brother", she exclaims.
"Stepbrother! And what about him", I ask her. "Have you been hearing about this new silly app called Blip", she asks me. "Yeah! A couple of times. Jahmal's little app that he made. Son of bitch actually did it", I exclaim.
"Tell me about", my mom states. "Anyways we need to handle this app before it starts getting to big for his shoes", she informs me. "I thought all Bastons had to keep an image. Wouldn't us foiling Jahmal's app discredit our name a little", I ask her.
"Oh gosh. I only cared about the Bastons image when that little negro was still living in our house. I only put up with the whole charade because of your father. But now that Jahmal is out of the house your dad can't protect him anymore", she claims.
"Oh I see. So how did he manage to get his little app off the ground anyways", I ask her. "You can thank Mr Miller for that one. I've always had a dislike for that man", she says. "Smart though of Jahmal", I exclaim. "Yes well, it's too smart for his own good. What do you suggest we do to put him back in his place", she asks me.
Vanessa walks in with my mom's wine and hands it over to her. "Oh thank you darling. Now out you go. Chop chop", my mom says while she signals Vanessa with her hand.
"I've already played my first hand. I know my stepbrother and how he operates. Plus I've read his notes in his silly dream book when we were kids", I tell her. "Well then. There was no point of me calling you here since you've already got a handle on it. But hey, you could say you came to visit your dearest mother", she claims.
"So how goes your sports business. Any new big sport celebs you've invested your agency's services towards", she asks me. "A couple of big names. But why do you care", I tell her. I get up from my seat and ask her, "can I go now". "Of course darling. You go handle your business", she tells me.
"I bet this plan of yours for Jahmal is going to be a real kick", she states. "Yeah! Something like that", I tell her. "Make sure to say hie to our neighbours up in front", she tells me.
"I'll leave through the back door if that's the case", I tell her. I leave the house with the intention of not coming back here for a while.
Present day . ...
"Blacklisted! How the f*ck does someone get blacklisted at a place they've never bought a single piece of crap in", Trevor yells at the manger in charge of the shop.
"I'm sorry sir, but according to our records you've had a history of making very untrustworthy purchases. And also a history of making late payments", the manager claims. "How the f*ck is that even possible. Your system is clearly broken", Trevor tells the manager.
I pull Trevor to the side and whisper to him, "this has an Ethan vibe written all over it". "I told you your brother would pull some kind of stunt. So what's the plan now", Trevor says. "Don't worry, I've got a plan B", I tell him.
I turn back to the manager and tell him, "thanks for your business anyways. We'll be heading out now". Trevor and I head to the door but not without Trevor giving a last piece of his mind. He turns around and gives the shop manager two middle fingers.
A couple of minutes later I walk us into the other side of town. "J. What are we doing here on the bad side of town", Trevor asks me.
"Buying office supplies", I tell him. "How exactly", Trevor asks. "I know a guy", I exclaim. "Wait. Are you buying via back door means", Trevor asks me as we stop walking. "Something like that", I tell him.
"Dude! None of this is safe. I mean look where we are. Look! There's literally a guy passed out drunk in the middle of that playground. This is some next level sketchy shit", Trevor raises his concerns to me.
"Trust me. I got this", I reassure him.
Trevor nods his head and we continue walking. We get to an alley where there's a van parked and three guys are standing by it. "Yoo, you Jahmal", the biggest guy asks me. "Yeah. You Sticks", I ask him. "Maybe, maybe not. Depends what you looking for", the guy tells me.
"I'm looking for some nice furniture, office kind", I tell him. Sticks puts his hand in his pocket, pulls out a cigarette and lights it up. After a few puffs he says, "aight. I got what you looking for". He signals the other guys to open the back of the van. I can tell Trevor is on edge, so I whisper to him, "Dude chill, these guys are cool".
In a panicked voice Trevor says, "none of this shit is cool man". "Relax man. Just consider this. We'll be getting furniture at a much cheaper price than at that shop", I tell him. "I can't afford to have a cheap death J", Trevor exclaims.
Sticks notices us whispering to each other and starts yelling, "yoo, there's something up with you guys I don't like. You guys cops". I could see Sticks was going for a gun in his back pocket, so I had to think fast. I raised my hands and told everyone; "relax now. Let's not do something we'll regret". Sticks walked up to my face and says, "I don't think I'm going to be doing business with punks like you".
I take a deep breath in and grab the cigarette out of Sticks mouth.
"Well listen here Sticks. Punks like us are what keeps your little business going. So if you're not willing to take our money, then you're more f*cking stupid than us two punks combined", I tell Sticks.
"And how do I know you're not a cop", he asks me. I put the cigarette in my mouth, take a big inhale and exhale a cloud of smoke into his face. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not", I tell him.
After ten minutes Trevor and I managed to walk out of there with our lives and a deal made. "I can't believe you just did that", Trevor exclaims while we're walking off. "Me too. I was literally shiting my pants there", I tell him. "Yeah but you seemed so unfazed it was unbelievable. And we managed to make a deal with those guys and lived to tell the tale", Trevor exclaims while he looks at me like some sort of personal hero.
"Yeah. Listen I need to sort something out now. Meet you back at your place in an hour", I tell Trevor. "Make it two. Got some personal stuff I got to handle at my place. Really don't need distractions", he tells me.
"Okay. Check you later", I tell Trevor as we part our ways.
Two hours later. ...
After sorting out my matter I walk back to Trevor's place. As I walked down the hallway towards Trevor's apartment, I'm speaking to April on the phone about today's events.
"So what did you end up doing afterwards", she asks me. I had to get the supplies via back door means. We almost had a full out shoot out, but I managed to handle the situation quite nicely", I tell her. "You know as a lawyer, I really shouldn't be listening to this kind of stuff", she tells me. "That's why you're listening to me as a wife and not a lawyer", I tell her.
"That's even worse", she says with a laugh. I laugh with her too. "My man, busy conducting business via back door means. Maybe you can come through my back door later tonight", April says with a devilishly sounding laugh.
"What! Girl you nasty", I tell with a laugh of my own. "Anyways I need to tell Trevor the good news", I tell her. I cut the call afterwards.
I get to Trevor's door and knock. Instead of Trevor opening it, some random guy I've never seen in my life opens the door.
"What's up", he says as he walks out. I just look at him in silence and walk in. I find Trevor by his fridge grabbing a drink.
"Friend of yours", I ask him. "I wish. Room Inspector. My landlord likes to randomly send one since he can't do it himself", Trevor tells me. "Hmm. It must really work, cause I would have never suspected that type of guy to be an inspector. Like not in a million years", I tell Trevor as I sit down.
"Can you spot me a drink there buddy", I ask Trevor. "Sure. So did you sort out your little matter", Trevor asks me as he hands me a drink. "All sorted. And I'm really proud of the result", I tell him. "So are you going to tell me what it is, or am I guessing", Trevor asks me as he sits down.
I just laugh.
"I need to unwind a bit after that whole morning experience", I tell Trevor. "Well here's to those drinks I bought today", he exclaims. Trevor and I spend a good twenty minutes chatting and drinking.
"Okay now onto more serious stuff", I tell him as I pick myself up. "Where to now", Trevor asks me. "Come with me. I want to show you something really cool", I tell him. Trevor takes a last sip of his drink and gets up. We head to the front door, but Trevor stops me by asking, "I hope this isn't another back door move. I'm pretty sure the second time around we will get shot".
I rest my hand on his shoulder and tell him, "no more back doors. Trust me, you're going to love what I have to show you".
If there were any spelling errors or typos I do apologise