Confessions

by Sasha Campbell

  “Yeah, but he said he’s spending the evening with his baby.”

  I brought the mug to my lips. “His baby? He must have another baby, because Nikki’s in Miami with her husband.”

  “Nah, there’s no one else. The only woman he ever talks about is Nikki. In fact, he said they were spending the weekend together, then going on a trip. He even said he might not be back, but I know better than that.”

  Oh, shit! I dropped my mug and rose from the chair. “Jay, do me a favor. Try reaching Kenyon and call me back. But first, give me his address.”

  I hung up and grabbed my keys and headed out the door. On the drive over, I called Nikki’s cell phone, and again it went straight to voice mail. It had been three hours. She should have been in Miami by now. I then called the police, which was a fucking waste of time. Nikki had to officially be missing forty-eight hours before they would get involved.

  Halfway to North County, Donovan started calling my phone, but I ignored his calls because I knew what he was going to tell me. Nikki hadn’t gotten on another plane. I tried Kenyon’s cell phone and didn’t get an answer, so I drove straight to his town house. On the ride over, I thought about what I would say and how I would say it. I didn’t want to make him suspicious.

  His Lincoln MKS was in the driveway. I moved up to the door and rang the doorbell, then before he had a chance to answer, I started knocking on the door. I waited for what felt like forever. What the hell! I knew he was in there. I got mad and started banging on his door.

  Kenyon finally swung it open. “What the…oh…uh, hi, Trinette.” His frown changed to that creepy smile of his.

  I forced one of my own. For some strange reason his crazy ass was wearing a tuxedo. “Hey, Kenyon, have you heard from Nikki?”

  His eyes darted around. “No…why?”

  I was still standing at the door. He hadn’t even invited me in. Something was definitely not right, but I continued. “I think something has happened to Nikki.”

  I watched the expression on his face. “Why do you think that?”

  “Because she hasn’t made it to Miami.”

  “Miami? Why is she going to Miami?” he asked like he didn’t already know.

  “To see her husband.”

  “Maybe she caught a later flight.” He shrugged and was just too damn calm. Kenyon is never calm. If he didn’t know where she was, he would be hysterical at this point.

  “Nope. I’ve already checked. Something happened to her before she got on the plane.” I tried to look behind him, but Kenyon blocked my view.

  “Is her car at the house?”

  He knew damn well it was not. “No, it’s not.”

  Kenyon shrugged like it was no big deal. “I’m sure her car’s at Park Express.”

  I propped a hand at my hip and gave him a look that said I was onto his ass. “How would you know where she parked?”

  He looked nervous for a moment, then his smile returned. “Isn’t that where everyone parks?”

  “No, it isn’t.” I heard a crash inside, and Kenyon looked nervously over his shoulder, then down at his feet, and there was Rudy. Kenyon’s eyes practically bulged out his head.

  “What’s Rudy doing here?”

  He answered without hesitation. “Nikki…uh…asked me to watch him.”

  “No, she didn’t. Let me in!” I tried to push past his crazy ass, but he blocked the entrance.

  “Listen, I’ve got a date and don’t have time for this! If you find her give me a call.” He slammed the door in my face, almost breaking the hand I used to try to stop him. For a skinny mothafucka he was strong.

  I knew for a fact Nikki was putting Rudy in the kennel for the week. Kenyon would have been the last person she would have left her dog with.

  I hopped in my car and looked over at the house and spotted Kenyon peeping out between the blinds at me. Psycho ass. Either Nikki was in there or he knew where she was. Either way I wasn’t leaving. My phone rang. It was Jay.

  “He didn’t answer.”

  “That crazy mothafucka is at home! I just knocked at his door.” I was so pissed I was pounding my fist against the steering wheel.

  “Netta…what’s going on?”

  “I think he kidnapped Nikki.” I quickly brought him up to speed, then there was silence on the line. “Jay, you owe me.”

  He sighed. “This shit is crazy as hell. What do you need me to do?”

  “Try to get inside his house. I’m gonna drive around back. This time I’m getting in even if I have to break in.” Jay was yelling something, but I hung up. I didn’t need anyone trying to talk me out of helping my best friend.

  I rode around the block and parked in front of a house with a FOR SALE sign in the yard, then got out and ran through the alley. Thank goodness it was casual Friday and I was wearing Deréon jeans and a pair of mules. I walked until I found his house, then tried the gate. Damn. It was locked. I was going to have to hop the fence. Double damn! I had just gotten my nails done. It took three tries before I managed to get my big ass over the fence, then I walked slowly across the lawn and moved toward the building.

  49

  Nikki

  Trinette, please come back.

  Tears were running down my cheeks the second I heard her Benz pull off. Help had only been a few feet away, and now she was gone. But I wasn’t ready to give up hope just yet. I knew Trinette well enough to know she wasn’t going to give up that easily. I just hoped it didn’t take her long to figure out I was inside.

  Kenyon strolled into the dining room. And to think I once thought his swagger was sexy.

  “Well…I wanna apologize for that interruption. Trinette just doesn’t understand we wanna to be alone.”

  I screamed, “You crazy fuck!” Only underneath the duct tape strapped across my mouth, it came out sounding like gibberish.

  “Baby, did you say something?” he asked, then leaned over and kissed my forehead. I wanted so badly to punch his ass, but it was impossible with my wrists tied to the arms of the chair. “Let me go warm our food again so we can eat.”

  I watched him carry the plates into the kitchen. As soon as he was gone I started squirming around in the chair, trying to loosen the ropes around my wrists and around my midsection.

  This was a nightmare. The last thing I remember was Kenyon knocking at my door and holding a rag to my mouth. When I woke up, I was dressed in this stupid-looking wedding gown, with a tiara on my head. I cussed him every which way, and when that didn’t work, I tried pleading with him. He seemed almost sympathetic and prepared to free my hands when Trinette came onto the porch. The second I tried to scream, he covered my mouth with tape.

  “Here we go, baby. Nice and hot.” Kenyon stepped back into the room, grinning proudly as he placed a plate of food in front of me, then took a seat.

  “I’m not your baby,” I mumbled, knowing good and damn well he couldn’t understand me.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. You can’t eat with tape over your mouth. Promise to be good?”

  You sick fuck! I nodded.

  He gently removed the tape, then smiled. I immediately spit in his face and watched the slobber slide down his cheek.

  Kenyon reached for a napkin and wiped his face and gave me a saccharine smile. “I thought you promised to be good.”

  I looked at him and wailed. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “Because you’re confused and I’m trying to help you,” he said, like the answer should be obvious.

  “I don’t need your help. I need you to let me the fuck outta here!” I yelled.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t. You’re my wife,” he explained, like I would believe anything that came out of his mouth.

  “Your wife?”

  He nodded. “Yes, baby…we were married last night.”

  Ohhhkay, instead of checking to see if this fool had been arrested, what I should have been doing was checking Fulton State Hospital to see if any of their patients had escaped, because he definitely needed
to be in a straitjacket.

  I decided to humor him. “How were we married last night?”

  He chuckled. “Quit playing, you remember. It was a beautiful ceremony. My mother and our daughters were there, and everyone was laughing and having such a good time.”

  Okay, he truly was cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. “Kenyon, you need help.”

  He reached up and cupped my face. “Baby, quit saying that! Nothing’s wrong with me. The only person who needs to understand we’re together is Trinette. You need to watch your friend. She’s hating on us. Next thing you know, she gonna start rumors.” Nothing they taught me in college could have prepared me for this crazy fool.

  “Now hush so I can feed you. I spent all afternoon slaving over the stove for you.”

  He put peas on a spoon and tried feeding them to me. I turned my head. “I’m not a baby! Free my hands so I can feed myself.”

  “Yes, you are. You’re my baby,” he cooed.

  “Kenyon, I don’t want you. Now or ever. Please, get that in your sick head!”

  He didn’t seem to be the least bit disturbed by my outburst. Instead he reached for a knife and started to cut into his steak. “Nikki, baby…you’re gonna love me again even if it takes all summer. I’ve closed my office for the week and rented a little house for the two of us at the lake. We leave tomorrow. I think time away from everyone and everything will help you to remember what we had before Donovan came and screwed with your head.”

  Reasoning with this moron wasn’t getting me anywhere but to a secluded location down in southern Missouri where no one would be able to find me. I had to think of some way to get away from him before it was too late.

  There was another knock at the door. Kenyon flinched, then tried to pretend like he didn’t hear it.

  “Aren’t you gonna get that?” I asked, hoping it was Trinette and she had brought the police.

  “Just ignore it and they’ll go away.” He cut another piece of meat and brought it to my lips. Instantly, I turned my head.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “Yo, Kenyon, man, I know you’re in there!” It was Jay banging heavily at the door.

  Kenyon hissed and rose from the chair. He must have done one of those exorcist moves because when he swung around, his eyes lit on fire. “Not a peep outta you,” he warned. “Otherwise, I’ll have to kill Rudy.”

  I felt his anger from where I was sitting and knew that was no idle threat. There was no way I was letting anything happen to my dog. I nodded and sat there listening as he moved to the door and opened it.

  “Yo, man, whassup? It’s Juneteenth and we got a table reserved for all the fellas at the club,” I heard Jay say.

  “I already told you I-I was spending the weekend with my girl.”

  Kenyon was stuttering, so Jay definitely made him nervous. While I continued to listen, I swore I heard a noise coming from the kitchen and focused my attention, waiting to see what could possibly happen next. After a few seconds, I decided…nothing. Kenyon must have stepped out onto the porch to talk to Jay, because I couldn’t hear any more of their conversation. Without wasting another second, I struggled in the seat, trying to loosen the ropes around my wrists, when I heard someone calling my name.

  “Nikki,” whispered a familiar female voice.

  I whipped my head to the right and spotted Trinette standing in the doorway to the kitchen. I cried out with joy. “How the hell you get in here?” It didn’t really matter as long as she was here. I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to see her.

  “Through the window.” Her eyes darted around. “Is he still on the porch?”

  I nodded. “Hurry up and untie me.”

  “You owe me a manicure.” At that point Trinette could have had anything she wanted. She moved around the table and started loosening the knots at my wrists. “What the hell happened?”

  “That crazy fool drugged me and brought me here.” I was talking soft and fast because I knew we didn’t have a lot of time before Kenyon returned.

  “Well, I just called the police and told them I spotted him dragging a body from the house.” Reaching for the steak knife, she cut the ropes from one wrist and then the other. She was working on the rope strapping me to the back of the chair, when the front door opened.

  “Hide before he sees you!” I cried, and Trinette dashed into the kitchen. Seconds later, I heard a scuffle at the front door and a crash, then Jay was calling my name.

  “Nikki…Nikki…you in here?”

  “Help! I’m in the dining room!” I screamed.

  Jay dashed into the room and did a double take when he saw me. “What the hell…?” He moved behind me and cut away the last rope. “Let me get you outta here. Where’s Netta?”

  “I think she went out the back door.” Rising, I glanced over my shoulder. “Where’s Kenyon?”

  “On the floor. I hit him in the mouth.” We both headed for the door, but before we reached the foyer, Kenyon came around the corner. I noticed the gun in his hand and froze.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He took two steps toward me, and I shook my head and dropped down on the sofa.

  “Nowhere.” He didn’t have to ask me twice.

  Jay held up his hands and tried to reason with a crazy man. “Kenyon, man…let us go before someone gets hurt.”

  “The only one who’s gonna get hurt is you for trying to steal my woman.” He pointed the gun at Jay and the look in his eye said he would kill him if I didn’t do something—quick. “We’ve been friends for years. I can’t believe you would try to take my woman from me. She’s my wife, man!” He was waving the gun around and looking like a lunatic.

  Crossing my legs, I leaned back on the cushions. “Baby, Jay ain’t even my type. You know you’re the only man for me.” I had to play like we were really a couple. It was the only way we were going to get out of this thing alive. Kenyon looked confused and shook his head.

  “I saw him trying to take you away with him!” He looked at me, then swung back and pointed the gun at Jay’s head.

  “N-No, he wasn’t! He was…uh…taking me to look for you,” I stammered. “I would never leave you. You’re my husband. Tomorrow we leave for the lake with our children.” Jay had sense enough to lower onto a nearby chair.

  Kenyon’s body stiffened. “Our children?” He smiled, wearing a glazed, far-off look. “I thought you were mad at me.”

  I shook my head. “Just ’cause I get mad at you doesn’t mean I don’t still love you. That’s just part of being married.”

  He lowered the gun slightly, then raised it back to Jay’s head. “No! You’re just trying to trick me!”

  “No! I’m not.” Out the corner of my eye, I saw Trinette with her finger pressed to her lips. Kenyon’s back was turned so he didn’t see her cautiously moving across the dining room floor.

  “Kenyon, man, listen to your girl!” Jay cried desperately.

  “Shut the fuck up! That’s my wife you’re talking about!” he shouted, then started scratching his head with the butt of the gun and looking totally confused as he paced across the room.

  “Sweetie, let’s just leave tonight for the lake. How about it?” I suggested.

  A slight smile curled his lips. “You’re serious?”

  I nodded. “Yes, baby. Let’s go.” I rose and slowly moved toward him. “Just put the gun down.”

  He nodded. “Okay…but not before I shoot this nigga here.” He raised the gun and pointed it at Jay. “Sorry, dude. I never liked your pretty-boy ass anyway.” Just as he started to pull the trigger, Trinette came up from behind and slammed him across the skull with a cast iron skillet. The gun went off, and a bullet hit a painting on the wall. I screamed, we all ducked and Kenyon fell to the floor. Sirens could be heard in the background.

  “About damn time,” Trinette muttered under her breath. “You okay?”

  I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. For a second there I didn’t think I would make it or ever see Donovan again. “Give m
e your phone.” Trinette reached in her pocket and handed it over.

  “Come’re, Netta.” Jay pulled Trinette to him and seared her with a wet, juicy kiss. “Thanks for saving a nigga’s life.”

  She pursed her lips. “Just remember, I get to be that baby’s godmama.”

  He grinned. “You’re on.”

  While we waited for the police, I dialed Donovan’s number, and as soon as I heard his voice I started sobbing. It was going to hurt him, but if he and I were going to have a future together, I had to tell my husband the truth. And hope for the best.

  50

  Trinette

  My heart was pounding so hard I had a headache. The last several weeks, I’d barely had any sleep and wouldn’t be able to rest until I did what I had to do.

  I pulled into Cedar Ridge subdivision and drove around a bit trying to remember where my husband lived. It’s sad. I visited him so infrequently I seriously didn’t know which townhouse complex was his. I was not going to cry. Nope. I’d been doing way too much crying the last few weeks, ever since I saved Nikki from that psycho.

  Kenyon was presently in a mental health facility awaiting trial. We were hoping he finally got the help his crazy ass deserved. Otherwise, he’d be back on the street and ready to stalk his next victim. Men like him will make a woman run back home and appreciate what she already has.

  Nikki and Donovan came back from Florida, looking so happy together. Watching and listening to the two of them gave me a lot to think about. You had to fight for what you wanted because absolutely nothing came easy. And that’s why I decided it was time for me to get my husband back.

  I packed up my home and put everything in storage, then handed the condo over to the real estate agency. The afternoon before, I gassed up my Mercedes and headed down the highway. My backseat was piled high with stuff. I didn’t stop except to sleep, get gas and pee.

  I finally spotted my husband’s white Chevy Avalanche in a parking spot on the left and moved to an empty space not too far away. I turned off the car and sat there for the longest time before I dialed Nikki.