Twisted Thursday: Jaded, Part 9 (By Saria Monette)

Editor’s note: Due to technical difficulties, the 9th installment of Jaded had to be posted later in the day than usual. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you enjoy it just the same.  

Exhausted from several painful, futile attempts to lift her body on her own, Jade pressed the red button at her bedside.
“How may I help you, Ms. Jones?” a slightly muffled female voice called back through the small speaker.

“I need help getting to the bathroom,” Jade said, agony and exhaustion in her voice, her bladder filled five times over.

“OK. Your nurse will be right down.” 

In less than a minute, a plump, copper-skinned, middle-aged nurse floated into Jade’s room like the morning sunshine on a cloud of cheer.

“I hear you need to visit the lil’ girls room, Ms. Jones,” the nurse said in her overly pleasant Southern drawl. “Let’s see if we can’t just ease you right on up outta this bed.”

Jade grimaced from the pain as the nurse scooped her arms under Jade’s back and sat her upright in one motion.

“Now, see if you can swing your legs out for me, baby, and put your feet on the floor,” the nurse said. Jade embraced the challenge, determined not to be overtaken by the pain. She rotated her body around slowly.

“There you go … that’s it,” the nurse encouraged, never removing her hand from Jade’s back. “Alright, easy now. Try to stand up for me.”

Jade straightened herself steadily.

“Alright, you not feelin’ dizzy, are ya?” the nurse asked.

Jade shook her head, in too much pain to speak. 

“OK. Let’s walk then,” the nurse told Jade, guiding her toward the bathroom. “Just put your arm ’round my neck for support, hun.”

Jade’s steps were short and calculated, making the 10-foot trek to the bathroom seem more like 10 miles. But the cheery nurse didn’t mind. She hummed some old spiritual, every step of the way, which Jade found thoroughly aggravating.

Jade made it to the bathroom, finally, and reassured the nurse she’d be fine alone inside. She scooted over to the toilet and eased herself down over the bowl. Thank God for relief, Jade sighed. She lifted herself back up and scooted to the sink. As she washed her hands she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. The sight frightened her: her face bruised, her eyes nearly swollen shut from all the crying. She tried to manipulate her hair into place with her fingers. That’s as good as it gets, I guess, Jade reasoned. Maybe I’ll call Elise later … see if she can brings some things from my house so I can pull myself together. Jade continued her mental conversation as she leaned to splash water on her face. I wish I could call Melvin but I’m sure he hates me. I may never be able to patch things up. Oh, God in heaven, how did I get myself into this crap!! 

Jade wiped her face with a stack of paper towels and let out a smothered sigh. She wanted to fall on the floor and sob but she couldn’t. Her body was in just too much pain and it seemed she’d used all of her tears the night before.

“You alright in there?” the nurse called from the other side of the door.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Jade lied. “I’ll be out in a sec.” 

After a short while, Jade pulled down on the door handle but realized she was too weak to push it open. The nurse propped the door open and the two began the slow journey back to Jade’s bed.

Just as the nurse got Jade situated in the bed, a soft knock came from the other side of the room door.

“That must be Elise,” Jade’s thought aloud.

“You up for company, miss lady?” the nurse asked.

“Yeah …” Jade answered, breathing heavily from trying to find the most comfortable — or the least painful — position in the bed. 

“Come on in,” the nurse yelled toward the door, then walked to the faded pastel curtains to let the bright noon sun pour in.

The nurse turned to see the startled expression on Jade’s face.

“Melvin …” Jade said in a partial whisper. For the first time the sight of him made her shudder in fear.

“Uhh … you gon’ be OK, sweetie? Should I leave you two alone?” The nurse asked Jade, as if to say: “I can stay and call for back up if you need me to, girl.”

“I think I’m OK. I am a little hungry though,” Jade told her, as if to say: “I don’t even want to see any food, really, but just come back in a few minutes to check on me.”

The nurse nodded in understanding and left the room.

“Jade …” Melvin said finally, after a few moments of silent stares. He was trying to fight back tears. 

“Melvin,” Jade interrupted. “I’m so sorry for hurting you. There are no words to express just how sorry I am for the pain I’ve caused. I know that can never begin to take the pain away and I’ll understand if you never forgive me. Just know that I’m truly sorry, and I’ll be torturing myself for this for the rest of my life.”

“What was it, Jade? What did I do?”

“Nothing, Melvin. You’re perfect. I’m just the biggest idiot of life.”

“Perfect, huh? I wanna hate you … but I can’t stop loving you. You have any idea how that feels?” Melvin said as he crept closer to Jade’s bed, his tears flowing freely now. “I was up all night trying to figure out how I could kill you ’cause that’s the only way I can see myself without you.”

Jade’s fear escalated with Melvin’s every step. She didn’t think he was capable of causing harm, but she had never heard him speak of it either. “Melvin, please …” Jade begged. Could he really kill me? He just might kill me.

“Tell me something, Jade. How long were you gonna play this little game before you realized someone could get hurt, huh?” 

“Melvin, baby, just calm down and I’ll tell you everything, from beginning to end.”

“I’m calm, Jade, and I don’t need you to tell me how it went down,” Melvin seethed. He’d made it all the way to Jade’s bedside. “Your little boyfriend filled me in quite nicely when he brought his bright ass to my house last night.”

Jade had no response, but her eyes seemed to have replenished themselves and the tears poured down her face. 

” Are you hurtin’? Is it painful, Jade?” Melvin began to ramble as he hovered over his fiance. “You wanna know what pain really is, Jade?”

Melvin reached for the object in his pocket. Jade let out a harrowing scream.

Twisted Thursday: Jaded, Part 7 (By Saria Monette)

Disappointed and simultaneously relieved by the interruption of the approaching headlights, Elise pulled quickly away from Melvin as if nothing had happened between them. She prayed her husband hadn’t witnessed her lip lock with Melvin. But as the headlights got closer and brighter in the path up the driveway, she realized it wasn’t Richard.

The driver pulled close enough for Elise and Melvin to feel the heat from the head lamps.

Elise stood in awe. Melvin felt his pulse quicken and his blood pressure rise.

“Aw, hell. I know this beige bastard didn’t just pull up to my house,” Melvin mumbled. He braced for round two as Rico parked and stepped out of the car. 

Rico approached Elise and Melvin, his steps short and calculated.

“Rico, is it?” Melvin asked, with no care for an answer.

“Yep.”

“I’m gon’ have to ask you to leave.”

“Look, dude. I didn’t come here to finish kickin’ your ass. I just thought you might want some answers.” 

“Well, I hope you don’t get paid to think. Now, please dismiss yourself from my driveway.”

“What? You scared I’m gon’ tell you I’ve been bangin’ her brains out for over a year?” Rico picked. “Or that she’s in my bed when she tells you she’s working? Or how about …”

“Leave,” Melvin interrupted. He couldn’t bear to hear anymore. Bad enough he’d been disrespected by the love of his life. Now there stood Jade’s lover giving him the details of their torrid affair. Unbelievable.

Rico didn’t budge. Elise stepped back in anticipation of a hospital scene repeat. 

Melvin lunged once again for Rico, planting a fast, stinging jab just under Rico’s right eye. A brawl ensued. Melvin, though smaller in stature, had the upper hand this time around after Rico stumbled and never fully regained his footing. Completely enraged and unaware of the pain from Rico’s few returned blows, Melvin threw punch after punch. He intended to kill this man — the man who had managed to tear his world apart in just a matter of hours.

Elise kept screaming for the two to stop, shouting “oh my god” until she was out of breath, but she still steering clear of the melee. Neighbors began to emerge from their homes, but no one bothered to call the police to break up the action at the prosecutor’s usually quiet home. No gun shots, no need. 

More headlights approached Melvin’s house. It was Richard. 

Finally, Elise thought. Little did she know, things were about to go from bad to worse.

Richard parked haphazardly at the end of the driveway and scrambled out, forgetting to turn off the ignition. He ran straight into the middle of the brawl, attempting to use his medium frame as a wall between Melvin and Rico.

He pushed Rico away and grabbed Melvin in a bear hug. Melvin kept throwing jabs, unaware of his surroundings.

“Oh, you tryna be tough, too, man?” A dizzy Rico asked Richard.

“Look, man, this ain’t my business, but you need to go own about yours ’cause I’m not the one,” Richard shot back after releasing his grip on Melvin, who seemed to finally snap back into reality. 

Melvin walked back toward his house, nursing his bleeding lip with the back of his left hand, as Richard and Rico continued their heated exchange.

“Oh, I think it is your business. I guess your wife didn’t tell you.” Rico said.

A confused Richard stared at Elise, who had reached out to comfort Melvin. Melvin snatched away.

“Don’t touch me,” Melvin barked at her. “You knew Jade was sleeping with him. You knew this was going on the whole time. Now you wanna try to touch me … please. Take your triflin’ self home, too.” He made his way back into the house and locked the door, no longer concerned with anything going on in his driveway.

Elise stood stunned from the rejection for a moment before she noticed Richard staring at her, wondering what secret his wife held that made this madness his concern.

“Go ‘head man, ask Elise why this is your business,” Rico continued to taunt. “Yo, Elise, come here for a sec. I think you should enlighten your man.”

Somehow, although she hadn’t heard Rico and Richard’s conversation, Elise knew she was exposed. She walked toward Richard.

“Baby, let’s go,” a nervous Elise said, grabbing Richard’s hand in an attempt to pull him toward their car.

“No, Elise. What’s up? What’s he talking about?”

“I don’t know, baby. Can’t you see he’s crazy? Let’s just go.”

“Nah. I think you’re crazy. Don’t tell me you forgot about all our good times,” Rico said.

Richard snatched his hand away from his wife.

“Elise, you better start talking. Did you sleep with him? Please, tell me you didn’t sleep with him,” said Richard, his eyes glazed with tears. 

“Sleep with me? Man, more like put it on me. Repesatedly,” Rico continued to spit his venom. “That’s a fiesty lil’ mama you got there. But I quit messin’ wit’ her though ’cause she got a little jealous, possessive streak.”

“And … jealous … what …?” Richard couldn’t get his thoughts together.

“Richard, baby, I can’t even believe you’re gonna stand here and entertain this fool,” Elise said, trying to sound sincerely clueless. 

Richard didn’t want to believe the things coming out of Rico’s mouth, but Elise’s nervousness cast a dark cloud of doubt over the situation. A part of him wanted to get to the bottom of Rico’s accusations, but the other part wanted to walk to his car and pretend. Pretend Rico didn’t exist. Pretend he hadn’t heard anything. Pretend his marriage was perfect. Pretend he had no doubts about his wife’s faithfulness. 

He chose to pretend. He grabbed Elise’s hand and started down the driveway, back toward his car.

Goodness. I just dogded a freakin’ bullet, Elise thought … too soon.

“Oh, Elise, I forgot to tell you, sweet tattoo,” Rico said with a laugh as the couple reached their car. 

That tattoo. Elise’s one and only tattoo. The one of the dripping strawberry and Richard’s initials at her panty line, between her thighs. The one for only her husband to see, to kiss, to enjoy.

The revelation made Richard’s heart sink into his stomach and there was no way Elise could lie her way out of it.

“So, that’s what you think of our marriage, huh?” Richard asked after taking several moments to gather his thoughts.

Elise wanted to defend herself, but she couldn’t. She wanted to rattle off a million reasons for her actions, in hopes of making her husband understand. She wanted to tell him the truth. The truth that for the past few years she had become overwhelmingly jealous of her friend. Everything Jade had, Elise wanted — including her men — and she set out to get them. She wanted to tell Richard that Rico used her for months then tossed her for Jade, which caused Elise to become blinded by her rage and thoughts of revenge. Elise wanted to make Richard see that she didn’t understand it all herself. She wanted to tell him she really didn’t want to be this person she’d become. 

Instead, Elise said nothing. She knew she’d hurt her husband beyond what any words could repair.

Richard got into the car and sped off, leaving a blank-faced Elise and satisfied Rico standing at the end of the driveway.

Fork & Screen

My new favorite movie theater is Fork & Screen.  Located in the Tower Walk shopping center, in Buckhead.  It is an AMC theater with a full service bar and restaurant. 

This theater has been in Atlanta for a while.  It was renovated a year or two ago.  The new set up is beautiful.  The ticket booth is separate from the theater.  The front of the theater is all glass.  The lobby is large, well lit and an open space.  When you enter the building there is a bar to your right.  With bar seats and tables near by. 

When your movie ticket is checked you are given menus.  The greeter will ask you if you have been there before.  If it is your first time, you will be given an overview of the menu, drinks and how to order food.  They will lead you into the theater. 

The seating is theater style with tables and red leather chairs.  The room is well lit so you can find your seat and read your menus.  You pick your own seats.  Each table has a box with a red button, you push the button when you want your waiter.  

There is a variety of food on the menu, including the traditional movie popcorn and candy.  They have a nice assortment of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  The service is great.  Food and drinks come fast.  The food is excellent.

I love this location.  It makes dinner and a movie a one stop night!  The atmosphere is inviting and fun.  It is a great date spot.  

Festivals

One of my favorite things about Atlanta is the festivals!  There are so many!  A few of my favorites are the Dogwood festival, National Black Arts Festival and Sweet Auburn Festival.  Each is different, but offer so much. 

Each April, the Dogwood festival is held in my favorite park, Piedmont Park.  I enjoy this festival because it is at the beginning of Spring.  While enjoying the nice weather you can browse the dozens of booths.  The vendors vary from jewelry to Artist.  This festival has a lot of artist.  I enjoy seeing their work.

The National Black Arts Festival takes place in July for about two weeks throughout Atlanta.  Various types of art takes place during this festival.  Including music, dance, visual arts, film, theater, literature, and creative speaking.  It also includes a marketplace the first week of the festival.  Vendors from all over the world participate.  There are also family programs.

The first weekend in October the Sweet Auburn festival is held on historic Auburn Avenue.  The SpringFest festival takes place here in May.  I have a deep love for both of these because of all the food they have!  Bar-b-que ribs, funnel cakes, Polish sausages and Italian ices to name a few.  Vendors line the streets with beautiful products.  Live performances take place on a stage.