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Re: Collateral Damage
Nigel’s presence among the ladies seemed to make time stop. Each one of the ladies seemed to be acutely aware of each other. Allison felt as if she could hear Q’s actual heartbeat. Nigel looked at each of the ladies intently and once he was sure that he had given each of them an equal amount of attention, he said to Joy, “What’d you need?” Joy coughed and then said, “Just wanted to say what’s up. Oh and make sure those hurdles get back in the shed.” Nigel laughed and then asked, “Why am I putting hurdles back when I didn’t pull them out to begin with?” Joy was quick, “Don’t play with me.” Nigel put up his hands as if he was being held up and while laughing said, “I got you, Joy. I got you. I will get some kids to put them up.” He then looked around and said, “What are you ladies up to?” Felandre answered first, “Nothing. Watching the kids play and hanging.” Allison answered next, “Just hanging and watching the kids.” Allison was unnerved when she realized that her cheeks were suddenly hot. She looked down and began to clean her fingernails. Nigel looked at Q who was the only one left to answer. She didn’t answer, but gave a thumbs up instead.
The four sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few seconds. When Joy asked Nigel, “You headin’ out now?” Nigel answered, “Yup, as soon as I get those hurdles put away. Heading home. I want to get the grass cut before I loose the light.” Joy shook her head in an approving manner. Then he continued by asking, “What about you all?” The ladies hesitated to answer, as they wanted to allow the other to answer first. Finally Joy said, “Well you know I’ll be here until I have to go home.” Allison was relieved that Joy spoke first and once she took a breath she said, “Yeah, I am going to watch a few minutes more then head out. I should be getting home.” She was shocked to see that Nigel seemed to look right through her. Q answered next, “I’m doing nothing on particular. Matter of fact, you need help Nigel with those hurdles?” Time seemed to stop again. Allison hadn’t noticed until she heard Nigel respond, but she was volleying her eyes between the two, “Nah. I think I can handle it.” Q let out a sinister looking grin and then said, “Look at all those hurdles. Yeah, you’re gonna need help.” Allison suddenly felt nauseous and her cheeks felt hot again. She was horrified when she realized that she had stood up and located her keys. She said, “I better get going.” Felandre shot her a dirty look and then thought better. She then said, “you know, I better get going too.” Allison said her goodbyes to the ladies and then turned her attention to Nigel, “Good seeing you.” Nigel winked and then raised his hands to give her a high five.
Allison had never been more relieved. Somehow reaching her car and driving off the school’s parking lot seemed to make her begin to breath more easily.
Later that night Allison heard her cell phone ringing. She decided to let it go into voicemail. Instead of a tone indicating a voicemail, she heard the chime that indicated she had a new text. Within seconds she heard the chime again. Then another. Allison picked up her phone to read the following messages from Joy:
1. Find me in the morning! I am mad at you for leaving this afternoon!
2. Things took a nosedive after you left. Your girl has emotional problems for real.
3. She threatened 2 burn Nigel’s house down w/ his wife and kid in it. Who hell does that?
Allison's heart began to race again.
Nigel’s presence among the ladies seemed to make time stop. Each one of the ladies seemed to be acutely aware of each other. Allison felt as if she could hear Q’s actual heartbeat. Nigel looked at each of the ladies intently and once he was sure that he had given each of them an equal amount of attention, he said to Joy, “What’d you need?” Joy coughed and then said, “Just wanted to say what’s up. Oh and make sure those hurdles get back in the shed.” Nigel laughed and then asked, “Why am I putting hurdles back when I didn’t pull them out to begin with?” Joy was quick, “Don’t play with me.” Nigel put up his hands as if he was being held up and while laughing said, “I got you, Joy. I got you. I will get some kids to put them up.” He then looked around and said, “What are you ladies up to?” Felandre answered first, “Nothing. Watching the kids play and hanging.” Allison answered next, “Just hanging and watching the kids.” Allison was unnerved when she realized that her cheeks were suddenly hot. She looked down and began to clean her fingernails. Nigel looked at Q who was the only one left to answer. She didn’t answer, but gave a thumbs up instead.
The four sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few seconds. When Joy asked Nigel, “You headin’ out now?” Nigel answered, “Yup, as soon as I get those hurdles put away. Heading home. I want to get the grass cut before I loose the light.” Joy shook her head in an approving manner. Then he continued by asking, “What about you all?” The ladies hesitated to answer, as they wanted to allow the other to answer first. Finally Joy said, “Well you know I’ll be here until I have to go home.” Allison was relieved that Joy spoke first and once she took a breath she said, “Yeah, I am going to watch a few minutes more then head out. I should be getting home.” She was shocked to see that Nigel seemed to look right through her. Q answered next, “I’m doing nothing on particular. Matter of fact, you need help Nigel with those hurdles?” Time seemed to stop again. Allison hadn’t noticed until she heard Nigel respond, but she was volleying her eyes between the two, “Nah. I think I can handle it.” Q let out a sinister looking grin and then said, “Look at all those hurdles. Yeah, you’re gonna need help.” Allison suddenly felt nauseous and her cheeks felt hot again. She was horrified when she realized that she had stood up and located her keys. She said, “I better get going.” Felandre shot her a dirty look and then thought better. She then said, “you know, I better get going too.” Allison said her goodbyes to the ladies and then turned her attention to Nigel, “Good seeing you.” Nigel winked and then raised his hands to give her a high five.
Allison had never been more relieved. Somehow reaching her car and driving off the school’s parking lot seemed to make her begin to breath more easily.
Later that night Allison heard her cell phone ringing. She decided to let it go into voicemail. Instead of a tone indicating a voicemail, she heard the chime that indicated she had a new text. Within seconds she heard the chime again. Then another. Allison picked up her phone to read the following messages from Joy:
1. Find me in the morning! I am mad at you for leaving this afternoon!
2. Things took a nosedive after you left. Your girl has emotional problems for real.
3. She threatened 2 burn Nigel’s house down w/ his wife and kid in it. Who hell does that?
Allison's heart began to race again.
I didn't think it could get better and then it did
mebbe she think Nigel should have warned/told her that he is a playa....mebbe that's y......still psycho tho..... regardless.
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