Free Trap House by Sa'id Salaam Page A

intervention, the guard reasoned, remembering how she had strayed herself. Luckily, the people in her own life stuck by her and got her through it.
    “What the fuck took you so long?” Tiffany barked through clenched teeth when Kim finally made it to her register.
    “I had to pee,” Kim lied, her mouth twitching uncontrollably. “Mmmhmm,” Tiffany replied, ringing up the clothing. This, their second lick of the day, came to over $900. They had struck $400 just a few hours earlier.
    With them becoming more brazen and more frequent, Mrs. Lovejoy decided it was the day to make her move.
    Tiffany she was getting careless, but she had to have it. Every since she had smoked that heavily laced blunt with Wanda, her usage had doubled. She was blazing her way through an eight ball of hard every day now, but even that was a pittance compared to what Kim ran through her shooter every day.
    “Thank you. Come again,” Tiffany said professionally as she handed Kim her purchase.
    “Oh, I will.” Kim giggled, amused by their scheme.
    Tiffany’s expression changed to horror when she saw security approaching.
    Kim saw it and turned to investigate. “Oh shit!” Kim exclaimed and tried to run for it. Being a crack whore, she was pretty nimble, a skill honed from darting through the traffic in pursuit of johns. She made it exactly two steps before being apprehended by the large female guard.
    “You two come along quietly,” Mrs. Lovejoy said sternly. “No need to embarrass yourselves any further.”
    “Wh-what’s going on?” Tiffany stammered most unconvincingly.
    “We’ll discuss it in my office,” Mrs. Lovejoy said, leading the way.
    The group followed in silence as Tiffany’s co-workers pointed and whispered.
    “Sit down,” Mrs. Lovejoy demanded as she sat behind her desk. “Not you!” she said to Kim, who tried to take the empty seat next to Tiffany. “You stand!” She looked at Tiffany, with a hurt expression on her face. “I cannot believe you have been stealing,” the supervisor said, her voice on the edge of breaking. “I’ve known you your whole life. I remember when you were born,” she continued as a single tear escaped her eye.
    Tiffany was unmoved by the display of emotion. All she was concerned with was how she was gonna get high. A slight smile spread across her lips when she remembered the $200 in her car from the earlier lick.
    “Do you find this amusing?” Mrs. Lovejoy demanded, misunderstanding the smirk.
    Tiffany remained mute, her eyes glued to the floor in front of her.
    “Well? What have you got to say for yourself?” Mrs. Lovejoy asked, pounding her desk. “What’s gotten into you?”
    “Excuse me, ma’am,” the plainclothes guard interjected. “I believe I can answer that.” She snatched Kim’s shoe off and held up the crack pipe.
    As ominous as it looked, Mrs. Lovejoy had no idea what it was.
    “It’s a pipe to smoke crack cocaine,” the guard explained, answering the tacit question contorting the supervisor’s face. “This one was smoking drugs in our bathroom,” she added, thrusting a finger at Kim.
    Mrs. Lovejoy gasped. “Tiffany, tell me you are NOT using drugs!”
    “No. I—” was all Tiffany could get out before another guard spoke up.
    “Ma’am, she is definitely using drugs,” she said solemnly. “I know the signs. My sister just passed from drug use.”
    “This is going to absolutely kill your mother,” Mrs. Lovejoy announced.
    “Please!” Tiffany begged. “Please don’t tell my mama.” She clasped her hands as if in prayer as she begged for respite. “Please! I’ll pay back every penny,” she pleaded.
    “I’m sorry, but it is out of my hands now,” came the supervisor’s reply. She nodded her head to the guard at the door.
    On cue, the guard opened the door, and in walked two Dekalb County police officers.
    Tiffany had never experienced the feel of handcuffs before, but it was business as usual for Kim. The women were marched right through