As The Negro Turns (Part 4)

“You have 17 new messages. First message received yesterday at 10:15pm. Yo Jaden. I know you are there. I need to talk to you man. Call me back ASAP.”

I sighed as I continued to listen to my messages.

“Next message, received at 11:17pm. Hey baby it’s me. I just wanted to check on you. Your brother called me looking for you. He said he really needed to talk to you so when you get this message please give him a call so that he can stop blowing up my phone. Ok sweetie, I love you. Bye.”

Nothing about this situation is good. I know the longer I go without speaking to Keith, the more he is going to call. What am I supposed to say to him though? Hey man, sorry about the misunderstanding. Oh yeah, so how did YOU start sleeping with Sheila? What conversation is that to have?
I haven’t answered my phone in almost a full 24 hours because I didn’t know what to say to anyone anymore. I went downtown, got a nice hotel room, ordered room service, and decided to just take a day to myself. I know my approach is selfish, but I need time to sort all this out in my own head.
I continued listening to my messages as I laid back on the nice king sized bed in the room.

“Next message, received at 1:42am. Jaden, my dear Jaden...”

I quickly sat up in the bed. This message has my full attention. Why is she calling me? We haven’t even spoken since she left my apartment.

“Jaden, it would behoove you NOT to ignore me when I call. I do not like to be ignored. As a matter of fact my dear boy, it pisses me off. You would NOT want to see what I am capable of when I am pissed off. So I suggest you return my call, and let’s get together so that we can play nice.”

As I was going to hit the button to erase the message, I could hear a little more to her message.

“Oh, and by the way. I hear you met my daughter. Beautiful isn’t she? I wonder if your brother thinks of me when he is with her.” Sheila said while laughing.

I quickly hit the button on my keypad to erase the message, slam my phone shut, and tossed it on the table. I got up from the bed, went into the bathroom, and turned on the shower. I figured that maybe a hot shower could help me relieve some of the stress from this situation. Besides, I couldn’t stay in this hotel room forever. Eventually I did have to go back to my place and face the real world with open arms no matter how brutal it may be.

As I climbed the stairs to my apartment, I was feeling pretty good. I forced myself to put it all out of my head for a while. I was doing well, until I seen that my apartment door was cracked open. I paused in the hallway for a minute looking for something I could use as a weapon. The only thing I saw was the fire extinguisher.

“This will have to work.” I said as I went and grabbed the tank from its case.

I entered the door slowly, making sure to look left and right. Here I am creeping through my own place like a cat-burglar making sure to notice every little detail about the apartment. It seemed as if nothing was out of place. That is, until I saw the bathroom light on and the door closed.

What is it about people and my bathroom?

I crept closer to the door. When I got right up the door, I could hear the toilet flush. My plan was to stand beside this door, and as soon as the person emerged, I was going to give them every bit of this fire extinguisher right in there head. As the door opened, I moved quickly and bam! I struck them right in the head.

“Yo Jaden man what the f*** is wrong with you?”

“Keith?” I said surprised.

“Well it aint Santa Clause nigga. Man, now you have my head ringing.”

“What are you doing here?” I said as I put the fire extinguisher down.

Keith was still trying to shake off the effects of just being pummeled with a fire extinguisher. He stumbled over to a chair while still holding his head.

“I came by here because you won’t answer your phone. “

“How did you even get in?”

“You gave me a key a while back. Dag baby bruh, what’s going on with you man? Also, since we are playing twenty questions, what the hell was that at mom’s house the other day?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about” I said as I took a seat across from Keith.

“How come I am the one who got hit in the head, but you are the one who has amnesia?”

I cut my eye at Keith, curled up my lips, and shrugged my shoulders.
Keith leaned up in his chair. “Look man, I don’t know what your dealings are with Sheila or how you know her, but I am telling you, leave her alone man. She is nothing but trouble.”

“How would you know that?” I asked.

“Let’s just say we have dealt on some personal matters”

“Very personal it seems” I said with a smirk.

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on Keith, I know man.”

“You know what?” Keith said sounding defensive.

“You really are trying to play me. I am your younger brother man, not your little brother. There is a difference.”

“Jaden what the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you sleeping with Sheila. Yes, I know.”

Keith just gave me a puzzled look.

“Oh, I see. I can see it in your face. You are wondering how I know right?”

Keith simply shook his head yes.

Sighing I said “I know because she told me, the night she was over here.”

“She was over here? What was she doing over here?” Keith said excited.

I simply sighed and dropped my head.

“Jaden, you didn’t. Tell me you didn’t.”

I simply raised my eyes slowly to meet his and just stared at him.

“No, No, No. Jaden No! You have no idea what this woman is capable of.”

“Well how the hell did you get mixed up with her? That’s your fiancés mother!” I asked.

“Well…” Keith said as he began his explanation but then there was a knock at the door.

“You expecting company?” Keith asked.

“Hell no! Nigga I wasn’t even expecting you!” I replied.

I got up and walked cautiously to the door.

“Who is it?” I screamed.

“Fed Ex sir.” The man replied.

I opened the door and there standing before me was a fed ex employee.

“I have a delivery for a Jaden Sasser.”

“I’m him.”

“Could you sign here please sir?” he said as he handed me the signature pad.

I signed my name, received the package, and told the gentleman to have a nice day.
As I closed the door I came back to the chair, sat down, and opened the package. Inside was an Ipod with a note that said “Play me”. I held it up to my brother so that he could see.

“What the hell?” Keith said puzzled.

Since I didn’t have any earphones around, I decided to hook it straight into my computer speakers. What Keith and I heard after I pressed play had us both shocked.

“Hello Jaden. My, my, my, you have gone through great lengths to avoid me. I mean you don’t answer your phone, you haven’t been at home, and you haven’t even been over that pretty little girlfriend’s house of yours. What’s her name again? That’s right…Pam. Pamela Patterson”

Keith and I looked at each other.

“What? You surprised? Jaden listen to me, I have to be one of the most powerful women on the eastern seaboard and you don’t think I know what you are up to? I make it my business to know what all my special little projects are up to.”

“Projects?” I said aloud as I continued to listen.

“But I say this. I tell you that I am a patient woman and my patience is beginning to wear thin. I always get what I want Jaden. Always remember that. If you don’t believe me, just ask your brother Keith. No, literally, turn to him now and ask him. I mean, he is sitting right in front of you as you hear this right?”

Sheila began to laugh as I got up, grabbed the Ipod, and snatched the speaker cords out of it. I went over to my windows and looked through the blinds to see if I could see anything. I didn’t see anything out of the usual.

Keith got up and came over to the window.

“Seems like we are both in the game now baby brother.”

“So it seems.” I replied with clinched teeth.

How in the hell did I ever get here?