“Do you know how much I love you?” I said, kissing him on the cheek.
“A lot.” He had a beautiful smile on his face.
“Yes, my son, a whole lot. Now go with your mommy.” I put him back down on the ground.
He ran out of the room. “See you later, Dad. I love you.”
I left my suit in the car as I walked into a small Jamaican restaurant named McKenzie’s on Avenue L in Brooklyn. As usual, the seating part of the restaurant was empty but there was a line for takeout. I went up to the counter and ordered a small oxtail dinner. I waited for the young woman to give me the food; then I took it back to a booth. As soon as I had put down the food, my cell phone rang. I looked at the number. It was a number I hadn’t seen before. When I answered, Donna was on the other end.
I separated a small piece of fat from the oxtail. “Yeah, Donna. Any changes?”
“No, everything is on schedule. Don’t forget to make eye contact with Kathleen before you move in. Once you’re finished, we’ll meet under the bridge as planned.” The excitement was evident in her voice.
“All right; I’ll see you later.”
I closed the phone and put it down on the table. The next time I expected to hear from Donna was when her boss and Kathleen left the office. At that time, I would be at least a block away from there. The briefcase in the trunk of my car was about five inches larger than a normal briefcase. In a small compartment was a yellow blow torch. In the main compartment was a two-by-four, and the knife and gloves. I picked up the phone and made a conference call to Julie and Brian. I finished eating and walked out of the restaurant. I drove back to my house and changed into a dark gray Armani suit. After I left the house I pulled the car into an unused parking lot and put the wig on.
As expected, the business district was almost deserted by 7:30 p.m. A few stragglers in business suits were the only remnants of a city that had tens of thousands of people on the streets about five hours ago. I had parked my car about a half-mile away from the Atlantic Avenue train station in Brooklyn. There were plenty of parking spaces available on the street after five-thirty, unlike early in the morning when you had to get downtown by seven-thirty to get a spot. The walk to the train station was uneventful; with the exception of a few young white women giving me the once-over. I felt flattered by their attention but the timing wasn’t right. Ten minutes after getting into the train station, I was on my way to Manhattan in a brand-new train.
I walked up and down the street, waiting for the call from Donna. It finally came about twenty minutes later. The street lights had come on to illuminate the business district as I made my way to Edna Street. I walked with confidence but not hurriedly because the human eyes are always attracted to abnormal behavior. I wanted to be another faceless white businessman on his way home from a long day at the office. The plan was for me to be on the opposite side of the street when Kathleen and her husband made their way down the street. There was an old apartment building that was being totally renovated. Donna had identified that building because there was only one bulb illuminating an entrance about twenty feet in length. It was there that I was going to make my move. I waited at the opposite end of the street from where Kathleen and Peter would be coming. The old apartment building was about thirty feet from me.
Kathleen looked stunning in a short, black, formfitting dress. As she walked with Peter, the joyful look on her face reflected a woman in total bliss. She saw me as soon as she turned onto the block and took her husband’s spare hand and laid it on her butt. He squeezed her ass as she stuck her tongue into his ear. I could only imagine what she was saying to him. The plan was for Donna to crush a Viagra pill and slip it into his drink before Kathleen arrived for a surprise visit. The Viagra pill was to ensure that pleasure came before responsibility. Peter knew what he was carrying and he knew what would happen to him if he fucked up.
I watched them coming down the street, Kathleen all over her husband, rubbing the front of his pants and kissing on his ear. When they reached the front of the building that was being renovated, Kathleen turned her husband around as I walked down the street until I was directly opposite them. I had confidence in Kathleen that she would not allow Peter to turn around. She pulled on Peter’s free hand as she tried to entice him to go into the passageway. I stood there, looking around, a few droplets of sweat coming down my forehead. Finally, pleasure overruled responsibility and Peter followed his wife into the passageway. I quickly walked across the street and before I entered the darkness of the passageway, I had the two-by-four in my hand. I walked slowly and quietly. I heard groans before I was able to see Peter, his back to me and his pants down to his ankles. The briefcase was hanging loosely from his hand by the gold handcuffs. From experience, I knew that Kathleen was a pro and my dick started to harden thinking about what she could do to me.
I lifted the two-by-four and came down hard on the side of Peter’s head. He crumpled to the ground. I knelt down and quickly unlocked Peter’s handcuffs. I deposited the briefcase into mine and took out the blow torch.
“Before you do that, give me the gloves and the knife,” Kathleen said. I gave her the gloves, which she quickly put on, then I gave her the knife. “Step back.”
I did what I was told.
Kathleen lifted the knife up high, brought it down into her husband’s back and then threw the knife onto the ground.
I looked at her emotionless face. There was no joy or anger. It was like she was doing a job that she had done for twenty years; just another day in the trenches.
“The knife.” I reached down to pick it up.
“No, leave it,” Kathleen said. “If you were smart, your prints won’t be on that.”
“I was smart,” I said.
Kathleen smiled. “You don’t think I know that black bitch has been fucking my husband.”
“None of my business,” I said. “Give me your cell number in case I need to give you the heads-up.”
She called it out and I put it directly into my cell phone.
“Sometimes, it only takes one stone to kill two birds. Now hit me,” she said.
This time I brought the two-by-four from the side of my waist and smashed it against Kathleen’s face. Blood flew out of her mouth. I threw the piece of wood down. She staggered and fell to the ground. I took the blow torch and pulled the trigger. I lifted Peter’s right wrist. And while holding his fingers I burnt around his wrist as the smell of burning flesh scorched my nostrils.
“That’s enough; leave,” Kathleen said, her eyes bloodshot and blood dripping down the side of her face.
Once more I complied. I got up off the ground.
Kathleen wrapped her hand around her husband’s head.
I straightened out my suit and dusted off any particles that had gotten on it. I turned around and started to walk toward the light. I looked back briefly to see Kathleen starting to drag herself forward. I moved quickly, knowing that Kathleen would be screaming for help as soon as she dragged herself out to the sidewalk. When I was close to the sidewalk, I looked up and down the now completely deserted street. I made a left turn and walked quickly down the street.
At the end of the street, I saw a yellow cab approaching. I hoped that it was Julie and Brian. She was wearing a turban that made her look like a gorgeous Arab. I opened the back door and got in.
“Where’s Brian?” I asked.
“I told him we didn’t need him. I’ve got the gun,” she said.
“Give it back to Brian,” I said.
“Okay,” she said.
I gave Julie the briefcase with Peter’s briefcase inside of it.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“Good, with the exception of a twist.”
“What happened?”
I didn’t feel like talking right then. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Brian is at my house,” she said.
I looked at her eyes in the rearview mirror. “Do what you have to do?”
The ride to
Brooklyn was without conversation. My cell phone rang every five minutes. Finally I turned it off. Donna was history.
“Leave me here,” I said as she stopped at the corner of Atlantic and Fourth Avenues to the annoyance of the drivers behind her. I got out of the car and walked to my car. In the car, I took off the wig and put it in the briefcase. I had one more thing to do. There was no way in hell that Lauren was going to have another child of mine.
Chapter 21
1ST EVENING
I pulled up in front of my house in the darkness of night. I unlocked the front door and stepped into the house. The first person to greet me was Annette.
“I see you’re still ugly,” I said as I walked by her.
“Stop right there, Motherfucker!” Annette shouted at me.
I continued to walk to the stairs.
“Motherfucker, I said to stop right there before I blow your brains out.”
Those words definitely got my attention. I turned around to see that Annette was pointing a nine-millimeter at my head. “What the fuck’s wrong with you, Bitch?”
“Just don’t move. I’m going to have my fun today.” Annette widened her stance to shoulder-width. She flipped her cell phone open and punched in some numbers.
“Who the fuck are you calling?” I asked, getting very angry.
“Should I shoot him now?” she said into the phone.
“Shoot me?” I said incredulously.
“Okay, I’ll wait until you come, but if he moves, I’m going to kill him.”
She put the phone back into her pocket.
Annette wanted to kill me. I was one hundred percent positive of that. The only person who was saving me was the one who was on his way there.
“Can I sit down?”
“No, Motherfucker, your sitting days are over. The only thing I want to see you do is lie down dead.”
The gun in her hand was unwavering.
There was no more conversation until the doorbell rang.
Lauren came running down the stairs. “Is anyone going to answer the door?”
“Bitch, get the door,” Annette said to Lauren.
The human body sometimes takes a while to adjust to certain situations. “Annette, what’s going on here? Please put the gun away and leave Donald alone.” Lauren’s eyes were swollen.
“Lauren, don’t get me angry. You know what happens when you get me angry. Please go and open the door.”
Lauren went over to the door and opened it.
Donna pushed Lauren aside and stepped into the house as if she owned the place.
She came straight over to me, her face contorted in anger. “I told you not to try to fuck me.”
“Long time, no see, Donna,” I said with a smirk on my face.
“What’s going on here?!” Lauren shouted.
“Bitch, shut the fuck up,” Annette and Donna said in unison.
“This is theatrical,” I said.
“Donald, where is the money?” Donna asked.
“I see you gave Miss Ugly a taste of your pussy and she got hooked,” I said.
“Donna, let me shoot his ass now,” Annette demanded.
“Annette, you ugly bitch, shut the fuck up and give me that damn gun.” Donna stretched her hand out for the gun.
Annette handed the gun over to Donna. “I’m sorry, Donna, but you heard what he said to me.”
Lauren had made her way over to Annette. She now stood between Annette and Donna.
Donna started to move toward me with the gun in her hand. “I’m going to shoot you in the kneecaps; then I’m going to work my way up. Donald, what the fuck was going through your mind? You thought that you could play me?”
“I’m sorry, Donna, but my wife and I slept together because we wanted another child. I had too much on my mind.”
Annette turned blue or whatever color black people turned when they were angry. She grabbed Lauren by the throat. “Bitch, you slept with him and you’re pregnant.”
Lauren started to cry. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Annette.”
I brought my hands back and started to push my waist forward in a jerking motion.
“I fucked her good, too. You should’ve been there, Annette. I guarantee you that we’ll have a daughter in eight months.”
Annette held Lauren up by the throat with one hand as she brought her other hand up with the force of anger and hate. She repeatedly punched Lauren in the stomach until blood started to ooze from Lauren’s mouth. She let go of Lauren and Lauren fell down to the floor.
“You bitches are…”
Donna had turned around to see the action between Lauren and Annette and that gave me the opportunity I needed. I leapt across the floor, crossing the space between Donna and me within mere seconds. I grabbed the gun from Donna’s hand as my hand descended on her mouth, sending a tooth flying out of her mouth. Donna’s body crumpled to the floor.
“You motherfucker!” Annette screamed as she jumped onto my back, grabbing my hand that held the gun and shaking it. I tried to throw her off my back, but she held on tightly to my neck. I started to spin her round and round but she held on even tighter.
“You killed my daughter!” Lauren screamed.
For me to turn around to face the lunging Lauren would require at least a few seconds. It was time I didn’t have.
“What the…” It was all I heard from Annette, then the hold she had on my neck was no more. Slowly, she slid off my back onto the floor. I turned around and there Lauren stood with a bloody, nine-inch knife in her hand. Annette lay on the ground, her eyes opened wide but vacant, blood flowing freely down her back. The knife had penetrated her back and gone through her heart.
I put the gun into my waistband. “I’m leaving.”
Lauren looked at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. “You really didn’t want me to have your child, did you?”
I shook my head. “There’s enough pain in this world. We don’t need to bring more. We were blessed with Emerald. I think that’s enough. Do you want me to take them out of here?”
Lauren shook her head. “No, by the time Donna wakes up, the knife will be in her hand. I learned a lot from my father.”
“I’m taking Emerald,” I said.
“Do that, because I have some issues to resolve, but once I’m okay, I will want my son.”
“I won’t keep him from you,” I said.
“You know my father won’t allow it,” she said.
I walked toward the door and turned the knob. “I will deal with that when the time comes.”
“Tell him that I love him,” she said.
“I’ll do that. Take care of yourself.” I opened the door and walked out without looking back.
“The cops are looking for Malcolm,” Dora said as I put Emerald into the car.
“I hope they find him.” I shut the car door. I felt sorry for Dora. She looked like death had approached her door.
“He’s never done anything like this,” she said. “I hope he’s all right.”
“Good night, Dora,” I said.
“Daddy, are we going home?” Emerald asked.
“No, Son, we’re going to meet Aunty Julie.” I picked up the phone and dialed Julie’s cell number. The call went straight to voice mail. I hung up and tried her home number. The answering machine came on. I stepped on the accelerator.
“Where is Aunty Julie?” Emerald asked.
“She’s at home, Son. Go to sleep,” I said.
“Okay, Daddy,” Emerald said, the weariness evident in his voice.
Chapter 22
1ST NIGHT
There were no cars in Julie’s driveway so I pulled up in it. The lights were out in the house. I left Emerald asleep in the car and walked to the front door. On the handle of the front door, there was a white bag with my name on it. I slipped the bag off the doorknob. I looked into the bag and my gun was in it with a note. She had left the porch light on so I took the note out and read it.
Love is never easy
but you make it extremely hard. Brian and I are going to try to start over so we must leave. The keys to the house are underneath the front mat. In the house, you will find five million dollars. I hope it will be enough for you and Emerald, to start over. Donald, please remember that I do love you but I will never be able to trust you. And the things you have done lately have started me wondering what kind of man are you. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. Please take care of yourself and Emerald and thanks for everything.
Love, Julie
I put the gun in my waistband, ripped the paper in small pieces and littered the lawn with it. I got back into the car. My grandmother had warned me and I hadn’t listened. Now the punishment was being dealt.
“Where is Aunty Julie?” Emerald asked as I started the car.
I didn’t know that he had awakened. “She’s dead, my son. She’s as good as dead.”
“I love you, Daddy,” Emerald said.
“I love you too, Son. I really do.” He was my lifeline.
I looked back at him and he was fast asleep. I doubt he even heard what I had said. I squeezed the steering wheel until the veins popped out all over my hands. I was hurting but I was going to be all right. I was close to being a pimp but now I was back to being a whore. Only this time, I had a lot more experience. I had blood all over my hands and I was about to get even bloodier. Julie and Brian were on their way to hell and I was going to make sure that I was the one giving directions. I pulled up in front of the Marriott at eleven-thirty. I let them valet park my car as I lifted Emerald onto my shoulders. The young woman at the desk looked me over like I had kidnapped my son. I didn’t say anything; instead I presented my American Express card.
I put Emerald down on the bed and went to the mini-bar. I took out a few small bottles of liquor. I mixed them together, and then added some Pepsi to the mixture. The night was still young and I had some thinking to do.
I was hurting, not because Julie had taken fifteen million dollars away from me but because she had taken my heart. I squeezed my eyes to stop thinking about her. She had gotten into a place where no woman had set foot before. Once more my eyes became bloodshot as Julie’s knife diced my heart up. I didn’t know if I could have been a hundred percent faithful to her but I was going to try. I didn’t know if my love for her was going to last a month but I was going to try to make it last a lifetime.
Tears on a Sunday Afternoon Page 18