My fairy G part II

2.

       Lisa finished the workday dwelling on who told. She did not believe Antonio. She learned that when a gang-banger’s mouth is moving he’s usually telling a half-truth, at best. She knew Tabitha to be trustworthy but she also knew that money makes people do crazy things. She got into her red Monte Carlo with sweaty palms, once again, and made her way home through the barrio. She felt like there was a laser beam trained on her car. And she didn’t know if it was the gang or the cops.

       Families in the neighborhood generally have been there for three or more generations and Maria was a third generation Chicana so everybody knew everyone’s family name at the very least. And have been in relationships in some cases. Monique lived across town and was in another set than Lisa was in. They really should not be fraternizing but Lisa saw Monique get disrespected by a stranger to the neighborhood and backed her up. Since then they have been personal friends but gang rivals.

       Lisa was working the busy rush hour stocking shelves when she usually works the cashier. She was restocking some dry goods in the cereal aisle when, she was approached by a man.

       “Miss?” the man asks.

“Yes, how can I help you” A tired Lisa wipes her forehead and stands from a crouching position. The tall Caucasian man dwarfs her. He introduces himself.

“Hi, my name is Michael” the stranger says to Lisa. She was taken back by the man dressed in a gunmetal grey Armani suit. He hands her a card that she doesn’t even look at but puts it in her back pocket.

“I’m Lisa, is there anything I can do for you?”  Lisa is as professional as she can be even though she has quite a bit on her mind.

“I was looking for soup, can you help me find it” Michael says.

“Absolutely,” Lisa starts “its in aisle 3.”

“Thank you very much.” Michael says and he walks away. Lisa returns to stocking cereal but then realizes she told Michael the wrong aisle. She walks to aisle 3 and Michael is nowhere to be found. Lisa checks every aisle in the store, which was quite small being an ethnic grocery store, but she cannot find him anywhere. She goes to the check out counter and asks if they have seen a tall white man in a suit. they all look at her like she’s crazy. A white man in their store, well that was just absurd. Lisa returned to her work but kept him in the back of her mind. She finished her day working at the cash register and drove home in her red Monte Carlo with sweaty palms. She cruised through the neighborhood and over the railroad tracks to her side of town. She rode past the kids playing basketball in the street and by her neighbor who was always out front smoking weed. She pulled into her driveway and noticed that all eyes were on her.

Maria was a devout Catholic and went to church every Sunday. She encouraged Lisa to go but she never did. She only went to church when a friend of hers died. Which was much too often in recent years, due to gang violence. Lisa wore a rosary she was given by her Mother on her Quincenera on her rear view mirror. She had faith in it’s power because it was ingrained in her from a childhood of Bible study and Communion. Lisa’s Mother hit her knees once but said two prayers, one for Saint Mary and one for God, every night. Her faith was stronger then her husbands in prison.

Lisa was panicky and it did not go unnoticed.

“Mija, Que tienes?” Maria is concerned for her daughter.

“Nothing Mommy, it’s just a guy at work.” But it wasn’t, it was the money in the closet and the gun in the garage. And the threat she made toward Julio. Lisa has a history of blowing up at people when she feels cornered and Antonio cornered her.

“Well, you know you can talk to me always.” Maria says.

“I know Mom, I love you.” Lisa says trying to calm her dear Mother. She undressed after dinner before taking a shower and she emptied her pockets and she pulled the card that Michael gave her. It read; Saint Michael Archaeangel and a cell phone number. She thought it odd but she was tired and just wanted to take a shower so she put it in her jewelry box for safe keeping.

Lisa went over to Tabitha’s after work one night and she had some of the homeboys over. Lisa pulled her hand when she came to the front door leaving one of them standing on her doorstep dumbfounded.

“I need to talk to you.” Lisa says while dragging her outside.

“OK! OK! stop pulling my arm, bitch.” Tabitha is quite upset.

“Who did you tell? Damn it..” Lisa is balling up her fist, “you better tell me.”  now she grinding her teeth like a wolf about to make a kill.

“No soy yo, no soy yo!” Tabitha denies any wrongdoing.

“Then why did someone come up in my store talking about it.

“Are you serious?” Tabitha is genuinely surprised.

“Yeah, a guy I know form the neighborhood said that he could help me.”

“You better get rid of that gun and I could help you do that right now.” Tab’s says motioning over her shoulder.

“I know, but not right now.” Lisa said. They sat down on the grass and discussed the situation. Tabitha suggested she get rid of all the evidence, the gun, the money and forget that east side bitches name. Lisa didn’t want to get rid of the money in case they want it back. She left Tabitha’s and went home and decided on the ride home to put the money in a safe deposit box, which she had never seen before. She decided to keep the gun on her.

She went to the bank the next day and ran into an old friend while waiting in line. He introduced himself but she did not recognize him. They left the bank together and went for lunch at a local restaurant. They discussed what was going on in their lives but Lisa didn’t say a thing about the money. Within a couple days they were boyfriend and girlfriend. His name was Rodrigo but everyone just called him Rod.

Tabitha was not being the trusted friend that Lisa thought she was. All the homeboys that were at her house the day she stopped by knew about the heist. But Lisa trusted her and was satisfied by her answer when asked whom she told and she told Tabitha about the shoebox in her closet. Best friends can easily become worst enemies.

One weekday when Lisa was off work, her and Rod had the house to themselves and they took advantage of it. It started out as just lounging on the couch but it escalated quickly to fondling and kissing.

“Papasito, no toke, no toke.” Lisa was playing with him acting like she did not want him to touch her.

“Mama, su carmelo es damesiado bueno!” Rod cannot resist her.

“Here, here.” Lisa places his hand on her breasts and they begin to kiss passionately. Rod had been to Lisa’s before that day and he knew the layout of the house. He picked up her body and held it like a child holds his Favorite toy and carried it to her bedroom where he lay her down on her bed.

“Venga aqui, bad boy!” under that hardcore attitude Lisa was just a girl wanting love. Rod started by pulling her jeans off, foot by naked foot. Then she took off her linen, airy blouse and Victoria’s bra. And then Rod started kissing her toes and then gradually moved them up her leg to her calf, then her thigh past home and on to her perky breasts. Lisa cooed with anticipation. Rod put his hand on the bed and then his knee. The room smelled of lavender and the sheets were bright white along with her comforter. Lisa was laying in a pile of goose down as Rod crawled on top of her dropping kisses like Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs. His lips saddled hers and tongue twisters were had but not spoken. Then he lapped up her puddles and they made passionate love for over an hour, it was their first time together. When they finished Rod wanted to light up a cigarette but Lisa stopped him. Then she popped up and went to the bathroom to freshen up and as she was washing her face she heard a sound like her closet doors. Luckily she kept the gun under the bathroom sink when she didn’t have it on her. She grabbed the gun, which was already chambered, and crept around the corner of the bathroom so she could see Rod and sure enough he was going through her closet.

“What the fuck are you doing? Down, down!” Lisa takes control like a pro with some home invasion experience, “On the ground, face down, you piece of shit! I should just shoot you right now!”

“Please don’t I have a baby girl!” That got Lisa, she knows what it’s like growing up without a Father.

“Who sent you?” Lisa is not in the mood for lies, “And don’t fucking lie!” She takes a step between his naked legs next to his penis. “OK!, OK! Manuel sent me...Tabitha’s friend!”

“Well, you tell Tabitha,” she grabs the slide on the Glock and pulls it back and releases it expelling a bullet on Rod’s bare ass and chambering another round. People pay more attention when they hear a gun being cocked., “ that I’ve got something for her...and Manuel, La muerte se acerca!” Lisa let’s him know that death is coming for them. “And what happened to, ‘I’ll take care of you and your sick brother?’” You’re a punk and a bitch and should never leave my bedroom floor, but you have to. Now look at me!” Rod twist his head from the prone position he’s been laying in. When his eyes make contact with Lisa’s she pistol whipped him, drawing blood. “Now get up!” Rod struggles to get to his feet and Lisa sticks the gun in his side and forces him out the front door with no clothes, no car keys only instructions on what to tell those who tried to set her up.

After Rod left, Lisa broke down mostly because of the betrayal by her best friend, Tabitha, but there was something else was wrong and she didn’t know what was wrong. She remembered the card Michael gave her and went to her jewelry box and got it. She picked up her phone and dialed an area code she had never heard of nor seen before.

“Lisa, I’ve been waiting to hear form you!” Michael says with enthusiasm. Lisa is tentatively happy. Michael didnt even say ‘hello’, he just knew and that freaked Lisa out a little bit.

“Yeah, hi! I was just thinking of you.” Lisa didn’t know what else to say.

“Well, I’m glad you called, what problem do you have?” Michael asks.

“How do you know I have a problem?” Lisa is apprehensive.

“Well, that’s what I do, I’m sure you read about me when you were a little girl.” Michael is blowing her mind.

“Yes, but...you’re a real angel.” Lisa says it like he’s full of crap.

“I’m not only real, but I’m the the angel that protects all people on Earth and right now I believe you need protection.” Michael is speaking reality to her and she’s picking it up.

“OK, so you are real and not trying to set me up?” Lisa takes one last jab at Michael to see if he’d crack.

“I seem to believe that you have already been set up?” Michael makes his statement but in the tone of a question.

“OK, fine, you are real and you’re here to protect me, so...where’s my rosary?” Lisa is testing him now for no apparent reason other than that’s the nature of gangsters, not to trust anyone, and test everyone who tries to get too close.

“That’s too easy, everyone seems to keep them on their rear view mirror when it would protect them better around their necks.” Michael squashes her misgivings. “You can’t tell me anything I don’t already know but I can only help you if you ask for it, I can’t force it down your throat.”

“OK, I was set up by my friend who knew I was given a large amount of cash and a weapon,” Lisa explains. “by using my heart as bait.”

“Believe it or not, I have seen this problem before and I can help you. First, we need to get all your loved ones out of the house. Use some of the money if you have to. They won’t miss it.”