Chapter Twenty-Four

She stood at the shore today in her long white bohemian dress. Her hair was let loose like she usually did whenever she visited the beach and was donned with the only black floppy hat she had. However today, she brought with her three red roses and some flat pieces of wood with names on each.

Olive. Donnie. And April.  They were unisex names because she wasn’t sure of their sexes at the time she aborted them. Their memories taunted her. Somehow she felt those voices she heard in her head came from them as a payback for the crime she committed against them. 

Today she wanted to make peace, though she didn’t know how. She figured making cute graveyards for them would ease her guilty conscience a little. She found herself a good spot in between the rocks which lined the shore at some point and knelt down on the beach sand. With the help of a good sized twig on the ground, she dug out three holes and placed a note in each. They all had the same message in essence: “I’m sorry”. She shoved the wooden name tags on them like tombstones and placed a flower on every one.

She remained hunched over the little graveyards, perfectly hidden by the huge rocks arched around the shore and all she did was weep softly as she patted the mounds she had built. Whispering. Sniveling. Knuckling away tears from her eyes and patting again as if they were actually babies. 

“I’m sorry…” her voice trailed off. 

Mitch had seen her from a distance, standing at the shore but now he had lost her. He wondered how she could disappear from his sight. But what troubled him more was why he was still bothered by her when she cut him out. He hardly stood by his resolve whenever she was in sight. His racing heart couldn’t seem to steady itself down.

He didn’t want to imagine the worst. What if she had drowned herself? Given her usual state of mind, that assumption would be accurate and if it is, he wouldn’t forgive himself for doing nothing. 

He dropped his brushes and raced to the ocean throwing off any weight that would hold him back. He dived into the sea and when he saw no trace of her, his heart galloped. He screamed her name like he’s lost his mind, scrambling through the waves in hopes of seeing anything of hers floating. 

The sound of her name being yelled from a distance caught her off guard. Who was screaming her name like some madman? Feeling the threat of her privacy being invaded, she quickly wiped off her face with the back of her hand and brushed herself off. She hoped her eyes weren’t too watery. Poking her head out a bit to see who the lunatic was she saw him, shirts off and drenched with water. What was wrong with him? She wasn’t bothered by what was wrong with him. Her heart broke inside her. Why would this man risk looking like a maniac just for her. She wasn’t worth all that. What she feared most was, she could see that he was falling for her. And that was the reason why she drove him away. What happens to him when she’s gone? A broken heart? On her account? No. She had bore enough blame for her lifetime. Now she only wants to exit the world quietly. That’s why she’s gotten herself an obscure place and obscure plan.

She trudged close enough to the shore to put an end to his misery. Watching him get so worked up trying to find her got her feeling the nippers all around her. The feeling was like one she remembered all too well: the strokes of the wind and the warmth of the sun she felt on her first visit. The only difference was that a person was responsible for this time. So this is what love feels like? And she just had to feel some when she was a few steps away from her grave. Such luck she has. 

“Mitch,” she called out softly with her arms folded and the wind blowing her hair and dress in all directions. Her cute feet were buried in the damp beach sand inches away from the sea. Mitch paused and turned to where she stood. Drops of water dripped from his hair, his face, he was totally covered. Keisha betted he’d still be drenched in his own sweat looking for her even if she was nowhere close to the sea. 

He swam back to shore and rushed to her side, wrapping her in a firm embrace. 

“Thank God,” he panted. He didn’t pause to consider how he got her wet with his drippy body. Keisha stood as she was, unflinching. She felt his heartbeat like it was hers. It raced crazily as her head laid a few inches below his breath. She heard all the unspoken words through his heartbeats, his pants and those firm hands which nestled her head and back. All she did was sniffle as softly and quietly as possible. She blinked several tears back before he saw her up close. 

“What were you doing?” She cleared her throat. He sensed the blitheness in her tone.

“I thought …” he lost his next set of words. This is not how he intended things to play out. 

“I’d drown myself…” she smirked, continuing his line of thought. 

“Trust me, if I’d kill myself… not like this”. And that was the truth. She had her own suicidal plan, which by comparison, was more appropriate because then no one would notice it for what it is. After saying that, she turned to leave. 

“Why are you pushing me away?” He had to ask, although he purposed never to because of his male pride. No one likes to look desperate after all, but this young lady who was previously acting like Potipher’s wife’s incarnate was now as cold as ice. 

She stopped in her tracks and tried to find some sharp words which would wound him enough to turn on his tail. 

“Because, you remind me of what I don’t wish to remember… Seeing you… opens my past wounds…” her heart weighed her down at each word she uttered. 

“I don’t need another skirt chaser who claims to have changed, to remind me of how it feels like to be used…” and she walked away. 

He stood watching her leave. He didn’t care about the waves which hit him from behind. He had already been hit with one he didn’t see coming. Never did he expect to hear such cold words. He shivered in all kinds of emotions and anger was definitely one of them. He didn’t even realize when a teardrop escaped from his eyes. Now he understood what it meant for people to cry in anger because he was fueled up now but to what end, he thought. In a few moments, he crumbled downward into the water and stayed there for a while. He was going to do all that it took to forget about her from that day on wards. 

****

Days dissolved into weeks and he decided to rather take pictures of the sun from different places rather than stay at the beach. He was going to limit the time he spent outdoors and even the places. Apart from Todd’s office and their church which were all in the same building, he hardly went anywhere else. The club had really become a matter of the past now. The last time he went there would be three weeks ago. Four weeks of not seeing that stubborn lady and he was content. Out of sight, out of mind, right? He was doing a good job at it. The only person who bore the brunt of all this was his mother. Naomi could hardly stop herself from thinking her son was on the run again. He wanted to ease her mind to let her know he was alright but he really didn’t want to run into the other lady. What was it about hiding from these two women? First, he hid from his mother because he thought she didn’t want him close, now he’s hiding from this young lady for the same reason? He sighed at the thought of it. But he had to go visit his mother soon, regardless of what happens next and he wasn’t going to go alone. His mother would definitely be pleased to meet the man who turned his son’s life around to the right direction. 

****

“Young lady, is everything alright with you?” Naomi drew close to the girl who stared blankly at the pc she was supposed to be punching things into. Keisha brushed herself off slightly and nodded at her. 

“What about you and my son?” 

“What about it?” She replied flatly. Clearly expressing her disinterest in the subject. 

“Are you two fighting?”

“We aren’t throwing punches, are we?” 

“Ugh. Tight-lipped as ever. But I haven’t thanked you yet,” Naomi changed the subject ignoring the attitude this lady was throwing at her. Keisha wondered what she meant. 

“Thanking me for what?”

“For helping me meet my son,” she smiled. Though she didn’t appreciate the circumstance in which it happened. 

“No need. It would have happened sooner or later,” she brushed off. 

“Keisha…” she turned her to face her and held her hands. 

“I don’t care what you do or what you’ve done. I have never thought of you as anything less than my daughter. I bet if I had one, she’d look just like you,” she smiled. 

Keisha didn’t know where that came from but it got her smiling a bit. Not because she wanted to make her feel better but because she saw the sincerity in those words. 

“Now, I need you to get ready. We have a busy weekend. Our cell group would be coming with their families to my apartment on Saturday afternoon, and catering for them is on us, so we need to set the menu and plan accordingly. It’s the only way to get you to attend the cell anyway. But I can promise you one thing, after that, you’re free to take three days off from Sunday,” she added.

“How many people are going to be there?”

“About twenty, I think,” she replied.

“Sure, I’ll get the clipboard and get started on the items we’d need so Louis can get the stuff on his weekly schedule,” Keisha slipped out of the counter. 

“That’ll be great.” 

Naomi took over what she was working on on the pc when she heard her door charm jingle. Mitch emerged from the swinging doors with a fine gentleman. Naomi couldn’t hold back the longing she’d kept in her heart all this while and rushed to embrace her son. 

“Where have you been, boy? You got me so worked up these past few weeks! What have you been up to?” too blinded by her son to notice anyone else.

“Mom… I’ll fill you in all that, later” he kissed her graying hair and turned to introduce her to Todd.

“And who might this fine man be?” she asked.

“This is Todd. The pastor I’ve been telling you about-“ 

“Say no more, my dear. For someone who helped restore my son to me, that person already has me under a spell,” she quipped, opening her arms for a hug to which Todd responded warmly. 

“Thank you, Ms Miller, for your kind words.”

“Oh please, no need to get overly courteous with me, Naomi is just fine or if you feel disrespectful calling me that you can just call me aunt Naomi. Or Mom would even be better,” she chimed as she directed the two men to one of the tables and beckoned Louis over to take care of their orders. 

“Seems you have a lot of room for kids,” Mitch commented, his eyes casting surreptitious glances round the room hoping to see someone.

“Looking for someone, honey?” 

“Um, no” he harrumphed. 

“Did you two fight?” She asked which got Todd’s attention too. 

“You fought?”

“No, we didn’t. I think our meal is ready,” he saw Louis step through the kitchen doors with a tray in hand.

“Silly young people. All you know how to do is evade questions which can actually save your little heinies,” Naomi chipped. Keisha followed through the same doors a few moments later with a tray too. Louis gestured her to follow him with it and they set it on their table. She would have left without saying a word had Todd not addressed her. He knew she lived in the hood but didn’t think she worked with Mitch’s mother.

“Hey, Keisha. Good to see you again. I didn’t expect to see you  here,”

“Hi Todd…” she plastered a smile on her face. 

“I didn’t expect to see you here too and so soon,” she smoothed her apron. 

“I think it’s great all the same cos then I wouldn’t have to say this twice. You remember the help I asked of you the last time…”

“Yes, about that-“

“I got us tickets to go see a production out of town. It’s called The Mirror. I read the excerpt and it does have quite a number of things I’d want us to involve in our little project,” he cut her. 

“I thought you only wanted us to do a showcase,” Mitch joined in. 

“Indeed. Still hasn’t changed but there’re a few things I want us to pick from that production as it unfolds. So what do you say?” he looked between them with eager eyes. He obviously had no room for disappointments.

She had wanted to back out of this deal earlier but hearing a production called The Mirror  got her attention. What could it be about? More importantly,  who was the playwright? If her guess was true then that’s one last demon to handle. But was she prepared to meet him? It’d be a good idea to put him in his place before she waved goodbye to the world, she thought. Perhaps it would be good to go ahead with this project after all. She’d be able to kill multiple birds with this a single stone. 

“I’m in. So when do we leave?”

“It’s erm… next Monday. A two day’s production away from town, so we’d have to find a motel close enough to the theater complex.” He added, quite surprised at her swift response.

“Where is it again?”

“Lone Street Town, The Purple Place.” 

“I have a friend there. She can help us with reservations.”

“Splendid!”

Mitch couldn’t resist staring at her and she felt it too. She was just too stubborn to pay him any mind. What got him wondering was why she was so quick to agree. It was obvious she was one person who was  very hard to read so no one bothered trying but him. 

“Thanks Todd. I’ll be on the other side if you need me,” she finally said and excused herself politely. 

It wasn’t long before Marissa and her family walked through the front doors.

“Right. A full house,” she muttered under her breath in repugnance. Naomi rose to welcome them too. Seeing Marissa with her family together got her happy especially because she knew how much the young mother struggled in her marriage.

“Heyyy Marissa…” she hugged her warmly and brought them to a table next to Mitch’s. Little Darren followed his parents closely. It looked like he had just been scolded given how he walked calculatedly. Naomi introduced the little family to her son and vice versa and they all got together in a good chitchat. Jamal seemed rather nonchalant about the whole thing going on. It occurred to him these folks might actually know about his business already, thanks to his overly sensitive wife. 

“Meet my husband, Jamal, Jamal, Mitch,” Marissa introduced. Mitch paused for a moment and cast a covert eye on Keisha who got herself busy behind her desk. 

“You’re Jamal?” Mitch asked again to be sure. He was comely indeed and it’d be believable for him to drive a girl crazy over him. No surprise that stubborn girl looked rather pathetic that day.

“Yes?” He replied between his teeth. 

“Nice meeting you, man” Mitch added with a nod and he did same. 

“I’ve heard so much about you from your mother,” Marissa turned to Mitch and engaged him further. As observant as he was, Todd stepped back from the whole social affair to read the room. Naomi was busying around with her staff to get a meal set for the family who just arrived. Keisha kept a chilly gaze on her clipboard as if she was writing an exam. Jamal, the interesting one was totally immersed in someone else’s world. For a married man, he rather had an intense look in his eyes toward the waitress with the clipboard and Mitch saw it too even though he did his best to indulge the chatty lady by him. Keisha on the other hand was shooting daggers as the poor young mother from time to time. As to whether it was a rivalry going on between them, he couldn’t tell. And even if it was, it didn’t look like the star guy was the young mother’s husband.

“Interesting,” Mitch said under his breath looking like he was totally immersed in the conversation. After gulping down his lovely meal from Naomi’s kitchen, Todd excused himself that he had to clear a few matters at church before their trip. Mitch tried to join him out but he wouldn’t let him, knowing he wanted to escape from something. Mitch couldn’t hide the look of feeling betrayed from his eyes but he’ll give himself away if he drags it. 

“I’ll see you at church on Sunday, boy” Todd winked at him and told Keisha he’d see her on Monday too. She smiled back. 

“Can you give me a hand, Keisha?” Louis popped out with two trays, milkshakes on one, waffles on another. She mumbled something under her breath and took the one with the pastries. 

“Hello dear, so it just occurred to me that Marissa would be there on Saturday too, since she’s already one of us I think you can get together with her to plan the menu,” Naomi paused in her chitchat and addressed Keisha. As if her day wasn’t interesting enough. She sighed and placed the clipboard on her tray and went to their table. Marissa thanked them and asked her to take a seat so they get on with the planning. How she wished Marissa didn’t have to hear that! She would have planned the menu by herself and submitted it as the work of two. She reluctantly sat opposite the couple and adjacent Mitch. He left immediately afterwards. 

“Are you leaving already, honey?” Naomi asked with concerned eyes.

“Yes mom, and I’ll be back again soon,” 

“I hope you come for our get together on Saturday,” she added.

“No promises but I’ll definitely return soon,” he kissed her on the cheek this time and waved the others goodbye. Keisha sat still, knowing she was the cause of this awkwardness but did she care? 

“We haven’t had a time like this ever since we met,” Marissa chuckled nervously. She was hoping her husband would join in and lessen the tension which was building but he looked rather miserable. Miserable about a love too costly to have. Keisha tossed the clipboard on the table to tell her she was ready for business and nothing else.

“Yes, the menu…” she added. She picked up the clipboard from the table and skimmed through what she’d jotted down already. At a closer look she wondered if she had seen such a handwriting before. And then it dawned on her. 

“You have a nice handwriting, Keisha” she smiled weakly. Her suspicions over the past few months were finally proving to be true but she had to contain it. Her hands trembled such that she had to lay the board down and bury her hands under the table. She felt the pain well inside of her as her family ate their meal- Darren trying to eat well without making a mess and Jamal who barely touched his plate. 

Keisha kept a limited eye contact with any of them. Her face pointed to the table the whole time. 

“Mom, you said Pretty Miss was my aunt the last time,” Darren recalled with a glint in his eyes. She wondered if her son couldn’t have picked a better time to address this but that got Keisha’s attention. What did he mean by that?

“Not now, Darren.” She hoped to end that conversation.

“But you said it,” Darren added, worried as to why his mother was dismissing him.

“What I meant by aunt was, she was like a little sister to your father,” she side eyed her husband knowing how he was feeling about the whole situation. How could she be so careless to blurt out a truth they weren’t ready for their son to know? Keisha looked at the distraught couple in front of her and could tell from the glance that they were hiding something, but she couldn’t be bothered. The worst possible news would be that Rich was the father of the child and that was none of her business.

Getting together like this made her finally see the secret her husband had been hiding and upon knowing that, she couldn’t help but bear the guilt of separating two lovers. 

“I think I’ll allow you the chance to handle the menu, Keisha” she cleared her throat. 

“You’ve been here longer so you would know the right dishes we’d need for the menu,” she stammered.

“Alright,” Keisha stood up and walked away in the next second. It was as if she was waiting for her to say that. And now, Marissa understood the chilly treatment she received from her. Here she was thinking she evaded her because of guilt but now, she had seen for herself that she was the one guilty not her. 

“I’ll like to step out a bit,” she said to her husband and excused herself. Darren did not follow. He remained on his seat, feasting on his waffles as if he wouldn’t get any more any time soon. 

“Daddy, is mommy alright?” He asked him.

“Yes… she is,” he sighed as he couldn’t help but stay his gaze on her behind the counter. She paid him no mind and dialled a number on the telephone.

****

The beep was irritating. Ever since their little motel skyrocketed into making high profits it’s been one pressure after another. They received countless calls on a daily basis and they wondered how word of their hardly known business got out. Jefferson never thought he’d have to consider building an annex to handle all these guests. He must really thank the Purple Place folks for opening up at their part of town. Being a substandard motel and earning what he did now was a true miracle. But that’s part of the perks of being the only one with solutions to people’s issues. In his case, he was the only one who could put roof over the people’s heads even if he has a leak in it. And of course, he knew that in future it’d be in his best interest to provide quality for his services since, there’d be others out there who would be finding the same business prospects there. 

“Where is Laureen for the life of me?!” He bawled. Still understaffed, the poor lady had three customers to sort out with their reservations. They hardly had any more room to give out and even Dave had to break his back clearing a storage space and turning it into a guest room. 

“Dave, get that phone, will you?” Jefferson ordered while seated in his recliner. He had his  legs crossed on a stool in front of him picking his teeth with tweezers and a bottle of beer beside him. Dave looked like he could use a stretcher and a bat to smack this vertically deficient portly man. He staggered lightly to the phone which was attached to the wall and unhanded it.

“Good day, Lone Street Town Motel. How may we help you?” He sighed softly and attempted to sound professional.

Oh wow, they finally have more employees, she thought. The last time she was there Laureen’s boss did not sound half this pleasant. 

“Hi. May I speak to Laureen please?” Keisha said through the phone. 

“Ms Laureen is currently engaged at the moment but you can leave a message. I’ll have it forwarded to her,” he replied still as polite. 

“There’ll be no need for that. Just tell her Keisha called,” she added. 

He went pale after that. Was it the name or his fears? He clutched on tight to the phone and got dumb but he had to be sure he was wrong.

“May I have your surname please?” He stammered a bit:

“Keisha is just fine. She’d know,” she added, almost sounding irritated as if he was intruding. 

“Yes please” he hesitated. She hanged up after that. She could only hope her message would get to Laureen before it was too late. 

“You look like you just spoke to a ghost. Who was that?” Jefferson gulped down the bottle of beer. 

“It was Laureen’s call,” he replied and headed straight to the kitchen. If Jefferson wouldn’t make a fuss, he would have marched straight to his room right away to clear his mind.