Evening Gentleman Read online

  NATHAN

  What the hell are you doing in my house?

  RACHEL

  Just making myself familiar with the layout.

  NATHAN

  You want me to kill you don’t you.

  RACHEL (reaching out trying to hug me but I rejected)

  You killed me softly last night.

  NATHAN

  I was not myself.

  RACHEL

  Oh yes you were. I remember everything about you.

  LESLIE (calling from down stairs)

  Nathan, are you here.

  Rachel put her finger to her mouth and shhh me.

  RACHEL (whispering)

  If you tell her anything she will die today.

  NATHAN (yelling out)

  I am about to take a shower.

  LESLIE

  We need to talk.

  NATHAN

  I will be down in a few.

  LESLIE

  I am coming up.

  RACHEL (whispering)

  Not a word

  I raced to the bathroom and started the water again before Leslie arrived.

  LESLIE

  Are you already in the shower?

  NATHAN

  Ahh yeah.

  LESLIE

  Look I have been thinking. I want to make our marriage work.

  NATHAN (sticking my head out)

  You do?

  LESLIE

  I do. I don’t want to live without you but you are going to have to make changes.

  I looked up and saw Rachel in the background shaking her head. Leslie turned to see what I was looking at, but Rachel vanished behind the wall.

  NATHAN

  Baby I want this to work. I want to be with you.

  I reached and gave her a soapy wet kiss.

  LESLIE

  I am about to go grocery shopping. I will be back soon.

  NATHAN

  I love you.

  LESLIE

  I love you more.

  Leslie blew me a kiss and walked out. Rachel came from behind the wall mimicking us.

  RACHEL

  You are ready for her to die aren’t you?

  NATHAN

  If you do anything stupid I will kill you myself.

  RACHEL

  Does she know about last night? How you came and made love to me.

  NATHAN

  I love my wife!

  RACHEL

  (Mocking) I love my wife! You are suppose to love me! You used to be so strong. Nothing could touch you. I have seen you with my own eyes fuck this one and that one. Now you are becoming weak.

  NATHAN

  Get the fuck out!

  Rachel pulls a gun out on me and points it.

  RACHEL

  Let’s see if she returns from the grocery store.

  Imagine That

  I rushed to Saint Rushmore Baptist Hospital. I knew in the back of my mind that Rachel had attacked Leslie. I made my way to the emergency room and frantically asked the nurse for assistance. She explained to me that Leslie collapsed in the store while shopping. They were running tests to find a cause of her current health scare.

  I paced the waiting room several times. I needed someone to talk to. Someone to help me calm down. I dialed Aiden’s number but the operator stated that the number was no longer in service. I could not believe that he changed his number. I guess when he told me that it was over between us – it really was over.

  A nurse called my name and I raced over to her. She walked me to the back where Leslie was. I rushed over to her and grabbed her hand. She turned to me and smiled.

  NATHAN

  How are you feeling?

  LESLIE

  I am okay.

  NATHAN

  What happened?

  LESLIE

  I am not sure. I was feeling fine and the next thing I know I was in an ambulance.

  DOCTOR (walking in reading a clipboard)

  Mrs. Edwards how are we feeling?

  LESLIE

  I am fine.

  DOCTOR

  Well I have some of your test results right here. Do you want to talk alone?

  LESLIE

  It’s fine Doctor this is my husband.

  DOCTOR

  Okay. Well the first test we ran came back positive.

  Oh lord. The word “positive” scared me to death. My lifestyle flashed before my eyes. I had something that I was too afraid to have checked and had passed it to my wife. This was my fault. My life as I knew it was completely over.

  NATHAN (interrupting the doctor)

  Doctor before you go any further I need to see you outside.

  We both turned to Leslie.

  DOCTOR

  Can I give her the results of her test?

  NATHAN

  No sir. This is important.

  LESLIE

  Baby what’s wrong?

  NATHAN

  I will explain later.

  The doctor and I walked out of the door.

  NATHAN

  Doctor I have been married to my wife for some years now and I haven’t always been faithful. I know that she has been to me, but if anything, I am the one who passed it to her.

  DOCTOR

  Well that is great Mr. Edwards. Umm at least we know that you are fertile.

  NATHAN

  Excuse me?

  DOCTOR

  Your wife is pregnant.

  Can you say exhaling? I felt my knees get weak.

  DOCTOR

  Now can I ask you something?

  NATHAN

  Anything Doc.

  DOCTOR

  When you were having the affairs on your wife did you use protection?

  I was hesitant to answer his question. I wanted to be honest and I wanted to lie at the same time.

  NATHAN

  No doctor I wasn’t.

  DOCTOR

  Go to the nurse’s station and give the nurse this note (scribbling on a notepad). When you are done tell her to show you to my office. I will explain to your wife that you went to get something.

  The doctor walked back into the room. I tried to read the note that he scribed. It was hard reading a doctor’s handwriting. I did as I was instructed. The nurse took me to a room on the tenth floor. She pulled out several syringes and a long q-tip. I knew beyond a shadow of doubt what type of test this was.

  I rolled up my sleeves so that she could spot a vein. We didn’t speak a word to one another. I don’t think that she even looked at me. I most definitely paid attention to her and everything that she was doing.

  After drawing my blood and swabbing my mouth she took me to an office in a corner. I waited patiently on the doctor. Thirty minutes passed by that felt like an eternity. When I heard the door squeak open I noticed it was the doctor.

  He pulled a chair from under the corner and sat directly in front of me.

  DOCTOR

  Mr. Edwards I spoke with your wife about the pregnancy.

  NATHAN

  How is she?

  DOCTOR

  Great. She will be able to go home tomorrow. But you on the other hand. I had my nurse to give you and HIV/AIDS test and we ran test for other STDs.

  NATHAN

  I figured that.

  DOCTOR

  Everything looks good. You tests were non-reactive.

  NATHAN

  So I am negative right?

  DOCTOR

  Right. But I want you to come back in three months. Sometimes things can lay dormant for a while.

  NATHAN

  Okay. I will.

  He passed me a card and I put it in my wallet. I made my way back to Leslie’s room. She was sitting up eating some ice cream.

  NATHAN (smiling)

  Hey mom.

  LESLIE

  The doctor told you?

  NATHAN

  Yes he did.

  LESLIE

  We have a short time to get things ready. The baby will be here in July.

  NATHAN

&nb
sp; That’s only four months away.

  LESLIE

  I know. I didn’t know that I was pregnant. I am not showing or anything.

  I placed my ear on her stomach. I could not tell her of the test that I took with the nurse. I wanted to be for sure after the next test results.

  NATHAN

  Do you want me to run to the store to get some toiletries?

  LESLIE

  Yes. Just the essentials. I am going home tomorrow.

  NATHAN

  I will be back shortly.

  I walked out of the room and bumped right into Rachel. She was dressed in a nurse’s uniform.

  NATHAN

  What the hell are you doing here?

  RACHEL

  I come to check on my patient. Now excuse me but I have to make my rounds.

  I pulled Rachel by her arm to a corner where no one could see.

  NATHAN

  You know damn well you are not a nurse.

  RACHEL (holding the badge in my face)

  Read the badge hun-ty. Now let me go.

  NATHAN

  I don’t want you checking on Leslie.

  RACHEL

  She is on my list. I have to. Isn’t it funny how fate works.

  I raced to the nurse’s station and asked for the head nurse. An attractive young assistant explain that the head nurse was away. I yelled at her telling her I needed to speak with someone quick.

  I rushed back to Leslie’s room. When I opened the door she was looking out of the window.

  LESLIE

  Why are you bursting in here like that? I thought that you were gone to the store.

  NATHAN

  Has a nurse been in here?

  LESLIE

  Yes but she got a page. She told me that she would be back later.

  NATHAN

  What did she look like?

  Leslie described Rachel. There was no way that I was going to leave Leslie side. I told her that I would call someone to bring me whatever she needed.

  No Words

  Leslie and I were out shopping for baby furniture. She was in awe by some many things. I was glad that I put a budget of this before we left the house. We went from store to store. The last store that we entered I saw a book of baby names.

  NATHAN

  Sweet heart, come here.

  LESLIE

  What is this? (Flipping the book around) No. No way. I have a name picked out.

  NATHAN

  What?

  LESLIE

  If it is a girl I was thinking Riley Olivia Edwards.

  NATHAN

  Ok I like that.

  LESLIE

  I figured you would since Riley is your middle name and Olivia is mine.

  NATHAN

  And for the boy?

  LESLIE

  William Oliver Edwards.

  NATHAN

  Hell no. His initials will be W.O.E. No. Can’t do it.

  LESLIE

  Why not?

  NATHAN

  For kids to make fun of my son and call him WOE. Hey Woe. Come here Woe.

  LESLIE

  You are crazy. Then what do you think?

  NATHAN

  Something strong. Something that will let everyone know that he is king. Alhaji Aliko Edwards.

  LESLIE

  Now where did you get that name?

  NATHAN

  Look him up. A strong business …

  When I looked down the aisle I saw Rachel. She looked me square in my face. Leslie turned to see what I was looking at.

  LESLIE

  That’s the nurse from the hospital.

  RACHEL (standing in front of us)

  Well hello.

  LESLIE

  Hello. How are you?

  RACHEL

  I’m great and how are you mommy to be?

  LESLIE (rubbing her stomach)

  We are doing good.

  RACHEL

  Do you know what you are having?

  LESLIE

  We don’t want to know until it gets here.

  RACHEL

  I understand the ole fashion way. Nathan – how are you?

  NATHAN

  I am good. Um baby are you ready to go eat?

  LESLIE

  Don’t be so rude. You have to excuse my husband.

  RACHEL

  Yes. Nathan has always been a some-time-man.

  Rachel snatched her head around.

  LESLIE

  What do you mean? Do you know my husband?

  RACHEL

  Yes. We go way back.

  Rachel looked at me with hate.

  LESLIE (whispering)

  Is this someone you cheated on me with?

  Before I could speak Rachel butted in.

  RACHEL

  Well yes and no. You see we went to high school together.

  LESLIE

  I see. But what is the “yes”.

  RACHEL

  Well my son is going to have a little brother or sister. I have a son by Nathan that’s three years old.

  LESLIE

  Excuse me!

  RACHEL

  Oh my. He didn’t tell you.

  LESLIE

  So this is what you were trying to tell me a few months ago. How could you? I want you out of my house.

  Leslie stormed off before I could say anything.

  NATHAN

  I am going to kill you.

  RACHEL

  Oh really. Leave her Nathan. You are to be with me. If you try to make-up with her, she and the newborn dies.

  NATHAN

  Go to hell you sick bitch.

  RACHEL

  I have been there twice already.

  Rescue Me

  I rushed home to find Leslie throwing my clothes and things out of the house. When I opened to the door she flung a vase at me. I knew that she would not do anything to hurt me or so I thought. I was suddenly hit in the stomach with a bat. I immediately went down to the floor. I was in so much pain.

  NATHAN

  Leslie please don’t do this.

  LESLIE

  You lying piece of shit. I want you out of my house.

  NATHAN

  I need to you to stop before you hurt the baby.

  LESLIE

  Don’t you worry about this baby. You will never see this baby.

  NATHAN

  You are upset.

  LESLIE

  How Nathan? How could you do this to me? I was willing to forgive you.

  NATHAN

  I wanted to tell you.

  LESLIE

  Tell me what…more lies. I am sick of your shit. I want you to get the hell out. NOW!

  I took a few steps back. I looked at Leslie with sleepy eyes. She continued to throw things around the room while she screamed to the top of her lungs. There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say.

  Suddenly I was hit in the head by something.

  RACHEL (walking into the room)

  I am glad that you are putting him out.

  LESLIE

  Why are you here?

  RACHEL

  The invite.

  LESLIE

  What damn invite?

  RACHEL

  The one that you gave me. Let me see if I remember everything that you said, “Rachel I am sick of him. I need to see you again. I want you to come over.” Did I get it right or did I leave something out.

  LESLIE

  That was months ago.

  RACHEL

  But your words and feelings still exist.

  LESLIE

  I don’t love you.

  RACHEL

  Oh bitch please. You didn’t tell me that you didn’t love me when “we” made love.

  LESLIE

  That was the past.

  RACHEL

  You are mine and so is this baby. We will raise our two boys together. They are brothers anyway.

  LESLIE

  How do you know what I am having?

  RACHEL

>   Come on now. I work at the hospital. There is this thing called files. Now we need to stick to our plan. We will kill Nathan and begin a new life together. Just you, me and the kids.

  LESLIE

  I can’t. I don’t want to.

  Rachel leaned in and kissed Leslie.

  RACHEL

  You are mine now.

  LESLIE

  I will never be yours and when Nathan wakes up I swear I am telling him everything. How you plotted and planned this whole thing. How you told me everything about your past with him.

  RACHEL

  Is that a threat? Are you really capable of that?

  Rachel back-hand slapped Leslie over the counter.

  RACHEL

  Baby I’m sorry. (bending down to help Leslie) Look what you made me do.

  Leslie was crying.

  RACHEL

  Don’t make me shoot you Leslie. I love you. I love you like no one ever could. Now we need to stick to our plan.

  I started to wake up from my knockout. I saw Rachel with Leslie. I scurried over towards them. Rachel pulled a knife from the drawer.

  RACHEL

  You take another step and I will cut your heart out.

  LESLIE

  Rachel don’t.

  NATHAN

  So you were lying to me the whole time.

  RACHEL

  You weren’t the only one getting yours on the side. Now either you can leave peacefully or we can make this look like a suicide.

  I looked at the knife that was in Rachel’s hand. I didn’t want to do anything that would hurt Leslie or the baby. I tried to walk backward to go and get my gun.

  RACHEL

  No no no…don’t do anything stupid. Now I love Leslie but if you try me she will get it.

  I stopped in my tracks.

  NATHAN

  Ok Rachel. You win. You win. You and Leslie can have the house, the cars, the money. That is what you want isn’t it. Or do you just want someone to love you. Think back to when we were in high school. Do you remember the big football game when we won state championship? Do you remember when we all went to David Parker’s house?

  RACHEL

  Shut up.

  NATHAN

  No think about it. The whole football team took turns flipping you. Everyone except me. I was there for you. I tried to pull you out but I couldn’t.

  RACHEL

  You don’t know what you are talking about.

  NATHAN

  Do you remember the night that your dad came home drunk and killed your mother?

  Rachel pulled a gun from behind her waist.

  RACHEL

  I swear on everything I love, I will kill you.

  NATHAN