A Hustler's Wife by Nikki Turner

However, I will call again." Just then Des, walked in the visiting room and she had to deliver the news to him that his right hand man, Castro, had just gotten picked up by the jump out squad.
    Yarni smiled as Des walked over to the guard to give the correctional officer his inmate ID. Yarni was so happy to see Des.
    She laughed with pleasure because he did not look as if he had left the streets. The only thing that gave it up, is that prison blue oxford shirt. He had ordered some blue Levi jeans. He was wearing some Huarache Nikes that Slim wore down there to see him in. Des wore some old sneakers in the visiting room and when the guard wasn't looking they swapped shoes. He also had on some Ray Ban glasses. He had gotten, Castro, to pay a doctor to act as if Des had glasses before he left the streets. The optometrist sent the sunglasses to Des so he could have them in the prison. Otherwise he'd have to have state issued glasses, and no sunglasses are even allowed. Des knew that the state didn't supply any sunglasses. The optometrist talked to the doctor in the medical department at the prison and convinced them that Des had surgery a few years ago and his eyes could not come into direct contact with sun light. Uncle Stanka, impersonating a clergy person, called the prison's chaplain and convinced the chaplain to accept a religious pendant for Des to wear. That was how Des was able to get and keep his necklace and cross to wear around his neck.
    On his way from across the room to greet Yarni, other inmates stopped him and talked with him. The only time he gets to see some of the inmates on the other side of the prison is in the visiting room. Yarni shakes her head when he finally makes it over to the table where she is.
    "That doesn't make any sense the way you act like you are still on the streets, people running up to you and you're dressing like you're still in society." Des laughs, as he embraces her with a hug and a passionate tongue kiss.
    "I am in society, baby. This is a world in itself." Yarni said on a more serious note, "Boo, Castro called me, they locked him up."
    Des looked off and became distant. He took a deep breath.
    "Damn."
    They both came became very silent.
    Yarni had already gone to the snack machine while she was waiting for Des to come out.
    "Boo, I am going to warm your cheese pizza up. Do you want anything else from the snack machine?" Yarni said.
    "No, wait a minute before you go. I am not ready to eat yet."
    "Well, what took you so long to get over here? I was waiting at least forty-five minutes. I told you I was coming. You had to take a shower or something?"
    "No, baby, I was ready when they called, but I had to stop by building A on my way over here to check on some money that this cat owes me from the game last night." She shook her head, "It don't make no sense you can take the thug out the streets, but you can't take the streets out the thug. That's a damn shame." Des laughed at her frustration.
    "How did your exams go?" He changed the subject.
    "Fine," but he noticed that she did not elaborate.
    "I tried calling you last night but I didn't get any answer." He stroked her legs as he waited to see how far she would go in creating an alibi. But he hoped she would not go too far.
    "My roommate and I went out for College Night last night, to celebrate that I had aced the one exam I was actually worried about."
    "I tried calling this morning at about 7a.m. too," He added even though he was happy to hear about the "A" he knew she was capable of getting.
    "I heard the phone ringing when I was leaving out the door to come down here. I just assumed that it was somebody for my roommate." She said for comfort.
    Des looked into Yarni's eyes, and she saw a look on his face that she didn't recognize, insecurity.
    "Baby Girl," he chose his words as well as he could. "By no means do I want you to stop living for me. I fully understand that you have needs too. You are not obligated to be my girl anymore, for