Page 94 of Halo: Tales Of A Hitman

Never would I think I would tell my brothers this secret. When I told Story I was shocked, but I could not fix my mouth to tell them. But it was time for them to understand me better than they already did.

“When I was ten, two months before mama and dad died. I uh…shit.” I sat back in the chair and rubbed my hands down my face.

“Halo, it’s us brother. We got’chu.” Greek reassured me.

It helped because I continued. “I was molested by a teacher.” I started telling them what went on for months.

I told them the day it happened, details of what me and her did and how long it lasted. Then I admitted that I felt like a punk for being a boy who felt violated over an older woman doing that to me. I explained how I used to sneak and watch porn.

How I became consumed with watching sex between a man and woman. It was a perverted feeling that would wash over me every time I finished watching it. I thought I was broken so I just allowed myself to fade.

Then I told them when I opened up to Story and that she was my first. It was all out and I left no stone unturned. It was ill to look at them when I was finished but I had no choice.

“Halo, brother.” Greek spoke first.

Golden got up and walked towards my window then he came back with his mouth shaking his head. “All this time. The way you used to yell in your sleep. Wake up and get into one of our beds. One time I asked you to tell me what your nightmare was. When you told me it was about a monster who smelled. That’s what you were talking about?”

“Yeah. We never kept secrets but that was one I couldn’t tell. It ain’t shit a man should---

“A man. You weren’t a man Halo. You were a fucking kid! We wouldn’t have thought you were a punk. What we would have did was told mama and daddy. The teacher would have died on the spot. Got damn brother.” Greek expressed then he got up and walked around the room for a minute.

The silence was long and needed but I had to break it.

“Look, it was a long time ago and I can’t change it. But I am done carrying it so that’s why I wanted to tell you both. I’m good now, swear on that. That’s why I don’t even want to tell y’all her name. Because it doesn’t matter, I wanna move on.”

Part of that was true. A few times I have wanted to look Ms. Toll up and find out where she was. But the second I thought about doing it, I could smell the cigarettes and Burberry Britt. Telling my brothers was all the closure I needed.

Greek walked over to me, and he gave me a hug then he kissed the top of my head.

“How about you let your big brother cook your favorite. Chicken fajitas with Spanish rice. I’ll make those fried donut balls and caramel sauce you like too.” Greek suggested then he told me he was about to run to the store.

“Pick out some of those cornball movies you like too. As long as one of them have that fine lady from Pretty Woman in it. I’ll get some blankets and pillows.” Golden added next.

I knew this was their way of letting me know that they understood me on another level. I loved my brothers so hard and for the first time since Story.

My trauma did not break me down anymore than what it did in the past. It cemented yet another relationship in my life. I was ready to move on from it completely. But this world had other plans for me.

Dallas

“All done. Looks good?” I climbed down from the latter at Lazy Daze.

Aspen and Genie stepped back to look at the new cannabis display I did. My new neon signs finally came in that had all the names of cereal strains. Fruit Loops, Cheerios, Reese Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and a few other brands. It was after hours at my dispensary, and we stayed a few hours late to move the store around.

“Looks much better than over on the other wall. You did this entire wall with no help.” Genie pointed out.

“So.” I folded the latter and went to take it back in the storage room.

“Halo must not be tiring you out like he was.” Aspen taunted me while she counted the register down.

“I’d focus on why Vina isn’t here and where Golden is.” I returned the taunt.

Aspen flipped her hair and picked her phone up. “I sent Golden a nasty video of me, so I know Vina is the furthest thing from his mind.”

Me and Genie laughed at how delusional she was.

“Moving on to more realistic situations. Halo is pushing back yet again. We used to fuck at least twice a week. I would text him and he’d respond, now he’s spotty and he asked if he could come over tonight and talk to me.” I let them know.

“Dang girly, sounds like you’re about to get dumped.” Genie concurred.