Kat pushed her way past Devin and stormed out of the room. Jem who had been asleep started to make a protest, but was too weak to get out of bed or be heard over Kat’s shouting. Devin grabbed John’s shoulder and said, “Don’t get any ideas a*****e. She’s mine and she will come home!” “Looks like she has other ideas.” John wrenched from his grip and ran after Saph.
When they reached her car he grabbed her and turned her to face him. “Why didn’t you tell me he felt like that? He has a lot of nerve to tell you all that stuff. He can’t tell you anything about your life Saph. You can do what you want; you always have!” “John, I know what you are saying. I just can’t understand why, after twenty years, he still carries that dream. I told him when I left I wouldn’t marry him or come back here to stay. He was a good friend but I have NEVER loved him. Let’s just go.”
“Saph, when are you going to tell me what happened that night, the one that you left here?” “When I face my demons John. When I face my demons. If I call William and see if he can take care of DD and help me figure out some things, do you think you can stay longer than the weekend? I may need you here to keep Devin off my back. I am going to call Donald and see if he can watch the clubs for a couple of weeks. He ran them for them for thirty years before he sold them to me. I’m sure he can handle it for a few weeks. He always told me if I needed him to help just call. When we get back to the hotel go check out and will put you in my room. I’m not sure what Devin is capable of anymore.”
“Sweetheart I don’t mind staying, but tell me what is going on. Why are you so afraid of him? What are you running from Sapphire? I can see it in you eyes. You’re stilling running from something here.” “John, we’ll talk about this after I take care of the clubs and look at what William sent me ok? I promise I will tell you everything. Maybe if I tell you then you’ll finally see why I am like I am and why I hate this damn town!” She slammed her palm on the steering wheel as she spoke. “Do you have any smokes?” “No honey I smoked my last one waiting on you in the café.” “Ok we’ll stop and get cigarettes and something special for Isis. She’s been cooped up in that room all morning. She will be glad to see you.”
John just looked at her and shook his head. He wanted to know what made her go off like that. She had never talked about this town or her past except for mention Jem ever now and then. Maybe now he would know why she hid everything from the world. Only those close to her ever saw her get angry or really laugh. No one that he knew of had ever seen her cry except him and that was when he watched her sleep not while she was awake. Neither one of them realized that Devin had followed them back to the hotel and saw John going into her room.
Devin pulled out of the hotel parking lot and drove back to his office. He was going to find everything he could find out on this John Tulane.
JOHN JUST LOOKED AT HER AND SHOOK HIS HEAD. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MADE HER GO OFF LIKE THAT. SHE HAD NEVER TALKED ABOUT THIS TOWN OR HER PAST EXCEPT FOR MENTION JEM EVER NOW AND THEN. MAYBE NOW HE WOULD KNOW WHY SHE HID EVERYTHING FROM THE WORLD. ONLY THOSE CLOSE TO HER EVER SAW HER GET ANGRY OR REALLY LAUGH. NO ONE THAT HE KNEW OF HAD EVER SEEN HER CRY EXCEPT HIM AND THAT WAS WHEN HE WATCHED HER SLEEP NOT WHILE SHE WAS AWAKE. NEITHER ONE OF THEM REALIZED THAT DEVIN HAD FOLLOWED THEM BACK TO THE HOTEL AND SAW JOHN GOING INTO HER ROOM.
DEVON TURNED HIS CAR BACK DOWN THE STREET TO HIS OFFICE. HE WAS GOING TO MAKE A FEW PHONE CALLS AND FIND OUT JUST WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO GET KAT BACK TO THE SWEET LITTLE GIRL THAT LEFT HERE 20 YEARS AGO. SHE HAD NEVER BEEN “OFFICIALLY” HIS BUT IT WAS AN UNSPOKEN THING. THEN THAT ONE NIGHT SHE HAD COME RUNNING TO HIS HOUSE AND ASK TO STAY UNTIL THE BUS CAME THE NEXT MORNING. SHE HAD BEEN CRYING AND HER FACE WAS BRUISED AND BLOODY WHERE SOMEONE HAD KNOCKED HER AROUND PRETTY GOOD. HE’D TRIED TO COMFORT HER AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ALL SHE WOULD KEEP SAYING IS I CAN’T BELIEVE MY MOTHER WOULD DO THIS. NOW EVERYONE IN TOWN KNEW WHAT THINGS WENT ON UPSTAIRS AT THE CRIMSON STARLIGHT.
KAT’S MOM & OL’ HENRY HAD PROSTITUTES THAT WOULD GO ANYWHERE FROM $10 TO $100 DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANTED. EVERYONE ALSO KNEW YOU DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING TO KAT ABOUT IT EITHER OR THERE WOULD BE HELL TO PAY FROM OL’ HENRY. KIDS AT SCHOOL GAVE HER DIRTY LOOKS AND TALKED BEHIND HER BACK BUT NEVER, NEVER TO HER FACE. DEVON WAS NEVER ABLE TO GET OUT OF HER EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED JUST THAT HER MOTHER HAD DONE SOMETHING HORRIBLE, SHE HAD STOLEN MONEY FROM THE BAR, AND SHE WAS NEVER COMING BACK. DEVON HAD TAKEN HER TO THE BUS STATION AND WATCHED HER LEAVE. HE HAD TRIED TO TALK TO JEM LATER BUT IT WAS LIKE KAT HAD NEVER EXISTED AT LEAST AROUND THAT BAR. HE HAD ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER…
DEVIN PULLED OUT OF THE HOTEL PARKING LOT AND DROVE BACK TO HIS OFFICE WITH MEMORIES FLOODING BACK TO HIM. HE WAS GOING TO FIND EVERYTHING HE COULD FIND OUT ON THIS JOHN TULANE AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED THAT NIGHT..
ISIS MEOWED AND RAN STRAIGHT FOR JOHN AS THEY OPENED THE DOOR. “I TOLD YOU SHE WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE YOU!,” SAPH COMMENTED. SAPH THREW THE PACKAGE FROM WILLIAM ON THE BED AND TOLD JOHN SHE WAS TAKING A SHOWER “TO GET THE AWFUL FEELING OFF HER SKIN”.
HE SAT DOWN AND CALLED WILLIAM AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND ASKED IF HE COULD LOOK INTO GETTING MONEY SET ASIDE FOR DD SO THAT SHE WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL AS MAKING SURE EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE CLUBS WAS OK. HE WOULDN’T BE A GOOD MANAGER IF HE HADN’T; HE ALSO DIDN’T THINK SAPH NEEDED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW.
HE FOUND DONALD’S PHONE NUMBER IN HIS ADDRESS BOOK AND CALLED HIM AS WELL. HE TOLD DONALD THAT THEY WOULD NEED HIM FOR A FEW WEEKS, A MONTH AT THE MOST. DONALD JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE SAPH WAS OK AND READILY AGREED TO LOOK AFTER THE CLUBS! “I TOLD THAT GIRL IF SHE NEEDED ME I’D BE HERE. EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?” “YEA, SHE JUST NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF SOME PERSONAL BUSINESS AND MAKE SURE HER FRIEND IS ALRIGHT BEFORE GETTING BACK. LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN SHE THOUGHT SO THAT’S WHY SHE WANTED ME TO CALL.” A LITTLE WHITE LIE BUT IT WAS FOR SAPH’S SAKE. “YOU JUST LET ME KNOW IF I NEED TO STAY ON LONGER NOW.” “NO PROBLEM. I WILL LET WILLIAM KNOW WHAT WE AGREED ON FOR YOUR SALARY SO YOU WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.” “NO LOOK HERE IT AIN’T ABOUT THE MONEY FOR ME, MADE ENOUGH BEFORE I RETIRED WITH WHAT SHE BOUGHT THE CLUBS FOR THAT I DON’T NEED TO WORRY…” “I KNOW DONALD BUT YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS AND SHE WON’T HERE OF YOU WORKING AT THE CLUBS FOR FREE.” “THAT GIRL HAS GOT HER HEAD IN THE RIGHT PLACE I’LL TELL YOU THAT. ALWAYS DID HAVE.” “YEA I KNOW. OK DONALD WE WILL KEEP IN TOUCH, ONE MORE THING DANCE BY THE NAME OF DD IS ON THE ROSTER FOR THE MAIN STAGE AT SAPPHIRE’S BUT SHE MAY BE CALLING IN SICK IF SHE DOES THAT’S OK BUT IF SHE DOESN’T AND STILL FEELS UP TO DANCING LET HER.” “GOT IT, ONE OF SAPH’S GIRLS THAT GOT HERSELF IN THE FAMILY WAY ISN’T SHE?” “YEA.” “SAPH ALWAYS DID HAVE A SOFT HEART FOR THOSE GIRLS. WILL DO. TALK TO YOU LATER AND YOU TAKE CARE OF HER OK.” “GONNA TRY TO DONALD. THANKS AGAIN. BYE”
JUST AS HE WAS HANGING UP THE PHONE SAPH WALKED OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND ASKED, “WHO WAS THAT?” “THAT WAS DONALD, AND I HAVE ALREADY CALLED WILLIAM TOO. JUST LET ME EMAIL HIM WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DONALD’S SALARY THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOU OR….” “JOHN, I AM IN NO MOOD TO” ‘THAT WAS NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND IF YOU HAD LET ME FINISH I WAS GOING TO SAY OR WHAT EVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO!” HE LOOKED AT HER WITH A SPARKLE IN HIS EYE TELLING HER THAT WHAT SHE HAD THOUGHT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD IN MIND.
“JOHN, I AM STARVING! CAN YOU RUN UP TO THE LITTLE RESTAURANT AND GET US SOMETHING TO EAT PLEASE?”, SHE ASKED AS SHE GRABBED A NIGHT SHIRT FROM THE BAG AND THREW IT ON. “SURE, WHAT DO YOU WANT?” “BURGER AND FRIES IF THEY’VE GOT IT.” “OK, BE BACK IN A FEW. NEED ANYTHING FOR SLEEPING BEAUTY OVER THERE?”, POINTING TO ISIS. “NO I’LL FEED HER IN A MINUTE THEN CHECK MY EMAILS. AFTER THAT I THINK I AM GOING TO CALL WILLIAM BACK ABOUT THIS PACKAGE HE SENT AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS COOL WITH THINGS BACK HOME. THEN I GUESS I WILL WATCH SOME TV ‘TIL YOU GET BACK.” “THEN MAYBE WE CAN TALK?” ‘WE’LL SEE”.
SHE WALKED OVER AND PULLED OUT ISIS’S FOOD AND SET IT DOWN WHILE SHE WAS TALKING THEN AS HE WAS HEADED OUT THE DOOR SHE SAT AT THE SMALL RICKETY TABLE AND OPENED UP HER LAPTOP. JOHN BLEW HER A KISS FROM THE DOOR AS HE LEFT, “GOT MY CELL IF YOU NEED ME OK?” “SURE.” AS SAPH WAS READING HER EMAILS SHE PICKED UP THE PHONE TO CHECK ON JEM AND SAY GOOD NIGHT. “YOU KNOW DEVIN STOPPED BY THIS EVENING AND TOLD ME YOU HAD JOHN MOVE INTO YOUR ROOM WITH YOU. WHY’D YOU DO THAT? JUST TRYING TO GET A RISE OUT OF HIM?” “NOW JEM, IT’S NOTHING LIKE THAT. IT’S JUST BETTER THIS WAY, HONEY. EVEN IF DEVIN GETS THE WRONG IDEA ABOUT JOHN AND ME AT LEAST THEN HE MIGHT LEAVE ME ALONE! I KNOW THAT WHAT HE WANTS FROM ME I CAN’T GIVE HIM SO MAYBE IF HE THINKS JOHN AND I ARE TOGETHER HE’LL GET THE HINT.” “YEA, I GUESS, BUT GIRL YOU WATCH OUT FOR HIM. HE HAS A MEAN STREAK THAT YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE.” “I WILL,” SAPH SAID HALF LISTENING AS SHE WAS READING THE DAILY REPORT EMAIL FROM THE CLUB. “LOOK, SWEETIE, WHY DON’T YOU GET SOME REST AND I WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW, OK?”
SHE HUNG UP THE PHONE AND CALLED WILLIAM VERIFYING THAT THE PACKAGE WAS THE INFORMATION ON HER REAL FATHER AND TO MAKE SURE ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR DONALD TO HANDLE THE CLUBS WAS ACCURATE. JOHN WAS A GOOD MANAGER BUT SHE ALWAYS HAD FINAL SAY IN EVERYTHING. JUST AS SHE WAS HANGING UP WITH WILLIAM SHE READ HER LAST EMAIL. SHE REPLIED IN AN RAGE AND SLAMMED DOWN THE TOP JUST AS JOHN OPENED THE DOOR. “WHAT’S WRONG, YOU WERE IN A GOOD MOOD WHEN I LEFT?” ‘SEEMS DEVIN ISN’T GIVING UP.” WAS ALL SHE WOULD SAY.
“SO WHAT’D YOU GET US TO EAT? ARE YOU SURE IT’S DECENT?” JOHN KNEW THIS MOOD; HE SAW IT EVERY DAY AT THE CLUB. “SAPH, HONEY, TALK TO ME PLEASE?” HE BEGGED SETTING THE FOOD ON THE TABLE AND WALKING OVER TO THE BED, “COME HERE AND JUST TALK TO ME.” SLOWLY SAPH/KAT SETTLED NEXT TO HIM ON THE BED AND LOOKED OVER AT HIM. “CAN I TELL HIM. CAN I TRUST HIM WITH THIS,” SHE THOUGHT TO HERSELF. “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DO THAT WHEN YOUR HURT?” ‘DO WHAT?” ‘TURN ON THE CHARM AND HOPE NO ONE NOTICES THAT YOU ARE UPSET OR ANGRY?” “IT’S JUST HOW I HAD TO BE FOR SO LONG TO SURVIVE HERE THAT I GUESS IT IS JUST A DEFENSE MECHANISM NOW. JOHN, YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND…” SHE SIGHED RUNNING HER FINGERS THROUGH HER DAMP HAIR.
I realize that the font changed - I am copying from another site that I posted this on - www.cyberpunkswebsite.com - The writer's block
