Flash Fiction Story #1: "Out Of Respect For Her Man"

Jerome Davis opens his front door and enters his house from a long day of hard work and hears a female voice yell, “What are you doing here and who let you in?” from the living room.

Jerome storms towards the living room only to see a tall, slim thug with dreadlocks and tattoos all over his body, lying across the couch, in nothing but some boxers. The woman standing in front of the thug has on a robe and some slippers.

“What you mean!? Tosha let me in last night while you was at work!” the thug yells back.

When Jerome sees how scantily clad both of them are, he hits the roof.

“Man, who the fuck is this and why the fuck are y’all half naked in my house!?” Jerome yells.

“This is my cousin De’Sean. He just got out of prison a couple of days ago but I didn’t even know he was in here ‘cause he damn sure didn’t call me and tell me he was coming over! I didn’t even come in here this morning when I came in from work but I woke up and heard some noise in here, and I already knew that Tosha was gone to school, so I come in here and his ass was in here, half naked on the couch!” Carmen responds.

Jerome is still suspicious though. “Your cousin, huh?” Jerome looks at De’Sean. “So if you’re family, why didn’t you call her and tell her you were coming? And what side of the family are you on?”

“I tried to call but she was already gone to work and I didn’t get an answer from the number that Tosha gave me.” De’Sean responds.

“Wait a minute. Hold up. What do you mean, Jerome? What kind of question is that? What side of the family are you on?” Carmen asks.

“What do you mean, ‘what kind of question is that?’ You ain’t never told me about no cousin that was about to get out of prison.” Jerome responds.

“Carmen, what’s up with your boy?” De’Sean asks.

“I ain’t her boy, I’m her muthafuckin’ husband!” Jerome screams. “Now I wanna know whose side of the family you’re on if y’all are supposed to be cousins!”

“Man, I ain’t ‘bout to explain—”

“You ain’t gotta answer that, De’Sean!” Carmen yells.

“He does have to answer that! I wanna know who the fuck this lil half naked dude is in the house with my wife!” Jerome screams back.

“I just told you! You don’t trust me?” Carmen screams back.

“I trust you. I just don’t trust this!” Jerome responds.

“Look, you gotta go. I don’t know where you’re going since Auntie Anne won’t let you stay with her, but out of respect for Jerome, you gotta leave. So put your clothes on and I’m gonna walk you out.” Carmen explains.

“Yeah, you definitely gotta leave but I still wanna know whose side of the family you’re on before you leave.” Jerome insists.

“Look, my bad for causing all of this trouble. I’m just coming home from being locked up for seven years and my mother told me last night that I couldn’t live with her. I came over here thinking that I could catch Carmen, maybe before she went to work or something, to ask her if I could live here until I got on my feet. When I got here, Carmen was already gone but Tosha was here and she let me in. I got tired, didn’t have nowhere else to go, so I fell asleep here on the couch. Carmen had just walked in right before you did and my mother and her mother are sisters. That’s how we’re related. So like I said, my bad, big homie. I mean, sir.” De’Sean responds calmly as he continues to get dressed.

Jerome’s facial expression softens.

“You happy now?” Carmen asks sarcastically.

“Carmen, come on now. How are you going to be mad at me? I mean, if you had of came home from working third shift and walked in and saw a half naked female—”

“I don’t wanna talk about it right now. We’ll talk after he leaves.”

De’Sean finishes getting dressed and the two walk towards the front door.

“Is it okay if I hug my family when we get outside?” Carmen asks.

Jerome sighs deeply. “Carmen, I was just asking—”

“’Cause he can’t stay here. Your jealous ass might think we’re fucking or something.” Carmen responds.

“Carmen, he can stay.” Jerome responds. As the two walk outside, Jerome calls out to them, “Hey bruh, my bad! You can stay as long as you need to, okay?”

Carmen and De’Sean continue out into the front yard, out to the street and down the sidewalk without speaking a word. De’Sean looks pissed.

“You’re a disrespectful bitch.” De’Sean says angrily.

“You think I left work early just to come home and almost get busted fucking you on purpose?” Carmen whispers.

“It doesn’t matter. This shit is your fault. You’re the one that wouldn’t let me leave. You’re the one that wanted to go four and five rounds. I told you I was getting sleepy.” De’Sean whispers back.

“You’re right, baby. My bad.” Carmen responds.

“And I don’t appreciate you disrespecting me by putting my life in danger like that.” De’Sean continues.

Carmen grabs De’Sean by the arm, pulls him to her and puts her arms around his neck.

“I know, baby. You’re right and I’m sorry about everything, okay?” Carmen whines.

De’Sean’s anger subsides and his facial expression softens. Carmen kisses him passionately.

“That’ll never happen again, baby, okay? From now on, out of respect for you, I’ll start making his ass call before he comes home, okay?” Carmen says lovingly as the two embrace.

“Out of respect for me, you better.” De’Sean responds as the two kiss passionately again.