Page 7 of Fraudulent Beauty

“That’s what’s up. People go viral every day, but it’s still not easy to do.”

Tahli and I talked the entire way to the sports bar, and I really didn’t want to end the conversation. We planned to meet up the next evening since I was off. I was going to pick Sierra up from school and spend some time with her before dropping her off at her grandmother’s house. I wasn’t sure what was up with Gina, and I didn’t care. As long as my child was being taken care of by a responsible adult, I didn’t give a damn what Gina did. Maybe she’d grow up one day and realize that she was someone’s mother.

When I walked into the bar, I saw Nook seated at a table in the corner. He was already drinking a beer, and a shot of something sat in front of him. I hoped he was cool. I never knew how his attitude could go when he was into it with Sheniah. Or maybe they had made up. I had been busy with work and hadn’t spoken to him in detail.

“What up?” I slid into the booth.

Nook finished off his beer and let out a small burp. “Not shit. You working this weekend?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I need my stuff from the house, and Sheniah won’t let me get it. I’m trying to avoid an argument. I don’t want to get into it with her. I just need my clothes, shoes, and the bed out of the guest bedroom. She can keep all the other furniture. I don’t expect you to get the bed though.”

My brows hiked. “You’re seriously moving out?” The night of the cookout, I thought Nook was just drunk and talking. It didn’t matter how much him and Sheniah argued. I still didn’t think he would really move out.

“Yeap. I can’t take it anymore, bro. I was hoping you could go by, and she’d give it to you without a bunch of drama.”

With a shake of my head, I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Is that really what you want to do?”

“Yeap.” His tone was short and matter of fact. I was sure he’d answered that question a million times. His mother loved Sheniah and so did his sister. Everyone was more than likely trying to talk him into staying.

“I don’t know,” I replied slowly. “I can go by when I get off work, but if she won’t give it to me, then I’m not going to argue about it either. You know I stay out of you and Sheniah’s shit.”

“This is one of the reasons I want to leave,” he started as the server came over to take my drink order. After I ordered, Nook tossed back his shot and continued. “She told me to get out if that was what I wanted to do. But when I try to get my stuff, she won’t give it to me. Talking about I must have found another bitch. I haven’t been anywhere near another woman.”

“Is this what it’s like after you’ve been with someone for a long ass time?” I inquired. “You just wake up one morning and decide it’s not what you want anymore?”

Nook chuckled. “Like I told you the other night, it wasn’t overnight. I’m tired of arguing and yeah, I’m tired of being with one person. It might sound fucked up, but I’m not the only person that feels that way. That’s why so many people cheat. At least I’m leaving instead of being unfaithful.”

I didn’t respond. He had to do what worked for him. I wasn’t going to try and talk him out of leaving, and I wasn’t going to encourage him to stay. People gave their opinions and advice when I left Gina, and I didn’t want to hear any of it. My mind was made up, so there wasn’t anyone that could say anything to change my mind. I tried to stay for my daughter, and I couldn’t do it. If Nook truly wasn’t happy anymore, no one could tell him what to do.

The server brought our drinks over. I wasn’t sure how many that made for Nook, but I was going to have three drinks and be done. If I wanted to get fucked up, I did so in the comfort of my own home or I rode with a designated driver. Driving drunk was dangerous. I wouldn’t do it even if I wasn’t a police officer, but I for sure wasn’t going to lose my job due to getting a DUI. It was my opinion that anyone that got a DUI should be made to tag along on a few calls when we responded to accidents caused by drunk drivers. Most times, the driver walked away without a scratch, and it was innocent victims that left the scene in body bags.

I watched Nook get shit faced, then he got mad when I wouldn’t let him drive home. He was on the outs with Fred, so I asked Clint to come get his car from the bar since they were roommates. He got an Uber there, and drove the car back. Something told me Nook’s ass was about to be out in the streets acting like the bachelor from hell.

It took a lot of effort for me not to roll my eyes, but the woman on the other end of the phone was getting on my nerves. I had already explained how the CPN process worked, but she was still asking me dumb questions.

“So, if I use the number, I’m guaranteed to get the apartment?”

I inhaled deeply and attempted to keep a pleasant tone. I could have lied to her like most people did when they sold CPN numbers, but I wasn’t going to do that. “No, it’s not a guarantee. A CPN is like having a new social security number. There is no identity attached to it, so you can’t be denied for having bad credit. They won’t find any evictions or anything like that, but I can’t promise you that you will get everything you apply for.”

Getting caught using a CPN was actually a federal crime. It was fraud, and if she was smart, she knew that. Why else would I be charging her $375 for the number?

“So, if I don’t get the apartment, can I get the $375 back?”

I had to take a minute before I answered because shorty was really blowing me. I was close to hanging up on her and blocking her number. The money I was charging her wasn’t going to make me rich, but I made the decision to try and stick it out and get the $375 that I had earned from answering all her questions.

“I don’t guarantee anything, and I absolutely don’t do refunds. So please purchase at your own discretion.”

It was her turn to pause. I was sure she had to process my words, but I didn’t mind. I would rather keep it real with her than to have her coming back on some rah rah shit because I didn’t need the attention. If she didn’t buy the CPN someone else would. I sold at least four a week. That was a minimum of $1,500. I was riding the wave while I could because the more people began to get evicted from their places or arrested at car dealerships, people were going to slow up on buying the numbers.

“Okay,” she sighed. “This is really my only option. I have an eviction already on my credit, and my car was repossessed last week. Nobody will rent to me unless it’s a private landlord with a rental in a shitty neighborhood. I don’t really have anything to lose. How does it work? You take cash or what?”

“You can send me the money via Cash App or Zelle. When I get the payment I send the number.”

I gave her my information and a minute later, I heard a notification come to my phone. Pulling it away from my ear, I saw that she had sent the money. In return, I texted her the number. I had just heard about a situation where a guy used a CPN to lease a condo. It was a real nice high rise, luxury spot on the beach. Apparently, the leasing office knew he was using a CPN, but they let him sign the lease, and they took his money. They also let him pay the first month’s rent. A day after he paid the rent, someone knocked on the door asking for the name of the person attached to the CPN. When he couldn’t produce that person, they told him he was in the residence illegally, and he had to get out or the police were coming.

Purchasing CPN’s was a gamble. Just like going in a store with a stolen credit card. I had taken quite a few chances in my life, and I was getting less comfortable seeing things through. Prison was a very real possibility and the more I thought about it, that wasn’t a place that I wanted to be. Life was too damn expensive. I never thought I’d see the day where people making $30 an hour were struggling but how could they not when the average rent in a decent area was $2,000 a month? I damn sure didn’t want to live with my mother for the rest of my life, but I needed a serious cushion before I left the nest again.