Twisted Thursday: Jaded, Part 6 (By Zanetta Rivers-Randolph)

Melvin’s breath became labored as he lunged for Rico’s neck.

“You did this to her man. You did this to my woman.”

Rico fought to stable himself, seeming as the sudden attack left him a little unsteady. He grabbed Melvin’s thrashing arms.

“Your woman? How can she be your woman, when she whispers my name so sweetly?”

Melvin was hysterical, “what! What the hell are you talking about? You are nothing to her man.”

“Ask her then. Ask her what I mean to her,” screamed Rico.

As he moved to comfort a shaken, confused and desperate Jade, two burly security guards made their way into the room.

“I don’t know him” Jade yelled as she began to scream.

“Everyone in this room besides the patient needs to leave, now,” stated the one security guard, attempting to shout over Jade’s ridiculous outburst.

Melvin straightened his chest and attempted to stand just a little bit taller than his 5’7’’ frame. “This is my wife, and I’m not leaving.”

The security guard laid his thick fingers across the large can of pepper spray, “I don’t give a damn who you are. You are getting out! You are causing a disturbance to the other patient’s and you have to go.”

The two guards nearly pushed the frazzled foursome out of Jade’s room. Rico attempted to storm away as Melvin caught his arm.

“Oh no you don’t, you big …”

“I wouldn’t be so liberal with my tongue if I were you, little man.” Rico freed himself Melvin’s grip, and Melvin stood ready to pounce.

“Tell me what this is about. Now!”

Rico chuckled as he moved away from the stares of Richard, Elise and Melvin.

“Ask the bitch in the bed.”

The three watched Rico’s defiant swagger as he made his way to the exit, stunned by his presence and the venom in his voice.

Melvin collapsed on a vacant bench outside of Jade’s room. She could still be heard weeping. The more outspoken security guard shook his head, looking at the small crowd with pity.

“Look here…Y’all got some serious issues, and I feel for ya, I really do. But this here is an ER. This ain’t a new episode of Jerry Springer. Y’all gon’ have to move the hell on.”

“Just give me a minute, man” Melvin growled.

The security guard looked around before turning back to Melvin with a quizzical gaze. “Who the hell you think you talkin’ to? He moved toward Melvin as Richard stood between the two men.

“We are leaving, OK? Just give us a second.” Richard went to help Melvin up, before Elise laid her hand across his.

“You go on Richard. He is in no position to drive. I’ll take his keys and drop him home. You meet me there and we will drive home together.”

Richard let out a deep sigh. Jade’s drama was affecting his marriage. Elise could not always be her savior. Jade was a big girl and it was about time she started to act like it. “I’ll be right behind you, Elise. This is their fight, and you know that.”

“I know baby, I know. Just let me do this.”

Richard moved toward the exit, with Elise and Melvin following close behind.

_________________

“How could she, Elise?”

Melvin sounded so defeated, as he lay his head against the dashboard. The tears flowed freely, seemingly without end.

“I’m sorry Melvin. I don’t know what she was thinking.”

“I’m a good man Elise. I cook, I clean, I run her bath water. What could I have done wrong?”

“It’s not your fault Melvin. Don’t you take the blame for this.”

“Someone has to! Why wasn’t I a good enough man?”

Elise rubbed Melvin’s back.

“You are an excellent man, Melvin. The best man I have seen around in a while.”

Melvin stiffened, “what about Richard?”

Elise coughed, “Well … besides him.” She offered a phony smile before continuing. “All I’m saying is don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Melvin gazed into Elise’s eyes. “What does he do to keep you faithful?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What makes you so devoted to him? How does he keep you so faithful?”

“I’m not a puppy Melvin. He’s not my master. That’s one thing that keeps up together. He realizes we are equal; I’m not his ’woman’ as you like to say. I’m his wife, his partner and all that.”

Melvin grabbed Elise’s hand, caressing it slowly. “I wish I had a woman like you.”

Alarmed, Elise snatched away. She was unsure of the situation. Melvin was hurt and needed consoling, but he was only speaking to her this way out of pain and confusion.

Oh no, if he keeps this up he’ll find out just how much I wish he had a woman like me, too.

In the midst of her thoughts, her cell phone rang.

“OK honey. Love you, too. See you when you get there.”

She hung up and swung into Melvin’s driveway.

“What’s up?” Melvin asked after Elise’s short chat with Richard.

“He’s gonna go get gas and meet us back here. He told me to go ahead and take you inside.”

At that moment, the two realized that their hands had somehow found each other again and were entwined as they struggled to move to opposite sides of the vehicle. Feeling uneasy, Elise broke the silence.

“Why is this so strange right now?”

As she stumbled over her words, Melvin’s lips claimed hers and she joined him in the sweetest kiss she had ever known.

Two bright headlights cut their lip union short as Elise’s rescue had come just in the nick of time.