UNFINISHED BUSINESS...

As we begin to drive, Veronica grimaces in pain and begins to speak, “I just want you to promise me that you won't get too upset or judge me...” I nod my head but she quickly says, “NO, I want to hear you say it.” In a very dry and irritated voice I tell her, “I promise I won't get mad...or judge you.” She looks at me and tightly squeezes her lips together and doesn't say anything. I look over at her and in a puzzled voice ask, “What?” I can see tears begin to roll down her cheek as she continues to look at me as if to prematurely say I’m sorry. She looks down, reaches in her pocket and takes out a set of car keys she looks up and barely above a whisper says, “Stop the car...and take my keys and open the trunk, once you see what's in there what I have to tell you will make more sense.” Once again I feel like I'm being spun like a top, but I stop the SUV anyway. I snatch the keys from her, open the door and head to the car. At this point I just want to see what's in this trunk, get back in the SUV, get back on the road and hear what Veronica has to say. I slowly make my way to the trunk open it and count 7 bags similar to the one April brought to the SUV. I open one of the bags and find it packed with banded $1OO bills, I slowly open the 6 remaining bags and each one is filled the same way. At this point I'm lost to why there are 7 bags in this trunk filled with money, and I'm even more lost to why we were about to leave without them. I close the trunk grab the keys and start my way back to the SUV to suggest we take this money with us - when I get there Veronica is on an iPHONE. I reach in the left, then right coat pocket and find the iPHONE that was “given” to me is not there. I open the door and get in and find the conversation has gotten noticeably quieter. If I didn’t see the phone on her ear or her mouth moving I would think she wasn’t on the phone. I'm straining to hear her conversation, but can only make out, “OK, I will...I'm the one that called you...look, just be there...yes, yes...bye.” She hangs up looks at me hands me the phone and says, “Sorry, I believe this is yours, I was on an important call when my phone died, so I had to borrow yours...I hope you don't mind.” I nod my head to acknowledge that it was cool, but as I sit there, I wonder how she made a call on a locked phone...

TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT...

I grab the handcuffs and seductively begin to twirl them around my index finger. Man after all we have been through, there was a period when I thought this would never happen. Honestly, the closer we got to this day everything felt surreal and the more nervous I became. As I look around, I notice my bride is still in the bathroom - it's obvious I'm not the only one feeling butterflies because she has been in there for over 30 minutes now...I'm a little worried so I knock on the door and playfully ask, “Honey, what are you dooooooooo-ing?” She waits a minute laughs and replies, “I'll be out in a minute Boo-Boo.” I jokingly ask, “ummmmm, is that what your doing?” about a minutes passes when she finally gets it and yells, “SHUT UP!” While I wait I sit on the edge of the bed and begin to fidget some more with the cuffs, I get up, go to my tux and grab my phone. I turn it on for the first time since I walked in the church, and after it loads about 60 text and voice-mail notifications pop up. The first text I see is from (my fraternity brother) Moe, “Congratulations on the wedding, I hope your wife know she got a player for life, and that’s no...LOL, I'm joking, I'm joking, but seriously you did it. Man, who would ever thought you'd be the first to get married, I'm proud of you dog, but hit me up when you get some time, I know your on your honeymoon and all.” I sit there for a moment and had to read the text again, “Congratulations on the wedding, I hope your wife know she got a player for life, and that's no...LOL, I'm joking, I'm joking..” I stop reading when it finally clicks that he has quoting Tupac. It's funny, but I got to thinking about the text and can't help but feel there was some truth in his message. It was that lifestyle that nearly cost me my destiny, I look to the ceiling and begin to shake my head, when the bathroom door opens and out comes THE most beautiful woman my eyes have ever seen, wearing Victoria's greatest secret. She grabs the handcuffs off the bed and starts to walk over to where I am – I stand there looking and try to flex my abdominal muscles in an attempt to look sexy. I can feel my heart racing as she puts her hand on my chest and whispers in my ear, “Baby, can you please sing our song...pleeeeease?” I bite my bottom lips and smile – only because I knew that she knew that I knew the request was coming and without any hesitation I put my hand under her chin, look into her eyes and begin to sing, “I can't imagine life without you by my side, this is love baby that I’m feeling and I’m hoping that you're feeling the same way. Things tend to slip my mind, like how you like to wine and dine baby with romantic lights. You mean a lot to me in so many ways...Lately, have I told you I love you, lately, have I told you, you still mean the world to me, lately, have I told you I love you? I'll be your...” Before I can finish the chorus she leans forward and presses her soft lips against mine. We continue to kiss until I feel the handcuffs being snatched from my hand and a concerned voice says, “We need to get something to eat, you're trippin' AGAIN and I'm feeling pretty weak.” She slowly puts the cuffs on April and asks me, "Can you atleast put her in the back seat...dayreamer"? I give her a half smirk, pick up April and put her in the back, slam the door and hop into the front seat. We both shut our doors simultaneously and as I start the SUV I look over at her, and as I begin to pull off I matter-of-factly say, “I'm listening...”

GENESIS 4:1-8???...

Without thinking, I open the door, throw the bag between myself and April and quickly and cautiously step out of the SUV. I instinctively grab the gun from my jacket pocket, point it at her and tell her to get out of the car. I glance over at Veronica, who has her head down but slowly looks up and she gives me a confused, 'why are you doing this' look. I feel myself getting angry as April continues to ignore me, more sternly I tell her once again to get out of the car. I move back closer to the SUV when Veronica yells, “STOP IT, JUST STOP IT, Curtis...” I look back at her and calmly ask, “When...why, did you kill her, now we may never know the truth...LOOK, L-L-LOOK IN THE BAG!” She motions for me to come closer to where she is and I just shut-up and do as I'm told. She sucks her teeth and says, “Look at you, you still have no clue...sweetheart, I already know what they probably told you about me. I already know whats in the bag. I already know whats in the trunk. I already know everything you know. What you need to do is get behind this wheel and get to Chicago, I promise to tell you everything on the way. Look, I know this is a bit much, but I'm the only person you can trust, so stop acting so soft and mann up - we need to get going.” She hands me the cuffs I once wore and tells me, “Put these on April, she's not dead, she has a condition...I would never kill my sister...”

IN THE BEGINNING...

I close my eyes in anticipation of the gun going off and in my mind I am no longer in the SUV. I'm sitting on a bench by the river waiting on a certain young woman to arrive – but as usual she is late. I'm about as nervous as I've ever been in my life as I finally see her pull up and make her way over to where I'm sitting. As she gets closer I see she is wearing a gray jogging suit, pink shirt, matching gray and pink Air Max, and with her hair in a ponytail her beauty still takes my breath away. Once she sees me she picks up her pace and eventually jumps into my arms – like she hasn't seen me in years. We continue to hug and begin to kiss until she pulls away and says, “So, what was so urgent that you have me missing 'THE REAL WORLD: LAS VEGAS'?...you know that's my show, you...” I put my index finger on her lips and tell her, “be quiet babe...” My heart is now racing and oxygen seems to have stopped flowing through my lungs. I take a deep breath to regain my composure, but I guess it doesn't work because she asks, “Baby, are you OK, you don't look too good?!” I ignore her question and try to focus on the reason why I am here. I sit her down and tell her, “Babe, since the moment I met you, I knew you were the one. I mean I thank God everyday for bringing you into my life, it's because of you I strive to be a better Mann (she looks at the ground almost as if she is embarrassed). There is not one thing about you that I would change, and in the past I know I did - at times - and I’m sorry for that. Looking back, I know we haven't had the best relationship, BUT I can say it's far from the worst...baby I love you and I don't ever want you to doubt that (she quickly looks up as if she is about to cry – I pause) I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore...” Before I can finish, she cocks her head to the side as if to say 'oh you got me messed up' and lands a two-piece combo that nails me right below my right eye. She is crying uncontrollably now, but suddenly stops and manages to get up and in a voice similar to a child after they have gotten a whoopin' mumbles, “You (sniff) you (sniff) you brought me ow,ow,ow, out here to tell me that?” I look at her and can't help but to smile and laugh – I pull the ring from my pocket get down on one knee and say “No, but if you would have let me finish, I was gonna say that I didn't want you to be my girlfriend, I want you to be my WIFE...would you do me the honor of being MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III?” She takes the ring from my hand - and what she calls playful - punches me in the chest and says, “Yes, BABY, of course...” I laugh every time I recall that story, in my head it was supposed to go a lot smoother than what actually happened. It's funny no matter what I'm going through, thoughts of my wife still brings me joy. “CURTIS...CURTIS...CURTIS, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU...DID YOU HEAR ME, ARE YOU GONNA OPEN THE BAG OR DO I HAVE TO SHOOT YOU TOO?!” My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a yelling woman in the back of a SUV. I look back and still see Veronica holding the gun – She is talking, but to who I have no clue, I hear nothing, I just see her mouth moving. I look down at the bag that is sitting in my lap and begin to unzip it, once I get it open and see what's inside a numbness overcomes my body - my joy is gone...

I'LL TAKE "LIES" FOR $200

We both turn and see Veronica glaring at April anticipating her answer, but before she has a chance to open her mouth, Veronica adds, “Please don't make me come over this seat and snatch you up!!!” I'm totally caught off guard and find myself once again trying to figure out what's going on when April clears her throat and says barely above a whisper, “Please, Veronica, it doesn't have to be like this, let's just...” Veronica cuts her off with a half-laugh, half-chuckle, pulls a gun, points it at her and says, “Let go of the bag.” She looks at me and without speaking motions for me to take the bag from her. I take the bag, which is a lot heavier than it looks and put it in my lap. Veronica looks back at April raises her eyebrows and gives her the 'I'm waiting' look. Now, I'm not gonna lie when I say I'm anxious to hear what April has to say, but much more nervous about what Veronica is gonna do next. April - who looks as if she got caught stealing from the collection plate - hesitantly breaks the silence and says, “I...I mean, we came here to figure out what was going on V...you weren't answering our calls or texts...you were M.I.A...” Veronica shakes her head slowly and methodically, cocks the gun, sighs and says, “Wrong answer.”...

SO WE MEET ONCE AGAIN...

I’m totally caught off guard, how, I mean when did she get in the car. As I step back from the trunk and the keys fall to the ground, I watch and see her slowly pull herself out of the front seat. She leans against the car badly banged up – I mean real bad – dried blood, hair and soot cover her face. Her shirt is hardened with blood, while fresh blood still stains her upper lip from what appears to be a broken nose. I step forward to get a better look and as I do she tells me, “We don't have time to waste, I don't know what you and Robert discussed, but I am the only person that you can trust right now...” I can clearly see she is in pain as she pauses mid-sentence in an attempt to sit back down in the passenger seat. She slowly settles herself in the seat before she continues, “...but forget about the trunk for now and lets get out of here, we will soon have company.” I ask, "Where did you go, and when did you get in the car?" She looks at me and says, "Um, I've been in here the entire time..." I look at her side-ways as I form my mouth to say, "Huh?" - I just shake my head and figure she is out of it or something. I bend down pick-up the keys and as I stand up I think about opening the trunk anyway, but if what she says is true, getting out of here is probably the best and number one option. I hurry around to to the driver side and get in, she shuts her door turns to me and in a soft and timid voice says, “Thank you.” I turn and look at her and that's when my weary brain starts to process, that this is not Veronica, as I move the hair from her face she looks at me and in a very confused voice asks, “What?” I begin to squint and I try to recall, not if, but where I know this woman from. I guess she can tell I’m trying to figure out who she is because she says, “Um, I was at your house a couple of weeks back...(I give her a blank stare) I'm April, your wife's soror...I was helping her move.” I snap my fingers and quickly point at her and say, “yeeeeah...” she cuts me off and finishes my sentence, “I'm the one who found the condom wrappers.” We continue to look at each other and there is a long, awkward silence, a second later I put the key in the ignition and start the car. I back the car away from the tree put it in drive and as I press the accelerator it does pretty much nothing – yeah this car is going no where fast. I'm thinking' though, if I can at least get it to the SUV I might be able to jump it and drive it instead. However, getting over to the SUV takes a lot longer than I would have imagined but somehow I manage. I jump out and try to pry open the hood, it is a struggle to say the least but I do get one side of the hood up when the trunk *slams* and April comes up behind me with jumper cables and crow bar in hand. She stops looks at me and says, “I thought you might need these...I found them in the trunk.” I look at her and hesitantly say, “thanks.” I take them from her and just look at her for a second before I eventually put the crowbar to use. I finally manage to get the other side of the hood up as she patiently looks over my shoulder. I pop the hood of the SUV, attach the cable to both batteries, take a deep breath - look up to the sky to say a quick prayer - turn the key in the ignition and by the grace of God it starts. I get out to help her into the SUV and find her once again in the trunk of the car, and as I walk toward her she quickly does something and slams the trunk shut. When she comes from behind the car I see she has a duffel bag on her shoulder and a little pep in her step. She hurries past me and says, “I had to get my over night bag,” and literally hops in the front seat. I don’t know if I'm trippin', but she seems to be feeling a whole lot better now and before I can ask, she says, “shoot I think I locked the car keys in the trunk.” I think to myself 'Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight' as I bring my hands up to my mouth and place my 2 index fingers on my lips and think for a second, 'am I being played?' I decide to leave it alone for now and just get in the SUV. As I put the car in reverse and back out she asks, “So, what happened to the woman who was with you, is she...” I can't take this anymore, I slam on the breaks, put it back in park, cut her off and ask, “OK, WAIT...WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK, NO BETTER YET, WHO ARE YOU REALLY AND WHY ARE YOU HERE?!” But before she could answer, a voice from the back of the SUV emphatically says, “Yeah April, tell him why you're here!”...

ON A ROAD IN KOKOMO...

“Hello, Mr. Mann, glad you decided to pick up...for a second I thought you may have taken us lightly...” I cut her off and ask, “OK, who is this?” Now I don't know if it was how I said it or what I said but in a sharp, no nonsense tone she snaps back, “LOOK, you are in no position to (abrupt pause)...” After a moment I hesitantly ask, “Hello...hello?” She comes back on and calmly says, “I'm going to hang up, (the phone beeps in my ear) but you will be receiving directions shortly, be there and don't be late.” She hangs up, and I just sit thinking, I look at the time on the iPHONE (4:55 pm, July 5th), the phone chimes and I see an unread text message from Map Quest, giving me detailed directions to 1337 W. 32nd St. Chicago, IL 60603. Chicago, I'm not in Ohio? I finally start thinking and decide to put this phone to use and bring up the Google Maps app. It takes a while to load but when it finally does, a little blue dot on the screen shows my location to be, Kokomo, Indiana. I look at it again and think out loud, “Kokomo, Indiana?!?” I have no idea where that is but I am not surprised that I’m in a placed called Kokomo. A few minutes later the phone chimes again and a text that reads, 'It's 5:00 pm you have 3 hrs.' I try to text back, but the phone won't allow it, I try to call out but it won't let me do that either. I come to the conclusion that this phone was only meant for me to be reached. So instead of getting frustrated I just put the phone in my pocket and as I do I feel the keys I got from ole boy. I take them from my pocket, look at them in my hand take a deep breath then head to the car. As I'm walking to the car I begin to think of my family and how I missed spending time with them for the 4th. I want to speak with my girls, I wish I knew where they were and how they were doing, I really miss my babies. I feel myself tearing up but I stop to shake it off – I can't afford to get emotional right now. I finally make my way to the – still smoking – car. I look back down the road and ole boy is still slumped over against the tree – I guess I got so caught up in my thoughts I didn't realize I passed him. I look at the keys for a second, then look back at ole boy, close my eyes and recall his last words, 'Reach in my jacket pocket and grab my keys, go to the car and look in the trunk...' I take a couple of steps back and press the trunk release button not knowing what to expect - I hear a click but nothing happens. At this point my heart is racing, but I press it again and again and it just does the same thing. I find the key on the keyring, put it in the lock, and before I can unlock it someone opens the passenger door and weakly says, “wait...”

MAY I TAKE A MESSAGE...

Honestly, I'm not even surprised she is not where I left her – at this point, nothing does. The words of warning, “Don't trust her, she isn't who she appears to be...” keeps replaying in my head. I stand there thinking maybe ole boy was on to something, I mean maybe he was telling the truth – should I believe him? I mean about an hour ago I thought Veronica was dead, now (she) her body is no where to be found – but more importantly this is NOT the first time this has happened. I can't even seem to keep my thoughts and emotions in check when I hear a phone ring and I'm not exactly sure whose phone it is or where its coming from. I open the back door to the SUV and there on the back seat is a phone, but its not the one ringing. I get in, lean over the the front seat and grab the ringing iPHONE out of the box. As I answer I instantly recall a warning I received a few days earlier *Our only suggestion for you is to make sure you answer this (i)PHONE, EVERY TIME we call*. I honestly forgot all about the warning and the iPHONE, I just pray this is the first time since then that they have attempted to call – BUT WHAT IF IT'S NOT? So as calmly as I can, I answer, “Hello.”...

READY OR NOT, HERE I COME...

I kiss her forehead and lay her back down on the ground, and as I stand to my feet, I'm only thinking of one thing. I slowly walk up the road in the direction of the wrecked car not even thinking about my own safety. I don’t see or hear anything, I’m just walking until eventually I find what (who) I'm looking for. In the distance to my far left I see a man sitting against a tree in what looks like some serious pain. With arms fully extended and gun raised I very slowly and cautiously walk over to where he is sitting. In what normally would have taken less than 2 minutes, takes me roughly 15 minutes to safely make my way over to him. I come up from his blind side and yell for him to throw his weapon – he doesn't move. In a more forceful voice I yell, “DID YOU HEAR ME, I SAID TOSS YOUR WEAPON...OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!” In a weak attempt he tries to toss his gun but it does not go far at all. I don't waste any time, run over and kick the gun in the brush, then turn and face him. I take one look at him and he is hurt pretty bad, honestly it looks like he could die at any moment. In almost a whisper he says, “Don't trust her, she isn't who she appears to be...” I shake my head and point the gun at him and say, “Thanks to you, I don't need to worry about any of that now do I?” I feel my hand shaking as I now raise the gun to his head, he looks up at me half-laughs and says, “Reach in my jacket pocket and grab my keys (now struggling to speak)...go to the car and look in the trunk...” I look over at the car lower my eyebrows and ask, “Look in the trunk for what?” He says nothing. I turn toward him and begin to ask again but see there is no need...but just to be sure I check his pulse and (yes) he's dead. I reach in his jacket pocket as he advised, grab the keys and instead of going to the car I make my way back to the SUV to grab a few things I may need later. As I walk back, I think to myself, I still don't have any answers to the questions in my head - the only thing I know is I'm lost, literally and figuratively. Although I don’t really know her, I feel compelled to properly bury her body. However the more I think about it, it's probably best I take her body with me to a hospital or something – I mean its the least I could do,she did spare my life, I guess. I make my way to the back of the SUV, and once I get there I stop, close my eyes and shake my head...because she's not there...

WE'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE...

I get up from the floor of the SUV, and for the first time since I have been around her, I see her actually losing her composure. She is still frantically turning the key in the ignition and pumping the gas in hopes of getting the car to start. She is crying so hard I don’t think she hears me as I tell her to, “Calm down.” She just looks up, stares out beyond the steering wheel and abruptly stops everything. I follow her eyes up the road and see a black Charger smashed against a tree and out of the shadows a man struggling to make his way up the road. At this point she has totally lost her cool. She ducks down, slides over to the passenger-side seat, opens the door, gathers herself and fires another round in his direction, then immediately runs toward the back of the SUV. I turn and look back up the road and no longer see him, I look again and still don't see him, I reach over the front seat to grab her phone and see blood everywhere – OK now I start to panic. I open the door, get out and run towards the back of the SUV. When I get there, she is laying face down, gun still in hand with the bottom of her shirt drenched in blood. I bend down, take the gun from her hand, and as I turn her over and hold her close to me - I take a deep breath, slowly close my eyes and as tears begin to fall - I can't help but think, this feels like deja vu...

A CHANGE OF PLANS...

I have to give credit when credit is due, this woman is strong, in shape, smart and knows what she is doing. However this time when she hits me, she didn't knock me out. As I lay motionless on the floor of the SUV, I can feel my heartbeat right where she hit me with the gun and my head is throbbing. She gets out as the other vehicle approaches and comes to a stop. For a moment I hear nothing, then I hear voices coming closer to the SUV. The door swings open and I try my best to remain still and act as if I'm unconscious. I hear Veronica's voice, “See look he is right here like I told you, I just had to pull of the main road to get some rest, I have been driving almost 36 hours you know!” I feel someone walk up close to where I'm laying stand there for a second and then walk away. I don't hear another voice, I just hear Veronica say, “Why are you trippin', everything is still going as planned (a car door slams)...oh so you just gonna leave?” The car starts and a man's voice yells, “HE'S NOT EVEN BLINDFOLDED OR CUFFED, WHAT WERE YOU DOING V...YOU KNOW WHAT, DON'T EVEN ANSWER, I'M COOL ON YOU AND THIS!” She qiuckly fires back, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COOL ON ME, I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING IS FINE!” I hear the car start and Veronica calmly yet sternly say, “Oh you think you leavin', you either in or out!?” The car peels out and begins to drives away, when I hear *POP, POP, POP* – *POP, POP*...and then a loud *CRASH*. She comes back to the SUV slams the back door, hops back in the driver seat all-the-while crying, tries to start the car, but the battery is still dead...

HERE WE GO AGAIN...

I try to look around for my boxers, pants and shirt but don't see them anywhere. I can't really look around like I want too, partly because of a crook I have in my neck and she is still laying on me sleeping peacefully. I put my hand over my eyes and I begin to think about what just happened, need-less-to-say I am very disappointed in myself...I thought I had more self control. I continue to lay in total silence and the only thing I hear is her breathing on my chest. About an hour passes and her phone rings (it stops) and it continues to ring again, still half-sleep she manages to say, “Get the phone Baby...(pause) Robert get the phone.” I nudge her a couple of times before she finally gets up and realizes where she is and who she is with. She attempts to fix herself up before she looks for her phone, and as she gets up I see she is still fully clothed – and that's when I remember the only thing I had on WAS this coat - maybe we didn't do anything. I try to sit up but a sharp pain swiftly runs up and down my spine and I quickly lay back down. She leans over the seat and grabs her purse, fumbles through it for a second and takes out her phone. She looks at the missed call and a few texts and her whole demeanor changes. She quickly looks at me and says, “WE HAVE TO GO, NOW!” She flips over the front seat tries to start the car but it wont do a thing, probably because we had the car on all night. I frantically ask, "What's wrong?!" Her phone rings again this time she quickly answers, "No, I'm fine...(attempting to whisper now) baby,I'm fine...How? I don't even know where I am...Robert,Robert,Robert!" She hangs up, throws the phone on the passenger-side seat and puts her head in her hands. I slowly sit up with concern in my eyes and see a car approaching up the road. She wastes no time to reach under the seat, turns to look at me and says, "I'm sorry." and *BAM* everything goes black...

GOODNIGHT...

Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach LITERALLY, I quickly open the door and begin to vomit. Veronica leans over rubs my back and asks, “What in the world is wrong with you, did the Doritos upset your stomach?” I shake my head no as I continue to hold my head out of the door while thinking about this new found revelation. The more I think about it, the more upset it makes me and I can feel myself getting angrier and angrier. This man had the audacity to sit in the delivery room with me and on three separate occasions congratulate me on having three healthy, beautiful, baby girls. I laugh to myself thinking two out of the three times I was there, I should have been telling that to him. I snap out of my trip down memory lane as I calmly hear Veronica say, “It's getting pretty dark, I think we should get going.” I think to myself, *Get going where, I still don't know where we are or whats going on.* I close the door, sit back in the seat and close my eyes - because as crazy as it sounds, I still don't know what to say to this woman. I hear her let out a soft yet seductive *sigh* as she starts the SUV. I can feel her looking at me so I open my eyes and sure enough she is. I look at this woman, I mean really look at this woman who is so emotionally hurt and exhausted and for the first time see how beautiful she truly is. I am so uncomfortable because for the first time since I have been married, I find myself looking at another woman - in that way. I'm not gonna lie, I get nervous, my palms start sweating and my heart rate speeds up as she extends her hand reaches out and slowly turns on the radio. I take a deep breath and thank God that was the ONLY thing she was reaching for - because no matter what my wife has done I am a married man and will continue to act as such. I'm sitting here thinking of something to say or do to break-up this awkward moment when I hear the on-air personality say, “..we have been getting request for this one all day, here's Robin Thicke's, 'It's in the Morning'...'I'm in the mood for lovin', we'll be touchin', we'll be huggin', I'm in the mood for lovin', we'll get into...It's in the morning I wanna touch, it's in the morning I wanna love you...” I look at her, she looks at me, (I don't like the way this feels) so I shake my head and close my eyes, when I open them, the song is off, the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and she is laying on my chest in the back seat of the SUV and "It's in the morning"...

THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW...

She continued to talk but I didn’t hear a word she said all I saw was her mouth moving. I closed my eyes and the only thing I could see was her husband and my wife together. I didn’t know this man or what he looked like but I pictured them together, just like in the movie, “The Best Man.” I couldn’t get a hold of my emotions and before I knew it I found my eyes watering and my lips quivering. She took one look at me and started crying all over again. She laid her head on my chest and started 'balling' – I mean snot, slobber, she held nothing back. This went on for about 20 minutes before I was finally able to regain composure. It took me a little while before I was able to calm her down, but eventually I did. She stopped straddling me and got back into the driver’s seat – we both were silent. I opened the Doritos and ate the entire bag and washed it down with the warm can of Dr. Pepper, all the while thinking. Then I repeated her name in my head, Veronica Chambers, why does that name sound so familiar? Then I ended the silence and asked in a very disturbed yet anxious voice, “Is your husband…” she finishes my sentence, “State Attorney, Charles Chambers…no, he is my father-in-law…everyone always asks that, my husband is Dr…” this time I finished her sentence, “…Eric Chambers!” It turns out I did know her husband, he was my wife's OBGYN…

KISS AND TELL...

She puts the car back in park, takes off her seatbelt and gets out of the SUV. She opens the back door slides behind me reclines my seat and begins to massage and kiss the back of my neck. Then in one quick motion she is on top of me, opens my coat and is caressing my chest. She grabs the back of my head leans in and gives me another kiss, this time much more passionate and intense then the last. She stops sits up and doesn’t really look at me but more of in my direction. After about a minute she starts to slowly shake her head and in a soft voice that seemed directed more at herself then toward me she says, “What are you doing to me?” I look up and see tears forming in her eyes and her lips beginning to quiver, and then she says, “I know you don’t know me, but I know all about you…” She takes a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes and continues, “My name is Veronica Chambers and the reason why I know you is because my husband and your wife have been having an affair…”

DO I KNOW YOU...

What does she mean, “This changes everything?” When I say I have no clue what she is talking about, I mean absolutely no clue. This woman knows who I am, has been in my house, has taken the package which was once in my possession, has me out in the middle of nowhere, she HAS the upper hand. The one thing I do know is I need to do something before she does. My mind is telling me to run, but my body is not responding. The funny thing is beside all the 'unknowns', I’m starting to actually feel like I can trust this woman, I mean if she really wanted to kill me, wouldn’t she have already done it? My thoughts are suddenly interrupted, “Soooooo, are you just going to stand there all night or are you going to get in…we need to go NOW!” I walk around the back of the SUV to the passenger-side where I see the front door is already open, I get in adjust the seat and close the door. She hands me a bag of Doritos and a Dr. Pepper and says, “I know you hungry.” I nod my head in agreement then tell her, “Look, we need to talk.” Thats when she takes her index finger places it on the bottom of my chin and with it slowly turns my head toward hers, looks me in the eye then leans forward and kisses my lips. She pulls back clears her throat and seductively says, “We need to do more than that.”…

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON...

Let’s just say as I stand here looking at this woman who once laid on my living room floor, lifeless - I lost the urge to pee and now had to change my clothes. I’m straining to see what she is doing and what is going on around me, when I finally see her walk up to me, look me up and down and in a very disgusted voice says, “Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me.” She hurries past me toward the trunk, opens it, rumbles through a few things then takes out something and begins to walk toward me. The you’ve closer she got I could see she was holding a knife of some sort and as I stand there contemplating my next move she quickly turns me around, pushes me hard against the SUV and cuts the blind fold [moving quickly] she bends down and rumbles through a box filled with styrofoam balls and pulls out an envelope, an iPHONE, and a key, she puts everything but the key back in the box. She takes the key, stands up and unlocks my handcuffs, goes back to the trunk pulls out some soap, a towel and a gallon of bottled water and says, “Clean yourself up”. I do as I’m told - and as I strip I look around and see NOTHING [we are in the middle of nowhere on some back road and the sun is slowly disappearing over the horizon] – she puts the box in the front seat and takes out the coat she once wore when she fell into my arms, puts it on top of the SUV [chuckles] and says, “looks like you’re gonna need this.” I say nothing because right now I’m just going through the motions, wondering what’s going on, how much time has passed and who exactly is this woman. I finish washing up and put on the coat when she looks at me and says, “Curtis, Curtis, Curtis [uncomfortable pause] you know this changes everything.”…

SHE HATE ME...

Those words replayed over and over and over in my head until I finally hear someone say, “Did you hear me, I said sit up…I see why you almost got caught up you don’t follow directions.” – The more I heard this person speak the more I realized I had no idea who she was. I however did as she asked and sat up, that’s when she proceeded to reach across my face and in one quick motion pulled the tape [and all of the facial hair] off my face, I wanted to scream in pain but didn’t have the energy. I was so nervous and I couldn’t get a feel for her – she just seemed so cool, calm and collective - giving me the impression she knew what she was doing, which in a way gave me a wierd sense of security. The ride continued in silence until her phone rang, “there goes my baby (ooo girl look at you) you don't know how good it feels to call you my girl there goes my baby loving everything you do (ooo girl look at you).” She quickly answered and a moment later hung up, that’s when I told her, “Thanks for getting me out of that mess…” she said nothing, kept driving and a couple of minutes later answered “trust me you are still knee deep in it, and how do you know I’m HELPING you?” This time I was the one who said nothing. At this point I was planning my get-a-way, I didn’t know when or more importantly how, but I did know it had to happen soon. In a half whisper I finally asked, “Well are you?” she laughed, [actually it was more of a chuckle] and kept driving. I couldn’t tell if it was day or night, but I did know I was starving and needed to get away from this woman. That’s’ when I blurted out the first thing that popped in my head, “I GOTTA PEE!” what felt like 15 minutes pass and we still continued to drive, “um did you hear me, I SAID I GOTTA PEE!”, she slams on the breaks, and she does it so hard I end up on the floor of the back seat [which causes my blindfold to move just enough to see]. She puts the car in park, gets out, opens the back door, helps me to my feet and when she stands me up I see, she is the ‘dead woman’…

EMERGENCY EXIT...

”WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WHAT BODY’!?” – But before he could answer there is a hard knock on the door. I look at Nick and he looks at me and says “If that’s who I think it is, I gotta go, just holla at me when they leave.” He gives me a quick dap and then leaves out the way he came in. There is another knock at the door, this time much harder than the last. I think to myself, “Man I don’t have time to be messin’ wit no cops.” However I am curious to find out what’s going on, I get up from my crouching position take the gloves off and start to make my way toward the door, when *BAM* someone hits me from behind and I hit the floor hard – I’m laying face down in serious pain, I can feel someone standing over me, they are saying something but I have no clue what, I can just feel myself going in and out of consciousness. Finally everything goes black. I don’t remember what happened next, all I know is everything that I once thought was real somehow turned out to be a façade of the life I once knew. Many hours pass before I slowly regain consciousness and I am feeling very nauseas and my head is spinning. It takes me a while to realize it, but my eyes are covered with some type of blindfold, my mouth is taped shut and my hands are tied behind my back. Part of the reason I am feeling nauseas is because I’m in the back of some type of moving vehicle face-down - I instantly start to panic. This may sound stupid but what really has me bothered is the total silence, I mean I can hear the tires on the road but there are no other sounds inside or outside of the vehicle – no radio, nothing. I’m not going to lie I’m scared but I knew at that moment I had to take control of my life and there was only one person who could help me – [sigh] I block all other thoughts out of my head, close my eyes and the tears just flowed. We slow down and the car stops, the driver opens the door and gets out - at this point I have absolutely no clue where I was, how I got there, or what was going on – I would say roughly 5 minutes passed and a phone rang, “there goes my baby (ooo girl look at you) you don't know how good it feels to call you my girl there goes my baby loving everything you do (ooo girl look at you).” – The door opened someone got in, answered & hung up, then I felt them turn toward me [pause] and say “I told you to get out the house!”…

THIS IS GONNA SOUND CRAZY...

As I lay her lifeless body on the living room floor, so many thoughts begin to race through my mind [I close my eyes] – What was MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III looking for? Did I really “faint”? Then thoughts begin to jumble together, THE 1ST PACKAGE I TRIPPED OVER, THE MYSTERIOUS CAR, THE BOX WITH NO ADDRESS, THE iPHONE WARNING, THE NOTE, THE KEY AND THIS WOMAN – I open my eyes and go into the kitchen grab the note and begin to read…"I’m sure you are wondering where the package is, don’t worry you’ll get it when we want you to have it. Our only suggestion for you is to make sure you answer this (i)PHONE, EVERY TIME we call. Oh yeah if you haven’t noticed by now, there has been a slight change in plans. The pictures don’t even begin to show ALL that we have on YOU. Like we told you before, if you run to the police its gonna be some problems. If you think we are all talk, it would be wise of you to pick up the iPHONE dial #313 then press the (*) key [my heart rate speeds up] I pick up the iPHONE and dial #313 then press the (*) key. A distorted voice begins talking “Glad you decided to call, but i’m sure your friend will appreciate it a little more than we do...” then I hear a very distraught man’s voice, “Baby please do whatever they say, I l...” and the message ends. [*bang, bang, bang*] I drop the phone, look up and see Nick banging at the back door [I open it, and go back to pick up the phone], “Man, I would have been here sooner but I guess something happened and they have your street blocked with cruisers, fire trucks and everything...and by the looks of it the police are going door to door. Shoot, I had to park a street over and sneak through the back because you know I got a warrant, *he laughs*". He stops when I quickly and abruptly get to my feet, he pauses looks me over and very seriously asks, "why is there blood on your shirt…?” I don’t hear anything else he says and interject, “They doin’ WHAT!? Ok this is gonna sound crazy but I need you to do everything I tell you, exactly the way I tell you.” he shakes his head and says,“Ok, what’s up?” I tell him,“Go upstairs grab the comforter off my bed, in the hallway closet there should be a roll of duct tape, grab that and meet me in the living room.” [He looks confused but runs upstairs to do what I have asked] – I quickly gather up everything in the kitchen place it back in the box and hurry back to the living room – the body has already been moved *I think aloud* "Mann, Nick don’t play”, but there is still some smeared blood stains on the floor…I run in the basement grab a bucket & some cleaning supplies, run some hot water in the bucket then pour in the entire bottle of ammonia, I put on some gloves grab a couple of towels & head back into the empty living room – As I begin to clean up the blood Nick is on his way down the steps with the comforter & duct tape – “My bad, took me a minute to find the tape” I ask “So what did you do with the body?” he replies, “What body?”…

DEAD AIR...

I start to look through the pictures and am shocked, stunned & confused at what I see, I begin to read the note to try to make sense of it when the box begins to vibrate and my phone begins to ring almost simultaneously, I pick up the iPHONE out of the box and hesitate to answer it – but I do - on the other end a woman’s voice calmly says, “Get out of the house now.”, “Who is this?” I ask – but she is already off the line. I try to call the number back, but the call came through as ‘private’ number. I throw the phone in the box and notice my phone has still been ringing. I run upstairs to grab it hoping somehow it’s the woman from the iPHONE, I pick up my phone look at the ID *smack my lips* its my bestfriend Nick – I reluctantly answer, knowing... this could easily turn into a 2 hour conversation about him and his girl or how much he hates his job. I answer, “Hello.”, “Hey man, I’m on my way…me and my girl, long story, be there in a few.” and before I could get a word in he hangs up – hmmmmm that was weird – anyway I head back downstairs to the kitchen but before I could get there, there is a knock [more of a *thump*] at the front door – I think to myself, man that was fast – I open the door expecting to see Nick but a beautiful yet bloodied young woman whom I have never seen before falls into my arms. My first instinct is to drop her because I have no idea whats going on, but I dont – However from the looks of things, this woman was clearly placed here because nothing about her says ‘I walked to your door'. I cautiously peek outside and see no one there, I look her up and down, and as I continue to hold her in my arms a few things jump out at me 1. She doesn’t have on any clothes under her coat 2. There is flashing light coming from her coat pocket and 3. I’m pretty certain this beautiful woman is dead…

CHANGE OF HEART...

I step back (take a deep breath) and I look into her eyes and see the woman who I fell in love with, the woman who I shed tears for as she walked down the aisle to become (my wife), MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III, the woman who I knew I would spend the rest of my life with. I begin to feel my eyes water as I form the words ”I love you baby and no matter what the outcome, I’m willing to…” I stop and look up because I hear noises *the type of noises the floor makes when bodies shift weight* coming from the master bedroom upstairs, when I hear it again my eyes dart at her and she quickly looks away – MANN, that’s when it hits me, that wasn’t a “passionate kiss”, that was a kiss to divert my attention away from what truly was going on in the house. I start for the stairs, when she yells, “He’s coming!” I get halfway up and immediately stop when two crucial thoughts pop into my head, 1. I don’t know who is up there and why they are in my house and 2. What they may be looking for is probably on the kitchen table. By the time I finish the thought, she is frantically running up the stairs behind me, so I act like I trip & let her run past me, I wait a second then hurry back into the kitchen, pick up the box & swoop the key, envelope, iPHONE & most of the styrofoam into it in one motion, then proceed to hide the box in the oven, without thinking I quickly turn it on then head to the base of the stairwell where I hear multiple quivering voices barely above a whisper, but the only voice I recognize is my wife’s. Voice 1: ”Girl, I thought you said he wasn’t going to be here!” MRS: “Well obviously he is so something must have happened” voice 2: “Well we didn’t find none of the stuff you was talking about…” voice 1: “Forget all that how are we going to get out of here, and what are we going to do when he comes up here?” [SILENCE] From what I can make out, there are 3 shook females upstairs in my bedroom. Now I’m feeling confident so I’m on my way upstairs when I stop dead in my tracks and ask myself, "DID I TURN THE OVEN ON!?" Naaah, I couldn't have been that stupid to turn on the oven but just to be safe I rush back in the kitchen and the closer I got to the oven I could see that little red ‘on’ light – so yeah I guess I am stupid. Anyway I turn it off, open the oven and luckily the box and its contents were still intact (it had only been in there 3 minutes tops) - I put the box down when, *BAM*BAM*BAM* 3 car doors slam, [screech *BOOM* screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech] I run to the living room window and see they have backed out the driveway hit my car and dipped. From what I can gather, they apparently jumped out the 2nd story bedroom window – I can’t help but laugh out loud at the mental picture that keeps replaying in my head – but forget them for now. I go back into the kitchen so I can finally find out what's in this box, but most importantly the envelope with the BIG red letters that reads “OPEN IMMEDIATELY”, so without wasting any more time I open the envelope and inside is a note and about 20 photos…

I CAN'T LET GO...

MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III & I are standing awkwardly close when she leans forward & gives me an unexpected yet very passionate kiss and for some reason I can’t pull away, I close my eyes - and it feels like I’m in Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without You” video [everything is so perfect] I hear the words, “I’m lost without you, can’t help myself, how does it feel? To know that I love ya baby, I’m lost without you, can’t help myself, how does it feel? To know that I love ya baby. Tell me how you love me more and how you think I’m sexy baby…but you don’t want nobody else, you don’t want this guy, you don’t want that guy…” my mind starts wandering to thoughts of better times, our first kiss, our first 5 hour phone conversation (when neither one of us wanted to hang up), our wedding night, the first time we…(pause) - I open my eyes, then I slowly and gently take my hands from around her waist, ease them up past her breast to her shoulder blades and very politely but abruptly push her back, she gives me the ‘what are you doing’ look, and that’s the problem, I don’t know...

THIS IS A PACKAGE DEAL...

As I stand here holding this package, so many thoughts begin to run through my head, I close my eyes and repeat the message I read from MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III’s phone aloud, “…Are you really gonna use it?” Mann, is she trying to kill me? [naaaah I’m trippin’] - I’m starting to feel real light-headed and dizzy, I definitely need something to drink – I open my eyes, turn around toward the kitchen to get some water and *BAM* everything goes black…I wake up after what feels like 3 hours but was more like 30 minutes with a cut on my head and a throbbing headache, the house is silent and totally dark - I begin to make my way to a nearby light - when I see a set of headlights race up the driveway, stop, back up and speed away, I turn the lights on and see the front door is still open, MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III’s phone is still on the table and the package is where I once lay. Ok, what just happened, did I faint? I lock the door, pick up the package & take it into the kitchen – I get some water and grab a knife out the drawer to open the package – I look at the box & notice there is no delivery or return address anywhere, I promise I remember seeing one before I ‘fainted’…But at this point I don’t care, I pick up the box and look for a easy way to open it, but immediately drop it when I feel it vibrate. My first thought is to run, but I pause, take a deep breath and begin to finish what I started. I slowly & very carefully begin to cut open the box [lifting one flap at a time]. Inside the package is filled with white styrofoam balls, I take another deep breath & reluctantly pour its contents on the kitchen table…there amongst the styrofoam is a KEY, an iPHONE, and a SEALED MANILA ENVELOPE marked in BIG red letters, “OPEN IMMEDIATELY”. This is beginning to be a bit much, at this point I’m not sure if I even want to know what’s in this envelope or why there’s an iPHONE and key on my kitchen table - I pace back & forth for a while - I find myself constantly picking up the envelope and iPHONE then putting them down, I stop, gain composure, take a step back turn & push open the kitchen door & am standing face to face with MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III…

IS THIS A TEST...

Sorry it took me so long, but after looking behind the night stand myself, I had to speed this process up. I call MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III, and tell her that I’m going to take the test (TODAY!!!), but she doesn’t answer, so I just leave her a brief message, “Um I'm just calling to let you know I was able to make an appointment today to take the test at The Medical Center, so I guess you can take the girls down there whenever. And uh, I do want to see them…thanks.” I get there and the wait is about 2 hours, but the actual test takes less than 10 minutes. Anyway I just got back from taking the paternity test & by the looks of things MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III has been by again [is she here?] I call her name, [no answer], I look out the window, [no car] - on the table by the door I see she brought in the mail [something she NEVER does] - she had to be in a rush because as I sort through it, I see she left her blackberry under the bills…I pick it up and the doorbell rings…] who could this be? [MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III still has a key], as I put the phone down she receives a text, I go to the door but there is no one there - I step out on the porch & trip over a package the size of a small shoe box - as I get up I see a USPS truck driving away, this had to be what she was looking for, I go back in and read the text on her phone “It should be there, are you really gonna use it?”…

NOW THAT'S TRIFLING...

It’s now Tuesday morning and I still haven’t left the house and I find myself getting up later and later each day, and now that I think about it haven’t eaten anything since Saturday night – yeah I definitely need to get something in my system ASAP. I probably should brush my teeth and take a shower as well but at this point I don’t care, I don’t plan on seeing anyone for a while…(but I think out loud) “you know what that’s trifling.” I go in the bathroom stare at the mirror for a second and turn on the water. I close the door so it can steam, put that new Rick Ross, “Super High” on repeat, take off my clothes and get into a much needed hot shower. By the time I get out of the shower the water is luke warm at best, I’ve heard “Super High” like 15 times and now want a motorcycle with Stacey Dash on the back. I half dry myself, put a towel on and go down stairs to grab something to eat – I’m actually in a pretty decent mood, considering - I almost forgot how good a hot shower can make you feel. However, my mood quickly changes when I see MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III and some of her sorors have come by to get a few of her things. No one says a word they just continue as they were. I look at her in disgust, shake my head, and then go into the kitchen to make a bowl of Captain Crunch. I stay in the kitchen for the remainder of the time they are there, but as they are leaving one of her sorors comes in and whispers, "Get at me, I like your style" as she jokingly flashes a gold magnum wrapper - she laughs & adds, "ya'll nasty it’s a couple more used ones on the side of the night stand"...I gave her the 'my-bad’ look, but as they pulled off, I thought to myself, my wife and I haven’t used condoms since we moved to this house 3 years ago…

IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD...

I’ve pretty much been laying around all day not doing much since I got up, started listening to “There goes my baby” – but I had to turn that off after a few verses. Right Now Tye Tribbett & G.A.’s “Victory” & Marvin Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It” are on rotation. Anyway I get up to check my phone and there is a missed call from my job and an ‘email’ icon…I check them and see there are 3 emails from my job, about 13 spam messages and one from, MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III. There is no subject heading – I look at it for a minute - then I hesitantly open it and begin to read, “I know you probably are wondering what is going on, and honestly I don’t even know. I just know that I can’t continue living a lie. Curtis, I want you to know that you are a great husband and father to our…anyway I’m going to be completely honest and not beat around the bush…I have been having an affair for over 5 years now, I’m sorry. I know that Curtiyana is yours but I’m NOT sure about Courtney & Shayla, well honestly I’m probably 90% sure they aren’t yours. Just know when the time is right I’ll tell you who their father may be, until then just give me time to get my head together…I’m sorry this is the only way I could tell you, please don’t hate me, The Mrs.”...

IN A DAZE...

The night is gone and after what feels like about 3 minutes of sleep I get up look out the window and see the start of a new day. Its now 6:23, Monday morning and I still have not seen nor talked to MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III, and at this point I have no choice but to believe what I’ve have been told. My head is throbbing, my heart is heavy, I can’t focus (I feel like I'm in a daze) and I don’t know where to begin, but after about an hour I get up make a call to the office and tell them that I won’t be in for a couple of days and to have any IMPORTANT calls forwarded to my cell phone - even though I know I won't answer. I go online to Google and type in ‘paternity test’, I scroll down to the 3rd link (click on it) and begin to read, after I finish reality starts to set in and I ask myself, “Is this really happening to ME!?!” I can’t believe I’m sitting at home looking up information on paternity testing - needless to say I scheduled a test for later this week. No matter what the outcome (deep sigh) I know I will never be TRULY happy in this marriage, but can I truly divorce this woman or seperate from her? She is my joy, the woman who I changed my life for, the mother of my children*, and the woman with whom I stood before my family & friends and made a vow before God to be with “For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part…" I MEAN I KNOW PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES, BUT AM I A FOOL IF I TRY TO MAKE IT WORK AND STAY WITH HER? I LOVE HER...

FOUR WORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

I never knew 4 words could affect me like this, but after reading the note MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III left on the mirror, I never did take that hot shower, I pretty much stayed in the room the entire day reading the note over and over... “BUT IT’S NOT YOURS...” This had to be some type of joke – right? She probably wasn’t even pregnant. The house was completely silent – minutes passed, which felt like hours - and I was losing my mind. I got up, grabbed my cell phone and walked into the kitchen, I sat at the dining room table looked up at the clock and it was a little past 3 pm – this would have given her enough time to leave church, go pick up the girls from her parents and run a few errands if needed. My calls and texts continued to go unanswered, so I call her parents and her mom tells me she just left less than 30 minutes ago and hopes I feel better (“Hopes I feel better?”) What is she talking about? Anyway I hang up confused yet feeling a little better about the situation and decide to start on dinner - hours pass and she finally texts me, "I'M SURE YOU HAD TO SEE THIS COMING...THE GIRLS & I WON'T BE COMING HOME TONIGHT, AND JUST TO BE SAFE WE SHOULD GET A PATERNITY TEST…ON THE GIRLS, IM SORRY CURTIS… "

THANK YOU BABY...

So this morning MRS. CURTIS L. MANN III brings me breakfast in bed, turns the tv on to ESPN so I can watch SportsCenter and before she leaves for church she kisses me and tells me she is PREGNANT [I AM SO EXCITED…I GET ON MY KNEES & THANK GOD AT THE SAME TIME PRAYING THAT IT IS A BOY!!!]...so I get up to take a hot shower and there is a note on the bathroom mirror that reads, “BUT IT’S NOT YOURS…”