in the ends // jaq

02

Dris told Jaq that he needed her to find ten bags for Dushane. Dushane had recently returned from Jamaica and had business to deal with, already. He reclaimed his spot as the leader of the mandem/summerhouse and although Jaq had given him attitude at first, they were still technically family.

Summerhouse always had each-others back. We were all each other's blood but we weren't related. I had Jaq, Lauryn, Shelley, Dris and all of their backs and they had all mine. Being an older on the estate meant that I looked out for the youngins as well. Even though I wasn't involved.

Anyways, I let it slip that I knew where to get it so Jaq was taking me to go chat to him. I didn't really want to get involved in anything like this but if Jaq didn't help get ten bags, it wouldn't go well for her in the ends.

So, Jaq took me to meet up with Dushane at the caff. He looked up from his table as we walked in the door. "Wagwan," Jaq greeted him.

"You alright?" I said, and we both sat down ay the table.

"Wagwan," Dushane replied, looking over at me, confused on my presence.

"Dris told me I had to get him ten bags," Jaq explained, "Said it was for you."

"So you got the ten bags, yeah?" Dushane asked, somewhat hopefully.

Jaq laughed slightly, "Tsk, no, not on me," She said, "But she knows where to get it," She nodded at me and I turned to Dushane.

"There's this woman and she lives in the borough but, like, not Summerhouse, down near the Common," I explained, "And this woman has a lot of money."

Dushane shook his head, not convinced, "And?"

"She's got a lotta tom, keeps it in the house," I clarified, "And guess what? She ain't even in the house now. She's in her other house in the south of France."

"Who else lives in her yard?" Dushane asked us, getting somewhat interested.

"Just the daughter, innit," I said, "But she's with her mum in France."

"No husband?"

"Nah," I said, "She got rid of him last year. He weren't pullin' his weight, economically speakin'." I said, Jaq and I looked between us and we both chuckled slightly. 

Dushane had a slight smirk, "Well, obviously the house is gonna be belled up by now, innit?" He said, as if he was stating the obvious.

Jaq was shaking her head as I spoke, "Nah, man. This woman is so clueless when it comes to anything practical," I explained, "She can't even work a dishwasher or a TV. She kept trippin' the alarm so she don't use it no more. By the door, there's, like, a stone hedgehog some, like, ornament ting. Keys are underneath. You wouldn't even have to break in."

"For real, yeah?"

"Pound," Jaq said.

"Yeah, man." I said.

"How do you lot know her?" Dushane questioned.

"Shelley, innit," I said, "She does the woman's shellacs and beauty treatments." Jaq chuckled and nodded at Dushane.

"A'ight, man," He said, "Cool," Then he went quiet.

Jaq kissed her teeth and I picked up on it, too, "It's like that, yeah?" I said, scoffing and getting up.

"Mm-hm," Jaq mumbled.

"No cup of tea, nothin'," I continued to mumble, as we left the caff. Now I understand why Jaq gets pissed off when someone doesn't thank her.

———————

The next day, I was chilling in my flat wearing a tank top, shorts and a long, beige cardigan with the heaters on blast when someone started pounding on the door. I paused my programme and got up from the sofa, confused.