“What? I can’t believe you.”
“I knew all about your little fling dropping you. I used you. I knew you wanted Jazz out of the way. You played right into my trap and made it effortless for me to blackmail him. Don’t worry I plan to compensate you for the pictures you took. That was really the clincher, the icing on the cake. I just told you we could reconcile so I could easily manipulate your gullible ass. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”
“Yeah, but I don’t appreciate you whoring around having people laughing at me because the whole world know my wife is getting it poppin' with every dick that swings!”
“Don’t blame your being a joke on me. You are the one flaunting your boyfriend while you were still my husband. You lost the right to say anything about what I do when you started fucking men. I’d rather be a whore, than an in denial, faggot –loving, down low, confused pack of skittles like your fairy dusted gay ass.”
“I tried to get a divorce and end this, but you wanted to be difficult. What were you doing in there with Jazz for 2 hours?”
“Wild, sweaty, ass slapping, jungle fucking! That’s what!”
“You didn’t even give your hot ass a chance to even cool off before going on to another man. Don’t you have any shame?”
“I have about as much shame as you do when you’re bending over grabbing your knees for another man.”
“Shut up slut!”
“You go first!”
“I’m gonna make you pay for making a fool of me.”
“Sleeping with Jazz had a double advantage. He fucks like a stallion and he’s hung like one too. Your little boyfriend now knows how I felt. He slept with my man, now I’ve slept with his.”
“You did all that to get back at him? He doesn’t know you exist.”
“You’re sticking up for your little boyfriend, how sweet. Did you show him off to your colleagues, friends, and everybody else every chance you got?”
“I mind my business.”
“Are you afraid of what they would think if they knew you were sleeping with a man? I can’t believe that since you were so proud to tell me.”
“I better not catch you with another man Marlena. If you divorce me, you can have all the men you want. Until then, you are not gonna have everyone laughing at me questioning my manhood because you are sleeping with every man in town.”
“You just said a mouthful. I need a real man, something you are not! I think I’ll send memos out to all of your friends and coworkers telling them about your little DL activities. I’d love to see how much of a man they think you are then.”
“I’ll show you how much of a man I am.”
“Go home. Get off of me. I don’t want you.”
“I’m gonna make you sorry you ever insulted my manhood.”
He overpowered Marlena and pinned her to the floor. After achieving an erection, he shoved the hardening member inside her forcefully. He grew angrier as he thought about the way she’d mocked him.
“What in the hell are you doing? Get off of me! I said stop!”
“Bitch, you wanted a man. I’m gonna show you a real man.”
“Stop fooling yourself. You are incapable of being the real man that a real woman like me needs.”
He pounded himself into her harder and harder trying desperately to prove a point to her. Marlena was not one to ever relinquish control of a situation. He may have bested her physically but she still knew how to manipulate him mentally. She glared at her estranged husband coldly then started laughing at him. She mocked him unmercifully as he tried unsuccessfully to convince her of the adequacy of his manhood.
“If this is the kind of weak sex you gave your little boyfriend it’s no wonder he left you. You are embarrassing yourself. Quit while you can save a little dignity. This is pitiful.”
“You bitch!” He screamed as he pulled away from her in embarrassed anger.”
The man’s eyes took on a distant look as if he were looking into a portal to a time far away in the past. His ears went deaf, his mouth went mute, and his touch went numb. As if in suspended animation, all sense of being became a void. Minutes later as his ears began to hear, his mouth began to speak, and he began to feel, he looked at Marlena in absolute horror.
She lay on the floor covered in blood, her once beautiful and delicate features were no longer recognizable. Her face so mercilessly beaten not one bone remained intact. Repeated blows of her attacker’s fist had crushed them all. Marlena made a gurgling sound as her lungs filled with blood. The sound rekindled her attacker’s rage causing him to choke her. She lost consciousness as the life left her body.
The attacker descended into a psychotic abyss of no return, fading in and out of his self-awareness. Each time he returned to cognizance of reality, he flew into a rage all over again. As Marlena lay in a dead heap on the floor he continued to kick her limp, lifeless body over and over. After he exhausted himself, he calmly stepped over the body, took his keys from his pocket, removed his shoes, and darted across the street to his vehicle with them in his hand. He left in the same manner that he came.
“The murderer was Marlena’s husband.” Randall explained.
“Her husband? She was married? I’d like to meet the man who had the unfortunate luck of marrying her.”
“Actually, you have gotten a good look at him more than once. You talked to him only minutes ago. He was the one fighting with police as we were leaving.”
“Jamal?”
“Yes.”
“What the fuck am I in, the twilight zone? Jamal and Marlena were married? No wonder things happened like they did. They were equally ruthless.”
“They’ve been married for the last 8 years. After hearing the argument on the voicemail, I did a marriage license search and found out she was married to Jamal. We also got a lot of information from Marlena’s diaries. He apparently left her for a man and she made the divorce a challenge every step of the way. She also vowed to get even with the man Jamal left her for. Once police read the diaries, they turned the investigation to Jamal. When they closed in on him he confessed everything. He told them about the argument, the sexual assault, and how your visit made it convenient to blame the murder on you.”
“Randall you haven’t put it all together yet? The man Jamal left Marlena for was Zeke! She must have planned to get at Zeke, but he left Jamal before she could do anything. When I came along, she saw an opportunity to get at Zeke by using me. This whole thing is crazy but I don’t regret Zeke being in my life at all, not for one second.”
“You really do love him huh?”
“Man when I just think about him, a feeling comes over me. It’s like a chill, a buzz, and a good nut all at once!”
“I don’t know what to call that. I’m sorry again for what I did before.”
“We’re cool man. I’m so happy to be out, I could kiss you.”
“Yeah, you could…… kiss me.”
“What?”
“Nothing, uh forget I said that.”
“Nah, pull the car over man.”
“Come on Jazz, there’s no need to flip out, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Just pull the car over man.”
“Okay.”
“That wasn’t just a slip of the tongue Randall.”
“Alright it wasn’t but can we forget it?”
“Come here.”
“Man, I don’t want to fight you but I will.”
It was funny as hell to me that Randall thought I was mad. He put up his fists in a defense pose.
“Drop your fists man, I ain’t gonna hit you.” I said.
I lifted my hand and gently grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer to me. I pressed my lips to his and kissed him. He looked at me in confusion so I kissed him again. The second time I parted his full lips with my tongue. I found his tongue with mine and took it hostage. Again I pressed my lips firmly against his and gave him a soft kiss.
“Thank you Randall.”
; “Uh, umm, y-y-yo-you-you-you’re wel-wel-welcome.”
After he responded the way he did I knew he was feeling me. I had to go ahead and mess with his head a little bit. We continued on to Zeke’s house to surprise him when he got home. I was anxious to see the look on my baby’s face when he saw me.
Nineteen
Ezekiel Nelson
It was so frustrating to see Jazz locked up. He tried to put on a brave face, but I knew he hated every minute of it. I was also convinced Jamal had something to do with Jazz being there. When I returned home after a day of running errands, all I wanted to do was sit and relax. When I walked into my house I thought my mind was playing tricks on me because I could smell Jazz’s scent.
“Damn I miss that man so much my mind is trying to wish him up.” I said aloud.
The closer I got to my bedroom the more I thought I smelled Jazz’s trademark scent of Issey Miyake cologne and Fresh Linen. As soon as I walked into my bedroom I saw Jazz sitting on my bed. I knew it wasn’t a dream, yet I still couldn’t believe my eyes. “Jazz?”
“That’s right! I’m home baby. Are you surprised?”
No words would come to me. A confusing flood of emotions burst forth at the same time. I couldn’t cry, laugh, or scream. I was momentarily paralyzed. Jazz just looked at me puzzled.
“You are glad to see me ain’t you?”
“Jazz, I….”
“Awww come here Zeke, don’t cry man you gonna make me cry.”
“It’s been so hard Jazz.”
“Zeke I messed up bad and I know it. I’m sorry I hurt you, something I promised to never do. Nothing and nobody will ever separate me from you again. Life without you has been miserable. I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone but I feel that way about you. I need you in my life Ezekiel Nelson.”
“Jazz I never thought I would ever meet anyone like you. I love you so much.”
“Zeke I want you to ride somewhere with me, there’s something I want to show you.”
“Now?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok.”
It never crossed my mind to ask where he was taking me. I just blindly said okay. After a 30-minute ride, Jazz pulled up to a 2-story brick house in an upscale subdivision on the outskirts of Atlanta.
“What’s going on Jazz? This is what you wanted to show me?”
“It’s part of it.”
A few seconds had passed after Jazz rang the bell when a tall, slim woman opened the door. She smiled instantly when she saw Jazz and gave him a hug. She was a pretty woman by any standards. Her figure was tall and svelte. Her fair skin and fine features were genetic expressions of her obviously racially mixed heritage. Her long, light brown, hair lay in waves down her back, which she’d pulled behind her when Jazz leaned in to kiss her.
“Zeke I’d like you to meet my mom, Gloria.” Jazz said as he smiled brightly.
I felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an 18-wheeler. He’d, without warning, brought me to meet his mother. So much for being prepared to make a good impression, which I was not. My only choice was to be my natural self. Then again if his mother was anything like his father, I wouldn’t have cared what she thought anyway.
“Hello, nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Likewise. So Jazz, this is him huh?”
“Yeah Ma this is my Zeke.”
The confusion on my face must have been apparent. So Mrs. Hardaway explained to me that Jazz had told her all about me and she had been asking him to bring me to meet her for over a year.
“Oh Jazz, baby I am so glad to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you too Ma. I told everyone I didn’t kill that woman. I’m not a murderer.”
“I never doubted you.”
“I know Zeke here is so happy to see you. I can tell you really care for him. The way your eyes light up when you mention his name or look at him says it all.”
“I wish pop could be as understanding as you. I guess he will forever keep trying to control the world and everyone in it.”
“It makes me happy to see you happy, that’s all that matters to me. You are my baby regardless. Did Tony meet him already?”
“Yeah, he didn’t tell you?”
“No he hasn’t said one word.”
“That’s hard to believe. So when I was in the hospital a little while back for that stress episode he didn’t tell you why he got arrested?”
“He said that he got stopped for speeding and he had a warrant for an unpaid ticket.”
“Ma, he came to the hospital and acted like a maniac. When he found out about Zeke he went crazy because I wouldn’t lie about our relationship. He insulted Zeke and Zeke told him off. Dad choked him, pushed him into a window and broke it, then tried to push him through it. He even shot at me right there in the hospital room, but Zeke jumped between us and caught the bullet in his arm. It nicked his artery too, but luckily we were at the hospital so they were able to act quickly. Why is he like that ma?”
“He’s just plain mean sometimes.”
“Ma do you remember Curtis, that dark, smooth-skinned dude with the open-faced gold crown.” Jazz said.
“Yeah I remember him alright. What made you ask about him?”
“Do you have any pictures of him?”
“I have plenty of pictures. Let me get the photo album.”
His mother took the album from the end table next to her and opened it to the pictures of Curtis. I remained quiet as I looked at the pictures. Soon the front door opened and it was my dad.
“Hey Glo, who’s ….. Oh it’s him. What are you doing here? I didn’t think they were ever gonna let you out.”
“They let me out because I was innocent.” Jazz responded.
“What are y’all looking at?” Tony asked before he saw the photo album.
When Tony saw the pictures of Curtis, he completely lost his composure. I thought his actions at the hospital were over the top, but they weren’t anything compared to what he did then. Tony literally morphed into the Tasmanian devil right before our eyes. He was spinning around, cursing, spitting, and muttering unintelligible gibberish. He picked up the little porcelain figurines that adorned the tables and threw them across the room against the walls. Jazz was caught completely off guard when Tony punched him in his left jaw. The impact knocked Jazz off the sofa. Tony then pinned Jazz to the floor.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jazz asked.
Gloria tried to intervene by grabbing Tony and trying to pull him off of Jazz. Tony turned and shoved her causing her to stumble backwards. I acted quickly and caught her from behind to stop the fall. Jazz turned into a totally different person at that very moment. His breathing changed, his eyes became bloodshot, and veins stood out all over his arms and neck.
“I’m gonna kick your ass for pushing my moms. You’ve bullied people for years. You forced me into the drug game when you knew I didn’t want to do that. You threatened me when I tried to quit. Mom just learned it’s easier to avoid you or stay quiet but that’s over.”
Jazz flipped Tony’s body forward and sent him crashing into the opposite wall.
“I know you’ve been running your mouth. I’m gonna beat some respect into you.”
“I didn’t say anything about what you think I did!”
“Tony what is your problem? Leave him alone.”
“This is between me and him Glo.”
Tony grabbed the photo book and started snatching out all the pictures of Curtis.
“I don’t ever want to hear that bastard’s name mentioned in this house again.”
“Tony what has gotten into you?”
“His guilt is eating at him.” Jazz fumed.
“Shut your mouth boy. You say one more word and I swear I will kill you where you stand.”
“What’s he talking about?” Gloria asked.
“Since he won’t tell you Mama, I will. He’s the one who shot Curtis.”
“What?”
“I was there, I saw
him do it.”
“You’re dead!” Tony said as he left the room.
“Jazz we’d better get out of here.” I suggested.
“I’m not going anywhere. I ain’t running from him no more.”
“Tony shot Curtis?” Gloria asked.
“Yeah ma. He took me over there and said he was gonna show me how to take my respect. Curtis begged him not to do it. He kissed his forehead and then just shot him in the chest.”
As soon as Jazz finished his sentence, his father was standing within a few feet of him with a double barrel sawed off shotgun drawn. Jazz reacted quickly by knocking the gun upward and punching Tony in the ribs. The gun went off and shot a large hole in the ceiling. Jazz snatched the gun out of his father’s hands.
“Why did you do it? Why did you shoot him?” Jazz demanded.
His father looked at him in silence.
“I am not talking about this and I don’t want to hear the subject ever again.”
“All I’ve ever tried to do was please you. It’s because Zeke loves me that you’re not doing time. You better be damn glad you didn’t kill him because only death would have kept me from strangling you with my bare hands. I don’t care who knows, what anyone thinks, or what anyone has to say about my life. I’m the luckiest man in the world to have him. I am not ashamed of him, or my love for him.”
“You think you have life all figured out huh? Do you think people are still going to support your music if they know that?”
“Nobody is gonna set conditions on how I live my life. I don’t even want the support of those who withhold it because of who I love. If I can’t stand on my talent and hard work then I don’t need it.”
“Zeke I hope you don’t think we’re a family of savages.” Gloria remarked.
“No I don’t really have any bad feelings toward Mr. Hardaway. People act out sometimes because it’s the only way they know how to react. I couldn’t care less whether he liked me or not. I just wish he wouldn’t push Jazz away.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been lying to me all these years Tony. You promised me you would not do anything to Curtis. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that.” Gloria said.
Get Somebody New Page 27
