One Step Closer/ Twenty-One
“Wh- Where?”
“Relax, Miss Hill…you are at Anaheim Regional,” said the nurse. “You have been here since Friday night. Do you remember what happened?”
Austyn rolled her head to the side. “Why didn’t you just let me die? Nobody cares for me anyway,”
“You’re wrong,”- Austyn’s eyes glanced to the door, as her ears caught the direction of the voice…Criss and Meela stepped into the room. Criss walked to the side of the bed, where the nurse was taking the stats. “I was wrong for the way I treated you, Austyn. I should’ve heard you out…can you forgive me?”
Aystyn’s eyes lightly watered, but the words wouldn’t come out…she nodded her head, as Criss too her hand. The nurse smiled. “I think I’ll let you all have some time alone,”
Austyn pressed the remote to raise her bed. “Water,”
Criss grabbed a cup, and filled it with water, handing it to her friend. Austyn took a hard gulp. “I am so sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you and your mother, Criss. I didn’t mean to hurt either of you- honest. I just didn’t know what to do,”
“What about me, you stupid heffa? Yeah, I did call you dumb, this time- don’t you ever do something like this again, and have us worried,” fussed Meela. Austyn looked to her, then gave a smile. “I’m sorry Meela. I’m sorry…I just figured no one would care for me,”
“You’re wrong,”
Austyn’s face turned as pale as a ghost, as Criss’s mother stepped into the room. Her breathing grew, as her lips quivered…her eyes watered. Her mother took Austyn’s hand. “Despite all that has happened, I forgive you, Austyn. We are going to try to make this work,”
Austyn lifted her head, burying it into Patricia’s bosom, as she wailed, clawing at her blouse…Criss’s mother embraced her, caressing her back. The cries from Austyn, sounded like the cries from that of a little girl, begging for forgiveness. “There…everything is gonna be okay. We will make this work,”
“I’m so sorry!” sobbed Austyn, through her cries, as Patricia comforted her. Criss stood there with a smile on her face…her mother was a remarkable woman, to have such a big heart. To be able to give kindness and compassion to a situation, that intent, was to rob her of her humanity. Criss leaned in, placing a hug on both her mother and Austyn…
“ALONZO BAIAMONTE!”
Alonzo stood up from the holding area…his left cheek had a slight bruise. He had a small bruise on the left side of his forehead…his knuckles were raw and red. He walked to the cell door, in a dirt-stained wifebeater, khakis, and red Chucks.
“You made bail,” said the officer, as he unlocked the door. “They are waiting for you up front,”
YOU ARE READING
One Step Closer
Fiction généraleThis story chronicles the simplistic, but complicated life of Alonzo Baiamonte, a single father, as he struggles to raise his daughter, Kylie, in lieu of a possible budding relationship with Criss Morrison, a beautiful but troublesomely complex girl...
