Craving You

19

~Kingpin~

I stared. Lucinda was here. 25 years after everything happened.
"Tommy, go home!" I said.
"Yes sir," Tommy said. "When should I come pick you up?"
"No worries, I'll have Marshall take her to the airport."
"Okay."
Tommy left and I stood up. Lucinda had sat down on the couch. I wanted her. My desire for her was not helping. Then I saw the wedding ring on her finger.
"Who's the lucky guy?" I asked shutting the door and sitting on the couch beside her.
"Oh," Lucinda said. "Nikolas Nikolai Dragovich."
Lucinda began to kiss me.
"Lucinda, your married."
"He's dead."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"He died three years ago. KIA."
"Oh."
"I moved to Phoenix with my two little ones shortly after his death."
"Oh."
"Jerrod, I've missed you."
That was it. I grabbed Lucinda's hand and lead her to my bedroom. I shut the door and it all exploded. A few hours later, Lucinda is laying beside me in bed.
"Do you want to know why I did that to you?" She asked.
"Why?" I asked.
"I waned you to fight for what was right. You just gave up."
"I thought- how did you meet Courtney's father and that guy Thomas Hank?"
"How did you know about Thomas?"
"I don't spy on you. I just make sure Tommy won't betray me."
"He told you."
"Not directly. He told Liza Rhett and I had a system in her apartment. I've done that since Tommy started working for me."
"Jerrod!"
"Tell me, please."
Lucinda explained, "I hooked up with Courtney's father one time. His last name was Courtney...that's all I knew about him. He left town when I told him I was pregnant with Courtney. When Thomas turned thirteen, I married this guy Thomas Hank. Everyone called him Hank. I didn't know he was a child molester until he tried to touch Courtney one day. I interfered and Hank began hitting me. Tommy came home and stood between us. He told Hank, 'If you're mad, than take it out on me, not them.'
'Fine,' was all Hank said.
Tommy stood there brave. Ready to beat the shit out of him. Hank dragged Tommy by the ear to his bedroom and molested him. I wanted to stop Hank, but I couldn't. Hank threatened to kill Tommy if I did. One day, he raped and killed a girl named Suzie Sanders. He wanted me to flee for Arizona and leave Tommy and Courtney behind. I told him, 'Never! I will never leave my children with a monster like you!'
Hank grabbed me and pulled me into our bedroom. He raped me. Later that night, Tommy and Courtney walked into my room and comforted me. Hank came in and asked me again.
'Fine. But only to protect my children!' I yelled at him in a whisper.
That same year I got married to Nikolas Dragovich. We had Nikolas and then two years later we had Nikolai. Nikolai was only two when he died."
Morning came and Lucinda left. Five months later, Lucinda sent me a letter. This is what it said:

Dear Jerrod,

I wanna let you know. I just found out I was pregnant. I miscarried the baby due to my age. I wanted to let you know that I didn't know until now. Please don't be mad.
Your Love,
Lucinda Brown Dragovich