Page 9 of Black Waters

Whit lay on her couch, looking drained, when Constance walked up to her with something in her hands. “I figured you may be… under the weather with, uh, everything going on so I, uh, I rented some movies for you.”

Whitney gawked, her expression showing how completely puzzled she was. “Uh, that is actually… great. Thank you for the gesture, Constance.”

I approached Connie from behind, kissed the back of her head. “Thank you.”

It has been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.I learned that day it is through a man’s heart when you care and show empathy for the one he cherishes most. Constance had just shown a side of her that was honest and, simply put, beautiful. She was the girl most guys wanted because of her looks, and she wanted to be mine. I couldn’t return the offer, but I’ll never forget seeing her true beauty, her kindness.

Harlan and Ford were already making a racket in the kitchen. Ford yelled, “Sorry, Whit. Raiding your Frigidaire. I’s be starving.”

I jumped and reached for my gun when I heard a loud bang but sighed in relief when Whit smiled for the first time that morning. Hearing youth and its slang was the cause. “Have at it, Harlan,” she said from the couch.

When her mom called, Whit faked happiness and got through the conversation even more quickly than usual, which brought the unwanted conversation to about three seconds long. It broke my heart hearing her ask, “Does Father have a moment to talk?” and then watching her frown form and her eyes fall. “Yes, maybe when he finds time.”

During the movie-thon, Whit didn’t munch out like normal. She didn’t refuse to share the popcorn. She simply laid her head in my lap while I sat on the couch, too ill with worry to eat. My friends stared at Whit in disbelief because she wasn’t stuffing herself like a Thanksgiving turkey. Harlan looked at me and lost more color in his face.

Connie, sitting in a chair next to the couch, looked a tad lonely, so I reached out for her hand. I owed her so much more but was too consumed to provide any other comfort. The gesture seemed enough to sustain Connie’s self-esteem. Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled at me with eyes gleaming. I was grateful for her compliance, another act that warmed my heart.

Whitney was fading and needed sleep after the sun set. Harlan faked being asleep on the floor so Ford—who was catching on, slowly but surely—suggested he take Connie home.

“I’m fine with staying with you, Reether.” Connie offered with undeniable hope.

Feeling more devotion toward her than in the past, I tried to lie as well as possible. “Nah, it’s tragic how clingy Harlan gets in the middle of the night. You don’t want to witness us snuggling.”

“Nor do I,” commented a winking Ford. “Let’s go, Connie.”

Connie hunched inward. I gently grasped her face and delicately kissed her lips. “Again, thank you for helping today.” I put my hand over my heart. “Means so much. You hear me?”

Beaming with pride, Constance blushed. “Yes.”

Whit and I watched them pull from the driveway. “Need your warm milk, baby?”

She nodded, leaning into me, as I guided her into the kitchen.

I carried her milk because Whitney looked awful as I helped her up the stairs to her room. Her skin was grayish, matching her morbid bedroom, and her movements were sluggish as she crawled into bed. I covered her up, but she didn’t—wouldn’t—let go of my hand, so I lay on top of her blankets, touching her hair, until she fell to sleep. Harlan quietly entered her room. “I’ll be in the guest room if you need me,” he said, picking up the untouched milk.

I was so thankful for my friend. “Came through for me, brother.” I wasn’t able to pull my eyes from sleeping beauty.

With his other hand, Harlan reached down and touched her red curls. “It’s not the way you do, but I love this girl, too.”

In the middle of the night I woke to a sound outside Whit’s bedroom window. There was a ledge around her house where someone could’ve been standing. Her balcony door was locked. I had checked it earlier but decided to check it again since I sensed we were being watched. When I got up, approaching the door, a dark shadow disappeared to the right. My heart thundered as I ran to unlock the door and beat somebody’s ass, but there was no one to be seen.

Harlan ran in. “We good?”

“Yeah, just over-tired and paranoid, apparently.”

“Still no questions?”

“Safer that way, my friend.”

“Shit.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Link?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Are you still here?”

Harlan saluted me and left her bedroom.

“Right here.” I headed back to my girl.

Crawling back into her bed, she asked, “Can you get under the blankets with me? I’m cold.”

I slid in without one complaint. Whit snuggled against my chest. My heart warmed with pride and… love.