What Lies Between The Sheets

by Yusuf Al-Rahman

  Imani handed me some papers, “The E.R. is especially busy tonight, but I switched patients so I could sign you out and you can go home to get some rest.”

  “Thanks.”

  “OK, here’s the thing, X rays show you have a strained muscle in the wrist, it’s not broken, your nose is also not broken, but you do have a hairline fracture in your ribs; two to be exact. The Doctor gave you some prescription medicine for the pain and swelling. Your face should go down by tomorrow but you have to ice it right now until then.” She handed me three ice packs and an E.R. towel.

  “Thanks Imani.”

  “As soon as I get off I am coming to see you.”

  Eli and I walked out of the emergency room and caught a cab back to my crib.

  In the taxi, Eli was concerned about what was going on with me. “Jamal, we are going straight to your crib, don’t worry about the car or the med’s man. I’ll go get your car, go to the pharmacy real quick, and come back here for you man.”

  “Thanks E.”

  “Tell me something.”

  “What’s up E?”

  “You have never had that much beef, since I’ve known you, to have a crew of dudes gang up on you like that.”

  “To tell you the truth E…that’s the second ass whooping I got in two days.”

  “You’re playing right?”

  “I wish I was.”

  “Damn.”

  “You remember that girl I was going out with?”

  “Sasha.”

  “Yeah…Sasha. Well she broke up with me a few days ago on Christmas Eve.”

  “Sorry to hear that…hey it’s her loss anyway.” That time has come to tell Eli the truth.

  “E…not this time man. I was cheating on her with a girl I met at the mall a couple weeks back. Not to mention I also slept with, or should I say somewhat, still sleeping with this fine honey named Monica, that has a rich husband that beat the shit out of me the other day. Actually…yesterday and he is probably the reason why my ribs are fractured.”

  “Imani?”

  “I didn’t sleep with her, but we have been on two or three dates. I can’t remember exactly right now.”

  “I…my bad, I turned you into a monster.”

  To some extent he had a point. Eli’s rambling about women made me feel like I couldn’t trust any of them. People can open doors for us but it’s up to us what we do with our lives. The part that sucked the most was that, despite the two beatings, my worst pain was coming from my heart.

  A few hours later, after a nice warm shower and some much needed medication, Eli left and I prepared to go to sleep. To my surprise, Monica was not blowing up my phone. Although I was alone, my sorrow was keeping me company.

  “Knock, knock, knock.” I walked over to the door and look through the peephole, it was Imani.

  “How are you feeling now?”

  “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

  “What the hell happened to you?”

  “It’s a long story Imani.”

  “I’ve got nothing but time on my hands right now.”

  After a deep breath, I told her my story from my wedding day up until the moment she came in. After two hours of listening, attentively, Imani just nods her head.

  “I bet you think I’m a piece of garbage?”

  “I’m not quick to judge, and you shouldn’t be either.”

  “My mistake.”

  “I wasn’t snapping at you,” she said with a smile. “You told me the truth, or what I believe is the truth for what particular reason?”

  “I’ve just been through too much at one time.”

  “You do realize you put most of it on yourself right?”

  “No doubt.”

  “So why tell me? Why now after the beatings?”

  “I don’t know why I’m telling you now Imani, maybe an ass whooping just does that to a man…I don’t know. What I do know is I’m tired of hurting and hurting others as well. I just want to be straight forward from now on.” Imani just smiles at me as I continue to talk.

  “I just want us to take things slow…I mean if you still want to hang with a two-timing loser like me.”

  She smiles, leans over to me and kisses me on my cheek. “Okay maybe we can take it slow, I like that. I have to get back to work but I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “That’s cool.”

  *******

  It was my birthday, December 31st, the last day of the year. I never really expected much because most people had a tendency to forget my birthday until they wake up in the New Year. The swelling had gone down around my face, but I still felt like I was dropped off a moving train. After putting on some clothing, I was in my car driving to my parent’s house in Virginia. A long drive always seemed to make things better for me when I was confused or hurting. I was hoping to be able to catch my parents’ right before they went to church.

  After eight hours of continuous driving, only stopping for gas, I arrived in Richmond Virginia. This was a total surprise for my parents.

  “Knock, knock, knock.”

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s Jamal”

  My mother quickly opened the door, “Oh my lord its Jamal, hey baby give your mother some love.”

  My mother’s arms have always been a place of safety and comfort. “I miss you mom,” I say with watery eyes.

  “Well you’re here now.” Mom joked as we walked into the house. My father rose from his favorite chair, in front of the television, to give me a hug. “Hey son, good to see you. How have you been?”

  Before I could answer my mother asks me, “You hungry baby?”

  “Starving mom.”

  “I’ll make you a plate but first let me hang up your jacket.”

  “Okay…here mom,” I pass her the jacket and sit down. My father looks at me then smiles and said, “Let me guess son…woman trouble”

  “Try troubles pop.”

  “What happened boy?”

  “Well let’s just say I had a good thing and I ran it away by being too greedy.”

  “You should have waited a while before trying to go back out in the field son.”

  “Yeah…but pop you always said that the way to get over one is to get another.”

  “Yeah your right son I said that, but only when you’re ready…you weren’t ready after what that damn Sheila did to you.”

  “Hmm…”

  “You should think about it son.”

  “Maybe your right pop.”

  “So this other girl that you lost…what’s her name?”

  “…Sasha.”

  “Nice name. Did you fall in love?”

  “No…maybe…I don’t really know pops because if I fell in love, I wouldn’t have done what I did.”

  “Not always the case son because people can and always will make mistakes. The question is will they keep on doing what they are doing son. Because if they are…hell, they just having fun son.”

  Moments later my mom returned from the kitchen with a plate of collard greens, turkey, pees, and white rice, gravy, and buttermilk biscuits.

  “Here baby, eat it up and don’t be shy.”

  “Him? Never,” said pops.

  “Well there is a lot more when you’re done,” said my mother as she walked upstairs.

  “Mom…you and pops aren’t getting ready for prayer at the church?”

  “Not this year baby. Your father’s arthritis keeps flaring up, off and on, so we will probably stay here. If you want to go baby you go right ahead. You still remember where the place is right?”

  “That’s okay. I’ll stay here.”

  “Why?”

  “I just want to stay here with you guys tonight mom because I don’t feel like being surrounded by strangers.”

  “Oh…okay but if you change your mind, it’s never too late.”

  If my mother only knew how ashamed I felt! I let my parents and more importantly myself down. I love my mother but don’t really tell her much of my dramas b
esides what she can see with her own two eyes. Mom has never been much of a nosy person anyway so she just comforts me. My dad has a sixth sense and leans over to me, as if to speak softly to me, “God knows your thoughts son, when people don’t forgive, God forgives his children.”

  I looked at my father and nodded my head then begin to eat my food. The full stomach must have gotten to me because I slept for a few hours. My mother and father were nowhere in sight so they must be sleep or resting upstairs. A giant quilt is wrapped over me.

  “Four, three, two, one…Happy New Year.”

  Happy New Year indeed, but what will this New Year bring? My New Year’s resolution was to stay true to myself. I realized I allowed my pain from what happened with Sheila to make me into the very type of no good nigga I talked about my whole life! I, Jamal Styles, was back to being myself.

  Chapter 6: Losing It All

  One month, twelve days, eight hours and twenty minutes had gone by and Sasha still hadn’t called Ever since Monica’s husband beat my ass she hadn’t called me either and I was grateful for that. Imani had been on several dates even though our intimacy level never surpassed second base but I was okay with that. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Sasha and the kids.

  I was still embarrassed and too guilt ridden to pick up the phone and call. At the moment I was on my way to the bar to meet up with the fellas for something ‘special’ as Aaron put it but quickly decided to drive past Sasha’s building to see if I could hopefully catch a glimpse of her. Unfortunately there was no sign of her so I continued on to the bar.

  After parking the car, I hurried into the bar to get out of the cold.

  “Yo, what’s up man? Sit down and get you a drink; it’s on the house.” Eli was all smiles as he greeted me.

  “Did one of ya’ll win some money or something; if so, you could’ve at least given your boy a little something.”

  Aaron grabs and hugs me, “Nah man…it’s better than that.”

  “Word? What’s up?”

  Aaron lifted his glass in the air offering a toast. “Eli is getting married!”

  I had mixed feelings about what I was hearing; Eli was getting married? I felt envious that he had found love before me. My life had gone from sugar to shit and here he was gloating about his soon to be wife. I couldn’t let my emotions show so I did what any other man would’ve done. “Congrats E!” I dapped my boy up and joined in the celebration.

  “Thank you.”

  “So when’s the date?”

  “Well I want to do it now but Yvette said there’s no need to rush and that we have our whole lives to share…so sometime next year but hey…you two are my best men.”

  “Hey man, we got your back,” said Aaron.

  “I’m there,” I said as I sipped my brew.

  “How are you doing for real though man; you straight?” Aaron looked at me with concern, searching my face for unspoken answers.

  “Yeah, I’m actually doing pretty good Aaron.”

  It was obvious Eli didn’t tell Aaron about the two beatings a while back. Eli knows Aaron loves me like a brother and would kill someone if he thought they had harmed me in anyway.

  “I’ve been seeing, one, person these last few weeks.”

  “Really?”

  “Imani, that nurse from the hospital.”

  “Now that’s good news as well.” Eli raised his beer to toast. “Anybody have special plans for tomorrow?”

  “The misses and I are going to have a quiet dinner for two at the crib.”

  “Sounds good, sounds good. What about you Jamal?”

  “I think I’m going to take Imani to this restaurant downtown. She’s had a pretty hectic work week so a nice relaxing evening should be a good way to wind down.”

  “Well that’s cause for another toast!” Eli smiled as he raised his mug in the air yet again.

  *******

  It was Valentine’s Day and I had taken Imani out to dinner to celebrate. She was killing me with her black evening dress; it draped in the front showing you just enough cleavage to tease you, and a single string of black pearls hung down her back stopping right above her butt. Her hair was done up beautifully and the perfume complemented her appearance.

  “So Jamal, how is your project search coming along?”

  “Well not so good but I’m thinking about applying to be a substitute art teacher in the meantime to pay the bills.”

  “That sounds like a good plan to me, besides you’d probably make an excellent teacher anyway.”

  “You really think so? Why?”

  “Because children respond to a down to earth, level-headed person and you strike me as the type that would be able to relate to the youth.”

  “Thank you…enough about me, how is your job going? I know hospitals stay busy.”

  “Well despite the sick patients, hospitals are similar to any other job with typical drama and bickering amongst people; especially since it’s almost filled entirely with women.”

  “What’s up with the males in the hospital?”

  “They try to stay out of the drama, and that’s why I have many doctors, nurses, and tech friends that are males.”

  “That sounds like drama! Why don’t the females get along?”

  “Pettiness I guess, but on a good note one of my friends from the hospital is getting married.”

  “Really, that’s what’s up.”

  “Yeah it’s this cute doctor at the hospital that found an old friend he used to have a crush on.”

  “That’s really nice, how did he find her?”

  “Well she is a new technician that is working on becoming a nurse, I guess he did some research on the program and looked her up.”

  That statement stopped my breath. I knew that Sasha had been working on becoming a nurse. It seemed like she might be the tech Imani was talking about. Why was I worried about it anyway? I was chilling with Imani. All I wanted to know is why so soon? We had only broken up about two months prior. I wasn’t even sure we were talking about Sasha, but deep inside I kind of knew it was her.

  “When did he propose?”

  “I wasn’t there when it happened but every nurse in the hospital was talking about it.”

  I tried to stay focused and not lose control but my blood was beginning to boil.

  “He ordered twelve dozen roses and had them delivered to a room where one of her patients were discharged on her lunch break. The call light came on and she went in there and there were the flowers, a card, and a ring in a box.”

  “No shit!”

  “Isn’t that romantic? Oh look…there he is with his fiancé now.”

  As I turned to look in the direction of Imani was pointing in, I realized my fear was justified. There was Sasha with this Tyson Beckford type homo looking muthafucker and I could see the ice from her engagement ring sparkling on her hand from my seat.

  I’m no Esoteric Christian or Buddhist but Karma was fucking cruel. This was really messed up. This was like putting salt into an open gash. Had Imani looked at my face she would’ve seen how disgusted I was, she would’ve seen that I was seconds away from throwing up.

  “Let’s go over real quick; I want to introduce you to my friend and his fiancé.”

  “Can’t it wait? They’re about to eat.”

  “Oh come on, it’ll only take a second.” Imani smiled as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my seat.

  The closer we got to their table, the weaker my knees were. I was losing my balance and I felt like I was going to faint.

  “Hello Dr. Nelson, how are you?”

  “Hello Imani, I’m doing pretty well. Imani, please introduce me to this gentleman.”He extended his hand and waited for our introductions.

  “Where are my manners? This is my date.”

  I quickly introduced myself, “Jamal.”

  “Pleased to meet you Jamal,” he said as he shook my hand with a firm grip. He quickly pointed towards his fiancée…Sasha who was very uneasy.

&
nbsp; “This is my fiancée Sasha.”

  Sasha paused for a brief second and introduced herself as if I was a stranger that was meeting her for the first time.