by Aisha Graham
The doctor’s eyes widened and he signaled for another nurse to come over, “Toni”, he instructed, “take this woman to the back and tend to these bruises.” Georgia gladly followed the nurse, wearing a smug grin. It was as if Georgia had a newfound hope for life again, knowing her terror had come to an end.
“Ma’am, when authorities arrive, we’ll need you to explain the story. Do you know where Reverend Thomas is now?”
“He was following us until we pulled into the parking lot. He kept straight”, Evita struggled to recall. The doctor instructed Evita to stay near, and the police arrived about ten minutes later.
The Reverend was still parked on the shoulder of the busy road, with tears so thick he couldn’t see his hands in front of his face. His voice was hoarse from all of the rage he had been exerting the past few days. Sirens sounded in the distance and lights flashed in his rearview mirror. This was it. About ten police cars swarmed The Reverend from behind, demanding he get out of the vehicle. He stopped crying, wiped his face on his trench coat sleeves before removing it, and exited the car with his hands in the air.
Georgia had been treated, given some pain meds, and sent home to her apartment with an officer to protect her through the night until it was confirmed that The Reverend had been indicted. Evita sat in the hospital room with Clarice, while she lie on the stiff mattress, hooked to several IVs. Clarice rested peacefully, while Evita held her hand and watched old sitcom repeats on the flat screen attached to the wall. Clarice’s eyes finally opened after a few hours.
“Evita?” She whispered from a weakened throat. Evita turned her attention away from the screen. “I’m sorry”, Clarice said as she shed a lonely tear.
“It’s not your fault, you don’t have to be sorry”, Evita said, feeling sorry her own self, for how lowly she thought of Clarice. Evita now understood that this entire time, Clarice was dealing with her own form of suffering she wasn’t allowed to speak on.
“I do, I need to apologize, for all the times I treated you so badly. All of the times I thought of you to be spoiled or rude. I took your father’s negative words about you and your mother, and I ran with them. Now I see the pain he’s been causing me since you left home, is probably the same things he did to your mother. I was not there for you as a woman. I wasn’t there for you as the mother figure I should’ve been, and that, is indeed my fault.” They both began to weep.
“I’m just glad you’re okay”, Evita admitted. The door opened and the doctor entered, politely asking Evita to leave as visiting hours were coming to an end. The staff was still worried about the stability of Clarice’s vitals, since she’d gone days without eating. Evita hugged Clarice, and promised she’d be back to visit soon. Clarice kissed Evita’s hand, smiled, and told her she’d be honored to have her presence again.
The doctor pulled Evita to the side as she exited. “Ma’am, what you did today was nothing short of heroism”, the doctor stated as he shook her hand. Evita grinned. She appreciated the notion, but deep down, she still had a strong feeling of hatred toward the man who had pit all the women in his life, against one another, as a form of control.
All this time, Evita detested Georgia and Clarice, when all along, they were victims of the same violence that caused her mother’s death. Vivian had resented Michelle to a certain extent, when in reality, she was dealing with a similar pain as well. Carl Jr. grew up without either of his parents, and now Evita was in a position of what felt like she was restarting her life from scratch.
It was night fall now and Evita decided to stay in the same hotel she and Georgia had visited the night prior. Georgia offered her couch to Evita, but Evita needed her own space.
Once she was settled, she called Diana.
“I saw the news”, Diana said without wasting time greeting Evita. “Are you okay?”
“Yup, I’m at a nearby hotel. He’s arrested and Clarice is stabilized. Georgia’s back at home.”
“But are you okay?”
Evita didn’t exactly know the answer to that. The problem was solved, right? She had lost her mother, father, boyfriend, and best friend. What was left? Her grandmother, she realized as she contemplated.
“I’m fine, Diana. I’m going to call my grandma. I’d like you to meet her. Let’s have dinner.”
Diana agreed to do so. She explained she’d be booked with appointments all day tomorrow, but free the next. Evita sent Diana a text of Loraine’s address and assured she’d follow up with details. They ended the call and Evita proceeded to contact her grandmother. Loraine answered on the first ring.
“Evita, baby?” Loraine’s sweet voice rang through Evita’s eardrum.
“Hey, grandma”, Evita said, sounding exhausted, but still managing to wear a smile. Loraine explained that she’d been watching the news and was awaiting her call. She somehow knew Evita was okay and said it was due to either intuition, or delusional optimism. Evita got straight to the point, as it was getting late, and she wished to finally enjoy one full night’s rest, without any dreams.
“I’d like to have dinner with you the day after tomorrow. Is that okay?”
“Of course! I can cook whatever you’d like”, Loraine sounded excited.
“Can I bring a friend?”
Loraine hesitated to respond. “Hun, I don’t tend to have much company over. I’m big on protecting my space”, she giggled. Evita found it odd, but she didn’t push the subject and didn’t take it seriously since Loraine laughed it off.
“Okay grandma, if you say so.” They ended their conversation and Loraine insisted she couldn’t wait to see her granddaughter. Evita texted Diana and told her it’d be okay for her to accompany Evita to dinner. Evita had a newfound strength and wanted to share the same feeling with her grandmother, no matter how shy Loraine appeared to be.
Evita fell asleep peacefully tucked in the snug hotel sheets. No dreams, no images, and sixteen hours of on again, off again, restful slumber. Evita was unconscious most of the following day and only left the room to eat a huge dinner before continuing her hibernation. Another night, of no dreams. Evita awoke for the first time in weeks, with white clear eyes and a calm spirit.
DAY 33
EVITA felt refreshed. She put on the last clean outfit she’d packed in her trusty duffle bag. She styled her hair into afro puffs that were fuller and more tamed around the edges and applied makeup around her rested eyes. Evita drove for hours to her grandmother’s house, blasting some of her favorite rap music and drinking a smoothie she’d bought from the hotel café on her way out. By time Evita reached Loraine’s town, it was dinner time. Evita had spoken to Diana earlier that day to confirm she was still meeting her at Loraine’s home.
When Evita arrived, she couldn’t help but notice the air around Loraine’s home felt different; it was more tranquil, calmer. She gently knocked on her grandmother’s door and Loraine slowly peaked through the crack as she opened it. Loraine greeted Evita with a wide, bright smile. She wore a similar white gown to the one that Evita had been haunted by, but it was much cleaner and flowed alongside her frame effortlessly.
Loraine’s hair was even braided in a similar fashioned to what Evita had envisioned in her sleep, but framed her warm, kind, inviting face in a way that made Loraine look youthful. She hugged Evita tightly and led her inside. The door shut behind them, but Loraine hadn’t locked it. Normally, Evita would’ve remind her, but she remembered Diana could walk directly in, upon her arrival. Evita couldn’t smell the food cooking yet, so she assumed Loraine was prepping the meats and veggies as she normally did.
“Have a seat sweetie”, they sat next to each other on the couch. “How are you feeling”, Loraine asked as she wore a concerned expression. Evita began explaining that she was fine and that Clarice had been treated. Then, they heard a knock at the door. Loraine’s face went from concern to one of fear.
“Who is that?” She asked.
“My friend”, Evita explained with a smile, hoping it wo
uld calm her grandmother’s worries.
“Well Evita, I—”
“I know grandma don’t worry about it”, Evita said as she stood from the couch and walked a few steps toward the door. She shouted “Come on in! It’s opened!”
“Evita, no!” Loraine cried. Evita squinted at Loraine in confusion. Diana walked through the door with her Mark Jacobs bag and Manolo high heels clacking against the hardwood floor.
“What’s wrong with you, grandma?” Evita asked as Loraine became frantic. Diana continued walking closer toward where Evita stood near the couch. Evita continued asking Loraine what the issue was, awaiting a response.
Diana stopped abruptly in her tracks, dropping her purse at her feet, removing her glasses from her face. Her expression was filled with just as much fear as Loraine’s. “Who are you talking to, Evita?” Diana asked.
THE END