“You sure you wanna do this, Mr. Moshe?”
“Yes Oz, I’m sure”
“You know I can go in and get this done without the drama”
“Trust, I got this! I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes. If I’m longer than that, come and get me”
I looked at my driver’s gaze blaring down on me in the rearview mirror. He had every right to be anxious. Ever since my benefactor unlocked that other side of me, I had been nothing short of relentless. I set my old job on fire as I unloaded all the dirt that I had on Joan and Alan. Then, I went out of my way to humiliate Lewis’ ass by sharing some private video of him and Zahira with his wife. Now, I needed to close this chapter with Erica. Despite the multiple couriers and the calls from the attorney’s office, my antagonist refused to sign. I slid on my gloves before I removed the weapon from its resting place. The time for pleasantries was over.
I placed the manilla envelope in my coat pocket before stepping out of the car. I took out my remote and opened the garage. To my surprise, there was a black Jeep parked next to Erica’s silver Lexus. Just as that sinister grin began to emerge, my phone started to buzz.
“Are you sure you wanna do this sir? You know this is what Mr. Houston pays me for, right? No need for blood to be on your hands”
I looked back at my concerned driver.
“I understand, but I need to handle this myself”
I turned back around and continued to the garage door. As I made my way inside, I could hear footsteps racing up the stairs.
“Erica?”
There was no response, but I could hear rumbling overhead where her walk-in closet was. Distress imbued the air. My smile got bigger as I continued through the kitchen. I called out again.
“Erica!”
Still no response. I walked past the island table where I saw Longhorn take out plates on the marble counter. Sitting next to the bags was an open bottle of champagne. I could see drops of the bubbly as I proceeded to the living area. Just as I noticed the glasses on the end table, I heard a voice from the stairs.
“Marcus! What the fuck?”
Erica was frozen in her tracks.
“There’s some business we need to attend to. Do you mind coming down so that I can get you to sign these papers?”
“So that’s what you’re doing? Your new boss got you threatening folks now?”
I smiled to myself as I looked at the glock in my hand.
“Oh, you mean this?”
“Yes!”
“I’m sorry. I thought that there was an intruder in the house since I saw another vehicle in the garage”
Erica looked flushed as I pretended to be concerned.
“Oh, oh, um, that’s Tammy’s car”
“Tammy?”
“Yeah, she’s a friend from work. She’s been staying here since her apartment burned down”
“Hmmmmm, that’s interesting. I’ve never known you to take in strays. Are you partnering with the Salvation Army now?”
“Seems that there’s a lot that you didn’t know about me”
“I guess so”
“Now do you mind putting that gun away so we can talk?”
“Why do we need to talk, Erica? I just need you to sign these papers and I’ll be on my way”
“Damn Marcus! When did you become so cold?”
“Darling, the story would take too long to tell and I have other business to attend to. So if you would be so kind, I’ll be on my way”
“Okay, okay. I’ll come down and sign. But please, can you put that thing away? You know I don’t like guns”
I nodded as I slowly put the weapon away. My antagonist took her sweet time as she descended the stairs. The red and white robe I bought her three years ago was barely covering her goods. Normally, Erica would go around the house in those oversized bed gown shirts. The only time she ever put on her tunica would be after we had sex. So I knew another man was in my home. A friend from work my ass!
Erica walked up to me, cleavage out, looking me over.
“Looks like your new gig is treating you well. Thousand dollar suit, Rolex watch, and you want to leave me with nothing, huh?”
“Like I said before, we don’t need to talk. Just sign the papers and I’ll be on my way”
I reached into my coat and pulled out the papers along with a pen.
“Why don’t you wanna say anything? I mean, you didn’t say anything when you left? You just took all your shit and split while I was away! A real man would have at least said it’s over, not have his attorney send over the divorce papers!”
I rolled my tongue against my teeth to stay on task.
“Erica, I need you to sign the papers. Will you please sign?”
“Why does this mean so much to you? I mean, you’re already living somewhere else! Why not just go on with your life as is?”
“Because we need to be done legally and you’re holding up progress”
“Holding up progress? Really? Is that what you high price ninjas are calling it now?”
“Erica, I don’t have time for . . .”
“If you want these papers tonight, you’ll make the time!”
Before I could counter her response, the petit miscreant snatched the papers from me and skipped her ass to the kitchen. My rage was starting to burn bright. One second, I saw my hands wrapped firmly around her neck. The next second, I saw myself shooting her repeatedly while her pussy ass lover watched in horror. There were so many ways to make her suffer, but none would be greater than her watching me succeed. I needed her to live in purgatory, wondering what life would have been if she would have encouraged the dream within me? I needed her to know that I could have given her anything that she wanted if she simply believed in me, as I did in her. So as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t kill her. I needed her to sign.
I took a deep breath and turned towards the kitchen. There she was, standing by the bar, sipping on some champagne, robe fully open. The papers were pushed off to the side, still in the envelope. I walked over to her.
“So are you going to sign?”
She looked at me with hunger in her eyes. She took off her garment completely, her body totally exposed.
CORNER POLITICS 