something happened to me at the Carburetor about a month ago.”
“But you don’t remember it? Where you drunk at the time?”
“I seriously doubt that.”
“What is it then?”
“I have about two months of my life that are a real big blank for me. It’s like I just woke up in Carburetor a week ago and I had no idea where I was. I actually thought I was in Oregon in the Blue Lagoon Saloon. Imagine my surprise when I found I was in Oakland California. I fled the state a decade ago vowing never to return. Then I find from my son that two months ago I pulled him out of school and came here and have been living out of hotels ever since.”
“That’s…wow…I don’t know what that is.”
“Me neither. And to make matters worse, a month ago I left my son with his babysitter on Friday night. I was to return before midnight. Problem is I didn’t return until Monday afternoon. Jamarcus, I’m almost positive I was kidnapped Friday night and didn’t manage to escape until Monday. I either escaped or they let me go. I don’t know which. But my son tells me that on the day I came back I was totally freaked out. I was hurt and had wounds on both wrists. Rope burns Jamarcus, on my wrists. Same for my ankles but not nearly as bad. How do you explain that?”
“I get it now Christine. You want to know if Jake was there that night, if he saw it, and why he didn’t do anything or at least say anything to you after you two began dating. Is that about the size of it?”
“That’s exactly it.”
“Well why don’t you ask him?”
“I intend to do just that. I’m just not sure I want the answers.”
“You have to ask. It’ll drive you crazy until you do ask him. I won’t say anything. I’ll leave you to do what you have to do but the longer you wait the harder it will be to say goodbye if that is ultimately what you need to do.”
“Yeah…I’m aware of that. Well I think I’ve taken enough of your time. Thanks for your input Jamarcus. I can tell you really care for him.”
“Yeah…it’s been good for me. Keeps me young I guess. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. Nice place you got by the way.”
“Stinks.”
I sniff. “Yeah…still nice though.”
“Bye Christine.”
Chapter Eleven
Memories True Memories False
The Next Day…
“Are you sure you want to jump back in so soon?” Dr. Frazer asks.
“Absolutely. I need to make some important decisions and I am running out of time. I need more information so I can be sure I’m making the right decision. In an ideal world I would wait yes, but this is the real world so I have to know now.”
“Well…take a seat. You know the drill.”
This time it doesn’t take long before I’m plunging into the past. In no time I’m sitting at the end of the bar at the Carburetor and sipping on some clear drink in a shot glass. The liquid burns like fire all the way down my throat and into my belly. Minutes later it goes to my head and I feel the effects of the liquid courage settling in. Sitting half way down the bar is none other than Robert, King of Pain, King, my ex-husband. I have been looking for this guy for a month, every night and now he just shows up here the same night I do. Talk about blind luck. Question is how to approach him? I reach into my purse one more time to reassure myself. My fingers touch the cold steel of the revolver and immediately I relax. No way can I go up against that behemoth of a man and not have some form of protection. I take another sip as Taylor takes the stool to my left.
“Looks like the rat’s taken the bait.” She says, pointing to King.
I nod my head. “Like a drink first?” I ask.
“I got something better.” She says, holding out two small oblong white pills.
She immediately pops one into her mouth and downs it with a swallow from my drink then she puts the other one in the palm of my hand.
“Take it. It’ll take the edge off. Give you some courage too. You’ll love it; I
“But you don’t remember it? Where you drunk at the time?”
“I seriously doubt that.”
“What is it then?”
“I have about two months of my life that are a real big blank for me. It’s like I just woke up in Carburetor a week ago and I had no idea where I was. I actually thought I was in Oregon in the Blue Lagoon Saloon. Imagine my surprise when I found I was in Oakland California. I fled the state a decade ago vowing never to return. Then I find from my son that two months ago I pulled him out of school and came here and have been living out of hotels ever since.”
“That’s…wow…I don’t know what that is.”
“Me neither. And to make matters worse, a month ago I left my son with his babysitter on Friday night. I was to return before midnight. Problem is I didn’t return until Monday afternoon. Jamarcus, I’m almost positive I was kidnapped Friday night and didn’t manage to escape until Monday. I either escaped or they let me go. I don’t know which. But my son tells me that on the day I came back I was totally freaked out. I was hurt and had wounds on both wrists. Rope burns Jamarcus, on my wrists. Same for my ankles but not nearly as bad. How do you explain that?”
“I get it now Christine. You want to know if Jake was there that night, if he saw it, and why he didn’t do anything or at least say anything to you after you two began dating. Is that about the size of it?”
“That’s exactly it.”
“Well why don’t you ask him?”
“I intend to do just that. I’m just not sure I want the answers.”
“You have to ask. It’ll drive you crazy until you do ask him. I won’t say anything. I’ll leave you to do what you have to do but the longer you wait the harder it will be to say goodbye if that is ultimately what you need to do.”
“Yeah…I’m aware of that. Well I think I’ve taken enough of your time. Thanks for your input Jamarcus. I can tell you really care for him.”
“Yeah…it’s been good for me. Keeps me young I guess. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. Nice place you got by the way.”
“Stinks.”
I sniff. “Yeah…still nice though.”
“Bye Christine.”
Chapter Eleven
Memories True Memories False
The Next Day…
“Are you sure you want to jump back in so soon?” Dr. Frazer asks.
“Absolutely. I need to make some important decisions and I am running out of time. I need more information so I can be sure I’m making the right decision. In an ideal world I would wait yes, but this is the real world so I have to know now.”
“Well…take a seat. You know the drill.”
This time it doesn’t take long before I’m plunging into the past. In no time I’m sitting at the end of the bar at the Carburetor and sipping on some clear drink in a shot glass. The liquid burns like fire all the way down my throat and into my belly. Minutes later it goes to my head and I feel the effects of the liquid courage settling in. Sitting half way down the bar is none other than Robert, King of Pain, King, my ex-husband. I have been looking for this guy for a month, every night and now he just shows up here the same night I do. Talk about blind luck. Question is how to approach him? I reach into my purse one more time to reassure myself. My fingers touch the cold steel of the revolver and immediately I relax. No way can I go up against that behemoth of a man and not have some form of protection. I take another sip as Taylor takes the stool to my left.
“Looks like the rat’s taken the bait.” She says, pointing to King.
I nod my head. “Like a drink first?” I ask.
“I got something better.” She says, holding out two small oblong white pills.
She immediately pops one into her mouth and downs it with a swallow from my drink then she puts the other one in the palm of my hand.
“Take it. It’ll take the edge off. Give you some courage too. You’ll love it; I
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