It would have been more manageable if she only had dyslexia, right? But no, she had to bear the weight of other conditions as well as assynergia, Bell's palsy, and bow legs-all bundled within one person. In totality, she presented quite a challenging sight, a total eyesore.
Over the past five years, they had spent countless millions, traveling from one country to another in pursuit of remedies for these deformities.
"But all that effort turned out to be in vain," Mrs. Daniels whispered bitterly to herself. Her features contorted with disgust as she glanced at the child with deformities, who was now drooling saliva. "A complete waste," she muttered again.
Her spoken words caught her by surprise when she felt eyes on her. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was none other than her husband, who she knew shared her sentiments, but she turned anyway. Their gazes met, and she could hardly ignore the emotions contained within. Frustration and anger flashed through his eyes in an instant. She couldn't blame him.
How many husbands remained optimistic after fifteen years of infertility? And how many would continue to stand by, enduring the pain of having a child with special needs?
Their trips had once held promise and brimmed with hope. However, all of it ultimately transformed into a series of futile journeys, filled with dashed hopes and squandered resources.
It had upended their once joyful marital life. She found herself questioning her ability to uphold the vows of "for better or for worse." She turned to him; his face was pressed against the car window. She wondered if he harbored the same uncertainties.
In that moment, he found himself among the passengers on the plane, and her presence filled him with a sense of revulsion. Observing her complete detachment from her surroundings, with saliva trickling from her mouth down to her clothes, was nothing short of nauseating, almost enough to induce vomiting.
This marked the final chapter of their relentless travels. The last of those ceaseless journeys. He had no intention of plunging into bankruptcy for the sake of a monstrous child.
His eyes bore into the girl, his expression twisted in a blend of intense loathing. Within him surged an overwhelming hatred, and he couldn't help but liken her to a heap of filth. A wave of desperation overtook him; he needed to do something before regret consumed him entirely.
"
Kasali, pull over," he commanded firmly.
The driver seemed not to hear him, so he raised his voice.
"Excuse me?"
"Are you deaf or something? I said stop the car!" he shouted, almost jumping out of his seat.
His wife turned to him, her face filled with confusion.
"We're on the freeway. Why are you asking him to stop?"
But he ignored her, his focus solely on the driver.
"Kasali, stop the car, or you can kiss your job goodbye," he demanded.
A
t this point, Mrs. Daniels teetered on the edge of her seat. The look in his eyes unsettled her; it was filled with an intensity she had never seen before.
"Darling, what on earth are you doing?" Her voice rose to an almost screeching pitch, but he didn't respond.
With trepidation, the driver veered to the roadside and brought the vehicle to an abrupt halt. Before anyone could fully grasp the situation, the girl was shoved out, and the car sped away with a screech of tires.
But in reality, it all remained within the realm of his imagination—an impulse he lacked the courage to act upon.
A sharp exhalation escaped his lips. He averted his face, burying it within his hands.
"What a waste," he thought bitterly. Years of waiting had finally paid off, but the outcome was a disappointment. "What a shame," he muttered to himself.
He longed for closure; his marriage had grown distant, but his promise kept him bound. "For better or worse," he had vowed, and fifteen years later, he had kept his word. His eyes traced to the child between them, watching her struggle for balance. They should have been wiping the saliva that trickled from her mouth, but they weren't. His wife's face remained turned away from the child, staring out the window, lost in whatever was happening outside, oblivious to their daughter's needs.
If this was what "for better or worse" looked like in a child, he wasn't willing to endure it—not with this child.
*****
It didn't even occur to them that they had arrived home until the whirring sound from the gate brought them back to reality. The gate swung open and the car drove in.
Immediately the car came to a halt, as if on cue, the couple opened the door and slammed it shut leaving the girl in it.
The two were almost in, with Mr. Daniels a stride ahead until Mrs. Daniels brought herself to stop in her tracks and as if remembering something, she turned to the direction of the car.
"Kasali."
"Yes Madam."
"Get her inside," she ordered.
And without waiting for a response from him. She marched in.
***
Immediately she was inside, she dashed towards the staircase and was climbing up to the room but his words put a stop to her tracks. She turned.
"What ?"
"I said, I have a solution to that thing out there."
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"We're left with no choice but to dispose of this one."
She turned her face toward him, once again trying to grapple with his words, prompting her to sit up.
"Excuse me, wh... what did you say?"
"What, did my words escape you?"
"Honey, what... What do you mean by 'throw her away'? I'm sorry, I can't agree to that."
"Can't agree to what, or do you intend to play the role of a virtuous saint now, after subjecting your very own daughter to years of torment ?"
"Oh, come off it! That monstrosity is not my child," she muttered.
"Then why this sudden display of righteousness? Listen, we must discard her. Unless you wish to squander your life wallowing in poverty, spending fortunes on that disgrace of a child."
His wife's retort remained veiled in silence.
"So, what's the plan?"
"Eh! Now you're talking. We discard her," he reiterated, his words tumbling out as though he couldn't contain them.
"So... so where do we send her?"
"An orphanage."
"But..."
"But what, but what?"
"What explanation do we offer our friends and family for the child's disappearance?"
"She's abroad with a relative."
"And when does she get back ?"
"She grew up there and has refused to come back, period."
"I think I can go with that," she said after a moment of silence.
"Great, so we'll arenage for that."
YOU ARE READING
A CAST OF PAIN (Closed For Editing)
General Fiction25 years go down the drain when series of dreams, supposedly forgotten parts of her life, memories spring up. They're painful but by implication, consequential. What does she do with the memories that seem to cause so much pain . Jojo, a happy go...
