CHAPTER 59
Jackie shakes him off and I watch as he takes her stuff before walking away, I want to kill his ass right now and my adrenaline is pumping but I remember who is in control and what I am here for as I slowly walk up to Jackie as she starts to try to search for something to put over her sleeping spot. My approach doesn't go unnoticed as she turns and we lock eyes for the first time in a year and her eyes go terrified as I close distance.
"No, no no no no no no no, not you here, not like this," Jackie says starting to break down.
"Hey who the fuck are you and why are you in my town," I hear the 'leader' say towards me as I get to Jackie.
"I'm sorry; I'm so damn sorry Jackie. Let me get you out of here," I say, finally touching her arm with my hand.
She's about ready to cry and I could follow her but my internal survival meter is kicking in as the town 'leader' keeps talking to me.
"Hey rich boy, I'm talking to you. What the fuck are you doing here," He says getting within ten feet.
I waste no motion and pull the revolver that Imelda gave me from the back of my pants and level it in his direction. Everyone in the area is silent as I keep my focus on Jackie, she's not even caring about the gun she's more worried about how I'm seeing her and that's hitting me where it hurts.
"Jackie please grab your stuff from the nice man and get all your belongings," I tell her quietly.
"But they took them and I can't," She says until she sees my eyes and nods quietly.
I turn my attention to the leader who still has his hands up and is nervous as I focus on him while Jackie is grabbing her meager belongings. I'm all malice and venom now, this fuck wants power and I'll give him power.
"You're in charge around here is that it, you're the fucking mayor of this 'town'," I ask giving him my full attention.
"Yes, and that isn't hers anymore," He starts to argue as I approach before losing his voice.
"On your knees," I tell him quietly as he complies," Now open your mouth."
"What," he asks confusedly before I backhand him with the pistol.
"I SAID OPEN YOUR MOUTH," I shouted, scaring everyone in the area.
I watch as the community 'leader' rights himself and with his hands up cautiously opens his mouth. I can see bad teeth and smell rotten meat, I almost feel bad as I put the gun in his mouth. Bad for the gun that is. I have a captive audience and I think back to my younger days of sneaking movies, really violent ones and remember a great black man in a similar position.
"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee," I say loud enough for everyone to hear as I pull the hammer back on the gun.
Everyone is silent and the 'leader' has his eyes closed when I suddenly say BANG and cause everyone to jump and him to fall down crying. I put the gun away and moved to stand on him with one foot firmly on his chest.
"You ever come near her I will send you to a deep dark place and I will enjoy doing it. You will not be missed," I say as a hand takes my arm.
I turn to see Jackie, she's got tears in her eyes and I slowly turn to her and walk her back to my bike. I'm like Moses parting the sea of homeless as we get to my bike and I give her the spare helmet before handing the woman watching my bike a twenty and we're off and down the road. Jackie is clinging to me tightly as we ride and I'm planning my next step as I can't take her home or Loretta would get in trouble if anyone found out and I have no spare area for her so I do the one thing that I can and pull into a motel parking lot. I have Jackie wait with my bike as I go inside and pay for a couple nights with the card before asking about a store in the area. I get directed to a mart a couple buildings down and rejoin my friend. We get my bike parked and I help her inside, it's a queen bed with a TV and a microwave, a chair and small table and a bathroom. I get her seated and kneel in front of her, she's shaking and I'm about to start myself when I find my voice.
"Jackie I need to get us a few things, please wait for me here. I'm coming right back," I tell her, getting a nod.
My trip to the kwiki mart is one done on foot because the bike would take me more time as my feet are carrying me faster than I would have imagined as I grab a basket and start grabbing everything from fruit to shampoo, from vegetables to clean clothes as the store seems to keep everything in stock. I pay and fly by foot back to the room and get the door open to find she hasn't moved from her spot as I get the door closed behind me and start going through everything in front of her before taking off my coat and boots.
"I got you some clean clothes but it's not the best but it should fit, I also got you some clean underwear and shampoo with body wash so you can shower," I tell her trying to keep myself together.
Jackie quietly takes the bath supplies and leaves her coat and her bag for the first time and heads into the shower. I sit and take hold of myself as I hear the water running; I check my phone and see that it's been a little over an hour and it's dinner time. I look at the random food I grabbed and see that it's bits and pieces but not a meal. I figure I should maybe order a pizza and head to the bathroom to ask Jackie what she'd like. I get to the door and hear sobbing inside and enter quietly to see Jackie naked sitting on the floor of the shower curled up into the fetal position as warm water runs over her. I don't even think as I get into the shower with her and pull her to me as I start to cry myself. All we can do is sit there as I hold her and cry when I hear words from her.
"Why did you come back for me," Jackie asks, finding her voice.
"Because I failed you, I left you here and I didn't take care of you like a friend should have," I say, holding onto her like she'll slip away.
"I'm not your woman; I was a bad friend Guy. You don't owe me anything," She says, finally looking up at me with tears and water running down us.
"You were there for me, I wasn't there for you. I'm not letting you fall again," I tell her, holding her head to my chest.
"What are you going to do now? I can't go back and I'm not giving up my baby," Jackie asks me concerned.
"I don't know, I will make it work but right now I don't know," I reply as we sit in the water trying to make sure the world doesn't hurt us.