Frozen Like Water, The Chronicles of Caine Vol... I

Frozen Like Water

The Chronicles of Caine, Vol... I

By

Eddie Caine

Published by Write On E-Publishing, LLC.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2015 Write On Press

in association with

Siwel Publishing

and

Eddie Caine Media

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

All Write On E-Publishing e-books are sold DRM-free without copy protection or encryption. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to Asia, Malachi, Milan, Khalil, Jacob, and Raileigh. I love you more than you could imagine. You are the best of me. You are future. Shine bright and gleam!

To my ancestors, I have never forgotten you. To my descendants, never forget me.

~Eddie Caine

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Frozen Like Water: Featured Poetry

A Love Psalm to God

Color of Self

Creation

Dreams of Underground

Frozen Like Water

I~N~I

I got Problems

My 1st Love

No Armor Needed

Spiritual Cloning

Stars in Daylight

Tear Stained Pillows

Weary Times

About the Author

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Acknowledgements

Writing a book is hard, but writing a book based off of your life is even harder. You are standing there, fully clothed, completely naked, waiting to be judged by the people you know and the world.

Throughout the process of writing this book, I experienced a multitude of thoughts, feelings and emotions. I was self conscious but fearless. I felt freedom and fear, comedy, tragedy, love, anger, hurt and closure. I began to find a peace of mind and spirit.

I want to thank you for entering my world and taking this journey with me. Hopefully you can see a little bit of yourself in me.

Eddie Caine

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Chapter One

The season was beginning to change from autumn to winter but living in Arlington, Texas, one would not know it. The night air was cool and a welcoming gift compared to the hot summer nights. The moon was full and lit the night sky as the stars sparkled like fireflies. Crickets were chirping as if they were nature’s symphony and if it weren’t for his downstairs neighbor playing his music a little too loud, the night would be perfect. Resisting the urge to go downstairs, Caine reclined in his lounge chair on his balcony at The Commons Apartments, puffing on his imported cigar, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly until his nerves began to calm as his sipped on a glass of merlot, his favorite wine.

Her words rang throughout his brain as he shifted in his lounge chair to get comfortable, "When I met you I was told three women were in love with you! What kind of man has three women in love with him?"

Caine saw a cricket walking along the black ironclad railing and blew a thick cloud of smoke in its direction. The cricket paused for a second or two and continued to move.

"Three women were in love with you at the same time! How did that happen?"

Caine closed his eyes, trying to block out his girlfriend’s voice as he began to travel back in time to the day Shelia left with his feelings and refused to give them back. Since then, he had given his heart to no woman, nor felt the same way about a woman. He became very guarded with his feelings.

Momma, she left me! Caine cried into the phone.

Baby it’s going to be alright, his mother was saying, trying to console her only son.

No, it won’t! he said between sobs and cries. You don’t know how much it hurts. I was supposed to marry her!

Eddie, calm down. I do know what you’re going through. It took me three marriages to get it right. Time heals all wounds. You’ll see.

I just wanted to give her the world and she settled for the ghetto. I hope she gets everything she deserves!

At that point moment, Caine felt something change in him. Darkness and numbness engulfed his heart.

Don’t let that girl mess you up. Go lie down and try to sleep. I love you. Baby, it’s going to be alright.

It was hurting Caine’s mother to see her only son experiencing the personal pain of love lost that we all must eventually go through.

Thank you momma, I love you too. Caine put the phone back on the receiver, went into the kitchen and began to drown his sorrows in Bacardi rum, an entire fifth to be exact. Eventually he passed out on his favorite love seat.

The next morning, Caine was awakened by the warmth of the Pacific sun. For about a minute, he was thinking about the horrible dream he had about the ending of his relationship with Sheila. He crawled off of the sofa and went to the bedroom to kiss his fiancé. When Caine opened the door, reality set in and he realized that it was no dream at all. His heart sunk in. With a feeling of heaviness in his chest, Caine went into the kitchen and fixed a beer mug of Vodka and orange juice and downed it as quickly as possible before blending another.

Once he began to feel the buzz, Caine uncharacteristically put on a wrinkled Navy work uniform and left the apartment. The drive to what the locals called Big Navy base seemed longer than usual and less relaxing than it normally was.

After finally making it to the base, Caine quickly began his morning reports. This was very much unlike him since normally he’d make his rounds in his department telling everyone good morning and asking about their families. Because of the lack of formalities, everyone in the office knew something was wrong, but nobody asked him.

A young, pregnant Petty Officer, Third Class by the name of Lavonia walked over to Caine and slid a chair in front of his desk and began to speak to him, but there was no response.

Airmen Lewis, do you hear me talking to you?

Huh? What’re you talking about? Sorry, I didn’t hear you, he said without bothering to glance up.

Lavonia slapped the desk. Look at me, Eddie! Something’s wrong. It’s all over your face.

Caine looked up at his friend with cloudy eyes, She left me last night. Lala, she left me. Tears began to flow down his face. She was cheating on me with some guy in the Air Force.

Awe, Eddie, I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved that girl. What happened?

Caine explained the scenario that happened the night before with an overwhelming pain in his heart. His voice was cracking as he tried not to break down. It was a pitiful sight to see. Everyone within earshot tried to comfort him to no avail.

Caine cried out, How could she do that to me?

He was a broken man and that was obvious for anyone to see. Caine was at rock bottom emotionally, to say the least. This was the beginning stage of his transformation from being in love with the idea of being in love to despising what he deemed to be a weak emotion. Sheila was one of those people you hear about that messes you up emotionally for everyone else. She was had a gift of turning men into damaged goods

Chapter Two

Caine grabbed the remote control to his digital radio and scanned through the stations to listen to some Rhythm & Blues. He stopped when he heard his favorite band, Earth, Wind & Fire’s song: That’s the Way of the World. He began to laugh as he relit the cigar that burned out.

Caine started to think about Renée, his first fiancée and began wondering how she was doing. Caine hadn’t seen her in over fifteen years.

"Hearts and fire creates love and desire, will take you higher and higher to a place…" The song played in the background as he puffed, thinking about his days sixteen years prior.

Eddie met Renée his first week of school his freshman year, when he moved back to New Orleans from New York. Renée was light skinned, wore glasses and had short dark hair. Her complexion was smooth and blemish free; she was very attractive and developed for a girl of her age. Renée came from one of those traditional Catholic Creole families in New Orleans. She always caught Caine’s eye with her intelligence, beauty and wit, but opportunity never presented itself. If Eddie was single, Renée had a boyfriend or vice versa.

The summer after graduation, the opportunity finally arose when Renée had a huge breakup with her long time boyfriend. Numbers and addresses were exchanged before Caine shipped off to boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Base outside of Chicago, Illinois.

When Eddie finished boot camp, he called Renée and met her at her dorm at Loyola University. Renée’s dorm room was small and had no privacy like most college dormitories. She asked her roommate to give them some quality time together so she and Caine could get reacquainted.

After hours of drinking and talking, eventually the alcohol tool its toll and they made love.

…ten minutes later, maybe less…

I’m sorry Renée, Eddie said, I wasn’t expecting that to happen so fast. I guess twelve weeks with no woman will do that to you.

It’s alright, baby, I understand, she replied as she kissed Eddie’s neck. I really missed you.

They began to kiss very passionately.

Becoming aroused again, Caine yelled out, Round two!

That night was like a twelve round championship title fight with both of them being deemed as the winner.

The next morning, Eddie had gotten up as quietly as possible to take a shower. He looked at Renée sleeping so peacefully, looking like an angel. He had the same feeling he had when he lost his virginity. Eddie knew instantly that he and Renée had created life.

Eddie turned on the shower then he lathered up, while humming the 1992 R&B hit by Jodeci entitled Forever My Lady.

"So you’re having my baby and it means so much to me. There’s nothing more precious than to raise a family…"

Eddie decided right then that he was going to marry Renée, raise a family, and live happily ever after. Besides, he knew he could support them because of his military benefits. Plus, Renée was going to school to be a teacher, so they would definitely be alright.

In addition, he was raised with traditional family values. No babies out of wedlock, and if you get a woman pregnant, man up to your responsibilities and make her an honest woman; my how times have changed.

Eddie turned off the shower, grabbed a towel off of the rack and began to dry himself off. After getting dressed, he walked to Renée’s bed to see she was still asleep. Caine slightly nudged his future wife to wake her up. He kissed her on the lips, told her good morning, and notified her that he had to leave. That was the second week in November and he was on a two week leave before he went to his next duty station in Meridian, Mississippi. The good news was that Meridian was only a three hour drive away.

In early December, Eddie opened up his first credit account with Gordon’s Jewelers. It was a five-hundred dollar limit, but the ring he wanted cost over nine-hundred dollars. Eddie used his gift of gab and explained to the young sales rep that he was going to be a father and he wanted to propose and grow old with Renée. The beautiful associate shed a couple of tears and walked into the back. She switched the price tags on the rings and whispered, Don’t tell anyone about this. I made a mistake and didn’t realize we have a sale on the ring you wanted for only $469.99

I’ll take it! Eddie exclaimed.

That’ll be $514.23 with tax, she said.

Eddie gave her the credit card and maxed it out. He then reached into his hip pocket and gave the young lady a twenty dollar bill.

She handed him the bag along with his $5.77 change.

Do you want me to put the receipt in a bag? the sales rep asked.

Yes, Eddie said thankfully.

While driving, Eddie reached into the bag to survey the receipt. He slammed on the brakes of his 1981 Toyota Celica his step-father had given him with a look of disbelief. The sales associate rang up the ring for only $323.00. He had saved seven hundred dollars on a thousand dollar ring.

This is just meant to be, he told himself with a smile on his face.

The next weekend, when Eddie proposed, he first asked Renée’s mother and step father for their blessing to marry their eldest and first born. He was given an astounding Yes! Eddie was very happy and thankful for their blessings.

Later that Sunday night, Eddie proposed to Renée in her mother’s living room after watching TV. Renée, I’ve been thinking about this for awhile and… Eddie dropped to his knee and pulled out the box containing the engagement ring. … Will you marry me?

Renée was silent for a moment and then asked, Why do you want to marry me? Is it because I’m pregnant?

Huh? He thought to himself. Eddie definitely was not expecting a response like that and was dumb-founded by the question. Could she really think that was the main reason he’d proposed?

Renée continued, Or, do you love me?

Eddie responded, Of course! I want to marry you because I love you.

Renée looked at him and said sternly. You better not be lying. Yes. I’ll marry you.

They hugged and kissed. Eddie went into the kitchen and told her parents of their daughter’s response. He was ecstatic to say the least.

Throughout the engagement, Renée would irritate Eddie with the same question, but with more anger. Are you marrying me because you love me or because I’m carrying your child? You act like you’re in love with the baby instead of me.

Damn Renée! It’s because I love you and what’s wrong with me being happy that I’m going to be a father anyway?

Only a handful of people knew that when Eddie lost his virginity a child was conceived and he was devastated by the abortion Sahara was forced to get.

Over a three week time frame, Renée refused to sleep with Eddie giving him all kinds of excuses. He knew something was wrong and felt Renée was keeping something from him, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Eventually Renée confessed to Eddie that she’d had an abortion.

WHAT! he yelled. How could you get an abortion and not discuss that with me?

Renée began to sob, I’m sorry. When I told my mom I was pregnant she said I was going to ruin my life!

Did your mom sleep with you and get you pregnant? Are you marrying your momma or are you marrying me? I can’t believe this! Eddie continued to yell. He didn’t want to hear anything else from Renée. He felt devastated and betrayed.

When Renée told Eddie of the abortion, he had come to the understanding why at the age of fifteen, Sahara’s mom made her murder the baby. She was a young girl in high school, and her chances of becoming successful in life would have diminished greatly. With Renée it was different, they were going to get married and Eddie would support them while Renée was getting her degree. He foresaw no struggles in their future especially being employed as a U.S. Naval sailor.

I can’t deal with this, Eddie said and was quiet until he dropped Renée off at her home.

When Eddie pulled into the driveway, the silence was very awkward and disturbing until Renée spoke. You act like you loved the baby more than you love me. She opened the car door and began to exit the car.

Eddie was still in shock and angry to say the least. He looked at Renée with disgust, feeling hatred and said, Bye!

On the drive back to Meridian, Eddie was thinking about what could have been and became more depressed. He decided that he was going to call the wedding off because he could no longer trust Renée. Eddie began to cry and mourn the death of his murdered son. Though he didn’t believe in abortion, he felt a woman had the right to choose; except when it came to the choice of the life and death of his seed.

Eddie didn’t talk to Renée for weeks, but finally called her one day.

We need to talk, he said. "I’ll be in town