Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Flor Bonita


Meek Rollins and I went to the studio the next day. I recorded all six of Chet Cook's compositions with the house band he had at the studio. I downloaded them to an attachment and e-mailed them to "88" back in Philadelphia, with instructions for him and the boys to listen to them and practice them.. Meek had agreed to Produce all six of the compositions for my next LP, Which I was going to call "Sketches of Carlotta". We worked for about six or seven hours in the studio and then called it a day.

That afternoon, He and Yolanda Prentis, Debbie and I strolled along the beautiful beach and into the town. We watched a group of guys playing the congas and other percussion instruments for money and also to the delight of a small crowd in a back street. We then stopped at two local watering holes and had drinks....

"Reed..I know a great restaurant further in town that has the best food...Won't you two join us tonight?"said Meek.

''Well uh Meek, I don't know..."I said.

"Come on Reed, it'll make up for the other night when we kind of stood you up, Debbie, talk to your man." said Meek.

"Come on Reed..." said Debbie.

"Oh Alright." I said.

The restaruant was located in the business district amongst a few medium sized office buildings.. It was small, but very fashionable. We went in my car..

"Hey, you guys go in and get a seat...I'll park." I said. Debbie, Meek Rollins and Yolanda Prentis went inside the restaraunt. I parked my car.....As I was getting out I happened to notice out of the corner of my eyes..Carlotta!!!! She was with the tall muscular gentleman I had seen the night before...He had her up against the wall...They were kissing passionately..He was trying to put his hand up her dress, but she was moving it...

"Ummmmm..ohhh..ohhhhh Garvin stop, stop...ouuuuuuu..stop, not here, someone will see us." she said.

"I don't care...I can't take my hands off of you." he moaned...

"Ohhhhh..I'm not sure ,I want you to...but we have to stop..I was supposed to be home an hour ago." she said.

"Just a little more...come on..please....come into my car.." he begged..

"No Garvin..no...ohhhhhhhhhhhh..ouuuuuu..stopppppppp!" she cooed ,while continuing to kiss him. Finally he opened the back door of his car and she slid in. He slid in and closed the door...

"Ummmmmmmph..." he groaned..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.." she moaned...

The car began to bounce up and down furiously.....I couldn't bare anymore. I walked away...I felt so sorry for Chet....He was so in love...and so delusional. How could he not see through this woman? It almost made me not want to play his music....Yet his music was written with true, honest and pure emotions.

I entered the restaraunt and sat down with Meek, Yolanda and Debbie.

"Everything alright Reed, you look like you seen a ghost?" said Meek.

"I think I did." I responded.

"Oh Reed..Nothing a little good food can't remedy." said Debbie as she and Yolanda looked at each other in that conspiratorial way that women could look at each other.

I hoped that Garvin and Carlotta had finished their little tryst and were gone by the time we finished dinner. I hadn't even told Meek Rollins what I had seen or Debbie for that matter...This man, this beautiful musician, Chet Cook deserved
more dignity than that.

We finished eating and we continued hanging out...We went to a club that reminded me of Josie's at home...A local band was playing there and everyone was drinking and hanging out.. By the time we got to the parking lot and my car. Garvin and Carlotta were gone...

We dropped Meek and Yolanda off and then we drove to our villa. I picked up my trumpet and played a little bit, While Debbie sat and watched attentively...
While I was finishing up my number..There was a knock on my door.

It was Chet Cook...He looked disheveled and sweaty....like he hadn't been to sleep in days..

"Reed..I need to use your car..I-I-I-mean I need you to drive me somewhere..I've wrecked my car." he said.

''Oh my God...Are you alright ?" asked Debbie.

For the first time he managed a smile....

"I'm not sure." he said.

"Let me get my keys...Deb...I'll be back in a few okay?"I said.

"Sure Reed." she said.

He slid into the passenger side and I got in my rental car and pulled off. He directed me back in town, pass the business section and into a beautiful urban section, There were a few High Rises....One in particular...The Flor Bonita.

"Hey Chet...Where are we going?" I asked...

"I hope we are going to a place where I won't find her." he said.

"Who?" I asked, even though I knew.

I parked in front of the high rise....Chet leaped out....He didn't take the elevator,
he ran up the seven flights of stairs...I followed him, amazed at his energy...
He ran to the middle of the hallway and slammed his palms on the door...
I heard the sounds of many beds squeaking and the joyful noises of several people in the throes of coitial passion...What kind of place was this?

Garvin came to the door...He was shirtless, wearing only boxer shorts...Chet pushed past him and there in the bed, clad only in a bra and panties was Carlotta!

''Oh My God Chet...This isn't what it looks like...Oh..I swear." she yelled in pure panic. I didn't know about her, but it sure looked like something to me!

"What are you doing here? Why did you bring Mr. Nelson? Ohhhhhhh my lorddddddd!" she yelled , jumping up and pulling the bed spread off of the bed and covering herself...

"Carlotta...I-I- can't believe this...I've given you everything...I've been devoted to you...You've agreed to be my wife....and you're , you're cheating on me ...with him??" said Chet.

"Wait a minute, you know this guy?" I said.

"Yes...He is a cook at one of the big eating establishments in town...I've seen how he looked at her when I've brought her in his place of business to eat...I've seen his name on your phone's caller ID many many times" snarled Chet eyeing Carlotta.

"You went in my phone? Oh my God Chet...You don't trust me?" she said.

Was something getting by me here? This was the second time in just a few minutes she had said something stupid. Even Garvin did a double take and looked at her funny. Garvin flexed one of his biceps and then finally he spoke-

"I think you should leave Chet...We have just finished making love for the second time today...I bring sounds out of your lady that you can never bring out of her..She screams louder than your trumpet..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." he laughed.

"Are you bragging Garvin?" sneered Chet!

Chet spit on the floor and looked at Carlotta in red hot anger...

"You WHORE!" he screamed...

"Chet please...I can explain everything." she said.

"What is there to explain?...You lied to me..You said you had to work late at the office. I decided to surprise you with your favorite flowers and some dinner that I prepared.I went to the office and they told me that they didn't call you in and that you hadn't been to work in two days..That you had called out sick. I went to his lousy restaraunt and they gave me the same story..that he had called out sick. I followed you last night...I saw you leaving this place..your hair all messed up..Your clothes wrinkled...You disgust me." he said.

"Lousy Restaurant??...Now wait a minute..that's a five star establishment, one of the best on the island..." protested Garvin.

Both Chet and I gave him a side eye...He managed a weak smile and then shrugged his shoulder.


Carlotta began to cry....Garvin looked at her in disgust, then turned to Chet.

"You can have her Chet...Apparently she's been lying to me as well as you..I don't need her anymore... I've had as much of her as I need anyway..I'm satisfied, AHHhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha." He laughed.

"You dog..you said you loved me." she said in derision and then began crying even more..

"I loved making love to you...I don't know if I said that I loved you." said Garvin.

Chet then pulled a gun out that he had had concealed on him....Before anyone could do anything..He turned and fired! The gunshot sounded like the loudest thing I had ever heard!

Garvin grabbed his side...blood and intestines seemed to be pouring out of the huge hole in him....

"I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS...I HAVE BEEN SHOT! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ,ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
he said and fell to the floor!

"There..Do you make sounds like that when you make love?" asked Chet as he put his gun away and ran down the hall!

"Chet!, ChettTTTTTTT...come back!" I screamed..but it was too late...He was gone...People came into the hallway, one woman screamed......Carlotta screamed!

I went over to Garvin....He wasn't dead....but he was bleeding profusely...I took a towel and tried to stop the bleeding, but the white towel turned a crimson red pretty fast.

II-
The Emergency wagon got there pretty fast considering....So did the police...I had to give them a report... Meek, Yolanda and Debbie arrived shortly after the authorities did..( I had called Meek after the shooting, told him everything...)

Meek And I gave a statement to the police and followed the ambulance to the hospital. We didn't know Garvin...but he was a fellow human being...Carlotta went to the hospital too....Not with us....Nobody wanted to talk to her or even look at her.

I got up and walked outside of the hospital...It was December, but here it was 90 degree weather..I was hot....Meek Rollins walked outside behind me...

"Wow man, never a dull moment eh?" he laughed...I wasn't in a laughing mood..
Not tonight!

(Conclusion Next)

6 comments:

Jazzy said...

This done got deep fam!

Lisa said...

I knew Chet was going to find out about those two...It's a wonder he didn't run into them sooner since they can't seem to keep their hands
(as well as other parts) off of each other.

Halo said...

Wow! This went south real fast...
Can't wait to see how this ends up!

Vanessa said...

This is mad crazy! Can't wait until tonight at midnight!

Cheryl said...

Chet, a jilted lover shoots his rival....Maybe Reed can get him off
by saying he was under extreme duress or something...But I forgot,Reed is just a trumpet player..You'd need Robert Foxworth for this...Oh by the way,where is he anyway?

Brenda said...

I'm surprised somebody wasn't throwing their panties after reading this...Those two were hot to trot...It's a wonder Chet didn't catch them in the act or at least get told about them from somebody else...Maybe he did!