Chapter 9: Troy Takes Over

A connecting bus wasn't fast coming. They had to wait twenty minutes. The little bus stop was crowded but when Juicy used her large body to squeeze herself a spot on one of the three benches miraculously there was plenty of space for both herself and Troy.

Juicy couldn't remember ever being so tired in all her life. Maybe she was going into another coma...that could happen couldn't it? She was afraid to fall asleep in case she didn't wake up for another three days.

"You okay, Juice?" Troy asked her more than once.

"Just tired," was always her response. "Don't let me fall asleep. In case I don't wake up." Troy seemed surprised by the request but he nodded in agreement.

When the bus finally came, Juicy pushed her way to be the first to board. She was sick and tired of the looks that she received. Some people even turned their nose up at her like...well like she was homeless.

Troy dug into his pocket for two very wrinkled bills and change. After securing two transfers he sat down next to her.

Not even fifteen minutes later they were off that bus and now waiting at the next stop.

She caught Troy giving her worried glances. She couldn't help the way she felt and therefore the way she looked. She felt like shit.

Troy reached out and gripped her hand; the one without a cast.

"Don't worry, Juice. I'll have you home before you know it."

"I've never felt so bad in my life...and I hope I never do again," she whispered.

Troy just looked deeply into her eyes before they flitted away to stare at the passing cars and passing people. He kept her hand gripped comfortably in his, though.

When the bus that Juicy normally rode finally arrived she was so excited that for a moment the fatigue left her body. Again she bombarded her way to be first to board. When someone stepped between her and Troy and he was about to let the women separate them, Juicy reached out and grabbed his arm and like a momma holding on to her child and pulled him up the stairs after her. He followed like a boneless rag doll. One look at the determined expression on her face and nobody dared to protest.

After securing their seats Juicy sighed in relief. Being on her familiar bus was almost as good as being home. Maybe they'd get home before dark.

"Juice, don't fall asleep." Troy was saying. "You have to tell me which stop."

"Idlewyld...second stop on Idlewyld." Juicy found her head resting on Troy's shoulder and her eyes closing slowly. Troy's brow furrowed as he studied the little map on the bus schedule.

"Idlewyld..." he whispered. "Juice, you going to leave me hanging here?" But Juicy was already sleeping.

"Wake up Juicy." Troy was reaching past her to pull the string to indicate a stop request.

Her eyes popped open. That was a forty-minute ride and she felt like she had just closed her eyes. But at least she hadn't fallen into a coma and at least her head had stopped feeling like little men were trying to beat their way out of it.

Troy gripped her by her wrist and pulled her up and out of the seat and then off the bus. It was her turn to feel like a rag doll.

"Is this the right stop?" He asked when the bus was pulling away. She just smiled, lucky for them that it was or someone would be carrying her again. Actually the little nap had refreshed her and she was energized.

"I live right up here," she pointed. Troy tilted his head as he watched her.

"You're smiling. I think this is the first time I've seen you do that."

"You'll see me tap dancing as soon as I get in my apartment." Yes her energy was definitely back.

She hurried them to her four unit brownstone. Some of her neighbors were out on the front stoop. Juicy wasn't the most neighborly person so she didn't speak as she passed by. But she knew she'd be the topic of gossip for a while; dressed like a hobo, heavily bandaged AND leading a strange white man into her home.

They bypassed the front door and went around back. "Where are we going?"

"I don't have my key." The upside of having her purse snatched is that she didn't have credit cards. It was a nice purse and she hated losing it but she had just swapped it out that day and hadn't put too many personal items in it. Her wallet was the biggie but...it was really not the most important thing on Juicy's mind right now.

When they were around back she headed for a small window next to a metal utility door. She pushed it open and reached inside stretching to the fullest capacity until she had unlatched the door from the inside. Troy caught on and opened the door. She explained when she noticed Troy's confused expression.

"You see, I'm always locking myself out of my place; losing my key, having it stolen by an asshole boyfriend. So I stashed a spare down in the basement."

With only the dim light from an exit sign, Juicy sure footedly headed for a rickety metal shelf holding old tools, paint supplies and knick-knacks. She lifted a can of paint that had to have been twenty years old. Beneath it was a gleaming key.

She gripped it in both hands and grinned at Troy. He thought she looked like a demented Cheshire cat but he smiled happily along with her.

She led them up the back stairs quickly and they were in her apartment a minute later.

Troy crossed the threshold slowly. He had never seen someone's home look so much like them. This apartment was Juicy if Juicy was walls a floor and a giant palm leaf ceiling fan.

Troy stepped inside closing the door silently behind him. Juicy had swept inside kicking off her flip flops, flicking on the light switch and almost running to, what he assumed, was the bathroom.

"I'll be right out Troy. WHEW! I really gotta go! Make yourself at home!" She had a lot of animal print in her apartment. There was a faux zebra print rug in front of a black fur love-seat which was opposite a red plush chair and ottoman.

Her home was spotless. Prints of African American scenes covered her walls. There was a bushman spearing a tiger, a momma holding a baby with corkscrewed dredlocks, a man's form folded artfully against a woman's.

Troy inhaled. It smelled good in here, too, like cherry candles. She had a nice size T.V. in a mahogany wood entertainment cabinet. Troy looked at some of the books and cd's she had there. She read a lot, mostly fiction but some autobiographies and medical reference books. He scanned the titles; Reflexology, Art of massage, and many books on hair.

Juicy came back into the room and Troy turned quickly, suddenly feeling really uncomfortable. It was time to go. He needed to go. He walked purposefully to the door.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Uhm," His lip and jaw twitched and then his eye followed suit. Juicy almost took a step back. What the hell was wrong with him now? "It's dark. I better get back."

"Well I was going to give you some money for a cab-"

Troy was shaking his head. He shoved his hands in his pocket. "I wouldn't spend good money on a cab. I'm just going to take a bus-" His hand was reaching for the door knob.

Juicy put her hand on her hip in confusion. "Well Troy...this time of night buses only run down our street every hour and a half...so you're going to be out there a long time." She sighed. "Look, come in, get comfortable. I'm going to make us something to eat..." When he didn't move Juicy gripped his wrist and physically led him into the living room.

Troy sat heavily on the black fur couch while Juicy picked up the remote and turned on the T.V.

"Here's the remote. Watch some cable...and I'm going to change out of these clothes. If you want anything from the kitchen, help yourself." Juicy left the room calling after her. "Don't leave. I might be a minute."