The Golden Hustla Read online

  “Nina, watch your mouth.”

  “How long have you been sending this guy my money, Mom? I don’t believe this,” Nina said as she paced back and forth.

  “Pastor Wilkins is a good man. A real servant for the Lord. I will not listen while you cast your negative judgment upon him.”

  Click.

  The phone line went dead. Nina could not believe her mother had the gall to hang up on her.

  Nina eased back into her chair and decided to rest her eyes and brain for a minute. God I’m starting to really hate this job! she screamed to herself. Sometimes I just want to pack up, run, and run far, far away. Each day it was getting harder and harder to come into work. Does money buy happiness? FUCK NO! Sometimes I would rather be broke than deal with all of this stress and pressure. She squeezed her eyelids tighter and tried to relax. And now some televangelist is milking my own damn mother for the money that I’m milking my clients for. This shit is crazy. Her cell phone vibrated and she answered it without checking to see who it was.

  “Baby girl, what’s good?”

  Nina sucked her teeth. It was Supreme.

  “Well, damn. It’s good to hear from you too.”

  “Can I speak to my daughter?”

  “I just called over there and no one is picking up. They must be out.”

  “Then why are you calling me?”

  “To see how you’re doing.”

  “Supreme, why are you doing this to me? You’re in prison, she needs to be with me.”

  “Nina, you are way across the fucking country somewhere on the run and don’t even have your other two kids, so how could she be with you? I begged you to stay so I would be able to see my daughter. But no, you had to go chasing behind some lame-ass nigga. So fuck that. I can be a father to our daughter.”

  “Supreme, I was not chasing behind some nigga. Shit was hot for me and you know that.”

  “You left with some lame, Nina. That nigga from New York. You left your kids.”

  “Supreme, you know I was on the run and he was only helping me out.”

  “Nina, I was helping you out. And he damn sure wasn’t helping you more than I was. Whenever you said you needed something I made it happen. You didn’t want for nothing while you was up here. I—”

  “Supreme, I was tired of Jersey. It was getting too hot for me. You know what? I’m hanging up now.” Nina cut him off and turned off her phone. She rested her head back and closed her eyes. Just about every time they spoke to each other, they argued. She knew Supreme still had feelings for her, but she told him from the door that she was not doing time with him. So she wasn’t going to fake it. She wasn’t going to do him like that. Instead of him respecting that and accepting it, he tried to manipulate her by helping her out, but with all types of strings attached.

  She needed to get away from Jersey and him too. But he pulled that real fucked-up and ultimate move by taking their daughter and stashing her away with his relatives. Relatives that she did not know nor had any idea where they lived. Even his mother was in on the shit. Nina hired a private investigator but as of yet nothing turned up.

  BOOM! Her body twitched and tensed up, but she kept her position and eyes closed. Rinaldo had barged into her office like he usually does, yelling, farting and bringing lots of drama with him.

  “Alexis, why aren’t you on the phone?” He picked up the phone and held it out to her. She kept her eyes closed and sighed.

  “I will get on the phone in a couple of minutes. Can I at least enjoy my coffee?”

  “Coffee? You’re in here sleeping!”

  “Rinaldo, I’m not asleep. How could I be asleep when I just left your depressing sales meeting?”

  “Depressing? What was so depressing about it? My meeting wasn’t depressing.”

  “You’re always trying to find ways to take money from us. You always on some bullshit.” Her eyes remained closed.

  “Taking money from y’all? No, I’m not. I’m not trying to take y’all’s cash. If you are on time, no cash gets taken. If you make at least one sale a day, no cash gets taken. Y’all lucky I didn’t say two a day! Y’all seem like y’all ain’t hungry no more. Maybe it’s time for me to get some new blood in here. What do you think?” He yelled out into the hallway, “Milt, Shawn, Pete and Jeff come here!”

  “Oh God.” Nina groaned. “Rinaldo, you are so full of yourself and when can I resell on Ted Branson? What happened in the meeting with his nephew?”

  “I’ll discuss Ted with you later.”

  “Rinaldo, Rochelle just pulled up,” Deanna announced over the intercom.

  “Shit,” Rinaldo said, his whole demeanor changing. He looked at his watch.

  “What’s up, big boss?” Milt was playing the kiss-ass. Everyone was standing around Nina’s office.

  Shawn just stood there with Pete and Jeff. “I was just telling Alexis that y’all ain’t hungry no more. Maybe I should bring in some fresh blood.”

  “Man go ’head with that. You need to be keeping an eye on the ones you got. Letting hot muthafuckas up in here. I ain’t going to do time for no other muthafucka. If I go down it’s gonna be all because of me,” Shawn belted out.

  “Man, what you been smoking? What the fuck you talking about, Shawn? You need to stay outta them goddamn rap magazines. Coming up with all of these conspiracy theories. Who’s hot?”

  “Fuckin’ Jeff, man.” He said it as if Rinaldo should already know it.

  “Me!” Jeff yelled in disbelief. Nina, who was half-asleep, opened her eyes and was just as shocked as everyone else.

  “Yeah, nigga. I don’t trust you. My gut is telling me that you ain’t right.” Shawn snapped and of course was not backing down. “Rinaldo, you so busy trying to get paid, you not recognizing these hot muthafuckas you got up in here! You’re gonna fuck around and it’s going to be too late.”

  “Fuck you, man.” Jeff charged at Shawn, trying to shut him up. Milt and Pete grabbed Shawn as Rinaldo slammed Jeff’s skinny ass up against the wall.

  “Hold the fuck up!” Rinaldo screamed. Once again, the entire office was heading towards all the commotion. “This is a place of fuckin’ business.” Rinaldo was now stomping. “Everybody back to their desks and get on the fuckin’ phones! Right now! Shawn and Jeff, y’all get in my office!” Rinaldo’s face was beet red as he pointed to his office as if he was directing traffic.

  “Damn!” Nina said to Milt. “What the fuck is really going on? Two battles in one week.”

  “Get on the phones!” Rinaldo yelled as he headed back to his office.

  “All right! All right!” Nina stepped into her office and slammed the door.

  “Sit y’all’s asses down,” Rinaldo ordered as he kicked the office door shut behind him. Jeff was the first to ease into a chair. Shawn defiantly remained standing as he leaned up against the wall behind Rochelle. Whatever she had brought Rinaldo for lunch smelled good and it was smelling up the office.

  “Rinaldo, I have the travel package on hold for this weekend’s trip to Saint-Tropez. Do you want me to put it on your American Express card and swing by and pick up the tickets?” Rochelle asked as if she and him were the only two people in the office.

  Silence. Rinaldo had forgotten that she said she was dropping off his lunch this afternoon.

  “Rinaldo, you forgot, didn’t you?”

  Hell yeah I forgot. I gotta make this money this weekend, not lay up with you on some damn island. We can do that anytime. “No. I didn’t forget, baby. I told Charlie I would be up to meet him this weekend.”

  “I knew you were going to do this. That’s why I went and cancelled the damn reservations. I just wanted you to show me once again that your fuckin’ job comes before your wife and son,” she ranted.

  Jeff was pretending to be thumbing through a Robb Report and Shawn had a smirk on his face. They were both all ears, Shawn never taking his eyes off Rochelle. She was dark like Shawn and reminded him of a young and beautiful Lauryn Hill. What some bitches would do t
o live the lifestyle.

  “Baby, look, you know if I could get away, I would. Shawn and Jeff, wait outside.”

  “Bullshit, Rinaldo! It’s your fuckin’ company. You’re the damn boss.” She stood up to leave. Jeff and Shawn didn’t move.

  “I know it is but—”

  “But what?” she cut him off. “Don’t give me that same old spiel about us living good because of your work, blah, blah, blah. Fuck you, Rinaldo! I see your crackhead brother more than I see you!” She stormed out of his office, slamming the door.

  He ran behind her and snatched it open. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” He slammed the door back.

  “Damn, Rinaldo,” Shawn picked at him.

  He waved her off as if it was nothing. “That spoiled bitch! I mean, what the fuck? I work too much. She doesn’t complain when she goes on them fifty-thousand-dollar shopping sprees. Or when she’s zooming around the city in a fuckin’ Porsche. Or—”

  “White boy, let me school yo’ ass. Your arrogant ass forgot that you married a sista. They usually see right through the bullshit. They know what they want and they want it. And you do. You work too much. You are greedy, man. It’s never enough for you. You act like your life is over if you don’t make a half a mil a week.”

  “Jeff, check this out. Lazy-ass Shawn muthafuckin’ Dr. Phil is trying to give me some marital advice? Dude, you got how many baby mamas?” Rinaldo snapped.

  “Aiight, man. Later for your personal problems, back to what I was saying about Jeff. You’re so greedy you can’t see a hot muthafucka when he’s staring you in the face.”

  Jeff jumped out of his seat and charged at Shawn. Rinaldo came from behind his desk and broke them apart.

  “Jeff, step out. Go to your office. Let me talk to Shawn.” He was pushing Jeff’s tall lanky frame towards the door, and knocked off his glasses.

  “If you don’t like me, man, just say it. Don’t be talking about I’m hot,” Jeff spat. Shawn was coming towards him and stepped on his eyeglasses.

  “You hot, nigga, and it’s not that I don’t like you. I just don’t trust you,” Shawn spat as Rinaldo shoved Jeff one hard time, shut and locked his door.

  “My glasses! My glasses!” Jeff banged on the door.

  “Man, what’s up with you? You know what? I think you’re jealous because he’s starting to make more money than you. That’s what this is really all about. I’ve noticed that you haven’t been working as hard as you used to. Stop being lazy and trying to shift the heat off yourself.”

  “Whatever, man.” Shawn smirked. “But don’t say I didn’t tell you. Hiring a fuckin’ hot-ass crackhead.” He unlocked the door, opened it and stepped out. Jeff went in and picked up his glasses.

  Rinaldo was following him laughing and taunting him. “Shawn is jealous, y’all. You are jealous and you lazy.”

  Shawn slammed his office door in Rinaldo’s face and locked it.

  “Rinaldo, Charlie is on line four,” Deanna announced over the loudspeaker. Rinaldo went into his office and shut the door.

  Nina came out of her office to go to the break room. As she turned the corner, she saw Rochelle, Rinaldo’s wife, most likely having a bullshit conversation with Deanna. Nina immediately noticed the cream Chloé pantsuit she was wearing. Damn that would have looked fierce on me. She had just seen the same one at Saks but didn’t get it.

  Deanna yelled out, “Hey, Alexis,” as if they were the best of friends.

  This bitch, Nina thought to herself, then threw out a phony greeting, “Hey, ladies.”

  Rochelle turned around and smiled at Nina. “What’s up, girl? Damn, you look like you need a vacation. Is Mr. Asshole working you to death? I told you to check that fool. Don’t let him play you out,” Rochelle advised. “Us sistagirls gotta look out for one another.”

  “Well, sistagirl, some of us do have to work,” Nina teased. She figured Rochelle must be bored to come hang out at the office. She didn’t know that she had just left fussing Rinaldo out because he forgot about their pre-planned trip to Saint-Tropez this weekend.

  “I work. Don’t get it twisted.” Rochelle made a little chuckle. “But enough about all that. What I really want to know is if you wanted to hang out with me tomorrow night. Friday night is ladies’ night. Let us get out and get our groove on. I refuse to stay in the house alone for yet another weekend.”

  “Yeah, let’s go,” Deanna chimed in, all hyped up.

  Both Rochelle and Nina looked at her as if to say, “Bitch, please. You must be crazy.” Neither one of them would be caught dead in a club with her.

  “You mean tomorrow Friday?” Nina asked Rochelle in surprise.

  “Yes, tomorrow Friday.” Rochelle wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “It’s ladies’ night out, my treat.” By Thursday of every week Rochelle was pissed as usual, adding up the countless weekends Rinaldo had been away from home. For the last four weekends Rinaldo had been running back and forth to Florida and not spending any time with her. Shit, their sheets were going from cold to icy. And she felt like if she did not get out she was going to explode.

  Deanna interupted her train of thought by saying, “Oooohh… hell yeah, let’s get out and have some fun.”

  Because Rochelle’s back was to Deanna she gave Nina the eye and as if on cue Nina said, “Maybe next time. I already have plans.” And she headed for the break room.

  “All right, Nina, maybe next time. Let me make my rounds, Deanna, and I’ll check in with you on my way out.”

  “All right, girl. When y’all do go, don’t forget a sister,” Deanna said as if she had a friend.

  Rochelle gave her a phony smile and walked off.

  Rochelle popped up a minute later in the break room and closed the door. They both started giggling like two high school teenagers.

  “Her homely ass is always trying to hang out,” Rochelle whispered.

  “That’s what you get for revealing your business to her nosy ass. You know she’s Rinaldo’s watchdog,” Nina reminded her.

  “Why do you think I said it? Anyways, later for her. You down or what? You know I don’t have anyone else to go with.”

  “Just name the place and time.” Nina gave in to Rochelle’s request.

  “I’ll pick you up around nine.” Rochelle glanced at her Cartier. “Shit. I’ma be late for my massage.”

  “You got entirely too much time on your hands,” Nina teased her.

  Rochelle winked at her and hurried out of the break room. She and Nina were not tight or anything. However, since neither one of them had a close girlfriend, every now and then they would have lunch or shop together. Never clubbing. But Nina had a feeling she was getting ready to see a whole other side of Rochelle. And she was looking forward to it because she hadn’t been out in quite a while.

  TGIF…

  Sitting at her desk Nina began thumbing through her phone messages. “I need money,” she mumbled. “Show me the money. Aha. Rita Cornwell of New Mexico. Nah.” She began shuffling through her sales orders. “Ahh. The Bartzes. Carol and Ed. The real estate tycoon and land developers. They love to play. These two will definitely play all day if I coach them right.”

  Nina smiled as she dialed their number. She placed her headset on her head and stood up. She was now in closing mode as she dialed the Bartzes and waited for someone to pick up.

  “Hello,” the female voice chirped.

  “Hello, Carol? This is Alexis from WMM. How are you this beautiful morning? Is it beautiful there in Poughkeepsie, New York?”

  “Oh, Alexis,” Carol squealed in delight. “I haven’t been out yet but it looks beautiful. Ed, honey, it’s Alexis from WMM,” she said to her husband. “Alexis, do you have some good news for us?”

  “Don’t I always? Tell Ed to pick up the other line.” Nina paced back and forth in her office with her hands behind her back.

  “Ed, honey, Alexis wants you to get on the line. She has some good news for us.”

  Ed was still in his plaid, silk,
Burberry pajamas reading the Wall Street Journal and sipping on a glass of orange juice.

  “All right, hon,” Ed said as he headed for the phone in the living room. Carol was on the phone in the kitchen.

  “He’s coming, Alexis,” Carol eagerly announced.

  “Great. Just great.”

  Nina still couldn’t figure out who the biggest gambler of the two was.

  “I’m here, Alexis. Top of the morning to ya!”

  “Top of the morning to you too, Ed.”

  “Carol said you had some good news for us. I hope it’s better than the last time. We didn’t make out so well. We got back only a handful of gold coins. Tell me something good, Alexis,” he firmly stated.

  “I have some very good news, but it’s going to take another fifty thousand dollars.” Nina cut to the chase, allowing $50,000 to roll off her tongue as if she had said fifty cents.

  “Aww, come on, Alexis,” Carol belted out.

  “Not another fifty thousand,” Ed chimed in. “We’ve already given you guys two hundred and thirty thousand dollars, Alexis.”

  “Let’s get this straight, Ed and Carol. Are you listening to me?”

  “Yeah,” Ed and Carol said simultaneously.

  “Good. You haven’t given us anything. You guys purchased products for your business. You made an investment for your business. Am I correct?”

  “Yeah b—”

  “But nothing,” Nina cut Ed off. “There are no buts. You purchased products for your business. You invested in your business.”

  “But we wanted more gold,” Carol whined.

  “It’s gonna take another fifty thousand dollars.” Nina dangled the carrot.

  “Alexis, this has to stop. We’ve already given, uh, invested two hundred and thirty thousand dollars.” Ed tried to exude finality.

  “You’re exactly right!” Nina continued to pace back and forth.

  “So do you see this thing from my side of the fence?” Ed asked.

  “Of course I do,” Nina assured him.

  “Then you see why we can’t give—er, uh, invest another fifty thou?” Ed felt like he was winning this battle.

  “Carol, are you still with us?” Nina wanted to know.