Peeling Back the Top Layer 🇯🇲

50| The storm rages on

Everything freezes momentarily. The throbbing in my ear mimics my erratic heartbeat, which was set off by the woman weeping bitterly on the phone. I think of Chaunard but quickly shake that thought out of my mind. It couldn't be him. What reason would he have to do this? It can't be him.

"Who is this? Who died?" I ask, anxious for a name. There's some ruffling on the other end but no one speaks.

"Hello," a different woman's voice comes on the line. She sounds better composed. "My name is Daphne. You were just talking to my church sister Rose. She called to tell you that her son Steven committed suicide."

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaim. "I'm so sorry to hear. When did this happen?"

"She got the call this afternoon. He was found in his apartment. The police speculate that he died from an overdose on painkillers but we won't know for sure until they do the autopsy. They also found a suicide note." Miss Rose bellows out a fresh round of cries in the background as Daphne talks.

"What did it say? Do they know why he did it?"

"Sister Rose still hasn't told us that part so I couldn't tell you."

"Okay. Please offer her my condolences and tell her she can reach out to me if she needs anything. I will try to assist her the best way I can."

The call ends after brief goodbyes and a bundle of contrasting emotions hit me all at once, the two most prominent ones being relief and sadness. I am relieved that the call was not about Chaunard yet I am sad for Miss Rose.

Her screams of anguish were like a punch to my stomach. She lost her only son, her pride and joy, in a way that her church finds inexplicable.

But the emotion that is noticeably absent is grief. His death by itself is sad but I have no tears for him. It's almost like I'm getting a news report that someone unknown to me has committed suicide.

There has been no communication between us since his final letter and I only glanced him a few times around my workplace when he came by for Shanice. I wonder how she must be feeling at the moment.

Now, I am curious as to what could have driven him to take his own life. I quickly dial Marsha. She always knows how to get these kind of details.

"Girl, mi still deh pon mi honeymoon so dis better be urgent," she answers.

"Sorry to interrupt you but I need your help. Yuh can talk?"

"Yea man. What's up? How yuh sound suh stuffy?"

"Mi jus wake up. Got some bad news to tell you."

"Who dead?"

"Maaaarrrrshaa?!" I'm taken aback by her immediate assumption of the worse.

"Sorry, but when mi hear bad news mi always think bout death."

"Well you are right this time. It's Steven. Him commit suicide."

"Oh my gosh! Mi sorry fi hear. Yuh alright Kelz? How yuh coping?"

"Surprisingly, I'm fine. Don't feel an ounce of grief."

"Dat mean yuh did really done wid him den man. Wah yuh need help wid?"

"Well, di police seh there was a suicide note but him mother nuh tell nobody what was in it. Yuh think yuh can find out why him kill himself?"

"Alright. Mi ago mek a call."

"Thanks and sorry again for interrupting."

"It's no problem. Mi ago text yuh when mi get sumn."