Reverence

Chapter 4

I woke up with sore muscles but in a soft cushioned bed and pillows. I heard water rushing in the bathroom, and that's when I came to the realization, I was in the master bedroom. Ray's bedroom. The door opened from the bathroom, and she walked out with a towel wrapped around her body, and another drying her hair. "You sleep well?" She asked. She had no shame.

"Uhm, yeah. I should probably leave you, in your own privacy. I didn't mean to...uh sleep in-" she chuckled. "In my bed? You passed out and Manny left. I was shot last night, so I wasn't going to budge." She brushed out her hair. "Where did you sleep?" She turned around and pointed. "We slept in the same bed?"  She set her brush down, "It's my bed and I needed to lay at a certain angle to get this healed up. But enough talking, we got business to handle. Get dressed. We're leaving in 30." She said. "Where are we going?" I swung my feet off the bed and stood to my feet. "Going to meet an friend of mine. We call him the Fruit Man."
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Ray and I stepped into her BMW and we were on the road. "Tell me more about yourself, Ray." I said, killing the awkward silence in the car. "What is it that you want to know?" She said, keeping her eyes on the road. "Mmm what is Ray short for?" "It's short for Ray. Next question." She said bluntly. "Okay...how old are you?" I then asked. "29" she answered.

"How long were you and your husband together?" I didn't know if I was overstepping boundaries for asking this. "Five years. Two years married." I took that information and let it sink in. "I don't like this game." She then exclaimed. I knew the question would make her uncomfortable. "Play time is over. We're here." Ray swung the car into the parking spot and hopped out of the car. I followed her inside, and the store appeared like a fruit market. It was completely innocent looking. We walked inside until we reached the back where a man stood behind a counter, reading the newspaper. Ray flashed a card and showed the man. The man gestures his head, allowing us inside.

We walked down a flight of stairs, and the smell of paper money filled the room. "Is that my Ray Baby?" A man, maybe in his 50s, stood up with wide arms. "Hey Bobby!" They hugged each other tightly. "Bruno, this is Bobby. Bobby, Bruno." I shook his hand which was so smooth and soft, it was astonishing. "How you been? I heard what happened." He placed his hand over his heart, "My condolences." and then squeezed Ray's hands. "Thank you. It's been a year since it all happened, but I'm still trying to find him, and I won't stop until I do." Bobby scratched his cheek. "You're really going after him? As much as we all want him out of power, he's not worth it, Ray. The police already got it out for him, just live your life in peace." I could see the disparity in her emotion. "How can I live in peace when my peace was snatched from me?" She held her breast. She was hurting from the gun wound. "You got shot didn't you?" Bobby asked. "That's why you came didn't you?" She nodded her head. He pursed his lips and said, "Fine. But I'm not giving you big dosage. Just enough to relieve the pain. Follow me."

Bobby led us through another door, leading us into what looked like a small factory. Men and women medicating fruits, with drugs. "You still like the peaches? I remember Bryan really loved the Strawberries." Bobby continued to walk. "I always love peaches." She answered. "And you know what, grab something for your friend, I like him. He minds his own business." He looked at me and winked at me. "What is this medicated with?" I asked. "Man, you almost had me. Do you want some or not?" Bobby asked. "I'll pass." Bobby snickered and said, "Suit yourself." He places about 4 peaches into a bag and handed it over to Ray, who in exchange, gave him $200.

"Safe travels." He said to us both. Ray hugged him one last time and walked back. Bobby grabbed me by the arm, and pulled me in. "Your eyes wander a lot with her." I nervously laughed. "Oh we're just acquaintances. We actually just met yesterday." Bobby let me go and finally said, "Keep her safe. You're a strong man to be this close to her. She's been through a lot. She wasn't always this way, and I know you can break that wall she's put up."

"Bruno, you coming?" "Yeah, I'm coming right now." I turned back around and looked at Bobby, the Fruit Man, "Keep her safe." Was all he said before walking away from me.

Ray and I walked outside into the parking lot until Ray said, "You know what, I think I forgot something inside. Be right back." Ray walked back inside, and I just stood by the car, standing guard.

"Hey cutie. This your ride?" A woman with pale skin and brown long hair approached me. "No...it's a friends." I say, waiting for Ray, to come back out so we can leave. "How can your friend leave their hot ride unattended? We should take it for a spin." She ran her fingers on the hood of the car, making her way to the drivers seat. "Ahh ahh ahh" I stopped her. I grabbed her by her arms and moved her away from the car. "Mmm I love a man who's rough."

"Move, Gina. He doesn't like you. Step away from the car." She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Always trying to ruin the fun." Ray moved closer to her and said, "You also tried to ruin my marriage. Now, move or I'll move you." Ray opened the car door, preparing to get inside. Gina chuckled, "Its no ones fault that your man preferred me over you. Say now, you still got the bullet that got lodged in the back of his throat when he got shot last June? Heard you got a collection." Ray stepped out of the car, and clocked her in the jaw. Ray moved so fast, she could've been a professional fighter.

Gina fell to the ground, blood flowing out of her lip, and Ray pulled out her gun. "Ray, don't!" But before I could stop her, she fired 4 rounds. With my eyes tightened shut, I had the courage to reopen them, to see that Gina was still alive. Matter of fact, Gina wasn't shot at all. Ray had shot around her but not at her, leaving her completely unharmed. Gina was petrified at the thought Ray was going to take her life. "These bullets aren't meant for you, but you'll earn them sooner or later." She squatted down to Gina, same way she did to me in the bar, "Now, move out of my way, you dirty cunt." Gina moved away from the car and she advised me to get into the car.

Play Music Here

Ray sped off and I could hear her breathing heavily through her nostrils. "You want to talk about it?" I quietly asked. "If I wanted to, I would run that bitch over with this car, reverse it, run over her again, and then shoot her." Ray had this little engine of fire, and once it sparked up, I just learned to just let her go, until she cooled herself down. "She used to work for me, but I had her fired when she tried to sleep with my husband. Bryan came and told me right away what she was trying to do, so I beat the shit out of her, when I found out. I've known her before Bryan too. Every man I was around, dating or not, she was always all over them." I raised my brows in shock, "Wow, what a bitch." I thought it'd be helpful for her to know that I was actually listening. "Right! She's taunted me for years. When I found love for the first time, I was invincible. I had so much power over her, because she ran through every motherfucker in the city, except the one that took my heart."

"Bryan." I say. "Bryan..." she repeated. "Excuse me." She pulled over to the side of the road and stepped out of the car. "Ray." I said. "I'm sorry." She didn't give me the vibe of someone who would say I'm sorry. "I know you're still trying to wrap this all around your head. We haven't even gone far yet. But, if you want out, please just say so. I don't want to hold you prisoner, or feel like you owe me anything. I just want to know where Kane is, so I can finally sleep at night." She had tears in her eyes.

"You're not holding me prisoner. Besides, I have a bone to pick with him too. He used me for profit. Took our friendship for granted. He knew that at the time your husband sold me the bag, I was in a vulnerable place. I will help you. Until the end. Your family deserves justice." I tell her. I help her up, and she wipes her face. "Thank you. You're a good person." I could see she tried to form a smile. It was hard for her. She hadn't smiled in months. Perhaps she forgot what brought a smile to her face. "We better get back to the house. It's crazy people out here." Ray said.