Chapter 4, An Unconventional Family
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Four: Marvin
I arrived at the checkpoint precisely nine minutes before said meeting. I sat down on a bus stop bench, waiting for Theodore Remi. Eight minutes later, I saw him wearing white shorts, white sneakers with pink socks, and a pink polo shirt. Very gay indeed. He looked so nervous and I couldn’t resist catching him off guard. Plus, intimidation in my line of work is key.
“Follow me, Theo.” I startled him and almost laughed at how high he jumped.
“Azrael?” He foolishly asked.
“What’s wrong with you? I said follow me, not talk to me.” I snapped. Is he stupid? Why would he say my alias out loud like that?
“Yes, Sir.” He saluted me as if he was in the army and I was his commanding officer. Yes, he is stupid.
“Shh.” I silenced him before he could get any dumber. I took him to my “office,” which just happens to be an abandoned warehouse. It’s perfect to meet new clients.
“Achoo!” He sneezed and took out a pink hanky from his back pocket. Just my luck; he’s probably allergic to the dust. He’s already high maintenance.
“Now you can talk, Theo.” I allowed.
“How do you know my name?” He fidgeted.
“It’s my job. Why did you contact me?” I rebutted.
“I need you to kill my stepfather.” Two points for me.
“Why?” Don’t lie, Theo…I don’t like liars.
“It’s so hard to say to a complete stranger…” He fidgeted once more. This time he almost acted like something disgusted him. He was molested or raped.
“I’ve often heard that it’s much easier to speak to a complete stranger. Take comfort in the fact that after this meeting, we won’t see each other again.”
“Vanessa did tell me you needed to know a valid reason…May I ask why you need to know?” Behind his eyes there was a shame you could only get from being sexually assaulted.
“These are my requirements. I’m sure Vanessa told you that I do background checks on all my hits and clients. I don’t off the innocent. If you won’t comply with my terms, you can kill him yourself.” Terror jumped out of his eyes like I’ve never seen before. And I’ve seen a lot.
“Oh Mr. Azrael, he’s just a horrible man,” he paused and took a deep breath like he was about to unload the weight of the world on me, “When I was ten, he started molesting me. And then when I was thirteen, he raped me. Every time mom would be gone, he would invade me. We went to court once, but he won. Now my mom doesn’t believe me anymore. I just want him dead! He belongs in hell and I just need you to make his departure sooner rather than later!” He broke down and started crying into his hanky. Two more points for me. How do I always know? Have I done this for too long?
“What’s his name and social security number?” I finally asked when his hysterics calmed down a bit. He handed me a folded piece of paper with the information I needed. Vanessa probably told him of everything I would ask for.
“Do I pay you now? Will you call me when he is finished?” He felt at ease to ask.
“I will text you an account number tonight for you to deposit the amount that I will send you in the same text message. I won’t proceed with anything until the whole lump sum is deposited in the account I supplied you with. And no, I won’t call you when the job is done. You will know when your mother calls you up bawling her eyes out.”
“O.K., Mr. Azrael. Thank you so very much.” He said misty eyed.
“You’re welcome. Now get out of here.” I abstained from eye contact because I can always tell who the huggers will be. He was definitely a hugger. As soon as I noticed he was gone, I alleviated my fury by punching the dry wall. It really chops my balls to hear stories like Theo’s. Why do things like this happen?!
“Achoo!” I heard and felt stupid for losing it in public; though, in my defense, I thought I was alone.
“Didn’t I tell you to get out of here?” I turned around, but was surprised that Theo was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a little Asian girl standing there with possible blood stains on her t-shirt and skirt.
“Hi.” She said looking up at me with her squinty eyes.
“Um…hi.” I replied uneasily.
“What are you doing here?” She asked with curiosity spilling out of her eyes.
“Working.” I replied still confused at the situation. What is a little girl doing in a warehouse? Where are her parents? What the hell is going on?!
“Oh. Working is good. I haven’t seen anybody here in six days!” She said sounding glad to have human contact. Six days without supervision?
“Why have you been here for six days?”
“I haven’t been living here.” She gave herself away sounding so defensive.
“You’ve been living here?” Why was I even concerned?
“No, silly, I just said I haven’t been living here.” She annunciated the “haven’t.”
“Where are your parents?” I interrogated.
“In a better place.” She vaguely said.
“What’s a better place than New York City?”
“Heaven.” Shit.
“Oh.” I managed to spit out.
“Wanna play tea party?” She asked unaffected by the conversation.
“Um…no. I’ll catch you on the flip-flop, kid. Be safe.” Must…Get…Out.
“What does that mean?” She curiously asked again taking a step closer to me.
“It means I’m leaving and I’ll see you later.”
“When is later?”
“I don’t know.” Are kids always this curious? Aren’t they supposed to not talk to strangers or something?
“Well, I need to know these things. I have to look presentable.” She smiled showing the cutest dimples I’ve ever seen.
“How old are you, kid?”
“Eight.” She looked down and hugged her teddy bear. I hadn’t realized she was holding one until now.
“What do you know about looking presentable?” I chuckled.
“I’m a lady. That’s what ladies do.”
“What’s your name?” I asked after laughing a bit at her seriousness of the lady comment.
“I’m Keiko Akashimi. What’s your name?”
“Az—-Marvin.” She didn’t need to know my alias.
“Azmarvin? That’s a strange name.” She said without inhibitions. What a lady.
“No, just Marvin.” I corrected.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Marvin.” She extended her tiny hand for me to shake it. I carefully took her hand in mine feeling how soft and brittle it was. Was I ever this tiny?
“Kid, be honest with me. Have you been living here?” I honestly wanted to know.
“Are we friends?”
“Sure.”
“Friends never lie to each other, right?”
“Right…”
“Then yes, Mr. Marvin, I have to admit that I’ve been living here for six whole days.”
“Don’t you have aunties and uncles? A grandma…maybe, that would take you in?” I asked truly feeling concerned about this little girl who was no kin to me.
“No, they are all in Japan. Daddy broke their hearts for doing something bad and now they don’t ever wanna see us again. Well…there is no ‘us’ anymore. I guess they don’t wanna see me anymore.” She said for the first time sounding sad since our chance encounter.
“Are you hungry?” I inquired.
“As a matter of fact, I am.” As a matter of fact…she’s such a funny little girl.
“Come on, I’ll take you to get a happy meal and then I’ll drop you off at the police station.”
“The police station? Why?”
“Because you can’t live here. It’s dangerous.” She looked deep in thought for thirty seconds.
“You can take me to get the happy meal, but I must decline to the police station proposition.”
“You must decline?” I asked chuckling. This kid is hilarious. Who talks like this?
“Yes, I must decline.” She smiled in a serious manner as if nothing was negotiable.
“What if I say it’s not up to you?”
“Hey, I thought we were friends. Friends don’t pressure friends to do things they don’t wanna do like drugs, or dangerous stunts…or going to the police station.” She counted the reasons on her miniscule fingers and looked deep into my eyes when the police station reason came out of her mouth.
“I can’t let you stay here, kid.”
“Why don’t we go eat and talk about this later?”
“Quit being a smart-ass and get your things,” she gasped at me and looked flabbergasted, “What?”
“You said the ‘a’ word.” She whispered making me speechless. After a minute of us looking at each other she scrunched up her forehead and sighed.
“I won’t tell.” She finally decided.
“Thanks.” I smiled. She walked toward the elevator and opened it with a mop. In it, was an air mattress, a pink pillow that said “princess” on it, and a pink backpack. She also had drawings hung up on the elevator walls. Some of the drawings had stick figures lying on the ground surrounded by blood. She was actually quite talented. I took the drawings down without wrinkling them and shoved them under my arm.
“You ready?” I asked.
“No, I need a minute to say goodbye to my home.” She said. I nodded. She then bowed down to the elevator with her hands joined together in prayer position. What a strange kid! With her head bowed down, her shiny black hair curtained the sides of her face. I just now noticed her bangs. I also noticed how skinny she was. I guess she looks like a typical Asian kid, only cuter in the face if that makes sense.
“I’m done.” She said as she put her backpack on her back and held my hand. I cleared my throat immediately feeling uneasy and strange. I never held a kid’s hand before. I don’t even hold Carmen’s hand in public. I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at the time so I could have an excuse to stop holding her hand. We walked to the nearest McDonald’s side by side. I opened the door for Keiko and she seemed to like that I acted like a gentleman. She walked up to the line and looked up at the menu. When it was our turn, the cashier seductively smiled at me.
“May I take your order?” She asked.
“Yeah, I’d like a number two with no pickles or mustard large sized with a coke, no ice.” I winked at her when I was done talking. She blushed which made her seem more intriguing through my eyes.
“I would like a happy meal, please,” Keiko said politely, “And I would like the cheeseburger prepared with only mayonnaise.” She specified.
“What do you wanna drink, sweetie?” The cashier asked.
“I would like an orange soda, please.”
“That will be ten fifty four, Sir.” I reached for my wallet and paid for it. When the order was up, I carried the tray to a booth as Keiko got us some napkins and straws. On the tray, I noticed that the cute cashier had written her number on our receipt with a smiley face next to it. I looked back at the register and smiled at her making her blush again. I made sure she saw me put the receipt in my jeans pocket before I sat down. Keiko started inhaling her food like she hadn’t eaten in days.
“Slow down, kid.” I ordered. She listened. As I ate, I started looking through her drawings carefully analyzing each of them to put together in my mind exactly what this kid witnessed. I could clearly see that the four people were killed in two different locations. And then one drawing jumped out at me.
“Who’s this, Keiko?” I sternly asked.
“That’s the bad man.” I knew exactly who he was. She did a good job with the drawing; especially the scar on his lip. I gave him that scar long ago. Her family was assassinated!
“Is this the man that sent your family to the better place?” I asked already knowing the answer. She nodded much too preoccupied by the food in her mouth.
“Did he see you?” She shook her head still chewing like this was the best meal she’s ever had. I lost my appetite and started to contemplate whether or not the police was the best route to take. Bram is ruthless. He kills whole families and there’s no doubt in my mind that he is looking for this one. He never leaves a job unfinished. No, he wasn’t trained that way. I decided this kid was going to be a pro-bono case. She can stay with me until I have a chat with Bram. I looked at Keiko and noticed she had swiped my uneaten French fries. She must’ve been so hungry.
“Keiko,” I said in a serious tone, “What happened to your family was very bad. I’m sorry for your loss.” I was surprised at how much I sympathized. She looked at me and her eyes started filling up with tears. Oh no, please don’t cry.
“Thank you for dinner, Mr. Marvin.” She said as she wiped her almost tears with the sleeve of her shirt.
“You’re more than welcome. Keiko we’re friends, right?”
“Most definitely.” She nodded animatedly.
“Friends let friends be a guest in their homes.” I said.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because the bad man will find me.”
“No, he won’t. I’ll protect you.”
“He’s looking for me, Mr. Marvin.” She said with a hint of fear.
“How do you know that?” I wondered.
“Because I heard him on the phone. The elevator was a good hiding place…I don’t think your house will be.” She honestly said.
“I found you, didn’t I?” She nodded.
“It will only be a matter of time until he finds you there, too. He won’t even think to look at my house, though.”
“Will I get my own room?” Her eyes sparkled.
“Kind of. You can sleep in the pull out couch in my office. Is that all right?”
“Yeah. Mr. Marvin, can I have an ice cream cone?”
“Sure, there’s a good ice cream place by my house.” She quickly stood up and threw the trash away. She was eager for that ice cream and it only made her cuter. We walked along the sidewalk for a few blocks and when it was time to cross the road, she tried holding my hand again.
“What’s your deal with the hand holding?” I asked half annoyed.
“I can’t cross the street without holding your hand.” She innocently said.
“How did you cross the street when you were alone?”
“I held my own hand.”
“Then do that. I’m right beside you.” We walked to the subway and rode it to my street. There, I bought her the ice cream I promised. When we got to my place, she politely asked to take a shower. I showed her the bathroom she would be using while I gave her a clean t-shirt and a pair of Carmen’s clean volleyball shorts. While she showered, I made up the couch/bed in my office with flannel sheets.
“That was nice. I hadn’t showered in six days, you know?” She said after she yawned. My shirt looked like a dress on her, and the volleyball shorts that looked so tight on Carmen were practically falling off her tiny body.
“Mr. Marvin, will you tuck me in?” I went over to the bed and pulled the blanket over her without touching her when she unexpectedly hugged me tight. My heart dropped and I felt myself pushing her away with my hand making her lay flat on the bed without touching me.
“Good night, Keiko.” I finally said walking toward the door and softly closing it behind me.
“No! Don’t close it all the way…” She begged.
“O.K.” I opened it halfway and just like that, she drifted into the sleep world without a care in the world. While she slept, I washed her clothes removing all the blood stains so she could wear it in the morning. Today was insane. How can she act like Pollyanna when her family is dead? I need to get a hold of Bram, but this will surely be difficult. The last time we talked face to face…things didn’t end well. And we pretty much agreed to not look for each other again; kind of like a treaty that would be best if it weren’t broken.
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Chapter 3, An Unconventional Family
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Three: Keiko Akashimi
“Daddy, I want to put in this CD.” I said handing him one of my various Disney CDs.
“Now, Honey, you know very well that today is Sumi’s turn to pick the music. Tomorrow will be your turn again.” Daddy said and though I understand what he is saying, it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“Fine.” I said while putting my CD safely back in my Disney princess CD case. I turned my head to look out the window at the landscape passing by fast to avoid Sumi’s victorious glare. I hate her taste in music. I see her hand daddy a Marilyn Manson CD and seconds after it was in, she started head banging. Teenagers suck. She used to play with me all the time when she was twelve, but now that she is thirteen I’m too young all of the sudden. I’m eight years old! Jia is eight, but since she’s an advanced eight year old in the same grade as Sumi, she doesn’t have to be excluded like me. I swear, the moment I met Jia I knew that I had been replaced.
“Why do we have to go to school during Spring Break?” Sumi asked trying to sound sophisticated.
“Because we want you to learn as much as you can so you can go to college and become something great.” Mommy said smiling at daddy.
“But all my friends are going to Cabo!” All the sophistication left with her brief, whiny statement.
“We have to work, sweetie.” Daddy lamented.
“What do you do again, Daddy?” I asked.
“I specialize in trades and business transactions. Mommy helps out in the office. She’s like my co-pilot.” Daddy took Mommy’s hand and kissed it making her smile.
“Trading what?” Sumi asked making their smiles wipe away.
“Whatever needs to be traded. Who’s ready for breakfast?” Daddy asked and changed the subject at the same time like he always does when Sumi’s or my questions about his work get too specific. He always misses career day, too. Sumi and I think he does illegal stuff. Lately, she’s been bugging him a lot. I don’t blame her. Last Christmas, these bad guys dressed in all black came over and beat him up pretty bad. They also broke dishes, tipped over our beautiful tree, and took all our presents. He promised nothing like that would ever happen again, and it hasn’t; but Sumi feels like it might. That’s why she wants some answers.
We parked at the gas station we stop at every morning to buy breakfast and get gas. While Sumi, Mommy, and Daddy got out, I tried to be sneaky and switch out Sumi’s bad CD with my good one. As I pressed the eject button and put her CD on the center console, I felt a presence that gave me chills up and down my spine. I turned my head to the right and suddenly I was face to face with a big, creepy Hummer with black tinted windows. I don’t know why I felt so scared, but I tried crawling into the backseat forgetting that Sumi’s CD was on the center console. I broke it with my knee which made me gasp at the same time that the Hummer’s window started to roll down. The driver looked right at me! He looked so mean. His eyes were as dark as death, his hair was blue, and his lip had a nasty scar on it. As he looked at me, my skin prickled and my hands started to moisten. After the longest two seconds of my life, he creepily drove away. I quickly got out of the car and ran to Mommy feeling that if I hugged her hard enough, she would protect me from everything; like somehow she would become my shield.
“What is it, Keiko?” Mommy asked placing her loving hand on my back.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Daddy chimed in.
“She’s shaking. What’s the matter, Keiko?” She asked now with a more serious and concerned tone to her voice.
“The bad man was here,” I finally confessed.
“Who’s the bad man?” Mommy asked.
“The bad man is the person she blames everything on. She broke my gold eye shadow the other day and blamed it on him. What did you do now, you little punk?!” Sumi yelled as she squeezed my arm extra hard and firm. Daddy looked in the car where I was seconds ago and noticed Sumi’s cracked CD.
“Is that what the bad man did?” He pointed at the CD and raised his eyebrow while he spoke in a deep, stern voice.
“Not with his own hands…” I admitted.
“What, Keiko? He made you do it with your hands?” Sumi sarcastically asked rolling her eyes.
“Technically, with my knees.” I replied.
“Keiko Akashimi, I am very surprised at you! I’ve taught you to take responsibilities for your own actions.” Mommy yelled and stopped hugging me at once.
“But the bad man scared me, Mommy!” I pleaded.
“What was my CD doing out of the CD player?” Sumi asked. My stomach dropped. Now they really won’t believe me. Sumi went to the CD player and pressed the eject button. My Disney CD popped out.
“I thought so.” Sumi dryly said.
“That’s it, Keiko. No breakfast for you. You sit in the car with your seatbelt fastened and think about what you’ve done!” Mommy yelled. I lowered my head and did as she said. There really was a bad man this time! I haven’t lied since Mommy said that lying destroys people, families, and civilizations. I promised I would never lie again, and I haven’t! They should’ve believed me.
After ten minutes of solitude, my family returned and the smell of breakfast filled the air. They put on their seatbelts and we started driving to school. My stomach growled and I knew it would be a long day. I knew I would be looking at the clock counting down the minutes till lunch. Sumi noticed my agony and turned to me licking the jelly slowly from her jelly doughnut. How evil. My mouth watered involuntarily.
When we got to school, I didn’t bother to say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy. They didn’t say anything either. Sumi walked in front of me and I followed looking at my feet. Jia was at the top of the steps waiting for Sumi. I wish I only had to see her at school because when she comes over the house, my parents always hint toward me being more like her. I really dislike her only because I know it’s not right to hate.
“What’s up Sumi? Hi, Keiko.” Jia cheerfully said.
“Yo.” Sumi replied. I said nothing. I walked to my class after they walked away without saying bye to me. I sat down on my desk and put my head down. The desk felt cold against my chin. Miss Estefana told us to take out our books and read silently. Even the teachers don’t wanna be here during Spring Break. I raised my hand and asked for a bathroom pass. I wandered the empty hallway that almost looked haunted. When I walked into the bathroom, I immediately smelled smoke. Then I saw Sumi and Jia smoking cigarettes.
“Sumi, Mom’s gonna kill you!” I yelled unaware of how loud my voice had gotten.
“How’s she gonna find out?” Sumi asked full of attitude.
“Yeah, Keiko, how’s she gonna find out?” Jia chimed in.
“Smoking is bad.” I sheepishly said.
“Whatever. Are you done, Jia?” She asked nonchalant.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Jia replied. They put out their cigarettes with the faucet water in the sink and then they left. I went in the first stall and sat down on the toilet. I looked at my watch and it was only nine fifteen. I took a deep breath and decided it was time to face the music and go back to class. I looked at myself in the mirror as I walked out of the bathroom. That’s when I saw the bad man pointing a gun at Jia and Sumi. I quickly hid behind the door leaving a sliver of it open to witness what was happening. They looked so scared! He told them not to speak. Then he grabbed Sumi’s arm and brought her close to him. She yelped quietly trying to follow his instructions. He took out a photo of our family and carefully started examining and analyzing Sumi’s face. He looked back and forth from her face to the picture and from the picture to her face. My pupils dilated as soon as he unexpectedly shot her right between the eyes at close range. Her body limply fell down like a puppet whose strings were cut by its puppet master. My tear ducts started to burn and tears started to come out of them almost instantaneously. Jia’s mouth opened and as soon as sound was faintly starting to come out, he swiftly broke her neck silencing her forever. Before he dropped her body next to Sumi’s, he studied her face next to the picture. And then his phone rang.
“Hello?” He answered with a raspy voice while dropping Jia’s flimsy body. I cupped my mouth and my knees gave out.
“I got the older one…Yeah, I’ll get the youngest after school…No problem.” He closed his flip phone and walked outside. If I didn’t see him walking, I wouldn’t have heard him. He almost moved like a cat; a bad and evil cat. I couldn’t believe how silent his gun was. It was so unlike any movie I saw against my parent’s permission when they thought I was asleep. When the tears lessened and I felt a little more composed, I walked toward the bodies. Poor Sumi. Her body was surrounded by a crimson red blood pool. And poor Jia. Her head was turned all the way around. I cried by Sumi’s body uncontrollably when suddenly a scary thought came into my head. I’m next. I want my mommy! I need to get out of here! I went to the double doors and peeked outside noticing that the bad man was parked right in front of the school. I started walking toward the back where the playground was. I knew exactly where the fence was cut; it’s how the big kids leave school unnoticed.
It was easy to go through the fence since I was much tinier than the high school kids. As soon as I was off school grounds, I started running as fast as I could. I was running so fast that I stumbled and fell down scraping my elbow. It started to bleed and sting, but I couldn’t cry knowing that the bad man was so close by. Our house is only ten minutes from here by car, but running takes longer. I got home at ten. The door was wide open which was weird to me. I walked into the kitchen and noticed mommy was sprawled out on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood just like Sumi! Mommy…
I needed mommy’s comfort desperately, but that was something that would never happen again. I dropped down to her side and pulled her arm over me trying to find the comfort in her touch. Even though it felt the same way my teddy bears hug me, just the knowledge that it was mommy’s body helped. When I stood up, there was no doubt in my mind that Daddy was dead somewhere, too. I went up the stairs and sure enough, there was his body hanging by a rope on the ceiling. There was a gun next to his shoe. It looked just like the one the bad man used at school today. I cried some more at this sight and when I couldn’t bear it any longer; I went to my room to start packing. I knew I couldn’t stay here. I’ve seen Annie. Kids that get taken to orphanages have to clean and instead of kisses, they get kicks. No, thank you. Plus, the bad man would find me. Then I went into daddy’s room and took the emergency cash from his sock drawer. I can’t believe my family is dead. This has to be daddy’s fault.
I looked around everywhere one last time and then with one deep sigh, I ventured into the outside world looking for a new home. I walked and walked until my little feet hurt in such a way I never felt before. How long have I been walking? Then, I saw a building with a sign reading “condemned.” I noticed that the people on the sidewalk were passing by it as if it didn’t even exist. That’s what I need; to be somewhere that doesn’t exist. Two seconds later, I crawled inside an opening and was faced with an elevator that was clearly broken. It leaned like the Tower of Pisa. I opened the door and crawled inside feeling safe at once. I closed the door as much as I could. The darkness of being inside the elevator was as dark as the darkness I felt inside of me. I felt my eyes start to close, but as soon as they did, the faces of my now dead family acted like a slideshow behind my eyelids. I started to cry and shake uncontrollably. It was as if my body wanted to show my soul how much despair it was feeling, but my soul already knew it…felt it. I started to hiccup and after a while, my chest started to hurt. What is to become of me now?
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Two: Carmen Moreno
“Nina, I can’t believe he needs time from me again!” I scream into the phone.
“You really can’t believe it? I can believe it…it happens all the time.” She patronized into my ear.
“You’re right. It does happen all the time, so why does it still bother me? Shouldn’t I be immune to this agony by now?”
“You should, but you’re not. I think you’re kinda masochistic. Why don’t you let Jose take you out on a real date?” She said starting to push my buttons. I was wondering how long it would take for her to mention Jose.
“Really, Nina? That’s all you have to say? Don’t you know by now I’m just gonna say no?” I hissed.
“After all this time all I want is for you to open your eyes and realize that this toxic man will never be the man that you deserve. Are you sure he’s not secretly married?”
“Yes, Nina. I’m sure.”
“Did you figure out what he does for a living yet?”
“No, I haven’t. And even if I did, what would it matter in this situation?”
“I guess it wouldn’t matter, but I’m still curious. Ten years and you still don’t know what he does. That baffles me. How can something like that never come up? And if it does…how does he always manage to weasel himself out from answering the damn question!”
“Nina…”
“I’m sorry…continue bitching and moaning please.”
“Thank you. Well, this time it’s almost like everything was going too good. Like, we haven’t fought in a really long time about anything. I was spending the night almost every night and we were finally getting into a routine as if we were an old married couple. It makes no sense why he pulled away this time!
“Last week, he even told me to bring over some clothes to leave over! He’s never said anything like that before! I mean, I always brought stuff over anyways, but he never gave me permission like that. And I was so used to being at his loft…remember how at first I felt strange being there because it was so fancy?”
“Yeah, I remember…” She almost sounded bored…
“I’m sorry I’m talking so much. It’s just that this time, I thought he was finally going to ask me to move in!”
“Hey, quick question…is that why you always buy him furniture for his birthdays and Christmases? Are you decorating his house because you secretly want to live there?” She read me like a book. Her discovery stung a little.
“No, I just want him to have a nice home to come home to. Did you know that when I first met him he only had a laptop by a beanbag, an inflatable couch, and a mattress on the ground?” I lied about the first part. Secretly, I am only decorating it because someday I truly believe I will live there. Someday, I really do think he will open his eyes and see that we belong together. The loft is just beautiful. It has hardwood floors, a huge kitchen with granite kitchen tops and Brazilian cherry cupboards, an enormous living and dining room, a bathroom downstairs right next to the spare bedroom which he now uses as an office (but it could easily be turned into a baby nursery), and finally, the stairs that lead you to the master bedroom/bathroom which you can see into from the kitchen.
“Then you sure did turn it around, chica. But just because you change the loft that doesn’t mean that you will change the man that lives in it.” She killed my buzz.
“You are such a downer.” I accused.
“Hey, I just call it like I see it. You performing today?”
“Yeah, I have a show at four fifteen, one at six, and one at eight fifteen.”
“Cool, do you need a ride after work?”
“That would be great.”
“O.K. then, I’ll come watch your eight fifteen show. I gotta go. See ya tonight.” She didn’t give me a chance to say goodbye, but that was Nina. I looked into the refrigerator for some comfort food, but found nothing. I had already opened it three times before with no luck, but I keep opening it because I truly believe a bucket of fried chicken will magically appear if I will it so.
My apartment is so small that I don’t even have a wall between my bedroom and my kitchen. Well, actually my bedroom is my living room. I have a pull out couch that becomes my bed at night. I share a bathroom with three other tenants in my building. Every floor has a bathroom, and everyone that lives on that floor shares that bathroom…get it? It’s awful. I’m a belly dancer. I just recently landed a job performing at a local pub, which is nice. I’m saving up to buy a studio, so I can teach dance someday. That’s why I’m living in this crappy apartment…so I can save money. But, I’ve been saving money my whole life. Seems like as soon as I have a good lump sum, something big happens and I have to spend it. Seven years ago, my brother needed bail money. Do you think he paid me back? Six thousand dollars don’t come easy either. Then last year, my mom got really sick. The hospital did everything they could, but she still passed on. I, of course, had to pay for the hospital bills and funeral arrangements. My brother didn’t even bother to show up at the funeral. Anyways, now I’m just saving.
I started getting ready for my show when the Marvin box called out to me. The Marvin box is just a box where I put pictures and little things that remind me of some good times we had together; the best times, actually, and the best memories. Maybe I should have a bad Marvin box and a good Marvin box. That way, when I feel like this, I can only look at the bad box to convince me that I am better off without him. I couldn’t manage looking at just the bad box, though. The good box would win, so scratch that. I got the box down from my closet and placed it on my couch/bed. I sat down and started going through it. Marvin is such an attractive man. He is about six foot four, blonde, blue eyes, and tan skin. He dyes his hair blonde. I only know that because I’ve seen the dye boxes in his bathroom’s trash can. He never lets his true colors show. I mean that literally and metaphorically. He has a washboard for a stomach and the infamous “v.” His arms are very muscular too, but not to the point where he can’t put his arms down. They’re the perfect size. And he doesn’t have chicken legs either. He is very proportional unlike those guys that go to the gym just to work out their arms.
I have an egg shell from the first time he made me breakfast in bed inside the Marvin box. I wrote the date on it with a sharpie; April eighth, nineteen eighty four. That was a good morning. I also have Broadway tickets from all the shows he’s taken me to over the years. He always gets the best seats. He met my mom once and took us out to dinner. She told him a good wine tells a story inside your taste buds. I kept the carry-out paper menu from the restaurant that I swiped when he wasn’t looking. My mom knew just what I would do with it, so she distracted him while I hid it in my purse. Then when she died, he brought over a bottle of wine to drink with me. He quoted my mother and said it was time to tell stories with our taste buds. I told him nearly all the fond memories I had with my dear mommy. I kept the cork from that wine. With the exception of that night, we always drink tequila. I have a label from the bottle of his favorite kind. I looked over at the clock and it was almost four. The smile that was on my face faded away abruptly when the reminiscing stopped and the “Oh, shit I’m gonna be late,” started.
I ran out the door as soon as I gently put all the memories and good times back in the Marvin box. I ran until it felt like my throat was burning with the oxygen/carbon-dioxide exchange. But it didn’t matter; I like working there enough not to have them replace me just yet.
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One: Marvin alias Azrael
“Listen, I just can’t hang out tonight, baby.” I said lying like a conniving snake.
“I know. Every time we start getting closer, you get that itch—-no, that urge to fuck someone else. We’ve been doing this dance for ten years now, Marvin. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not some great mystery to me anymore.” Carmen said holding her anger in like the seconds of silence before a nuclear bomb explodes. I better get out of here before she blows.
“I’ll call you, O.K.?” I said after taking in a deep breath. I kiss her gently on her forehead that is hot as if she had a fever, but I know the heat is just a result of anger instead of sickness. She holds her breath and avoids eye contact while I gracefully exit her apartment.
The elevator doesn’t have its usual “out of service” sign, but I feel like walking. Step after step, I walk down the hallway followed by going down the stairs and out the door of her decrepit building. The sun’s heat touches my face and the city air enters my nostrils, but it isn’t long until I find myself feeling the coolness of the shade the subway tunnel provides. After I swipe my subway card and join the various people waiting for their transportation, I take a seat on an empty bench when suddenly; Carmen’s face pops into my head. Have we really been a part of each other’s lives for ten years? Yeah, I guess we have. I’m not some great mystery to her anymore? I seriously doubt that. She still doesn’t know what I do for a living. She doesn’t know
about my past. My train got here and I followed the herd inside. When did I even meet Carmen?
I was about twenty-one…no, twenty-two. I had just finished a job and I was drowning my sorrows with tequila shots at a bar I adopted as my home away from home. I smelled her sweet scent before I turned around responding to her tap on my shoulder. She instantly mesmerized me. Now I knew why she smelled so sweet; her skin was the color of milky caramel candy. Her angelic face quickly drew me in and my eyes were directed to her perfect, big lips as she asked me: “What’s wrong?” What a weird pick-up line, I thought to myself and then I noticed how genuine she seemed. She actually cared about what my answer would be. Of course, I never answered her honestly that night…or any other night, for that matter.
“Excuse me, Sir? Do you have the time?” A vivacious blonde with legs for days asked me crashing my train of thought. I brought my left wrist closer to my face and checked the time.
“It’s fifteen past.” I responded with almost a musical tone to my voice.
“Fifteen past what?” She confusedly asked the way a blonde should.
“Fifteen past one, dear. Where are you headed?”
“I have an audition at three at a studio on sixteenth and Broadway.” She smiled as if I should be impressed by yet another aspiring actress in New York.
“That is very close to my place. I’d love to help you burn off the nerves.” I said hypnotizing her with my charming smile.
“How sweet! I am very nervous…what did you have in mind?” She looked deep into my blue eyes and I could tell she was already mine. I took a step into her welcoming personal space and wrapped my right arm around her tiny waist. Her lips quivered and like a magnet, her lips joined mine. She melted into me and let out a great big sigh.
Minutes later, we were at my loft fucking Carmen out of my head. We had sex on my kitchen counter where Carmen often cooked at, on the coffee table Carmen got for my twenty-fifth birthday, and finally in the shower. She moaned like an amateur porn star as I played Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in my head. The shower was a nice finale to our aerobic performance. She left for her audition shortly after she wrote her number down on the notepad I have next to my phone. “Call me,” she said already hoping for the encore that would never happen. I locked the door behind her and walked toward the notepad where I ripped the sheet she wrote on. The paper went in my pajama pant’s pocket as I went up the stairs to open my safe located behind my closet. After punching in this week’s code, I got my dirty Beretta 92FS with AAC Evolution‑9 silencer. I hadn’t cleaned it since using it last night before going to Carmen’s. Now is a good a time as any. It’s funny how a simple task can have such a calming and soothing effect. My cell phone started to ring yanking me out of my peaceful state. I took it out of my pocket and placed it on my ear.
“Yeah?” I answer knowing only clients and potential clients have this number.
“Hi, I got your number from Vanessa.” A gay man’s voice said with a slight lisp.
“And?”
“Well, isn’t it obvious? I want to hire you to do a job.” His smart-ass tone irritated me.
“Meet me at the corner of forty-third and Broadway in thirty minutes.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I can make it in thirty minutes. I— “
“If you don’t show up, don’t bother calling me again. I’m a busy man.” I cut him off and hung up the phone. Why is it people always think I give a damn about their schedules? No, the only thing I give a damn about is if the people they want gone truly deserve such a harsh end. The last thing I want is to kill an innocent person. I put on a white t-shirt, jeans, and a Yankees hat after I tied my sneakers. Then I took out the paper with the blonde’s number on it, lit it with my butane lighter, and with the burning paper, I lit my menthol cigarette. The ashes fell down on my hard, wooden floor and quickly disappeared with the brief memory of the blonde with nice legs. As the inhaled smoke filled my lungs, the nicotine ran through my veins and everything was right in the world. Seconds later, I was out the door and dialing Vanessa’s number.
“Hello?” She answered in almost a whisper.
“Hi, it’s Azrael.” I said in a firm tone.
“Is something wrong?”
“Did you give my number to anyone?” I asked as I activated the lie detecting voice scanner on my phone.
“Yes, I gave it to Theo. Oh, I hope that’s all right. I figured it would be since I got your number from Beth and all. You get your clients by word of mouth, don’t you?” She asked while having an internal panic attack. In this case, I didn’t need the technology; but I double checked anyways. She was telling the truth. I hung up the phone as soon as I had the information I needed. I put the cell phone in my pocket and kept walking toward the subway. Theo, Vanessa cleared you. Who are you going to need me to kill?
In the subway, I started to surf the internet on my iPhone and looked up the number from which Theo called me from. From then on, it was cake finding out what he looks like, how old he is, his social security and etc. I was even able to round up a list of people in his life that he could potentially want dead. My guess is on the stepfather. It’s always the stepfather.
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