Tillman Mosswell got off work from his job at Burton Construction at three p.m. Friday and drove home feeling bone tired. Construction was hard work, and especially so for one of the peons. Turning onto his street, he saw that fine Adams babe standing on her lawn looking down the street. In fact, she was looking at his house, and when he got to his driveway he could see what caught her attention.
His sister, Sherona, was standing on the lawn with her ex husband, Darius. She was snarling and glaring and telling him to stay out of her life, and he was alternating between begging and threatening her to make her come back. All of it was being played out at top volume.
Tillman parked in the driveway and bounded out of his car.
"Don't you talk to me like that, bitch," Darius was saying. "I supported you and all that and you paid me back with a damn divorce. Paperwork ain't done, you know. I'm going to get you back home where you belong."
"The hell you will, you cheap bastard. You supported me by fucking around, is what you did. Get the hell out of here before I call the cops."
"You ain't calling no cops," Darius snarled. He grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her toward his car parked at the curb.
"Leave my sister alone," Tillman shouted, walking quickly and feeling a surging rage within him. "Get out of here."
"You gonna make me, little man? This is between me and my wife!" He pulled harder, pulling Sherona off balance so that she fell to her knees. "God dammit woman, get up and come on."
"Let go of her," Tillman snarled.
"Fuck you," Darius responded.
Tillman plowed into the other man like a football player sacking the quarterback. Darius tried to fight him, but he'd been caught off guard and he went down with Tillman on top of him. Tillman pressed his forearm against Darius' throat and put pressure on him while Darius punched at Tillman's ribs with no effect.
"She ain't your wife any more, but she is my sister," he snarled into the other man's face. "You come around here again, I'll break your neck. Understand?"
Darius gurgled something, and Tillman let the pressure up enough to let him speak.
"Get off me, kid," Darius said.
Tillman put the pressure back on and said, "Do you understand?" This time he didn't let up until the other man nodded his head quickly, a look of desperation in his eyes.
Tillman pushed himself up and stepped back. Darius massaged his throat and got up slowly. He turned without another word and walked to his car, a beaten man.
Sherona hugged Tillman to her and kissed his cheek, the she stood back and grasped both of his hands in hers. "Thank you, Till. I guess you're my man now."