Chapter 8 - Karma

"Hey! I want my money. Where is my mother fucking money? I kept my end of the deal and now it's your turn!" Louis yelled at Danny and Billy.

It was about time he got the $50,000 that was promised to him if he had made a sex tape of him and Whitney. It was agreed that they should meet up at an abandoned theater and give the money owed. However, when he got there, he found Danny and Billy smoking pot on stage with no money in sight.

Louis gritted his teeth and a vein appeared on his forehead. The four goons in black suits behind him stood firm with their hands behind their backs. Danny puffed up smoke and coughed. He beat on his chest and smirked at Kelvin who was fuming with rage.

"Louis White, you are black but your name is White. How fucking ironic is that?" Danny asked him and Billy laughed hard.

"Black, who are you calling black asshole? I am Latino." Louis hissed through his teeth.

"Same fucking shit to me. If you ain't a red neck like my brothers and I, you are fucking black. You better change your name to Louis Black. Shouldn't you have a stupid Latino name like Gomez?" Danny mocked and Billy cracked up laughing.

"Damn it you assholes! I ain't got time for this bullshit." Louis pulled out a gun and his goons followed suit. "Where's my money?"

Billy stopped laughing and parted his lips tensed. "Danny, you better tell this him to chill the fuck out."

"Your money is on the way. Our younger brother is bringing it as we speak." Danny explained with his hands up in surrender.

Just then, Jack rode in on a motorcycle. He had a backpack on his back. He took off his helmet and shook his hair in place.

"It's about fucking time." Louis sneered.

"Sorry I'm late y'all. I got held up with some whores from the Von House Palace. I got two for one." Jack said with a wide smile.

"No one wants to hear about your stupid perverted story. Just hand over my money!" Louis pulled the safety out of his gun.

Jack tossed the bag of money to a goon. He got down on one knee and unzipped it whilst Louis kept his eyes on Danny and Billy. The goon peeked in it and when he saw the money, he grinned. He nodded his head at his colleague, and he in turn tapped Louis' shoulder.

"Get out before I blow your brains out." Louis ordered Danny and his brothers.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Danny said. "Come on, let's get out of here. That two for one special has really got me thinking." Danny said and Jack chuckled.

When they were out, Louis put his gun away and smiled at the stacks of money. He picked up a stack and smelt it. He laughed mirthfully and picked up another bunch.

His laughter, however, was cut short when he saw that the notes were blank on the other side. Kelvin threw the stack away and inspected another one and to his shock, it was the same.

"No, no, no!" he exclaimed in anger and denial.

He poured out all the money from the bag when an object with a timer fell out. Louis shrieked at the five seconds left. The goons scattered and in a blink of an eye, the whole building exploded.

****

At the Matildah Fancy Seafood restaurant, Steve sat nervously at one of the tables. He constantly wiped the sweat off his forehead with his hanky. Steve glanced at his wristwatch and breathed out through his mouth.

He poured himself glass after glass of wine to kill his nervousness but it didn't help. He pulled out a black tiny case and sighed at the sparkling source of his nervousness. Because the two of them had been dating for four years, Steve thought that it was high time they took their relationship to the next level.

He tucked the case away in his pocket and hoped to God that Asher would say yes and marry him. Within minutes, Asher walked into the restaurant wearing a long red dress with black heels. Her short red hair was neatly combed back and hanging on her ears were pearl earrings that matched her pearl necklace.

She waved at Steve when she spotted him and walked to him swaying her hips from side to side like a runway model. All heads turned to her until she finally took her seat. No one could deny that Asher was quite the 'looker'.

She greeted Steve with a peck and with a smile, she said, "Oh, how I missed you love."

"I missed you too, Asher." Steve adjusted his neck tie. "I hope you don't mind but I ordered our food." he took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead.

Asher furrowed at his anxiety. "Babe, are you okay? You seem a bit tense."

"I am alright. You need not worry." Steve quickly answered wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Both of them were silent as they watched the waiter serve them their two plates of crabs with salads on the side.

"So, how is work going for you?" Steve asked Asher after the waiter left.

"It is going great. I am going to be getting a movie role soon." Asher answered with so much excitement in her blue eyes.

"That's great, in which movie?" Steve took a swig of his wine.

"Lucy's Secret. I have to play a hooker that gets murdered by a drug lord. It's a small role but it's a start right?" Asher asked with the brightest of smiles.

"Yes it is. Um Asher, there is something important I need to tell you." Steve said and felt a cold sweat run down his neck.

"Yes Stevie?" Asher forked up lattice.

"I don't want to be your b-boyfriend anymore." Steve stammered.

Asher got up and narrowed her eyes appalled at him. At that point, people turned to look at them. "Oh my god Steve you are breaking up with me? How could you after all that we have been through? To think that I even dressed up for this date. Urgh men are so unbelievable."

"No, you got it all wrong. I am not breaking up with you." Steve anxiously said, and pulled her wrist down but she snatched her hand back annoyed. "Asher,"

"Then what are you doing?" She sternly asked him.

"I am asking you to marry me." Steve answered and Asher gasped. "I don't want to be your boyfriend because I want to be your husband."

Asher watched him pull out the ring case from his pocket, and she shrieked. Steve walked to her and got down on one knee. The people around smiled to each other in awe at the couple.

"Asher, will you marry me?" Steve asked her so lovingly.

Asher jumped up and down in her heels saying "Yes yes yes and a thousand times yes."

Steve slipped the ring down her finger and the two of them hugged. Everyone in the restaurant clapped for them and congratulated them heartily.

****

Rose drove to the cemetery where Whitney and Britney were buried. She got out of the car and took with her a bottle of wine, two glasses, a bouquet of red roses and a bouquet of white roses.

Rose placed the red roses on Whitney's side and put the white roses on Britney's side. She then proceeded to pour wine into a glass and put it on Whitney's side.

"It has been three weeks since you left me my love but it feels like yesterday. Who could have thought that you would leave me so early?" Rose poured herself some wine. "You would have turned 26 today. If you were here, you would have thrown yourself a grand party." Rose sighed and drank from her glass. "You both died so young especially you Britney. You were only 17. I guess God had a reason to take you both so early. I really miss you Whitney." Rose dropped tears. "Wherever you are, I hope that you are happier there than you were here."