Part Three
Recap
Devin: Kim, where are you? Please answer me.
Devin: Please. Just give me a chance to explain.
Devin: I’ll do anything
I felt the anger boiling within me. The water was dripping from my pot and I was ready to explode. My teary eyes stared at the phone. It took another 10 minutes for me to decide whether to reply. Finally, I chose.
Kim: I have to go into the office today. We can meet after work, I’ll send you the address later.
Devin: Okay.
I dropped my phone in my purse, grabbed my bags and headed towards the bedroom door. I was stopped by what felt like a powerful force. Once again, my mind told me to keep walking but my feet wouldn’t move.
What are you going to do Kim? Kill Devin? You’ve already murdered Kia or did you forget? Her body is still in your trunk. Are you going to get rid of two bodies then disappear? That screams suspicion.
My thoughts were cycling rapidly. Suddenly the plan I had mapped out no longer seemed like a good one. Kia was really gone. I had her body stashed in my trunk. Another though appeared.
I heard Kamia go downstairs after she’d left my room. The extra set of keys to my car that I always kept were downstairs.
Her bags. The trunk.
Fuck, the trunk.
I’m no longer stuck but running down the stairs.
“Kamia, Kamia! Where are you?” I’m yelling.
“Ka—.”
“Mama? I’m right here. Why are you yelling?” She appeared from the living room.
Breathe Kim.
“Do you have your bags?”
“They’re in the living room. Is it time to go?”
Thank God.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
When Devin and I first started dating my mother was among the group of those who disapproved. However, I knew Kamia and I were always welcome at her house. What would I tell her though? That I caught her daughter fucking my husband? That I had killed my own sister and Devin was next on my hit list? I considered staying at a hotel to avoid explanation but I had already told Kamia we’d be staying with Grandma.
As we neared the car I told Kamia to sit her bags down and get in the car, I’d put them in the trunk. I checked my surroundings to make sure that no one was outside. It was going on 8:00AM and I knew the neighborhood well enough to know most who worked 1st shift left around 6:30 or 7:00AM. I popped the trunk and was greeted with a foul smell.
She was rotting.
I gagged, forcing myself to keep down the vomit making its way through my body. I had to get rid of her asap. There was no way I could put our bags in there with that smell. Slamming the trunk shut I head for the back door. Once the bags were inside I walked to my side of the car and prepared an explanation.
“I forgot I had brought some things home from the office yesterday and they’re still in the trunk.”
She nods, letting me know she understands. My mother lives about 45 minutes away but as I drove, it felt like we’d sat in the car for hours.
As I turned into the neighborhood where most of my childhood was spent, I noticed a black Ford Fusion, like Devin’s. It couldn’t have been his though, how would he know we were on our way to mom’s. Although I was close enough to see the make of the car the tinted windows prevented me from seeing who was driving. Saying a silent prayer, I pulled into the driveway of the house I grew up in. My gut told me some shit was about to go down. Kamia had fallen asleep on the drive over so she hadn’t seen the car. Gently tapping her, she came to and sat up.
“We’re here.” I said with more harshness than intended.
As we got out the car to grab our bags, I turned to see if the car was still sitting at the entrance and it was. I wanted to get Kamia in the house first just in case it was him. So, I helped her carry the two bags she had to the door. Knocking twice, we waited patiently for my mother to find her way to the front room.
“What a surprise!” She smiled while opening the door.
“Hi Grandma.” Kamia yawns.
“Hey baby,” She reaches out for a hug.
“Mom… how are you?” I step into the house behind Kamia.
“I’m alive.” She chuckles. She glanced down at Kamia’s hefty bags a total of four times. I knew she was eager to question me but wouldn’t dare talk “grown folk business” with her teenaged grandchild sitting in her face.
Kamia must have picked up on it too because she broke the silence, “Can I go watch TV in your room Grandma?”
“Of course. Just don’t be messing ‘round in there.”
Once she knew that Kamia was out of earshot she began to dig.
“He finally left huh?”
I remained quiet.
With a sigh she continued, “Kimberly, I told you years ago that man was too old for you. Told you eventually he’d go lookin’ for something else. A young girl, just like the one he met that day at the gas station. But did you listen?”
I kept my head down.
“But did you listen? No. You had a baby by this man before you could experience life. He was dang near 30 and you couldn’t even drink legally. He was too damn old, creepin’ ‘round with girl’s fresh out of high school. So, what made you think he wouldn’t eventually go back on the hunt?”
Silence.
“Kimberly Nicole Kirk.” She used my maiden name.
“What made you think this man wouldn’t eventually go creepin’ again and leave your behind?” She kept pushing….
Finally, …
“Love mom.” I cried. “Fucking love!”
I never curse around her and was certain she was envisioning popping me in the mouth. Instead she stood up and wrapped her arms around me. We stayed like that for 10 minutes and the silence spoke louder than any words she could have said to try and comfort me.
“I need to go get my bags out of the car.” I broke away from her love.
“Okay baby.”
I retrieve my keys from my pocket and head for the door. As I’m walking to unlock my car door, the tinted Ford Fusion approaches.
“Shit.”
The car pulls up to the house and parks. The engine shuts off, front door slowly opens, and out steps my husband.
“Kim…”
He clearly wasn’t as clever as Kia because he approached me, reaching out his arm to touch me.
“Don’t you touch me.” I say through clenched teeth.
What the hell is he doing here?
“What the hell are you doing here Devin?”
Wait… what if he’s been following me this whole time? How else would he have known where I was headed?
Kamia.
“I thought you said you had to go into the office today? Why lie?”
I chuckle, “Lie? Well if it ain’t the pot calling the kettle black.”
He stood silently watching me grab my bags. I had three which were heavy so I sat the heaviest duffel bag down on the ground while I grabbed the other two. I turned around just in time to see Devin trying to grab it off the ground. Anger took over and I forcefully kicked his hand.
“Ahh!” He stumbled but managed to balance himself.
I brushed past him, putting all my energy into dragging my bags which somehow seemed heavier than they’d been prior to arriving.
“Kim. Please!” He begged.
I kept walking. He was ruining my plan. I needed to get rid of him until I knew exactly what my next move would be. Turning, I looked him dead in the eyes, “Look. I told you I’d text you the location we’d meet at. Until then there’s nothing to discuss.”
His expression told me he saw the disgust in my eyes and heard the hate in my voice.
“Okay.” He looks away.
I turn, walking back to the front door.
“I still love you Kim.” If I had a bat I would have dropped my bags and beat the cheater and the liar out of him.
I was finally back in the house and once I sat my bags down I peeked out the blinds to make sure he had left. I sighed, the car was gone. I marched straight into my mother’s room. Taking a deep breath, I loudly told Kamia to get up. She had fallen asleep while watching TV.
“You talked to your father and told him where we were going?” I was pissed but tried to stay calm.
“What are you talking about mama?” She looked puzzled.
I lost my patience.
“Why would you tell your father where we would be? When did you even speak with him? What were you thinking Kamia?”
“Mama, I swear I didn’t. You can check my phone, why would I go behind your back?” She started to cry.
I immediately felt bad and realized she was telling the truth. He had to have been following us. That was the only conclusion I could come to.
I walked over to the bed, sat down, and wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m sorry.” I said.
She broke down and I tried my hardest to hold back tears. Once she laid back down I debated on whether I’d lay down and sleep for a bit or go get rid of Kia’s body. My body was screaming that it needed a break but my mind kept going back to the trunk. I slowly got up from the bed so I didn’t wake Kamia. I tried to sneak to the front door like the teenage me sneaking out the house late night. As soon as I unlocked the door mom’s voice startled me.
“Where are you headed?”
Shit.
“To the office mom. I told them I’d be late this morning. Kamia is back there sleeping.”
“Okay. You be safe.”
Truth is I wasn’t sure of what I’d do to get rid of her body, I just knew time was running out. Getting into the car, I thought of burning her that way she would be gone…for good.
Suddenly it hit me…
Images flash
“Daddy, daddy! Look at me!” Kia screamed trying to get Dads attention.
“Look at my girls, swimming!” He smiled.
I hated swimming. Every summer he’d take Kia and I to White Lake and put us in the water. Kia wanted so desperately to be the golden child that she’d go above and beyond to get his approval. I loved my father but despised him for bringing us to this place. He always assured us that one day bringing us here and making us swim would pay off.
“You were right dad.” I spoke to his spirit.
I started up the car and headed to the nearest Home Depot. On my way there I could have sworn heard some ringing and vibrating. Was I delusional due to my lack of sleep?
Okay Kim, you got this.
Walking through the Home Depot entrance I knew exactly what I was here for. I needed to buy two concrete blocks, rope, and gloves. After picking up the rope and gloves I needed some assistance to find the blocks.
“Excuse me.” I flagged down an employee.
“How can I help you?”
“Where can I find your concrete blocks?”
The man paused as if he was wondering why a woman would be purchasing concrete blocks but he kept those comments to himself.
“I’ll show you.” He offered a smile.
They weren’t as heavy as I thought they would be and they were only $1.22 apiece. I thanked the man and headed to check out.
40 minutes later…
I arrived at White Lake and went to work. As soon as I opened the trunk I realized what I had forgotten. Something to cover my mouth and nose. I wasn’t sure which was worse, the smell or the sight of my sisters rotting corpse. Once I drug her body from the car to the lake. I returned to my car for the blocks and rope.
This is it Kim.
I decided to tie her feet together then tie one of the blocks to her feet.
“I wish it hadn’t come to this Kia. I still love you.” I said my final goodbyes and began rolling her body towards the lake.
“Ahhh!” I cried out of hurt and frustration. With one final push, her body splashed into the water and quickly disappeared. I felt weak and my legs gave out on me. I rolled onto my back and stared at the cloudy sky.
“Why did you do this to me?” I had always believed in the Lord but these past two days made me question everything.
“Fuck you.” The tears ran down my face. The pain of a broken heart was becoming unbearable. If it wasn’t for Kamias life, I’d have killed myself as soon as I left the scene. I didn’t even know if I could be her mother anymore…
Finding the strength to get up. I walked back to my car. I heard the ringing and vibrating again, this time it was clearer. I opened the trunk and retrieved Kia’s phone. She had numerous missed called and text messages. What was left of my heart stopped as my eyes landed on Devin’s name. He had blown her phone up questioning where she was. Mom had called her three times. I closed the trunk, got into my car, and checked my own phone. She had called me too. I returned her call and she answered on the first ring.
“Kim, where are you?” She sounded concerned.
“What’s wrong?” I intentionally ignored her question.
“Two officers came by, they found Kia’s car near a McDonald’s about two hours from the city.
Shit… I was silent.
“What? I’m on my way mom.” I hang up.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I repeatedly hit the steering wheel.
How the hell could I forget about her car? I thought of the McDonald’s employees working that night. There were only two of them and I wondered if they would be able to identify me. My plan was unraveling. I couldn’t go back to my mother’s house. Not now… I had to make Devin pay. Whether I got caught or not, I couldn’t bear the thought of knowing he’d still be out here living. I began laughing maniacally. I texted Devin,
Kim: I’m at White Lake, meet me here now.
He replied instantly.
Devin: I’m on my way.
I went over several options for how I’d get him into the lake. He was much stronger than me so there was no way I could drag him. I needed to get him as close to the water as possible so that I could push him over. He couldn’t swim, I knew that for a fact. I wouldn’t be able to tie the brick to him because the total amount of weight would be too much for me. He would drown. To me, knowing his last few moments of life would be spent under water, fighting for his life. My heart seemed to mend for only a moment.
30 minutes later Devin’s car pulls up next to mine. He steps out and I do the same.
“Kim.” He smiles.
“Hello.” I head for the lake, he follows. We stand silently for about five minutes.
“So why did we meet here of all places?”
I had opened up to Devin about many things, my father included, but I never told him about our summer trips to this lake.
“My father used to bring us here and make us swim.”
“I see.” His tone expressed confusion.
“Why?”
“Why? What do you mean why?”
“Don’t you stand there and play stupid Devin. Tell me why you’ve been fucking my sister for the past two years?” That last part caught him by surprise.
“It just happened Kim. There’s no excuse or explanation I can give you that will make this easier or bring you peace. It happened once and I just couldn’t let her go.
Rage took over.
“Couldn’t let her go?”
He turned away from me, ashamed. I looked down and noticed the other block by me. Picking it up, I screamed, “Couldn’t let her go!” As I hit the back of his head.
“Ahhhh!” He fell to the ground, blood gushing from his head. It knocked him down and out.
“Well now you will be with her, forever.” I tried with all my power to push his body into the lake.
“You deserve this. Goodbye Devin Lee Cummings.” Three more pushes and he’d have been in the water…but I noticed something. As I went to unbutton his shirt, I was interrupted.
“Stop! Police!”
I froze.
ItsJaiMarie 