A Fire As Date
Episode 3: “The Paul Problem”
Josh met Nick at Applebees an hour later, sliding into the booth across from him with a grim expression.
Josh: “You look like hell,” Josh said, looking at Nick’s red eyes and the cut on his hand from cleaning up glass.
Nick: “Feel like it too. Let’s get straight to it tell me about Paul.”
Josh stirred his coffee slowly.
Josh: “Paul Martinez. Used to be cool until he got obsessed with Neisha. They dated for like eight months, and when she tried to break up with him, he lost it.”
Nick: “Define ‘lost it.’”
Josh: “Calling her like 200 times a day. Showing up at her job unannounced. Following her home. Sending her flowers with notes like ‘You can’t leave me’ and ‘We’re meant to be together forever.’” Josh explained.
Nick’s stomach churned.
Nick: “And do you know about the break-in?”
Josh: “Last Tuesday. She came home and found him in her kitchen, cooking dinner naked like nothing happened. Had a got her key and went had one made. She called the cops, but he was gone by the time they got there.”
Nick: “Restraining order?”
Josh: “Filed one. Paul’s been dodging the process server.” Josh leaned forward. “Nick, her brothers Marcus and Dre are going to take this into their own hands. They’re not playing games.”
Nick: “Good. Let them.”
Josh: “Nah, bro. You don’t understand. Marcus just got out last year. He can’t afford another charge. And Dre’s got two kids and a wife. They’re willing to throw their lives away to protect their sister.”
Nick was quiet for a moment.
Nick: “What’s does Paul look like?”
Josh: “Why?”
Nick: “Just tell me.”
Josh pulled out his phone and showed Nick a Facebook photo. “About 5’8”, light skin, always wears those designer jeans and polo shirts. Drives a black Charger.”
Nick studied the photo. Paul looked normal, almost harmless. Which somehow made it worse.
Nick: “Where does he work?”
Josh: “I think he doing construction work. But he’s been calling out a lot lately to follow Neisha around.”
Nick: “Where does he live?”
Josh: “Nick, what are you thinking?”
Nick: “I’m thinking that if I hadn’t been an idiot and sent that text, Neisha wouldn’t have had to go through thinking Paul sent me. I’m thinking she threw that Molotov cocktail because she was fed up with that dude and she’s fighting back. And I’m thinking somebody needs to have a conversation with Paul about leaving her alone.”
Josh shook his head.
Josh: “So you think you that guy? That’s not your fight, bro.”
Nick: “It became my fight when she had to apologize for defending herself against what she thought was another one of his games.”
Josh: “Nick, I didn’t know you was tender headed.”
Nick: “So? She deserves to live her life without some psycho following her around.”
Josh stared at him.
Josh: “Damn! That kiss from her got you feeling like that?”
Nick thought about Niesha’s smile and her laughing at his jokes at dinner, the way she’d talked about wanting to be with someone real that she could be with forever, how she’d lit up when she talked about her niece. Then he thought about her voice on the phone—exhausted, scared, apologetic for protecting herself.
Nick: “Yeah, I’m feeling her like that. What you jealous? But even if I wasn’t, this is my story.”
Josh: “Jealous of……….. I’m not going to entertain you with that accusation so what’s your plan Casanova?”
Nick: “I’m going to have a peaceful conversation with Paul.”
Josh: “Hahaha! And if he doesn’t want to talk?”
Nick finished his coffee and stood up.
Nick: “Then we’ll find another way to communicate.”
Josh grabbed his arm.
Josh: “Nick, think about this. Paul’s crazy, but he’s not stupid. He’s been getting away with this for months. What makes you think you can stop him?”
Nick: “Because I’m not a scared woman. I’m a man who’s tired of men thinking they can terrorize women and get away with it.”
Josh: “Okay, knight in shining armor what if he comes after you?”
Nick looked at his bandaged hand, thought about the burn marks on his wall, thought about Neisha’s voice when she said she couldn’t see him anymore because she was trying to protect him.
Nick: “Then at least he’ll be coming after someone who can fight back.”
To be continued…….