Copyright ©2020 by Creole Gaudet. All rights reserved.
No part of this chronicle may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system – except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper – without permission in writing from the publisher, Creole Gaudet.
HOME – 12:45 a.m.
“Are you hungry? How about a sandwich?”
“That sounds great, baby.” I took a spot on the sofa and turned on the TV.
“What do you want on it?”
“What kind are you making?”
“I can make any kind you want. Turkey, ham…?”
“Ham… Is there any cheese?”
“Swiss?”
“Perfect.”
“Iced tea?”
“Sure… Thanks, Sway.”
“I love you, Andre.”
“I love you, too.”
As I sat eating, Sway was quiet. I could sense her discontent.
My phone rang. It was Demi. She’d gotten off work early and was two minutes away. I stuffed the last quarter into the side of my cheek and hurried down to let her in.
Sway had already washed my plate and was in bed and under the covers when Demi and I returned. “Oh, is she asleep?”
“I think so… She’s tired.”
“Well, let me hurry and get out of here and…”
“Oh no, you’re good… Have a seat. Tell me all about what’s going on at Big John’s.” From my periphery, I saw Sway lift her head. “I haven’t been there in a while.”
“Same shit, just a different day… Trying to give these young girls the benefit of my experience in this business, but will they learn? No! Will they listen? No!”
“You know how they are. They don’t understand anything until it’s too late.”
“Yes!” Demi scooped a generous bump through her cut straw. “Then they come to me crying, hyperventilating and trying to catch their breath… Something I’d just told them to not do a week before…they do it anyway and are suffering the consequences, wanting comforting and understanding… If they’d just listen from the start, you know?”
“I know.”
Sway sighed, shifting her legs. “Oh oh… I think it’s time for me to get on my way.” Demi leaned in with a grin. “You may have your own set of consequences.”
“Let me walk you out…”
“No, it’s alright. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I got it…”
“I’ll walk you out anyway.”
We’d quietly exited the building and were heading towards Demi’s car. “Is everything alright, Andre?”
“I hope so…”
“Trouble in paradise already?”
“Actually, no. It’s like… I have a surprise for her and it’s… I booked a room downtown for us and I want it to be special…”
“Ah… I see.” She removed the keys from her purse. “You’re holding out the sex, and she’s frustrated.”
“Damn! How’d you…?”
“You got trouble, man.” Demi sat behind the wheel of the slate gray Camry and started the engine. “You have you a full-on shit-storm coming your way.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah…” She chuckled. “You’re on a powder keg that’s waiting to go off at any moment. What day is your setup for?”
“In the morning.”
“Oh! Well, that’s great… The poor girl won’t be suffering too long.”
“Yeah, that’s true… Demi… I don’t like her suffering at all.”
“You’re in love, man. That’s beautiful. She’s in love with you, too. I could see it when I first met her. I think you’ve found the one, Andre.”
Sway appeared, arms folded, scanning the area as she traipsed towards us. “Is everything okay, baby?”
“Yeah, I just came out to see what you two are talking about…get some air.” She forced a smile. “Hey, Demi.”
“Hey, sweetie. She’s such a doll, Andre. So pretty.”
Sway locked her arms tightly around me, placing her head firmly in my chest. “Thank you.”
“Well, I’m pooped. I have to go and get me some rest and start it all over again. My life. I’ll probably stop and pick up again tomorrow if it’s okay.”
“Anytime, Demi. You know that.”
Sway and I watched as she drove away. She looked up at me. “Now that that’s out of the way, do you have time for me now?”
“To make out?”
“To make love, silly.”
We entered the stairwell. Sway was ahead of me. “I have to be honest with you, baby. I don’t think I’m feeling too well.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. It’s like it’s my stomach or something.”
“Does it hurt? You need to use the toilet?”
We entered the room. I closed and locked the door behind us. “No, it’s like there’s a lot going on in there. I need to be still for a while. It’s like I can’t move or shake too much or I’m going to throw up.”
Sway stood, towering above me as I curled onto the sofa, drawing my knees to my chest. “Just go on to sleep, baby. I think I’m going to chill here for a little while…”
Creole Gaudet
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