Dark Waters (SLOW UPDATES)

12

"What did he do?"

"Remember Leo? He and James used ta do yard work fa ya old neighbors, the Phillips, from across the street?"

"Yes he was a nice young man. Whatever happened to him?"

"Only God, Leo and James knows. I been tryin ta find out where Leo went. James only tells me that he and Leo got inta nasty fight and Leo never showed his face again. Up until yesterday. Leo saw me at the park and introduced me ta his lady and was makin awkward conversation. At least it was awkward fa me, anyways ta excuse myself from the moment between us I made mention that I had a lunch date with James ta get ta. Leo's girlfriend came up wit the bright idea ta go with me and Leo would drive us, since Leo just talks about us so much. Which he has no reason ta since I ain't seen him in years, what's there ta tell someone? Befo I could say no Leo was already halfway ta his car. I also wasn't about ta turn down a free ride. He stops and let's me pick up the lunch and then we get ta James' job.  Tommy his boss is luckily standin outside and tells me James is down the street gettin a hair cut. I damn near ran down there and told him Leo was waitin fa him. James rushed down there and I tried ta get him ta leave but of course it turnt into James yellin and actin a damn fool. They leave and I go after my husband obviously and he's got smoke comin from his ears he was so mad. I asked him what happened between the two of them and James acts like I asked him ta cut his legs off."

"Give him time to tell you. You can't force a man ta open up. It'll only push them away further and want to tell you what happened less."

"It's been years Mr. Barns. If he ain't tell me by now he ain't never gone tell me."

"This doesn't tell me why you're mad at him."

"I'm mad because he's keepin secrets. I never hide a damn thing because I don't wanna be suprised by some shit that I could've prevented by tellin somebody. James actin like he got the deed ta God's mansion or somethin. And he gets all mad and pissy when someone brings up Leo's name and can't tell me why? That just gets on my nerves. If he don't wanna talk then neither do I."

"Well it sounds like to me, you're angry about how life is treating you and you're focusing it on your husband."

"I know it. And I'm not scared ta admit it. James just adds more salt ta the wound that's all."

"You need a vacation Nisey. I want you to take all this week off."

"I can't do that. I come here fa peace a mind."

"You won't find that here. My daughter killed a woman here and she's locked herself in her room bringing negativity in my home. Negativity doesn't bring a peacefull mindset."

"I'm not takin time off. I need the money and I don't like bein at home by myself. Yes Norma's stone cold body has burned a image inta ma mind. And everytime I blink I see her dead body but I'll keep on working Mr. Barns." I got off the bed and went into the bathroom to get his bath ready.

Third person

"I don't know what to do. I get so mad I could kill." James said to Tommy as they sat in his office.

"You need to take up boxing or something. Penning up all the anger is gonna make you snap one day." Tommy said eating his lunch at his desk. "Nisey not coming today?" He said with a full mouth.

James shrugged. "I don't know. I'd be suprised if she did. I shouldn't have been so rude to her yesterday. She was just trynna calm me down and I yelled at her."

"I don't know what happened between you and that creepy kid. But whatever it may be you need to tell your wife. That's the worst thing you can do is keep secrets. Nisey is a very nice girl I'm sure she'll understand what it is."

"Yeah I know. I just might tell her tonight." James looked at his watch to see it was 12 o'clock and Nisey usually brought him lunch at 11:30.

"Go on a lunch break James. I'll have Roy cover you."

"Thank you." He stood up and walked out Tommy's office and pulled all the tips out his pocket and counted how much he had before leaving the shop. He counted up to $21 and figured it was not than enough. James walked out the store and kept on down the street towards a diner that was near by. A bus pulled up beside him and the doors opened. Denise got off the bus balancing the paper bag in her arms. She didn't realize James was standing there till she felt someone take the bag from her.

"Thank ya." Denise said looking up at him. He held the bag in one hand and pulled her closer with the other. He kissed her gently making her melt under his grip. He pulled away from her but she kissed him again. "Don't you eva yell at me again." She hit his chest and gave him a frown.

"I know. I was wrong. I'll apologize all you want, just don't ignore me like you did last night." He continued to hold her making sure she heard him. "You had me miserable."

"I'm sorry but you know how I feel about yellin and then Dennis... He just..."

"What happened?"

"What happened between you and Leo?" Denise crossed her arm and put her weight on her left leg.

"I'm not ready to talk about it." She rolled her eyes. "Baby I wanna talk about it but I ain't ready." Denise accepted that answer but she was gonna find it out one way or another. She dropped it for now but she wasn't over it. "Can we talk about Dennis since it's more important?" They walked down to Ida's market where they ate sometimes. They sat at a picnic table out by the lake where couples fed ducks.

"Dennis came home late as always. But he stomped through the house all mad and I went ta his room ta ask him what was wrong. He start goin on about how he's not about ta graduate because of all his absences. I busted out laughin. I asked him why does he care about not graduatin? He's a criminal now and criminals don't care about school. He start crying and shit and I keep on laughin and next thing I know he's pointin at gun at me."

"Where'd he get the gun from?" James asked pulling the items from the bag.

"Probably from one of his so called 'friends'. I knew the gun was empty. I told em I make it easy for em. I held the gun up and he started shakin. I pulled the trigger for em and the clip was empty."

James choked on his drink. "Are you crazy?"

"You wouldn't be the first to ask that." She said to herself. "Just crazy enough ta get ma point across. I shoved his ass and took the gun from him. I packed some things fo him. And I'm glad you pulled up when ya did cause I drove his ass straight ta the train station and bought him a one way ticket. But the man in the ticket booth was Leo." James looked up from his food. "He was talkin bout if I ever decided to get away from you he'd give me a free ticket." James stopped chewing his food slowly. "After I got Dennis on the right train I was about ta leave when Leo tried ta walk me ta ya car and asked me out ta dinner but I declined. I kept walkin and he was followin close behind me. I tried ta tell him I was good by maself but he somehow got behind me and opened the door fo me. I drove away befo he could do somethin stupid. On the way back home I tossed the gun over that bridge not ta far from here."

All that Denise had said went out one ear and through the other. All he took from that was the part about Leo.

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