Bad Blood by Mary Monroe Read Free Book Online Page B

Hold on for a few seconds.” My heart was already leaping around in my tightening chest like a rabbit on crack. Uncle Albert had never asked me for help before. I set the grocery bag on the coffee table and removed my sweater with my other hand. Then I sat down hard on the couch and crossed my legs. “What kind of trouble are you in?” I was sorry that the telephone cord was not long enough for me to get up and walk across the room to the liquor cabinet so I could pour myself a drink. I had a feeling I was going to need one.
    â€œKingston found out I spent Valentine’s Day night with somebody else, and he went off on me this evening. He accused me of cheating on him.”
    â€œWere you?”
    â€œGirl, you know me. I can’t help myself when it comes to cute young things.”
    â€œExcuse me for saying this, but if you were cheating and Kingston found out, why are you so upset? Since he’s footing most of the bills, I think he should be the one who’s upset.”
    â€œOh, he is upset, too! But that’s beside the point! To make a long story short, he got all up in my face and sucker punched me. I sucker punched him back. Next thing I know, that wild-ass Jap comes at me with some of his kung fu moves. His foot felt like a sledgehammer when he slammed it against my face. I freaked out and ran out the door. Well, I tripped on the steps and fell and broke my leg in two places. Shit! I’m at the hospital, with my leg in a cast!” Uncle Albert started screaming like a banshee. “Aaarrggh! Aaarrggh!”
    â€œUncle Albert, please stop crying! I know you don’t want me to come over there and give you something else to cry about. Everything is going to be all right.”
    Uncle Albert sniffed and blew his nose. “I don’t know what to do! This is the first time a man has ever hit me!”
    â€œWhere is Kingston now?”
    â€œI don’t know where that fool is! He rode to the hospital with me and hung around until they patched me up, but before he left, he told me he wanted my black ass out of his life. That yellow motherfucker got some nerve calling me out my name! So, once they release me, I don’t have anyplace to go. And, with my leg in a cast, I’m going to have to take time off from work, so I can’t go out and look for another place to move into for a while. I’m going to be on crutches, so can I please stay with you and Seth?”
    As much as I wanted to hesitate and give this unexpected and intrusive request more consideration, I didn’t. There was no way I was going to turn my back on my uncle. There were times, like this one, when he made me so angry I wanted to slap him around myself. But he was probably the last person in the world I’d ever get violent with, no matter what he did or said.
    â€œYou know you can stay with us. I’m sure Seth won’t mind. What about your stuff?”
    â€œThat’s another thing. I need for you and Seth to go get every bit of my shit out of Kingston’s apartment and put it in storage for me. I know I’m asking for a lot, but I didn’t have anybody else to turn to. Can you come right away and pick me up?”
    â€œYou can count on me and Seth. I’ll call you back as soon as I catch my breath. What hospital are you in?”
    After Uncle Albert gave me the name of the hospital, I hung up and called Seth at his office.
    â€œWe’ve got a little problem,” I told him as soon as he answered.
    He hesitated for a few moments before he asked me, “What problem is that?”
    â€œUncle Albert and his boyfriend got into a serious confrontation. Kingston got violent with my uncle and kicked him out of the apartment.”
    â€œAnd how is that a problem for us?”
    â€œUncle Albert fell during the fight and broke his leg.”
    â€œYour uncle is over six feet tall and weighs close to two hundred pounds. He let that hundred-and-twenty-pound