The Ashes of Marriage

Chapter 27

The man at the end of my bed looks nothing like the Will I remember. He has a closely cropped mustache and beard, thin nose, slicked back hair as if it were relaxed, and higher cheekbones. Gone was the mocha color of his skin and replaced with a milk-bleached lighter counterpart resembling the color of a Krispy Kreme donut. His broad chest and muscular arms were thinly veiled in the button-up tailored shirt he was wearing. Will's appearance screamed sophistication, wealth, and prosperity, and he looked to be a man in his early 30s instead of his early 50s. If I would have passed him on the street before this moment, I would not have recognized him. As if reading my thoughts, Will's smile widened.

"Time has been good to me, hasn't it Ali?" He says as he slowly steps closer to the head of the bed and moves the call button out of my reach. "I've passed you many times over the years, and you never knew I was there."

I stare at him with my good eye and try to look unphased by his admission. Will does not seem deterred and continues to gloat.

"The best hiding place all these years was actually in plain sight, and over the past 20 years, I have built myself a good life. I have a career, wife and kids, and I am not willing to give that up for anybody, even you baby girl. " He says as tenderly pushes a curl away from my face. I close my eye and try to keep my breathing under control. "You remember the good times baby girl? Don't you remember?"

I try not to move and show no sign of recognition of what he is referring to. Will laughs, and I feel heat against the right side of my face as he whispers in my ear. 

"You will remember soon enough, but right now I need you to sleep."

My eye snaps open just in time to see him push the plunger of a syringe into my IV. I try to move my other arm to pull the IV out, but he easily restrains me by pinning my arms to the bed. 

"Sweet dreams Ali. Don't make me regret not killing you."

Will's face becomes a blur as I slip into unconsciousness. 

*******

"Give me a' A!"

"A! Ya got cha A ya got cha A!"

"Give me a' L!"

"L! Ya got cha L ya got cha L!"

"Give me a' I!"

"I! Ya got cha I ya got cha I!"

"What does that spell?"

"ALI!" Candy and I yell in unison. We are dancing in the mirror of our bedroom at our childhood home, shaking pom poms while wearing mama's old cheerleader uniforms. Candy has my hair in a high braided ponytail and she made up my face using mama's old makeup. I feel so grown-up prancing around the room and chanting cheers with Candy. 

The door opens and in walks stepdaddy and laughter stops under his stern gaze. He furrows his brow and crosses his arms. 

"Mama said we can play wit ha old stuff." Candy says after a moment. Stepdaddy didn't acknowledge her answer but continues to stare. I shifted my weight from foot to foot afraid to make eye contact, but when I finally did, I realize he is staring at me. I swallow and he licks his lips before he spoke.

"Candy, run on to yo Auntie house and grab Kora. Walk around the field and not through."

"Okay daddy. C'mon Ali." Candy said as she grabbs my hand. Stepdaddy holds up his hand to stop us. 

"I said you go. Ali can stay." Stepdaddy says. His lips wore a smile but his eyes were void of warmth and I shiver under his gaze. Stepdaddy reaches out and rests his hand on my shoulder and squeezes

My eyes connect with Candy's and she glances at stepdaddy's hand on my shoulder with a look of disgust on her face. My eyes silently plead with Candy to stay.

"Now Candy!" Stepdaddy snaps as he slaps Candy across her face. Candy grabs her face as she crumples to the floor. She scrambles to stand and scurries out of the bedroom.

Stepdaddy listens for the front door to close before he leads me over to the chair in the corner of the bedroom and pulls me on his lap. I let my hands rest on his knees but I keep my back straight and stiff. Stepdaddy finds my posture amusing  and chuckles.

"I ain't  no pedophile.  I won't do nothing to you." Stepdaddy says, and then he leans forward and whispers, "You are going to grow up to be something special Ali, and you will always belong to me. No one can change that."

I remain stiff as a board on his lap as he hums and rubs my back, ignoring the steady stream of tears soaking the front of  mama's cheerleading uniform. Stay strong Ali, I say to myself, stay strong.