ONE NIGHT.....13

Brandon was sitting at a table in the bar of the hotel waiting for Anthony to show up.  Anthony was going to fix all his problems.  Soon he and Donna would be together.  Just as he was checking his watch Anthony grabs a seat across from him.  Every time Brandon saw Anthony he wondered how he ever got into his line of work.  Anthony was 6’5, 265lbs; I always thought he would play football, but he went a different route.

 “You’re late”

 “Your point?”

 “You’ve always been know for your punctuality.”

 “As far as I’m concerned, I’m in time.”

 “Ok”

 “Ok. Let’s get this over with.”

 Brandon looked around the hotel lobby, and saw that other 3 other people they were basically alone.  Due to the lateness of the hour not many people were down here.

 “I have already wired the money into your account.”

 “I know.  You wired the whole entire amount before the job has even been done.”

 “Yes, I want you to be aware of how serious I am.”

 Brandon reached into his pocket and pulled out two pictures, and slides them across the table. Anthony picks up one of the pictures and sees a beautiful woman with curly hair and glasses.  She is standing by a Mercedes, with her hand on the hood while talking on her cell phone.  In the other picture, is a man he knows.  Anthony looks up at Brandon, with a surprised look on his face, but he doesn’t ask why.  Anthony never asks questions.

 “Her address is on the back and judging by your face you already know where he lives”

 “When”

 “Anytime after the 17th and before the 24th.”

 “Ok, anything else?”

 “I would prefer if they were together when you did it.”

 “Anything else?”

“No, I will leave how it’s done up to you.”  “I know that after you do a job you disappear, so there is no way of contacting you.”  “I will wait for you to contact me.”

 Anthony did not tell Brandon that he would not be contact him, ever.  This would be his last job.  His debt to Brandon will be paid after this.  Once this is over he will find a nice place to settle down, and start over, leaving this life behind him.

 Brandon got up form the table at the same time Anthony did. Both men headed in opposite directions. Brandon headed for the door, and Anthony head for his room.  Once there Anthony stripped off his clothes, and heads for the shower.  He turns on just the hot water; in hopes of burning off his sins.  He picks up the bar of soap and begins to lather himself.  Every sweep of his hand over his body, he finds a reminder of his work.  Scars, burns, you name it he had it.  But his was his last one.  This time would definitely be the last time.

Thursday the 16^th….

 “How much will that be?”

 “$36.75”

 “Ok and you are sure this will get there tomorrow?”

 “Yes it will get there by 4:30 tomorrow.”

 “Good”

 “Will that be cash or credit?”

 “Cash, of course”

 Friday the 17th…..

Donna sat nervously in the chair at the salon.  She was more anxious then she has ever been.  Her anxiety did not come from what her stylist was doing to her hair, but she was waiting for the call from Dr. Bailey.  She had done the paternity test three days ago and has been anxious ever since.  She had gotten a hair sample from Jason’s hair brush, and given it to Dr. Bailey.  It was not hard to get a sample form Brandon.  She told him what she needed from him, and he offered to go in and get his cheek swabbed.  Donna told him that the results will be ready on the 20^th but the doctor had told it would take 48 hours.  Once she knew for sure where she stood she would decide what to do about Jason and Brandon.

 Donna was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of her stylists’ voice

 “Okay girl talk to me”

 Donna was twirled around in the chair and was shocked to see her hair.  It was curly, really curly.  Like Jill Scott’s hair in this months issue of Essence.  She is pleasantly surprised.  It looks amazing

 “Oh my gosh, it’s fabulous Terri.”

 “Darling my work is always fabulous.”  “Now although it’s curly and wild, this look can be very tame and worn in many different ways.”

She proceeds to show me eight different ways to wear my hair, and each style was just as flattering as the last. 

“Now am I the best or what.  Come on tell me the truth”

 “Yes Terri you are the best.”

 “I am so glad you recognize.” “I’ll see you in two weeks for a wash, and for me to tighten those curls.”

 She paid her and left.  My hair was bouncy and full of body.  She was definitely loving this new look.  Just as Donna got in the car her phone started ringing. She answered it after the 4^th ring.

 “Hello”

 “Donna its Patricia Bailey.”

“Hi” Immediately Donna's heart starts to pound out of her chest; she could barely hear Dr. Bailey over the pounding.

 “I’m sorry I had not gotten to you sooner.  A few of my patients went into labor around the same time.”

 “It’s OK really, I figured you were busy, or you just haven’t gotten the results yet.”

“Well I do have them; do you want to come in around 4?”

 “If it’s OK with you doc, I want to know right now.”

 “Ok then if that’s what you want.”

 Donna listened as Dr. Bailey explained the percentages, and then gives her the results.  She thanked Dr, bailey for all her work, and confirmed her appt for the following month.  Donna pulled out of the parking lot and headed home.  She pulled into her garage a little while later, and went inside her house.  She changed her clothes and was in the kitchen getting ready to cook dinner, when her door bell rang. She looks at the clock and its 4:30, who would be coming here at this time.  She is usually at work.   She head to the front door and looks through the peep hole.  There is some teenager standing there.  She opens the door and he is smiles and asks her if she is Donna Brooks.

 “Yes I’m Donna Brooks.”

 “I have a delivery for you.” He hands her a manila envelop.

 “Oh OK, uhm hold on while I get my purse.”  She begins to turn but he stops her.

 “No need ma’am it’s already been taken cared of.” “Have a nice day.”

 “Thank you.  You too”

 Donna shuts the door and begins to open the envelope thinking it was the addendum to a contract for a house that she was waiting for.  To her surprise it turned out to be a DVD, with a little post it note; which read PLAY ME NOW!  Donna picks up the manila envelope, and looks it over. There is return address, no name, thus no way of telling who it was from. The only thing on the envelop was her name.  She walked over to the TV.  It would be her first time using it since Jason got it.  Why he needed to buy a 55inch vizio flat screen was beyond her.  Hopefully she can work the darn thing.  She powers on the DVD player and inserts the DVD which is sucked right out of her hand.  After locating the remote she sits on the couch, and presses play.  The screen goes blue then the words I’M SORRY appear.  What she see’s next almost stops her heart.  On the TV in her living room is her husband having sex with Vanessa.  It goes on for about ten minutes; the screen goes black again.  Then another scene pops up, and this time Vanessa is on top of Jason, and he is rubbing her breasts.  Then another scene with Vanessa on her hands and knees and Jason behind her, pulling her hair.  Then another scene, and another and

another.  It kept going on and on until Donna turned off the TV.  There were no words to describe how she was feeling. Betrayed, hurt, angry, did not begin to. 

 She pulls her self together, and goes back into the kitchen to finish dinner.  By the time she is done, she hears jason’s car pull into the garage.  She is putting the food on the table when he walks through the door.

“Hey baby, ooh something smells delicious.”

 “I made you favorite.”

 Jason drops his briefcase on the chair, then heads over and gives Donna a kiss on the cheek.  It takes every ounce of strength she has not to slap the dog shit out of him.

 “My favorite?”  I must have done something very good.”

 “No I did it just because.”

 “Honey let me go wash up and I will be right out.”

 “Ok, hurry I got something I want to show you.”

 Jason goes to the bathroom to wash up, and Donna continues to put the food out on the table.  She sits and waits for him.  He comes out and is wearing a different shirt.  He sits across form her.

 “Ooh I cant wait to dig in to this baby.”

 “Go head, but say grace first.”

 Jason reaches for her hand and says grace.  He then proceeds to reach for the salad, and the rolls. Donna pours him some wine.  He is now devouring the food.  Telling her how much he loves her cooking.  She is pushing her food around on her plate, since she has no appetite right now.

 “Oh honey while you are eating, I wanted to show you something.  I got this DVD by messenger today.”  “Can you see the TV OK from where you are?”

 “Yeah, go ahead baby, what is it, a movie?”

 Donna gets the remote off the counter and stands next to Jason.  The DVD had already been returned to a specific part, so the first thing Jason saw was the scene of Vanessa riding him.  As he choked on his dinner Donna patted him on his back and asked him if he was OK.

“Are you OK Jason?”  “Hold on a sec there is more, and the best is yet to come.”

 Donna fast forwarded through part of the DVD. Then Jason jumped up, and grabbed the remote form her and shut off the TV.

 “Donna baby, let me explain.”

 Donna slapped him, and she slapped him again. 

 “Fuck you, explain what Jason?”  “How are you going to explain that?”  “What exactly do you think you can say to make this better?” 

 “How long?”

 “What?”

 “How long have you been fucking her?”

“Almost a year”

 “Almost a year?”  “Almost a whole fucking year?”  “You and that bitch must of have had quite a few laughs at my expense.”

 “Donna please just listen to me.”

 “Get out”

 “Donna”

 Get the fuck out of my house now.”

 “I am not leaving we need to talk about this.”

 “You are not leaving?”  Donna turned around and grabbed a knife off the counter.

 “You wan to see how fast you can leave?”

 “Shit Donna put the knife down, are you serious?’

 “I am not going to tell you again GET OUT NOW!”

 “Ok, OK. I will leave.”

“And don’t you even think about stepping foot in here again”

 “You can’t mean that Donna?”

 “I am as serious as a heart attack.”

 The look in her eyes told him not to say another word and just leave.  He picked up his briefcase and keys, and left.  Donna locked the door behind him.  First thing in the morning she was going to have the locks changed.  Then she will call her lawyer.  After that, the bank.  But now she was going to cry.  She walked to her bedroom, and lay across the bed and cried.  She rubbed her belly while she cried and cried, asking herself how could this be happening to her.  She got under the covers and cried herself to sleep.

 ACROSS TOWN…..

 Vanessa is in the shower when she hears the door downstairs in her apartment.  She quickly gets out and puts on a robe.  She hears someone running up the stairs, and fear grips her.  Then she hears Jason's voice yelling out her name. She opens her bathroom door that leads into her bedroom and yells back.

"What are you doing here and why are you yelling?"  He is standing in her bedroom.  He walks over to her and slaps her hard across the face.

 “You stupid bitch!”  “You couldn’t wait and let me tell her?”