Dirty Laundry

C

I laid my head down and my lip started to quiver, I closed my eyes and thought about my happy place. I'm stuck here with him, and there's nothing I can do about it.

*

One month later C came in the room empty handed, I opened one eye and closed it back. "No food?" I croaked.

"East is gonna be gone all day." He started, "Some shit he dealing with, I was thinking about us hanging out. Getting breakfast this morning."

I stared at him with my eyes always popping out my head. "What?" I whispered sitting up.

"Yeah." He said, "Breakfast, maybe go to the park and get some fresh air. Doesn't matter, seems like you need a break."

I nodded. "I do."

"Now listen this is only a lil break from this small ass room Morgan." He said seriously, "I can't let you go or nothin' like that cause my life gone be on the line. I just want you to smile for once."

"I understand." I stood up, "When are we leaving?"

"You can shower and get dressed, and I'll wait on you in the living room." He unhooked the chain from my wrist. "You can come in the living room when you all done."

I looked down at my redden wrist that had marks all over it, and looked up at C. I hugged him tightly before letting go. "Thank you." I whispered.

"Come on you wasting time." He said quickly, "I'm ready to get out of here and I know you are to."

A hour later I was ready, we went to get some breakfast and I was relieved. I was out, looking at sunlight and seeing people other than Dave and C. I was still kind of nervous though, if Dave found out that C let me out of the condo, and I was hoping & praying that someone would see me and try to help me.

"Why you not eating?" C asked eating a spoonful of grits.

I looked at him and sighed. "This was probably a bad idea. You're gonna get caught."

"Stop thinking negative." He said, "Trust me Dave ain't gone know. Nobody even knows you missing to be real with you."

I raised my eyebrow. "What? How is that?"

"Dave got some connects with some type of paparazzi & blogs or some shit. Told them anonymously that you and your hubby moved to Dubai to raise ya kid. And y'all ain't coming back to America for awhile."

"What? Why would he say that? People actually believes that shit?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah. America is pretty dumb." He laughed, "Plus it was some interview goin' around with ya man in it saying that he wanted to move out of the country because of this shitty ass president."

"It was obviously a joke."

"Well America doesn't think so." He looked around, then looked back at me and handed me some sunglasses. "But put these on just in case." I did as told and looked around, "Stop being paranoid." He said. "Relax, and eat as much as you can ma' I'm trying to let you enjoy life a lil bit."

After breakfast we stopped at an empty field, "What's this?" I asked.

"Just somewhere to breath." He said parking the car, "Come on."

We got out the car and walked for awhile, "Look! A apple tree!" I smiled, pointing to a tree. I started to pick some apples. C pulled out his phone and I stopped quickly, "What are you doing?"

"Come on Miss. Model! I know you miss this shit, we just having fun." He shrugged. "Pose." I just stared and he looked at me, "Show me that pretty smile." I hesitated, then smiled a little.

He started at the photo, "You don't even look happy." He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Trying. Tryin' to give you a good day."

"I'm having fun." I told him, "And I'm happy, it's just- a little new to me. But trust me, you know this is heaven compared to that condo."

After picking apples and talking we got some ice cream from a nearby truck and sat down.

"So." I started, "Tell me about yourself C. Who's...Chris?"

He chuckled, "Chris, is a good guy." He said. "Chris is twenty-four, with a baby on the way."

"Congratulations." I said thinking about the child I was supposed to have, "I'm sure parenthood will be amazing. Got a wife?"

He shook his head no, "Girlfriend for two years. She got a kid, and now this is her second. But I don't think I'm ready to be a dad I mean- I can barely take care of myself."

"Seems like you're doing a pretty good job to me."

"Yeah, seems." He joked. He looked at me, "But sometimes I feel like I don't deserve the shit. Chris is a good nigga, but C? Man I don't know." He sighed. "C gotta do what he gotta do to survive, and that shit ain't easy. Working for East, I mean the money is good- looking after you? My nigga I'm getting paid 3 times more than I was selling on blocks." He explained, "But I know deep down inside this some demonic shit. I'm working for a demonic ass dude, that ain't me." He shook his head, "What he doing to you? That shit is sad b, forreal. I ain't ever been in no situation like this. That's why I don't know how to get out, and I'm sorry for even being apart of this shit Morgan. Cause I ain't even the kidnap somebody and hold them hostage type of nigga, I just-"

"You don't have to explain yourself." I said silently trying to hold back tears. "You're just doing your job, taking care of you and yours." I wiped my eye lightly, "No hard feelings. I got myself in this situation."

He looked at me with a serious expression on his face. "And we gone get you out"