Unraveled - A Short Story Collective (9 page)

8

“I
want you to explain what the hell that scene was you pulled at Devon’s party?” Chrissalyn asked Lathan, finally able to get him alone three weeks after the fact.

He sighed deeply as he looked into her eyes, which were blazing. “I’m sorry Chriss, I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Lathan replied instead of answering her question.

Chrissalyn wasn’t interested in his apologies. She’d had enough of the game and today she was going to get some answers, some clarity, and move on with her life. “Yeah, okay, I got that,” she replied undeterred. “But what I asked was what was going on and I want an answer too,” she finished and waited on him to reply.

“I was having a bad night Chriss, that’s all
,” Lathan replied still not ready to honestly admit what he carried for her in his heart.

Chrissalyn sucked her teeth growing even angrier. “So you just decided to threaten me, kiss me, and harass me for no reason?” she threw at him again, letting him know she wasn’t buying it.

Lathan breathed deeply knowing he was pushed into a corner. He was either going to have to tell her the truth or he was going to lose even her friendship. He’d never seen Chrissalyn as angry as she was right now.
Well fuck, here goes nothing
, Lathan thought opening his mouth to speak. “Chriss look,” he began haltingly as she continued to watch him saying nothing. Before he could get the next line out, there was a knock on his door.

“Uggh,” Chrissalyn mumbled disgustedly as one of their co-workers entered with an issue he needed Lathan’s help with.

“We’ll have to finish this conversation later Chriss,” Lathan told her, secretly grateful for the intrusion.

“Yes, count on it” she replied still angry as she left his office.

Chrissalyn returned to her desk still angry and frustrated. She needed to know what was going on with Lathan and if he did indeed love her. The feelings she carried for him were slowly dying and if that’s not what he wanted, he’d better speak up now. Devon was wearing her down with his kindness and sincerity. Chrissalyn felt like a complete fraud being with him while constantly thinking of Lathan. She knew Devon was a good person and he treated her like a queen. She’d made up her mind that if Lathan didn’t come clean with her today she would cut her ties, make love to Devon and live her life. Now with their conversation being interrupted she was no closer to the truth and still in the same limbo she’d been in since this thing started.  Chrissalyn sighed deeply and turned her attention once more to her work. She already knew within her heart they wouldn’t have another conversation, not unless she cornered Lathan again, and frankly she was beginning to think it just wasn’t even worth it.

Lathan was sitting in his car in the parking deck trying to gather his mind. Chrissalyn and her visit this morning had him completely rattled.
Damn she almost pushed me there
, Lathan thought to himself. He knew admitting the truth wouldn’t give him a moment’s peace from Alisha. She wouldn’t let them be together, she would destroy him at work, Devon would hate him forever, and with all the drama Chrissalyn might just leave him anyway.
Fuck, fuck, fuck
, Lathan thought to himself dejectedly. He’d trapped himself with Alisha and she’d wrapped him like a spider would a fly in its web.
Break up with her ass first
, his mind tried to reason. Lathan sighed deeply recalling the couple of times he’d tried to distance himself from her and how foolishly she’d reacted. He suspected she was still screwing around with her ex, but he’d never been able to prove it.
That would be great
, Lathan thought smiling slightly. It would definitely give him the perfect out to leave her ass alone and be with Chrissalyn.

His thoughts then fell on Devon. Lathan and Devon went back years, and they were close. This would definitely end any friendship the two had but in his mind, Chrissalyn was worth it. All he knew was if he didn’t do something soon, she’d give up on him and be with Devon completely. Lathan took a few more deep breaths and gathered himself.
Make that break today man
, Lathan thought to himself of Alisha as he headed back to his office.

“Yeah, gotta do that today,” he mumbled aloud as he passed her cube and she blew him a sly kiss.

*****

“Hey Jackie,” Chrissalyn greeted the woman who’d joined her at the
break room table.

“Hey Chriss,” she replied as she set up her snack. “So how are you and Devon doing?” she asked casually and Chrissalyn smiled slightly.

“We’re fine,” she replied and Jackie grunted softly. “So have you managed to convince yourself you love him yet?”

Chrissalyn looked at the woman stunned at the statement. “Why would you say something like that Jackie?”

Jackie chuckled. “I’m not young Chriss and I been around long enough to know what I see,” she replied never taking her eyes from the young woman.

Chrissalyn still didn’t answer. She didn’t have one. She cared for Devon, but she wasn’t completely in love with him.

“Look, you and Lathan need to stop all the bullshit and get together if that’s what ya’ll wanna do,” Jackie told her once again.

Chrissalyn sighed deeply. “Lathan doesn’t feel that way about me
.”

Jackie chuckled again. “He tell you that?” she threw back.

Chrissalyn told her no, it was just what she’d observed. Jackie laughed fully.

“You two are really beginning to get on my nerves,” she replied honestly, looking at the woman hard. “Look, when are you two gonna stop living for everybody else? You and Lathan love each other, and you need to work that thing out and keep it moving, feel me?” Jackie finished and gathered her stuff not waiting for Chrissalyn’s answer.

9

“O
K look, bullshit time is over,” Jackie was telling Lathan as they enjoyed their wings and drinks.

The two were meeting again and talking about his situation. “She only has a week left,” Jackie told him again, pointing a wing at him.

Lathan sighed deeply knowing she was right. Chrissalyn had accepted a new position at another firm in the city, given her notice and would be gone in a few days. It’d been almost three weeks and he still hadn’t found the strength to tell her what was on his mind.

“Maybe her leaving will make it better,” Lathan reasoned and Jackie thought about it for a moment.

“Yeah I suppose,” she began. “That is, if she even knew you cared about her,” she added giving Lathan a hard look.

He sighed again knowing Jackie was right yet again. “I just seem to lock up when I’m with her
,” Lathan began as Jackie continued to eat and listen. “It’s like I’m scared she’s gonna laugh or call me a pervert or something,” he added before taking another sip of his own drink.

“Why the hell would she do that Lathan?” Jackie asked trying to figure out what was wrong with this man.

“’Cause I’m so much older than her,” Lathan told Jackie who scoffed at him.

“You’re kidding right?” she threw at him and Lathan told her he was indeed serious. “Man please
,” Jackie told him, rolling her eyes. “The woman is grown, she over 21, so she’s legal,” Jackie quipped, “So what the hell else matters?” she added for good measure and Lathan laughed in spite of himself.

“Look,” Jackie began again “You ain’t got to propose marriage crazy,” she went on. “
Just let the woman know you’re interested and ask her out on a date,” Jackie took another sip before speaking again, “Is that so hard?” Lathan smiled again and told her it wasn’t. “So when you gonna tell her?” Jackie asked as she ordered another drink.

Lathan picked up his glass, swirling the liquor around and thinking to himself. “Tonight,” he said calmly and Jackie smiled.

“Well good, about damned time,” she mumbled and continued eating.

Lathan joined her and soon found himself laughing and joking with her once more, completely relaxed with his chosen course of action. Tonight he would finally take the plunge and hope he didn’t drown.

*****

“Sammy, what the hell?” Alisha asked incredulous still at the images on the screen she was watching.

There they were having sex in bright vivid color and sound. She hadn’t seen a camera that day when she came over. Why would he do this? Alisha thought as Sammy continued to watch her in silence.

“Why did you record this?” Alisha asked looking at him like she didn’t know him. Sammy smiled slightly before answering her.

“I told you I was done fucking around with you playing on me didn’t I?” he threw at her angrily.

Alisha was mortified. If he showed this DVD to Lathan it was over for her. “What do you want from me Sammy?” she asked quietly her mind working ahead to how she would get the DVD from him and destroy it.

“I want what we had,” Sammy said simply as he took another drink of his beer. Sammy was putting his cards on the table and taking a gamble.

Alisha could very well call his bluff, but he knew she wouldn’t. She loved to do dirt, but she never wanted to own up to it, preferring to pretend to be the innocent victim. The DVD however told the real story, making Sammy pretty sure she’d comply with his demand.

“Sammy why are we going through this again?” Alisha began tiredly. “You and me broke up cause you were messing around,” she continued. “We’re friends, and that’s all I want to be,” she took a deep breath as Sammy continued to watch her. “I mean, yeah we had sex, but we shouldn’t have, and it won’t happen again,” she added growing quiet at the end, now that Sammy stood and walked over to her on the sofa.

“Alisha, do I look like I’m stupid,” he told her angrily. “See this fucking DVD?” he asked looking at her hard, “I will play this shit for old boy, no problem” he went on. “Hell you may not come back to me, but guess the

fuck what?” he was ranting now. “He ain’t gonna want yo’ ass either,” he finished snatching her from the sofa and dragging her to the bedroom.

“Stop Sammy!” Alisha yelled at him trying to pull away.

He threw her onto the bed and went to his closet. “See these?” he yelled again, “I got plenty of copies, enough for your friends, co-workers, even your muthafuckin’ pastor,” he told her and Alisha knew she’d better tread lightly.

Sammy was furious and when he got this mad, it was her ass that usually got whipped. “I’m sorry Sammy,” she said quietly beginning to cry. Sammy sighed deeply seeing her tears as his anger began to abate somewhat.

“I want my woman back, and I’m not going to repeat myself again,” he told her looking directly into her eyes. “Alisha, I’m not bullshittin’ you,” he went on still never taking his eyes from her. “You got one week, seven fuckin’ days, to break this shit up,” Sammy finished evenly.

Alisha nodded her head that she understood; knowing anything else would bring her pain. Sammy walked to the bed where she was still laying and sat next to her, pulling her close.

“Why you gotta make me mad like that?” he asked softly as he kissed her lips.