Josephine looked at Howard and then into the condo. Howard stepped up beside her and also looked while asking, �What happened here?�
�I�m not sure.� She closed the doors and went down the steps. �Only one of three things; someone got mad��
�You guys were robbed��
�Or Sunn and Nick�s sex life is really wild.� Josephine laughed at her remark.
�I don�t think they were having sex, Sweetie.� Howard picked up a broken picture of him and Josephine. They both walked around the trashed room and Josephine turned off the stereo that was playing �I Do Cherish You� by 98 Degrees and looked at Howard. �Where�s Sunn?�
�I don�t know.� They stood in silence a moment and then heard soft crying coming from the terrace. They both walked out to the terrace and found Sunshine sitting on the banister. Josephine looked at Howard scared and then looked back at Sunshine. �Sunn, what are you doing up there?�
�Seeing how far up it is,� Sunshine replied taking a drink from the bottle she was holding.
�Get down please.�
�You can see things a lot clearer when you�re drunk, because I now see that Nicky never loved me. He just wanted a piece of ass.�
�Sunn, you�re eighteen stories up,� Howard stated. �Please get down and come inside.�
�Eighteen stories?� She looked over. �That�s really high.�
�Yes, now get down,� Josephine pleaded.
�I wonder if anyone ever survived,� Sunshine said then looked at Josephine and Howard. �Don�t worry I�m not going to jump.� She got down. �Why would I jump when I got a perfectly good gun in my room?� Josephine looked at Howard, as Sunshine sat in a chair and took a drink. �Tonight�s a nice night to make love under the stars.� She took another drink while remembering the times her and Nickolas made love on the beach. �Nick and I did that�a few times. We even did it on his kitchen floor; that happened like a week ago.� She took another drink; longer this time. �But we won�t be doing that again. Our wild sex days are over, because Nick�s a prick.� She stopped to think. �That rhymed. Nick�s a prick! Nick�s a prick! Nick�s a prick!�
�What are you talking about?� Josephine asked sitting beside her.
�About what?� She took another drink. She got up and staggered inside. Howard and Josephine stayed where they were and then Sunshine came back out a few minutes later. She stood by Howard and said, �Ooh, Howie, have you been working out? You look buffer.�
�Sunn, we were talking about Nick? What happened between you two?�
�Nothing.� She walked over to the banister. �Because he�s a heartless prick.� She took a drink. �He should�ve just thrown me to my death tonight. She began crying and both Howard and Josephine walked over to her.
�What�s wrong?� Howard asked.
�He should�ve just thrown me over. I just died in there tonight.�
�What happened?� Josephine wanted to know.
�He broke his promise of loving me forever and marrying me. But don�t all me lie and break promises?� She took yet another drink and looked down to the beach. �Nicky and I walked that beach a millions times, but no more.� She held the bottle up. �Here�s to you, Nicky. Here�s to a miserable and lonely life ahead of you. Cheers.� She took a drink. �He deserves the pain and suffering he gets.� She went inside.
�I�d love to know what�s going on; so I can help her.�
�I understand,� Howard said, as they went inside and saw Sunshine coming from the kitchen.
�I hope that�s the only bottle she had.� She watched Sunshine push the stuff off the couch and lay down.
Howard picked up a bottle off the floor and said, �I don�t think it is.�
�Shit. He must�ve really upset her.�
�I don�t think she�s going to tell.�
�After two bottles of red wine I think she will. Especially if I have to beat it out of her.�
�She�s really strong for not passing out yet.�
�I need to know what happened.� She walked over to Sunshine. �Sunshine, what happened with Nickolas?�
�What happened with Nickolas?� Sunshine mocked. �Is that all you people care about is Nickolas? What about me? Nick�s just a conceited prick.�
Sunshine took a drink and Josephine asked, �Where�s your engagement ring?�
�What? It�s gone?� Sunshine looked at her hands and started laughing. �I gave it back to Nickolas you stupid shit.�
�Why?� Howard asked.
�Why did Charity always try to kill Miguel?�
�Because she was possessed by demons,� Josephine said.
�Oh,� Sunshine said dumbfounded.
�Why�d you give the ring back to Nick?� Howard asked.
��Cause he don�t love me. Just like you don�t love her.� She pointed to Josephine.
�Of course Nick loves you,� Josephine said ignoring Sunshine�s statement.
�He doesn�t love me enough to marry me, �cause he�he�he�he�he�what word am I looking for?�
�Postponed,� Howard said.
�No.� She took a drink.
�Canceled,� Josephine said.
�No.�
�Moved up,� Howard tried.
�No.� She took another drink. �When you stop the wedding from happening. What�s that word?�
�Cancelled,� Josephine stated.
�No. I�ll let ya know when I think of it.�
�We understand,� Howard said.
�He called off the wedding.� She laughed. Josephine and Howard just looked at her, as she took a drink and began crying.
Josephine and Howard sat beside Sunshine and Josephine took the bottle before Sunshine could drink more. Howard put an arm around Sunshine, as she continued crying. Josephine and Howard just looked at each other and Josephine asked, �Sunn, why did Nick call off the wedding?�
��Cause he got what he wanted and he�s a prick.�
�Did he give a reason?� Howard asked.
�No; I loved him and he couldn�t return that�the�it�I love him.�
�I�m sorry, Sunn.�
�I don�t want no pity.� She jumped up and almost fell down. �Especially from you.�
�Sunn, calm down,� Josephine said. �We�re just trying to help.�
�I don�t need no help.� She sat back down. She put her arms around both Josephine and Howard. �I love you guys. So how�s it going?�
�Good.�
�So he told you. And there�s no hard feelings?�
�Tell me what?�
�It�s pretty cool that you�re cool with your boyfriend and the fact that he�s still in love with me, Josie. Did that sound right? I don�t think it did.�
�Sunn, I think you should go to bed,� Howard said.
�I�m not tired. I want to hear how it went with you two. It�s really cool you�re not mad, Dude. I would�ve been if Nicky told me he was still in love with his ex.�
�Howie didn�t tell me anything,� Josephine said getting up.
�You didn�t? Oh well now ya know. He�s still in love with me.� She grabbed the bottle off of Josephine and started drinking. �He loves you, but not like he loves me. He told me that.� She got up.
�I can�t believe what I�m hearing.�
�Believe it, Honey. It�s true.� She took a drink then started singing. �I mean it�from the bottom of my heart�yeah, it�s true�� Josephine just glared at her and Sunshine took a drink. �He realized he was still in love with me when we all went to Paris.� Josephine began to cry.
�Sunn, stop it,� Howard said getting up.
�He even kissed me.�
�That�s enough,� Howard warned, as Sunshine got up.
�No, let her speak,� Josephine said through tears. �Because I�m not getting the truth from you. Why are you telling me this, Sunn?�
�Why?� Sunshine asked spinning around. �Nancy Drew wants to know why? Tell her, Howie.�
�Tell her what?� Howard asked confused.
�Tell her why. Tell her you don�t want to tell her, because you�re the world�s biggest pussy.� She took a drink and titled her head back laughing. �I�m loved by a man that I don�t want or even love. You can have him.� She walked over and stood in front of Josephine. �Nick isn�t the only one I ever had sex with.� She looked at Howard and smiled. �Really good too. I�m telling you this because if I can�t be happy then neither can anyone else.�
�You bitch,� Josephine said and slapped Sunshine across the face. Sunshine almost lost her balance and she just looked at Josephine, as she held the side of her face. �I thought you were my friend.�
�The last thing I want is a friend. I�ve had so many problems and I�m sick of it.� She took a drink. �D only wants you for sex. But that�s our little secret. Shh!�
�Sunshine, stop now,� Howard replied grabbing a hold of her. �You�ve caused enough problems for one night.�
�I�m just getting started.�
�You�re done here. Now go.�
�I�I�I�live here.�
�Will you please leave us so I can speak to Josephine privately?�
�Why?� She took another drink.
�Must you argue?�
�Fine I�ll go.� She made a face and walked away with bottle in hand. �I can�t believe I�m being told what to do in my own home.� Josephine and Howard watched Sunshine, as she fell. �I�m all right.� She slowly got up and picked up the bottle of wine then started walking again. �Damn I�m bleeding from the hands. Nothing a band-aid can�t fix.� She turned around before going back the hall. She pointed and said, �You guys�� She smiled. �I don�t remember ain�t that something.� She turned and went down the hallway.
�You fucking ass,� Josephine said. �I can�t believe you.�
�Josephine,� Howard said. �I can explain.�
�I don�t want to hear your lame ass explanation. I already knew you were in love with Sunn before she even said anything.�
�What?�
�Don�t act surprised. Maybe you guys should�ve talked about it when I wasn�t around.�
�I didn�t want to hurt you.�
�But you did by keeping it from me.�
�And I�m sorry. Don�t be mad at Sunn, she didn�t do anything. She�s in love with Nick and not me.�
�But you still love her after all this time. I always thought you loved me completely.�
�I��
�I was so stupid for believing anything you told me. You and Sunn both make me sick.� She walked toward the door. �I don�t want to see you or speak to you right now.� She opened the door. �Goodbye, Howie.� Se went out and closed the door.
�Son of a bitch.� He stood there a moment then walked to the door, as there was a knock. He opened the door and saw Bradley standing there. �Oh great you�re here.� Bradley just looked at him. �Come on in. Sunshine could use a friend.�
Bradley walked in and saw the mess then asked, �What happened here?� Howard told Bradley everything that went on when him and Josephine got back then left without hesitating.
Bradley walked down to the parlor and looked around at the mess. He picked up a picture off the floor and looked at it; Sunshine and him. He picked up another one and looked at it; Sunshine and Nickolas. He shook his head and laid them on the sofa. He walked back to Sunshine�s room and knocked on the door. She didn�t answer and he opened the door. He went inside and saw Sunshine lying on the bed; passed out.
He walked over to the bed and took the wine bottle from Sunshine�s hand and noticed the blood. He picked up her hand and looked at then did the same with the other. He sighed and walked to the bathroom. He dumped the wine down the sink and grabbed the first aid kit. He walked back out to the bedroom and bandaged Sunshine�s hands. He took her shoes, socks, jeans, and shirt off then covered her up. He kissed her forehead and left the bedroom.
CHAPTER 10
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