says you’re her boyfriend. What the fuck is that about? I thought we had an exclusive relationship.” She put her hands on her hips.
“Look, lady. I like having you here and all, but I’m single and any women I spend time with are just friends. That’s it, friends. I don’t care what she says. I am not her boyfriend .”
Crystal didn’t know what to believe. She was beginning to think that everything John said was a lie.
“She sure didn’t seem like she was just a friend,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“Well, that’s what she is,” John said stoically.
“I think you’re a liar, John Lausell. She called you her fucking boyfriend. You are, aren’t you? Her fucking boyfriend?”
John turned, strode to the closet and grabbed a jacket. When his back was turned, Crystal picked up a drinking glass from the end table and threw it at him. The glass shattered loudly against the wall, barely missing his head.
Crystal looked around for something else to throw but John grabbed her from behind.
“Hey,” he said. “I don’t care how mad you are. Stop throwing shit and shut the fuck up. You’re gonna get the cops back here in about two seconds. I gotta go now,” he said, and slammed the door behind him.
As soon as he left, Crystal resumed screaming and throwing anything within reach. But for whatever reason, the police did not return that evening.
Eventually Crystal grew weary and went to bed.
February 18, 1996
The next day, Crystal woke up feeling terrible. Her hair was limp, her make-up smeared, and her nicest white blouse, which she ended up sleeping in, had a big red blotch on it.
Her vacation to Albuquerque had officially become a train wreck. Everything had been going so well too, dazzling really, but now it was all fucked up. Why in God’s name did John have to go and see that psycho bitch anyway? That’s when everything went to hell.
She tried a deep breathing exercise her ex-sister-in-law had taught her to relax and empty the growing anger from her head. It didn’t help.
Someone knocked on the door. She thought it might be that crazy Esther again. She hoped to God it was so she could kill her for ruining her life. Sadly, it was only Shane, saying he needed to grab a few more items for John.
John called while Shane was there. Skipping any niceties, John asked Crystal if she had any money.
“What?” Crystal said angrily. “You get yourself in trouble with another woman, wreck my vacation and now you want to take my last dollar? You’re crazier than I thought. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“I know you’re hot at me,” John said calmly. “I don’t blame you. But look, I’ve got to get out of town and wait for this shit to quiet down. I told you that woman was trouble. Do you believe me now? She really screwed us up.”
No response.
“Come on, babe, help me out. I just need some money for gas. It’ll get worked out and then maybe we can get back together. I sure the hell can’t do anything to make it right with you if they throw me back in the joint, now can I?”
After another long pause, Crystal said mournfully, “I guess not.”
“Okay, then. Can you kick me back something? I gotta leave right now, before they track me down.”
“You said you were leaving last night.”
“That’s when I figured out I didn’t have the money to get anywhere. I need enough to get to Pueblo.”
“Pueblo?” she said in shock. “You can’t go there. That’s where I live. I just told you I don’t want to see you right now.”
“Calm down, calm down. I know that’s where you live but that’s where Shane’s mom lives too, and I need somewhere safe to stay.”
“I don’t want anything to do with you when you get there. I need time to think.”
“Fine. We’re probably only gonna stay at his mom’s for a day or two anyway, and then I’ll find somewhere else to go. I won’t bother you.” John took a deep breath. “So, can you help me
“Look, lady. I like having you here and all, but I’m single and any women I spend time with are just friends. That’s it, friends. I don’t care what she says. I am not her boyfriend .”
Crystal didn’t know what to believe. She was beginning to think that everything John said was a lie.
“She sure didn’t seem like she was just a friend,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“Well, that’s what she is,” John said stoically.
“I think you’re a liar, John Lausell. She called you her fucking boyfriend. You are, aren’t you? Her fucking boyfriend?”
John turned, strode to the closet and grabbed a jacket. When his back was turned, Crystal picked up a drinking glass from the end table and threw it at him. The glass shattered loudly against the wall, barely missing his head.
Crystal looked around for something else to throw but John grabbed her from behind.
“Hey,” he said. “I don’t care how mad you are. Stop throwing shit and shut the fuck up. You’re gonna get the cops back here in about two seconds. I gotta go now,” he said, and slammed the door behind him.
As soon as he left, Crystal resumed screaming and throwing anything within reach. But for whatever reason, the police did not return that evening.
Eventually Crystal grew weary and went to bed.
February 18, 1996
The next day, Crystal woke up feeling terrible. Her hair was limp, her make-up smeared, and her nicest white blouse, which she ended up sleeping in, had a big red blotch on it.
Her vacation to Albuquerque had officially become a train wreck. Everything had been going so well too, dazzling really, but now it was all fucked up. Why in God’s name did John have to go and see that psycho bitch anyway? That’s when everything went to hell.
She tried a deep breathing exercise her ex-sister-in-law had taught her to relax and empty the growing anger from her head. It didn’t help.
Someone knocked on the door. She thought it might be that crazy Esther again. She hoped to God it was so she could kill her for ruining her life. Sadly, it was only Shane, saying he needed to grab a few more items for John.
John called while Shane was there. Skipping any niceties, John asked Crystal if she had any money.
“What?” Crystal said angrily. “You get yourself in trouble with another woman, wreck my vacation and now you want to take my last dollar? You’re crazier than I thought. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“I know you’re hot at me,” John said calmly. “I don’t blame you. But look, I’ve got to get out of town and wait for this shit to quiet down. I told you that woman was trouble. Do you believe me now? She really screwed us up.”
No response.
“Come on, babe, help me out. I just need some money for gas. It’ll get worked out and then maybe we can get back together. I sure the hell can’t do anything to make it right with you if they throw me back in the joint, now can I?”
After another long pause, Crystal said mournfully, “I guess not.”
“Okay, then. Can you kick me back something? I gotta leave right now, before they track me down.”
“You said you were leaving last night.”
“That’s when I figured out I didn’t have the money to get anywhere. I need enough to get to Pueblo.”
“Pueblo?” she said in shock. “You can’t go there. That’s where I live. I just told you I don’t want to see you right now.”
“Calm down, calm down. I know that’s where you live but that’s where Shane’s mom lives too, and I need somewhere safe to stay.”
“I don’t want anything to do with you when you get there. I need time to think.”
“Fine. We’re probably only gonna stay at his mom’s for a day or two anyway, and then I’ll find somewhere else to go. I won’t bother you.” John took a deep breath. “So, can you help me
Similar Books
