August's Empathy

The Real One

AUGUST'S EMPATHY

August exited his car with Popeye's Chicken bags in his hand. He used his free hand to lock the door before closing the garage then entering his home. The last thing he expected to see was Camry crying at the kitchen table with her phone in her hand.

"Baby," he called, "What's up?"

Monique walked into the kitchen with a serene expression. She leaned against the arch to see exactly how all of this would fold out.

"Debarge put his hands on me. Ask her, she was right there and saw everything. I was getting ready to call you, and he just started choking me and then he left out. Our room is messed up because of him."

August looked at Monique briefly, and she chuckled. "It wasn't bad... She just overreacted."

Camry cried, "Are you serious, Monique? I can understand you being jealous of me but to completely downplay what he done to me is just pathetic. That man choked me out and I could never overreact about physical abuse."

August was confused. If it was one thing he knew, Camry had just struck a nerve with Monique. He knew her well enough to know when she wasn't feeling something. That statement had definitely bothered her.

She started, "Jealous? Please. You don't have anything I want-"

"I don't? A home? Car? Job? A fucking man of my own?!" Camry fired back, while attempting to stand up but August grabbed her wrist. She looked at him then pulled away as Monique walked off. He sighed heavily. Besides the women, he was wondering what Debarge's problem was with him. He attempted to call him but his phone went directly to voicemail. August had a good idea of where he was anyways.

As he was listening to Camry explain the story, Monique came back with her bags and phone pressed to her ear. August stood up. "Where you going?"

Monique ignored him while opening the door then leaving out. He followed with Camry hot on his heels. "Aye, where you going?"

"Why you care?! You got the fuck up here in Georgia and started giving zero fucks about Debarge and me. You let that crybaby feed you free lies and you protecting her. Why you even with her in the first place? Where is she fit for your lifestyle, and who is she to be trying to call Debarge and me bums when she penny pinching off you? I can get a damn job anytime but she can't depend on you to keep paying for her to go to school, only to keep getting abortions on you!"

August took a deep breath. He folded his arms across his chest as she continued,

"That's not your real girlfriend! She ain't no ride or die! I HAD YOUR BACK!!" She beat her chest for emphasis, "No one has been there more for you than me but you seem to forget that or you just don't care! Admit that you flat out settling with her. Holla at me when you really ready to grow up." Monique hopped into the back of the taxi cab, then he watched as she rode off, losing two of his realest and only friends in one night.

Monet answered her phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, this is Detective Miller and I was assigned to your mother's case. I was calling to inform you that we do have a new suspect in custody. We have been working hard to find him, and he left behind a watch which intrigued us because the watch happened to have your mother's dog's blood on it. As we investigate further, we've also found that he was in a relationship with your sister, whom we failed to contact, Monique Matthews. He is not cooperating but we are getting closer and closer to finding the truth."

Monet closed her eyes. "Thank you, thank you."

"You're welcome. Have a nice night."

Once the call ended, Monet flopped down on her bed. She stared at her contacts contemplating on whether she would inform Monique. She didn't want to be immature and selfish, and keep her sister from knowing the truth. Monet was positive that the death was taking a big toll on her as well. Not knowing who the murderer probably stressed her as well because they never had the best relationship.

But Monet just wasn't ready to face Monique therefore she threw her phone aside, then prepared to get ready to run errands.

Nikki welcomed Debarge with open arms. As he played his freshly bought game, she fixed up lunch for him. Lifting up the pot to her cabbage, she hummed to her favorite song. "So, how long you here?"

"For how ever long until I can get my own," Debarge answered. His phone rang on his chest. He stared at August's number before ignoring the call. Turning his game off then closing his eyes, he began to silently think of the bullshit Bianca had laid on him.

He knew that he was supposed to be showing pain but he had an image to uphold and he remembered why didn't trust women at all in the first place. Not even Nikki who had a smile sweet as sugar, but he knew she used to deal with Play before him as well and she probably was during them.