CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHARLIE

 

I sat on the sofa next to Luke at his house as he rubbed my arm. Belize sat across from us looking like a distraught mother.

“Baby, it’s going to be alright,” Luke said to me. “Dude is just mad because you happy and he’s a miserable faggy. Don’t let him get to you.”

Luke was consoling me but I knew my man. I could see the muscles in his arms tightening and I could feel the strength in his grip as he held me. You see Luke was a fighter to his core. As a matter of fact, the first time I ever laid eyes on him he was in jail for a scuffle. He was in a cell with blood covering his body and clothes. Seeing me like this probably brought up violent memories and I’m sure he wanted to get even.

“I can’t believe Dixie would do this shit to me,” I yelled remembering how she destroyed my bridal shower. “Why won’t she leave me alone? I don’t understand!”

By the time I had asked that question Belize had cleared her throat three times even though I ignored her. She was trying to get my attention and I knew what she was trying to hint at without words. She wanted me to tell Luke what was really going on because I kept my real ordeal away from him.

“Honey, maybe you should tell him everything,” Belize suggested looking into my eyes. “He has a right to know because you don’t want this fool walking up on him without him being prepared.”

Belize said so much that she might as well have told him the rest. But as much as I hated to admit it she was right. Luke had no idea the type of beef I had in these streets with Dixie. In his mind I was a sweet nurse who led a drama free life. Boy was he wrong.

“What’s up, bae?” he asked positioning his body to look into my eyes. “What is she talking about?”

Before I said anything to him I turned around to look at Belize. Then I threw up both fuck you fingers to express my opinion of her at the moment. Belize wore a smile and was untethered by my attitude.

I went on to explain to Luke the version of facts I’d given to everybody up to this point. That version, my favorite of course, left out the part where anybody died or was murdered. Instead I explained that Dixie was dangerous and I had to do what I could to prevent him from killing somebody by way of paralyzing him. Luke’s face alternated between anger and worry and when I was done with everything his expression rested on concern.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me this, bae? I can’t believe you kept this dude in your house all this time and I didn’t know. And then he hits you over the head with a bat? What if he would’ve killed you?”

“I didn’t want you to leave me, Luke. It was embarrassing keeping him like that but I really thought he would hurt somebody.”

“Leave you?” he chuckled. “Are you serious? You don’t get it, do you? I’m not going anywhere, Charlie. If anything you should’ve told me what was going on so that I could have had your back in that shit.” He stood up. “Let me make a few phone calls. I’ll be right back.”

Luke was on the phone in his kitchen for ten minutes. When he returned he said, “Okay, I have some people who will be watching your back over the next few days, until I can have all of your things moved into my house.”

“Luke, I don’t need no—”

“Don’t tell me what you don’t need,” he said aggressively. “You obviously need a lot and I’m not going to leave you alone to get hurt again. And if you love me you wouldn’t ask me that shit.”

“He’s right, Charlie,” Belize said. “You should let him—”

“Please go home, B,” I yelled. “You’ve done enough over here in my household.”

She grabbed the collar of her dress. “Well I never.” She stood up, yanked her purse and switched out of the front door.

When she was gone Luke said, “She cares about you, Charlie. She’s different from the others and you should keep her around.”

“I may consider it on one condition.”

“There you go with your conditions.”

“I’m serious. I want you to wear the tux for our wedding, baby. For me.”

“Why do we have to keep going through this? I’m not interested in wearing no tux. Especially the one they delivered today with all of that extra bullshit that comes with it.”

”But it would be for me. I’m begging you.”

“Charlie, it’s like this, if you want me to marry you in a tux then you obviously don’t want the real me. So what do you want to do? Marry a fake?”

“I want you to be my husband so I guess I don’t have a choice.” When my cell phone rang with a blocked number I reluctantly answered.

“Charlie, it’s Emma. I’ve been calling you all day. When are you going to take me to the place we talked about at the bar?”

I stood up and looked down at Luke. I didn’t want him hearing my conversation. “I’ll be right back, baby.”

He frowned. “So you have to leave to talk on the phone now?”

“It’s not about that,” I said. “I just need to give privacy to my friend who doesn’t want you knowing her business.”

He raised his hands and dropped them in his lap before turning on the TV with the remote. “Do what you gotta do.”

I walked to the kitchen. “Emma, I can’t show you right now,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“You better make time, Charlie. I like you but I need to know where my son is and I waited long enough. Now you said you know his whereabouts and I want to know them now!”