I woke up to the aroma of pancakes and coffee. Mark was in the kitchen making breakfast. I was snuggled in all my big fluffy blankets, they were like giant clouds. It was so nice seeing the rays of light coming through my bedroom window. I was so comfortable.
"Come on, wake up babe."
"I'm up, I'm up." Even though I really wasn't because I remained in the same position with my eyes closed.
He came into the room and jumped on the bed. "It's going to be a beautiful day, so we've got to take advantage of our time together and enjoy it while the gorgeous weather lasts."
It wasn't long till I gave up on my attempt to sleep in. It was Saturday morning. The day when Mark and I got to relax and spend the whole day together. I got up and walked to the kitchen table, grabbed my cup of coffee, and started reading the paper. I turned to the obituary section, where I saw a tiny caption and layout of Fil. I read, "Our beloved Fil died in a fatal tree accident. He will never be forgotten." I read on and discovered the poor guy died from a tree fall. Apparently he was sleeping in his make-shift tree house trying to hide from that treacherous thunderstorm, when lighting and wind took down his home.
He lived on his own for a while in that tree. Even though he was homeless, he was fine living there. His crushed body was discovered by grandma Pearl early in the morning.
"Wow I never thought such a kind young man would lose his life so suddenly." I frowned.
"I guess it was just his time. Everything happens for a reason, and besides he's in a much better place." he said with sympathy.
His words were appeasing, and I told Mark that I would like to pay my respects at the funeral later today. He just nodded and said "I would be happy to come along."
The two of us left for our morning run. For the first time ever, Washington Heights actually looked pretty. Despite the trash on the street and the sight of a number of overtly struggling businesses, the city looked beautiful. I never noticed how much beautifully colored trees lined the streets. Washington Heights didn't look as much like the ghetto, but more just like a highly populated urbanized area. I was really enjoying it and so was Mark.
We ate lunch and this time walked back home. It was three o'clock and we had to be ready to go to Fil's funeral by five. The funeral was nice, and everyone got the chance to say their goodbyes.
"It's so terrible how Fil died." Mark said to Mr. Dupont.
"I know, it's just not right." He replied.
In an attempt to bring Mark and Henry out of their sadness I said, "I think heaven above is taking good care of him. Just look at how gorgeous this day is. It's trullly a divine gift."
The sunny weather was nice. It made Washington Heights a place where more smiles and laughter exists. The city was actually normal for a short time, that is until the clouds began to come in. That's when the familiar feeling of depression came in. I absolutely hated bad weather, and I had had enough. Mark and I decided to get the apartment in another city. We began packing up our clothes, dishes, furniture,and everything else we wanted to take with us. The next morning was moving day and I couldn't wait.
Before Mark and I went to bed I said, "Finally the day we've been waiting for is tomorrow. We've prepared and now we are ready to make our dreams of living in a normal place a reality."
Mark looked into my eyes and stared at me with a serious face. We both understood how not only moving would take us out of this hell we call home, but it would also be us taking the next step into our relationship...
A couple seconds went by, and we just began to smile at each other. "I can't believe this will be our LAST night sleeping in this god foresaken place." I leaned over to turn off the light, then I snuggled closer to him and kissed him goodnight.
"I love you Lucy."
"I love you too."
2 comments:
Blow Off Sorrow, Goodbye Tomorrow
Nicole was a million miles away and no one could bring her back.
She walked outside, her black coat flapping in the wind. One particular gust of wind revealed her stained dress; the red splotches on her white dress looked almost formulaic. She generally didn't like white, but it suited the occasion. Nicole smiled as the thought about the first step she had taken today on her much anticipated path. Nicole turned her back to the clinic, reminiscing.
"How're they doing doctor?"
Dr. Evans looked at her chart skeptically.Her eyes rapidly moved from left to right, scanning the paper for clues. Her skeptic eyes rested on the hands that held Nicole's coat closed; finally they stopped in Nicole's eyes.
"This one is suffering from severe head trauma--kinda strange for a guy who fell down the stairs..." she said while glancing back Nicole's hands.
"I just found him on the floor near the bottom of the stairs. I've no idea what happened," Nicole smoothly explained, all the time looking at the paper clip in Dr. Evans' hands.
"I heard they found a bloody wrench at the top of the stairs...you'd have to be really psychotic to do something like that...wouldn't you agree?" Dr. Evans said, looking at the spot where Nicole's coat happened to open when she moved her hand to sweep her hair off her face.
She walked to the other unconscious man's bed adjacent to the first.
"What about him?" Nicole said, attempting not to break into the grin that had been threatening to reveal her achievements. All air of professionalism left Dr. Evans instantly as soon as Nicole mentioned him.
"Mr Bronehart--grotesque is the only word I can think of to... describe...surprised he's still alive. Scalped, his left arm--gone," at this she paused, eyes locked in one place on the sheet. "His left eye was found in his right hand," again she paused, a shade of green had made it's way onto the doctor's face. "...lips sewn together...I can't--." She mumbled, hand over mouth, charging to the bathroom.
What she hadn't mentioned were the words carved on his chest.
"Goodbye" she'd said aloud, as she'd walked out of the ICU of the clinic.
Standing on the curb of the clinic, her head turned to stare at the world in front of her, the long absent sun on her face. She walked to subway and waited. Lights, sounds, the train. She peeled the coat off her and placed it in the trash next to the phone booth. The long sleeves of the dress provided some warmth; besides, the sharp stabs of cold around her couldn't penetrate the heat radiating from the raging fire inside her.
"I love your dress," a woman said as she stepped onto the train.
Nicole smiled her sweet malicious smile, enjoying her newfound freedom and destiny.
And Then Some...
A van. The last rays of sun hit the shiny onyx surface of the vehicle.
There's the man who she saw at the bar and at the strip club. Why had she been at the strip club? Oh right, boredom. She didn't strip, not enough balance. She had almost ran into a woman walking into the clinic because she was so lost in her thoughts. She had been on her way to see Molina when the van passed. She didn't know why the van was so important, she didn't know why she couldn't look away. She did know, however, that she felt better. Everything was going to fall into place, she knew it.
She knew it.
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