Free Outcast by Lewis Ericson

client’s neck as the woman reached into her purse for money.
    â€œI’ll see you next week. Same time?”
    â€œYou know it.”
    Tasha reached for a broom to tidy up around her work station, continuing to ignore Tirrell, as the woman left the shop.
    â€œBaby, c’mon,” Tirrell pleaded. “Talk to me.” Tasha sighed and started toward the back room with Tirrell in tow.
    â€œI’ve been tryin’ to call you,” he said.
    â€œYou didn’t leave a message.”
    â€œI didn’t want to talk to your voice mail. I wanted to talk to you. I needed to explain about what happened the other night.”
    â€œLook, Tirrell, I don’t doubt that you can talk your way out of whatever did or didn’t happen Saturday night. Hell, you’re even smooth enough to come up with a plausible lie for why you came home stinkin’ like the skanky ho you were with, but it doesn’t matter. Maybe we should just cut our losses and call this whole thing off so you can be with whoever you want to be with.”
    â€œTasha, I don’t wanna be with nobody else. I wanna be with you.”
    â€œWhy, Tirrell? Huh? You don’t love me.”
    â€œYou don’t want me to say it just so you can hear it, do you?”
    â€œNo, dammit, not if you don’t mean it. But, I wanna be in a relationship with a man who wants to be in a relationship with me.”
    Darnell pushed the door open and stuck his head inside. “Cousin, are you okay in here?”
    â€œYeah, I’m fine.”
    Darnell smirked and stared at Tirrell. “Don’t make me whup yo’ ass up in here. I may be gay, but I’m still a man!”
    â€œWhatever,” Tirrell spat.
    â€œLook,” Tasha injected. “That was my last client for the day. I think I’m just gonna take off early and head home.”
    Darnell cut his eyes toward Tirrell. “Do you need me to walk you to your car, cousin? You know it’s all kinds of unscrupulous characters lurkin’ around these days.”
    â€œI think I can handle him,” Tasha responded.
    Tirrell reached out and grabbed her hand. “Could you give me a ride?”
    â€œWhy don’t you go home the same way you got here?”
    â€œTasha.”
    She shook her head. “Shit. All right, come on.”
    Tasha collected her purse and shut off the overhead light at her station. Whispers and muffled laughter trailed her and Tirrell out of the shop.
    She clicked the remote to unlock the doors of the car and they got in. “They’re laughing at me,” she observed. “They’re probably thinkin’ what a fool I am.”
    â€œWho cares what other people think, Tasha?”
    â€œI care. I gotta work here.”
    She started the car and pulled off the lot. “I’m tired of goin’ back and forth with you, Tirrell.”
    He turned on the radio and scanned the stations until he came upon his favorite song playing. He glanced over at Tasha. He knew she was serious. Despite the music it was an uncomfortably quiet ride.
    They pulled up outside Betty’s house. Tasha shifted the gear into park, but didn’t turn off the ignition.
    Tirrell turned off the radio and glared out the passenger window. “I got kicked out of the Army,” he said flatly. “I was discharged because I got in a fight and almost killed this dude.”
    He could see her reflection as she turned toward him. He pressed on. “It was some stupid crap between me and this other private. We both had a little too much to drink one night and shit got out of hand. Some things were said and one thing led to another. We fought and he ended up in the infirmary. I told Noonie that I was on leave because I couldn’t let her know what really went down. I wouldn’t be able to take the look of disappointment in her eyes.”
    For the most part the story was true. Tirrell saw no real benefit in telling Tasha about the