“Let these niggas think what they wanna think,” Mann replied after hearing his plan. “Fuck ‘em!”
His cousin’s endorsement of his idea meant a lot to Tone, especially at a time like this.
“I’m just gonna lay low,” Tone told Mann. “As soon as anybody see ‘em, hit my house phone and I’m out here.... On his ass!”
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Sonya said, sarcastically. “You been home a whole lot lately. What’s up Tone?”
She looked at him with a stern expression on her face, expecting Tone to tell her the real reason he had been in the house so much lately. Sonya knew something was up. They had been living together for close to a year now. She had studied his habits and routines. Being a homebody just wasn’t him, so Sonya knew something was wrong. What it was she had no idea.
Instead of snapping at her, Tone chose to kill her with kindness.
“Yo, let’s go to the movies,” he said. “That new flick New Jack City just came out today.”
“What?” she answered. “It’s too early in the day boy.”
“So what you sayin’, you don’t wanna go Sonya?” Tone accused her.
She stated, “That’s not what I’m sayin’. I’m sayin’ it’s early. Why don’t we wait till tonite?”
“There’s no better time than the present,” he tried convincing her. “You gotta be spontaneous..... Let’s make it a date. We can go to the movies at Security Mall, then we can go downtown and get somethin’ to eat. You wit’ it or what?”
“Okay,” Sonya said excitedly. “Tone, what we gone see?”
“New Jack City, I already told you,” he added. “Go get dressed. And don’t take long.”
Hurriedly, Sonya disappeared into her walk-in closet in search of a cute outfit to wear. Meanwhile, Tone dressed in black from head to toe, in a pair of black Levi’s, black hoodie, black leather jacket and black Timberland Chukkas. He put his .380 caliber semi- automatic in his pocket, just in case. There was no way he was leaving his house without protection. Things were too nasty in the streets for him right now.
Sonya promptly reappeared, looking stunning in a pair of form fitting jeans and some high heels.
“Lookin’ good girl,” he stated, watching as her face lit up. “You ready?”
“Thank you,” she acknowledged. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Tone threw her a set of car keys, which Sonya caught. “We takin’ da MPV,” he told her. “You drivin’.”
Sonya sucked her teeth. “Why can’t you drive?”
“Cause I’m not,” he replied. “That’s the least you can do. Damn, I’m takin’ you to the movies, bout to feed you and fuck you. What else you want from a nigga?”
Tone and Sonya had a great time at the movies. They really enjoyed each other’s company. Just being together for that long period of time bought back memories for Sonya on why she fell in love with him in the first place.
“To me the movie was dope. Nino Brown was that nigga until he took the stand and snitched,” Tone commented.
“Because he snitched that ruined the movie for you?” Sonya wondered.
“Muthafuckin’ right,” he said. “See, I don’t expect you to understand that, you not in the streets.”
“I’ll be glad when the day comes when you not in the streets either,” she declared.
“I hear you,” Tone responded. “That day will soon come.”
Sonya had some apprehensions about that statement. If Tone really meant what he said, he could show her better than he could tell her. She had to admit, today was a good start. Now if he could be more consistent with spending quality time with her, then they might be able to get back to where they were, where he was as connected to her as she was to him.
Tone leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t worry, we gone be aiight. I promise you, my love. I’m doin’ this shit for us.”
It took her a moment to process what he said and to recover from his affectionate kiss. Sonya couldn’t help but think what a romantic thing for Tone to say. Suddenly their relationship was beginning to feel hopeful again and not like they were doomed. “I love you, Tone,” she said.
“I love you more,” he replied. “But do me a favor, drive by Pennsylvania Avenue on our way downtown.”
“Really?” Sonya snapped. “Tone, you really know how to kill a moment. Can’t you handle that shit on ya time. You on my time right now.”
“Just do me that favor,” he asked. “I need to see somethin’ real quick. It’s only gone take a second.”
Sonya drove down Security Blvd. to Edmonson Avenue, and then she took a left on Fulton Avenue and a right on North Avenue, which lead to the notorious Pennsylvania Avenue. Just as Tone suspected, there were plenty of people out and about. Like a hawk his eyes scanned each person’s face, the addicts, the dealers, and the commuters on their way home from work, until he came across one that looked familiar. Suddenly, Tone sat up straight in the passenger seat as he began to stare more intensely. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He couldn’t believe his luck. That face that looked eerily familiar to him belonged to none other than Sykes. It was a small world and suddenly it had just gotten smaller.
“Slo down,” Tone suggested. His eyes were following Sykes’ every movement.
Yeah, that’s that fat nigger, he thought.
Tone took a shot in the dark by driving to Pennsylvania Avenue and Gold Street, a renowned drug block, and finding the unexpected Sykes, looking like he was going to cop.
“Pull over,” Tone ordered Sonya.
“What the hell?” Sonya said, surprised. “What’s so important?”
“Gotta go holler at somebody real quick,” he replied.
“Whatever you say,” she continued.
“Do me a favor. Whatever you do, don’t cut off the car,” Tone warned. “I’ll be right back!”
The way he said that, the intensity in his voice, made Sonya pause momentarily and stare at him. As soon as Tone jumped out the car it made her question
