The Silver Lining (6 page)

I rushed her mouth, crashing my tongue into hers. It was different than when I kissed the girl at the bar. She was passion, that other girl was just lust. We were in the moment, lost in kissing when the sound of the phone rang. I felt her try to pull away, but I wouldn’t let her. If that phone didn’t stop ringing I was going to smash it with a damn hammer. I didn’t want this to stop. It felt too good. She felt too good. Finally the phone quit ringing. I felt her hand lower to the towel around my waist. She was slowly trying to pull it off, when that damn phone started ringing again. She pulled back.

“I should get that. It could be important,” she said, wiping her mouth. She ran out of the bathroom.

I nodded, and stood there with blue balls that felt the size of watermelons. I wanted her so bad. If I didn’t have to get to this class soon, masturbation would be an option at this point. I sighed and grabbed my dick. “Calm down, boy. It’s not happening,” I muttered. If kissing her caused that much of a spark inside me, I could just imagine what the sex would feel like. I closed the door and dug into that big bag of clothes. I threw on a white tee, some blue jeans and a pair of brown construction boots I found. To my surprise everything actually fit. I wasn’t ready for what was about to happen when I came out. I slowly walked by her room to catch her throwing stuff in a bag. She paced back and forth and frantically grabbed things from different areas of the room.

“What’s going on? Going somewhere?” I asked, confused.

“It’s my mom. She’s getting worse. I’m headed down to Mexico, now.”

I could see the worry in her eyes. She was weeping as she slammed clothes into her bag.

“Do you need help? What can I do?”

“Just stay here and watch the place, would you.” She paused. “I can’t believe I trust you enough to say that. I don’t even care right now, anyways. The whole place could get robbed, I wouldn’t even care.”

She was shaking as she gathered the rest of her belongings. She reached over and accidently knocked over a vase. The glass shattered. The water splashed everywhere and the flowers broke apart as they hit the floor.

“Son of a bitch,” she yelled. She grabbed a trashcan and just started tossing pieces of it all inside. She looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. She was moving fast, crying and I just stood there and took it all in.

“Emily?”

“What?” she barked out.

“Do you need money to get down there?” I pulled a chunk of cash out of my pocket from last night’s tips. I didn’t know what else to do. This seemed to be the best help I could give her.

She stopped moving and quickly stood up. She walked over and placed her hand over mine, and shook her head. She smiled, but it wasn’t a happy one. It was the type of smile that had a lesson behind it. I suddenly regretted offering her the cash.

“James King, what is it with you and your lack of love for money?” She paused. “Don’t answer that. I have a better idea. I don’t think you should stay here anymore. This life is not for you. Matter of fact take your money back.” She handed me the money I gave her for rent. “Why don’t you just go home, to your wealthy family, in your wealthy home where you belong?”

Her words cut like a knife. Go back home where I belong? Did she not get a taste of what it is like there for me? I remained silent. She grabbed her bags and rushed by me. I slowly turned and followed her out.

She opened the door and cameras started flashing. People were bobbing their heads to peek inside.

“Mr. King. Mr. King. Tell me how it feels to be released.”

“Why are you not staying at the King Estate?”

“Are you and Emily Monroe an item?”

“Is it true that Victoria King has cut you off?”

“Rumor has it that you blew all your money on drugs at a strip club?”

The questions were being fired off like cannons. Emily turned and gave me a look that only a pissed off woman could give. This was the worst possible time for the media to show up. She moved forward and muscled her way through the people as they snapped picture after picture of her.

“No comment, guys. Please be respectful and give Ms. Monroe privacy,” I shouted.

I watched her get into her car and peel off. I closed the door and peeked outside through a window. The street was packed with desperate photographers. I had to go out there eventually. I grabbed all my things, looked around one last time and left. I wouldn’t be coming back to this place, and a part of me hated that. Emily wanted me gone. I wasn’t about to stay where I wasn’t welcomed. This was a temporary solution anyways. The best thing I could do for her was to leave. I wouldn’t go back to my mother’s, but I’d leave. In her mind I was probably a distraction, and I understood that. I got it. One day she was living her life and the next day she had a man in her house making moves on her. I couldn’t help it though. There was this weird chemistry between us, and I liked it, but she had shit to deal with. Her mother was dying.

I walked out, locked the door from the inside and closed it. Flashes went off and voices yelled from all around me.

“What do you think your mother will say about you dating Ms. Monroe?”

“James, what did they feed you in prison?”

“Are you broke, James?”

The questions just kept coming, and coming. I ignored them. I politely made my way through the crowd and walked down the street. The farther I walked the less cameras followed me. It was a long haul to the bus stop, and a more awkward one as I stood there waiting for the bus to come. A few cameras were still snapping pictures. The questions had stopped already, but that didn’t make the situation any more comfortable. The people around me who were also waiting, stared at me in wonder. I know what they were thinking, and it would be a matter of time before one of them asked who I was.

“Hey, you somebody famous or something?” a man in a bright orange coat asked me.

“Nope,” I replied.

“What’s with the cameras, then?” He looked around.

“I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me. Weird, right?”

The man looked away. I wasn’t lying to him. I wasn’t famous. I didn’t do anything of importance in my life. I was just born into a name that represented a place that represented money. That’s all. I looked down to see the bus coming. Thank god. I’ve never wanted to jump on public transportation more in my life. I hopped on and immediately I noticed people looking out the window to see what all the commotion was about. I hurried to a seat and sat down. I looked over to see a bag next to me. Nobody was there, just a white bag. I asked the people around me if it belonged to them. Everybody shook their head. I opened the bag and looked inside. It was a brand new black, baseball hat. The tag was still attached. The receipt laid on the side of the bag next to a used iPod. I sat it on my lap and looked around. I guess I owned a new hat and iPod. Cool. It was sad that this was the only highlight of my day, but I’d take my blessings as they came. I pulled out the MP3 player, popped in the ear buds and pressed play. I chuckled when I heard a familiar rap song from back in the day. I quietly mouthed the lyrics to the song
Today was a Good Day
by Ice Cube. I was nodding my head to the beat for a few minutes when I looked up to notice a little girl smiling at me. She put her hand up to her mouth and started giggling. I waved back and she turned and buried her face into her mother’s arm. Every now and then she would sneak a peek at me. Kids loved me. I didn’t know why, but they just did.

The bus screeched as it came to a halt. I looked out the window to notice this was my stop. I grabbed my new hat and headed for the exit. I had already snapped tags off, threw away trash and tossed on the new cap by the time I reached my destination. The sign above me read Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center. My insides cringed. I couldn’t believe I had to attend these classes. I walked in, and up to the counter. The middle aged woman with black hair and rimmed glasses looked at me and smiled.

“I need to sign up for a class.”

“Well, you’re in the right place, honey,” she said, while she adjusted her glasses.

“What’s your name?”

“James. James King.”

“James King. You wouldn’t happen to be of relation to Victoria King, would you?”

“Yes. That’s my mother.”

“Well, she’s sitting in the back room with a counselor now.”

She picked up the phone and called somebody.

“James King is checking in.” She paused. “You’re welcome,” she said, and hung up the phone.

I rolled my eyes. “You can’t be serious?” I said, under my breath.

“Oh, I’m serious. Serious as a hooker with a meth addiction.”

I squinted my eyes at her and shook my head.

“Sign this paper and go sit down. The counselor will call you in soon.”

I signed on the dotted line and gently shoved the clipboard at her.

“James King. You may be something out there, but in here you’re just an addict, sweetheart.”

“No. I don’t do drugs.”

“Yup. First stage is denial. I’ve seen it a million times before.”

“No. Really. I don’t do drugs.”

She grabbed my hand. “It’s okay. This is a safe place here.”

“I don’t fucking do drugs,” I yelled so loud, that everyone stopped in their tracks. The whole place was quiet. I looked around embarrassed.

“James?” I heard a male say from behind me.

“I’m Ronald, your counselor. Follow me, please.”

I stared at the lady behind the counter and then over to Ronald the Counselor. He was stick skinny, with messy brown hair. His pants were a couple sizes too big for his body, and his shirt had a few stains on it from lunch. This guy is supposed to help me. Just fantastic.

“Lead the way.” I tossed up my hand.

“How are you today, James?” Ronald said.

“Can we just not do this? The small chat. It’s weird,” I said.

“Okay. This is my office. Go ahead and step in.”

I looked at the doorknob and frowned. I knew once I opened this door I was going to have to deal with the wicked witch of Cherry Hills. What the hell was she doing here? I placed my hand on the knob and turned it as slow as I could. I pushed opened the door and there she was. She stood up and smiled so brightly you would of thought a grenade blew open her mouth. She walked over to me and grabbed me in a tight hug.

“There you are, James. I have been waiting for you. I was worried.”

“Seriously?”

She leaned in and placed her mouth close to my ear. “Go along with it or I’ll fire that pretty little tamale you’ve been staying with,” she whispered.

I pulled back and stared at her. She was on a whole new level now. Let’s see where this goes.

“James, your mother was just telling me what a great man you are. I hear you got wrapped up with the wrong people and here we are.”

“Excuse me for a minute, Ronald.” I paused and turned to my mother. “I’m sorry, Mom. Can you remind me why you are here again?”

“Support, dear. I’m here for you. We talked about this.”

“Is this a joke?” I snorted. “You’re really doing this?”

She pulled out her cell phone and started dialing a number.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying to see who she was dialing.

“I need to make a call to one of my employees. I think I’m over staffed at the moment.”

She was dialing Emily. I just knew it. I snatched the phone out of her hands. I gestured for my mother to sit down, as I took a seat. Ronald kept a close eye on both of us. By the look in his eyes, I could see he wasn’t sure what to think of us just yet.

“No. I remember now. It must have slipped my mind. I apologize. Thank you for coming. I appreciate it.” I cocked my neck to the side and squinted my eyes at her.

“So, let’s talk about your case.” Ronald tapped on his desk with a pen.

“My case?” I turned my entire body in chair toward him.

“Yes. I want to know why you think you’re in here.”

“Go ahead, honey.” My mother encouraged me. I tried not to laugh at her attempt to sound sincere. Who in the hell was this woman sitting next to me, acting like she cared? There was definitely an agenda up her sleeve, and before we parted ways today I would figure out what she was up to.

“I’m here, because I had poor judgment in character when it came to choosing friends.”

“James, this is a safe place. You don’t need to hold back.”

Not that bullshit again. I swear if I heard safe place one more time I was decking the person. I shook my head and rolled my neck around. Ronald smiled, as he waited for a response.

“Are we done here? I thought I was just checking in to schedule classes for later.”

“Yes. Yes we are. Just know that I am here for you, James.” Ronald stood up and reached out his hand. I stared over at my mother and then back to him.

“How much is she paying you?” I blurted out. Ronald pulled his hand back.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “I don’t understand.”

“James, I think we should go. I have a nice meal cooked up for you at home. We wouldn’t want that to go to waste,” my mother cut in, as quickly as she could. This charade just keeps getting better. What’s next? A birthday party with clowns. That train had passed. What the hell was she up to?