For a moment Nichelle was stuck. How the fuck did he survive all them shots. The other purpose of Nichelle’s visit was so that no one would suspect her involvement. She didn’t know what to do now, but for the moment she had to play it off. “So my baby’s going to be okay?”

Sincere noticed Kisa was standing next to him. Here we go, Sincere thought.

Kisa was extremely disgusted by Nichelle. She was one person whom Kisa had never cared for. “You need to raise up outta here with all those theatrics. Butta’s girl, Ar-nes-sa, is going through enough right now. She don’t need to hear ya wack ass up crying over what is not yours.”

“Butta’s girl? You must be done fell and bumped ya head ’cause I’m Butta’s girl, and I been his girl for years,” Nichelle said with emphasis. She looked Kisa up and down, trying to contain her envy. Kisa was radiant in a winter-white silk balloon-sleeve blouse, matching wool high-waist trousers, and gray leather boots. Outwardly, Nichelle loathed Kisa. Inwardly, she wanted to be her.

“Just ’cause he stash money at ya crib and you done made some runs for him don’t make you his girl. Plus you don’t even like dudes, you fuckin’ dyke!” Kisa shot back.

Nichelle folded her arms and sneered at Kisa. “You acting like you his bitch, all up in my face with this rah-rah shit. What’s the problem? Ole girl can’t fight her own battles?”

Before Kisa could respond, Arnessa got up and stepped in front of her. With a tear-soaked face Arnessa told Nichelle, “Obviously, you don’t know shit about me, so let me make a few things clear to you, ma. Don’t ever mistake my sadness or what I’m going through right now for me being a punk, ’cause I’ll stomp the fuck outta you in this hospital.”

“I doubt that very much,” Nichelle spat.

“Well, buck then, bitch, I dare you,” Arnessa warned. She wanted Nichelle to try her; at that moment she would’ve loved nothing more than to unleash her frustrations on Nichelle’s face.

“Chill, Nessa, chill,” Sincere said, stepping between the two women. “Shawn, walk Nichelle downstairs. I’ll be down in a sec.”

Reluctantly, Nichelle proceeded to walk out with Shawn.

From the corner of his eye Sincere could see Kisa scowling at him, “Why you telling Arnessa to chill? That whack bitch came up in here being disrespectful. And what are you going downstairs for?”

Sincere pulled Kisa by her arm into the hallway and told her, “Pipe ya lil’ red ass down, aight. From what Shawn told me, Butta had a lot of paper stashed in homegirl’s crib. For right now I gotta play neutral so I can get Butta’s money out of her spot.”