The Reverend's Wife

Prologue

The day I succumbed to my injuries, I was twenty-four years old.

"Huey, I don't care." Jazmine snapped as she angrily snatched something out of her suitcase. "You're free to do whatever you want."

Translation: I was definitely not free to do whatever I wanted.

"I mean wow, Huey. This is low, even for you." Jazmine tilted her head to the side and stared at me, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits as she let out another dark laugh. "Cindy warned me this would happen. Even Riley warned me not to go there with you."

My head whipped up at the mention of my brother's name.

"Yep, Riley." Jazmine sucked her teeth. "The brother you never talk to anymore."

My phone buzzed again, and I started for the door.

Looking back, it was clearly warning #1.

"So that's it?" Jazmine stood in the corner of the hotel room with her arms folded, not even crying, or yelling.

She was tired. Finally tired of putting up with my shit.

"You're just gonna leave?"

"Like you said." I shrugged, not bothering to look at her. "I'm free to do whatever I want."

"Yup." She didn't react when I finally found my nerve, not even when I glanced back at what I was leaving behind.

"You are."

I sighed, my voice softer, trying to find a way to make her understand.

"I didn't mean....I'm sorry."

"What?" She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because, Jaz. You want something more." I gestured towards the bed, still a mess from last night. "And I can't give that to you."

There was nothing more to say, and we both knew it.

I let myself out into the cool night air, my phone already plastered to my ear.

"How'd she take it?" Caesar asked, loudly washing dishes in the background.

I shook my head before walking across the street. "She never makes much of a scene, but this time seemed different."

"I'm sure." He kept his voice even. "Jazmine's a class act."

I refused to take it personally. Jazmine was his friend too.

"Yeah." I nodded, moving faster when it started to rain. "She is."

Caesar left it at that.

"So, will any of us see you for Christmas this year? Your granddad keeps asking about you, hasn't seen you in a while."

"I call." I said gruffly, speeding down the sidewalk. "He knows that I'm busy."

"Of course." Caesar said, his tone, though even, filled with concern. "We all do."

I'd arrived to my destination, the tall building at the front.

"Caesar....."

"I know." He said. "You've got stuff to do."

This was the rough part, the part nobody understood.

I was better off alone, better off fighting for the things I believed in.

"Take care." Caesar gave me one last chance to make things right. "I'll hit you up later."

I considered calling back and rescheduling. I'd wanted to tell him I'd consider visiting a few days after Christmas.