Autobiography
Who KilledMiss Che Che?
An Autobiography
Episode 12:Falling In and Out of Love
"Philip, you look so good, so handsome.You dress so nice," Heather said. I've never forgotten herwords. I was taken back but thought she was only being friendly.
"Thank you. You are very pretty yourself,"I said.
When we finished smoking and were leavingthe iron shore she said, "I'm not going to look for Tom again.I'm going back home." She asked me if I wanted to come toher place on Willie Farrington Drive.
I told her I still wanted to go to ConueDisco but would walk her home first. I could see that she didnot like that and wanted to spend more time with me. I walkedher home, said goodnight and left. But before I got out of sight,I looked over my shoulder. She was peering out through a windowwatching me walk away. I waved. She waved back.
I went to Conue Disco but I kept thinkingabout her. I left around 8:30 and went back to her place. WhenI got there all the lights were off except for her the one inher room. The house was a small two bedroom and a friend of Heather'slived in the other room. I looked at my watch; it was 9 o'clock.
I knocked on the door from the front porch."Who is it," she asked.
"It's me. Abna."
The door opened. "I hoped that youwould come by afterwards. That's why I stayed up and left thelight on," she said.
"I left because I was thinking of you."
She smiled. "Come in."
I did. She locked the door behind us.
Her room was neat and tidy. A bed, nighttable, chair, chest of drawers, and a closet jam-packed with clothes.A book was lying facedown on the bed. She must have been reading.I noticed it was a romance novel.
I sat in the chair, she on the bed. We talkedabout different things. Herself, work, and friends. She knew howI made my money and I told her why I sold drugs. She also knewabout my art but I was not good enough then to make a living fromit.
I took out a smoke and rolled it and sheturned on the radio. She said Tom had come by and they had quarreled,then he had left.
Time went by. I must have dozed off. Whatwoke me was someone removing my shoes. When I opened my eyes Isaw Heather kneeling in front of me. She looked up into my facewhen she saw me watching her. "You can use the bed if youwant to."
I wondered, what is this girl up to? Butonly said, "Sure. I'll use the bed. Why not?" I fellasleep after removing my shirt and tie.
I woke sometime during the night. My pantswere off and Heather was on the bed with me sleeping like a babywith her head on my shoulder and her leg across my thighs. I wentback to sleep after putting my arm around her shoulder, touchingthe warm skin just below She was so sweet, so trusting.
As I closed my eyes I thought, I'm fallingin love.
I woke in the morning and she was the firstthing I saw, combing her hair in front of the mirror. If she lookedinto the reflection she would have seen me watching her. She didand jumped.
She turned to face me. I smiled and shereturned it. Those cute little dimples. She had on blue shortsand a white blouse. She was pretty. I was falling in love allright!
"I have some breakfast to fix for us,"she said.
We didn't make love, we didn't even kissand here we were talking like man and wife.
"Sure. Thanks," I said. I cannever forget such memories.
We ate in silence. I guess we were thinkingthe same thing because we both started to say something at thesame time. We laughed. "You go," I told her.
She asked me if I knew when she had takenoff my pants and come onto the bed with me.
"No. I was out like a log," Isaid. We laughed again.
"What were you going to say?"
"Why did you make me sleep in yourbed last night as if I was your boyfriend because I woke up duringthe night and your head was on my shoulder and your leg acrossmy thighs."
She smiled and said, "Because I likeyou a lot and wanted to trust you but I had to set a test, somehow.Now I know I can trust you," and she smiled again. "Didyou know when I had kissed you?"
"No," I said. "But sinceI didn't return it then I will now."
I reached across the small table and liftedher chin with my fingertips gently and kissed her deep, long andmeaningful. I even ate the little bits of food that were in hermouth.
And that's how my relationship started withHeather.
This was June, 1983. Time passed. I hadappeared in Grand Court in late April and had pled guilty to handlingstolen goods. Because I had pled guilty it led the police to beeven more convinced that I was involved with the murder. Theydid not know the truth and I couldn't tell them what I knew sowe were at a stalemate. I was given a suspended sentence. My firstconviction.
Now, I thought, all my cases are over Orwere they?
I sold cocaine and weed. A few more peoplestarted using it so I sold more. I do not know what became ofKris and Nicole was going with a guy named Robert. I broke offmy secret relationship because I wanted to be true to Heather.Pamela understood and we remained friends.
Heather had broke off totally with Tom forme. He knew and that sort of rocked our friendship a bit. Thingswere going good for Heather and I but one thing I learned fromher was never get serious with a woman who leaves someone foryou because she will soon leave you for someone else.
One day Tom told me that Heather had askedhim to take her out. I wanted to hear it from her so I asked.I looked deep into her eyes as she said, "Yes." My heartbroken, I turned and walked away without saying a word.
I changed after I lost Heather. I becamemore shy, more quiet, more of a loner, and kept to myself. I gotover her in time though. We all get over broken hearts, don'twe? I had quite a few more to face.
The worst of my life was yet to come though.We never know the future.
Next: Philip triesto readjust to life outside of prison, still guilty in the eyesof many.
*All Names have beenchanged to protect the rights of individuals.
Disclaimer: The preceedingexcerpt from the Autobiography of Philip Glennan Ebanks is copyrightedby Philip Glennan Ebanks and does not necessarily reflect theviews of Cayman Net News, CNN employees or its affiliates. CaymanNet News does not accept responsibility for opinions expressedin this series.©