Broke Luxury (A Jacquees Short Story) #Wattys2016

(1) Can't

Jacquees

"Okay, Quee! That's enough!" I heard Sasha yell.

I could hear her yellin' and screamin' and tellin' me to stop punchin', to stop stompin' this nigga face in over and over again, to stop because blood was all over the floor and on my shoes, to stop because the police would be here any minute, but I couldn't.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk, and I could only see red. I could only think about what this nigga did and how he needed to feel the pain that pe' felt.

"Baby, please." Sasha said and I could hear her voice cracking. That's what made me stop. Sasha was about to cry and that's what made me come back to reality.

I towered over the punk ass nigga and I realized he was unconscious and possibly dead.

I didn't care.

I turned on my heels and walked out of the small one story house with Sasha's hand in mine. I opened the drivers side for her and she got in and I walked around to the passengers side, getting in slowly.

I don't know where my mind was. I don't know what controlled my emotions right now and I felt empty. I felt alone and useless. I couldn't protect my family and they would be so much better without me.

I couldn't even protect my only child from that dumb ass and look what happened. I'm not fit to be a father or a spouse. A man is supposed to provide and protect his family, that's what my father taught me.

My father drilled that in my head and no matter how many times people say "shit happens", my father didn't take that for an answer. Therefore, I felt like I could have prevented all of this. I should have been more careful.

I was wrapped up in my thoughts and I didn't notice the car had stopped and Sasha was already in the house. I don't know how long I had been sittin' there. I got out of the car and looked up at the sky.

The sun was about to come up and the sky was a bright red orange and stratus clouds were scattered across the sky. The sun was just slightly peeking from behind it.

I tore my gaze away from the sky and went inside. This house didn't feel like a home anymore.

I slowly climbed the stairs and Sasha was runnin' bath water with the Sweet Pea bubble bath scents she loved. I leaned against the doorframe and looked at her and she looked at me, her eyes wide with pain, hurt, concern, and so many more emotions I couldn't put my finger on. Her hair was a mess, a big, light brown, curly frizz ball on the top of her head.

I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it on the floor, followed by the rest of my clothes and pulled my dreads back in a ponytail. I walked over to her and she looked up at me with her olive green eyes. The look on her face was different and she didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't even know who I was anymore. I tapped her arm and she put them in the air so I could undress her.

I stepped in the warm water and I helped her in after me. We both sat down, facin' each other and I couldn't help but sink down in the water a little.

The water felt good. As if I could wash away all of my worries, all of my pains, all of the events of the last couple of months, down the drain.

Sasha came closer and rested her head on my chest as the water whispered calming prayers to our souls. I wrapped one arm around her body and pulled her as close as possibly while I dragged my index finger up and down the middle of her back. I rested my chin on her head and we stayed that way for a while.

After about 10 minutes, a single tear fell from each of my eyes.

What happened to Quee (Qwee) and Sasha?

Decided to start this with a cliffhanger. What do you think?

- toodles, jp!