by Kiki Swinson
As soon as I sat down in the passenger seat, I noticed how paranoid Todd was acting. He kept his eyes locked on the rearview mirror and occasionally he’d look out the driver-side window and the passenger side. “What’s going on, Todd?” He was taking the word paranoia to the next level.
“Our lives are in danger,” he said.
“What the fuck you mean, our lives are in danger? What’s going on? And how do you know this?”
“Before Edward was killed, he told me that Que Ming was a very dangerous and powerful man. You saw how he looked at me when we were at his restaurant. So there was no room for error after we agreed to do the job for him. When we took his money, we were indebted to him. There was no turning back. But we fucked up and didn’t deliver his goods to him. Immediately after that happened, targets were put our backs. Now I didn’t know this then, but after Edward and Brian turned up dead, I knew what Edward had told me in the beginning was true.”
“Have you seen anyone hanging around your house?” I asked him. I wanted to know if he was having the same problem as Dawn.
“No, not that I’ve noticed.”
“So, what you think we should do?”
“It’s up to you, but my family and I are leaving town for a while. Well, at least until all of this blows over.”
“What are you going to do about your job? You just gonna walk away from it?”
“Listen to me and listen good. I have a few days of vacation time and medical leave, but if I’m forced to go beyond that, I’ll do it and won’t give a damn what the union says. I’m more concerned about being alive. I can find another job somewhere else if need be.”
“I understand whatcha mean,” I told him. “Have you told Gene about this?”
“I’ve been trying to get in touch with him, but he still won’t answer his phone.”
“Don’t worry about him. I saw him down at the pier. He’s working with Customs and Immigration agents. He gave them the motherload about me, you, and Que Ming, so they are on the hunt and gonna start bringing in everyone that knew about this whole operation,” I explained.
“They can do what they want. But they’re gonna have to find me first, cause I’m getting out of here first thing in the morning. As a matter of fact, I’m gonna leave before the sun rises. I’ve got to make sure that no one is following me or my family.”
“Have you thought about where you’re gonna go?” I only asked him to get an idea where I could go if I decided to leave too.
“I prefer to keep that under wraps. I can’t jeopardize putting my family in harm’s way.”
“I get it.”
“So, are you leaving town or what?” Todd wanted to know.
I hesitated a moment before I answered him. I wanted to say yes, but since Dawn and I weren’t in a good place in our marriage, I wasn’t sure if she would go with me. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna leave too,” I replied, even though I wasn’t quite sure.
“Good for you. Well, I’m gonna get out of here. Got a lot of shit to do before I leave. So, you take care of yourself, and if we never see each other again, stay safe.”
“Yeah, Todd, you do the same.” We shook hands.
Before exiting his car, I looked out the back window and the passenger-side window to once again make sure the coast was clear. “A’ight, I’m out of here,” I announced, and then I hopped out of the car.
The second I got back into my truck, I hauled ass out of that parking lot and headed back in the direction of my grandmother’s house. But that’s not really where I wanted to go. I needed to get out of town, like Todd was getting ready to do.
Dawn needs to come with me. But how am I going to convince her? Will she listen to me if I tell her everything Todd just told me? Or will she think I’m trying to manipulate her into coming with me? With the negative influence coming from her family, I know it’s going to be hard to even get her on the phone, never mind the part about getting her to leave with me. But I’m a swift guy and I’ve never given up on anything, so I will get my wife out of harm’s way, whether she likes it or not.
During transit back to my grandmother’s house, I tried to call Dawn a few times, but like all the other times, she didn’t answer. As a matter of fact, I could tell that she had turned off her cell phone because it kept going straight to voicemail. This pissed me off, because I knew her family told her to block my calls. I wasn’t going for that, so I decided to stop by her family’s house unannounced. The worst thing they could do was call the cops. But before they came, I would get a chance to talk to Dawn, by any means necessary.
* * *
It didn’t take me long to drive to Dawn’s parents’ house. I was there in less than seventeen minutes flat, but the anxiety I felt during the drive was overwhelming. Between the conversation I had with Todd about Que Ming, and the probability that Dawn’s family would not let me talk to her, the situation weighed heavily on my heart. I know it seems like everything I touch falls apart, but I can also build shit too. Even though I didn’t do what I was supposed to do by Dawn, I did provide her with a married life. When she would bring up the subject about us getting married, I used to shoot it down because I knew I wasn’t ready. I had just gotten out of the relationship with my kids’ mother, plus I was having money issues. But Dawn kept forcing it by making sure we were exclusive. And then one thing led to another and here we are today, going through problems that I saw coming a long time ago.
When I pulled my truck up to her parents’ house, I parked curbside. I noticed her car in the driveway next to Alexia’s Jeep. I wanted so badly to stab her tires up, but I held my composure and focused on the mission at hand. “Okay, Reese, you can do it. Just act respectful no matter what her father, her sister, or her mother says when they find out you’re here,” I uttered under my breath.
Upon exiting my truck, I took a deep breath and then I exhaled. As I approached their house, I tried rehearsing what I was going to say if Dawn’s father answered the door. I also rehearsed what I was going to say if Alexia answered the door. I’ve never had any beef with Mrs. Bryant, so I decided I’d play things by ear with her.
I stepped onto the front porch, walked up to the door, and rang the doorbell twice. I don’t know why, but my heart started beating out of control. Maybe it was the fact I had no idea how this meeting with Dawn’s parents would turn out. But then again, it could be the fact that I was afraid that she’d reject me. Whatever it was, I wasn’t comfortable with this feeling. “Who is it?” I heard Dawn’s father ask.
“I’m here to see Dawn,” I yelled from the other side of the door.
“Who did you say you are?” Mr. Bryant asked.
It was evident that he hadn’t heard my first answer, so I said, “Is Dawn here?” I changed my voice, hoping her dad wouldn’t recognize me.
A couple seconds later the front door opened. Mr. Bryant stood on the other side of the threshold like he was the king of the castle. He held his head up high and he poked out his chest more than I’d ever seen him do in the past. He smiled at me because he knew he had the upper hand and I was at his mercy, so I stood there and waited for him to open up the dialogue.
“What are you doing at my house? Didn’t my daughter tell you that she’s filing for divorce?”
“Mr. Bryant, I know I haven’t been the best husband in the world for Dawn and I don’t deserve to talk to her after all the stuff I put her through. But would you please let me speak to her for a couple of minutes, and I promise I will leave right after that,” I pleaded.
“I’m sorry, but she doesn’t want to talk to you. So get off my porch before I call the cops.”
“Who are you talking to, honey?” I heard Mrs. Bryant yelling from another part of the house.
“I’m talking to this loser son-in-law of yours,” he yelled back.
“Mr. Bryant, everything you’re saying about me is true. But all I wanna do is tell Dawn something really quick and I promise I will leave,” I begged him.
“You think you
can come to my house and make a deal with me? I don’t make deals with my family. We’re honest, good folk in this household. So, for the last time, take your ass off my porch, or else.”
“What’s going on?” Mrs. Bryant asked as she approached the front door.
“Mrs. Bryant, I just need two seconds to talk to Dawn. Will you please tell her that I’m out here?”
“My wife isn’t doing shit for you, you freaking scumbag. You’ve wasted so many years of my daughter’s life. She could’ve been happily married with a houseful of kids if she wasn’t with you,” Mr. Bryant barked.
“Who’s Dad fussing with?” I heard Dawn say. I could tell that she was in another part of the house.
“It’s your husband,” Mrs. Bryant yelled back at Dawn.
I yelled over Mr. and Mrs. Bryant’s heads, “Baby, it’s me, Reese. Please come to the door. I just got one thing to tell you and then I will leave.”
“Get off my damn porch right now!” Mr. Bryant roared. And when he saw that I wasn’t budging he looked back at his wife and said, “Bonnie, call the cops and tell them we have someone trespassing on our property. And if they don’t come, then I’ll be forced to shoot him with my shotgun,” he continued.
Thankfully, Dawn came to the front door after she heard all the commotion and when I saw her face I almost broke down in tears. “Baby, I need to talk to you. It’s very important,” I said, talking over Mr. Bryant, who was screaming his ass off at me for not taking heed to his threats.
“Reese, my dad doesn’t want you here, so please leave,” Dawn told me. Hearing her words cut me deep in the heart. It felt like I was losing her to this meddling fucking family.
“Dawn, I know you want to divorce me and that’s fine. But I just left Todd and he told me that we’re in danger. He said that we need to leave town for a little while.”
“My daughter isn’t in any danger. You’re the only fool that’s in danger,” Mr. Bryant barked at me.
“She is, Mr. Bryant,” I said, looking directly into Dawn’s father’s face. And then I turned my attention back toward Dawn. “The car that’s been parked outside our house was someone working for the Chinese boss behind the human trafficking case. Brian and Ed are already dead because we screwed up the job. And Todd said that if we don’t leave town, we could be killed next.”
“I knew it,” Dawn’s father yelled. “Bonnie, didn’t I tell you that this son-of-a-bitch was involved with that case?”
“Oh my God!” Mrs. Bryant said as she placed her hand over her mouth. “How can you look at yourself in the mirror knowing that you had something to do with those people in those containers?”
“It wasn’t my fault. Those people died because of the harsh conditions in that metal container.”
“You’re gonna stand in my face and not take responsibility for your actions? Are you freaking kidding me right now?” Mr. Bryant roared, taking two steps toward me. Luckily, Dawn’s mother grabbed him and pulled him backwards, because if that man would’ve put his hands on me, I know I would’ve hurt him.
“Mr. Bryant, I didn’t do anything to those people. All I did was move the containers from the ship to the railroad cars. That’s it. Now, I’m here to warn my wife that the millionaire dude Que Ming is now trying to eliminate everyone that worked that night. So, please let me take my wife away from here and take her to a safer place until all of this blows over,” I said, looking at everyone standing at the front door.
“I’m not letting you take my daughter anywhere, you freaking criminal. Now get off my property right now!” he screamed.
“Calm down, honey, he’s gonna leave,” Mrs. Bryant said.
“Dawn, are you coming with me?” I looked over her parents’ shoulders, with the sincerest facial expression I could muster up. I did this hoping she’d stand up to her parents and tell them to move out of the way so she could come outside and talk to me.
Surprisingly, that didn’t work. She wouldn’t move an inch. “Reese, please leave,” she said, as she stood a few feet back from the door and her father cursed me out.
“You heard what she said, she’s not going away with you. You think that if you leave town those people aren’t gonna find you? Well, guess what? They will. And my daughter isn’t going to be with you when they do find you. So, get to stepping, you fucking loser!”
Allowing Dawn’s father to continue to disrespect me was getting real old. I mean, how much could I take? Got this old-ass nigga in my face like he can kick my ass. The only reason why I haven’t hit his ass yet is because of the love I have for Dawn. But if this nigga don’t get out of my face, I’m gonna lay him on his back. “Look, old man, you don’t know what you’re talking about! And instead of worrying about my relationship with my wife, worry about the women you be sleeping with that work down at the terminal. Yeah, the same time you were doing a background check on me, I dug up some dirt on your cheating ass too,” I spat. I was sick of this nigga once and for all.
“That’s not cool, Reese,” Dawn said, but she still kept her distance from me.
“What is he talking about, Joe?” Dawn’s mother asked him.
“Tell your wife about Lisa and Trina and the other tricks you been fucking around with for the last couple of years,” I continued. Just like he wanted to air my dirty laundry, I will also air his.
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!” Mr. Bryant said, gritting his teeth. He was getting angrier by the second, and I was loving it.
“Joe, who are Lisa and Trina?”
“Tell her, Joe! Tell her that Lisa works as a timekeeper down at the terminal while Trina works as an officer for the union,” I pointed out.
“Get the fuck off my porch now!” Mr. Bryant yelled, and then he lunged toward me. But his timing was off. When he came at me I stepped to my right and he stumbled a bit and fell onto his knees. Mrs. Bryant rushed out on the porch to help him get up. Dawn rushed toward him too. And when she got within arm’s reach of me, I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her off the porch.
“Baby, you were right. It was somebody sitting in that car watching our house. And I’m sorry I brought you in the middle of this, but please let me make it up to you by taking you away from here. Take you somewhere safe and away from all of this shit surrounding us,” I begged.
“Get away from her!” I heard her father yelling while his wife was trying to help him stand back up on his feet.
“Let you take me where? And with what? Reese, you cleaned us out. We don’t have any more money. You gambled it all up. So, tell me, what will we do for money? Drive to another city on fumes? The whole idea is stupid,” she told me. “Look, just leave before my dad calls the cops, okay?” She turned around and walked back toward the house.
“I’m not leaving here without you. I can’t live without you, Dawn. Can’t you understand that?” I yelled, as she walked onto the front porch.
“Reese, get off our property now,” Mrs. Bryant said while she was escorting her husband back into the house.
“Dawn, will you at least think about it?” I yelled once more before they closed the front door. But it was too late—Dawn had disappeared into the house.
I stood there like a lost and defeated puppy. Seeing Dawn walk away from me felt like a ton of bricks had slammed into my gut. She literally turned her back on me and she put her family before me as well. So, what am I going to do? Just lie down and die?
44
DAWN
I cannot believe that Reese had the gumption to show up to my parents’ house and ask my dad if he could talk to me. Was he out of his fucking mind? I swear, this guy gets bolder and bolder by the day. I’m just glad that Reese didn’t put his hands on my dad, even after my dad lunged at him.
By the time my mother had closed the front door and locked it, I was back in the den watching TV. I wanted to forget about what had just occurred, but the images of Reese’s face while he stood facing my father wouldn’t disappear for nothing in the world. And then to hear
that he and I need to leave town for a while because we’re in danger? What kind of shit is that? Did Reese really believe that my family would allow him to take me away and put me in harm’s way? Was he that fucking stupid?
All I know is that everything Reese said tonight spooked me. And to look back at those times when I saw that car with the tinted windows stalk my house made my skin crawl. Does Reese realize that that person in the car could’ve killed me if they wanted to? Whoever was in that car had a handful of opportunities to cause me harm, and that’s scary. Not to mention that this notorious millionaire has targets on Reese’s friends’ backs. And me too, for that matter. But why me? I haven’t done anything wrong. I tried to talk him out of doing this job, but he didn’t listen and now the heat is on. I can’t let myself get involved—well, that is if I’m not already involved. I just hope Reese was wrong when he said that my life is in danger too.
Back in the den of my parents’ house, my father and mother came in with a bunch of questions. My father started the conversation. “I can’t believe that bum brought his butt over to my house. Dawn, is he on drugs or what?”
“No, Dad, he’s not on drugs.”
“Well, he’s got to be on something,” he continued as he took a seat in his favorite chair.
“What happened? Did I miss something?” Alexia asked as soon as she entered the den wearing her pajamas. She had just gotten out of the shower.
“Your sister’s husband came over here and knocked on my door.”
“Are you serious?” Alexia replied as if she was shocked.
“Serious as a heart attack. But I straightened him out. Opened the front door and gave him a taste of his own medicine.”
“What did he want?” Alexia asked.
“He said he came here to take Dawn away with him because their lives are in danger. But I told him he’s not taking her anywhere and for him to get the hell off my porch. Oh, and he finally confessed that he and his criminal friends had something to do with those Asian people that were found in those containers.”
“Did he leave after you said that?” My sister’s questions continued.