Excerpt

Sursum Corda 

Enter the world of Latty... & Maino!

“Maino…on time, I see.” She spoke in a soft, relaxed voice. The luggage handle exchanged hands from hers to his as she stepped out onto the walkway. She reached into her sweat pocket and pulled out a freshly rolled blunt and a steel lighter with an ‘L’ engraved on the front.

“Maaaaaaan you already know, Latty!” Maino dragged out his D.C. accent. 

“Ok, Jermaine, stop playing. Here’s what I need you to do,” Latrice got serious and reached back into her pocket, reinserted her personalized lighter and pulled out her keys again. She extended her arm out to the young man and continued, “I need you to watch my crib over the weekend.” His jaws dropped and before he could say anything, she cut him off, “Shut up and listen! I already told you about being in command for the next two days so you already know the deal. But I need you to be in the apartment once the sun sets and until the sun rises. Stay in the guest bedroom because the door to my room is locked, so stay the fuck away from it. There’s food in the refrigerator, snacks in the cabinets. Do the cooking for Saturday night’s drop in the trap joint in the next building. Stay sharp and don’t burn my shit!” She puts blunt to mouth and breathes. She holds the blunt with her left hand, unzips the fanny with her right and removes her gun and gets ready to pass it to Jermaine’s side and finishes, “ Nevermind, I’ll take it with me.”

Maino gives an agreed headnod about the gun and slips Latrice’s keys in his jean pocket. “I gotcha.” He extends his dark hand with pincer grasp as she passes the perfectly rolled green towards him. He inhales, holds the smoke for a moment and blows. “So what time are these broads coming?” Just as he says this, two ladies in a champagne Mercedes pull up in front of the building. 

“That’s them.” Latty smiles. “You can finish that off. I got more.” The trunk opens as Stacy presses an interior button. Latty reaches for her suitcase but Jermaine beats her to it.

“I got it.” Maino lifts the case and places it in the trunk. He gives Latty a fist bump.

“I’ll see you on Sunday.” Latty said as she opened the car door and got in the back seat.

Maino gives a last headnod and crosses the street.

Stacy and Temp stared in awe at the handsome stranger and didn’t interrupt their goodbye conversation. They also didn’t bother to exit the car as this neighborhood was not their cup of tea, but they loved Latty. They both turn around to get a look at her.

“What’s up girl?” Stacy grinned.

“Hey biiiitch! Who was that, your man?” Temp joked with a cheesy smirk.

Latty leaned forward and kissed Stacy on the cheek, “Hell na!”, then Temp on hers. She spoke offendedly but still soft and cool.

Stacy’s face cringed as she looked at Latty. “You smell like weed.”

“And so will you when we get to the fucking beach, now lets ride, hoe!” Latty said with a twisted mean mug.

They all laughed and began to chat across each other as Anastacia put the car in drive. Temperance set the GPS on the dashboard to 3801 Atlantic Avenue & 89th Street, Virginia Beach. Latrice plugged up her aux cord and let the hip hop playlist take its course. As they drove out of the neighborhood, the stone sign read ‘Lift Up Your Hearts’.