Excerpt (from Chapter 1)

Suddenly, the slam of a car door made me turn and peek out one of the broken windows.  A man hurried out of a black luxury car and headed toward the front door.  As the doorbell rang, awkwardness set in and I stepped a few feet to Brenda’s right.  It was her house so I let her be in charge.

I turned to look at Brenda who suddenly flushed guiltily as I caught her checking the time.  Perhaps she was wishing that I hadn’t shown up.  She twisted her lips and rushed to the door.  She could be in danger and I wanted to ask more questions.  But I realized I had overstayed my brief welcome, at the same time remembering the old private Brenda wanted to know my business but not tell me hers.

“Stay away from the windows,” I said and started to put on my coat.  But before I could exit her house, she opened the door to a tall man, an inch shorter than me, with a boyish handsome, copper-toned face.  He walked inside rubbing his gloved hands together.  I recognized him and that alone, alarmed me.  He reached up and tipped his brown leather-bibbed cap, allowing his gaze to soak in everything about me, every angle of my face.  Surely he remembers seeing me a few weeks ago at Mario and Cara Fleming’s wedding reception.  Did he deliberately choose my ex-wife to hang out with and if so, why?

“Come in, Duncan,” she said.

“Hi, I got here as fast as I could,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.  “You okay?”

“Yes, thank goodness.” She glanced at me as if to check my reaction.  I felt her embarrassment and headed to the door to leave, but Brenda raised an eyebrow and shook her head slightly, so I decided to hang around a little while longer.

“Lester, this is my friend, Duncan Tate.  Duncan, this is my ex-husband, Lester.  Lester heard what happened here and stopped by to check on me.”

“What’s up?  I’ve seen you around but I don’t think we ever met,” he said, his voice chilly.

“Good to meet you.”  He shook my hand with a grip that was almost painfully firm.  I bowed my head slightly in greeting while my stomach churned, reminding me how the world had started to grow smaller by the day.  Thankfully, he mumbled something in Brenda’s ear, moved swiftly past her and walked down the hallway and into one of the rooms, probably the bathroom.  He slammed the door behind him.

I felt the need for an immediate dose of air, the kind that I knew was waiting outside, chilled.  I again headed for the door.  I found myself wondering how long it would take me to get used to seeing Brenda regard Duncan with the same open and friendly trusting look she’d once given me.  Surely, this was only a fleeting thought given our marital history.  She followed me through the front door, closing it after us.

“I appreciate your concern but it’s time to let go now,” she said, giving me her familiar “serious look”.  “You don’t need to worry about me anymore.  I’ll be alright,” she added glancing back at the door.

Ignoring what was on my mind to say, and finding her new attitude totally justified, I said, “Sure.  I have no problems doing that.  Just be careful around this guy.”

“I don’t understand,” she said drawing her lips into a thin line.  “Do you know Duncan?”

“Somewhat.  How long have you been seeing him?”

“Not long.  A coworker invited us both to Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  She has a knack for not wanting single people to be alone during the holidays.  So, what’s wrong with me dating Duncan?”  Her smile faded as she added, “Look, I’m not in any position right now to doubt you, Lester.  C’mon and tell me.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I did,” I said, recalling the adage about never telling someone everything you know.  This especially applied to this situation.  She seemed to be Duncan’s kind of a woman, but he was definitely not her kind of man.

“His wife committed suicide a few months ago,” I decided to say in a whisper.  “Listen, I know you haven’t known him for long, but I can’t believe he hasn’t told you some important things about his life.”

“Really?” Brenda said, hotly.  “Well, maybe Duncan’s got his reasons and he might be planning to tell me when the time is right.  Anyway, how do you know that?  And, what business is it of yours?” She demanded, hands clutching her hips, skin around her eyes crinkling.

“Obviously, you have the wrong impression about me, but that’s cool.  I was not trying to interfere in your life,” I paused for a few moments and then added, “You know what Brenda?  Have yourself a nice day.  Sorry to have disturbed you.”

By now, my attitude rated as downright unfriendly.

A muscle in her jaw twitched as I started to walk away.

“Alright, Lester I’m sorry.  Please don’t walk away.”  Her voice softened.  I turned to face her and let her continue.  “Don’t think hard of me, but as free as I am and feel at this moment, I’m the one with bullet holes in my walls.  Perhaps this wasn’t some random shooting.  Somebody might be trying to kill me,” she paused before continuing.  “So, I’ll ask you again, why shouldn’t I date Duncan?”

“Does he mean that much to you?”  I asked and started to think.  Whether it’s you or your ex who gets involved with someone else first, it doesn’t really matter.  What does matter is that you both recognize the reality: that there’s no going back, only moving forward to what will be.  Plainly, it was over between us.

“Yes, but why do you care?” Brenda asked.

“Oh, what the hell,” I said, resisting the urge to tell her that Duncan sleeps with a politically corrupt guy named Cecil Hawkins.  “Maybe I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this.  But, if you’re having sex with him, just make sure he shows you his recent HIV test results and never let him stick it in you again unless he’s wearing at least five condoms.

She looked at me like I was crazy.