Black Temptation

Chapter 35

He opens the door, letting me into new walls, new ceiling, new lights, new furniture, new room, new house, new world-and it's suffocating. I suddenly become lightheaded and need to lean on the arm of the chair to keep still. My purse is thrown, carelessly, on the couch. Harry releases a deep breath, shagging some hair out of his face. He looks at me.

"Just don't say anything until we figure out what we do next."

"Harry, what could I say? How more credible is my testimony now, then it was then? The black of night. Nobody would believe me and then what would they find?"

Harry, crossing his arms, leans on the bicep of the reflecting couch.

"We just have to lay low and stay away from Peters-AND PJ." Harry says. I rustle my hair as we both sit in awe and confusion.

"Ok so just let me get this straight. Starting from the beginning. And repeat everything. Your mom, June, was involved with Peters," I nod. "she made poisons for him and then one day she just decided to pack you up and leave with this other man?"

I nod. "Pretty much."

"So you three moved to Oakland and then you moved back? Why?"

"well, he cheated and things were very unsettling there so we moved. But the most important reason was because my mom became cancerous and they didn't have the required medical appointment for her stage of cancer, so we moved back. So it was trial after trial. Chemo after chemo. Technique after technique. She was lost and so weak. So I had to work for her but my salary as a waitress/chef wasn't enough..."

I lower my head.

"And that's when you found Peters?"

"Actually, when he found me. I don't know why I didn't put it together first," I move closer to him. "he knew about my mom's cancer, he knew about our situation, he knew I need money. Like he knew about Marianne's pregnancy- before she told him."

"So he had to know who did it?"

I start nodding.

"You can't involve yourself in that situation. Who cares how Peters found out? He knows. And getting yourself a gun is not the most responsible answer."

Shaking my head, I speak.

"He went there, to the hospital, after he found out. I was off after I took a late shift and decided to go to the hospital for a bit. Just to see how she was doing. When I got to her room, she was gone. I thought nothing of it. Maybe she was walking around or something so when I went outside, I noticed the blue lights on that rickety bridge. I have posted it. The only light that blue and see you like. I saw them fighting. Peters was yelling, "You're so stupid, I knew you were pregnant before you even told me. You lying heifer! How dare you disgrace us, God, yourself?" And Marianne was crying and crying and Peters just wouldn't stop yelling. "How could you do this to me? You and that baby should rot in hell! And then," I take a breath. "I saw him grab her by the hair," then another, "bend her over the side," and another, "and throw her off."

Harry wraps me his arms, trying to console a numb heart.

"I've played this so many times in my head- I don't feel anything anymore."

He moves some hair out of my face as I lie on his chest.

"Hey, hey. It's going to be okay. We are in this together, always."

And as I lie on his chest, how I wish I believed him.