M. Marie Walker
Johnee
&
Jermaine
Episode 4
Welcome to the season finale of Up Close and Personal. It's your
favorite instigating host, Hector Rodriguez and it's good to be
back! I had a few personal issues to deal with; something having
to do with death threats, lawsuits, and stalkers, but we won't get
into those nasty details right now.
I have with me today, the final two of the My House Series. Two brothers,
as thick as thieves with a dark side. Please welcome, Johnee and Jermaine
McCoy to the stage!
Johnee and Jermaine walk out and take their seats.
Hector: Welcome! I'm glad you two could make it. I heard you guys almost
canceled on me. Why is that?
Johnee: We didn't think it would be a good idea after everything that's
happened. They're still pretty pissed at us... well, at me.
Jermaine: It's a complicated situation.
Hector: How so? You know what, never mind. We'll get to that later.
Right now, I want to talk about what it was like growing up in the
McCoy household. Was it all fun and games or all thorns and storms?
Johnee: Wow, you sure have a way with words, Hector.
Johnee shakes his head.
Johnee: It was more like, sunshine and empty lots.
Hector scrunches his brows.
Jermaine: It was a decent childhood, except our parents were
always working, so we never spent time together as a family. We
basically raised ourselves. They supplied the finances, we supplied
the rest.
Hector: Must have been tough. I mean, you also had a little sister
to take care of, and from the experience I had with her on the show,
she must have been a handful.
Johnee and Jermaine chuckle.
Jermaine: Handful doesn't quite describe Kyra. She had and still has
a mouth on her and she can be vindictive when she wants to be, but
she was a good kid growing up. She just didn't get the attention from
our parents... or us for that matter... that she needed. It made everything
worse.
Hector leans forward, entranced by his words.
Hector: How so?
Johnee: By the time I turned sixteen and Jermaine turned fourteen, we
ended up on the football team at our school. We were always gone; our
parents were married to their jobs, so Jakyra was usually at home alone.
Hector: That sounds lonely. Did things eventually get better? I mean, what
did your folks do that kept them from home so much?
Jermaine: Both, mom and pops, are sales managers, so they worked a lot
of late nights. We saw them in the mornings for a good ten minutes, then
they were off. Don't get me wrong, we got whatever we needed from them,
but what we really wanted was their time... and that's something they just
couldn't give us.
Jermaine ran his hand down the length of his face, and Johnee exhaled a
deep breath.
Jermaine: As far as things getting better? No, not really. The only good thing
that came out of it was the fact that Jakyra had our friends to turn to. We
all hung out a lot. They became our family; we trusted them with her.
Hector: How long have you been friends with Mike and his siblings, George,
Koko, and Jason?
Johnee blows out a puff of breath, leaning forward in his seat.
Johnee: Man... Probably since second grade. We've been tight since day
one.
Hector: Funny you should say that. You claim that you were tight, but
committed such heinous acts of violence against one of your supposed
best friends... both of you. Care to explain?
Johnee's jaw ticks. Jermaine lowers his head.
Hector: Did I hit a nerve? You don't want to-
Johnee: It was a horrible mistake that I can't take back, no matter how
much I want to! I will regret that shit for the rest of my life! I lost my
best friends that day. I fucked up, I know that.
Hector: When you rape your best friend's sister and throw it in her
boyfriend's face, I would say so. Yes, you fucked up royally. Didn't
Marlon almost kill you because of it? The only person saving your life
was the very one you violated?
Hector scowls at both brothers in disgust.
Hector: And you, Jermaine. You kidnap on of your supposed best friend's
because what? You were jealous? Call me crazy, but when someone
is jealous, they show subtle hints: rolling their eyes at the person their
jealous of, leave the room, even start an argument, not hold a person
at gunpoint and take them away.
Jermaine: How the hell do you even know any of this!
Hector: It doesn't matter how I know, the fact that this disturbing shit it
true is what's frightening. Now, please answer the question.
There is a slight tremble in Jermaine's hands as he sits up further in his
seat.
Jermaine: I was an idiot. My judgement was marred. And I wasn't thinking
straight. If I could take it back, I would, but what's done is done, and I'm
trying to right my wrongs. Give us a goddamn break!
Hector's eyes bulge and he stands to his feet.
Hector: Give you a break!? You're a damn kidnapper and your brother's a
rapist! You two don't get a fucking break. Why aren't the two of you in
jail anyway??
Johnee jumps out of his seat., his brother following suit.
Johnee: You don't think I relive that shit every single day!? You don't think
I regret it?? It eats me alive, turning my stomach every time I think about
it. I have nightmares. I can't even eat sometimes.
Johnee blow out a ragged breath, then sits back down. Jermaine remains
standing at his side.
Johnee: I was on some heavy shit at the time all this happened. It's no
excuse, but I wasn't myself. Marlon and George pressed charges, but
instead of sending me to jail, they sent me to rehab. I got off easy, but
the guilt is destroying me. I know I deserve much worse than I got.
Hector: I agree. You should not be a free man right now. The justice system
fails once again.
Johnee bows his head in shame. Jermaine begins pacing the stage.
Jermaine: Even though they forgave me... well, not forgave but accepted
me back--for the most part-- I still struggle with what I did to Iesha. I
blame myself for the loss of her baby and all her emotional issues. I
did that to her and I'll never forgive myself for that.
Hector: What in the hell possessed you to take her? Are you crazy??
Silence
Jermaine: I... I have a mental illness. I used to hear... voices.
Eerily quiet.
Hector clears his throat.
Hector: What do you mean... hear voices? Like... talking to you? What
do you mean?
Jermaine: It's called auditory hallucination, one of the main symptoms
of schizophrenia. I've dealt with it on my own since I was about sixteen.
Didn't tell anybody because I thought people would call me crazy... lock
me up in a damn psych ward or something worse. I was doing okay
controlling it, but the suggestions and demands from the voices started
getting worse... then me taking Iesha happened before I could stop it.
Crickets.
Hector blows out a rough puff of breath, and leans back into his seat.
Hector: I don't know what to say I'm... speechless.
Jermaine: You don't need to say anything. I'm a nut case, I know.
Hector: No, you're not. You have a mental illness. You finally got the help
you needed, which is a good thing. I don't excuse what you did, but I
understand a little better.
There is an awkward silence for a few long seconds.
Hector: Well, I think we will end things here. This was a heavy segment.
Thank you for joining us today, guys.
On season 2, we will introduce you to a few new faces, plus some familiar
faces as well. Season 2 promises to be the scandalous debacle I expect it
to be, so look out--
There is commotion backstage, then Marlon dashes out in a rage. He sets
his sight on Johnee.
Marlon: You don't to get to get off that easy, asshole. I'm gonna beat the
rapist outta you, then make you beg for you fuckin' life.
Johnee jumps up, Jermaine shields his brother and Hector is frozen in
his seat.
Johnee: Marlon, there's no amount of apologies in the world that I can
give. I was literally out of my mind back then. Please, just--
Marlon: Just what? Forgive you for not only raping her, but coming to her
house and beating her!? No, that's something I will never forgive. Move
Jay, unless you wanna get hurt too. You on thin ice as it is.
Hector: Oh shit... Did I just say that out loud?
Jermaine: I understand you're--
Johnee pushes his brother to the side, giving Marlon a clear view of him.
Johnee: If you wanna beat my ass, do it. I deserve that shit after everything
that I did. But know, I've been thinkin' heavy about willingly turning
myself in. I can't take this goddamn guilt anymore.
Marlon stalks toward him.
Marlon: Good.
That's the only thing he says before slamming his fist into Johnee's jaw.
He goes barreling back into the studio props, knocking everything over.
Hector shoots up from his chair, eyes wide in disbelief.
Hector: Dayummm! Wait, wait, Marlon! Don't
Marlon is on Johnee in an instant, throwing blow after blow. Blood
splatters from Johnee's mouth and nose before security rushes out
to restrain Marlon. Jermaine looks on in horror.
Marlon: This shit's not over! You hear me!
They drag Marlon out. Hector glances over to Johnee, still laid out on
stage. Jermaine goes and kneels beside his barely conscious brother.
Hector: Uh... what do you say to something like this? Well, first, we may
need an ambulance, so let's get that goin'.
Hector takes a cleansing breath.
Hector: Okay, that's going to do it for season 1 of Up Close and Personal.
What a way to top off the season, huh? Wow... shit. Twist me up and call
me a pretzel. That was some wild shit.... Okay folks, see you soon for season 2!