by: Carolyn Robinson

As I clutched the shiny, black 9mm Roscoe had so generously given me, I felt as if all power was now in my hands.  Running my fingers across the sleek instrument and knowing that I could use it to get my family back, brought a smile to my face that I hadn’t had in years.

My smiled widened with every thought that swept through my head. Visions of regaining what was rightfully mine gave me a new sense of power.  Of course I wasn’t planning on hurting anyone, if at all possible. Going back to prison was not something I welcomed. But beating the mess out of this man that called himself taking my place as my son’s father and my wife’s new man was something I eagerly and willingly looked forward to. 

I’d never signed the divorce papers Mercedes had served to me in prison, so she was still my wife.   And no matter what, we were going to be a family again.  And from the terrified look in my boy’s eyes when that fool opened his mouth to speak, I knew my son needed me. Now more than ever.

The black Ford pickup truck Roscoe had loaned me, sounded like the motor was about to drop out of the bottom at any minute, but after giving me the one precious item that I’d come for as a favor, he wasn’t about to let me part with his 1985 Cadillac. I wanted to make it back to my wife and son as soon as possible so I didn’t have too much of a choice.

Like a snail, I drove around the block a few times before finally pulling up at the end of the street with the house still in view. Not wanting to draw any more attention than I already had, I killed the truck’s noisy engine, placed the gun on my lap and waited. What I was waiting for was beyond me. Up until this point I was full of adrenaline; pumped and ready to take care of business. But as I sat in the truck, thinking about what could go wrong with me stepping up to the door with a gun, I began to reconsider.

Something that had never occurred to me before suddenly made itself known.

What if that fool had a gun too? What if he was ready and waiting for me to come back? What if he calls the police and they find a gun on me?

I had been put on probation for the next 3 years. They would definitely slam my ass back in prison without giving it a second thought.

“Damn.” I slammed my fist against the weak dashboard of the raggedy truck as reality began to set in. I had to do something. I couldn’t just walk away and leave my family with this maniac.

My eyes shifted to the old, gray Nokia cell phone that I had bought years ago sitting on the seat next to me. I still had Mercedes’ cell number programmed in my phone. Maybe, just maybe, she still has the same number.

Scrolling down the short list of contacts, I finally found her number and hit the green send button. My hand trembled uncontrollably as I held the phone up to my ear. Beads of perspiration broke out over my forehead as I waited for the phone to ring. Praying that the number was still the same.

After the second ring I was ready to hang up when…

“Hello?”

It had been some years since I’d heard my lady’s sweet voice. And of course I would recognize her voice among a thousand women.  A million women. But right now, I swear I couldn’t tell whether the voice belonged to her or Oprah Winfrey.

“Hello?” The voice said again.

I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as the angelic sound of her voice penetrated my ear. How I missed her voice and the way she used to call my name. Even though she demanded a lot more than I could afford to give, I never once got tired of the innocent, childlike way she’d deliver her request. The sound of her voice could always break me down, just as it was doing at this very moment.

“What’s up, beautiful?”  With my eyes still closed, I crossed my fingers, praying she’d caught my voice or that she wouldn’t hang up due to the fact that she didn’t recognize the number. 

“Mercedes, it’s me, Clay. You still there?”

I opened my eyes and looked in the direction of the house, hoping she was at home. I didn’t want to come all this way only to have to come back another time.

“Yes, Clay. I’m still here.”

I opened the door to the truck and slid out. I casually leaned against its dented door, holding the phone as if it were a precious piece of gold.  My heart fluttered as thoughts of gazing upon her beautiful baby face flashed through my head. I hadn’t seen her in years and I missed her like hell.

“I’ve missed you so much, baby.”  

The silence on the other end made me wonder if I’d said something wrong. Surely not. How can I say something wrong? I was her husband.

“I’ve missed you too, Clay,” she finally said. The sound of her voice was low, just above a whisper. As though she were trying not to talk too loud.

The sudden static on the other end of the phone awakened me from my visions of her.

Something wasn’t right.  I wiped my sweaty palms on the side of my blue jeans and strained my ears to listen. I heard nothing. Only the faint sound of her breathing on the other end. 

“Mercedes!” I yelled into the phone. “Mercedes…hello?

A frown spread across my face as I heard a male’s voice in the distance. 

“Who the hell you talkin’ to, Mercedes?”

The loud thud in my ear told me that Mercedes was no longer holding the phone. Maybe she’d dropped it when she was interrupted or maybe he’d known whom she was talking to and had snatched it away from her.

Whatever the reason, I wasn’t about to sit around in hopes that she’d call me back. At that very moment I couldn’t care less what happened to me. I didn’t give a damn if they locked me up and threw away the key. Didn’t care if I never saw my family again. Just as long as I knew that they were safe and completely away from that maniac.

With the 9mm clutched tightly in my hands, and my mind on nothing but kill mode, I sprinted toward my house, ready and willing for all hell to break loose.

TO BE   CONTINUED…