Crave All Lose All by Erick Gray Page A

be giving him a call soon,” he said.
    I nodded and walked out. We left for the Ramada.
     
    “I need a shower,” Shae said, walking into the bathroom. I was sprawled out on my bed staring at TV, thinking. The package was dropped off and I was ten-thousand dollars richer. It was easy money for once. At my old airline job I couldn’t make ten-thousand dollars in one month, even with overtime.
    I smiled. I was in Albany, alone in a room with a beautiful woman and I had some money to spend. I heard the shower running and thinking about Shae’s beautiful, petite figure wrapped around me got my dick hard.
    I removed my shirt exposing my six -pack. It was a humid night and the air conditioner in the room wasn’t making the room any cooler. I sat at the foot of the bed thinking about finally being able to do for my son.
    Shae stepped out the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her. Her hair was wet and I couldn’t help but admire her.
    “You got a problem with your fucking eyes?” she barked pulling out fresh panties and bra out of her bag.
    “Yo, why you giving me such a hard time, beautiful? What you think I’m about?” I asked.
    She glared at me and said, “I know your type, cocky, arrogant and you probably got women all over. What, you wanna fuck me! Just because we’re sharing a room doesn’t mean i’m giving you some pussy. Y’ all niggas are all alike”
    I chuckled. “Luv, you don’t even know what I’m about. You’re working for Tyriq just like me.”
    “I don’t have a choice,” she replied.
    “That’s bullshit, we all got choices.”

    “Well, you don’t know my situation,” she said.
    “And you don’t know mines,” I spat back.
    She was shocked at my comeback. I dug her attitude and respected her.
    I stood and said, “Listen, This here is temporary for me, until I get some dough saved and get back on my feet.”
    I began telling her about my situation, from the troubles with my pops and how he died, with my moms losing her house, to losing my job and needing to provide for my son.
    I threw my shirt back on and slid into my boots. I needed a walk. Shae was quiet as I walked by her and had my hand on the doorknob.
    “My son has autism,” she said.
    I slowly made my way back into the room and caught her gaze. Her eyes were sad and her mind seemed troubled.
    “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “He’s three and he needs a lot of treatment, and that cost money. I had him when I was sixteen and his father doesn’t care for him at all. He says it’s my fault that our son is retarded. He called his own son retarded. His father makes tons of money in the streets, but don’t give me a dime, cuz he doesn’t make handicap kids, that what he tells me. So I gotta do for him, alone.”
    Shae started getting ready for bed. She was young and scared, I understood.
    “I’m going to the store, you want anything?” I asked.
    “No, thanks,” she said.
    “I’ll be back.”
    I stared at her before walking out the room.
    “If the world didn’t suck, then we’d fall off.”
    She smiled.
    “You have a beautiful smile.”
    I walked out the room feeling good knowing that I wasn’t the only one with problems. Some problems are much greater than others. I took a quick walk searching to forget about my situation in Queens. Tonight I wanted to be new.

Twelve
    It was like a breath of fresh air when Tyriq handed me the small envelope filled with hundred-dollar bills. I wore a huge smile on my face. So much money in my hands, now bills could get paid and the many things I could get me and my son, clouded my mind.
    “Ayyite, Vince, you did good,” Tyriq complimented.
    We sat in his parked truck, watching the night, puffing Black & Mild, I stuffed the envelope in my pocket.
    “I’m gonna need for you to do another run for me soon.”
    I was feeling dubious but never let it get in the way. “Where to…?”
    “Philly.”
    “Never been there,” I told him.
    “You’ll love it out there, it’s