2002
Nebraska
"Darterrius..." Xue said to her husband across the breakfast table in their small apartment. "There are two things wrong with you."
Darterrius rolled his eyes, he knew where this was going, and he dreaded every second! He kept quiet as he continued to eat his cereal.
"First." She said. "You can't keep a job!"
After so many job changes since he finished school, he could hardly argue that.
"You have a kid, and now you have a wife, and you can't take care of either of us!" She said raising her voice.
Darterrius had gotten used to his wife's nagging, but he refused to listen to any complaints about his boy.
"Now listen here!" He declared with a mouthful of food.
"No, you listen!" She yelled. "I'm not complaining about your lack of love, I'm talking about money!"
"Oh." Was his reply as he spooned more food into his mouth.
"How many jobs has Tyreese gotten you?" She accused.
Darterrius thought on that, there were a few, the motel, the callsite, and now as a landlord. His old college friend had really taken care of him. He looked at his wife to see she was still talking.
He admired her tight and lean body, aside from sassing him over breakfast, she loved to run. She was Chinese-Canadian with brown eyes, and her brown dyed hair in a ponytail.
Regardless of her pissy mood, he now wanted to bed her before hitting the gym, she however had other plans.
"Secondly you can't keep that dick of yours in your pants!" She stated sternly.
Darterrius didn't catch a word of it, he was daydreaming about his college days, back when his wife would only have sex when she was 'asleep'. He missed those days!
"Darterrius!" She said loudly. "I bet you're thinking about sex right now?"
"Uh... yeah, I am." He replied sheepishly.
"I want you to get out!" She yelled.
"Huh? Why?" He said confused.
"Weren't you listening?" She asked angrily.
"Spell it out for me, its early." He said trying to buy time to figure her out.
"I want you to leave and not to come back until you solve your two problems." She said staring him in the eyes.
Smiling he thought he had the answer. "I have a job, and if you have time we can get a quickie in before we both enjoy our weekend!"
"You really are a chuckle-head aren't you?" She said trying to hold in her own laughter.
Darterrius sighed knowing that he saved his marriage for another day.
"I want you to get more money!" She roared once she was composed. "You have a kid! I want to have kids with you, we don't have the cash to do it!"
"Ugh." He said under his breath.
"I don't want you to return until you have extra money." She said pointing to the door. "I don't care how you get it! I just ask that you remember that you're married!"
Darterrius was still baffled, but he had finished his breakfast, plus he knew how he could get some extra cash quickly! He kissed his wife stating that he'd be back soon with money, and with the expectation of taking his pants off!
Twenty minutes later he pulled up to one of the apartment buildings he was responsible for. One of the tenants owed him some money, he could collect, then hit the gym and be home for sex and lunch!
"Hey amigo!" He said banging on the door. "Open up!"
"Si? Who is it?" Replied a female voice.
"It's his buddy Darterrius!" He said with a laugh. "Let him know I'm here."
The door opened and he was greeted by a slim and petite brown skinned Latina. She had her shoulder length black hair loose and wore a simple white and red flora printed sundress. Darterrius was instantly smitten by her as he fumbled for words.
"Hola amiga." He tried to say. "Is Don Carlos around."
"My name is Débora, par favor." She said as her face went from a smile to a frown. "And please don't call him Don."
"Oh?" He said as she let him in. "I guess I'll call him Carlos the Jackal?"
Débora didn't laugh at his joke, but did call for Carlos as she led him into the small apartment. He was seated on the sofa playing a video game with his back to them.
"Who is it?" Carlos asked, too engrossed in his game to look over his shoulder.
"Es ese mono que recoge el dinero del alquiler." Débora said calmly.
"Come back next week for the rent money." Carlos whined.
"I'm not here for the rent." Darterrius said. "Say, whatcha playin?"
"Vice City." Was the quick response from Carlos.
"It's out for sale?" Darterrius asked.
"Come on Tonto..." Carlos teased still playing his game. "I got connections!"
Darterrius frown at all this Spanish being used, he took one course in Latin back in his school days, but it didn't prepare him for all this fast talking. Débora huffed at the lack of attention she was getting and left the room. Darterrius couldn't take his eyes off her ass!
"Say how's that Creatine working for you?" Darterrius said pointing at the large plastic bin next to the TV.
"It's good." Carlos said. "Can you show yourself out? I'm kinda busy."
Darterrius was getting fed up with the lack of focus he was getting from Carlos, this was supposed to be a simple cash pick up! He strode around the small sofa to stand in front of the TV.
"Yo man, I need you to focus up." Darterrius said.
"Darterrius!" Carlos complained. "I'm busy here!"
"I gave you that stuff to help build some muscle." He said jerking a thumb to the container. "I need you to pay me for it."
Carlos tried to ignore the tall muscular black man standing before him. Darterrius was six foot two and played football in college, his wide frame made it very challenging for Carlos to keep playing.
"Come on! I'm trying to evade the cops in the game!" Carlos shrilled.
"Pay me up, and I'm gone!" Darterrius stated loudly.
Débora yelled something incoherent in Spanish from the other room. Carlos in a rage paused his game before standing up into the tall black man's face.
"Get out!" Carlos roared.
This wasn't the scenario Darterrius envisioned, he took a breath before speaking.
"Yo, chill man!" He said calmly. "I'm not here to see how strong you've become, I just wanna get paid up."
Carlos fumed at his words, in addition to his gaming he had been hitting the weights hard. He had gained muscle, but not as much as he had hoped. He felt as if Darterrius were mocking him.
"Fuck you!" Carlos yelled throwing a punch.
Football had paid for college, but Darterrius' first love was always boxing. Carlos' punch was feeble, and with a slight move of his shoulder Darterrius dodged it.
Carlos looked astonished at this and swung his fist again, all the while roaring out his frustration. Darterrius laughed as he stepped backwards escaping the second attack; he felt like a young Cassius Clay outwitting a slow opponent.
"Come on man." He said laughing. "Cut that shit out."
Carlos ignored Darterrius' calm words and started swinging in a rage! Darterrius weaved and bobbed around each attack as he moved cautiously towards the door. He had no intention of either letting the crazed man hit him, or striking back. Tyreese, his boss made it very clear that neither sex or fighting with tenants would be tolerated.
Darterrius could hear Débora yelling, then screaming as Carlos missed him and punched a wall. For his part he laughed at how poorly his would be attacker was coming at him, not once did he try to kick, or throw something at him.
When his back touched the wall, Darterrius held out his hands motioning for an end as he spoke.
"Chill man!" He said. "I ain't hit you yet, but I will if you swing at me again."
As if he words were a feather in the wind Carlos threw that final punch! It hit Darterrius in the stomach; Carlos stepped back shaking his hand in agony. Darterrius was both unhurt and unimpressed!
"It's time I give you your first lesson in boxing." He said cocking his fist in the air.
Débora must have sensed what was going to happen, she appeared literally out of no where to throw herself like Pocahontas between the two combatants. Darterrius held his instrument of destruction in the air waiting for an excuse to bring it down.
"Stop!" She cried. "Please stop!"
"Honey, that's what I been tell this loser all this time!" Darterrius stated.