I looked around the room. Sue was not there. Her bureau drawers were empty. Her closet was empty. Her shoes were gone. She was gone. I did not have to think twice. She had to be with Ritchie.
Ritchie’s father had given him one of his many homes to live in 6 months ago. I was ticked. This was too much. If my father got word of her moving out to live with Ritchie he would kill me, and then kill her, and then kill Ritchie. If I did not get her back home by the end of the day it would be trouble. I could probably keep it away from my parents for a week or so but my uncle would be the first to “bust” on us. I had to do something.
My parents would never approve of him. They loved her ex-boyfriend in Jamaica like he was their son. They knew his parents. They were from the “upper” crust of Jamaican society. They were well off. They owned a few businesses. He would be the “heir” to many of these businesses. I was going to use the threat of “telling on her” to get her back home. That is when I remembered that she could use the threat of my trip to the Bahamas.
I drove over to Ritchie’s house. I parked outside and entered his side entrance.
I tried to be as calm as possible as I rung the door bell.
Ritchie opened the door. He was bare-chested and in shorts. I had to bite my lip. I could only imagine what was going on with him and my sister after what I saw at the house. He being bare-chested only fueled more fire to my burning anger inside.
“Where is Sue?”
“She is the living room”
“I walked by him to the living room.
Sue was sitting on the coach watching the television.
“Get your stuff and let’s go home”, I ordered.
She looked up at me and laughed “No”.
It got me even angrier.
“I am not going anywhere” she continued.
That was the straw that broke the camels back.
I lunged at her. I grabbed her arm and started to lift her off the couch.
“Ritchie” she was calling out. He was nowhere in sight. I know he did not like confrontations and probably went to his room.
She started to fight back. Suddenly she bit me on my arm and I released her. She ran into Ritchie’s bed room and closed the door.
I was in excruciating pain from the bite on my arm but the adrenaline was high. I ran up to the door and tried to open it.
“Open this door now” I ordered.
She was crying loudly. There was also some whispering behind the door. It was Ritchie.
“Gi ar a minute” Ritchie shouted from behind the door.
The pain from the bite on my arm was starting to overcome my adrenaline. There was a deep gash in my arm from the bite and it was bleeding heavily.
I went to the bathroom to get something for the gash. I knew where every thing was.
After washing the bite with some Hydrogen peroxide I placed a few Band-Aids on it.
I kept the bathroom door opened as I did not want them to sneak out off the house.
I went back to the living room. The bedroom door was still closed. I was not going to leave.
I sat on the couch in the living room. The TV was still on. It was the Cosby show. One big happy family the one thing my sister and I are not today.
Next was a “Different World”. I am sure they thought I was leaving. I was determined to take Sue home.
“What is going on in there?” I asked as I knocked on the door. Them being alone in the room was not an easy thing for me to think about.
“Gi we a minute”, Ritchie shouted back from behind the door.
I went back to the living room and continued to watch the television.
A few minutes later I heard the door open. I thought about getting up but did not. I did not want them to feel I was anxious.
Someone was behind me.
“I am ready to go”
It was Sue. She had her bags in her hand.
“Take these out to the car for me” she asked “Let me tell Ritchie bye”
I took her bags up and stood in the doorway.
Ritchie was out of the room and I could see them embracing. I looked away.
The drive home was quiet. A pin could drop and we could here it.
I turned on the radio to break the silence until we arrived home.
We were fortunate as Uncle Teddy was not home. We were able to get her bags in the house without causing a problem. Sue went straight to her room and I went straight to mine. I could not sleep. I was upset with them both. I was especially upset that she would challenge me in front to Ritchie. I was her big brother. Even worse was the bite on my arm.
Sue and I were “malicing” each other. She avoided being around me in the house. She was silent as I took her to school. We were not speaking. I don’t think my Uncle picked up on what was going on. He left early and was always back at home late. When my parents called we did not give them any clues about what was happening. I think we both knew we had our own secrets that could not get out to my parents. I had my Bahamas trip and she had her Ritchie.
He called her everyday and picked her up a few evenings to go out. I was sure he was staying in her room late at nights. I was not talking to him either.
It was 2 weeks before Sue and I spoke to each other. We could thank Uncle Teddy for that.
Late one night as I lay in bed I heard the front door open. I was sure it was with Uncle Teddy.
I heard whispering.
I thought to myself “Here we go again”. Sue is letting Ritchie in the house to stay the night.
I peeked out my door and glimpsed Uncle Teddy.
I was relieved. He must be drunk and talking to himself.
I started to fall asleep when I heard more whispering and moaning.
It was a ladies voice. It was not Sue.
It was Uncle Teddy and a woman. I could hear them in the living room. We had asked him not to bring anyone home with him.
They were making love very loudly. The lady was moaning. Suddenly the moaning changed to passionate screaming. It was really loud. I was tired. I was not about to interrupt them. I just did not have the energy.
I turned the radio up and went to sleep.
The next morning Sue and I were in the kitchen. We looked at each other and I know what she was thinking.
“Did you hear that lady with Uncle Teddy last night” she said smiling. I was upset but it was funny. The “screaming” broke the ice between us. We started to talk. She told me how much she loved Ritchie and that he change. She started to tell me about the romantic things he did and that he was not a dog anymore. In the back of my mind I was thinking it was a Phase.
That caught my attention. It was really serious. I also now felt obligated to be sure that her heart was not broken by Ritchie. I also felt I had to make sure he did not turn back to a “dog”. If he did, she would really get hurt. I had to be careful of things I do around him.
“Sorry about the bite”
She walked over and hugged me.
“I know you really care about me, but I am a big girl now”
“Why did you come back home with me?” I was curious to know why she changed her mind after our fight at Ritchie’s house.
“Ritchie told me to. He did not want to cause any problems between us. He said you are like a brother to him and he would not do anything to hurt you. This is why I love him”
“Do you really love him?”, I did not know what to say. I was touched that Ritchie cared enough to tell her to come home but I was still not convinced this was “real love’.
“Yes. He is the marrying type”
I was shocked but did not want to show it.
The possibility of them getting married was difficult to think about. But there was a silver lining if they did. She would get a green card and eventually file for me and the rest of the family. I would not encourage it but it could work out to be a good thing.
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