KISS Alive 1975-2000

3. Got to Choose

Got to Choose

Baby, you know I heard the neighbors say
Baby, you might be leavin' me today
Oh yeah, mmm, someone's come along and shared your time
Don't care, no I don't, no
But you can't be his and still be mine, so
Ooh, got to choose who's your baby
Ooh, got to choose
Sometimes, oh sometimes, I know you need a change of pace
Oh yeah, but I ain't gonna run no race
Baby, you've got to tell me yes or no
Alright, alright, come on and tell me
Tell me if you're gonna go, come on
Ooh, got to choose who's your baby
Ooh, got to choose who's your baby
Ooh, got to choose who's your baby
Ooh, got to choose, got to choose
Who's your baby, who's your baby
Who's your baby, who's your baby

Got to Choose

     Brenda Winston-King came to her front door wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

     The loud knocking continued with a couple of doorbell rings every few seconds. “Stop doing that. I’ll be there in a second.”

     A shocked look appeared on her face as Brenda opened her front door. “Oh, it’s you.”

     Thomas opened the screen door and started going inside. “Hello, to you too little sister.”

     “Who are you calling little sister. I’m only six minutes younger than you.”

     “That makes you my little sister.” Suddenly Thomas’ big smile turned into a frown. “You were expecting someone else, weren’t you? What’s wrong.”

     Brenda tried to look around Thomas. First, on his right. And then on his left. He blocked her both times. “Is everything all right with you? You didn’t leave your wife and kids too, did you?”

     “Of course, I didn’t leave her? Why would you even think such a thing? She and the kids are over at her parent’s house. They will be over here in a little while.”

     “After the phone call a few days ago telling you we would be coming by for a visit, I thought it might be best if I came by to see you alone. You didn’t sound too good over the phone. Sort of the way you are sounding now.”

     Thomas closed the door behind him after she entered Brenda’s house. “Did you just say ‘too’ when you asked if I left my wife and kids? Is that why you’re so upset? You were expecting your husband, Frank, weren’t you? What has he done now?”

     Brenda turned and walked down the long hall into her kitchen. Thomas followed her in there. “Would you like something to eat or drink?”

     “Nothing right now.” Thomas sat down at the kitchen table after Brenda did it. “Tell me what is going on. I can’t help you if I don’t know what happened. Where is Frank?”

     “What are you doing here? You said you would be here in a few days. Which means you shouldn’t be here until tomorrow. So, why are you here today?”

     Thomas shook his head sideways sadly. “It didn’t take as us as long to get her as I thought it would.”

     “Why do you keep changing the subject? You are always doing that. Especially, when you’re upset about something. So, what is it?”

     Brenda got up and fixed herself some iced tea. Then she sat back down at the table. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat or drink. I don’t have a lot here right now. But I’m sure I can find you something to eat.”

     “I’m fine. What I want to know is what you aren’t wanting to tell me. Is it another man?”

     “No, it’s not another man. I’m not the one who has fallen in love with someone else.”

     Thomas smiles sheepishly. “I didn’t say it was you who was seeing another man.”

     “No, Frank isn’t seeing a man. At least I don’t think that he is. But he is seeing someone.”

     “How do you know this?” Thomas asked.

     Brenda took a long drink from her iced tea. “I heard it through the grapevine.”

     Thomas started laughing. “You heard it where?”

     “I was out checking my grape when I overheard the neighbors say that he was leaving me that day. He never came home from work.”

     “How long ago did this happen?” Thomas asked.

     Brenda took another long drink that emptied her iced tea glass. She got up to fix another one. “It’s been almost a month since he left me.”

     Thomas’ face started turning red and his fist clutched tighter. It was obvious that Brenda knew that he was getting angry. She pointed one finger at his hands and another one at his face. “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you what was going on. I was afraid you would go out and kill Frank.”

     “Just tell me where he’s at. And I will kill him for what he has done to you and your kids. Speaking of kids, where are yours. Do they know about Frank?”

     ”I told them about it. But they are teenagers. I don’t think they even heard me. Elizabeth is fourteen and Christopher is almost eighteen. They would rather spend time with their friends. That’s what they are doing right now. I don’t even think they know he’s gone. Either that or they don’t care.”

     Thomas sighs. “I know what you mean. I’ve got two teenagers of my own and one that’s almost one.”

     “You are changing the subject again. Where is Frank? Has he been in touch with you since he left?”

     “I have talked to him several times. In fact, I gave him an ultimatum. Either me and our kids or her. I told him that he has got to choose who he wants.”

     Brenda takes another long drink from her iced tea. “He said that he has made his decision and that he was on his way over to talk to me about it.”

     “Good. I’ll wait here to make sure that he makes the right decision.”

     “If he’s still coming. Maybe the reason why he’s not here yet is that his decision is her.”

Word Count = 875