An American Scandal (Editing)

Chapter 22: Traveling

Chapter 22: Traveling

The screaming voices of my parents reached my ears like thunder during a terrestrial rainstorm. I felt my limp and naked body being pulled into my mother's arms.She draped my clothes over my body as she whispered into my ears "hang daar" the Dutch words telling me to "hang in there." She rocked me side to side as if I were two years old, and she was trying to soothe a minor injury from child's play, but instead she was trying to soothe my major in digressions and faults. I was not playing a game where iodine and a Band-Aid with a smiley face could fix my scar.

Her white tee shirt became stained with my sinful blood, as did her hands, which became painted red as she applied pressure to my body to seize my blood from pouring onto her. With my last strength I looked at my father restraining Mel, whom wailed he loved me so much. I shifted to see James clutching his side with one hand and reaching for my cell phone on my nightstand, with his other hand. The last clear thing I heard was "we have been shot."

 I felt my body soar into the air as I came closer to a door. Before I knew it my ill garbed body met the air of a NYC October night. My ears were greeted by the emergency vehicle sirens and a sidewalk filled with my neighbors and other onlookers. Their whispers and surprise reactions coated my ears that was filled with oxygen from all the pressure building up in my body. I wanted to see where James was going but I could not get my eyes open. I wanted to tell the noisy people that they did not need a firsthand account, this situation would most likely make the news in a matter of hours. I wanted to see my parents and say sorry and I wanted to just go back in time. But instead I was traveling forward without the ability to see where I was going.

My mother screamed to my father, directing him to call the Hastings. It was like in her state of shock made her voice volume increase to a level to probably overcome the pounding of her heart rate. I could feel that James was being pulled in another direction; I did not need to open my eyes to feel his spirit going to the left.

"1.2.3...” The EMT (emergency medical technician) workers called out and then the stretcher legs collapsed and I was mid-air being pushed into the hospital buggy. Within a matter of minutes I had an IV attached to me and my mother was by my side crying.

"Your dad went with James." My mother said in between sobs as she patted my hair down trying to comfort me. I was in a state of shock and between states of consciousness and unconsciousness. I had not realized that I was crying until my mother wiped away the tear that rolled down the side of my face toward my ears. The water tickled me but I was not going to laugh. I did not have the strength to smile even if I wanted to. I could not even open my eyes.

"Ik hou van juo." My mother kept saying over and over. It was like she thought the Dutch words of "I love you" would take away the chances of my death. "Hang on." She wailed. I had no intention of dying. I had no intention of James dying. We were survivors and that was it!

"Ik hou van juo." I repeated with my last strength. I was not preparing to die but if it happened I wanted my mom to know that. "Tell daddy and James." I said feeling my body grow weak.

"No." My mother said sternly. "You will." She screamed as if she was angry with me for feeling the need to say the words. She screamed as if her verbal bullying would change my faith.

"Sophia...Sophie... Sophia, Ga je niet durft”  My mother wailed as my eyes shifted close. She told me “don’t you dare.” I suppose it was in response to my lifeless state, my eyes shifting close to a level that probably frightened her. It frightened me too. But I wasn't dead. I was just tired. I felt every bump of the NYC roads as the ambulance sped toward Long Island Jewish-North Shore. The sirens irritated my nerves but yet distracted me from thinking about if James was okay, if Mel had been arrested, if my unborn baby was ever going to be able to see this earth. I just wanted to sleep eternally, but I knew that was the easy way out. So I traveled back to the days when I was in Suriname. I saw the childhood that framed me but yet did not serve as a basis for where I am today.

The memories felt so real. My body gallivanted across the Amazon rain forest as my friends and I joked about walking to Guyana and then into Brazil. We were on a mission to see the entire rain forest and to taste the water that was supposed to cleanse your body. I ran across the vegetation as if I had no worries in the world, innocently.

I still remember the day my father was named Suriname's Ambassador. The entire town rejoiced in his name and we danced our traditional dance a mix between Kumina and Faluma. It was the first time a native was named ambassador so we had a lot to rejoice. Our blood was marooned and the power running through it could only be matched by other maroons. There aren't too many of us, only our brothers and sisters in Jamaica, Bahamas, and Nova Scotia to date have the link. But it is an uncanny link. It is due to this blood; no matter how much I lose, that made me feel like there was no way I was dying. It was too rich to dry up so young. I had more life to live and more to prove, more mistakes to make and more love to make.

The doors of the ambulance burst open and the EMT workers started to yell out commands. As the stretcher legs snapped open, I also wanted to open my eyes, but all I could do was keep my ears open. There were paparazzi everywhere. I heard my father saying get back, get back. How they found out so fast is beyond me. A mourn like; bawl from the core of a person stomach reach me. It was Mrs. Hastings. I wanted to tell her sorry, it was my fault that she was crying and my fault that James was on a stretcher.

"James." She wailed out allowing her thick Dutch Aruban accent flow out. By the sound of her voice I figured James was not in a good condition. So I kept my eyes closed. I was not strong enough in the physical or mental capacity to deal with it.

"Is it true that Sophia and James have a sex tape?" A journalist screamed.

"Is it true she is pregnant?" Another screamed.

 I could not believe they were really asking this. I could not believe how invasive and inconsiderate they were. We were dam near dead and they still were trying to get gossip. I guess life goes on even if life was on the brink of termination for others.

            “ Heb een beetje respect.” My father yelled at the reporters. He was crying. I could hear it. I could feel his face turning steamy with angry. I could tell that he was angry because he asked them to “have some respect in Dutch” knowing good and well they probably did not understand his tongue. “Our…our children.” He said unable to finish his statement. I felt my mother leave my side and I figured she went to get my father. Their body heat came back to my side and I felt them hold onto my hands as I was pushed into the hospital.

            I wanted my sister and brother there. I wanted to say goodbye. I wanted to see James one last time. I wanted to kiss everyone goodbye before I traveled on. I was not going to leave without doing that. So I spoke to myself in my mind. I told myself that I would keep my heart pumping until the task was done. I was not going to leave without saying my last goodbyes.

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A/N: So sorry for the wait. I am like preparing for this trial advocacy training program. As you know, law student problems. BTW, I know most of you guys are young readers but yeah, my life is a joke and half. LOL. Also sorry for the somber chapter but I mean we have to get through this to get to the drama. Realistic fiction, RIGHT!!!! But as promise I will not end the book with sadness...but I will end with drama and there is a sequel in the works. However, that is if I leave the book where I wanted to leave it but I am undecided as of right now! I am planning to release this on the ebook world and see if I can get a special code for my wattpad fans that have been by my side since day 1. I want you guys to get it for free or for a discount. Because I love you guys.

I want to say thank you guys soooooo much for reading and getting the book to where it is at. I really appreciate every vote, every comment, every fan, and every like. I love you guys. I take all of your opinions into consideration and value them greatly.

With that being said the next chapter is going to be wild. feel me. so prepare. i am planning to get that out by tomorrow. I just had to get this one out obviously, it is a filler and lead up for you know drama.

so you know the drill, comment, fan, like, share and let's pump this book up the ladder!