Money Over Everything

All About the Benjamins

Moette

"Rob a bank? Damaris, you must've lost your mind. We ain't robbing no bank, right, Juju? Juju?" I said, turning to Juju, who was still mulling over the statement. "Juju!"

"What? I mean, I can't stop her from wanting to rob a bank. Shit...it's not half a bad idea," Juju said thoughtfully.

"Doing hard time ain't a bad idea? For the first time y'all can sit in the same room and not act like kids and it's to agree to robbing a bank?" I plopped down on the sofa, staring to the ceiling, waiting for them to come to their sense and hear how crazy they sound. when neither one of them backpedaled, I asked Damaris, "Where did you get this crazy ass idea from, anyway?"

"Well," Damaris said, drawing out the word. "Last night I was on my way home and stopped by the liquor store when this foine, and I mean foine, ass nigga held the place up. He got away with like two stacks in less than ten minutes. Imagine what the three of us could get away with if we hit up a bank or two."

"Shit. We'd get away with shit. This isn't the 90's, Damaris. And it ain't Set It Off either. The protocols that banks have in place make it damn near impossible to rob one and get away with no more than a few grand, and my life ain't worth a few stacks," I said, sitting up and placing my head in my hands for a minute. "Right, Juju?"

"I mean, you're right Moe; most banks keep very little cash on hand and with the implementation of bulletproof glass and NYPD officers as security guards," Juju said, earning a look of disdain from Damaris. however, it turned to glee when she finished with, "But the bank still has a certain earning potential. Between armored guards and small business owners, you can easily get away with anywhere between fifty to a hundred grand."

"See, Moe, think about all that money. We hit a few spots and we can give up these little hustles for good," Damaris said, crossing her arms and using those big ass eyes of hers to plead with me. "Think about it, Moe. Don't you wanna pay off Roni's tuition once and for all?"

"Don't use my sister as a pawn, Damaris," I warned, shooting a glance at Roni, who was all ears, biting her lip to keep an excited smile off her face. "Like I said, this could fail miserably and then I'll end up in jail like...forget it. I think this is something we need to think long and hard about before actually trying to attempt."

"Sleep on it and give me a give me an answer when you're ready," Damaris said, checking her phone and rising from her seat. "But remember: time is money. The sooner you agree to this, the sooner we can work on getting this money. If you excuse me, I've got some business to handle with a close associate of mine."

"You mean Bullet's bitch ass?" I said, knowing there was only one person that would have her leaving the house this late. "Or this fine ass bank robbing nigga that you're in love with."

Damaris tousled her her hair twice and replied, "Bullet is cancelled, and as much as i would love for this to be Robber Bae, it's only an old friend. 'Night, ladies. Think about my proposal."

The lock on the front door had barely clicked when I rounded on Juju, who was supposed to know better. She spent her entire life doing the right thing and making sure she didn't have to live this lifestyle, only to let Damaris talk her into it with very little facts? I had to pick her brain and make sure she was down with this for all the right reasons before agreeing.

"Juju, you must have lost your mind—"

"I haven't lost my mind, Moe. If anything, I think I've found it. First Continental played the fuck outta me. I gave them everything and after one misunderstanding where I wasn't even wrong, they're gonna fire me like that with no warning. Fuck that! Fuck all these banks! I'm done with them."