Get Somebody New

by Lewis, Michael

  “Why are you looking like that?” Rachel asked.

  “It’s Nadiah’s cell phone.”

  “I wonder what she wants.”

  “Who knows?” I responded equally confused.

  “Hello, Nadiah?”

  “Hey Alton, listen.”

  “Why are you whispering?”

  “I need your help.”

  “My help? What kind of help?”

  “My husband and I had a fight. He just went crazy. He is talking all off the wall and I think he is seriously going to try to do something to me.”

  “Did you just call me a couple of minutes ago?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wait that was Elias’s number. What are you doing there?” I asked still confused.

  “That’s my husband.”

  “You are married to Elias? How in the hell…”

  “I don’t have time to explain that.”

  “You need to call the police. I can’t come over there. We had a run in before.”

  “That’s why we are fighting. I found an envelope with the police report and pictures and shit. I just found out. He didn’t tell me anything about beating that girl up or you coming over here.”

  “If I see him I just might whip his ass again.”

  “That’s fine by me. That bastard hit me and busted my lip.”

  “Certainly you know I can’t come over there to defend you?”

  “So you’re gonna sit there and do nothing and just let this fool do something to me after you saw what he did to Rachel?”

  “But when you got married, you remember calling me and telling me how the grass was greener on the other side? How you’d finally gotten a real man? What happened to all of that?”

  “I’m sorry OK. I shouldn’t have said that. I was mad because you moved on to somebody else.”

  “Yeah you went chasing the green grass and found out it was weeds huh?”

  “Fuck you Alton Allen. What was I thinking calling you in the first place?”

  “I really don’t know. You should be calling the police!” I said before she ended the call.

  Ezekiel

  After Randall went back to Atlanta I was not as worried about Jazz, still worried, just not as worried. I didn’t even need to ask Jazz whether or not he did it, because I knew he didn’t. Randall was a competent lawyer and I felt comfortable that he would represent Jazz well.

  After about 3 weeks of filming I couldn’t concentrate anymore no matter how hard I tried. The thought of Jazz was becoming too much of a distraction. I knew I needed to put my best foot forward because the opportunity I had was huge. My mental distraction must have been apparent because the director pulled me to the side to discuss it.

  “Zeke, what’s going on? You seem to keep zoning out. I know you know your lines. Something must be on your mind.”

  I didn’t want to tell him all of my business but I needed to tell him something.

  “I’m sorry. I just… my ah….”

  “Is this about the trouble in Atlanta with Slade?”

  “Yes. How did you know about…?”

  “Hollywood is a small world. Gay Hollywood is even smaller. We have a way of keeping up with our own.”

  “We?”

  “Yes. I understand your worry. Those are some serious charges.”

  “I am trying to stay focused, I am so worried. I know he is innocent and we just sorta made up.”

  “I’ll tell you what, go on back to Atlanta and tend to your “personal issues” or at least that’s what I’ll tell anyone who asks. There are quite a few scenes without you that need to be filmed. We’ll just do those scenes to give you a chance to take care of things, but when I call you to come back you will need to be here. Those scenes will take about 3 weeks at least so you think that will be enough time?”

  “Yes. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome, now go and support your man with his FINE ass!”

  “You think?”

  “I’m certain and I know he is packing too!”

  “Huh? How do you know that?”

  “Cause he got the big package walk!”

  “What?”

  “The big package walk. It’s a slow, relaxed walk, with the legs apart and the pelvis tilted slightly forward. Instead of walking with one foot in front of the other, the legs sort of swing out a little before coming forward. When they are really confident they add a subtle bop in the stride.”

  “I never even thought about it but that’s his walk described exactly. He even has the bop you described. I’m not satisfied with that explanation of ‘we keep up with our own’ How did you know about us?”

  “I was in Atlanta a while back. I just so happened to be in a certain Club Rain one night when he introduced you as his baby. As I recall, there was another absolutely delicious thing with you two that night. Tall, light brown, light eyes and he REALLY had the “BP” walk.”

  “Oh that is my cousin. We are more like brothers. Hate to disappoint you but he is straight.”

  “That’s okay, I’m sure that didn’t keep him from being the subject of many fantasies that night, including mine.”

  “What am I gonna do with you?”

  “Walk to the door for me.”

  “Umm okay.” I said as I walked to the office door before he told me to stop.

  “I was just checking. You got it. So the answer to the question you just asked is … anything you want to do with me.”

  “I got it?”

  “Yeah the walk.”

  “Oh, you are so out of control.”

  “And this is true. Okay go on and get that man of yours off. I mean that in more ways than one.”

  “You are special in the head! I’ll see you when I get back. Thanks again.”

  “No problem.”

  By the time I got home the drama had already started. Actually it was sitting in my driveway in the form of Jamal. I was ready to shower and go to bed. When I saw the red Chevy Tahoe in my driveway, I knew that plan would not take flight.

  “Hey I need to talk to you.”

  “Why are you sitting in my driveway? How did you even know I was back in town?”

  “Well I need to talk to you and I am not going away until I do.”

  “So talk?”

  “Inside.”

  I really didn’t care what Jamal wanted to talk about but I figured if I let him come on in and talk then the sooner he could go.

  Jamal followed me into my bedroom.

  “You know your boy is done. If I have anything to do with it his ass is gonna get the death penalty.” He said.

  “Jazz didn’t kill Marlena. I know him and I know he didn’t. The case is weak anyway.”

  “You’ve played with him long enough. You know you want to be with me. It’s time to stop this.”

  “This is not some game. You and I are through.”

  “Zeke you have no idea what I gave up for you. I gave up a lot and I didn’t do it for nothing. You are gonna be with me and that’s all to it.”

  “Okay, this conversation is over.” I said as I moved toward the door.

  “No it’s not! Come back here. You’re not just gonna walk away from me.”

  “Jamal what are you doing? Let me go!”

  “Not until you say you still love me and that you’re gonna be with me.”

  “Jamal are you crazy? Let me go. I’ll never be with you again. Every time I look at you I think about seeing you and Darian and I- I..”

  “You what?”

  “I hate you! I hate you for what you did to me! I didn’t deserve that. I could have never done to you what you did, and with my best friend. I hate you Jamal!” I said as all my feelings came flooding to the surface all at once.

  “Stop saying that. You still love me.”

  “I hate you Jamal!”

  “Don’t say that again, I’m warning you.”

  “I hate you!” I said again.

  The next thing I
felt was his palm across my face. After he slapped me he grabbed me around my neck.

  “I told you not to say that. When I get through with you you’re gonna forget those words.”

  I ducked his punches as they came toward my face. Since he couldn’t get my face he began punching my body.

  “You crazy bastard I’m gonna kill you for putting your damned hands on me!”

  My mama always told me you don’t run from nobody. If they are bigger than you, pick up the nearest thing and knock the shit out of them. I did just that. The heavy glass vase on my nightstand was the nearest thing and soon it was meeting his head…. Hard!

  “You little bitch! You’re gonna be sorry!”

  “I already am! I am sorry I ever met your crazy ass!”

  Just as he came toward me Alton opened the door.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Alton didn’t wait for an answer before he charged forward.

  Alton flew into a rage. Once I caught my breath, I reluctantly began to pry him off of Jamal. His hands were clutched around Jamal’s throat like a vice. Rachel came in to see what was going on.

  “You want to put your hands on somebody huh? Fight me then! Fight someone your own size!”

  Jamal couldn’t answer because he couldn’t breathe. His eyes were bulging and turning red. It was obvious he was losing consciousness. Rachel and I pleaded with him to let him go. Finally he listened to us.

  “Get your ass out of here!” Alton shouted.

  “Man you just messed up.” Jamal shot back.

  “Put your hands on him again and you’re a dead man. I promise to God I’ll kill you!”

  Jamal, embarrassed yet again, hurriedly left.

  “Zeke you okay?”

  “I’m fine thanks.”

  Eighteen

  Jazz Hardaway

  When I walked in the room and saw Zeke I wanted to turn and run right back out. I slowly walked over to him and took a seat at the table. He looked at me silently for a moment and I could tell he wanted to touch me just as I wanted to touch him.

  “Zeke, I thought you were in Cali.”

  “I was but I came back. My director decided to change the shooting schedule and do the scenes I wasn’t in to give me time to come back home.”

  “Zeke I don’t know how I got into this, I really don’t. It seems like I can’t stop messing up. I know I let you down again.”

  “Jazz this is not your fault. This is a set up plain and simple.”

  “Zeke I didn’t get a chance to say this at the airport and I want to say it now. Zeke I love you with everything inside me. Nothing means anything to me, not the career, not the money, none of it means anything if I can’t share it with you. I feel like I’ve been held hostage by an image I have to keep and I just can’t do it anymore. I love you. I want to be with you. I’m not ashamed, and I don’t care who knows.”

  “Hindsight is 20/20. I wish I would have just stood up to Marlena when she first made her advances. My career may have taken a little longer but I wouldn’t be here now. I’m sorry Zeke. I thought I was doing a good thing, I really did.”

  “I understand Jazz. I am not mad at you. There is more going on than we know about and I think it’s all about to hit the fan.”

  “Here’s a little bit of other news for you. Nadiah remarried but you will never in a million years guess who she married?”

  “I’m scared to ask.”

  “Elias.”

  “Elias as in Rachel’s ex?”

  “The one and only.”

  “Damn! Things are getting crazier by the moment.

  “They were fighting last night and Nadiah called Alton to come to her rescue. He told her to call the police. I don’t know how they ended up together with their bad tempers and abusive ways.”

  “Their mean evil asses are just alike that’s how.”

  “Jamal somehow found out I was coming home and was waiting in my driveway when Alton and I got there. He told me I was getting back with him and didn’t have a choice. I told him not a chance and he went crazy. Luckily Alton was there and stepped in.”

  “He didn’t put his hands on you, did he?”

  “He did and I hit him in the head with that vase from my nightstand.”

  “If I was with you where I shoulda been none of this would be happening.”

  An officer came in to let Zeke know that visiting time was over. On the way back to my cell the officer informed me that I had been moved to a different area.

  “Why?”

  “All I know is you were reassigned and your stuff was packed up. They just told me where you were supposed to go.”

  “Alright”

  I wasn’t there even 10 minutes before I saw a guard bringing Randall down the hall to the cramped cell. The officer opened the cell and Randall waited until he was out of sight before he started talking.

  “Jazz, I got some great news for you.”

  “I could use some. Do you know why the hell they moved me to this small ass cell?”

  “That’s the news. This is a holding cell. They are processing you out right now. You are going home as soon as they finish the paperwork.”

  “You’re not playing. I’m getting out of here for real?”

  “For real!”

  “Does Zeke know?”

  “No, I figured it could be a surprise.”

  “So did they find out who killed her?”

  “Yes they found the killer. I’ll tell you about that once I get you out of here. I’m gonna go check on your paperwork. It shouldn’t be too much longer.”

  After pinching myself a few times, I was convinced it wasn’t a dream. About 30 minutes later an officer came and opened the cell to take me to releasing where Randall was waiting for me. The officer removed the handcuffs. I signed some papers, got my stuff, and headed straight for the door. Randall and I heard a loud commotion, some shouting, and a gunshot. The only thing we could see was a cluster of officers trying to subdue someone. The brother was giving the 6 officers a full workout too.

  When they finally got control of the man they lifted him and stood him upright. He was still struggling and cursing at the officers but his movement was limited and he couldn’t go anywhere. He looked like he was having a seizure or something. He was sweating while muscles and veins bulged in his head and neck trying in vain to free himself. I caught a glimpse of the dude and had to check myself because damn if it didn’t look just like Jamal. I walked over to get a closer look and that’s when I noticed he was wearing a police uniform. When he turned his head again I was within 2 feet of his face and got a good look at him. It was that bastard Jamal.

  “What the fuck you looking at?” He spat.

  “I’m looking at your Simple Simon ass. They finally caught your crooked ass huh? What did you do? Try to frame somebody else?”

  “Fuck you!”

  “Nah, I’ll pass. I’m about to go let Zeke take care of that. Randall let’s go.”

  When we got in the car my curiosity returned.

  “So Randall, who killed Marlena?”

  Marlena’s Demise

  As Jazz approached Marlena’s front door, he never even noticed the SUV with tinted windows parked on the opposite side of the street. Inside that SUV sat a man wearing dark glasses with his gaze trained on Marlena’s house. He sat there seething with anger while he imagined what activities were taking place inside the house. Although he couldn’t see them, his imagination was quite accurate about the activities of Jazz and Marlena.

  Two hours later the man still sat in the SUV and watched Jazz go to his truck. After sitting for a little while longer, he decided it was time to carry out his plan. Just as he started across the street, Jazz got out and went back to the door. Once Jazz came back out, he waited until Jazz drove off then got out. As he made his way across the street another car pulled into Marlena’s driveway. A man stepped out of the car and walked quickly to the door. Marlena greeted him with a kiss at the door
wearing a sexy black negligee. The stalker recognized the negligee as the same one he’d purchased as a gift for her. Her audacity to wear it while greeting another man for an obvious sexual rendezvous angered him even more. After all, Marlena was his wife and she was about to engage in adulterous activity with yet another man only minutes after the last one left.

  After about 5 minutes a car sped down the street and stopped abruptly in front of Marlena’s house with its tires screeching. A woman jumped out of the car and her anger was unmistakable. She pounded on the door with a closed fist. After a moment Marlena answered the door. When the angry woman caught a glimpse of the shirtless man standing behind Marlena in the doorway clumsily adjusting his pants, she went into attack mode.

  “Markeith you’re a lying dog! I knew I couldn’t trust you. I don’t know why I took you back!” She shouted to the man.

  “Shay is this really necessary? Don’t cause a scene. I just borrowed him for a while. You can have him back when I’m done.” Marlena said to her.

  Shay grabbed Marlena by her hair and pulled her out of the doorway and into the front yard. After punching her relentlessly about the face and body, she threw Marlena to the ground. Markeith tried to intervene.

  “Come on Shay get off of her. I won’t mess with her again I swear. Come on baby don’t hit her no more.”

  “Get your paws off me dog! When I get through with this bitch, your ass is next!” She shouted.

  Markeith took that as his cue to get in his car and leave. After the situation died down, the man in the SUV was finally able to make his move. Before he lost his nerve, he jumped out of his vehicle and darted across the street. He knocked on the door and waited for Marlena to answer.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” She asked.

  “Never mind that. People have been telling me about your whoring ways but I didn’t believe them. I finally saw it with my own eyes tonight. What about us reconciling?”

  “I never intended to reconcile with you. I played you, just like you played me. It doesn’t feel good does it?”