Another Time, Another Place

She walked over to me, pulling my hair so hard, it made me crouch down. “I told ya this wasn’t over, bitch!”

“Please…lemme go!” I cried from her yanking my head.

“Naomi, don’t do this…”

“Don’t do what, Harrison? Don’t make her beg for her life! Shut up, and stay back. You didn’t wanna talk things out before, so don’t talk to me now! This between me and this yella heifer, who think she gonna replace me.”

“Jasmine…”

“Don’t talk to her! Get on your knees,” she ordered, pushing me down. “You ain’t hot stuff now, are you?”

I shook my head as tears ran down my face. My body trembled in fear as she placed the gun to my head.

She looked at Harrison. “Go get the extra laundry rope from out back.”

“Naomi, don’t hurt…”

“You got two seconds to move the other way, ’fore I shoot this tramp!”

“Harrison, do what she says!” I yelled. He ran out as she pulled me up to my feet, keeping the gun snug on my temple. “Naomi, please just lemme leave…I’ll go away, peacefully. I’ll leave Harrison be, just please.”

“Shut up!” Naomi hollered. “I ain’t bargainin’ wit ya!” She shot a glance at Harrison holding the rope. “What took ya so long?” He gripped the rope in his hands, his brow saturated from nervousness. Naomi smirked. “I know what you was doin.’ You tried to find your other shotgun, but I got that one, too. Wives know they husbands’ hidin’ places. You too busy stickin’ it to this one, you ain’t move your guns, or change the locks. Guess you wanted me to come back, didn’t you, baby?” He kept quiet. “Didn’t you!”

“Yeah…yes, Naomi.” He raised his hands in the air. “Now, please….”

She shoved me into him. “Use that chair over there in the corner, and tie her up!”

I gasped for air as I cowered against his chest. He slowly stepped to the side, with his hands in front of him. “Naomi, I wronged you, and I’m sorry. Don’t hurt Jasmine. It’s me you want.”

“That’s right, and no one else gonna have you, but me. Tie her ass up, now!” Sorrow covered his face as I held out my wrists, and he bound them. Naomi held the gun with both hands to keep steady. She sniffled through tears. “You made me do this, Harrison! Leave me for Vietnam, and then leave me again, for her! I cheated on you, because you always found some excuse to leave me! That’s why I had Floyd’s baby! He had time for me!”

Harrison frowned, shifting his body as if he wanted to charge at her.

“Don’t…,” I muffled softly to him.

“Don’t try me,” she said, getting closer to us with the gun. She shook her head at Harrison with contempt in her eyes. “You had no right to throw me out! We got vows, you and me. You run off to fix her problems, instead of fixin’ the problems in your own damn house! Tie her to the chair!”

He did as she instructed, looking at me the whole time. My body shook as I stared at the sincerity in his eyes. I didn’t blame him for this. It was me who entertained the indiscretion that jeopardized our lives.

Bound in the chair, I watched in horror as Naomi pointed the gun to Harrison’s penis.

“I was never good enough for you, was I?”

“Naomi…,” he said softly.

“Answer me!”

He clasped his hands in prayer fashion. “You were good, Naomi. You were good, and I’m sorry for all this. Please…”

“Show me.” Naomi tugged at her flowered silk dress, busting all the buttons. “Show me how good,” she said, curling her lips seductively as she exposed her nude body. “Lay down on the bed, with your hands above ya head.”

Harrison slowly backed up to the bed with his hands in the air as she pointed the gun to his chest. She groped him until he was hard, then mounted him rough.

“Ummm…,” she moaned, rocking back and forth. “I’ma make sure you remember whose dick this is, you hear?”

I closed my eyes, not by the scene taking place in front of me, but from the tears spewing from the corners of Harrison’s eyes.

“Open your eyes, bitch!” she screamed at me.