Flag On The Play (11 page)

“Mason where is she?”
Jack looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He may have been drinking. He eyes looked tired but there was something else. Maybe worry. I’m not sure. I don’t care.

“I don’t know.”
I took a step forward and crossed my arms over my chest.

“You know.”
He spewed.

“No, I don’t have a clue. You are barking up the wrong tree.”

“I’m barking up the tree with all the urine stains at the bottom of it.”

Good one, Jack
ass. I chuckled. He was noticeably upset. Oh well, so swell. Take your plastic mug and go to hell.

“Kari is not here.”

“I know you had something to do with her bailing on our fucking wedding.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be sympath
etic to his disturbing situation or should I remain true to myself and twist the knife in his anatomically incorrect ass. I could kick him in the balls and watch him fall to his knees. Then I could punch him in his
Zoolander
face.

Violence never solves anything but it sure proves a point.
Jack was falling apart at the seams and I was holding the biggest piece of his thread. I was ready to pull that string and really unravel this bastard.

“Jack you are not the first person t
o accuse me of shit I don’t have a clue about. I don’t know where Kari is. I have not seen or talked to that woman in months.”

“You’re lying.”

“I don’t really give a fuck what you think. If you really knew Kari then you know she is indecisive.”

“I guess you know her so well.”

“I know s
he was banging the both of us at the same time for months. Maybe you got your facts screwed up but I dumped her six months ago. I handed her over to you whether you know it or not.”

“You didn’t hand over shit.”

“Yeah I did. You should be thanking me.”

“You are the biggest fucking dick I’ve ever seen.”

Mason, do not punch his teeth in. Mason, do not smash his face in. Ignore this prick. “It’s not my fucking fault she bailed on you.”

“This is bullshit. You took her.”

“And did what with her?” I hunched my shoulders and dropped my hands. Fight stance.

“
How the fuck do I know? You did something.”

“
I’m so done with this conversation.”

Jack’s dark haired companion stepped forward. “Dude you don’t have to be an asshole.”

“I’m not your dude and I can be whatever I want to be.”

“I could kill you right here and now!” Jack yelled out full of a bravado I had never seen on him before.

“Make your move tough guy.” I stepped forward and Jack’s guy was the only thing between me and Jack. RJ had taken a defensive position behind my back. Jack was heated and ready to rumble. I was annoyed. Jack was pissed. I was over this two minutes ago.

“I know you have her!”

“Fuck off! You sore loser!”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Jack let’s just go. Come on man.” His friend called out. I think I remember his name. It’s Rob. I think that’s what Kari told me.

“Listen to your friend Jack.”

“Fuck you! You slimy motherfucker.” Jack pushed forward and knocked his friend into my chest. Did he really want a piece of me?

“
Get the fuck out of here and go look for your damsel in distress.”

“I’m watching you. I know you took her.”

I shrugged. “Prove it.”

Jack reached over his friend and tried to take a swing at me. He missed of course. My reflexes are superior. I have Jedi knight’s blood coursing through my veins.

I felt the weight of RJ’s body as he pushed forward behind me. Rob was trying to hold Jack back. I reached over the Rob guy and got a hold of Jack’s throat. We were all in a wicked frenzy. I was trying to choke Jack. He was trying to swing over his friend and hit me. RJ was trying to pull us apart and that dude Rob was trying to separate us also.

I was squeezing Jack’s neck and he gasped for air.
I went into a self-possessed rage. My focus was on crushing his windpipe.

“Let him go!” Rob shouted from the
middle of our crammed melee.

Fuck! I let Jack go. “Get your friend and get the fuck out of here!”

The front door suddenly burst open. Out of nowhere my employees Marcus and Javier rushed into the action. They grabbed Jack and his friend and tossed them out the front door. It happened so quickly I almost missed it.

Marcus and RJ
raced outside. They both watched from outside the front door as Jack and his friend left my office, got into their car and drove off. I watched from the window.

I was breathing hard even though I hadn’t done much of anything. I kind of blacked out and I couldn’t remember how long I had my hand
swathed around Jack’s throat.

Marcus
and RJ soon stepped back inside. Marcus turned to me. “Me and Javi pulled up and saw all this commotion threw the window. What the fuck was going on in here?”

RJ shrugged. “Bullshit.”

“Mace, is this about that bright ass black girl?” Marcus asked me.

“Of course it is.” I have no idea why I admitted it.
My confession brought about a storm of pure laughter. They all were laughing. I grinned. I guess this is funny.

I never talk about Kari to my employees. I know they were calling me DeNiro behind my back but I didn’t really mind. I was far from Robert DeNiro. I only had one black
woman. I love only one black woman. Mr.
Raging Bull
has had his fair share. My heart only belongs to Kari.

RJ removed a
handgun from the small of his back. Where did that come from?

“Where did you get that?” I asked my nephew.

“It’s mine.” RJ claimed.

“Let me see.” Marcus asked and RJ immediately handed the handgun over to him.

“This is nice.” Marcus swooned.

“What is it?” I asked.

Marcus held it up for all of us to see. “It’s a Colt. Nickel plated?”

“
Yeah, 1911 AI .45 caliber, seven rounds.” RJ rattled off the specifications.

“Do you have a license for that gun?”
I asked.

“Yeah Uncle, chill dude, I pulled
it out when I saw them coming to the door. I didn’t know what they were packing. I was only going to pull it if they pulled first.”

“You can s
hoot people on your property and get away with it.” Marcus added.

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”

Marcus handed the Colt back to RJ. He patted me on the shoulder. “If you white dudes are going to be fighting over black women, you are going to start making us brothers look bad. I’m not fighting any man over my wife. They can have her complaining ass.”

“I’ll take her.” RJ proclaimed and grinned widely and raised his hand.

“Mace, get your nephew.” Marcus joked.

“Looks like you will fight for Mrs. Jackson.” I said to Marcus.

“Ahhhhh maybe.” Marcus snickered and Javier joined in. “Mace, you ready to talk business or do you need to cool down?”

“I’m cool. Step into my office.” I extended my hand
toward the back door and Marcus lead the way to my back office.

I was so glad when the day was finally over for me. I was leaving around five. I was parked out front and RJ was sitting behind the front desk
when I went to make my departure. The reception area was clear of all patrons.

“Hey kid I’m going to head on out.”

“Later Uncle.” RJ looked up at me. “You were lying to that guy Jack.”

“Was I?”

“Yeah, I know when you’re lying.”

“You do. How do you know?’

“I’m not sure. I just do.”

I shrugged. “I could have ripped him to shreds.” Or ripped him a new asshole, that
is one of Kari’s phrases.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I don’t care about him either way. He’s done. He’s loss this game. It may not be fair and square but I don’t fight fair so he should just go play in a semi-pro league. I’m a professional.”

“Uncle y
ou are the friggin’ MVP.”

“You get off of my jock strap and don’t forget to lock up.”

“Yes sir, Uncle Mason sir.”

I left my assclown nephew alone in the office. I got in my Rover.
I had to go home to Kari. I like how that sounds.

***

I listened to Nina Simone in the Rover on the way home. I needed to mellow out before I went back to face Kari. I had made it up in my mind that I wasn’t going to tell her about the little scuffle with Jackass. His name would put a damper on what I was trying to do. I couldn’t tell her that he was looking for her. She might feel sorry for him. There’s no way I can let that happen.

I
had erased all his voicemails and text messages from her phone before I left it on the bedside table. I can’t stop him from texting but I can try to eliminate as many of his ways of communicating with her as possible.

I wasn’t in the mood for grocery shopp
ing so I just grabbed a pizza from Home Run Inn and I grabbed some beer.

When I arrived back at home Kari met me in the kitchen. She was fully dressed in some of the clothes I had purchased for her. Why?
My mind started to race with different reasons.

It was clear she hadn’t seen or talked to Jack. He had just been to my office breathing down my neck.

“Hey, you’re dressed.” I tried to sound as casual as possible with my line of questioning.

“Yeah.” She looked down at her clothes. “
I went for a walk.”

“Where?”

“Out back, in the forest of trees you got out there behind your castle.”

“It’s cold outside.”

“I know. I wasn’t out there for long. You have to name this place. The people who owned it before had a plaque out there by the gate.”

“They did?”

“Yeah, someone took it down. It was at the front gate in the grass. It says Ramsey Estate. Did you buy it from someone named Ramsey?”

“No I got it from the bank. I don’t know who the previous owners were.”

“Oh well you should name it something.”

“I don’t think normal people name their houses.”

“You’re not normal. I think you should call it Winterfell or Westerous.”

“I’m not going to name my house after places in a TV Show.
Besides Westeros has seven kingdoms and this is just one house.”

“Excuse me nerd. Well just name it something else.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“That’s too much.”

“Fuck what you talking about.” She waved her hand at me. “How about the Rizza Estate?
No that sounds whack, Casa de Mason.”

“Ah-no.”

“Ou-Ou, I got it, Plaza de Rizza.”

“You’re serious?
”

“I am very serious. You know it sounds good. Please call it that.
Please. Please.”

“You are in a good mood.”

“I guess.” She grimaced.

Was Kari really in a good mood or was she just playing her role to unsure her release on Saturday. I wish she would just be honest with me.

“I left you something this morning. Did you get it?”

“Yes I got it.”

“So?” I asked.

“So.” She repeated.

“What do you think?”

“What am I supposed to think?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re divorced.”

“Yes.”

“I saw the date. How come you never said anything?”

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to tell you.”

“Why?”

“You seemed so happy. I didn’t want to spoil it. But ultimately I ended up spoiling it anyway.”

“Huh, you came in like a wrecking ball.”

“Miley Cyrus reference.” I smiled. “You are coming back around to your old self.”

“Maybe I am.”
She shrugged.

“I love the old you.”

“Do you?”

“Hells yeahs.”

“Well name this place Plaza de Rizza.”

“Okay I will name this house Plaza de Rizza. People will think I’m some eccentric asshole but if it makes you happy.”

“It will. You have to get an engraved plaque or get it put in some stone and put it out by the front gate.”

“That gate doesn’t work.”

“You can fix it.”

“
I could.”

“So now it’s time for you to
dance with me?”

“There’s no music
. I can sing.” I popped up from my chair.