Dezerai 4 pt 4 by Shak

[shak7]

Chapter 4
Back to the present

It was 8pm and Karmen zoomed down the mountain on I-5, the part of the interstate known as the Grapevine just outside of LA. She was 45 minutes from home without traffic. But in LA the word ‘without traffic’ doesn’t exist. She called her Mother Tanya to let her know she would be home around 9pm, give or take a traffic jam. She suspected Shalitha was already in town and she prepared herself for the inevitable confrontation. The closer she got the greater the emotions began firing through her. The first emotion was revenge, even though she thought she had let the Chicago incident go, she realized she had not. The thought of breaking something on Shalitha filled her with excitement. And she realized she did not just want to hit and run like they normally do, this time she wanted extended warfare….no one can leave……just stay there locked away in a private arena, no referees no family. Just free to beat the living shit out of each other! The winner walks away, the loser in an ambulance! She already had bloodlust, but when it came to Shalitha; she wanted them to engage in an intimate prolonged bloody bone breaking battle, just the two of them. Which brought her to her second emotion……she actually felt turned on at the thought of seeing Shalitha. They had never made love or expressed any form of sexual attraction to each other, but Karmen thought about Shalitha and how beautiful she was. She grudgingly admitted that Shalitha had an exquisite body, long, lean, muscular and powerful….just like hers! They would be a perfect match-up in both love and war. She found herself comparing her body to Shalitha's and each time they were even or damn near even. From physical strength, to flexibility, to skill level, to speed and power, they were mirror images of each other. They were the same height 6’3” the same weight between 195-200lbs. They both had long arms and legs, large powerful hands and feet. They both were considered gorgeous women with long natural hair braided in 2strand twist, no extensions or weaves. Their caramel colored skin shone when they worked out and both women loved competitive sports and hated losing. But the single most identical quality that these two women shared was their almost criminal like competitiveness. They were unforgiving and malevolent towards their adversary; they loved pain, especially inflicting it! Karmen sped up as she turned on I-405 south and headed for the Gardena/Carson area where her Mother and Grandmother lived. Traffic is always packed on the 405 which is said to be the largest freeway in the world. She settled in what normally would be called the fast lane on most freeways, but tonight that term did not apply. An hour and a half later she was home and Mama Tanya and Tanisha met her at the doorway with hugs. Karmen cried in the beginning when she first heard the news of Kenny's death two days ago, but she kept her overall emotions in check until she reached the family. Now that she is hugging her Mother and Step-Mother the tears began to flow again. Kenny's death was a devastating blow to the whole family and everybody was in deep grief. They went inside and Tanisha called the Grandmothers telling them they were coming over. Since the Matriarchs lived 2 doors down they were able to walk over. Everyone was happy to see each other and for the next several hours sat around the dining room table drinking herbal tea and wine as they caught up and talked about Latoya and how she’s handling Kenny's death. Eventually Karmen asked about Shalitha whether she is in town or not.
“She came in this morning honey” Dezerai answered her.
“She told us she was not going to start any trouble with you before the funeral, what about you?”
Karmen looked at her Grandmother Dezerai and spoke honestly.
“You have my word; I will not hurt her ‘before’ the funeral, but afterward” she then looked around the room at everyone……. “I will have my revenge!!!”
“You mean for Chicago?” Tanya asked.
“Chicago, High School……everything” Karmen answered. All the women shook their heads!
“You know me and Latoya feel like we raised a couple of bloodthirsty animals instead of humans. You two are too old for this shit….both of you are 32 year old professional women….LAWYERS AT THAT! You honestly don’t feel like it’s time to let the past go?”
“No I don’t” Karmen answered matter of factly, looking her mother dead in the eye!
“So if you break her jaw again or crack her ribs again……you’ll feel nothing?” Tanisha asked.
“Oh I’ll feel something alright………JOY!!!” Karmen answered.
“JOOOYYY!!!” Tanya answered stunned at her response….. “I can’t believe you said….JOY!”
“Believe it” Karmen answered her.
“You two really are not going to be satisfied until you damn near kill each other are you?” Tanisha asked again.
“Probably” Karmen answered her.
“You know this will never end until one of you is permanently injured or even killed!” Delesha responded.
“Maybe” Karmen answered.
“WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY….WHAT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE…WHAT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH…….YOU’LL THROW ALL THIS AWAY TO GET REVENGE ON EACH OTHER?” Tanya was screaming and stood up!
Karmen did not answer right away, “I agree this is all pretty sick, and truthfully it makes no sense and yes it’s difficult to comprehend. Over the years I’ve tried to make sense of it myself, and I’m sure Shalitha has to. But this is something we must do, I say we because I already know she feels the exact same way. You have separated us all our lives and we both love you for it, but we’re grown up now, you can’t separate us anymore. We will face each other after this funeral……one-on-one, all alone in absolute privacy and….” Karmen paused and looked around at each one…… “There will be blood!”
“You know Shalitha said the same thing earlier today?” Delesha spoke.
“That confirms it!” Karmen spoke.
She got up walked up to each one and hugged them, then turned and walked out the door heading back to the house.
“I think we have to brace ourselves for the inevitable, they are going to hurt each other, there will be blood and lots of it!” Delesha sighed.
All the women in the room were in pain…..but Tanya had her head down in disbelief!
“They gon hurt each other and bad! Oh Lord…..how in the hell are we supposed to deal with this shit after losing Kenny?”
No one could answer her…….finally Dezerai got up and sat next to her daughter holding her, while Tanisha sat on the floor in front and laid her head on her lap. Delesha came and sat on the other side of Tanya.
“It’s gon be bad ya’ll, they gon hurt each other bad!” Tanya had tears rolling down her face.
“All we can do is keep trying to talk some sense into them” Delesha spoke softly…. “Maybe somebody can get through.”
They stayed like that for another 15 minutes before the Tanisha and Tanya went home. They walked by Karmens room and saw the door closed with the light out! They went to bed with fear in their hearts, but Karmen slept like a baby, rested and peaceful with a smile on her face, for tomorrow she’ll wake up……….and stalk her enemy!!!
By 6:30am she woke up feeling good and ready to start some shit. She got a key from Tanisha and went to the Long Beach Dojo where she had an intense two-hour workout. By 9:30am she was back at home showered and planning her day. She found out Delesha was going with Latoya and Shalitha to the church to work on the funeral, afterward they would work on the legal transition of Kenny as CEO of the Martial Arts Academies to Sharif who was living in Atlanta at the time, but preparing to relocate to Los Angeles. Karmen decided to track their movements and follow Shalitha and play a game of hide and seek. She wanted a little psychological warfare before the funeral. Karmen drove over to the first appointment at the church and saw Latoya’s Jag in the parking lot. She decided to park down the street and wait. She didn’t have to wait long within 15 minutes Latoya, Delesha and Shalitha came outside. She barely saw anyone else as her eyes burned into Shalitha’s form. She glared as they headed for Latoya’s car. Karmen was parked in a spot she could not be seen. Since she had a rental car Shalitha, Latoya or Delesha would not recognize it. Shalitha was wearing a tight sleeveless shirt and speedos and Karmen studied her intensely. She looked like she was in tremendous shape her powerful arms and shoulders were cut and rugged. Her legs filled out the speedo and looked as powerful as ever. She looked like a gladiator ready for battle and Karmen found herself getting excited as her eyes narrowed in competitive fury. She touched her own powerful arms as she flexed while watched Shalitha. Karmen knew she was in as good of shape as Shalitha or better! She growled as she stared, it was as if Latoya and Delesha were not even there; her eyes were fixated solely on Shalitha as she got in the back of the car. Karmen started up the rental car and followed them. She followed like a professional keeping good distance, but never losing them. They drove to Culver City and stopped at an attorney’s office, Karmen assumed it had to do with the Dojos. She parked a safe distance again and watched as they got out of the car and walked in the attorney’s office. Knowing the complexity of the Dojos businesses Karmen knew they would be there at least an hour. She slipped out of the car and went to a Starbucks and grabbed a hot green tea to go; sure enough an hour and a half later they came out and Karmen glared at Shalitha as she got in the car. The coming war was getting her more and more excited. She then fired up the rental car and started to follow; soon they hit highway 90 and headed home. Once home Karmen parked the car down the street about 4 doors down from Latoya’s home. It was 2pm and Karmen had a feeling they were leaving again soon. 10 minutes later Dezerai came over and the four of them got in Dezerai’s car and headed back out. Karmen decided to call her Grandmother and invite her to lunch so she could gauge how long they would be gone. Dezerai said she was already going to lunch with Latoya, Delesha and Shalitha, but they should be back around 5pm. Karmen decided to go to lunch herself and be back at the house around 4:30. When 4:30 hit she was again parked in her spot waiting for them to return. By 4:50 they drove into the driveway and Karmen sat up alert. She was parked 4 doors down and across the street at an angle where she could see well. When the ladies got out Karmen saw Shalitha and focused on her. As they walked to the door of the house Shalitha suddenly stopped and began looking around. The ladies stopped and asked her if something is wrong. Shalitha didn’t answer but continued to look around and then focused down the street in Karmens direction. Her eyes fixed itself on Karmens car and for a moment Karmen thought she was seen. Karmen slid lower in the seat, in normal circumstances she would boldly reveal herself, but with Latoya and the Grandmothers there she decided to hide. Shalitha continued to stare at the car and Karmen slid a little lower in the seat. She noticed Shalitha’s eyes narrowing and her stare intensify. Karmen wanted to open the door and call her out, but decided against it. For several seconds Shalitha stared at the car, then suddenly turned around and walked inside with the ladies. Karmen sat up and smiled, for a moment it looked like she had been discovered and the idea thrilled her. She decided to wait where she was and adjust her plan to mess with Shalitha’s head. She began by first calling her Grandmother Dezerai telling her she couldn’t make it. She then began working on another plan to fuck with Shalitha. After several minutes Karmen settled on another plan and was preparing to put it in motion when the door of the house opened and Shalitha stepped out, closing the door behind her. She walked out to the sidewalk and once again stared at the car Karmen was in. This time there was no Latoya or Grandmothers and Karmen got pumped!!!
“Fuck the plan…..this bitch wants some now” she spoke excitedly!
Karmen immediately sat up emboldened and Shalitha’s eyes narrowed, blazing with fire! They stared at each other for several seconds, and then Karmen opened the door and stepped out, standing up straight staring Shalitha in the face. Shalitha forcefully pointed her finger at Karmen, then pointed to the side of the house away from the door and windows, the fence on the other side was tall and would block out the neighbors. Karmen was familiar with it and knew they would have privacy. She slammed the door shut and punched the lock, while marching toward Shalitha. Shalitha headed to the side of the house and turned waiting! Seconds later Karmen came storming around the side of the house heading straight for Shalitha with cold icy fury in her eyes. Shalitha matched her fury and headed straight for Karmen. They picked up the pace without slowing down and came with straight right hands aiming for each other’s jaw. They both missed but instead of backing off and gaining leverage to fire off another shot, they grabbed each other by the hair and banged their faces together locking mouths viciously. Shalitha bit her lower lip and Karmen locked onto her upper lip. They clamped down so hard their teeth actually broke skin causing each other to bleed. They were growling as they pulled hard, stretching each other’s lips back sadistically. They kept pulling until finally their lips snapped free from the vice grip of their vicious bite. Blood flowed from both lips and the ladies stared at each other with a vile sadistic smile. It was a weird sight, this strange evil greeting. Shalitha stuck her long tongue out and licked Karmens bloody lip, while smiling with evil delight, her eyes blazing with fire! Karmen stuck her own long tongue out and just as evilly licked the blood from Shalitha's lip.
“You stalking me bitch?” Shalitha asked smiling evilly.
“Of course I am!” Karmens own sick smile was spooky, her cold icy eyes locked into Shalitha's fiery ones!
They bared their teeth and with blood dripping from their tongues they stretched them out and licked them evilly together like two carnivores preparing for the kill!
“I knew I recognized that car trailing us when we left the funeral home; then later at the attorney’s office! Learn how to do a better stakeout bitch!” Shalitha was growling as she gripped Karmens hair roughly, pulling her close to lick her bottom lip again.
“Why don’t you teach me” Karmen matched her grip for grip and lick for lick.
“When this funeral is over, it’s you and me!” Shalitha growled with venom.
“When this funeral is over” Karmen confirmed their vicious pact!
Shalitha loved the sick cold iciness in Karmens eyes, as she drilled her own sick fire deep into Karmens sick ice! She then wound her hands in Karmens hair and snatched her face in so she could stare deeper in those cold eyes. Karmen matched her as she drank in Shalitha's flaming eyes! They were practically nose to nose when Shalitha issued another threat.
“You think Chicago was bad, I’ma break every bone in your miserable little body!”
Karmen grinned and yanked her in until their noses, mouths and foreheads crashed together, eyes locked in a sick stare-down!
“Really!” Karmen answered condescendingly, their lips rubbing together…..“That may be hard to do with me breaking each of your spoiled bitchy little bones piece by bratty piece!”
They took a few seconds to savor the heat of their competitive fire breathing breath blending hotly together!
“Why wait bitch?” Shalitha challenged impatiently.
“Yeah…why wait?” Karmen answered no longer caring who thought what.
With that they crushed their mouths together in for a vicious kiss, foreheads and teeth again banging together! They began snapping and biting at teeth, gums, tongues and lips, their shark like eyes staring eerily together.
“We had a feeling you two were out here!” Latoya called out.
They paused in the middle of their vicious kiss still staring hungrily in each other’s eyes, then slowly turned their heads towards Latoya, the sick smile still on both their faces, fresh blood flowing from their lips. Latoya stepped back alarmed! They saw the Grandmothers standing behind Latoya annoyed. They reluctantly unwound their hands from each other’s hair, stepping back, the sick smile never leaving….it was a spooky sight! Then Karmen licked the remaining blood from her lips and got serious as she spoke to Dezerai.
“Hello Grandmother, I apologize for lying to you, but as I told you last night, this isn’t over and blood will flow!”
She then nodded to Delesha….
“It’s good to see you also Grandmother Delesha.”
She then turned to Latoya….
“It’s especially good to see you, I wish I could have come over last night but obvious circumstances prevented that……I’m sorry for our loss………especially yours. Kenny was a great man and the Father of our family! When this is over I look forward to us sitting down and together making them pay for taking our Patriarch from us.”
She then turned to Shalitha looking her up and down disdainfully….
“You’re a fool for not speaking to him….other than Latoya he loved you better than all of us and you pissed his love away….you disgust me!”
Shalitha was visibly shaken with that and tried to answer but couldn’t. She glared at Karmen with venom, but her wounded eyes betrayed her. Suddenly Karmen fired a right hand hitting her square in the jaw. Shalitha’s face turned with the blow but barely moved. She lifted her head with vengeance and deadly fury in her eyes and glared at Karmen. Suddenly she fired a side kick with her left leg drilling Karmen in the abdomen. Like Shalitha Karmen barely moved and looked at her with her own cold vengeful fury. Without breaking eye contact Karmen slowly moved past Shalitha snarling and baring her teeth while walking away. She then stopped and looked back at Latoya…
“I’ll wait until after the funeral to call you, unless of course you need me in advance, you have my cell!”
She then looked at the Grandmothers….
“I apologize again for lying to you, I will call you later tonight.”
She flashed Shalitha one last look of contempt, again looking her up and down, then spit on the ground in front of her; she turned and arrogantly walked off! Shalitha’s mouth quivered with pain and anguish. She looked around without saying anything and walked past everyone heading to the front door. At that moment Karmens car drove by and they locked eyes again staring pure hostility and bloodlust in each other’s Soul! Karmen then peeled rubber around the corner and was gone! Shalitha went inside the house, heading straight for the backdoor and went to the Gym in the backyard and began working out. Latoya, Dezerai and Delesha felt like they needed to let Shalitha have this time alone, it was clear she was shaken by Karmen’s words. In her father’s gym, she worked out for 4 hours, going over katas, hitting the heavy bags and weight lifting. By the time she finished she was exhausted and came in the house, took a shower and went to bed.
“You’re a fool for not speaking to him…….other than Latoya he loved you better than all of us and you pissed his love away!”
Karmens words burned her wounded Soul and Shalitha found herself burdened with guilt and shame for her bratty selfishness. She didn’t want to eat that night and after she lay down she couldn’t sleep. Memories flooded her thoughts as she remembered how close she was to her Father. She grew up a Daddy’s girl and the idea of not sharing her life with him never crossed her mind, but ten years of not speaking to him, left her wounded. Karmen spoke the truth when calling her a fool! The pain in her heart was now unbearable. She also thought about Karmen and their violent, dysfunctional relationship. From the time they met they hated each other. Two 12 year old girls despising each other and over the years the animosity and vitriol just increased. There was the time when Aunt Dierdra passed away and she and Karmen went to the funeral. They were both seniors in High School and had a vicious fight. There was the time they saw each other at the mall during Christmas vacation and got into another fight and mall security and the police hauled them in and forced Kenny and Tanya to come pick them up. There was the High School basketball playoffs; there was Rio and the world championship tournament. But all that paled in comparison to Howard University because of the far reaching consequences. Then of course there is Chicago and Shalitha’s revenge. Revenge it seems was the obsessive game she and Karmen played, they were addicted to it! When one does something the other comes back for revenge. It was entirely plausible that one or both of them would suffer a permanent injury or even get killed! But like any true addict, she and Karmen was powerless to resist the fierce desire to break each other up! It was a bloodlust that her father Kenny detested, his warnings falling on deaf ears to either of them. When the funeral was over there would be a reckoning and Shalitha had to admit a potential for fatality!!!
***********************
At that moment Hakeem called Kenny Jr. checking on him.
“Hey little brother how you doin’?”
“Hurtin’ Man…….I always felt like if any man could live forever it was Dad!”
“I know how you feel…..this whole thing was a shock to me. I called your Mom yesterday and told her we would be in by tomorrow morning. Can you make it in?”
“Of course I’m comin’ in……but you must not have heard since you asking me this question…Mom moved the funeral to Wednesday, just in case we get to the championship on Monday.”
“Naw I hadn’t heard, but I was hoping she would move it…..so we gon see you Tuesday morning right?”
“That’s if we make it Big Bro……North Carolina ain’t no joke, we gon have to be on our ‘A’ game!”
“Please…….they ain’t got no one on their team who can deal with you!”
“True that….true that…….but still it’s gon be a hell of a game. What about Sharif I spoke to him right after Mom called me the night of the accident. He said he hoped to be there by now.”
“Naw he ain’t there yet, he needed to finish up the new proposals for next year’s funding cycle. He’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait to see ya’ll…..but it’s gon be hard Man……I don’t know if I can hold it together…..every time I talk to Mom I can tell she in serious pain…….and I don’t how the hell I’m gon react at the funeral and I talked with Shali right after Mom called me and she was even worse off than Mom, you know what I’m saying!”
“I know man, I can’t even imagine how that shit feels for her……they didn’t speak for 10 years and just when she plans to apologize and take him to Hawaii he gets killed!!! I can’t even imagine what that shit would feel like.”
“I know man…..look I need to go I got practice in 15 minutes, I’ll call you later tonight!”
“Alright…..I’ll be here packing.”
“Later!”
“Later!”
Hakeem turned off his cell phone, he felt a tear roll down his cheek, Hakeem knew how close KJ was to his father….Kenny’s death rocked him to his soul and he wondered if he would even be able to concentrate on the playoff game. He knew Latoya, Shalitha and Kenny Jr. may never get over this right. What made Kenny’s death so horrible is not only how it happened but when it happened. Kenny Jr. was a freshman at U-Conn and they were in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He was a 6’7” athletic freak and had a potential NBA career. Kenny Sr. was his hero and their love was as strong as anything Hakeem had ever seen. KJ was only 19 and mature for his age, but still he was only 19, losing his father like that would be unbearable. He would need his family over the next few weeks. Hakeem heard Shalitha was already in LA so he called her to check on her. After talking with her he called Karmen and see if she made it in. Over the years they became true brother and sister. She still to this day teases him because she is taller, but Hakeem physically is a bull of a man and despite her constant teasing her love for him matched her love for her biological brother Sharif.
Hakeem Davenport was a football coach at the University of Washington. He became the running backs coach after rupturing his ACL for the fourth time in his college career. The previous 3 happened in his second and third years and the last one was the worst of all and happened in his senior year. He had the same injury that derailed his Grandmother Delesha’s track career and Hakeem finally decided to give up his NFL dream and go into coaching. At 6” he had blazing speed from his tailback position and ran a 4.31 forty. But there was a recklessness about his running style which to those who knew him made sense seeing he was always competitive to a fault. Instead of evading tackles he would plow through them. His coaches were frustrated with him, because he had the speed and elusiveness to go around them. But alas he was a Davenport man and Davenport men prefer kicking ass to escaping. In time his injuries derailed his football career. But his knowledge of the game helped him to hone that competitive fire and become a fine coach. His sharp mind, steady hand and ability to inspire put him in a position to become a head coach soon at a major university. Going back home for the funeral and spending time with the family would be good for him. He was also a good husband to his college sweetheart name Ziyal and they had a 6 year old son Hakeem Jr. His wife was from Seattle, Washington and Hakeem chose to live up there with her and her family and coach at his alma mater. But in his heart he missed Southern California and his own family. The time back will be difficult, but seeing them again filled him with excitement.
Sharif Washington had just come from the Dojo in Atlanta, Georgia and was preparing to leave for Los Angeles in the morning. He and wife Ilyssa and their 2 daughters Sharifa and Winnie were preparing for a week long time of mourning. Of all the people over the years that Kenny had taught the Martial Arts, Sharif was a natural, he took to it like a duck takes to water, and he voraciously soaked up all of it. The training, the disciplines, the difficulties, the sacrifices all of it! Growing up Hakeem, Karmen, Shalitha, Kenny Jr. all learned the arts from Kenny but none of them embraced it as fully as Sharif. When he and Karmen moved to Los Angeles with their Mother Tanya he was 10 and heartbroken to be away from his Father Jermaine. But he saw Jermaine beat his mother Tanya and threaten to kill them. He remembers the fear from those times and the heartbreak. But it was in Los Angeles that Kenny stepped in and became the father that Jermaine failed to be and no one welcomed it more than Sharif. Of Tanya’s 2 children Karmen physically was tall and long like her father, but Sharif took after his mother. He was only 5’11” and had her slender light yet muscular frame. His athleticism was off the charts, resembling a gymnast. He could have worked for Cirque Soleil if he chose. Kenny called him a human Gibbon Monkey swinging from trees while laughing and pulling the ears of tigers and lions, because he was impossible to catch or corner. His reflexes were inhuman and his skill level was without peer! In addition his naturally reflective nature and easy temperament made him an ideal student of the arts. He not only learned what to do he always ask why. He was never satisfied with learning how to do a form he needed to know its purpose, its history, its reason for being. For a Martial Artist these are the attributes of Mastery. It did not take long for Kenny to see him grasp the inner intricacies of the forms, as well as mastering the technique and expanding its very ideal to better it. By the time Sharif turned 20 he was already a world champion in multiple disciplines. And his easy going temperament made him humble whereas Hakeem and Shalitha and Karmen were cocky, loud and boisterous, Sharif would win trophies and certificates and leave them in boxes in the garage never looking at them again. Watching him perform Katas in front of judges was a thing of beauty. Whether swinging a spinning staff and flipping it from hand to hand or performing damn near in the air with a Samurai sword. He had the electric hand speed of a Wing Chun master and the flying athleticism of a Capoeira Artist. His feet, knees, elbows and fist were weapons and his footwork was flawless, never getting caught off balance. After High School he went to Georgia Tech in Atlanta receiving his Engineering degree in construction engineering. He developed a love for designing blueprints for buildings and in High School presented Kenny and Latoya with ideas to upgrade the buildings for his Dojos. It was the beginning of his unique process of using engineering to improve his study of Martial Arts. Kenny’s Dojos were unique and tailored to the master and his clientele. From then on every piece of property owned was specifically chosen to be redesigned by Sharif. But his pride and joy was a custom designed Dojo in Atlanta after graduating from Georgia Tech and he loved it so much he stayed there to run it. By 30 he became a Master teacher of the arts and his engineering mind made him as Kenny would say a mad scientist in the circle of combat.
“You can’t outthink this kid, so don’t try. He has too quick a mind and his natural instincts are like the Gibbon swinging from tree to tree. He makes no mistakes, is formidable and has unshakable discipline, lightning speed and ferocious power!”
At 55 Kenny became recognized internationally as a Grand Master in Kung Fu.
“Sharif will be a lot sooner” he would say.
Another reason Sharif chose Georgia school of Technology for his engineering degree was to get reacquainted with his father Jermaine. It was a decision he would later say was a waste of time. Jermaine was married to the woman he divorced Tanya for and they had 4 children. Their family was very bourgeois and Sharif for all his easy manner and brilliance was pretty much rejected by his father and eventually Sharif could care less. In time Tanya could visit him in Atlanta anytime she chose, no longer worrying about Jermaine. Sharif made it very clear to leave his mother alone or there would be no need to call Kenny. He was a cultural throwback proudly loving Bob Marley Rasta music, yet old school Ice Cube, Tupac style Hip Hop and like Kenny he loved him some Strunz and Farah Latin Jazz, as well as weekend poetry groups, smoked a little weed and wore dreadlocks. He was a strict vegan, never touched alcohol and was a voracious reader. Academically he was a genius but refused to go along with the status quo. Like Hakeem Sharif married his college sweetheart Ilyssa. They met at Georgia Tech in his freshman year and have been together ever since, creating their own unique world. They are quiet gentle people and have a happy marriage with lots of trust and love. Their family studied Esoteric Islam, Gnostic Christianity, Rastafarianism, but became disciples of Zen Buddhism because it harmonized with the Martial Arts. Yet they rejected the austerities that is characteristic of the monks and nuns of Buddhism, even though they embraced the vows of Amida.
“We believe in Dravidian Buddhism and Indian Tantra, which was before Siddhartha” they would often say, but still embrace his teachings and gentleness of soul as the key to happiness.
“We have a religion of love and a heart for truth!” was their family motto.
Coming to Los Angeles for the funeral was painful for Sharif who in time considered Kenny his only real father. Ilyssa met Kenny in her freshman year and loved him instantly. Since then she kept close contact with the Davenports and the Washingtons. The Dojo in Atlanta was doing well and they had talked about expansion up north along the east coast. When the family heard about the accident it was a blow and Sharif immediately knew the burden of running all the Dojos would fall on him………fortunately he was ready. By Sunday afternoon all the Brothers and Sons were in Los Angeles and had come together at Mama Latoya’s, with Shalitha and the women of both families, all except Karmen. Who had been in town since Wednesday but was urged by her grandmother Dezerai to steer clear of Shalitha after their house incident 2 days ago. It was an urging Karmen admitted to her grandmother she may not be able to honor. She continued tracking Shalitha since their Thursday face-off, and she found that Shalitha was tracking her also. They would catch each other stalking each other and their bitchy little psychological warfare just added fuel to an already towering inferno. But in spite of their rivalry Karmen knew Shalitha needed time with her mother and Kenny Jr. who came in town. His team lost in the semifinals of the Final Four and Kenny Jr. was on the plane early Sunday morning headed back to LA. By his own admission he did not play well in the semi-final game and North Carolina blew out his U-Conn squad. All that seemed like ancient history to him and now all that mattered was the family and the funeral. The family made reservations at BJs in Long Beach and they filled the restaurant up with Davenports and Washingtons! Karmen knew about the dinner and held out deciding to wait until Monday to stalk her enemy some more; today she would hang out with old friends and then in the evening hang out with Hakeem and Sharif and both Mothers, since it had been years since all of them had been together as family, but little did she know Shalitha was preparing to up the ante. The next morning when she awoke there was a text waiting for her in her cell!
“Check your Gi from the Rio I-T!!!” It was from Shalitha. Karmen got up and walked over to the closet and opened it. Her Martial Arts uniform from the Brazilian International Tournament hung unused for the last 12 years. She checked the pockets……to her amazement she found an old DVD and a team pass that was given to all the participants. She immediately knew what it meant. It was the only time Kenny had allowed the 2 of them to be in the same room at the same time while doing Martial Arts. The demonstrations and the competition in Rio was one of the largest and most diverse on record. It was at Rio where the Shujaa Shule became well known (The name of Kenny's Dojo) Shujaa is Kiswahili for warriors and Shule is school or academy. All students who successfully passed through phase one of training were now members of the Shujaa Academy. His demand for focus and discipline was unwavering and it was to pay off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“I always thought I was the only one who kept all these momentos” She mused.
Karmen closed the closet door and walked over the desk and sat down. She inserted the DVD in her laptop. Her mind went back to that weekend as the disc loaded; Kenny took Karmen and Shalitha along with Sharif and four more of his top students. Latoya and another staff member also went for business and networking. Kenny was able to talk Shalitha and Karmen into cooperating long enough to get through Fridays events. Each group was to make their presentation on Friday night and competition would start the next morning on Saturday. Both ladies were 20 and in their first year of college and they were home for summer break. Kenny knew it was risky but if he could get them to cooperate during the Friday night presentation this would be one for the ages. He had trained them both in Crane Style Kung Fu and Serpent style Tai Chi and they had mastered the forms so much so the Katas was a dance that had to be seen to be grasped. Kenny took the 108 Tai chi forms and merged it with a dizzying array of single leg Crane spins, high and low blocks, leg kicks and whips off of one leg with dervish like movements from one stance to another. It was accentuated by their height and fluid swan-like movements. Each lady had mastered the form over the years, with incredible balance and speed. Once right after High School Kenny had them do it together at the Dojo………….it was the most incredible and fluidic movement he had ever seen. It was the martial arts cross between whirling Dervishes and Synchronized Swimmers and both Shalitha and Karmen performed it like they had rehearsed it together for years. When they were finished Kenny dared ask them to perform it at a competition in Baltimore, Maryland, but not surprisingly Karmen who was still stewing about the broken jaw which happened several months ago refused and Shalitha got angry and they ended up getting in an argument over it. Kenny chalked it up to a bad idea and sent Karmen home, thinking they would never perform that incredible Kata. But a year later they were in Rio preparing for the opening night ceremonies. The DVD picture now came in and Karmen fast-forwarded to the part where Shujaa performed. This was the first time she saw their performance from 12 years ago. She watched it in earnest as their performance was breathtaking. Karmen had to admit even after 12 years it was an incredible performance. Because the name of their Dojo began with the letter S they were the last to perform. Kenny encouraged them to give the judges, the combatants and the crowd something to remember. He decided to let Sharif perform his incredible Shujaa style Brazilian Capoeira Kata first and he absolutely wowed the crowd with his feats of damn near gymnastic like aerial artistry. But when Karmen and Shalitha came up next they absolutely took the breath away from everyone in the audience. Their grace and skill was incredible and they moved like two Muses or She Dervishes as they danced almost magically together. Every step was in perfect synch, every move, strike, stance and twist was artfully done and beautifully executed. Crane is primarily a defensive art and their ability to move backwards and sideways reminded one of the film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. When it was over they received a standing ovation. Karmen thought the DVD would end at that point, until she saw the MC request a demonstration of their defensive skill by facing each other! Karmen was shocked because she assumed the fight between she and Shalitha was automatically deleted from the DVD, instead here it is right in front of her. She watched as she and Shalitha stood up after sitting down, preparing to come back on the stage. Kenny knew letting them fight was risky and he vowed never to let that happen. But the audience cheered with anticipation and Kenny felt trapped so he relented. Karmen watched on the video as he walked up to the two ladies and spoke gently but firmly. “Karmen give them level three of Crane and Shalitha level four of Serpent.” Which simply meant Shalitha would be the aggressor and Karmen the defender; he did that on purpose because he was afraid Karmen as the aggressor would try to hurt Shalitha and this was to be demonstration only.
“Two minute demonstration then stop or I’m coming to get you is that clear?” Kenny warned them.
Karmen remembered all it, every single detail.
She and Shalitha walked out on the floor; Shalitha looked at her and smirked….
“I’ll try not to break your jaw……………….this time!”
Kenny heard it! “Oh shiiit!!!”
He whispered to himself as he looked at Karmens face…….she was now pissed and her eyes got ice cold, ready for blood. She cut them at Shalitha and whispered back.
“Please try I want you to!”
Shalitha grinned maliciously as they got in position and both took a one legged stance; Shalitha as cobra preparing to strike, but Karmen as Eagle with claws extended preparing for war.
“No, no, no……crane Karmen, CRANE!....she’s gonna turn this into a war!”
Kenny felt desperate and looked at Sharif!
“This is gonna be bad”….Sharif answered.
“Engage” the MC cried out.
Shalitha attacked quickly striking with either hand…..Karmen blocked and slid backwards easily. Shalitha changed angles and switched from Cobra to Tiger whipping a claw past Karmens face…..and Karmen smiled cunningly and spun with a reverse kick catching Shalitha on the side of the head. Shalitha was able to slide away from the kick lessening its impact and partially block it or else the force of the kick would have knocked her out cold.
“What the fuck!” Kenny moaned exasperated.
Karmen grinned……now pissed Shalitha launched an all-out assault using Wing Chun hand speed…Karmen adjusted and matched her as they fought hand to hand and moved in close quarters. Their hands fought for top position, to deliver head and throat strikes. Their quick hands a blur as each one tried to pin and strike the other. With each apparent advantage a head or throat strike was launched and blocked. They had a strange look on their face as they stared directly into each other’s eyes as they fought hand-to-hand. The look was vengeful and sadistic, but there was something else, there was pleasure…..and it was damn near erotic. Their eyes never parted as they engaged feet trying to strike the inside of their knees and dislocate it. Each lady countered the other and audience loved it and stood up cheering. Finally Karmen came in with a left hand lightning fast blow to the Shalitha’s solar plexus and followed it with a right hand knife strike from her powerful fingers to the throat and when Kenny saw it coming he froze fearing she would damage Shalitha’s wind pipe, but Shalitha felt it coming in and swept it with a right hand cross block, then pinned Karmens striking hand snatching it down and quickly shifting her own hand from defense to offense she rocketed a back hand and caught Karmen square in the face. Unfazed Karmen quickly caught the wrist and jujitsu style took her down while tightening a wrist lock, then rolling over and preparing to trap Shalitha’s arm in an arm bar. She then lifted her leg and attempted to jam it in the side of her head and stretch Shalitha’s arm to lock it in so she could break the elbow. Kenny and Sharif gasped; but Shalitha’s flexibility and skill were the only thing that saved her elbow as she brought her right leg up and struck Karmen in the side of the head knocking her forward and forcing her to loosen her wrist lock. She then twisted her wrist, freeing her arm and from the ground, then rolled forward coming to her feet right when Karmen was rising for another attack. Shalitha paused but it was a deception, as she wanted to bait Karmen to launch another attack, when she did Shalitha crouched and covered pretending she was caught by surprise, but it was only a decoy as soon as Karmen cock to fire a right hand to break her nose, Shalitha exploded upward with a cross hand block to protect her face and cocked her knee. She wanted to grab Karmens fist and snatch her into her exploding knee. But Karmen saw it coming then shifted her hands from a strike to a block while stopping her momentum and blocking the powerful knee aiming for her face. Shalitha not discouraged followed up with a straight kick then spun with a round house kick to the head….she wanted to break her jaw again! Kenny and Sharif were stunned and fearful as they were going for blood! Shalitha missed but followed up with a reverse round house and missed again because Karmens momentum was already going backwards and evaded it. But Shalitha persisted and doubled two more kicks, a reverse round house and another forward round house windmill style. Karmen evaded them all and was able to leap out of harm’s way. The audience gasped as they both grinned and went into Cobra stances and prepared to launch again when both Kenny and Sharif leaped onto the stage and intervened. The audience stood cheering perhaps thinking this was an act, but Kenny and Sharif knew these two crazy bitches were trying to decapitate each other. Kenny grabbed his daughter Shalitha and Sharif grabbed his sister Karmen. They did not try to fight to get loose, but stared each other down as they left the stage. Both women had strange smiles on their faces as they walked off. Kenny glanced over at Master Chin and Master Ramirez and they both had pained disappointed looks on their face, Kenny knew he was in trouble! At that moment Latoya rushed to the front and grabbed Shalitha as Kenny turned back to the judges and the audience to address them. He was despondent as he walked to the podium to speak briefly about Shujaa academy before turning it over to the MC for the closing addresses, while Latoya was taking Shalitha to the locker room Karmen stayed up front with Sharif. They stared each other down the whole time Shalitha walked to the locker room with her mother, the sadistic smile never leaving their faces! As the evenings events came to a close a frustrated Kenny told Karmen to stay right next to him as they headed for the locker room. Once there Karmen asked Kenny if she could go to the restroom. Kenny stayed within eyeshot of the restroom as he helped gather their equipment. Little did he know Shalitha anticipated Karmen going to the restroom and asked Latoya if she could go a minute before. She was hiding in the stall when Karmen entered the restroom. Because it is a women's restroom there are no urinals only stalls; Shalitha guessed Karmen would choose the first stall she saw as she entered the restroom so Shalitha sat on the seat in the next stall waiting. As soon as Karmen entered the stall, Shalitha was up and on her pushing her in and quickly closing and locking the door behind them. Karmen knew who it was immediately and spun to face her enemy. They grabbed each other by the hair and snatched each other in. Now face to face the two enemies grinned viciously pulling themselves together.
“I knew you would have to pee like a scared little puppy after our match, you never did have a strong bladder” Shalitha grinned sadistically!
“You should know bitch, you’re here” Karmens cold eyes glared evilly!
“You tried to break my jaw with that reverse kick…”
“You tried to break mine with that funky little flurry in the end.”
“You better be glad my knee didn’t rearrange that ugly little face of yours, it might have been an improvement.”
“How’s your elbow bitch? Another second I would have snapped it in two and taken it for a trophy!”
They were now nose to nose keeping their voices low so Kenny and Latoya couldn’t hear. The intimacy was intoxicating to the two enemies. Shalitha was grinning in her face when she issued a challenge.
“What say we have a real fight bitch……just the two of us…..may the real queen win?”
“What......like alone……are you actually suggesting we fight alone?”
“Yeah bitch….alone….no interruptions……the winner walks away and calls 911 for the broken and unconscious loser.”
“Wow…..this is different, usually your fights are flying elbows when no one is looking. Now you want to fight me, face to face? OK……your funeral!”
“Don’t act like I can’t beat you, I’ve trained longer under my father than you.”
“Yeah but I train harder and better, cuz you’re a brat and a lazy little cunt!”
“Cunt?.....that’s cute……considering you lost your virginity 6 years ago! Oh yeah, I know all about how much of a ho you are!”
“Really and you are what…….virtuous? We both know you suck dick better than you do Kung Fu!”
“Tell you what after I break a few bones why don’t I suck one of them after I pull it from your pissy little body and tell Mama Tanya what a ho you really are?”
“Hah….I’ll do you even better……why don’t we tell both our Mama’s at the same time…..before I snap and remove your brittle little bones and suck on em wif some tobacco sauce……besides you have way more hoochie stories to tell than me?!?!”
As they talked they pushed their faces together. They were now whispering threats inside each other’s mouths as they breathed hotly together.
“Your breath stinks bitch!” Karmen glared icily in her eyes.
“HUUUAAAAAAAHHHH” Shalitha breathed deep in her mouth, “hmmph” she smirked, “seems you like things that stink huh bitch?”
Karmens cold eyes were bright as she inhaled her in, their mouths now pushing together.
“You tryin’ ta kiss me now bitch?” Karmen grinned.
“You wish I would kiss you……you'd probably start cumming like a little girl right here and now!!!”
“In your dreams bitch!”
“The only dreamer here is you!”
Their thick lips were rubbing together as they continued whispering erotic threats. Their powerful fingers winding around each other’s hair making sure no one could move.
“I never realized you were such a filthy little skank!” Karmen growled inside her mouth.
“You’re the one who like’s skanky foul breath!”
“Fuck you and your foul ass breath!”
“HUUUUAAAAAHHHH…..” Shalitha exhaled deep into her mouth again.
Karmen inhaled deeply and unashamedly while staring her down!
Shalitha grinned…“Quit breathing it in if it’s so foul…..oh but that’s right you like foul!”
They were now smashed face to face….wide open eyes locked in a vicious stare-down, breasts and bellies now pressed together, long legs entwining.
“So how bout it? As soon as we get back Monday…..we go to a private place and have at it?”
Shalitha again threw down the gauntlet “I know the perfect place….no one will interrupt us!”
“Prepare to get broken bitch!” Karmen laughed in her mouth.
Shalitha was unfazed, “I’ll breathe in your face after I lay you out too broke to resist!” “Good…..that’ll give you something to dream about! But how about I don’t brush my teeth that day….that way my breath will be as foul as yours is right now……..I’ll breathe in your face after I break your weak little body before calling 911.”
They stared deep in each other’s eyes grinning sadistically, pushing their mouths in deeper together, teeth now pushing together, then as if they pre-rehearsed it they both took in a deep breath through their pressed together noses, then exhaled hotly together breathing deep in their mashed together mouths…..
“HUUUUAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
Their pelvises began swiveling together with that, then suddenly the door shook and Latoya called out.
“I know you both are in here come on out or I’ll bring the team in here and we drag you out!”
They stared each other down grinning for a few more seconds.
“Monday” Shalitha breathed in her mouth with a hot muffled whisper only Karmen could hear.
“Monday” Karmen breathed back.
Then once again as if they pre-rehearsed it, this time they kissed, it was an acceptance of war, quick, soft and tender, but full of malice and evil intent. Shalitha let go turned and walked out, followed by Karmen. Latoya immediately knew what happened by the flushed look of predatory lust on both of their faces. She shook her head and pointed to the door.
“OUT!”
The whole team was standing outside waiting…..everyone looked worried except for the youngest member of the team. His name was Larry and he was 19, a terrific young martial artist, but at that moment his eyes shone with youthful lust, that and the hard-on he thought his wide martial arts pants could hide. Shalitha and Karmen walked out with a look of disdain as they ignored the team and followed Kenny and Latoya to a private spot in the locker room. They met for 10 minutes and got up to leave with Karmen volunteering to go with Latoya back to the US, while Shalitha would remain and compete in the women's competition. It was for the best since Karmen would listen to Latoya more than her daughter Shalitha would….like most 20 year olds when it comes to their parents. The next morning Karmen and Latoya were on the plane from Rio heading to LAX. It would be the first time Karmen had a chance to really get to know the full range of Latoya’s business prowess. Though they had a good relationship before it was to go to another level after that! But the weekend belonged to Shalitha and Karmen, it was a beginning for them, when their vicious obsession first began teasing with the erotic. Though they never did get together on Monday as planned, due to Latoya dragging it out of Karmen; still their little encounter in Rio was to change the nature of their relationship from teenage hatred to adult hatred…….and erotic obsession!
Karmen smiled as she remembered that weekend 12 years ago. Now here is this new challenge in front of her 12 years later……to finish what they started. This time they are 32 year old women, not 20 year old girls trying to be women. Neither mothers, grandmothers nor family can stand in their way now……the gauntlet is thrown, the torch lit. Karmen thought about what is going to happen after the funeral while she put the Rio pass in her safe lock box where she kept her own copy of the pass. She actually stapled the 2 passes together as a sign of their oneness and the rivalry renewed! She then smiled competitively while touching her moistening pussy and growled.
”Wednesday she thought… this time we finish what we started…….WEDNESDAY!!!”
There was a knock on the door…
“Morning K, we going over to the Ladera Dojo with Latoya and meet with the board this morning before going to the church and handle the final arrangements for the funeral tomorrow…..SHALITHA’S NOT GOING!!!”
Sharif yelled out to make sure Karmen got it!
“We want you to come…..read over the legal documents make sure everything’s in order.”
“Why don’t you ask the bitch…..make her raggedy ass feel useful” Karmen scoffed, “and tell her I said it!”
“She said the same thing about you!” Sharif laughed.
Karmen felt her anger rising, but decided to help…..
“Alright, give me ten minutes.”
*****************************
It was the day of the funeral and Tanya, Tanisha, Hakeem, Karmen and Sharif were picked up by the limousine and taken to Latoya’s. There it would join with Latoya, Shalitha, Kenny Jr. Dezerai and Delesha who were in the main limo. Other family members were also there and they were preparing to caravan to the church for Kenny's funeral. After the service there was the burial then a special ceremony at the main Dojo in Inglewood. After that everyone would meet at Kenny's home for food and reflection. Karmen sat in the back of the limo as it drove in front of the home. She watched as her grandmothers emerged then Kenny Jr. Shalitha and Mother Latoya. Karmen could see the pain in the eyes of the family, but the emotions behind the eyes of Shalitha was more than just pain, there was guilt and regret, she could exploit that but felt hesitant. Perhaps it was her being 32 years old; perhaps they were so far removed from their last fight. Strangely she felt different……almost sympathetic to what Shalitha is going through. She studied her face as she approached the limo and noticed her eyes were red, her shoulders slumped. She looked drained and weary, like all the joy had been snatched from her. At that moment Karmen shook her head forcing herself not to think about Shalitha and what she was going through. They agreed after the funeral they would settle things between the two of them. This is war and she had to detach from sympathy for that selfish, bratty, disrespectful bitch. Shalitha deserved getting her ass kicked, and not just to teach her a needed lesson. She abandoned her father and made him suffer over the years. Kenny deserved better and Karmen envied Shalitha for having such a fantastic Dad. Her own father was an asshole with a capital A and it was Kenny who took his place as a real Dad and treated her as his own daughter. And Karmen loved him for it! Both families tried repeatedly to tell Shalitha she needed to be grateful to have Kenny as a Dad. But she couldn’t because she has always been a fool, a stupid bratty little cunt! Karmen felt her anger reasserting itself and she began to feel empowered. She was determined to beat the shit out of her bratty ass! She watched the brat get in the limo and Karmen felt the anger burn as she began cracking her knuckles imagining Shalitha being dropped by a right hand with a broken jaw just like at the gym locker room 11 years ago. She imagined Shalitha’s arm being broken from an arm bar. She imagined catching that bitch with a Muay Tai knee to her arrogant bitch ass face, shattering it in several places. She even imagined her breaking Shalitha’s leg and watching her helplessly try to fight on one leg and Karmen toying with her as she beats her ass slowly tortuously in the Dojo and enjoying every fucking minute of it, while talking shit and torturing her mentally.
“Yes” she thought to herself, “tomorrow will be sweet revenge, not just for me, but for Kenny ‘OUR’ Father!!!”
She put her shades on and sat back as both limos took off and headed for the church.
****************
The service was painful; it was one of the most painful experiences anyone in both families ever experienced. Karmen sat on the second row and just to the right of Shalitha who sat in the first row. Latoya and Kenny Jr. were inconsolable as they cried throughout the ceremony. But Shalitha was different….her pain came from a different place. She didn’t want to be touched or spoken to. She refused to look at the speakers who came forward and when the time came for the processional to view the body, Shalitha refused to get up. The entire family was wailing and Karmen was sobbing with them. All of Kenny’s students from around the country were there and tears flowed from them all. There were even people from China, Japan and Brazil who knew Kenny and trained with him and competed against him. Council members were there and you could also see the pain in their eyes.
The time came for the immediate family to walk to the casket, Kenny Jr. went first and laid his first tournament trophy on his father to be buried with him. He began calling his Father over and over and began sobbing in pain as his friends and family led him out! Latoya was next because Shalitha refused to move. Latoya got to the casket and kissed her husband’s cold hard lips. She began weeping hard and screaming….
“Oh my God” over and over again, “What am I going to do without you” she kept screaming!!! Eventually a crying Delesha and Dezerai were able to lead her out. They knew Latoya may never get past this! But Shalitha sat in the pew and refused to move, her face stony, tears running down uncontrollably from her reddened eyes. It was only Tanya and Tanisha who sat next to her and after gentle prodding got her to stand up and walk to the casket. When she got there she looked down at her father for the first time in many years and predictably she crashed on the spot. She fell to her knees and screamed….
“I’m sorry Daddy…..Oh God….Oh God….Oh God!”
Latoya and Kenny Jr. though devastated themselves ran to Shalitha and wrapped their arms around her as they all huddled together and cried on their knees in front of the casket. Delesha, Dezerai, Tanya and Tanisha huddled with them and for the next several minutes they cried and held each other, the grief was like a knife piercing their souls! And it was at this moment that a curious thing was happening to Karmen; she watched as Sharif and Hakeem walked up to the front with the family huddled together at that time of pain. Sharif waved for Karmen to come but she couldn’t move. The entire time her eyes were on Shalitha and against her will she felt her pain and wanted to comfort her. She was now crying for Shalitha and though she was still bitter against her…..at that moment she felt her pain, she wanted to be with her! Soon the family was able to make it to the limo and head to the cemetery. The burial was short, but Latoya, Kenny Jr and Shalitha were still in a bad way. They sobbed throughout the burial service. The rest of the family gathered around them and held them, Karmen stood back watching Shalitha. Finally the short ceremony was ended and everyone climbed back in the limos and headed for the Dojo for a short ceremony. Once there Karmen sat discreetly in the back and watched the back of Shalitha obsessively the entire time. Maybe she felt Karmens stare; but after several minutes Shalitha turned her head and she and Karmens eyes met and held. But this time the stare was not angry and full of hate and venom, but pain and weariness. Neither eyes moved or blinked as they held their stare. Finally after several seconds Shalitha turned back to the front and Karmen looked away and wiped her eyes, she had tears! She was hurting and confused, this time she didn’t want to break Shalitha in two, but to hug her and tell her it was going to be alright. She knew she needed to get away soon and rediscover her venom, before tomorrow. The special ceremony was given by the Martial Arts world to honor Kenny. His portrait was placed on a special shrine erected in his honor and candles were lit. Baba Sensei as he was affectionately called was now considered an honored ancestor and everyone who came to the Dojo would pay him respect at the shrine erected in his honor. A few words were spoken by the Masters from China, Japan and Brazil and his students paid him special homage. But the keynote address was given by Sharif who was his prized student and was like a son to him. His speech was moving and full of honor and meaning. Afterward everyone approached the shrine and laid a token to honor his memory. Then the short ceremony ended and everyone was headed to Kenny’s home for food and reflection. Karmen knew she wasn’t going and decided to slip out quickly right after the closing address. With her keys in her hands she hugged Latoya and Kenny Jr. and turned to leave…..but Latoya had something else in mind.
“Karmen!”
Karmen turned to face Latoya.
“I want you and Shalitha to come with me in my office!”
As they followed her, Latoya called Tanya and asked her to join them. Once in the room Latoya closed the door and asked everybody to sit down. This was a meeting between mothers and daughters. Latoya made it very clear that the family had enough funerals this year and that she wanted Shalitha and Karmen to let go of the past and make amends to each other. If they can’t then at least postpone the fight for a few weeks and let cooler heads prevail. But predictably they refused. For the next 10 minutes she and Tanya passionately tried to talk sense into the two rivals but it was to no avail. Right in front of the mothers both Karmen and Shalitha warned them to expect the worse………
“There will be broken bones and lots of blood……someone WILL get hurt!” they both promised.
Karmen and Shalitha told the mothers they would meet at the Dojo tomorrow at 10am. They demanded the families not to go anywhere near the Dojo for 24 hours, if they did, both Karmen and Shalitha would go to a secret place to have their war. The only compromise the 2 combatants agreed to is to call 911….‘WHEN’ someone is so seriously injured they are in need of medical help. The mothers were distraught and Tanya began screaming at both of them begging them to stop this madness before someone does something so tragic to the other that it cannot be fixed.
“YA’LL WEREN’T RAISED LIKE THIS” she screamed. “You sound like two sadistic bloodthirsty animals……….WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?”
They ignored her pleas until finally Latoya relented.
“Alright…..you two fools have your 24 hours…..I just hope we still have 2 semi-healthy daughters when this sick shit is over!”
Then Latoya closed with this……
“Kenny would be ashamed of both of you and you know it, this is dishonoring the memory of your father Shalitha and the man who loved you like a father Karmen!”
“HE TAUGHT BOTH OF YOU BETTER!” Tanya echoed her as both mothers stood up.
Karmen and Shalitha also stood up unmoved, then turned and looked at each other, staring each other down, with blood in their eyes! Both mothers could see the malicious resolve in each of them! They moaned and knew they failed. Latoya told Shalitha to leave with her first. After they walked out Tanya left with Karmen. Karmen then pulled out her keys and turned to leave. Just when she got to the door she turned and saw Shalitha staring at her………they held their stare for several seconds their eyes stony and deadly! Karmen then turned and walked out the door………..both families saw it!!!
“Let me talk to her!” Sharif told Tanya.
“She ain’t gon listen…..her sick ass mind is made up!” Tanya was crying.
“Let him try” Dezerai touched Tanya’s arm.
“I’ll work on Shalitha tonight” Kenny Jr assured them.
Sharif kissed his wife and children goodbye and headed for the door. Hakeem quickly grabbed his keys and joined his brother....
“I’m coming with you!”
He also kissed his wife and son goodbye and headed out the door with Sharif to hunt Karmen down. Tanisha pulled a distraught Tanya in her arms and kissed her cheek.
“It’s gonna be alright” she lifted Tanya’s face up and looked her in the eye….. “It’s gonna be alright!”
By now Shalitha had grabbed her keys and was walking out the door without looking back at the family. Tanisha looked at Latoya and the family…..
“We raised them right………it’s gonna be alright!”
Tanisha was always the most level headed and reasonable one from both families. Usually when she spoke everyone paid close attention.
The grandmothers nodded their approval.
“We need to listen to her…..they were raised right!” Dezerai spoke up.
Delesha hugged her daughter and Tanya.
“They were raised right!” she echoed Dezerai.
“FAITH!” Tanisha spoke out loud…..“we have always been a family of faith…..they were both raised right!”
Everyone nodded and Latoya walked up to Tanisha and hugged her thanking her.
***************************
“Ms. Bruce Li vs Ms. Jet Li”………Hakeem laughed as he spoke out loud, he and Sharif drove to the house hoping Karmen went home. “If them two crazy bitches go all out, one of them will die!”
“That’s why we have to talk some sense into Ks head” Sharif answered.
“And hope KJ can talk some sense in Shali’s head” Hakeem finished.
“You know this shit is all your fault Keem!” Sharif looked at him.
“How is this my fault…..I’m not the one making these two crazy fools try to kill each other?”
“Don’t play innocent Keem, you started this rivalry 20 years ago, when you instigated that shit between them at the Y!”
“WHAT…..OH HELL NAW….I WASN’T…..”
“Stop it Keem” Sharif was laughing at him as he tried to down play his role.
“You was the one telling K, that Shali can kick her ass……you was the one laughing when K got beat in that basketball game when they were 12. You was the one jumping up and down pointin’ and instigatin’ that shit when they first met. And you was the one over the years talkin’ shit to K every time she and Shali met and faced off. And you was the one laughing in Ks face when Shali broke her jaw in High School in that playoff game.”
Hakeem tried to laugh it off nervously….
“Look man maybe I was a little crazy with instigatin’ that shit, but come-on man I was just fuckin’ around and talkin’ shit, but this crazy shit they doin’ now ain’t got nothing to do with me!”
“Ain’t got nothing to do with you? Oh please Keem, why you think K use to kick your ass and torture you so bad growing up, you talked and talked and talked and would never shut up! I use to warn you man………just shut the hell up and leave Ks crazy ass alone……BUT NOOOOOO……you just had to keep talking and talking and talking!”
Hakeem had to laugh at that because he knew it was true. Of all the family members Hakeem’s nickname was ‘The Mouth’ because he never shut up!
“OK, OK…..I admit I may have talked a lotta shit growing up….but I ne….”
“MAY HAVE???” Sharif laughed out loud interrupting him! “Keem you a born shit talker…..Mama Tanisha said you came out her womb takin’ shit!”
“Fuck you man” Hakeem was now laughing with Sharif as he kept talking…..
“In high school every time you scored a touchdown you would get all up in the defense’s face and talk shit. When you made a defender miss a tackle or if you scored the first down, you talked and talked and talked. I remember Coach Thomas telling you to shut the fuck up or get benched!”
They both were laughing as they drove up in the driveway.
“But I heard you a helluva coach, because you can fire up a team with all your shit talking…..make them young boys wanna run through walls for you.” Sharif turned off the car.
“Hey God gave me this mouth Bruh!” Hakeem laughed as he also got out.
“Or the Devil” Sharif finished for him.
"You better be glad Master Kenny was around, when we wuz little, because K woulda killed you a long time ago."
Hakeem was still laughing.... "Hell no….no fucking way!"
"It's true" Sharif was also laughing "a couple of times K was gonna go Mafia on your shit talking ass.....she was talking about pouring concrete on your dead body and burying you under one of them new housing developments, they was building in the valley."
"WORD?" Hakeem wasn't laughing now.
"Yes...she actually picked out the housing development......that's why I use to tell you to leave her crazy ass alone."
"Man shut the fuck up....you lying and you know it!" Hakeem started laughing again.........nervously.
Sharif stared at him......he wasn't smiling.
"I'm serious....she was planning that shit!!!"
Hakeem stared back at Sharif no longer laughing.
Then Sharif broke out laughing.
"I'm just fucking with you......but K is crazy enough to kill someone!"
Hakeem started laughing again................nervously!
They noticed Karmens rental car was not there so they figured she made a stop before coming home.
“You got her new cell Reef?” Hakeem asked.
Sharif pulled out his cell and called her, Karmen saw the number and knew it was Sharif.
“Don’t try and talk me out of it Reef, tomorrows gonna happen whether the family likes it or not; just tell everybody to stay away” Karmen answered Sharif's question before he could ask it.
“And if you or any family or friend show up at that Dojo, me and Shalitha already have a place picked out that none of you know about. In fact we better not even see a car parked within a mile of the Dojo. This is between me and her so stay away, we’ll call you when we’re finished!!!”
Sharif knew his sister, to say anything else would be a waste of time. In fact if he kept talking they would go to that unknown place just to spite them.
“You two have enough skill to kill each other; please come out this alive, and no permanent injuries!”
“Can’t make no promises little Brother, I love you and tell Keem I can hear him running his big mouth in the background; tell him I’ma kick his ass when I get back!”
Sharif told him and Hakeem grabbed the cell phone.
“WE AIN’T LITTLE NO MORE K! DON’T MAKE ME MOVE BACK HERE AND WRESTLE YO TALL ASS DOWN, YOU MAY BE BETTER IN KUNG FU THAN ME, BUT I WRESTLED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE!”
They both laughed…….it was good to laugh with her baby brothers again!
“I love you too Keem.
“We love you too K…..please come out of this alive, whole and healthy, both of you.”
Karmen told them she would not be coming home tonight so don’t come looking for her. She loved them and will see them soon. They hung up and then called the mothers and the grandmothers to tell them the bad news.
“Shalitha's gone too and didn’t come home, and I don’t think she will either. All we can do is have faith and pray” Tanisha spoke to her son Hakeem.
The die was cast the gauntlet thrown everybody braced themselves for the bad news when tomorrow’s blood match is over, all except Tanisha who gently and lovingly kept the family encouraged.
“We did the best we could…….we raised them right……faith is all we have now!”

To be continued