Beyond The Leather

Chapter 53: Stupid Girl



Warning: Violence and Mentions of drugs

November 2nd, 1987

After arguing and shouting for all of yesterday and half of today, Iman and Nikki were finally able to calm down and talk things through with each other. Nikki made breakfast for Iman and Karen. It was God-awful because Nikki couldn't cook. But she ate it anyway because he was trying. They were able to take his dog Whisky to the park and play ball and frisbee with him. Even though Iman was not a fan of dogs she still went out of her way to play with whisky because it was Nikki's dog. The two of them ended up at Iman's condo after taking whisky to the park and dropping him back home with Karen.

Nikki had to get some much-needed sleep. The last three weeks of October had been very rough for him. He had been drinking, snorting, injecting, and even ended up hitting his head on the fireplace because he was so smacked out. He lost all his weight, his skin was yellow, his eyes were sunk into the back of his head, and he was losing his hair. Iman thought it would be a good idea for Nikki to stay with her since Tamara wasn't going to be here.

Before he went to sleep, he confided in Iman that his mom and sister came down to Tacoma to see him and he turned them away. He felt abandoned and wanted nothing to do with them. It took time for her to calm him down but eventually, he did. As he lay asleep in her room, she stood by the stove cooking lunch for him in his Motley Crue shirt. She planned on making sure that he was eating, but also eating healthy. And she wanted to keep a close eye on him and his drug use.

"Mm, something smells good." Nikki inhaled and exhaled as he smelt Iman's cooking. He walked into the kitchen in just his boxers and no shirt. 

"Hey, handsome." Iman turned around and gave him and peck on the lips.

"What are you making?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Pasta with vegetables, you need to gain some weight back. And you're not drinking any beer or doing any type of drugs while you're here." She warned.

"Yes ma'am." He mumbled as he kissed the top of her head.

"Go sit down Food is almost ready." She giggled as Nikki started biting her neck.

He walked over to the table and sat down watching Iman as she stood over the stove dividing the food for the both to eat. This is what he wanted, what he longed for. Someone to just come home to when he was done touring, someone to be there to tell him that they missed him, someone to say dinner is ready, someone to snuggle with at nighttime, someone to love him.

"Here you go," Iman said as she put the plate in front of him. She walked over to the fridge and poured him a cup of natural orange juice so that he would get some vitamins in his body. She walked back and placed it on the table. 

"Thanks, doll." He said as he leaned to kiss her on the lips. "I need to go to rehab." Nikki sighed.

Iman looked up at Nikki and scoffed. She ate her food not wanting to say anything regarding him and rehab.

"What?" He questioned as he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"You always say that, but you never go."

"I'm going this time.... for real. I can't live like this and I can't put you through this anymore." He said sadly as he looked into her hurt eyes.

Iman put her fork down and looked at the ground. She's heard Nikki say this time and time again, but nothing ever gets done.

"What is it?" Nikki asked.

"You always say that you're going to get clean but...you never do." She softly spoke. "And you're right I can't live like this."