Free Zeke by Wodke Hawkinson

wadded his work vest into a ball
and threw it forcefully into the van, then turned with a hateful look. After
staring balefully into her eyes for a few long seconds, he growled, “Get in.”
    She slunk around and slipped into
the passenger seat.
    Zeke pulled his door shut with more
force than necessary, and sat staring straight ahead while she held her breath.
“Who was that dude?” His lips were tight, jaw rigid.
      “Just
a guy in my class.” Relief flooded her; she now believed she understood his
mood and could easily dispel his anger. “I hardly know him.”
    With no warning, Zeke reached out
and grabbed a handful of her hair, twisting it. Shock and pain warped her
features.
    “Don’t lie to me, Sue. Don’t ever lie to me. I’ll dump you in a heartbeat if you do.”
    “I’m not lying!” Sue cried, trying
to pull his hand away from her hair. The muscles in his arm were hard with
tension, but he gradually released his hold. She reached for the door handle,
but he seized her arm roughly and pulled her to him.
    “I hate you!” she sobbed.
    He held her firmly, restraining her
as she struggled, and kept shushing her. Gradually, she calmed a bit.
    “You can hate me if you want, but I
love you.” His voice was full of agony and he appeared near tears himself. “I’m
sorry if I hurt you. Or scared you. But I can’t help the way I feel. It made me
crazy to see that guy talking to you.”
    “I told you; I hardly know him!”
Sue rubbed the sore spot on her head. She concluded he must really care about
her if she could drive him to such depths of torment. She realized for the
first time that she had power, real power, over him because he cared so much.
Hurt as she was, she was secretly thrilled to mean so much to him.
    “Are you screwing him too?” Zeke
held her at arm’s length, his stormy eyes full of pain.
    “What? God, no!” Sue threw her arms
around him. “I would never! He just asked me a question about class.”
    “Okay, that’s good. It’s all good.”
He relaxed in her embrace and laid his forehead on her shoulder.
    “I didn’t mean to make you jealous.
I had no idea the guy was even there until he spoke to me. Shoot, I had to think
hard to even remember his name.”
    “I’m not jealous.” Zeke
raised his eyes to hers. “I admit I overreacted and I’m sorry for that. But, we
should get something straight right now between us. I don’t get jealous. That
guy has nothing for me to be jealous of. Really, Sue, use your head.”
    “Well, okay,” Sue said, confused.
    “I mean, I don’t own you, Sue. I
wouldn’t even try to. And in all honesty, I don’t even care if you want to mess
around with the guy.”
    “What? I don’t understand.”
    “Listen. It wasn’t the idea that
you might get it on with someone else. It was that you might do it behind my
back. Nobody wants to feel like an idiot.”
    Sue was astonished. She pushed back
from him and struggled to absorb his odd point of view.
    Zeke’s composure returned. “As long
as we discuss it ahead of time and agree on certain things, you can play with
anyone you want. But, we have to talk it over beforehand, so I don’t end up
looking like a fool. You can’t keep me in the dark.”
    “You don’t care if I sleep with
someone else?” She was aghast, feeling the power she thought she’d gained
slipping through her fingers.
    “Of course I care.” He reached for
her. “I care more than you’ll ever know. I just don’t want to lose you. So, if
that’s what it takes to make you happy, I’ll go along with it. Just please
don’t ever do it behind my back. No secrets. Understand?”
    “No. Not really,” she said, but she
was wavering.
    “You know what a stickler I am
about freedom. How could I deny you the freedom to satisfy your body?” Zeke stroked
her leg. “I can handle you being with someone else as long as I know it’s me
you love. And as long as we talk about it in advance.”
    “Well, I don’t want anyone