A Dialogue!
The Hidden Truth (Part 2 of 2)
JAMIE: What?
DANIELLE: I wanted you to forget everything, I wanted you to wake up and have a whole set of new happy memories.
JAMIE: You wanted me to forget what ma? What are you hiding tell me?
DANIELLE: Your father was in the police but got kicked out because of his attitude and his drinking problem. After that, he would just sit at home, drink, and beat the hell out of me for no reason. I used to do two jobs. After you were born, I thought that he might change but I was wrong. 5 years after you were born were the happiest years of my life. Everything was happy and nice; you were like the sunshine after the heavy storm. Your father wasn’t drinking, he just stopped and got back his job now you were in school and were the happiest and luckiest kid anyone would have asked for. One day, I was transferred out of town and I was home on weekends.
JAMIE: [ shocked and crying]
DANIELLE: On certain occasions, I did notice something weird but I thought it was silly to think of something like that. Then 6 years later, when I was at my sister’s house with you, I noticed something that me think twice of every single day I wasn’t home. I was putting you down for bed and screamed in your sleep and started to cry when I woke you up. You said,’ I’ll do it just hit me again I was shocked to the core. This went on almost every day. I asked your father about it but he took it so lightly and just laughed it off.
(Another long pause as if gasping for breath)
JAMIE: wait I had a dream about that?
DANIELLE: [Sobbing] one day I came back home on a Friday night and I heard you screaming. I quietly went in from the back door of the house. I was all silent except for your screams that faded in as if someone forcefully placed a hand on them. I slowly reached for a bottle and followed your voice to your room. Where I saw your father forcing him onto you and bleeding and bruised up completely. I was shocked for a moment thinking it's not true and also how could this be and was losing it as I blamed myself for all of this just then I heard you scream my name. it was like I came back to my senses. I saw your father coming towards me with a belt and so I quickly hit his head with the bottle I was holding. It made him unconscious for a while which gave me time to pick him up, put him in clothes, and just leave. The only mistake I did that day was that I also started grabbing a thing or two that were valuable to me. And that when your father woke up, grabbed you by the leg and pulled you towards him and on doing so your head hit the bars of the stairs and came rolling off the stairs. I kicked him hard in his face and he grabbed me by my neck. I struggled for a while trying to pull free from his grasp when I got hold of his gun in his side pocket and shot him. Thrice.
(Jamie got Danielle a glass of water)
DANIELLE: [ took a sip of water] after that you were unconscious and I hurriedly took you to the hospital. You wouldn’t wake up. And after days of treatment, you still wouldn’t wake up. That night, in the hospital I called his friend also the police, and let him know of the situation. When you finally woke up after 6 months. The doctors told me that my bad memory is as if they have been all wiped out. I thanked him and as soon you got better, I took you to another state far from there. And gave you a whole new story because there was a chance that you might get your memories back. I didn’t want you to go through it again. I am so sorry Jamie, I
(Danielle is crying and gasping for breath)
JAMIE: You don’t have to cry now I am all fine, you did what you had to. You did the right thing please don’t cry ma. [also sobbing]
DANIELLE: BUT I should’ve known how could I have turned a blind eye towards that how?
JAMIE: Ma! Please I am okay now I am fine; I am proud of what you did and I am extremely thankful for whatever you have ever done for me. Love you ma!
(Jamie hugs Danielle both sobbing, happy tears!)
THE CURTAIN FALLS
Instagram : @itsenigmatic ( poetry page)
Instagram: fatimanaveed_ (personal)
Twitter: @FatimaN89931810
