Julia settled back into life at home. Getting into a routine with the kids and Tavin. Her days started early in the morning, waking up with Tavin and his insatiable sex drive. She'd organized everyone, got everyone up and out the door on time. Alex had grown difficult to get out of bed and moving for the day. Then once he did wake up, he stayed in the bathroom, taking up the time she needed to get herself and Tatia ready for their day. The fight over the bathroom took place every morning till Julia had enough, banging on the door. "I know what you're doing, Alex. I don't care, but we need the bathroom." He emerged embarrassed, hurrying past her to his room. "Alex, I know about boys and you can do that in your room. That's all I'm saying."
Jay's mornings were still all his mornings, up before the sun, running, then coming home and showering before he set out for school. Jay functioned best before noon and his class schedule was complete by 1pm and he was back home with his head in his books by 2pm. After a week in college, Jay complained that high school in no way prepared him for college. By the end of week 2, he came home frustrated and asked if the zombies were back yet.
The school district ran half day kindergarten classes, so Julia had three hours in between drop off and pick up. She spent her morning mingling with stay at home moms and the few stay at home dads. They stood on the pavement outside the classroom door and talked about their kids while they kids waited in line impatiently to go inside. At 1130am she waited with those same parents on the same pavement outside the class room door while talking about the same kids. Morning drop off was a madhouse with all the classes arriving at the same time. Kids all ages scattering and running and screaming and talking. After drop off, Julia would go home and hang out with her dad. She only did this a couple days a week and the school was closer to her house than Tavin's. When she went to the house she'd take back only the things she'd need, but for the most part she lived light. She didn't want or need a lot of stuff. She only wanted to live with enough that would fit into a bag.
Tavin had found the go bags in the basement that Jay and Julia had thrown together. Jay would occasionally add to them. Julia's side project had turned into Jay's side project. He questioned Jay about them and then left them in the basement, working around them. Jay had taken some of his money from his part time job and hit the dollar store, stocked up on three days worth of supplies and water. The basics to get them from point A to point B. Jay didn't get into detail with Tavin about the reasons, Tavin figured it was all Julia's stuff but Jay corrected him, 'it's our stuff. it's preparedness.' Tavin dropped the subject.
Julia waited at the door with Tatia when she got a phone call from Sandy's house. She didn't expect one from Sandy and with Ray tucked away in Texas at college, she answered it out of curiosity.
"Where you at, Julia? I have paperwork I need you to sign. I also need some of your information." Chess said directly. No hello, how are you or anything.
"Ok, I'm at school. Robinson elementary."
"I walk around there then. Five minutes." He said, then hung up the phone.
He's been out of boot camp a week...Julia thought.
Five minutes later Chess was in front of her at the school. He picked up Tatia, gave her a hug and a kiss. He was in jeans and a tee. He stood differently, taller and no slack to him. He handed Julia a manila envelope and talked with Tatia till she went inside. He gave Julia a hug hello.
"How you doing, Julia?"
"Good." She answered. He'd bulked up a little, added some muscle. "You?"
"Good, thanks. Let's find a place to sit down." He said, taking her around the front of the school where they sat on a bench in the little garden by rose bushes, under a maple tree. She followed along side him.
"I thought you'd be in a uniform."
"I'm home. No need for one." He said, taking the envelope from her. He pulled out a little stack of papers. "First, sign these." He said, handing her paperwork and a pen. She scanned the document. She signed it. "Thanks. Now fill out this." He said, handing her the next forms.
"Chess," She said, looking over the papers. She filled out the forms for him and signed them. She handed them back, then he handed another one to her.
"Insurance. I need your info on there."
"But, Chess."
"Fill out the paperwork." He insisted. She completed the papers and she handed them back.
"More?" She asked.
"No." he answered. "Thank you."
"Chess, you won't talk to me?" She asked. She got up and followed him as he started walking away. "So you have me sign for a divorce, make me a beneficiary for insurance, make me your contact in case something happens to you and you walk away?" She asked.
"Yes, I don't want my mom to have to do it."
"Where are you going? Chess, should I worry?"
He stopped. "Julia, it's just standard paperwork adults do. You will do it, if necessary."
"Of course." She answered,
"I thought so." He said, standing tall and firm.
"I'd like to know where you're going."
"Home."
"What are your orders, marine?" She asked.
He smiled, stifling a laugh. "Julia. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying stateside. I have more training. I'm not deploying and I will be ok."
"Not good enough." She asked.
"I have more training. That's all."
"You just scared me with the insurance stuff. Chess, I still worry about you."
"Don't worry about me." He advised her. "You got yourself together I see."
"This is as good as I am going to get, Chess."
"Me too." He said. "How long have you been clean?"
"Since the party."
He looked surprised. "No drugs and no drinking?"
"Weed. I take my medicine." She answered. "No drugs and no alcohol."
"You living there now?"
"I love him Chess."
"I figured as much when you signed the paperwork without an argument." He'd also noticed she didn't wear her rings. He still had his on. "This is the best decision I ever made, Julia."
"I know. I thought you'd like it."
"It was the best and worst experience of my life. I hated every minute of it. But I needed it."
She smiled, "Would I be able to do it?"
"Yes. You would." He stepped closer to her walking alongside her.
"You think I should do that, Chess?"
"I think that you should consider that, Julia. You know things. I know things. Things that are real." He told her with the emphasis on the word real.
"About the z-"
"About a past we shouldn't speak of away from the table, Red." He advised her, looking around them, his eyes roaming their surroundings. She found it strange he'd call her Red. He never did.
"Um, ok. You know something I don't? Are we being watched?" She whispered, straightening herself and looking around them passively.
"No, why would we be?" He asked. "I see you're still delusional. You and your mental problems."
"Uh, yeah, Chess, whatever."
"I think if you sit at the table and hash this all out with our family, you'll be alright. You can work anything out if you sit down with the guys at the table. We can make this new normal work. Just because we're separated doesn't mean that we can't still be friends. I still have a spot at the table even though I am not there."
Oh, shit...Julia thought...he's coding with me. "You always will. Because we're all family. We take care of our own."
Chess took hold of her hand and squeezed it hard. "You were right. We should have sat at the table a long time ago when you wanted to. We could have worked it out and it would be different."
"Well, thanks. Nice to know I was right about something all these months later." She smirked. "Jay and I have discussed the problems and have made the most progress. My boyfriend will take some talking to. You know, to get him to come around. No hard feelings and all."
"Oh, there's some hard feelings." He corrected her.
"Like Carla?"
"Like Carla." He nodded. "I went to see Carla when I got home."
"Fucking whore." Julia swore at him. "Just cause you went through boot camp, I can still take you out."
"Probably, slut."
"You broke my fuckin' heart, Chess."
"So anyway, when times get tough, I know where to find you. I can read you like a book." He smiled, tugging her hand and pulling her next to him.
"It'll be different. Ann will always know where I am. Just go see her. Maybe you could fuck her too."
"Or you could." He suggested. He stopped them at the corner and he gave her a hug. "Over my shoulder, the van, the exterminator."
"Yeah."
"It's coming, Julia. No more texting, talk in code." He whispered.
"Ok."
"Push me off you, act mad."
"No, I don't wanna. I-" She argued. He kissed her. Hard, trying to get his tongue in her mouth. She shoved him then. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" She screamed at him. "Damn, Chess."
He stumbled a bit, caught off guard by her little arms pushing so hard.
"You're crazy, Julia." He yelled at her.
"Jerk." She watched Chess walk away. There was a story there. She was sure of it. He knew things. She was no longer delusional. No more text messages. Had they read her texts with Jay about the zombies? Had they been following her this whole time? How much did Chess tell them? What did Chess tell them?
Julia set off in the opposite direction in search of some coffee and wound up at the convenience store by the school. In the store, she was being watched by a woman. A short, compact female in her 20's with cropped blond hair. Julia let it slide, thought it had to do with Chess. What did he get involved in? She wondered. The blond was very composed, confident, had an air about her that was authoritative. She was too obvious in her track suit and her off brand sneakers. Julia stood outside the store and played on her phone, scrolling through face book and watching this woman out of the corner of her eye. Julia thought herself crazy at first, inside the store. Chess had her all delusional again. Ann of Green Gables bullshit, she thought he was messing with her for a minute. The woman, who had to keep going past Julia who opted to become the observer as opposed to the observed. You can't follow someone that's not moving. There it was, a moment's hesitation and the woman didn't buy anything. Instinctively, she reached to her waistline for a weapon that wasn't there. She hadn't done that in months. Shit...she thought. When blondie walked on, Julia switched up directions and took the long way back to school. She'd sit out her wait there in a public area while she pieced together what Chess had said to her. She continued to keep her eyes open and look around her when she walked. She wound up back on the same bench in the garden in front of the school. A memorial to a child who'd died of cancer several years ago, a name plate stuck in the ground by the bench. How sad, Julia thought.
Blondie pretended to be jogging this time. She'd passed her running in circles several times and thought Julia hadn't seen her or noticed her. When blondie passed around again, Julia was waiting for her. She attempted to veer off the sidewalk, but Julia tripped her and got down on the ground with her. If she'd had a weapon, she would have pulled it. Being that as it may, Julia snatched her by her throat, squeezing tightly.
"I will fuck you up." Julia said angrily, hand at the throat, she jerked her backwards against the vehicle in the lot. "Let go," The woman 's voice just barely squeaked out. Julia shoved her head back against the car wheel well, slamming it against the frame of the car. She wasn't passed out cold, but she'd definitely have a lump there. "Don't bring your shit to this school with my kid in it. I will fucking end you."
She tried hitting Julia, but she blocked her, hand still gripping her throat. A punch, which Julia could take easily. Another one, then she grasped blondie's fist and with one good twist, fractured the woman's wrist. She let out a scream that was partially occluded by her increasingly blocked airway.
"Is this some kind of test? You failed." Julia muttered, releasing the woman's throat. "Next time, you're dead."
Blondie reached for a weapon as Julia backed off her throat. Julia wasn't stupid and this time she did knock her out. She disarmed her and took the gun apart, removing the clip. She waited patiently on the curb a moment, deciding what to do with her new blond friend. Didn't she have back up or anything? As Julia reached to go through the woman's pockets for ID, a car arrived. A dark four door sedan idled in park in front of them. Julia tossed the gun in the grass behind her as a man bigger than Julia could take on alone exited the vehicle. This tactical gentleman, looked rather official, dressed in tight black clothing rather nicely put together. A tall, lean build with cropped hair. He scooped up blondie and hauled her away, tucking her in the back seat. He left Julia confused and sitting on the curb, thinking she was next. Instead, he rounded the car and drove away. No plate on the car and tinted windows.
"Well, fuck." Julia sighed as she got up. She picked up the gun and it's clip and tucked it in her waistline in the back of her cargo's. "Fuck OPSEC," She muttered. She called Sandy's house and when Chess answered she asked him, "What the hell did you get my ass into?"
"Nothing. What happened?"
"Chess, I just took this bitch down. She was following me-"
"Don't say anything."
"Fuck that. Chess, I have her gun."
"You disarmed her?"
"Yeah. I have her fucking gun. It's a nice gun."
"Did you kill her?"
"No. I knocked that bitch out though. Broke her wrist. Damn near strangled her to death."
The line was quiet. "This is not OPSEC, Julia."
"It's personal OPSEC, Chess. She's at the fucking school with a fucking gun." She said loudly, looking around her. "Do you know his bitch? How many more are there so I have an idea? What is going on?"
"Just stand there and wait. They are not going to hurt you."
"First of all, I can take care of myself. Second, you haven't been a marine long enough to be involved in deep shit like this. And third, you will never be a marine long enough to give me orders."
"Julia, stay put. Don't say another word."
"Fine." She muttered. Against her better judgment she stood still and said nothing as the black sedan rounded the bend and parked, idling in front of her.
"May I have the weapon, ma'am?" The same man requested, hovering over her.
"If I say no?"
"I don't think that would be smart, ma'am." Tactical gentleman was polite.
"I could kill you." Julia warned, reaching to her waistline. "I could have killed her." Tactical gentleman did not reply as she pulled the weapon out and handed it to him. He turned and walked from her, reentering the vehicle. Nice ass...she thought as he walked away...I could have a whole different kind of fight with you, buddy...
When tactical gentleman drove off, Julia fetched her coffee from where she'd left it and waited for Tatia's class to end. That morning's activity was time consuming and definitely not boring. She had her adrenaline going. Had to calm herself down. She hadn't assaulted anyone in so long, it felt exhilarating.
Julia made Tatia do her homework as soon as she got home. The did her spelling words and they read on her iPad, knocking that out of the way before the girl could even get comfortable. After homework, she fed her lunch and they were still eating around 1pm when Jayson came home from school. He dropped his bag and ate a sandwich Julia had ready for him. When Tatia finished up her lunch and ran off to play in her room, Julia told him about her morning.
"Alright, Jules. That's a cute story." He said, getting up from the table.
"You don't believe me."
"The only part I believe is you saw Chess and you signed paperwork. What kind of paperwork?"
"He divorced me." She answered. "Insurance benefits and they notify me if he dies. Standard paperwork."
"You got divorced?"
"Yeah."
"You ok?" He asked.
"I think so. I'm not surprised. Can't be married to him and fuck your brother. It's kind of wrong."
"So you're over?"
"That's what divorced means."
"Are you marrying Tavin?"
"Um, I don't-um, he hasn't-no. I don't want-let's let the ink dry on the divorce, please."
"Stutter much?"
"Seriously, you don't believe me? Jay, come on. Why would I make it up? Ask Chess."
"Chess wasn't there."
Julia picked herself up and moved on with her day. She wasn't going to let Jay's disbelief get her down. She started laundry instead. "Bring your wash down. I'll get it if you want."
She spent some time that afternoon lurking by the window in the living room that overlooked Houser street. The shade trees blocked some of her view, and she had to readjust her position to see.
The only car she saw was Tavin's as it pulled into the driveway. If Jay didn't believe her story, then he definitely wouldn't.
She scurried through the house to the back door and met him on the patio, walking in with him. "Hi," She smiled, leading him inside the house.
"Hi," He grinned, pulling her small body against his. Kissing her, he lifted her and backed into the living room to the steps. "You're happy to see me."
"I am." She said as he set her down. She backed up the stairs, holding his hands and backed into the bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him. "I have news." She smiled.
"Hmm, what's that?" He asked, pulling her shirt off. He unbuttoned her cargos, letting them drop.
He started to unbutton his uniform shirt.
"I am divorced." She said, backing onto the bed.
"So, I'm fucking a single girl now?"
"Oh, you're fucking a single girl now. Yes. Right now."
"Can I take my pants off?" He laughed.
"Come on," She urged, kicking off her cargos. She yanked her cami over her head. She snatched up Tavin and laid him down, climbing on top of him.
"Look who's horny today..."
"Shhh, let me." She said, leaning over him. She rocked back and forth on him, then drew his hand from her breast to her throat. She felt his hand apply the gentle pressure on her throat, her waist moving faster as she neared either an orgasm or passing out. Her head felt light, then she erupted in her head as she felt the sweet release he gave her. She grasped his hand as she sensed him loosening his grip, holding it in place, which he tightened as she gripped him. When she finished, she pulled his hands away. She felt the blood rushing back to her brain. The room straightened out.
"I wasn't done, Tav."
"I don't like that, Julia." He said honestly. He did it once and meant it. It had been his stupid idea.
"I do." She hummed, moving off him. She slid down between his legs and took him in her mouth. She raised her ass in the air so he could see her reflection in the mirror over the dresser.
She sucked him till she heard him making his 'I'm almost there' moans as his breathing raced, she backed off him. He grabbed her head and put it back.
"Finish me, baby girl." He breathed heavy. As he spilled down her throat, she sucked him till he emptied and then some. He liked that.
He sat up on the bed. "Kisses?" She suggested. He smooched her cheek. "Real kisses." She batted her eyelashes. Tavin gave her a kiss. "I love you."
Julia redressed in her pajama shirt instead of her clothes and watched him as he pulled on some sweatpants. He pointed at her neck. "Nice hand print. How you explaining that?" He asked. "Cause they're gonna look at me, Julia and they're gonna think I gripped you up."
"You did." She shrugged. She moved closer to the mirror. "Not that bad." She said to him. She moved even closer to the mirror. "Oh, maybe. How do you keep that from happening? Didn't happen last time."
"That's easy. I won't do it again."
"No. That feels awesome. I can do you." She suggested.
"No thanks."
Julia went downstairs and threw dinner in the oven. She made stuffed peppers with the left over ground beef from the day before. Another one of Ellen's fantastic recipes. Julia didn't even like peppers. Tavin came down and flopped on the sofa.
"So what got into you, Julia?" He asked.
"Nothing." She replied, pulling her notebook out of her bag. She sat at the table and wrote while waiting for the peppers to cook. "Why? You wanna go again?"
"You wanna?" He asked, flipping through the channels.
She looked through the doorway at him as he sat shirtless on the sofa. "You know," She called as she continued writing, "If we lived alone, we could be naked all the time."
"But we don't." He mumbled.
"So we're partially naked." She hummed, turning the page in her book. She pulled her knees to her chest on the chair and left her legs ajar while she wrote. "Right, Tav?"
He looked toward her. "Oh, Red." He grinned as she spread her legs a bit more. She felt his eyes watching her and she glanced over her book toward him.
"Like that, huh?" She giggled.
"I like." He said, setting down the remote.
Julia reached below the table and touched herself, fingers running through her trimmed red hair. She preferred it smooth, but Tavin liked hair. He liked it longer, but they came to a compromise. He lifted off the couch, "Where the fuck are they?" He asked, coming into the kitchen.
"I dunno." She answered.
"Up." He ordered. She stood and he bent her over the table.
"Oh, shit, Tav. What if-"
He lifted her pajama top and pushed into her. "Keep quiet." He said as he fucked her, hands squeezing her ass.
"Hurry up." She urged. "It feels good, Tav." She said. She held her mouth shut and made slight squeaky noises, started whimpering. "Harder." She said, looking over her shoulder at him. Every thrust it sounded like her was slapping her. Oh, god, it's noisy...she thought nervously.
"I'm close, Jules." He urged, placing his hands on her shoulders.
She followed instructions, hoping to God they didn't get walked in on. His hands tightened on her shoulders, squeezing tight and holding her in place. The rhythm stepped up and he came just in time as their voices were on the patio. He jerked her back into the chair on his lap, pulling her pajama top down over her ass and his waist.
The back door swung open and the three off them came in the kitchen. "Hey, when's dinner, Julia?" Alex asked, passing her and Tavin.
"Few minutes, take your time." She answered, feeling like she was about to fall. She couldn't reach the floor.
Tatia followed all dirty, then Jay all sweaty, no shirt. He took a seat at the table, waiting for dinner.
He looked at her oddly. "You tell him about your morning?"
"No." She answered, shifting herself and grabbing onto the table to keep from falling. He had her waist and she wasn't going anywhere, but it didn't feel that way. You didn't believe me, so why would he?"
"What happened?" Tavin asked, reaching his hand down and pulling at the shirt seam on her thigh. She felt it rising, his hand disappearing beneath the cloth and he tugged at her hair. How does he hold a straight face? She asked herself.
"Um, it's a long story better meant for dinner." She answered as his fingers swished around her hair, then inside her rubbing her lightly. "Um, it's commmmmplicated." She said, then coughed a bit to gather herself. He rubbed her harder. "So, where were yyyyou gggguys?" She stuttered.
"The park." Jay answered. "What the fuck are you two doin'?" Jay asked, leaning back in his chair. Bare chested, abs, the hair around his belly button that led down to....she had to look away. "You freaks." Jay complained, getting out of the chair and walking away. "Call me for dinner. Wash your fuckin' hands too."
Tavin stopped when he left the room. She leaned back on him, letting him play. "I fuckin' love you, Red." He said in her ear. His free hand grabbed a tit over her pajamas. He felt her body trembling. "I love when you cum, baby girl."
Julia got up when he left her go. She washed her hands and got dinner on the table. Tavin watched her moving around the kitchen. She microwaved mashed potatoes and she microwaved a can of corn While she waited for the microwave to work its magic, he was on her from behind.
"It's going to be one of those nights." He said in her ear, his hand back between her legs. His left hand roaming beneath her pajama shirt. "I want you again." He said, kissing her neck. She stuck a spoon in each bowl after it cooked and set them on the table with the pan that had the stuffed peppers. "Now." He said, lifting her shirt.
"Upstairs." She said.
"Now." He said again, lifting her playfully and taking her back to the bedroom.
"Dinner is on the table." She called to them as she and Tavin kissed their way through the hall.
They showed up an hour late for dinner, smelling clean and with lingering dampness from their shower. Jay was cleaning up in the kitchen and she heated up the plates he'd set aside for them. During their meal, she detailed again her morning. Tavin looked as suspicious as Jay. "So this has to do with Chess?" He asked.
"I would say so. He's not giving me any info though, all secretive like he works for Obama or something."
"Who's Blondie? And the guy?"
"No clue, but she's hurting tonight for sure."
"So if she was some secret agent," Tavin laughed. "How did you manage to kick girlfriend's ass?"
"Yeah, really, Julia. They're trained to kill."
"You taught us girls how to fight, Tavin. And Jay when I was going through that stalker stuff." She said, rolling her eyes at them. "You doubt me now. I have taken all of you down."
"With help maybe." Jay said from the sink.
"I'm not mad now. But I think when I get mad, Jayson, you know what I can do."
"I wasn't fighting back. That is not fair." He argued. "My nose is still crooked."
"It adds character." She smiled.
"So you think they're out there now watching us?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen anyone since her." Julia answered.
"So that's why you're all horned up?"
"Maybe? I don't know. It felt like the old days, guys."
"Well, we need you fighting everyday then." Tavin stated. "If this is the result."
"You know that feeling. After you fought someone and won. That adrenaline high. It's very similar to sex, that high." Julia told him. "Hell, any high is good."
"So what's Chess up to?" Tavin asked.
"More training is all he'll say. He came home just for all that paperwork I think. Jay, has he said anything to you?"
"About the table. Yeah. Save him a seat at the table."
"What did he say exactly again?"
"He called me Red and told me to sit at the table. He never calls me Red. I think he was referring to me and you sitting at the table. He was code-wording with me. Like he didn't want anyone to understand what we were talking about. Our past." She thought a moment. "Sit at the table with our family...we can work out anything if I sit with you guys at the table...our new normal...save him a spot...we should have sat at the table when I wanted to, all of this could have been avoided...if we sat when I wanted to. I was right. He kept poking me and pulling me and squeezing my hand on certain buzz words...he made a joke about me fucking Ann."
"Who the hell is Ann?" Tavin asked.
"Ann of -"
"Green Gables..." Jay finished.
"It's all coming. Whatever squad he's joined or whatever he's training for all leads to Ann."
"Shit." Tavin said.
"He told me no more texting. Talk in code words only we would understand."
"Texting?" Jay asked. "Me and you text about it all the time."
"We can't now. OPSEC. He mentioned that a few times. Told me to look it up. No more texting. Like he doesn't want them to know where..."
"They're reading our text messages?"
"That's too conspiracy theory for me, Julia. No."
"He asked me to consider joining. Said I could do it. I'd function well under pressure."
"Is he trying to keep you safe?" Jay asked. "By joining?"
"I know things. You know things. He said to me."
"Get him over here." Tavin said. "He's home right? Call him, Jay." Tavin said, sliding the phone across the table.
"You're asking for trouble there." Jay advised. "I can't get in the middle-"
"I'll take it. I'm a man just like him."
"I will get in the middle." Julia volunteered.
Jay hesitated.
"It's bound to happen sooner or later. Let's get it over with." Tavin said.
Jay spoke with Chess briefly once he realized that it wasn't a chat he wanted. Jay hung up. "He said no."
"Start texting him about zombies." Julia joked.
"She's right. Tell him we're at the table and to get his skinny ass over here before we make the sky fall."
Julia stood behind Tavin who'd tensed up. She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Now that's our little leader talking." She said and she kissed his cheek.
"I think it's too soon." Jay said, texting Chess's new number the message from Tavin. "I'm so not in the mood for a fist fight." Jay sounded annoyed.
"Who even says it's turning into that? Aren't we jumping ahead a little?"
Jay's phone rang. "He's on his way. He's pissed."
"Ok." Tavin said.
"There's some questions I can't answer. Like I told her." Chess said, looking toward Julia. "I told you everything I could."
"Who came after her today?"
"I don't know."
"Why did blondie come after her today?"
"I don't know."
"Is she in danger?"
"I don't know."
"What do you know?"
Chess shifted uncomfortably. He thought a moment. He looked around the kitchen doorway to the front street. Chess pointed at Julia's notebook.
"Chess, stop. Seriously. Are we bugged? Cause we been talking about-"
Chess pointed at Julia's notebook. Tavin slid it to him. Chess started writing. He held up the notebook. 'have a conversation.'
"How's school Jay?" Chess asked, reaching into his pocket. He removed a piece of paper. He handed it to Julia.
"Ok." Jay answered.
Chess started scribbling in the notebook. "What classes are you taking? Is it hard?"
Jay started rambling about school as Chess wrote words on paper. "Sounds interesting. How's Jesslyn?" Chess asked. Jay continued to hold this conversation on his own with Julia throwing in a comment or two here and there.
"Tavin, how's my wife?" Chess asked sarcastically. He was nearing the end of his list of words. Julia gasped at the question.
"Tight." Tavin answered, giving back the sarcasm.
"Well, here we go." Jay muttered. Another table, another fight about to start. "I told you it was too soon."
"Too soon?" Chess asked, looking sideways at him. His face was flushed.
"Stop it, please." Julia begged.
"She always was. Right, Jayson?"
"No, leave me out of this." Jay said, moving his chair back. His arms folded across his chest.
"How do you live with them, Jay?"
"This isn't about me and her."
"Oh, my God." Julia sighed. She had her hands on Tavin's shoulders, applying pressure as if she could even begin to restrain him.
"It's funny how you came at me for hitting on Macy and going out on Kelly, considering you had your side piece. What's her name, Chess?" Tavin goaded him on purpose as Chess still scribbled in the notebook.
"Carla." He answered.
"Julia, when you sold her my drugs and my gun, you took Ray with you."
"I did what we had planned, Chess. When we got out I was supposed to call-"
"You took Ray."
"So."
"You had a conversation with Ray didn't you?"
"About Carla. About Macy. About us. Yeah, so he's your brother, Chess."
"You took him with you to Carla."
"She didn't know he wasn't you. Just like Macy didn't know."
"Just like you didn't know."
"No, I would know. And he said-"
"He covered for me. He's my other half. You could have ended him at that fuckin' park. You did not know. Just like Carla and just like Mace."
"No, when?"
"Easter."
Julia thought back. The fucking basement. She hadn't spoken to him in a couple days and they made love on the couch. "Easter?" She liked it. She couldn't tell. She felt sick.
"I didn't have a choice, Chess."
"What are they talking about?" Jay asked.
Tavin sat quietly, reading over the notebook, all that Chess had written. "Not our business, Jayson." She paused, thinking back. She felt the color rushing from her. "Who went home with me that night?"
"You know who went."
"I can't believe this." She said. I'm going to kill your brother, when I finish killing you...she thought. She approached him, stood directly in front of him. "Please, say you are kidding. Chess, this isn't funny. I didn't have a choice."
Julia chose not to hit him, hurt him, or curse him at that moment because that was what he expected of her. Instead she spit on him. "I should have left you rot in hell with the fucking dead." As Chess wiped the spit from his face, Julia struck him with the palm of her hand. Up, between his arms, connecting as hard as she could with his nose. Crunch. Blood. If it hurt, he held the pain in. He backed away, blocked the next fist coming at him, but the kick was flat against his chest, throwing him back. The kick knocked the wind out of him.
"Julia, stop it." Jay yelled, grabbing her around her waist. When Jay had her, she calmed down.
"Is it broken?" Jay asked Chess.
"I think so." He answered.
"Are you done, Julia?" Jay asked.
"I think so." She shrugged.
"We all feel better now?" Jay asked.
No one answered.
"Not the first fight at the table." Tavin called.
"Not the last." Chess said, holding his nose, head tilted back, still bleeding down the front of him.
"You're bleeding on my floor." She said annoyed.
"Straighten it out and get some ice." Tavin said.
"It fuckin' hurts." Chess said, passing Julia and Jay and going back in the kitchen.
Jay pulled her in the living room and set her on the couch. "What's with you and noses?" He asked. "Stay there."
"I hate you, Chess." She called.
"Julia, stop. No you don't." Jay yelled going into the laundry room for another shirt for Chess. He went to his cousin who cleaned up in the kitchen sink. "Look at his nose." Jay told Tavin. Tavin reluctantly stood up and inspected it.
"Gonna hurt." Tavin warned him.
"It already does." Chess replied angrily, hands on the edge of the sink. "Just fuckin' do it."
As Tavin straightened out his nose, he spied the wedding ring still on his hand. "Sorry, Chess."
"Yeah, sure." He said, reeling from the pain, but holding it back, absorbing it back into his brain.
"We should x-ray that." He added, handing him the ice pack Jay had readied for him.
"I'll live."
"Seriously, I think it's-"
"I leave in the morning and I can't spend the night in an emergency room." Chess told him. "If you wanted to fuck me up, you should have done it this morning, Julia."
"If you wanted to hurt me, you should have done it this morning." She replied, getting up and coming into the kitchen. She picked up her phone and texted Ray a picture of Chess in the kitchen, bloodied and in pain. 'that's you next time I see you. you've been warned'.
"Who are you texting?" Tavin asked.
"Ray." Julia replied. "I showed him his future."
"What happened on Easter?" Jay asked still confused as to what sparked this.
"It's over. Nothing. Drop it." Julia answered, dropping her phone on the table.
"I'm gonna take you for an x-ray." Tavin said firmly.
"I said I-"
"I know someone. In and out. No paperwork." Tavin stated. "Let me call her."
"Her who?" Julia asked, wondering if they'd need more than one x-ray.
"Carmen Lopez, Julia." He replied. He'd told her about Carmen, one of the many exes.
Tavin dressed and took Chess over to the ER, leaving her and Jay to clean up the mess and read the notebook.
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