by Sable Hunter
Leaning near, Randolph whispered. “She was a Carville baby.”
“A what? I don’t know what that is.”
“Lepers! Her parents were lepers up at Carville.”
Fred March began frantically wiping his hands on his pants. “Shit! I’ve touched her!” His voice was carrying over the Cultural Center by now; March wasn’t even trying to be quiet.
“No! No!” Randolph tried to hush him. “I didn’t say that. She’s not sick. Savannah had to pass a physical to get this job. What I mean is that if word got out about her past and it was common knowledge that you had dipped your wick into questionable territory. . .” he let his voice trail off. “Most folks don’t understand leprosy and they would lump you in the same unclean category that they put her. Working with her is one thing, socializing with her is something else entirely.”
“But, Randolph,” he sputtered, “people know of my interest. I haven’t tried to hide it. Damn!” He got up and paced around. “How many people know about this?”
“I don’t know,” Randolph answered frankly. “She told me and Davis when we interviewed her. And I would have recommended that we turn her down, but political correctness would have bit us in the ass. She doesn’t offer the information freely, but I’m sure there are others that know.”
“She should have warned me.” Fred March was seething. He was red faced and his fists were clenched at his sides. “Savannah Doucet is going to pay for this.”
“Now, take it easy. You don’t want to do anything rash, Fred.” Randolph wondered if he had said too much. Savannah didn’t really bother anyone. She kept to herself and did a good job for the Center.
“Don’t worry, Carlyle. I’m just going to give her a piece of my mind,” he shouted as he stormed out.
“Great,” Randolph muttered. “In the state of mind you’re in right now, I don’t think you have any pieces to spare.”
*****
As soon as Savannah said the last goodbye to the neighborhood kids, she cleaned the kitchen and checked the clocnbsp; Gracious me! The time had flown! How was she going to get pretty in the next ten minutes? Giggling, she decided it was a lost cause, so she just brushed her hair, put on some lip gloss and settled down on the couch. She changed positions three times, just trying to get comfortable. Bottom line – she was shaking like a leaf.
Clicking on the link, she quickly registered and emailed Patrick the call information and waited. And when the call came through, she jumped. Quickly she accepted the call and – there he was. Already he was more dear to her than any other person ever had been. “Hi,” she tremulously greeted him. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Hey, Baby,” Patrick ate her up with his eyes. “Lord, you’re pretty.” It never failed to amaze him how she always looked surprised by his compliments. She was so unassuming, yet so gorgeous and smart. Her intelligence was as arousing as her beauty.
“Thank you. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Things are heating up here a little so you say some extra prayers for me, okay?” The quality of the video image wasn’t the best, but she ran her finger over his image, forgetting he could see her. He closed his eyes. “God, I wish I could feel your hands on me for real. I’ve dreamed about you, you know.”
It was so different, talking to him like this. She put her hand over her heart. It was pounding so hard, she felt like she had to hold it in place. “This is happening so fast. I feel so overwhelmed. I’m not used to this, I’ve been alone for so long.” Even when she had been surrounded by a foster family, Savannah had been alone.
“You aren’t alone anymore.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Patrick was saying something else, and she wanted to hear every word, but a hard persistent banging on her front door could not be ignored. “Excuse me, Patrick. Someone’s at the door. Do you want me to sign off?”
“You aren’t expecting anyone?”
“No.”
“Well, go see who it is. I’ll wait. You may be able to come back.”
“Okay,” she carefully sat the computer on the coffee table and went to the front door. There was no one she wanted to see more than Patrick, so she was a bit upset at the interruption.
And she didn’t think.
Savannah opened the door without glancing through the peephole.
“There you are, you damn bitch!” With a shove, Fresh March pushed past her and into the living room of her house.
“What do you want, Professor March?” Oh God, oh God. She backed up away from him. He looked furious. Where was her cell phone? Maybe she could call the police.
“Why didn’t you tell me what you were? Why did you let me make a fool of myself over you?” With measured steps he started toward her and she kept just out of his reach.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. You know exactly what you are! You are unclean and filthy!”
“Savannah! Savannah! Baby, are you in trouble?”
Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. Patrick could hear every word. She dashed for the computer, just wanting to shut the lid so he couldn’t be witness to her great shame.
“Who are you talking to?” Fred March walked up and grabbed the laptop before she could touch it. Turning it around, he looked face to face with Patrick. “Oh, you’re the soldier from the memorial. I bet she didn’t tell you either, did she?”
“Please give me the laptop,” Savannah begged. “Patrick, just disconnect the call, please!”
“No, I don’t think so.” March held Savannah off, easily.
“Run, Savannah!” Patrick ordered. Savannah tried, but March tripped her as she tried to run.
“Ow!” she whimpered as she hit the floor – hard. She wanted to scream, but there was no use. Her nearest neighbor was too far away to hear.
“You listen to me, Asshole,” Patrick yelled. “I’m texting my friend right now, and he’s going to call 9-1-1. And if you harm one hair on her head, I’ll kill you myself.”
“Hell, where are you, Iraq? You’re bluffing. Don’t worry, I’m not going to touch her, she’s dirty.”
“You’re an idiot!” Patrick growled at March. “Savannah, Baby – are you all right?”
Savannah was crying. “I’m okay.” She tried to get to her feet, but March planted his foot in the middle of her back and held her down.
“Did you know, Soldier? Did you know her parents are lepers? I’m not using the word figuratively – her parents were sick with leprosy. They were rotting, stinking, dirty lepers. Do you know what that makes her?”
“I’m not sick!” As Savannah defended herself, it seemed as if the words she said had been uttered a thousand times before. How many times would she have to say it? “I’m not a leper.” Her admission seemed like a betrayal. How could the people who gave her life be something that everyone detested? It amazed her that a person’s whole existence could be defined by something as happenstance as a disease.
“I’ll tell you what that makes her – unfit to be around decent people.”
She heard Patrick call her name once more and then March slammed the computer lid down. “What do you want from me?” Savannah asked in a desperate tone. He wouldn’t rape her; that, she was sure of. But what if he meant to kill her? What had she done to warrant such hatred?
“I want to make you sorry you were ever born,” he snarled at her.
Too late. During her unhappy childhood, she had wished a thousand times that she had never been born. And now that Patrick knew the truth about her, she felt that same hopeless, grinding hurt in her heart. With a vicious push, he jabbed his booted foot between her shoulder blades and Savannah felt the air whoosh from her lungs. Then, he kicked forward hard and the toe of his shoe connected painfully with the base of her skull. “O God, please help me,” she prayed.
As if in answer to her prayer, she heard the sounds of sirens. Sirens? Even through her haze of pain and fear, Savannah realized that Patrick had called for help to come to her. And that was all sh
e knew, for he kicked her again and blackness engulfed her mind.
*****
“Savannah?”
She didn’t know the voice, but it sounded kind and very deep.
“Can you open your eyes for me?”
Savannah didn’t really want to. She didn’t really see any use in it. The state of being unaware was very pleasant.
“Please?”
Damn, he had to sound nice. It took a bit of effort, but she opened her eyes and saw a man – a very large man – standing next to her bed. “Who are you?” she managed to say despite the cloud of painkillers fogging her brain.
“You’re in the emergency room. But you won’t have to stay too much longer. There’s no sign of a concussion. How do you feel?”
“Like a car ran over me,e put her hand to her head. “My brain is pounding.”
“I’ll see about getting you something for the pain. Look at me,” he instructed. “How’s your vision?”
“It’s okay. Are you a doctor?” He didn’t look like a doctor – no white coat – although he could have played one on TV, in one of those sexy medical shows. The man looking at her with concern in his eyes was a big guy, not as big as Patrick, but more strong and confident than most people she had seen in many a day.
“No, I’m Revel Lee Jones, Patrick’s best friend. He called me when that idiot was attacking you and I got here as fast as I could.”
“Thank you very much,” she held out her hand – then remembered why all this happened and drew it back, bringing her fist over to cover her lips. Patrick knew. God, he knew now. She hadn’t had the guts to tell him and now he had found out in the worst way possible – through the ridicule and venomous hatred of another. And the realization of losing him was like a knife had pierced her heart.
As she was grieving, Savannah felt her hand being taken and Revel Lee held it in his warm grasp. “It’s an honor to meet you, Savannah. Patrick thinks the world and all of you.”
“Not any more.”
“Nonsense. And you’ll realize that as soon as you talk to him.”
Savannah didn’t say anything about that. Instead, she gave Revel a smile. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. Can you tell me what happened, I don’t remember much.” She glanced down at what she had on, and was relieved to see she wasn’t in a hospital gown and she didn’t have an IV, that was a good sign.
“The police got to you before I did, and they arrested the jackass. You’ll have to go down to the station and give them your statement. But I assured them that you would be pressing charges.”
“Oh God,” Savannah squeezed her eyes shut. “All this is going to do is start people talking about me again.”
Revel leaned on the side of the bed so he wouldn’t be heard by whoever was on the other side of the dividing curtains that shielded her from prying eyes. “Hold your head up. You don’t have a damn thing to be ashamed of. Just wait till Patrick gets back; I bet he’ll be able to convince you what I say is true.”
Savannah shook her head, “I’m not going to be talking to Patrick anymore. I just can’t, I’m too ashamed. As soon as I get home, I’m going to email him and thank him for everything and say goodbye.”
It was obvious that Revel wanted to argue with her, but the nurse showed up with her release papers and instructions. So the next few minutes were spent checking out and loading up. Revel didn’t leave her, however, and she didn’t know what she would have done without him. He treated her very well and – frankly – it hadn’t happened to her often enough in her life to take it for granted. As they were driving to her home, she told him so. “Revel, I don’t know how I will ever pay you back for your kindness to me. You may have saved my life. How do I say thank you for that?”
Stopping at a red-light, he turned a cheeky grin her way. “You don’t have to say a thing. Patrick thinks you’re special, so that makes you special to me, too. We’re gonna be best friends; we might as well start now.”
What he said made her think. But it didn’t change her mind. She knew what she had to do. When they got back to the cottage, Revel helped her in and made a place for her on the couch. “You rest here and I’m going to go raid your refrigerator. I’m hungry and I know you have to be, too.”
“There’s plenty of leftovers,” and she started naming over some choices. “I’ll have gumbo, if you don’t mind warming it up and there’s plenty for you, too.”
“Sounds good.” He went to the task and Savannah marveled at having the big handsome man waiting on her. Would wonders never cease? But as soon as she caught her breath and looked around, all she could see was Fred March railing at her. Someone had straightened the room, probably Revel, but the scene was burning in her mind’s eye. Professor March had knocked her down and kicked her in the head! And Patrick . . . the sooner she got that hard task over the better. Spotting her cell phone on the coffee table, she reached for it and opened her email and wrote a quick, short, hardest-thing-she’d-ever-done message.
Patrick
I am so sorry that I lied to you. Quite simply, I dreaded telling you about my past because I knew when I did, it would be over between us. And I enjoyed you so much. I hate that you found out the way you did, I am so embarrassed that I could just die. But thank you for sending Revel Lee and the police to save me. I owe you so much, perhaps my life.
You are wonderful and I will never, ever forget you. Take care of yourself, and I will continue to pray for you every day.
Goodbye
Savannah
This time when she hit send, she knew it was for the last time and afterwards, she doubled up in pain. She had only known him for a short time, but elt like forever. Lying back, she pulled the afghan over herself and turned her face into the couch. She tried not to cry. Revel would return in a moment, and she didn’t want him to be witness to her heartbreak. But she wasn’t successful. The tears began to flow, unbidden.
“Savannah.”
Damn! Savannah bit her bottom lip and willed herself to calm down. Sitting up, she swiped at her eyes and readied herself to take the bowl of gumbo. Instead, Revel sat the computer in her lap and she was face to face with Patrick. “Hey, Baby.”
Savannah just wanted to hide. Picking the laptop up, she started to hand it back to Revel. “I can’t talk right now.”
“Savannah!” Patrick’s voice was both commanding and pleading, it tore at her heart strings. “Please, Baby. Just listen to me.”
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be in the kitchen. Talk to him!” Revel ordered and left.
She sat the computer in her lap and let her eyes focus on Patrick. He looked so dear. But he also looked worried. “Is something wrong?” She couldn’t help but ask.
“Yea, something’s wrong,” he answered. “My best girl got attacked by some maniac and I’m all the way across the world from her.”
“You saved me.” His best girl? She hadn’t missed that, but she couldn’t see how it could be true.
“Why are you crying? Are you hurting somewhere?” He put his hand up to the screen and she placed hers over it.
“My head hurts a little, but that’s not why I’m crying.”
“Are you crying because of that email you just sent me?” Patrick would have given anything to take her in his arms. Her pain just wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed it so hard he wanted to pound that idiot who hurt her into the ground.
“Yes, it was hard to tell you goodbye.”
“It didn’t work, did it? I’m still here. And I’m not going anywhere.” She ducked her head and Patrick whispered, “Baby, look at me.” When she did, he leaned in closer. “Savannah, why didn’t you just tell me? Do you really think it would have made a difference to me?”
“But, I’m a Carville baby. It’s always made a difference in how people treat me. Everyone is horrified of leprosy and knowing that I’ve been exposed by birth just scares people. They’re afraid I’m contagious or contaminated. They don’t understand.”
“I do.”
<
br /> Savannah stared at him.
He could see the hope in her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m trained to deal with many different scenarios in the Marines. One of the things that I’m prepared to do is deal with victims of disease. I know how they’re contracted and I know what the risks are. And you, my sweet baby, were in no way affected by the unfortunate circumstances of your birth. Leprosy isn’t passed from mother to child during gestation or delivery. That’s a proven scientific fact. And how many medical exams have you passed during your years in foster care? As many as I have in the military, I bet.”
He understood.