California Connection 2 (Califronia Connection) by Chunichi Page B

knocked out.
    As everyone else busted out in laughter at his antics, I walked away.
    The constant joking must have been too much for him to handle because, just as I got to the door of the barbershop, I heard a lot of commotion behind me. Before I could turn around, I heard shots.
    Pop! Pop! Pop!
    I dove between two cars and pulled my gun out. I looked up to see dude rushing to a car. I shot back at him. Bam! Bam!
    I watched as he fell to the ground. I wasn’t sure where he was hit, but at least he was down. I jumped in my whip and peeled off, never looking back.

    Ring! Ring! Not even a whole hour after I’d left the barbershop, I got a call from one of the barbers.
    “What up, Mike?”
    “It ain’t good, nigga. You know old boy ain’t make it. The cop was up here and everything, nigga. Ain’t nobody but niggas is out to get you, duke. Deebo boys say, as soon as they see you, it’s straight gunplay, no talk.”
    “What you talking about, Mike?” I played stupid, not knowing if the cops were around or if this nigga was trying to set me up.
    “I’m just letting you know the deal. Watch your back, homeboy. Watch your back.” Mike then hung up.
    I really ain’t give a fuck if dude lived or not. As long as I was still breathing, that’s all that mattered. Fuck him and his weak-ass crew. I’d been bitched out for the last time and wasn’t backing down from no nigga, so any cat who wanted could bring it.
    And, as a matter of fact, fuck Mike too for calling me with that shit. There was no way he was gonna get me to talk about that shit on the phone. Like I told that nigga, I didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about. Right at that point, permanent amnesia had set in. I had no recollection of those events. Who’s Deebo? And what barbershop?

Chapter 21
     
    “Get Your Boo”
     
    Jewel
    A n entire week had passed, and I hadn’t seen or heard from Touch. He didn’t even come to the house to collect his things. I felt so depressed and hurt. I’d spend days in bed. I didn’t even bother to bathe or put on clothes. I barely ate anything, and I’d completely stopped taking my birth control. I figured, What’s the use? There was no longer a man in my life anyway.
    I would’ve never guessed in a million years that Touch and I would’ve ended like this. Part of me wanted to fight for my man, but another part of me hated him. I couldn’t understand how he could move on to the next chick so quickly. No matter now much shit we went through, being with another man had never crossed my mind.
    I began to think about this new chick sitting on my throne. If another chick came in, where would that leave me? What about this empire that Touch and I had built?
    The reality of things was really beginning to settle in. The fact of the matter was, without Touch my entire life would change. Sure, I had the connection with TMF and could get my hands on all kinds of coke, but it was Touch who knew how to push that shit and bring the money in, and who invested in real estate and made our money legit.
    Truthfully, I knew nothing about the business and wouldn’t be able to survive without him. One thing I did know for sure, there was no way I could go from the top to rock bottom—all at the hands of another bitch. The more I thought about things, the more panic began to set in.
    Desperately needing someone to talk to, I called up Misty. She was the only person I had in my corner.
    Misty answered the phone in her usual perky voice, “What’s up, girly?”
    “Touch still hasn’t come home, Misty. I haven’t even spoken to him since that night at the restaurant. I don’t know what to think or do. I really think it’s over between us,” I said, bursting into tears.
    “Oh, you poor baby. I’m so sorry. Do you want me to come over?” Misty was so comforting.
    “No, Misty. I don’t want to keep dragging you into my affairs. I shouldn’t have even called you.”
    “Jewel, I’m here for you. That’s what friends are