Past Love

Chapter 16: Like Nothing Ever Happened

Sunday July 24th, 2005

8:00 a.m.

Jahmelle

I still couldn't believe what I saw a little over 48 hours ago. I was just absolutely shocked. I ended up coming back home last night after spending all of Friday and Saturday with Tyrone. After what I saw Friday I was just very unnerved. Honestly I did not know what to say or what to do because this right here was absolutely crazy. I don't even know what happened to Lee's body or what happened with his car. I know last night the car was not there so I don't know what Damon did to it and I'm not going to be the one to start asking questions. And in all honesty I just want to pretend it never happened and move on with my life, I am going to ask him to leave the house though because I don't need any extra added drama in my life. I woke up and got myself together and took care of my daily hygiene and walked into the living room afterwards to see what was on TV and that was around 8:45 a.m. and when I went In there I saw Damon sitting there watching ESPN. I knew I couldn't avoid him but I had to figure out how to approach him and see where his mindset was.

"Hey Damon how you doing?"

"Yo man what you doing? Don't sneak up on me like that!! I'm cool man.... Just relaxing trying to watch a little bit of TV and all honestly."

"Well that's all well and good man, that's cool. I want to ask you a question though."

"Well that's cool man, what's on your mind?"

At this point I figured either I should ask him how work was going and when he was going to find a new place or I was wondering if I should ask him about the situation with lee. I chose the first option.

"Well I was just wondering how work was going for you? How you been adjusting and everything hopefully it's been going well."

"Yeah well the hours are decent, I can't complain. I enjoy what I'm doing."

"Well that's good, I hope you've been saving up some money for your own place soon, right?" I said laughing. "I mean I'm sure you want to move around more freely you know?"

"Well of course teach. I think that's the goal for everybody. I mean somewhere down the line you know, but I haven't saved up as much as I want to yet. What's with all the questions? Teach Is everything alright?"

"I should be asking you the same thing." I said under my breath.

"Would you say Teach?"

"Nothing Damon, nothing. Hey you know if you need to talk to me you can come to me right, everything we talk about is confidential and between us right?"

"Y-Y-Yeah, I know." He stuttered. "Hey teach, I gotta go. I'm going to see about a few things." He said getting up.

"Hey Damon, be careful young'n. Just be safe out there, you know how people are."

All right I will. I heard the front door shut. As soon as he left I regretted what I had said. I should have handled the situation differently but I really didn't know what his mind frame was and I didn't want to say or do anything to trigger a negative reaction.

Around 9:45 a.m. that got dressed and got situated and then I left the house. Instead of driving this time I had decided to go for a morning jog. As I was jogging I couldn't help the feeling that I was being watched. I continued to jog though and as I turned the corner and jogged a bit down the opposite street I heard sirens come on.

"On the sidewalk you stop jogging! Now turn around."

As soon as I turned around I rolled my eyes, this clown right here.

"Don't roll your eyes like that." He said over a megaphone. "Come over here." I walked over there. This brotha right here is a trip. As soon as I got to his patrol car he smiled.

"Well Mr. hendrix. We meet again."

"Well you're an ass ain't you man? Dante Shaw, it's good to see you again."

Now y'all probably wondering who Dante shaw is. He's about 6'2, he looks like Terrell Owens. Back in high school this dude was the stereotypical jock, a football player, the star football player. He was a running back. He could run the 440 in about 10 seconds flat. As I was beginning my freshman year in high school he was already a senior. He was also a nerdy jock. He had a 3.5 GPA and as soon as he graduated high school he went to Stanford university. Now he had a pretty decent career in football. He played college football and then about three or four years of pro football. But just like me he had an ACL tear after a nasty hit and that basically ended his career. So he came back to the city and trained to be a police officer and he graduated a few years back and he's been one ever since.

"You're a mess man, you're an absolute mess." I said.

"I know man I know. So you gonna come show me some love or what?"

"Yeah man most definitely." He got out of his car and we pulled each other into a bro hug. "So how's life been treating you?" I asked him.

"I've been taking things one day at a time but lately it's been a lot of drama in my life." I told him. "From everything going on with Tyrone to Damon it's just stressful and all honestly."

"Well what do you mean exactly?"

"Well look at this Mr 5-0 trying to get into my business. I am not surprised though." I said laughing.

"See there you go man. You happen to forget that I'm one of Tyrone's closest friend's. So if something's bothering him is going to bother me as well."

"Yeah I guess you're right. It's just I've never seen him like that and then for him to trip on me the way he did it makes me feel some type of way in all honesty."

"I get it man, I get it. And trust me I know how it is. My wife be tripping on me sometimes too. But look you know Tyrone loves you man for real. He's just going through a lot."

"That's true but there's also 7 billion other people in this world that's probably going through something as well he's not the only one." I said. "I mean I know he's had a lot going on within the past few months, from losing his brother who was my close friend and was like a brother to me and then to find out that he probably can't box or do what he loves to do for the foreseeable future, but that still doesn't give him the right to be an asshole to the people that care about him, you know?"

"Yeah you're right about that." Dante said. "But just give this time to blow over. He knows he's in the wrong and when he's ready he'll come and tell you face to face. But anyway I gotta get back on my shift, give me your number I'll hit you up later on."

I went ahead and gave him my number and he drove off. I hope he was right about Tyrone though.

End of chapter 16