This story is about Nautica and her friend Frenchie and their adventures that they have encountered while living in Virginia.  This tale is one that will leave you spell bounded  and wondering the whodunit in this story.  The series of events will leave you guessing and surprised at the chaos caused while living away from home.

We sat in the car and thirty minutes later Tim pulled up in his Escalade. Nautical wanted to get out of the car to confront him, but I talked her out of it until we had some specifics. It was hard but we left the club and headed home. She cried and laughed all the way home. This was frightening because I could see that she was mad as hell. Laughing and crying at the same time-this is really schizoid!

When we arrived at home, Nautical’s cell phone rang and it was Tim asking if she would be coming out. She stated that we would be there if he was willing to wait for her to change clothes. He told her where he was and she told him that we would be there in 30 minutes. She decided to go in her vehicle this time because she felt more comfortable driving her own car, just in case she had to run a nigger over. I did not like the sound of that but I went with her.
After arriving at the club, we made it no secret that we knew Chester and Wayne. The only lie was that we had met them weeks ago and it was only briefly. Wayne was a little tipsy at this point and began to talk about Tim and his wife Ann. Tim attempted to shut him up but to no avail. We could see that Tim was getting angry. He began shaking and his voice getting louder.

 Nautical asked Tim what Wayne was talking about and he continued to state that Wayne did not know what he was saying. Chester, Nautical and I enjoyed seeing Tim cringe and try to defend himself against the statements made by Wayne.
Eventually Wayne took Nautical aside to talk with her before Tim slapped the taste out of Wayne’s mouth. As Chester and I sat talking we heard this loud slap from across the room. Nautical had slapped Tim and told him that she would be finding out the truth and that the end result would not be fun.
 
She stormed out of the bar with me running behind her. I asked her what was wrong and she stated that she was upset because Tim continued to lie about the situation. After arriving home and getting to bed, I could hear my friend crying during the night.

The next morning, while getting ready for work Nautical stated that she would be finding out the truth today. I asked how she would be doing that and she said that our friend Eunice from human resources could become a big help. She would be asking Eunice for Tim’s personnel file today to see if there was a wife listed.

Nautical stopped in personnel before going to her building and asked Eunice for the file. Eunice had questions but dared not ask a great deal of questions of management. I already knew the answer by the look on Nautical’s face. I could see the tears in my friend’s eyes and behind her face. The façade that she tried to put on for Eunice failed miserably and we both had to escort her to the restroom.

Nautical freshened up her makeup and claimed that she was fine and that things would work themselves out. Nautical met Tim at Applebee’s after work and talked at great length about their situation. He said that he had referred to Ann as his “wifey” some months ago. Things had turned for the worse and he only kept her around because of their son TJ. Tim also said that the two of them use to be an item, but things had changed because of her drug use and jealous rages. He stated that he did not want her to have to deal with all of that and that was his reason for not telling her. Nautical cried softly and placed her head on Tim’s shoulder. She finally told him that she was four weeks pregnant.

While Nautical and Tim were talking, lurking in the corner of the restaurant was Ann, TJ and Ann’s mother. Her mother had spotted the two of them and informed Ann of the couple in the corner. Ann’s face was red as a beet and she stood up to approach the table with TJ straddled on her side, but her mother stopped her and told her that there was more than one way to skin a cat.
 
They both stormed out of the restaurant without being seen by Nautical or Tim.

Tim was still excited about the news that Nautical had given him the evening before. This was a joyful time for the couple so he spent the night at her place. He even asked her to marry him and Nautical agreed to marry him.
 
They went to work together the next morning, and he dropped Nautical off at her office and sped off to his work site. Just as he was arriving, his supervisor informed him that Ann had called five times already and he did not need the constant interruption from her all day. Tim stated that he would talk with her about the constant calls. As he was explaining this to his supervisor, there was a loud boom on the intercom announcing that Tim Biggs should report to the personnel office with his supervisor.

Upon arriving at the personnel office, Tim saw Ann, her mother and TJ through the glass door. She was crying and TJ was crying also. He entered the office and took his son from Ann’s mother and kissed him on his cheek, through his tears. Ann’s mother, who was released from Healing and Blessings Mental Health Center two months ago, stopped taking her medication. She is a known psychopath who has no regard for anything. She could kill and then go home and eat an ice cream cone with no remorse. She doesn’t want to kill Tim, she just wants him to suffer and they plan on making Nautical suffer also. He then looked at Ann and asked her what the problem was. She looks at Tim with hatred and then she looked at her mother and informed the personnel superintendent that Tim had done something hideous to her and she would be making a formal statement to the police, but wanted to talk with his supervisor at his place of employment first.

She alleged that Tim had physically abused her and left marks on her body that could be seen only when she undressed. Her mother stated that this was true and that she had to coax Ann to tell someone. Tim constantly denied the allegations and stated that Ann was a crazy woman and that she was only after revenge. Ann’s mother escorted her daughter and TJ out of the office with Ann crying hysterically. She only cried this way because she was not proud of herself for lying on Tim and crying because she definitely knew that their relationship was over.
 
She let her mother talk her into this deceit and she wanted to die. After all Tim had treated her and TJ wonderfully and she knew that she would always feel protected when she was in his home. Now she would have to move on and this was killing her slowly.

Tim was relieved of his duties until further notice and he left the office. He stopped by Ann’s office to inform her of what had just taken place. He could barely believe the incident himself. He would be going home to pack some of his belongings because he could not put TJ on the streets regardless of what Ann’s crazy mother had done. He just knew that he could not stay there another night. Being that he had driven to work with Nautical, he would pick her up later. Tim was glad that no one was at the apartment when he arrived. He quickly packed his clothes and was out of the door when Ann arrived at the apartment. She ran into his arms and told him that she was sorry and that her mother made her do those horrible things. He informed her that
she was welcome to stay at the apartment, but he had to move. The police arrived at this moment and stated that he was under arrest for sexual assault and battery. Tim could not believe his ears, but he walked away with the officers who had just handcuffed him for a charge he never committed.

Nautical paced her office back and forth wondering why Tim was late picking her up and not answering his phone. I had heard all of this distressing news from Wayne called her friend. Nautical could not believe this was happening. After all, Tim had asked her to marry him. She asked Frenchie to come get her because she had some unfinished business to attend to.
She asked Frenchie to take her to the apartment to get her spare keys and then to Tim’s so she could retrieve her car. In the meantime, Tim had been bailed out of jail by Wayne and had gone to the apartment to retrieve his belongings and to see his son. While there he explained the situation to Ann, and told her that he is getting married and that she and her mother can stay at the apartment. He then asked Ann for a drink, but her mother got the drink instead and crept back into the room with a baseball bat. She quickly hits Tim on the head and knocked him out. Ann’s mother explained to her that the blame for all of this will be placed on Nautical and that there would be no wedding.

They place Tim’s limp body in the trunk of Nautical’s car and went back into the house.
 
As Nautical approached the car, I noticed that the car had scratches along the bumper. This was a foul and dirty game played against my friend, but I knew that Nautical could handle her own, even in her condition.

Ann came running out of the apartment. It would seem that she had been looking out the window all night for someone to come and get the car. She ran out of the apartment and screamed in Nautical’s face saying that Tim loves her and she will never give him up. I told Ann to watch herself and to check out the bumper of her car. She screamed and stated that the entire driver side has been keyed and that she was calling the police. Ann told Nautical to shut up and to stay away from Tim. Nautical was angry and she pushed Ann out of the way so that she could get into the car. Ann falls and tells Nautical that she will not forget the incident and to always watch her back.

Nautical tried to remain calm for her sake and for the baby’s sake. Ann went back into the apartment where she cried herself to sleep. After not hearing from Tim the entire night, Nautical decided to do her regular routine and prepare for her wedding. She had asked the minister from her church to perform the ceremony and invited a few friends from her job. She called me and asked if I had heard anything from Wayne stated that she had not heard anything.
 
I always see the brighter side of situations stated that maybe Tim and Wayne had got wasted at the bachelor party and were relaxing. She further stated that the bride and groom were not supposed to see each other before the wedding. Nautical felt better after talking with her best friend.
 
I picked Nautical up and they went shopping, got their hair done and did last minute things. It was getting near the time for the wedding and they never thought another minute about Tim and Wayne.

This brings us to this point of my friend being stood up at the altar. Ann and her mother, who were not invited to the wedding, enter the church behind the police. Ann is screaming that she had not seen Tim since he went to the house the night before. Ann told to the police that Tim had come by earlier to pick up some of his belongings, but decided not to because he had talked with Ann and decided to stay. He went to tell this to Nautical to cancel their wedding plans but had not returned. Nautical looked at Ann and asked where Tim was. Wayne finally entered and explained that he has not seen Tim and thought that he was with Nautical. He figured that he got caught up in traffic and that was his reason for being late. Ann informed the police that Nautical was at her place last night to retrieve her car and assumed that Tim had met with her to give her the bad news about the wedding. Ann’s mother stated that Tim had planned to raise Nautical’s and his child and felt that Nautical would not like that idea. She further stated that Tim felt that there would be a confrontation.

Everyone in the church was flabbergasted and shocked to hear this news. Gossip began to fill the church and the speculations as to the whereabouts of Tim Biggs. The police quietly informed Nautical that she needed to come to the station to answer some questions. Wayne and I informed the guest of the situation and that we would get back with them as to another date for the occasion.

Nautical was hysterical during the questioning at headquarters. Her emotions were honest and the officers felt that she was telling the truth about her feelings for her lover and that Ann was just another home wrecker.
 
Nautical was afraid as to what Ann and her mother could be telling the police, but she wanted her man and her marriage to happen. The officers finally came to question her and informed her that they wanted to search her apartment.

Being that she was feeling violated and had nothing to hide, but with the allegations coming from Ann and her mother she informed them that she would not be answering anymore questions. This seemed suspicious to the officers, because if she had nothing to hide then there was no need for an attorney. After a couple of days had passed with no word from Tim, Ann and her mother continuously called the police station inquiring about Tim and the investigation. They were informed that they had finally received a warrant for Nautical’s apartment and would be acting on that. Nautical was about to leave her apartment when the police arrived with the warrant. She informed them that she was on her way to North Carolina and had no time for the inconvenience. She called her lawyer and was informed by her attorney that she would have to oblige the officers. He had to be in court in ten minutes but he would talk with her once he returned to his office.

As she was about to hang up an officer told her that she was being arrested for murder and that she needed to place her hands behind her back. She began asking why and who was murdered. He stated that they had found Tim’s body in her car. He read her the Miranda rights and escorted her to the awaiting patrol car.

While in questioning, she told the officers that she had no idea Tim was dead. She stated that she had nothing to do with the murder. She informed the officer of her condition and stated that she needed to see a doctor, because she felt that she was spotting, and was worried about the baby.
 
She was rushed to the hospital and stated that she needed to call her lawyer and Tim’s friend Wayne. She called her attorney who informed her not to talk any further with the police and that he would be by the hospital in the morning to speak with her. Wayne arrived and informed the officer guarding the room that he was Nautical’s brother and would only be a minute. He was given permission to speak with her.

They spoke of their love for each other and Wayne informed her that things would be taken care of because he did not want her to have their child in jail.
 
Wayne and Nautical had discovered Tim’s body in the car the night Nautical picked up her car. While in the garage, Wayne met her and they started talking. Tim had awakened from the blows to his head and was in and out of consciousness. He overheard Nautical and Wayne talk of their undying love for each other and how they wanted to be together. They had not wanted to hurt their friends, but had to be honest because of their baby that was to be born soon.

Wayne opened the trunk of the car and saw Tim. He stated that they had to do something with Tim and they had to come up with a plan. They were a little slow with planning because things were happening too quickly. Nautical was supposed to meet Wayne and they were going to North Carolina together to dispose of the body.
 
The officer guarding the door overheard the conversation and called his superior officer to inform him of what he had heard.
Wayne and Nautical were both arrested for the murder of Tim Biggs. 

****** 

Beatheia Weeks is the author of “Living A Lie” as well as other novels and poems.  New to writing, she welcomes all ideas and insights from her readers.  She lives in the rural section of northeast North Carolina.  You can learn more at bunnys-place.com