Trinity
5 am
I woke up from my slumber with a throbbing headache. I don't even remember falling asleep. All I remember was getting home yesterday, Manny took off my clothes and laid me down. He cuddled me while I latched onto him staring off into space.
I unwrapped Manny's arms from around me and tried to scoot out of bed. As soon as I got to the door Manny stirred in his sleep.
"Mama where you going?" He raised up and rubbed his eyes.
"To get water and probably a snack," I said slipping on his Gucci slides that were at the door.
"I want one to," he said pulling back the covers.
"I know, hungry ass. Come on." I said smiling and grabbing his hand as we walked down the dark hallway.
I won't lie, these past events have had me shook. I have never been upfront with my feelings or emotions. I didn't even cry when my mother left. What Marcel was doing to me was worse than being left by my mother. He was making me vulnerable, and making me feel extremely weak and helpless. All those years I spent building up a confidence and finding my voice in the world went to waste. He was trying to make me suffer for finding the will to tell him I don't want him after he left me. He left me and wanted me to hug and kiss him like everything was fine. I'd never understand him. I was so angry at all the audacity that he had. Like he believed I owed him something. He was delusional. I can't say that enough. Although deep down, I still cared just a little and that made me wonder was something mentally wrong with him. Why was he clicking out of reality?
All through out this phase Manny has been handling the obstacles with the utmost maturity and understanding. Deep down I know he's wearing thin and he feels disrespected. What man wouldn't? I feel disrespected to, but I'm afraid for the day Manny and Marcel cross paths. That's what I hope to avoid. I know he feels like he worked for me and in a way it makes him feel like he's less than a man for allowing another man to keep disrespecting and taunting me. I know most of this and I want to tell him it's okay and he's everything I've dreamed of. But then he'd know I was listening in on him and his grandfathers conversation late last night while he thought I was sleep. So I'd have to show him, and see if I could get him to be at ease a little more.
I flicked on the kitchen light and poured me some juice and Manny some strawberry milk. I sat on top of the counter and sipped my drink while manny stood in between my legs. He sipped his drink and then say it down and softly rubbed at the bruise and handprints that were still in my neck. I winced a little and kissed him softly seeing the weird look he was getting.
He sighed deeply and smirked at me.
"You special... Kno dat ?" He said leaning his forehead against mines.
"Why?" I asked shyly
"Cause.... you are. You so worried about me when I'm worrying about you. Lemme find out I got a real woman," he said cheesy. What he did next made me die laughing.
He put his hand out all stank and put on his best Shanaynay voice."ima run home to Pa an nem, an let them know I got me a laaaaady!"
We both cracked up.
After we stopped, I started making us grilled cheese sandwiches. As I flipped the first sandwich, manny stood behind me hugging my waist. His embrace was so relaxing.
"Mama."
"Hmmm?"
"Fareal.... I admire you. At first you was weirding me out being all care free, but your level of maturity and understanding is more admirable than anything. You been stalked for the last three months and assaulted," the last part made him hug me tighter. "all of that and you woke up with blue bruises on ya neck but a smile waaay brighter. Kissing and
making sure I'm alright. Your spirit and yo aura make me fall for you more everyday. You like the sun in the rain... No matter how much rainfall, thunder or lightening, you shine through. You make me betta yo." He put his face in the crook of my neck and kissed each one of my bruises.
I was blushing so hard in that moment that nothing could bring me down. That was until my car alarm went off. Manny moved first going to my room to get shoes. I was turning off the fire ready to see. By the time I turned around,manny was opening the door.
"Stay right there."
"But.." Before I could finish, he was outside, and a car screeched off. I was going outside.
Manny came in the door with his gun in his hand before I could reach for the knob.
"I know you gone go out there anyway, but before you do answer my question. Who got a black on black camaro with black dubs on it?" I instantly knew.
"Why? That's who set off my alarm?"
"Yeah, now who? Time ticking," he said looking down at me.
I dropped my head and muttered.
"Who?"
"Marcel," I said a little louder.
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Ominous
He put his head in his hands and let out a deep sigh. He rolled his neck around like he was tired and lifted Trinity's head. "You got a picture and a last name?"
She only nodded. He knew this was hard, but she knew he wasn't going to stop.
"I'm gone take care of it. Let's go check out yo car." He lifted her head and pecked her lips. "Before you go crazy about yo car, I got something to tell you. Come on."
They walked outside, Manny first just in case Marcel doubled back. When Manny stepped out of her line of view, she almost fainted. She cried first.
Trinitys car was on four flats, her windows busted, her side mirrors knocked off, and gold spray paint was everywhere. She approached the car and that's when she noticed pictures scattered all throughout the car. They were candid shots of her out, going to parties, going to her cousins house, pictures starting all the way back from when her mom left, pictures from her back yard of Manny on the day he surprised her, ones of her asleep inside of her house. Inside her bathroom. The pictures were personal and made her feel even more uncomfortable. She quickly got every one up from the different places in the car and went around to where the trunk door was missing. In there she found personal pictures. Ones of her dressing, her and Manny's first time, and the last one creeped her out. It was a picture from inside her house of her asleep on Manny's chest. She snatched them all up but left that one on top of the pile.
Trinity walked up to Manny, with her face dry. She made up in her mind that she wouldn't cry anymore.
"When you catch him, I want him first." She said handing him the picture of the two.
Manny's filled with rage and he got stiff. "This nigga been this close? I been slipping this hard?" He rhetorically questioned. "Go pack a bag," he said checking his surroundings.
Trinity followed his orders and went inside the house. She heard her phones text message ringtone as she picked it up. It was a msg from a Baltimore area code. She figured it was her mother.
The phones message tone rang again as she opened the message. It was a picture of her and Manny outside just a second ago hugging. It was taken from her neighbors bushes and it said:
"I always see you. Him too ;-)"
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Trinity
I dropped my phone and ran towards the front door but before I could get out of the hallway, I heard two gunshots. As I walked out of the house I saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was quiet as hell too. No neighbors were outside yet, but I was nervous as hell.
The coast was obviously clear but I was sort of frozen looking around for Manny. I scanned the block one more time. I looked across the street at Drew's house specifically. At the edge of his yard a girls body was slumped over the bushes. I saw Drew walk out casually and pull out his garbage cans. He never once looked towards the body and whistled up to his front door. I stood frozen as a black utility can pulled up and two men jumped out and retrieved the body. They were so casual like this was normal. The men got the girls body into the car and the driver scoped the scene. He stopped and noticed me. He smiled and tilted his hat before driving off.
My senses kicked back in as I went into the house and closed and locked the front door. I ran to get my phone and I had a message from Manny with one emoji. It was the speak no evil emoji and a period.
Why would I tell on him? That's the only thing that he could've been implying. That sounded stupid as fuck to me. I packed a Neon green Pink Sweatsuit and my powder blue UGG boots into my Pink gym bag with under garments, plain clothes and jeans that I would need. I got another bag for shoes, soap, lotions, and deodorant.
Next, I went in my closet and opened the small sized doggy door in the bottom of my closet. I opened it and pulled out the small jigsaw puzzle box, shook it and threw it into my gym bag.
I had quickly decided that I was gonna go to a hotel and treat this like a vacation. I'd let Marcel find me like he always does and let it be what it was. Someone had to go.
I grabbed the keys to the Benz coupe on my night stand and left out.
I locked up and threw my bags in the trunk. I got in the car and started it up and saw a note with my name.
"I know you so much, that I know you driving this car without my permission. Where ever you going, I don't care. I just hope you put it on me before you left. But yeah, I know shit been rough on you these past couple days so I got you this to lift your spirits a little. I hope you like it.
Love,
Manny
PS I will dead ass jaw you if you try to give it back."
I smiled a little at the note and picked up my phone to call him. It rang and rang and went to voicemail. I hung up before the line beeped and hung up. I was disappointed as I put the car in gear and pulled off. When I got near the freeway my phone beeped. I looked down to the same message from manny resent. Then I got what it meant. I headed towards the bridge that would get me to my location.
Twenty minutes later I stopped at the end of the pier and got out. The early morning breeze blowing softly. I got out and leaned against the railing. I took in the view admiring the hues still in the sky and the birds in flight. I smile a little as a familiar smell entered my nose and arms wrapped around my waist...
Manny.
I got déjà vu to our first date and smiled at the thought. I didn't want to think about everything that happened today so I took in the view. I looked back at him and back down as I tried pulling him closer.
After several minutes passed, I had to ask.
"What was that?"
"A set up." He said resting his chin on my head.
"What kind? Was it completely necessary?"
"Yeah, she had a beam on my chest necessary."
"So you guys drew at the same time?" I asked getting bug eyed looking back at him.
"I never got a chance to draw my gun or see the beam. Drew did. She was in his bushes and he got cameras. I heard two shots, saw a body and once that happened he told me get ghost so I did."
"Okay, but aren't shooters usually just doing a job? Who hired her?" I asked.
"You read to many books, but you on to something. Drew going through her phone right now. But I don't want you worried about that," he said tapping my nose.
"It's you though, so how am I not?" I straight faced him.
"I know how. Let's go get you pampered." He said grabbing my hand.
"Keys?"
I dropped the keys in his hand and got in on my side.
Thirty minutes later, we pulled up to a spa and parked.
"Let's go get you pampered. And when you leave here I got you a room. I don't want anybody to find you and I'll probably be there in a few day-------"
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," I said wagging my finger. "the gesture was nice but if you believe that I want to be pampered, stalked and alone, your sadly mistaken. I'm sick every time you leave and I don't wanna be alone right now. That's the last thing I need." I said crossing my arms.
Manny sighed and sat back in his chair. he leaned back in his seat and slid the chair back. He patted his lap. "Sit." I did as told and straddled his lap and looked up at him.
He cupped my chin and pecked my lips repeatedly. "First I want you to know that everything I do is for a reason and it always got a bigger picture. I never leave and come back empty handed, I always make sure I got something to show for it. And this time I'm leaving to be sure of your safety. Somebody bothering you and you in my care is stepping out of bounds. He playing with his life I gotta end this." He pecked my lips again.
"I know, and I'm very appreciative of you for that. But your still not leaving me," I said kissing him again. "So what's the plan?" I said resting my forehead against his.
He sighed deeply and rolled his eyes, "ight fuck it....."