Janice stands at her balcony, casually watching the clouds roll by as she thinks about Crystal again. ".until we're an item." She carefully raises her ring hand to her lips, and kisses the opal heart once, sighing as she does. "If only to wake up with you next to me. by my side forever. Crystal." With a sigh she picks herself off the balcony and gets back to her work. Even girls in love have to do the dishes, wash the laundry, make the bed, take out the trash and do the other chores once in awhile. With a push of a button, Janice turns her answering machine on. "This is Janice. I'm too busy cleaning house to beat up anyone right now. But if you leave your name, phone number, and job you want done I'll be happy to return your call when the world stops spinning and I catch my breath. Thank you. Here's the beep." ---- Crystal drives home with a glazed look on her face. Still in shock over the events that just occurred, she is not sure just how to take this new turn of events. "If only to wake up every morning with you at my side." She knew that Janice loved her, but she didn't know that it was this deeply. Could she love her just as unconditionally? Would she be willing to make such a sacrifice? The thoughts linger in her mind as she pulls up to the apartment complex she and her husband Mike share. "Where the hell have you been all night?" Mike asks angrily. "What?" Crystal stammers. Finally awakening from her reverie. "I asked you where the hell you've been all night? I called around to find you, and couldn't. What's up?" Mike continues. "I was over my sister's house. I forgot to call you. I'm sorry." Crystal lies. "Whatever." Mike states. "Mike. We need to talk." Crystal whispers. "About what?" Mike queries. "About us. Where are we going with this marriage? How long can we keep up all this bickering. It's not healthy." Crystal whines. "Heh! Heh! You didn't seem to mind all the other times. What happened that's changed things?" Mike remarks. "I don't know. Maybe I've matured. Maybe I just don't want to spend the rest of my life arguing every other day with the man I love." Crystal says. "And when did you come to this conclusion?" Mike replies. "Recently. I've been doing a lot of thinking. Maybe we should get some counseling." Crystal surmises. "Who? Not me. Maybe you do." Mike chuckles. "SIGH. There you go again. Every time I want to have a serious discussion, you become evasive. Must everything we say to one another be confrontational for you?" Crystal becomes annoyed. "I don't know what you're talking about." Mike finishes, then leaves the room. "Never mind Mike. Forget I even asked." Crystal fumes. She then gets undressed, and heads for the bathroom to take a long *Calgon-take-me-away bath. And to think long and hard. ----- "Your kidding." "At what point did you think I was kidding." (looks at Johnson, then at the dishes, then at Johnson) ".and you dry, while I wash." (pushes him towards the dishes) "I'm a cop, Janice, not a dishwasher." "Just as long as you didn't draw race into the equation that's fine by me." Johnson sighs. "I never thought you'd fall for Crystal that way." Janice sighs, "I got you, Trelane, Victor and a few other friends of color. Why can't I have a lover also?" "Didn't think it was possi." (stops) "Oh, no. I bit into that one, didn't I?" "You tell me." Janice baits, "Who here has that cute little asian wife? Think it's you. hell, I know it's you because she cooks a wonderful thanksgiving dinner." "I didn't want her to be deported, that's all. poor thing was shipped here as some prick's plaything and was really mistreated. She'd have been put back on the flesh market the minute she reached home." (sighs as he dries) ".love came later, but when it did. I guess I never thought about the color of our skin. It just felt as if we were meant to be. Not as different races, or people of different skin color, but two human beings who were in love. and fulfilled each other and made each of us whole by being together. That's all. (you missed a spot)." "I'm working here!" (Janice mock hisses, drawing away) "Go mind your own dishes, and dry them good! I don't want water marks on my good plates the next time Crystal stops by for dinner. or breakfast because we never get about to dinner." (sighs as she looks at her ring, sitting off to one side safely) "I never thought I'd ever feel this way about somebody. but here I am, in love. go figure." "Go figure." ".so." (looks over at Johnson and smiles) "When is your wife going to invite me and Crystal to dinner so you two can see if we're fully in possession of our faculties?" "Well, actually." "I knew it!" (passes another dish) "You two don't let up, do you!" "Well a little dinner party won't hurt you two much." "She's at present on tight loan from her hubby so I don't get her too often." (Johnson nods his head) "Figures you two were still at it. I'll say yes the instant we're a couple and not a second sooner." "We could show a slideshow of our grandchildren by the time you two finally get around to being an item." "Lean over abit." (motions at sink) ".I wonder if anyone'll believe it when I tell them you drowned while washing my dishes." ----- "Say what." Janice looks like the proverbial deer that's stuck in a truck's headlights waiting to be run over. twice. "I. I." (leans back and grits her teeth, hiding her tears as she tries to make sense of it all. "Oh goddess, Crystal! Why.? I mean." (sighs irritated) "Alright. you're a major piece of work, but alright. I can handle this. really. I can." "I think it's for the best Janice. I did marry him for better or worse. And I want to see if we can make our marriage work." Crystal says. Both women are sitting in Janice's borrowed Toyota Corolla while the rain falls lightly outside. It is dusk and things are not going very well. "I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!" (Janice finally screams at Crystal for the first time ever in two years) "All the things he does to you!! All the pain! I know you want to stay with him. but how long?! You PROMISED ME OUR OWN HAPPY ENDING!!" "I'm sorry Janice. But that's how it's gotta be." Crystal responds. ".it's over.? Goddess. it's over?! So you're just gonna end it with me? Throw everything away. you don't even want to give me another chance? I'M SORRY!!" (starts to cry) "GODDESS I'M SORRY! I CA. can't help myself." (looks out window somberly) ".I just can't. please, give me a chance, let me try?" Janice manages. "Please.?" Crystal stares blankly at the windshield as the rain begins to slowly increase. Her eyes are beginning to well up. "I don't know what I want Jan. But I do know that I love my husband. I just think that we should cool things off for awhile." Crystal remarks. "I. I see. no problem. work's been piling up, and there's always new cases that need my attention." (sighs) "Yeah. Sure somebody's kid will go missing, or a new rapist, or something will keep me occupied. Don't worry about me." (shudders) "Crystal." Janice moans, head lowered painfully. "Okay. You win. I'll think about it. I owe you that much. But no promises." Crystal finishes. "I understand.Thank you." Janice allows, then leans over to place a loving, passionate kiss upon Crystal's supple lips. Carefully she takes the ring off of Crystal's finger, and holds onto it. "I'll keep this safe. just in case. and promise not to contact you, or try to see you, until you've decided." (sobs) "I love you. but I promised I would be patient. no matter how long it takes, I'll be patient. I love you." "Me too." Crystal says as she gets out of the car. She stands in the rain momentarily as her lover drives away, then finally starts to cry. As her tears mix with the raindrops, she slowly heads up the sidewalk leading to her apartment. "I love you too." She whispers. ----- Both rings went into a special box on Janice's mantle in her bedroom. That's when kiddie porn rings in town began to have nightmares. Over the next few days Janice drowned herself in her work, pounding down five kiddie porn sites (and their physical addresses) in a few days time, shutting them down and bringing the people running them to justice. But life just didn't seem very fun anymore. Now she just went to that karaoke bar to sulk, and wait. Occasionally she'd kiss the place where her opal ring once was, and cry, but she'd shoo away anyone trying to console her and continued to sulk. If she thought Crystal was in the bar that night she'd avoid it altogether, and kept her distance, feeling hollow inside as she did. She promised Crystal. She wouldn't go near her, give Crystal space. wait. Wait for what seemed like the inevitable hammer to drop on her happiness. But how long would she have to wait? "Hey, Johnson. Get in here." Janice motioned for the officer to enter, closing the door behind him. "The packet's in my bedroom, and it's the large one on the bed just in case you get mixed up." (walks into the small kitchen and grabs a soda from the fridge) "Don't open it thought! That damned kiddie porn site I'm investigating is filled with fucking tricky bastards!" "How so? And how's the relationship going with." Janice cuts him off before he can say more, "They got the art of provocative posing down to a science! I'm only human, dammit, so I can falter occasionally." (sighs) "Bastards really know how to position their 12-13 year old girls. the boys need work, too stiff and it's obvious their being drugged for compliance. The girls too, but they're too loose (sorta like jelly) which means a lot of lay down poses.." As Johnson picks up the huge packet from the bed, he notices a box on the mantle that wasn't there before. "And don't get me started on the flash porn! It's so obvious they're drugging these kids it's sick!" (inside the box is the two rings) "That should be more than enough evidence to draft out arrest warrants and bring their sick butts in for trial, no questions asked.." (a hand reaches into Johnson's line of sight and snags the box) "You should learn to keep your hands to yourself." (puts box back up). "She broke up with you?" "NO SHE." (sighs) "We're kinda in a. never mind." Johnson follows Janice back to the kitchen, packet in hand. "Did she break up with you, or not?" "It's not that. simple. or easy to answer." "Did she or didn't she? That's simple enough for." "FUCK YOU! YOU'D FUCKING LIKE THAT WOULDN'T YOU?!?" ".I didn't mean." "FUCKING ASS!" Janice throws her empty can aside in a huff, "WHAT'S SO FUCKING WRONG WITH ME BEING A LOVE WITH A BLACK WOMAN!! WHAT?!? YOU, TRELANE AND THE OTHERS LOOK AT ME LIKE I FELL OFF MY ROCKER!! WHAT'S WITH YOU IDIOTS?!?" (slams fists into countertop, venting her anger at everything as she did) "YOU WANT TO KNOW?!? FINE!! SHE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHETHER SHE WANTS ME OR HER MAN SO I'M TRAPPED IN HELL WHILE SHE MAKES UP HER MIND, ALRIGHT?!?" (grabs jacket) "BET YOU'LL BE HAPPY THE MINUTE THIS LITTLE WHITE DYKE IS OUT OF HER LIFE!!" "I didn't mean it that." "I'M GOING! LET YOURSELF OUT WHEN YOUR DONE FUCKING AROUND WITH MY LIFE!!" (slams door, Johnson waits for about a minute before the door opens again) "I forgot I'm taking a day off today and my bike's in for a tune-up." "Want to talk about it?" "No. I just want to be alone." Johnson nods, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you need anything." "No. look, I'm sorry, alright I just." "Stressed out? Yeah, I've been there." (picks up packet and opens door) "If you need to talk about it, the invite to dinner is always open." ".thanks." Johnson suddenly stops, and turns around. ".better give me the 9mm." "It's dismantled, remember?" ".show it to me then." Silence, a long awkward silence, until finally Janice points over to a dresser in her bedroom. Inside he finds the 9mm, fully rebuilt and loaded. "You rebuilt it, didn't you." "Well the fuckin' gun fairies didn't come overnight and do it for me!" Johnson puts the gun into his belt, making sure the safety is on. "You know the history you have with this gun, the reason why I dismantled it in the first place." "I know." (Janice collapses on her favorite couch and stares listlessly into the air, waiting for the inevitable) "I know." "Well, then that's that. See you." As he steps out, she calls out to him, "Don't want to dredge up old news, huh?" "Looks like you already did that for me." (silence) "Take care." "Yeah." (door closes behind him) ".easy for you to say." ----- As the Springtime slowly dissolved into the Summertime Crystal began to grow restless. Two months had passed without her speaking with or trying to see Janice. She was antsy. She needed someone to talk to. Her busybody neighbors lacked any substance in their conversations. Her family had their own problems. And most important of all, her husband continued to deny her with the attention she so desperately needed. He just didn't get it. His monotone speaking. His nonchalant demeanor. And most important of all, the continued bickering. She needed an outlet. And slowly, but surely, she began to realize that Janice was that outlet. Perhaps even more. "I can't take this much longer Mike." Crystal states while lying awake in bed in the wee hours of the morning. "It's nearly two o'clock in the morning Crystal! Can't this wait til tomorrow?" Mike snaps. "I'm leaving you Mike." Crystal surmises. "Yeah, right. How many times have I heard that?" Mike laughs. "I'm serious this time Mike. I'm tired of all this bullshit. This isn't a marriage. It's a prison." Crystal says. "And where will you go? You don't work. You're a lazy drunk. You don't have a degree or anything. And your family hates you. Where will you go?" Mike asserts. "I'll figure something out. I'm more resourceful than you give me credit for. I am somebody. I know to you that I'm nothing. But I don't feel that way. I am somebody. You're insults can't hurt me anymore. I'll find a way to survive." Crystal responds. "Yeah, right. Whatever. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." Mike turns over, putting his pillow over his head, then falls fast asleep. "You'll see. I'll find a way to survive." Crystal assures herself. As the weeks pass, Crystal begins looking through the "Want Ads" for a job. She then sets up interviews. And with the little bit of money Mike gave her throughout the years that she managed to save without him knowing, she buys herself new clothes to attend these interviews. At first she is denied for lack of experience. At first she becomes discouraged and falls back to drinking again. But then she starts to think of Janice. And winning her back, thus giving herself the strength to continue. Finally, she lands a gig. A small one, but something nonetheless. She decides to teach CPR classes to people in her old neighborhood. The pay isn't much at first, but once she becomes certified, and begins making flyers advertising her at-home-business, things start to slowly pick up. Now, if she can only remain sober long enough to teach these upcoming classes, then she'd being accomplishing something. 'Drinking can wait til the weekend, or when I have to deal with Mike and his moods. I can do it.' Crystal tries to convince herself. ----- "Seen this?" Johnson remarks, holding a flyer up. "I've seen too much and the Summer of Discontent has only started!!" Janice frowns, motioning over her shoulder at the seven girls in her apartment. "For god's sake I thought you were going to see if the department was going to give me some backup on this runaway girl epidemic! I can't keep bringing them here to keep them from turning tricks or worst!" "I'm trying, but you know the revolving door the youth centers are, and they won't go near the runaway shelters because they're breeding grounds for being raped in your sleep." (Johnson leans against the door looking at the ensemble cast of girls) "And they don't want our help because we'll just send them back to their homes and their dismal lives. Look, I'm working on it, I got a few people going background checks and humping their butts trying to find out what homes are safe and which ones are not. but here, look at this." Janice finally takes the paper out of his hand, looks at it, and freezes for a second. "Crystal? She's going into CPR? I'll be." "Teaching out of her pad. Might want to stop by and see her." "You know I can't. I promised her I wouldn't see her. anyway, unless you can spare me a few female officers I couldn't do it even if she asked me to." (turns back to girls) "I'd rather not go see Crystal, then bring her back here & find an orgy in progress." (Janice sighs again) "I wish she'd dump me or love me. I could use a second pair of eyes for these girls." ----- "Mike, I'm going to start teaching CPR classes. I've met many contacts in the past few weeks, and I think I can make some money to contribute to the household." Crystal manages. "Oh really? You think something like that is a lucrative business? Besides, what do you need to work for, I'm working!" Mike asserts. "But I need to do this for me. I need to do something so I'll feel special. So that I'll feel needed. I'm not getting it from this marriage. I need this. Can't you understand that?" Crystal begs. "Whatever. What's for dinner?" Mike dismisses her. "You're an asshole Mike." Crystal states angrily. She then storms out of the kitchen to head for the bedroom, where she begins to cry. It is then that she spots her jewelry box out the corner of her eye. She walks over to it, lifts the lid of the box, opens up a special compartment, and finally finds the ring Janice gave her months ago. The ring she gave Janice months ago was her gossipy neighbor's ring, but Janice was too broken up to even look at it. She cups it to her heart with both hands, then remembers the last words Janice said to her. This makes her become misty-eyed and reminisce. "Mike, I'm going out tonight." Crystal orders, after showering and changing her clothes. "Out? You haven't been out in awhile. Why the sudden change?" Mike queries. "I just need to get out and get some fresh air. I'll be back. Don't wait up." Crystal replies, as she grabs her car keys and heads out the door. Destination: La Hacienda. ----- "Is Janice going to be in tonight?" Crystal asks the bartender. "She hasn't been in for weeks now. It's Summer and she never comes in then unless she's looking for you." Before Crystal can even thank the bartender, a hand touches her shoulder. She spins around to find herself staring at an officer in uniform. "I know where Janice is." ----- "COMING!! COMING!!" (sound of girls laughing shocks Crystal). "The Freemont Home for Runaways." (stops cold) "C-crystal?" For long seconds she just stands there, eyes glazed, until finally Crystal hugs her. The two embrace for what seems like an eternity before Janice helps her inside. "Whoooo!!" (several of the girls jeer) "Wanna be homeless?!? Shut it!!" Janice sneers. "I'm going to be in my bedroom! Don't anyone empty the fridge OR drink my cooking liquors, no ordering pay-per-view or porno flicks, and no downloading porn on my internet site! Keep in here and watch TV, and try not to kill each other!" (quickly Janice rushes Crystal into the bedroom). "What's going on?!" Crystal asks in confusion. "It's the Summer, which means a jump in runaways. I'm keeping some until somebody clears them for a trip back home. Can't send them back into a war zone and all that if their home is fractured and." (sighs as she sits Crystal on the bed) ".goddess, I never thought I'd see you again." Janice touches Crystal's cheek lightly before pulling away, blushing at her boldness, quickly apologizing. "Sorry. I.. I mean." (looks at Crystal with hopeful eyes) ".Crystal? Crystal, I..." Janice starts. "Shhhh, Jan, it's my turn to apologize. I suppose I needed to find myself. Living with Mike all these years, I guess I've sorta lost my way, become somewhat desensitized to other people's feelings. I should have never pushed you away." Crystal begins. "It's okay. You know the old saying: 'If you love someone, set 'em free..." Janice smiles, taking on a curious expression as she does. "Wonder if that holds true for people in jail? If you love 'em, get them early parole?" "I know Crystal. I know.. (except about that prison part)." Crystal whispers, "But, let me tell you the good news. I'm working now!" Crystal beams. "Oh yeah, doing what?" Janice feigns knowledge. "I'm teaching CPR classes. It's not much, but it is on my terms. I can do this for awhile until it becomes a more lucrative business as my clientele grows exponentially. And best of all... Are you ready for this?" Crystal says giggling. "What?! This isn't something too shocking is it Crystal?" Janice asks. "I'm moving out on my own. I'm leaving Mike, finally." Crystal states, as she shows Janice the ring her lover gave her months earlier. It is on her ring finger. "Are you sure this time?" Janice inquires, welling up. "You mean it?" "I'm absolutely sure. He doesn't truly love me, not like you do. He takes me for granted. Doesn't listen to me like you do. Doesn't support my dreams and desires. He's not the person for me. You are. I want us to become a couple again, if you'll have me." Crystal pines. Janice answers her with a passionate kiss placed softly upon Crystal's supple lips. "Goddess it's true." (wipes the tears from her eyes, quickly hugging Crystal as if afraid she could evaporate at any second) "I'll never let you go! I love you with all of my heart! I promise! Goddess. I promise!!" Janice sighs in contentment. "And I love you Jan. You're my little snuggle bunny." Crystal begins to cry as the two lovers embrace and prepare for a long night of fulfilling, passionate lovemaking. "But first we have to get dinner or those kids outside will starve. They weren't the smartest things to date to wander the streets. Hell, they walked right into the high rape district without a care in the world!" (shudders) "They're walking lemon scenes waiting to happen." Crystal smiles, nudging Janice on the arm. "Pizza is quick, easy, and fast. Kids'll eat anything these days." "No kidding, I." (smiles as she stands up, grabs her box and takes her ring out only to.) "Hey! If that's the ring I gave you, what's this?" ".I gotta give that back to my gossipy ex-neighbor." (blushes as she takes the ring) "I'll mail it tomorrow." "I'll have Johnson drop it off, or better yet I'll bring it when I pick up your stuff tomorrow and move you out permanently. Johnson's coming tomorrow hopefully to pick up some of these kids and sends them home. YOU HEAR ME?" (frowns) "THIS ISN'T A HOTEL DAMMIT!" (Crystal takes Janice in her arms and hugs her) "Oh Janice. What'll I ever do with you, my good deed doing snuggle bunny?" "Don't call me snuggle bunny in front of the parasites? They'll never let me hear the end of it." "Sure." (kisses Janice softly on the lips) "Let's go order dinner now. And then when they're sleeping. we'll take out the toy box like you promised." "Alright. But no anchovies, or we'll never get those kids to bed."
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