*****
Isaiah arrived at the Manhattan spot off the water where they met weekly to handle the family business and speak the shits. From day one, the table seated Isaiah, Ishmael, Merch, and Skunk only.
Isaiah and Ishmael’s mother is Jean. Merch and Skunk’s mother is Marsha, and all the children have the same father, who is Isaiah Sr. Their father made sure they all grew up together in the same household and wasn’t any half this, half that shit in his house. Their pops taught them all how to hustle books and the value of family first, no matter what.
Merch said, “Isaiah always late! No pussy-getting ass!”
They all laughed as Isaiah walked up smirking, and he knew they were talking shit like always.
Isaiah said, “What’s up? What’s up? I see y’all started before me…What’s so funny?”
Skunk said, “You threw all that money on shorty. Hope you got the pussy?”
Merch said, “Bro, about to marry her smart-mouth ass first.”
Ishmael said, “It’s about time bro gets some play. I don’t see how you go so long without some pussy.”
Skunk said, “We told you! She is fine as hell, with a smart-ass mouth.”
Isaiah said, “Yeah, she bad! Soon as we get that paperwork back, I’m snatching her out of the club. I’m about to tame all that smart shit. Can’t take a stripper to meet Mom Dukes though.”
Merch said, “Told you! Bro about to marry her mean ass. She is fine as hell, though.”
Skunk said, “The paperwork right here, once we sign it, she’s yours. Oops! I meant it’s ours!”
Ishmael said, “I don’t like the idea unless we’re flipping it?”
Merch said, “You don’t like strippers. That’s why you don’t like the idea.”
Isaiah said, “All that mean shit about to stop! Let’s get back to business. The club is ours already. We’re just signing the agreement with the zoning shit. Right?”
After handling all the business ideas on how to bring in more revenue, they looked over numbers. They all listened to Isaiah when he talked about investments and stocks because he studied hard on it. When signing the employee’s paychecks, all their names had to be on the bank receipts before taking them in. Ishmael hated bringing up the street money because it made Merch upset, but it all had to be cleaned up before moving forward.
Ishmael said, “When moms find out we bought a damn strip club, they’re gonna trip big time.”
Skunk said, “It’s our money, and we are adults. We have other things to take care of, right, Isaiah?”
Isaiah said, “No more street shit, right? Everything is running legit from now on.”
They agreed that everything would be legit but the flame they got to blaze. “What the fuck y’all looking at?” Merch mumbled. “You,” Skunk uttered in disappointment.
Merch said, “I’m not going for all this daddy-role shit! So, let’s slow this shit down. Back to business, as usual.”
Ishmael said, “This ain’t no daddy-role shit. These your big brothers speaking facts to you that could jeopardize the family.”
Merch said, “I wouldn’t put the family in danger. We all flame! Right?”
All the waitresses loved when they came in for meetings because they left generous tips. Some days Isaiah would stop by on a Thursday evening for a few drinks or get wet.
Isaiah said, “Hold this shit down! I’ll be right back to finish signing my portion.”
Waitress 2 said, “Hello, would you like a refill?”
Merch said, “Yes. For everybody, and thank you!”
*****
Rachel would bring Isaiah his drink, fold the napkin down, then walk off smiling. That was her way of letting him know that the office was okay for him to come back.
Isaiah didn’t play any games. He pulled his dick out immediately and palmed Rachel’s head, not having no emotional attachment. When she got on her knees, she opened her mouth, trying to get all his dick in her mouth. She was going back and forth fast as hell, holding the other portion with her hand.
Isaiah said, “Slow down, Rachel!”
Buzz. Buzz. When Isaiah glanced at his phone and saw the text, “Aww, Samaya,” he whispered.
Samaya’s text to Isaiah: “Hey Sai, this Samaya.”
Isaiah said, “Stop, Rachel, stop.”
Rachel said, “Why?”
Rachel was never told to stop, hoping that she performed well enough to get a business card this time. She slowly released his dick out of her mouth and was upset to even go along with someone she barely knew. Rachel stood looking at him, not getting any eye contact, and feeling pissed off that the plan was to find and fool, but not suck. When she went to grab at his pants, he pushed her hands away politely, not thinking of her feelings, period.
Isaiah said, “Clean yourself up.”
Rachel said, “What’s wrong? What did I do? Why you stop me?”
He placed some money in her bra before Rachel could get another question out. He put his two fingers over her lips and looked her straight in the eyes.
Isaiah said, “No questions beginning with W, remember?”
Isaiah walked back to the table with a big smile on his face.
Ishmael said, “What’s taking bro so long?”
Skunk said, “Here he comes cheesing and shit!”
Merch said, “Let bro cheese all he wants. He makes them numbers multiply easily.”
Isaiah was the last to sign the papers for their new club, thinking of ways he was going to win Samaya over. He texted her back, liking that she called him Sai. He’s still undecided because he never thought about dating a stripper, knowing his parents would disapprove, but he followed his first mind.
*****
Isaiah’s text to Samaya: “Meet me tonight at the beachfront, Samaya.”
Samaya’s text to Isaiah: “What time Sai? I work tonight at eight pm.”
Isaiah’s text to Samaya: “Seven!”
Samaya’s text to Isaiah: “I’ll get back to you. No promises.”
Isaiah’s text to Samaya: “text me when you ready.”
Samaya’s text to Isaiah: “okay!”
*****
Isaiah said, “Good news! Skunk bought a building that was sitting for a while. The findings in the building tripled what he paid for it.”
Merch said, “I still can’t believe the bank or realtors didn’t go clean it out.”
Ishmael said, “All they saw was trash and spiderwebs.”
Skunk said, “I’m glad Tee was with me. I was about to have all that shit put in the garbage.”
Isaiah said, “That find added a nice decimal in the bank. We need you to go find more.”
Merch said, “What’s up with Adana, bro?”
Isaiah said, “Who’s the ring for?”
Skunk said, “Bro…the ring for Tara!”
Merch said, “Tara was pulling off last night when I pulled up to Queen’s.”
Skunk said, “I told her to take her ass home. Trying to do grown-up