The Madame of Miami:
Money Is A Major Issue
Had my life been different I probably would’ve gone to college and I probably would’ve pledged AKA. I love the colors pink and green. It makes so much sense, those two colors right there represents what makes the world go round; pussy and money. But the fact that I didn’t go doesn’t mean a thing. For, in my sorority I still pledge the pink and green, now only I’ve added silver…that silver represents my nickel-plated nine millimeter and I keep it close to me like a Jesus piece. My other piece is my AK, humph so I guess its fate….
My name is Victory and as it’s told my mother was a cracked out holy-roller who overdosed on the half ounce of heroin she traded my virginity for… the irony of it. When she died there was no one to take me, no aunts, no uncles, no grandparents; no one. I was alone in this world then Cassie showed up. The one friend my mother had came forth and claimed me. Now with her, me being an orphan wasn’t a good enough reason by its self, nah she took me in as a means to get by. The source of something extra to live off of was her motive. I learned early in life that everyone has one and just like my mother learned during her last breaths that every motive comes with a price.
I’ve seen a lot of people pay their price, most of them with their lives and most of the time I gave the order or pulled the trigger myself. No it’s not hard, in this game it’s survival, and you either do or you die it’s as plain as that. I feel as much for them as they’d feel for me if I was the one at the end of their barrel. As a matter of fact I don’t feel nothing I’m as cold as dry ice and I was made that way. Trained like a fight dog until the day I stopped obeying.
Copyright 2010 Foxie Millero.
This Electronic Book May Not Be Copied, Reproduced or Otherwise Shared Without
the expressed written permission from the author. Foxie Millero 2010
1
Miami 2007
It was the seven year anniversary of my mother’s death. I stood at her grave and stared at what was left of her; a head stone and a rusted angel with wings next to it. I removed the dead crispy flowers that I’d left the year before and laid down fresh ones.
I felt nothing, not even from the few memories I did have of her. All I had was the fact that I looked just like her. Funny even when she was completely cracked out, she was still so pretty. Just like her, my chocolate skin was smooth and even toned with a healthy glow. My brown eyes no longer changed to the color of my mama’s caramel; it stopped the year she died. My hair, thick and wavy like hers and I have the same big legs she used to. I have her smile and her toes, so much in common with someone I barely knew. Now I’m the only thing that stands as a testament that she ever existed.
“Bye Sabrina” I said to the head stone and walked away.
It looked like it was going to rain so I hurried to the bus stop. It was a hot muggy day and I was sweaty. I had ten minutes before the next bus came so I ran across the street to the corner store to get a Jungle Juice. When I walked up there were some guys standing at the door, they opened it for me. I didn’t say thank you, I never speak to guys on the street I didn’t trust them. I walked to the back freezer grabbed my drink and a bag of chips on the way up to the counter. There was this older dude behind it talking to the cashier. He’s been watching me from the moment I stepped through the door. I put my stuff on the counter; I pulled my two dollars from my pocket when I heard him say
“Put your money away pretty. I got it”
I looked up at him and held the money towards her so she could take it. She didn’t.
“I said I got you Pretty” he spoke again
“You don’t have to pay if he say you don’t” the girl said. She looked just a few years older than me maybe by three or four. I could tell he was probably fucking her because she had one more nasty look for me on her face
“Thank you” I said and put my money back in my pocket
“What’s your name Pretty?” he asked and when he did the girl looked up at him then back at me.
“Victory”
“Victory, that’s smooth. I like that” he smiled and damn near all his teeth were gold
“I’m Remy, the owner. I’ve never seen you around here before”
“I only come around once a year” I answered “Thank you for the paying for my stuff” I said and walked out the door. One of the young boys at the door opened it for me; he was looking in my face real hard.
“Dang black, you look nice” he whispered I just ignored him and kept going.
I got to the bus stop and still had a few minutes before it came. I looked down the street and there was no sign of it yet. I opened my juice and before I could get a few swallows down, the rain came out of nowhere.
“Damn, this Miami weather is bullshit!”
I was going to get soaked. I didn’t want to run back to the store in case it started raining harder then I would miss the bus completely so I just sat there. Within minutes I saw the man and his boys leave the store. They jumped in a big body Benz; I watched the car swing around to my side of the street and barrel towards me.
“Let me take you to where you’re going” Remy said
“Nah, I’m ok” I answered
“Pretty you gone get sick out here like this. Let me take you where you need to go. Trust, nothing’s going to happen to you as long as you’re with me. I just don’t want to see you out here in the rain like this”
It was coming down real hard now and the bus still wasn’t even on the block. My clothes were already soaked through and through and I felt my panties sticking to me like melted cheese. I looked at him through the drops falling from my hair and said okay. The same boy that I ignored at the store was in the front seat. He got out with an umbrella and walked over to me and covered me with it. He walked me to the car and opened the door, I slid in the front seat, and he closed it behind me and jumped in the back. Remy drove off.
“Where do you live?”
I wasn’t about to tell him exactly. “In Carol City” I said.
He looked down at the bawled up chip bag and juice box I was clutching in my hand. He turned on the heat and handed me a jacket to cover me up
“Is that all you had to eat today?”
“Yeah, why? I asked not wanting to talk to him and wishing we were already close to my house so I could get out and walk the rest of the way.
“Because I haven’t eaten yet and I’m hungry. Do you like seafood?”
“I just want to get home” I said
“I’m taking you there pretty, no doubt. I just want to make sure you’re straight before I drop you off”.
I’d had fish a few times when Cassie had a boyfriend that wanted it but I never heard it called seafood before.
“Call Gene and tell him we on our way and to put together some orders of chicken wings, conch, shrimp and seafood rice” he said to one of the boys in the back
“Alright” was the answer then I heard him pushing buttons. He told who ever Gene was that they were on the way and that Remy wanted four orders of his special then hung up.
We pulled up to this little restaurant it looked nice from the outside. Remy didn’t say a word he just put the car in park and the two dudes got out.
“How old are you pretty?” Remy asked
“Fifteen” I answered
“Damn, you look older than that” his eyes were on my thighs my red shorts felt like panties. I was a bit uncomfortable and hated that I agreed to ride with him.
“How old are you?” I tried to sound judgmental because we both know his old ass was interested in more than making sure I got home safe.
“Me, I’m thirty six” he said but his voice changed to a softer tone and he looked at me real soft like.
“I think you’re really pretty” he said
I just looked at him because no one had ever talked to me like that before; his voice was really easy and sweet. He wasn’t bad looking at all. His hair was cut low and I could tell it was a good grade by the way it laid down. He had deep brown skin that looked soft, nice eyes and no facial hair. He smelled good too, like money.
“Were you on the other side of town seeing your boyfriend” he asked?
“No, I was visiting my mama’s grave”
“Oh man” he said and looked at me like he expected me to have a pained look on my face. “I know how you feel Pretty; I lost my mother seven years ago”
“Really? I asked shocked that his mom died the same year as mine.
“Yeah, cancer took her” he said
For some reason, I started to feel a bit more at ease
“How did your mom die if you don’t mind me asking?” he asked
“Oh, cancer too, she died from cancer” not wanting to tell him the truth
“So you live with your father?”
“No, I don’t know who he is”
“So who looks after you? Where’s you family” he asked real concerned like
“I don’t have any family. I live with my mama’s friend Cassie; she’s like my god-mother.”
“She should do a better job at looking after you. Hell you’re fifteen and way cross town with only two dollars and a bus transfer in your pocket. That’s some bullshit man”
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know what to say. He looked upset by it.
“Well, you have me now Pretty, I’ll look after you?” he said and sounded like he meant it
The two guys came back to the car with bags and drinks. They got in and Remy drove off towards the express way. When he pulled up in front of my house, he ordered one of the guys named Bleek to walk me to the door. It wasn’t the one that whispered to me in the store it was the other one. I was happy that Cassie wasn’t at home. I didn’t want her to see me getting out a car with a man. Her first concern would be if he was giving me money.
“Will that be enough for you for the rest of the night?” he asked
The bag was heavy and I assumed it would be enough for tonight and tomorrow. I still had the chips and juice in my hands and he told me to give them to him.
“You don’t have to eat this shit Pretty, I’ll make sure you straight” he said
“Okay” I said feeling grateful in a strange way.
“I’m going to swing by tomorrow and check on you is that alright?” he asked
“Sure” I hesitated
“About noon” he added then his phone rang “I’ll holler at you then, alright Pretty?” he smiled
I got out and walked around the front of the car. I knew my shorts were half way up my ass but I was too embarrassed to fix them so I just tried to walk fast. I got my key out and walked in the house. I peeped through the blinds and watched Bleek wipe off the front seat before he jumped in and Remy drove off.
2
I tore open the bag I was starving. That bag of chips would not have kept me through the night so I was grateful that I had so much food in front of me. There was nothing in the house to eat. The new month was still a few days away so Cassie would go shopping when the food stamps came in. In the meantime she would stay over to her boyfriend’s house and only come home to leave me about five dollars for the whole day and that was supposed to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ate half my food and put the other half in the refrigerator. I peeled off my wet clothes and took a shower. It was seven o’clock when I sat down to watch TV. A home video show was on where people would send in tapes of their family members doing crazy shit that goes wrong. They all looked so happy, the mothers and fathers and their kids all laughing and playing pranks on each other in their nice houses. It was a comedy show but it always made me cry.
The next morning when I woke, for a few seconds I had to think and remember if what happened yesterday was real or did I dream it. I got up and walked into the kitchen and saw the brown paper bag that my food was in, in the garbage. I opened the fridge door and it was empty, the Styrofoam take-out plate was empty and in the garbage too. I looked outside and saw Cassie and her boyfriend’s cars in the driveway. There was two dollars on the table, I was pissed. I can’t tell you how many times I had leftovers that disappeared when her and her fuck buddy came here. It’s not like she’s ever made any of those niggers buy even a pack of meat in here but this lonely-can’t-live-without-a-penis-in-my-ass bitch always saw it fit to take from me. I went into my room and slammed the door and locked it. I guess if I go to the corner store I could get chicken and fries today but I’m a dollar and fifty cents short for the special so that means that I’d have to ask the manager to let me slide. That also meant that I’d have to let him run his greasy eyes all over me while I do the doo-doo brown in his office for not having enough, Pakistani bastard. I hated it but how else was I going to get enough for the whole day? I couldn’t steal, he’d already caught me twice and threatened to call the police and have me arrested. That’s how all that booty dancing shit started in the first place. Damn.
I waited until around noon because in my heart of hearts I hoped that Remy would come. When 12:15 hit, my heart sank and I put on my shoes so I could go to the corner store and get it over with. I walked outside and as soon as I turned onto the sidewalk his car turned the corner. His silver Benz looked like a white horse galloping towards me
“Where you going Pretty?” he asked with a smile
“To the corner store”
I was kind of happy to see him and relieved that I wasn’t going to have to drop it low for a three wing special.
“Come on, let me take you to lunch” he said
I almost sprinted to the car but I caught myself. Bleek was in the car and again he got out and got in the back.
“You look nice” he said
“Thanks”
“Did you enjoy the food yesterday?”
“Yeah, it was good” I answered when really it was the best thing I’ve ever tasted
“I’m going to get you a cell phone so you can call me when you need me alright”
My body froze “Huh?” I asked in disbelief
“I’m going to get you a cell phone today” he said calmly
“I don’t have a job and I won’t be able to pay the bill” I answered feeling excited and worried
“What did I tell you yesterday? I told you that I’m going to look after you”
“But why?” I asked
“Because no one should be in this world alone plus I like you” he smiled as he wheeled his car onto the main road
We pulled up to The Olive Garden and got out. Remy had wine but didn’t allow them to pour me any
“You’re under age. There will be enough time for you to do all the grown up shit when you turn eighteen”.
He ordered just about everything on the menu. When the waiter brought it all out it looked like a King’s table. I had never seen so much good food at one time. I ate until I couldn’t chew anymore. The whole time he kept looking at me smiling from across the table and telling me how pretty he thought I was.
When we left Remy took me to a cell phone store and bought me a $300 phone. I couldn’t believe it. It was one of the newest ones out and he bought me a case to match it. It was the most beautiful and priciest thing I owned.
“Now you can call me and I don’t have to worry about you needing anything” he said
We got back into the car
“Pretty, I need to go by my house for a minute alright?” he asked
That’s when the panic set in. I knew it, he wasn’t doing all this for nothing he wanted something in return. Damn my dumb ass to think differently
“Alright” I said scared out my mind
He wheeled onto I-95 and headed south. We drove until we reached Coral Gables. We drove to this huge community with a guard gate. Remy pressed a button on a remote clamped to his sun visor and the arm of the gate lifted. When we reached inside I had to keep my mouth from falling open. There were some of the biggest houses I’d ever seen, most of them took up half the block I lived on. There were two and three story houses with balconies and high ceilings some fairy tale looking shit. One house had double glass doors and glass windows that went from ceiling to floor. It had a chandelier that hung from top floor down to the first floor and a spiral staircase. I saw a woman walking down it and I wondered what they did in life to have so much. I looked up at Remy.
“We’ll only be here for a minute” he said
Remy’s house was beyond large it looked like three houses in one. We drove up a path that led to it then onto the graveled pavement in front of his door. His front door was solid wood double doors with antique carvings on the front and steel plated on the back. I would later learn it was imported from China. When you walked in, it was an open area where only a chandelier and two expensive looking paintings and a leather and gold plated chair sat. In the middle of the floor were initials set in marble. This area alone was huge and the high ceilings gave it an echo effect.
“Have a seat Pretty” he said. He sounded large. He was large, larger than life.
I sat in the leather chair and it felt like I was sitting on tightly packed clouds. Ahead there were doors all along the spacious walk way and an opening to the kitchen which was led to a great room. I saw the whispering ass boy from the store look back at me from a red leather couch I acted like I didn’t see him. I took my phone from my pocket and flipped through it. Remy went into one of the doors along the huge hallway. Everything was so big and expensive looking. I looked past the great room to the outside. There was a pool in the back but from where I sat it looked more like a lake. It wasn’t an average sized pool like in the average back yard. I wanted to go see but didn’t move.
“Pretty!” I heard him say but didn’t see him
Then I looked up and he was standing on the second level above me.
“How in the hell did he get up there” I thought
“Come here” he said
I didn’t put the phone back in my pocket. I was ready to give it back to him if he thought that I was going to let him touch me because he bought for me.
The stairs were made of wood and the sound of my steps rang in my ears. I was so nervous.
When I got upstairs there were so many doors it would’ve impressed me but I was too fixed on what was about to happen. He took me into his bedroom and closed us in it.
“Have a seat” he offered to a sofa that sat off to the side of the enormous room “Don’t be afraid, I’m not going to do anything to you”
I just looked at him I wanted to be on guard
“Do you want to watch a movie? There’s a theatre down stairs or you can go into the TV room” he pointed to closed double doors.
“Nah, I’m good”
“Are you ready to go home because I can drive you?”
He stood across the room. He didn’t look like he was going to make a move, he stayed his distance.
“Truth is, I called you up here because there are too many niggas down stairs and I don’t want nobody to get any wrong ideas about you”
“Ideas like what?” I asked
“Ideas like they could say something to you sideways. I wouldn’t want that because that won’t end up too well for them”
Before I knew it the whole day was gone. I spent whole day at Remy’s house. He may have come in to bring me popcorn and a soda and watched maybe thirty minutes of a film with me. The other time he was out the room. He didn’t try anything all day and that made me feel really comfortable. He had every movie imaginable and the room had surround sound so it was just like I was at the real movies. After a while he came in and said he was taking me home. It was dark outside and he didn’t want to have me in the streets that late. In the car I felt like I didn’t want to leave. There was nothing at home for me but silence and the sound of Cassie having sex in the middle of the night. I didn’t tell him but I wanted to stay.
Remy always had either Maze, The Isley Brothers or LTD playing in his car at any given time he was that older classy kind of dude.
“It’s summer so you all are out of school right?” he asked out of nowhere
“Yes, but I’m going to summer school” I announced
“Do you need it to pass to the next grade?”
“No”