Page 56 of See No Evil

“Legend, I need you in my life. We’ve both lost so much, I refuse to lose you, too. You’re my big brother, always watchin’ over me, but sometimes, a little sister can be a guardian, too.” She kissed his cheek, stared up at him in adoration, then finished her coffee…

Chapter Seventeen

Legend discarded hisrubber gloves in the hazard material waste bin, then made his way over to the work van. He opened the back to toss in a sealed roll of paper towels, then put his gold chain back around his neck. It was late morning, and he was exhausted already.

Axel leaned against the vehicle, staring at him, but Legend acted like he didn’t notice. They’d just finished cleaning a house. A five-man crew. The old lady, who had Alzheimer’s, had died in her sleep. Her husband had called and asked for help. It was a fairly easy job. They treated the mattress, as well as a few areas in the bathroom. Nothing too crazy. He could tell the elderly guy had been in love with his wife. Family photos abounded, and he went on and on about her, a cheery smile on his face while burgeoning tears welled in his beady brown eyes. Legend knew he’d never forget those eyes—ones that had loved and lost, but would do it all over again in a heartbeat, just to have one more day with his beloved.

“Legend, we can’t keep on like this. This tension between us. We gotta talk.” Axel broke into his thoughts.

“I know.” Legend hopped into the passenger’s side of the van while the other guys in the crew got in the back. He soon heard sodas being opened, and them talking amongst themselves, mostly about their plans for the upcoming day.

Axel started up the vehicle and dropped off his other staff members first, leaving him and Legend at the helm. Legend leaned forward and turned on the radio. He surfed around and settled on a station Desiree often listened to. Keke Wyatt’s, ‘Nothing in This World’ was playing. He kept it there, and leaned back in his seat.

“Oh, you’re listenin’ to love songs now?” Axel grinned, causing him to smile. “Oh God, you’re definitely whipped. I take it everything with you and Desiree is going good?”

“Definitely. She’s good for me, man. I love her.” Legend grabbed some sanitizing wipes for his hands to get the glove residue off.

“And I love that for you. I’d like to meet ’er soon. Y’all been together a minute now, and I still haven’t been introduced.”

“Yeah, I know, man. Crazy schedules. She works second shift sometimes at her job, and then she has school, and she just got a big candle order in for a wedding, so she’s been really busy.”

“That’s right. You did say she had a side hustle makin’ candles, soaps, and things like that.”

“Hopefully, we can maybe all go out to lunch or dinner sometime soon.”

“Sounds good. Oh, uh, didn’t you say you finally met her daughter?”

“Yeah.” Legend smiled as he scratched his ankle for a moment. “I stopped over and gave her and her mama flowers. I introduced myself, and Desiree explained to Kaylee that I was her boyfriend. She wanted to be sure I was not some fly by night kinda guy, so I understood why she waited so long. Said she didn’t want Kaylee getting used to someone, and then they bounce. She’s a sweet girl. Smart, too. Looks just like her mama.”

“Is Kaylee’s father in her life? You never really said.”

“It’s complicated I guess.” Legend yawned. “But the short, easy answer is: not really. I don’t know what’s up with all of these fathers not being there either emotionally, or physically for their kids, man. Your father left the family. My father left the family. Kaylee’s father left. It’s crazy, man.”

“Now that I’m a father, I couldn’t imagine leavin’ my son like that. I don’t care what English and I go through—I’d be staying in his life, and there wouldn’t be nothin’ that could keep me away.” Legend nodded in agreement. “You and I know first-hand what it’s like to have a father walk out on us.”

“Yup.” Legend crossed his arms, feeling a bit fidgety and out of sorts.

“Do you talk to your dad at all anymore? I know you said a while back that you do a few times a year… crazy.” Axel shook his head.

“It’s still only a few times a year. I used to initiate the calls, then stopped. Now, he calls me and Melanie on our birthdays and Christmas. The conversations are always pretty generic. I guess he’s doin’ all right.” Legend shrugged. “I can’t worry about him though. He wasn’t worried about me and Mel. He apologized ’nd everything, a few years ago, but sorry don’t fix it.”

An uncomfortable silence wedged its way between them. Legend had an urge for a cigarette, but Axel had struggled with quitting smoking for quite some time. After several attempts with patches, pills, and even hypnosis, he was finally able to cut it out for good. He’d been a nonsmoker for a little over eleven months, and was proud of it. Said he’d done it for his son…

I know I gotta bite the bullet, and I’m stalling. This’ll be the third time I talk about this, and I’m tired of it already. I feel like my head has been beat against a rock. It’s emotionally exhausting. Like, it doesn’t hurt me anymore to talk about it, but it’s draining all the same. It makes me a little queasy, and then, I have to go through the whole feelin’ of, ‘Is Axel goingto think something strange about me?’ Shit like that. I know it might sound stupid, but I can’t help feelin’ this way.

Tellin’ my girl and my sister was different. They’re women. More sympathetic to things like that. Telling another man… shit… friend or not, it hits different.

Telling Axel was the most challenging door to open, for once it was unlocked, it could never be shut again. Bubbling fears took over his gut, the same feeling he’d had when he’d accidentally eaten expired mayo while in prison.

He’s waiting for me to start talking… What I wouldn’t do for a blunt right now. Shit!

He tapped the armrest and looked out the window. Sighing, he shook his head.

“Axel, I got somethin’ to tell you… about what you saw in my closet.”

“If it’s going to make you incriminate yourself, maybe you shouldn’t.”

“It could…” Legend tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and scratched his head. He could actually feel the loose, wavy pieces on top.I gotta get to the barber. I need a trim and a shapeup.Perhaps he’d do it himself. He wasn’t too bad with a pair of clippers—just preferred going to the professionals. “Before I get into this, do I have to worry about you being a snitch? You got wire taps on you?”

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