“You look so pretty all tied up like that, Carrie. I really want to keep you like this.”
“I willkillyou. Get these fucking ropes off me, Kannon. This shit is hurting my wrist.”
I shook my head. “Stop fighting the ropes, C. You know it just makes them tighter.”
“I know I hate the day your psychotic ass went to boy scouts. Get these ropes off me right the fuck now, Kannon.”
“Relax so you can eat your breakfast while it’s hot.”
“I can’t exactly eat while I’m hog tied, Kannon.”
That made me laugh. “You’re not hog tied, Carteay. For future reference, would you like to be hog-tied?” I asked, lifting my brows.
“Don’t play with me right now, Kannon. Take these ropes off me so I can eat.”
“I’m going to feed you.”
“Seriously, Kannon. Untie me right now.”
“See if you can hold this tea. It’shotnow.”
I gave her the cup of hot tea, and I’ll be damned if her little feisty ass didn’t throw it in my face. I guess I should have expected that. Thankfully, it wasn’t as hot after the walk home. Still, it stung. I didn’t even bother to wipe the remnants of tea dripping from my face as I sat down on the bed beside her.
“Everything I’m doing is for your own good. You know better than to think I would hurt you or put you in danger. My job is to protect you. Maybe I was a little too soft on you when you were here before because I consider you a friend. Don’t disrespect me like that again. Last time you were here, you were a guest. This time?—”
“What? I’m a pest?”
“You’re a client. Clients are handled differently than guests.”
“I’m not just a client, Kannon, and you know it. Untie me now!” she shouted.
“You’re going to have to calm down, Carrie. I don’t need you losing your voice. Do you need me to make you some more tea?”
She just glared at me. I cut into the omelet and shoveled some onto the fork before pushing it toward her mouth. When she didn’t open, I lowered the fork back to the plate.
“Carteay, you have to eat so you can take something for your head.”
“I don’t want anything from you. I damn sure don’t want no fucking pills. I don’t even know how you got me here from the hospital. How long have I been here? Did you drug me?”
“Wow, I’m insulted. You know I would never do anything to hurt you.”
“Hmph, actually, I don’t know what you’re capable of.”
“Don’t play like that. You know a nigga ain’t trying to do nothing to you. You were barely awake when they discharged you from the hospital, but they knew you were in good hands. I brought you here and put you in bed. That was yesterday evening. I tied you up because I didn’t want you to wake up and forget you didn’t need to walk. If you move around, you need to let me help you.”
“OK, well untie me. I’m awake now. This is crazy.”
“Is it? Am I crazy to think that you would hop up and disappear the first chance you got, no matter how much danger you’re in, because you refuse to listen to anybody that means you any good? They got you so brainwashed that you rather face their wrath than be saved from it.”
See, I wasn’t ready to have this conversation, but since she wanted to push me, we might as well get it out the way. It crushed me that Carteay didn’t allow me to help her. I should have pushed her more to let me help her. I blamed myself for letting those monsters hurt her. There wouldn’t be a next time.
“What was I supposed to do, Kannon?”
“Trust me! Let me in so I could fucking help you,” I spat.
“I wasn’t about to drag you into my shit, Kannon.”
“What are you even saying, Carteay? Your shit is my shit! You aremineto protect,” I stressed.
