My Section of Dysfunction

Chapter 14

    Gabe and I once again walk into the all too familiar hospital, but this time we each hold a stack of letters. We pace to the elevator door and get on the first opportunity. This time we share the short ride with two young nurses in purple scrubs. I try my best not to make eye contact, it some how (as always) manages to happen. One quick glance around and the tall blonde nurse does a double take. Her wide, ocean blue eyes lock with mine.
"Hey,you're Kali's niece right?" She asks in a way too perky voice.
"Um, yeah." I respond quietly.
"She's soooo great!" She squeaks, rocking up on her toes.
"Yeah,Kali's always nice to me." The other nurse pipes up shyly. She has smooth mahogany skin and shoulder length black hair.
" I'm sure she has." I agree.
A lump starts to form in my throat,but I push it away. I throw on a smile and look them straight in the eye. Being fake is so exhausting.
"I'm Tiffany." Belts the blond nurse,proudly extending a manicured hand in my direction. I stare at it for a moment before realizing her intention. I quickly grab her hand and give it an awkward shake.
"I'm Rosella." Mumbles the other nurse.
Gabe and I each smile and nod slightly. The elevator shudders to a stop and the doors creak open.
"And this is our stop." I report as I step onto Aunt Kali's floor.
"It was nice meeting you." Tiffany adds quickly.
"You too." I mutter as the doors close.
"They really like Kali." Gabe concludes.
"She pretty much has her own fan club. I wonder what's they'd think if they knew she'd lied to me my whole life." I scoff as I start towards Aunt Kali's room.
"Faye," Gabe begins as he follows close behind,quickly closing the gap with his long strides. "We don't know the whole story."
"Yeah, but I know enough." I think though I remain silent until we reach the door. I storm in without a moments hesitation. Gabe immediately follows.
    Aunt Kali is sitting up for once,a tray of uneaten food sits on a table beside her bed. My mother sits in an uncomfortable looking chair with her arms crossed. Both turn to look at me when I enter the room. Their eyes go immediately to the letters in our hands.
"Why'd you lie to me?" I demanded,focusing on Aunt Kali.
She freezes,looking back and forth between my mother and I.
"I-" She starts to speak before my mother interrupts her.
"Faye,I know you must have a lot of questions but maybe now isn't the right time."
"No," Aunt Kali coals hoarsely. "She deserves to know."
My mother just stares at her,making sure she's sticking to her decision. After a moment she nods and turns to look at me. I've never seen either of them look so nervous.
"That night,when you got hit didn't exactly happen like she told you." My mother states in an emotionless voice. She looks at a blank space on the wall as she spoke.
"W-what happened?" I question,my voice breaking. Gabe's hand slowly conforms around mine. His heat radiates through my hand,chasing away the numbness that encased it.
"I was so sick Faye." Aunt Kali's voice fills the room. "I had just lost my second baby and Logan,your uncle, left,he said he couldn't take it. " She pauses, allowing a tear to trickle down the the sharp edge of her sallow cheek before she continues. "I was so jealous of your mother with her beautiful daughter." A sob escapes her pale lips causing her frail shoulders to shake.
"What.Did.You.Do?" I hiss. I can feel raw anger bubbling inside me. The heat grows with each second. Aunt Kali sucks in a sharp breathe before she speaks again.
"Logan and I had been having problems for a while. We were both in school and having financial issues. Then, I got pregnant and thought the baby would fix that. I thought he'd have to stay and he said he would. A few weeks later I lost the baby. I tried to hide it but he found out. I lost him too. I felt like I was dying,and I snapped.
Looking at Aunt Kali now she looked so small,so innocent,almost like a child herself. Her hair stuck out at in thin,little tufts like the mane of a teenage lion. It was falling out everywhere. She was so thin now. If I picked her up I'm sure she would shatter into a thousand pieces like broken hourglass. That's all I saw when I looked at her now. She was just slipping away,each grain of sand bringing her closer to death. A ticking time bomb. I want to pity her,but I just can't.
" I barged into your house late that night." She continues. " I just ran in screaming and crying like a maniac. I destroyed anything I could. I wanted someone to feel what I felt." Tears gush down her face in waterfalls now,pooling at the curve of her neck.
"I-I didn't know what I would do." She stammers. "Then I saw you standing there. You were so pure and innocent. You'd always run up to me and jump into my arms. You made me feel needed." She slowly turns her glazed eyes towards me. She may be looking at me but her mind was back to that day all those years ago.
"Faye,when I saw you I knew that's what I wanted. I would do whatever it took to get you,and I did. I planted the idea that your mother didn't love you in your mind everyday hoping it would stick. I reported your mother for abuse multiple times,so they'd be suspicious of her claims against me. Then,I said anything I could to make Gabi angry. I gave you some medicine that would make you drowsy that night and then I started that argument with your mother. When you came down the stairs I took my chance and threw that stupid lamp at you. I framed you mother. As you laid there, screaming out in both pain and fear. Shards of glass stuck in your skin. All I could think about was that I would get custody of you. We'd move off,and all my problems would be solved." She shakily whispers.
I subconsciously bit my lip,fighting tears I knew would surface if I let go. Soon I taste warm,metallic blood on my tongue. I bite down harder.
"How could you do that to me?" I demands.
"I was so sick. I didn't know what I was doing. I tried to tell you, I really did. " She sobs,choking on each word like they were suffocating her.
"I'm so sorry." She pleads,locking her sad eyes with mine.
"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough." I hiss. I could feel the anger boiling like molten lava. I had been a dormant volcano all my life. The anger and resentment had always been there deep under the surface. My mother coming back brought me to life in a way. It woke me up as well as all the old feelings. This anger had been churning,building,and burning inside me and I hadn't even known why. There was one thing I was sure of. I was about to erupt.
"I hate you!" I sneered. Boiling tears stung my eyes,blurring my vision. I could still see her through  the fuzzy edges. Aunt Kali's eyes read an emotion I couldn't place. They were both dead and alive with every emotion in existence. Her iris' had become a pale, gray blue glistening with tears. I could see something inside her breaking,but I didn't know what it was. All I knew was I was feeling the same thing crumble inside of me.
"Faye, I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I know there's more to talk about,but this is enough for today." My mother says in a calm,even tone. A faint glimpse of worry shines in her eyes. Her lips pursed.
I silently nod and quickly make my way out of the room without looking back. Gabe follows closely behind,hand curving around my shoulder leading me outside.
                           ~
Gabe and I weave through the hospital parking lot to get to Matt,my Volkswagen. I sneak glances at Gabe's face beside me,hoping to get some hint of what he's thinking. His face looks surprisingly calm for someone who just saw their best friend tell their dying aunt she hates her. Whatever he's thinking is probably not good. I'm putting so much effort into a conversation with myself I almost don't realize Gabe stops walking.
"Are you okay?" I hesitantly question. I'm almost afraid to hear the answer.
Gabe doesn't move. He stares off in the distant,lost in thought.
"Gabe?" I ask,generally concerned.
"I'm taking you somewhere fun." He says as he starts walking again.
"What?" I question,confused.
"That's your only hint." He replies proudly. Gabe looks down at me as he opens my car door. I can see the excitement glistening in his eyes and I can't help when a smile creeps onto my lips.
A few short moments late we're driving down a highway to who knows where. Houses and restaurants pass in a blur of color. I turn the radio on low, and the beat of my favorite sound floods the car. Gabe looks over to me and smiles a smile that make my heart pound in my chest. I wish this could be all my life consisted of. I lean my head against the window and attempt to engrave this moment in my mind.
Even though the day has consisted of me doing practically nothing I can feel my eyelids droop with sleep. One thought crosses my mind before the low rumbles of the engine lulls me to sleep. I was wrong, being fake may be exhausting but being real is so much harder.