10
ERICA
??------??
Xenith sits cross-legged on my couch in my apartment, eyes glued to my phone like it's the most fascinating thing she's ever seen. She finally looks up, mouth slightly open.
“God damn,” is all she can say at first. Then she shakes her head, still staring. “Well, I mean… I know I’m not supposed to be surprised but… damn. And he’s fucking hot too. Damn. Dick is huge.”
She keeps scrolling, completely fixated.
“That’s what you’re focusing on?” I yell, lunging forward and snatching the phone back out of her hands.
“Bitch, can you blame me?” Xenith shoots back, not even a little ashamed.
“I mean, like… he was a celebrity for real. Bro was slinging pussy everywhere. No wonder he’s all prim and proper now.
And you broke him off of that? Oh my god, what have you done?
” She bursts out laughing, head thrown back against the cushions.
I bury my face in my hands, feeling absolutely horrible. My stomach twists itself into knots. What the hell have I done? What am I even supposed to do now?
“What am I going to do?” I ask her, my voice coming out smaller than I want.
Xenith shrugs, still grinning a little. “Maybe you just gotta let him work out what’s going on.”
“No,” I say immediately, shaking my head. “Then he’s just going to keep spiraling. He’s getting really bad.”
“Yeah, but then you fucked him and—”
“You don’t understand,” I cut her off, more frustrated than I mean it to be. “He’s like a totally different person. It’s kind of scary, almost.”
Xenith’s smile fades. She sits up straighter, studying my face. “Do you think he’s gonna hurt himself?”
“I don’t know… maybe.” I hesitate. “Maybe I need to talk with the church, but I don’t want to blow up his spot or anything. There needs to be some kind of intervention, and I don’t know his family.”
Xenith nods slowly. “Maybe this is one of those times, if you really think it’s that bad, that you should get them involved.”
Once again, church feels empty without King here.
I had told Sister Paula earlier that I needed to talk to her after the service, and specifically that it was about King.
It’s weird because the woman looked absolutely frightened, probably concerned, wondering what's wrong with him.
It just feels weird with King not being there.
It’s crazy to think that his name is actually Kingston. From what I could see in the past online, they called him Buck, probably because his real last name is Buchanan. Or maybe because he had a big dick; who knows?
I can’t stop blushing. I find it totally ironic that King used to be the very kind of guy I used to go after. King was worse than Tyler, if that’s even possible. I feel so guilty because I feel like it's my fault that he’s relapsed. But wasn't God supposed to protect him from all of that?
Javier takes over on the drums and while he’s good, nobody comes close to King.
After church is over, I quickly clean up my section. I don't even finish before asking one of the ushers to take over for me so I can go to the back and talk to Sister Paula.
"So, what's going on?" Sister Paula asks.
"Well, King still isn't... I'm really worried about him," I reply. "I'm sure everybody's aware, but it's not like him to just not show up to church."
I take a deep inhale, trying to ease my nerves.
"Yes, we've all been aware," Sister Paula states. "We've been trying to reach out to him."
"Anything?" I ask.
"He won't answer his phone," Sister Paula expresses. "Someone said they did see him in town. They tried calling out to him, but he just looked at them, got in his truck, and left."
Hearing that makes me feel a little bit better; at least he's going outside somewhat.
"Well, maybe there's somebody close to him like Javier... or Pastor Darian that can go see him," I suggest.
Sister Paula nods pensively. "I'll see if I can talk to Brother Lucas. See if he can go over there."
"Thanks," I tell her. "And also just... King might be a little bit irritable."
As I'm telling her this, Sister Paula seems very busy on her computer. As a matter of fact, she has been acting kind of shifty, almost antsy. Maybe she has a lot to do, but surely she sees how important King is.
"We'll see what we can do, and see if there's a decent way that we can handle this," she tells me, looking back up at me only once before turning back to her screen.
I thank her and take my leave, but honestly, it doesn't feel like they’re going to move fast enough for me. I decide to locate Lucas myself. I find him talking to some woman on the other side of the church by one of the middle rows.
"Hey, Lucas."
"Hey, Sister Erica, how are you?" he greets me with a bright smile.
"Can I speak to you when you're finished?"
He smiles at the woman and touches her shoulder. "See you Tuesday night, Sister Riley. I hope your husband can make it."
"Me too, brother," the woman says as she leaves.
My body leans closer to Lucas. He leans to his right, looking at the ground and giving me his right ear.
"I already talked to Sister Paula, but I'm really worried about King," I whisper. "Is there a way that you could check on him, or do a wellness check or something?"
He nods and then looks at me. "Is he at home right now?"
"Yes, as far as I know."
"All right... I can go now," he states.
"I actually ordered a ride here. Is it okay if I ride with you?"
"Yeah, of course," Lucas replies.
We stop at King's house, and the first thing I notice is that his truck isn't here. We manage to get let into the building and knock on his door, but nobody is home. We're both standing there in the hallway looking strange.
"I mean, his truck wasn't here, so it's possible he went out," Lucas says to me.
I shake my head and look at the door once more.
"Sister Erica?" Lucas asks.
I turn to him.
"We're going to have to be patient and pray for him," he tells me.
Before we leave the building, I ask Lucas to drive around just making sure he isn't nearby.
Nothing. Lucas later drops me at my apartment building, but this still is not good enough for me.
I have no idea where he is, so I get back in my own car and drive back over to King's apartment building.
I camp out and fall asleep in my car right by his place, but he never comes home.
Where is he?
When I can't sit still any longer, I drive to every bar in town. It sounds crazy looking for him in those places, but he did have a problem. He's nowhere. He’s not at the stores, the liquor stores, or anywhere else. It’s a small town, but he could be anywhere. He isn't at the laundromat.
I call Zoe, but she doesn't pick up. Of course she doesn't. But maybe it's because she’s still mad at me, so I decide to stop by her building.
The last thing I knew, King was helping her work on it.
I stop by the site, but nobody is there at Zoe's little cafe. The building is all closed up and dark.
Where the hell is King?