by AnDerecco
She went into the kitchen and into the pantry. She looked on the third shelf and pushed some can vegetables out of the way. Behind them is where she hid a .22 magnum. She pulled it out and placed it in the waistband of her running shorts. She pulled her shirt over it to conceal it.
As she walked back towards the bedroom she smiled again at Deacon. When she got into the room she reached for her cell phone. She dialed Jeremy’s number.
JEREMY
Moni sup?
MONIQUE
I need you to get over here ASAP.
IAN
Who did you call?
MONIQUE (taking the phone for her mouth)
Jeremy.
JEREMY
Is everything OK?
MONIQUE
Just get over here.
She pressed end on her phone.
IAN
Why did you call him?
MONIQUE
Because I pay the bill on this phone.
IAN
I don’t want him over here.
MONIQUE
I don’t want to hear that shit. You love him and he loves you.
IAN
You know that he is going to bring Eric with him.
MONIQUE
Good. That way I can shoot twice in one day instead of wasting two days.
Ian looked at Monique afraid of what she was plotting. Monique was one of few words but her actions spoke volume.
XXVII
The doorbell rang at Monique’s apartment. She raced up the hall to answer it. When she opened the door there stood Jacob and Matt. She was overjoyed to see him in good health and spirit. She covered her mouth as she hugged him. Jacob held her tightly. The tears flowed down. She let go of her hug and pulled him in the apartment.
As she sat on the love seat beside Jacob she noticed Matt behind her. She cocked her head to the side in wonder.
MONIQUE
Matt what are you doing here? Wait a minute…you found my Pops? How? Where?
MATT
Well Monique…
JACOB (interjecting)
Baby, let me explain something to you. As you remember, when you were three years old your dad shot me and then turned the gun on himself. You asked me a few years ago why Ellis killed himself. Well he caught me …
Suddenly the doorbell rang again. Monique got up to answer it. Dennis stepped in the door and before he could say hello he spotted Jacob. Jacob leaped from the love seat to embrace him.
Dennis gave him a kiss that was lingering. Matt could not tolerate the sight of them kissing. The expression on his face was dreadful. His mind was telling him to leave. Matt stood up and told everyone that he had an errand to run. Jacob directed him to have a seat. Matt stood and folded his arms.
Dennis went to Matt and shook his hand.
DENNIS
It’s good to see you again.
MATT
Same here. How have you been?
DENNIS
These last few days have seems like months. But to see my Ace sitting here, my heart can finally slow down.
MATT
Ace?
DENNIS
Yes. That is my name for him. He is my Ace. He trumps all others.
MATT
OK. If you say so.
DENNIS (surprise)
Deacon!? What are you doing here?
DEACON (smiling)
I was wondering when someone was going to pay me any attention. Um, Ian called me out to come out and help with the rescue mission to find Jacob.
DENNIS (hugging him)
Man thanks for coming out to help.
As they were hugging Dennis whispered in his ear, “Are you sure that is the only reason you are here?” Deacon patted Dennis on the back three times and told him everything was ok.
DEACON
Anytime. You know that you are like family to me.
DENNIS
Yeah I know.
MONIQUE
Can everyone have a seat? Pops was about to explain something to me.
JACOB
Well…as I was saying Ellis accidentally shot me and then turned the gun on himself.
MONIQUE
Because he caught you cheating with your ex…wait a minute (getting upset)…I know that this is not the guy you were having an affair with.
JACOB
No. No. NO. That was Gerald. He is long gone. If he was to walk through that door I wouldn’t have anything for him.
Before Jacob could fully explain his story the door opened.
XLVIII
Jeremy walked through the door with Eric on his heel. Eric stopped in his tracks when he saw Jacob. He felt as though his heart skipped twenty beats, beads of sweat popped on his forehead, and he felt his knees get weak.
Jeremy came around and gave Jacob a hug and told him he was glad he was ok. Jacob could not take his eyes off Eric.
Eric tried to back out of the door but to no avail Jacob called him over.
MONIQUE
OK…is everyone here that is relevant?
JEREMY
Monique you told me to get over here ASAP. Is this the surprise?
MONIQUE
Oh damn. No. I forgot. With the excitement of seeing my Pops I forgot that I called you. But I will tell you about that later. Pops I want you to finish your story.
JACOB
Well to make a long story short. Eric abducted me from the hotel, drugged me, and when I woke up I was in this room locked away. When I came to myself this man (pointing to Matt) was standing over me.
MONIQUE
Matt? Why would Matt be standing over you?
JACOB
Monique…this is Ellis.
You could hear a mouse piss on cotton the room was so quiet. All eyes turned toward Ellis and Eric. Monique stood and walked to Ellis. She looked at him with different eyes. She wanted to speak but nothing would come out. She reached out her hand to touch his face. She touched his hair. She played with his ears. She could not believe that the man she thought was dead was standing in her presence.
Suddenly a burst of anger hit her like lighting in the sky.
MONIQUE
But you told me your name was Matt.
ELLIS
My name is Ellis Matthew Walker. I remember when I first learned that you moved here I wanted to tell you then. But I couldn’t. That is why I came up with a plan to get Jacob here. I wanted have my family back that I have longed for.
JACOB
Ellis tell everything.
ELLIS
Monique you are going to hate me when I tell you this but I want to be honest with you. I…I…accidentally killed Teddy. I planted a bomb on the door to kill Dennis. It would be detonated by whoever opened the door. Before I could call to get Dennis to open the door, Teddy opened it. Honey I am so sorry.
Monique stared through Ellis. She could not move. Suddenly she collapsed to the floor with a thud. Jacob fell down to her. He positioned her on her back. He checked to make sure that she was breathing; he elevated her legs so that it would restore blood flow to her brain.
Someone call 911. Before Jeremy could get his phone out of his pocket she began to come around.
JACOB
Are you alright?
MONIQUE (rubbing her head)
Yeah. Why am I on the floor?
JACOB
You fainted.
ELLIS (kneeling beside her)
Honey are you sure you are ok?
MONIQUE
Get away from me. You liar.
JACOB
Monique give him a chance.
MONIQUE
What the hell for? This man abducted you and put all of us through hell the last couple of days. (Turning to Ellis) You are supposed to be dead and right now I wish you were.
JACOB
Monique stop!
MONIQUE
No Pops. No. And don’t you sit there and be stupid. If he has been alive all this time why didn’t he tell us before now?
/> ELLIS
My sister wouldn’t allow me too.
MONIQUE
Oh your sister (sarcastically). Well where is “your sister”?
ELLIS
She died a few years ago from cancer.
JACOB
Just like your mother (heartfelt). I am sorry to hear that.
MONIQUE
Well I am not. This man was in my life and left me. Then he’s back but didn’t tell me who he was. All the lunches and dinners that we went to together, what was that?
ELLIS
I was trying to get to know you better.
MONIQUE
Bitch you could have told me then who you were!
JACOB
Monique watch your mouth before you get knocked the hell out.
MONIQUE
No. (stepping up to Ellis) And you killed my husband. How could I ever forgive you?
ELLIS
It was an accident. I apologize. I didn’t mean for it to happen.
MONIQUE
The hell you didn’t. Let’s say that Dennis had opened the door and it was him that was killed, would you have told Pops that you did that?
Ellis dropped his head.
MONIQUE
See Pops, this man is about shit.
JACOB
That’s the last time with your mouth Monique.
Monique looked at Jacob and then Ellis. She picked herself off the floor and walked over to Dennis. She gave him a hug.
MONIQUE
I want you to know that I love you. You were there for me more than I can remember. You are my dad. (Turning back to Jacob) Pops don’t be a fool just because this man has come back into your life.
She walked over to Ellis.
MONIQUE
I will never forgive you for killing my husband.
She storms off to her bedroom.
DENNIS
Hang on…how did you survive a gunshot to the head?
Ellis turned his head and showed where the bullet entered his head.
ELLIS
This was a non-critical area of my brain. The bullet didn’t have time to do any damage. In and out, thankfully.
DENNIS
You know what; I can forgive you trying to kill me. As you can see that plan wasn’t meant to be. I won’t forget but I you best believe that I will be watching your every move from now on. And Eric – how did you get involved? Why would you do this to us? And your punk ass saw how we were frantic and looking for Jacob. You acted as if you didn’t know anything.
Jeremy turned and looked at Eric.
JEREMY
Eric is this true?
ERIC
I met Matt…Ellis, whatever his name is in the store one evening after talking to Ian. Matt overheard our conversation, came to me and told me he would pay me to bring Jacob to him. I needed and wanted the money so yes I did it.
JEREMY (shocked)
Why?
ERIC
Didn’t you hear me? I needed the money.
JEREMY
So you took money over friendship.
ERIC
I am not friends with any of them. You are my only friend and you know that. Monique never liked me because of Ian and Teddy. Ian never liked me because he was jealous that I got Leronnie. That is why he came to you.
JEREMY
That I definitely don’t believe. I think that you have been lying to me about a lot of things.
Ian and Monique came walking up from the back. Everyone was shocked to see Ian’s face. Deacon stood up and walked over to him. Before he could make it Monique pulled the gun from her waistband and pointed it directly toward Deacon.
MONIQUE
One more step and I will meet your soul in hell.
JACOB (nervous)
Monique, baby, put the gun down.
Jeremy raced over to Ian.
JEREMY
Baby what happened?
Tears began to flow down Ian’s face again. He threw his arms around Jeremy’s neck. Jeremy walked him over to the table and sat him down in a chair.
JEREMY
Monique pass me a napkin.
MONIQUE
Dad will you get him a napkin. I am not about to take my eyes off this piece of shit.
ELLIS & DENNIS
OK.
MONIQUE
Not you Ellis. You are no longer my dad. Dennis get it for him.
JEREMY
Tell me what happened.
IAN (sobbing)
I can’t. I am too shame.
MONIQUE
This bastard raped him.
JEREMY
WHAT?!
Ian crying got harder and louder. Jeremy took the napkin to dry his tears.
ERIC (mumbling under his breathe looking at Ian)
Little bitch…crying because he can’t take manhood.
Ian heard the words that Eric mumbled. He got up and walked over to Eric. Eric took a step back afraid of what Ian might do.
IAN (sniffing back his running nose)
Don’t step back. Jeremy come here.
Jeremy walked over and stood beside Ian. Ian’s eyes never left Eric.
IAN
You said that Eric put the condom in the toilet at the house right?
JEREMY
Yes.
IAN
You got mad with me and left. You said that you went over to Eric’s that night and got drunk. So you didn’t drive home so you slept on his couch right?
JEREMY
Yeah.
IAN
I got a text from your phone saying “I enjoyed that hot tight azz. We will have to get together again soon. Headed by Joshua’s house.” Did you send that text?
JEREMY
Hell no!
IAN
Did you go to Joshua’s house?
JEREMY
No. Come on now. If I was too drunk to drive home why would I drive to Joshua’s house? Hold up…Eric you took my phone and sent the text.
ERIC (boldly)
I did. Ian don’t love you. He has never loved you. He can’t love you the way that I can.
Jeremy shook his head in disbelief.
IAN
I am not finished. What about the dildo? Tell him Eric.
ERIC
I left it in his truck Jeremy used it on me one night when we were drinking. I was horny and I asked him to penetrate me with it. Yes we used it maybe twice.
JEREMY
Bitch you are lying. I never used a damn toy with you. I had never slept with you until the other night.
This stunned Ian.
IAN
So you did go to bed with him?
JEREMY
Well yeah but it was only that one time.
IAN
Jeremy – he is HIV positive.
JEREMY
What?!
Jeremy rushed Eric to the floor and choked him. Jacob and Dennis wrestled with Jeremy to get him off Eric. Ian stood there hoping that he would squeeze the life out of him.
JACOB
Did you use protection?
JEREMY
Yeah but the condom broke. I tried to pull out but he told me to finish.
MONIQUE
And you listened like a fool?
Jeremy walked over and punched a hole into the wall.
MONIQUE
You know you are going to pay to have that patched right?
Jeremy screamed at Eric to get out.
ERIC
Fine. I will leave. But I can tell you this – I have money in my pocket thanks to Ellis and can find a man whose stroke is better than yours. You two deserve each other. You are simple. You could never handle a man like me Jeremy. You are weak.
Eric turned and stormed out of the door. Jeremy looked at Ian and hugged him.
JEREMY
Baby can you ever forgive me? I was stupid. You were only looking out for me because you love me.
IAN
Yes I forgive you but we are going to get tes
ted.
JEREMY
I am fine with that.
XLIX
MONIQUE
Ok – glad that all of that is settled. Now can I shoot this guy?
DENNIS
Hang on “Annie Oakley”. Deacon, did you do this?
DEACON
Man, you know me better than that. I wouldn’t rape anyone.
DENNIS
Yeah I do know you. How do you even know Ian?
DEACON
We met a while back. He was having issues then with his lover. We hooked up and got close. I came here to help find Jacob but as we can see everything worked out for the good. Jeremy and Ian, I guess, are back together. You have your man back.
DENNIS
So where does that leave you?
DEACON
I am good.
DENNIS
Ian, did he force you to have sex with him.
IAN (still holding on to Jeremy’s arm. He looked at Deacon and thought about the gang rapes)
No.
This answer surprised Jeremy. He released Ian hold.
JEREMY
So you gave up the ass voluntarily?
DEACON
And it was good.
JEREMY (turning to Deacon)
Get fucked up!
IAN
I thought that you were cheating on me. So I had a few drinks and I met him and sometime later we had sex.
JEREMY
Damn. Just that easy huh.
IAN
Don’t start Jeremy.
JEREMY
An easy bitch is what I am married to.
Ian picked up the vase that was in the center of the table and smashed Jeremy across the side of his head. Jeremy immediately fell to the floor. Dennis and Jacob went over to help. Jacob took the table cloth from the table and pressed it against the wound.
