Reel to Real by Joyce Nance Read Free Book Online Page B

back of the kitchen chair.
    “Look here, I’m gonna go over there now and get her squared away, so she don’t bother us any  more,” he said, frowning. “I’ll be right back.”
    “Okay, John. I’ll be here.” Crystal sank dejectedly into the couch.
    ***
    Loud banging echoed throughout the apartment. Esther, still up to her neck in bath water, splashed as she jerked herself up to a sitting position. The loud noise, she decided, was either a jackhammer or someone beating their head against the front door.
    Due to the large amounts of alcohol she consumed throughout the day, Esther’s head was a little mushy. Her eyes had accidentally closed for a moment and she had dozed off. The knocking jarred her. She didn’t know who it was or what to do about it.
    Then the noise got even louder so she got out of the tub, put a robe on, and crept towards the door.
    It might be John. He had a key but he might have forgotten it. Or … it might not be him. With her toughest, deepest sounding inflection, she yelled, “Who is it?”
    “It’s Ethan,” a familiar voice said.
    “Oh, fuck,” Esther said to herself. “Go away,” she yelled.
    The banging continued.
    “What the fuck do you want?” Esther yelled. “I said go away.”
    “Let me in,” he shouted. “If you don’t open up, I’m gonna break this damn door down.  I swear I’ll bust it if I have to.” The pounding never paused.
    Fearing that someone might call the cops, Esther cracked open the door. She saw a pimply-faced, gangly teenager wearing a purple-and-green-striped polo shirt and chino shorts. His eyes bulged and his Adams’ apple throbbed. She realized he was staring at her in her threadbare, partially-tied, red robe.
    There was a long pause. “Are you okay?” the boy asked tentatively.
    "No," Esther said grimly, but motioned him inside.
    “Sorry to barge over,” Ethan stammered, suddenly bashful. He seemed shocked she had let him in, even though he had demanded it.
    He continued staring at her. “I just didn’t want anyone terminating theirself while I maybe could help them out,” he said. “Could I sit down for a sec? I think I wore myself out just now.”
    “Sure, yeah, go ahead,” she said, pointing towards the couch. “I guess I’m glad you’re here.”
    As he headed inside, Esther decided that this kid with pouty lips and thick, dark hair was not so bad looking after you got past the complexion problems and the weird clothes. She grabbed his wrist as he walked past her. He stared at her, eyes wide.
    “You like?”  She took the clip from her hair and let it fall to her shoulders.
    He smiled big.
    “Wanna beer?” she asked.
    Not waiting for an answer, she pushed him out of her way and headed for the kitchen.
    ***
    Since John didn’t have a car, he had to make the arduous trip to Esther’s house on foot. Arduous because of the bullet he had taken to the lungs back in ’92 regarding a business mix-up.
    After walking about three blocks, he decided he had enough and called Shane for a ride. As he waited on a damp bus bench, John tried to remember why he had ever gotten involved with Esther in the first place. It wasn’t her looks and it definitely wasn’t her money. Then he remembered her large bosoms and her generosity. She did have a nice chest, he told himself. If he ever wanted anything like money or kinky sex and it was within her capacity to give it to him, she would do it. John found that endearing.
    But right now, John was worried about what Esther had going on in her head. Call it ex-con intuition, but somehow he knew, even over the phone, that she was freaking out in a bad way.
    Eventually Shane showed up and drove John to Esther’s apartment. He pulled his sports car right in behind Esther’s station wagon.
    “Bro,” John said to Shane as the car came to a stop. “I need your gun. I gotta bad feeling she’s got something going on up there. I need protection.”
    Nodding, Shane went to the rear of his car and