Nookie (Nookie Series) by Anieshea Dansby Page A

room.
    Joy got up, went to his dresser and took out some sweatpants, a wife beater and a pair of his boxers. She then went to the bathroom, took a quick shower and got dressed. By the time she was done, Kevin had finished the meal and they sat at the table to eat. They had just finished eating, when the bell rang. Kevin answered the door and led the detectives in. He went into the bedroom, to give them some privacy.
    Detective Reynolds introduced himself and his partner, who just nodded at Joy and let Detective Reynolds do all the talking.
    “Do you remember what happened that night?” he began.
    “Up until the part when I hit my head.”
    “I’m sorry I have to tell you this, but both of your parents are dead.”
    “What? What happened?”
    “I know it’s a tough time for you just finding out, but you don’t really need the details right now.”
    “Tell me,” she insisted. “I want to know.”
    “Okay. Your uncle, Curtis Williams, called 911 and an ambulance. When the police responded, you were found unconscious. You were rushed to the hospital. Your mother was on the floor; she wasn’t breathing. The EMTs tried to resuscitate her but I’m sorry to say it was unsuccessful; she was pronounced dead on the scene. She was stabbed eight times with a butcher’s knife. Are you okay?” he asked when she gave no response.
    “What about my father?” she asked, still not showing any emotion.
    “Your father was shot and killed by the police when he resisted arrest and wouldn’t drop the knife he was holding.”
    “They’re both dead?” she said vacantly, her mind spinning. “I can’t believe it.”
    “Your uncle got away with only a few superficial cuts to the arm and chest from trying to stop your father. He was treated at the scene,” Detective Reynolds concluded, closing the notebook he was reading from. He took Joy’s calmness as her being in shock, and tried to comfort her. He gave her the name and number of a support group for children who lose their parents to violence. He then asked her to go over what she remembered. She told him about her father walking in on her mother fucking her uncle.
    Kevin came out of the bedroom when he heard them leave. The last thing Joy was feeling was sadness. She felt like her prayers had been answered. She was finally rid of them, and hopefully they had life insurance, she thought as Kevin held her and stroked her back.
    Her head began to hurt, so she took a pain pill. Before she knew it her eyes were closing and she was asleep in Kevin’s arm. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, laying her on the bed and then getting in beside her.

    Chapter Eighteen
    The smoke alarm was going off, but the noise seemed so far away to Joy as she floated in her drug-induced sleep. She heard her name being called over and over but she couldn’t respond. Kevin continued trying to wake her up. He gave up and went to the kitchen to try and get the alarm to stop. He burnt most of the bacon but took what wasn’t burnt out of the pan. He repeatedly fanned the alarm but wound up having to take the battery out.
    He then went back to again try and wake Joy, a little worried about the medicine being too strong. She was still breathing, at least, so he continued to shake her. She had slept twelve straight hours. He bent down and kissed her. She began to stir and then opened her eyes. He laughed out loud.
    “What’s so funny?” she asked, still groggy.
    “I’ve been trying to get you up for like an hour. I almost burnt down the kitchen trying to get you to wake up, and all it took was for me to kiss you.”
    “Damn. It’s almost one.”
    “Breakfast is almost ready. Well, lunch.”
    “Okay, but I’m not really hungry.”
    “Aight, that’s cool,” he said and left the room.
    Joy sat up and for the first time wondered about her uncle. She needed to go home and get her stuff. When Kevin came back into the room, she asked him to take her. So they hopped in the car and were