The Broken Girl

Chapter 4: Opportunities

     The next morning, Mrs. Caroline was sitting at my bed. I had just woken up. Looking at her face, I could tell she had been crying. She probably didn't sleep well last night. I felt bad that I was the cause.

    She opened her mouth with a whimper of cry. I looked down at my dull skin. My normal brown skin tone looked dry of life. My eyes held small bags under them. I didn't look like myself.

"Please don't cry." I begged. Mrs. Caroline laid her head on my stomach.

"Look at what they have done to you, darling. It breaks my heart. How could someone be so cruel and hateful? I don't care what happens, you're coming home with me."

"I'm not staying in Texas any longer. I got to get out of the state. My dad sold me to a drug lord and their looking for me. I'm going to Mississippi, when I get out. I'm going to try to get an apartment in Jackson. Then, I'll get a job somewhere for money." I said wiping her eyes.

"Jaylee, if I pay for tuition to Washington State University. Would you go? You'll be out of the state and I can help you. I can't watch you waste your grades and throw away your life. I have talked to David about this and he agrees. David has found us a house in Pullman, WA. What do you think?"

"Yes! Yes! Thank you." I said hugging her. I kissed her forehead.

"You have to promise me that you won't ever pull anything like this again. If you have a problem come to me."

"What about my parents? What if they pull some stunt to get me back? They are my guardians. They could call the police." I said rambling on.

"Jaylee, you're eighteen. You can go through the process of emancipation. You can legally divorce your parents." Mrs. Caroline explained to me. I was in shock. Divorce my parents?

"You'll be free from them legally. What do you think?"  She asked rubbing my face.

What do I have to lose?

"Yeah, I want to do it." She smiled and kissed my cheek.

"I'll help you every step of the way".  I smiled and we sat in silence for a moment.

"I love you." I hugged her.

"I love you too, baby. The doctor outside explained to me, why you're in here but who found you? She said you was clocked in at 4:39 a.m."

"A dude name Orlando. I can't remember his last name." I said trying to remember. Martinez, Frenchez, Mortez. "Cortez that was it."

"Wonderful, I have to thank him."

Today is my last day in the hospital. The doctor has taken the IV out of my arm. I will have one last examination at one. The last exam showed that the swelling in my brain has gone down. If this one looks just as good, they'll let me free. Mrs. Caroline was here earlier but she left to check on her diner. She brought me a phone. I've been playing on it since. I really want to see Orlando today. I hope he is still coming.

He probably won't. I mean like why would he? He has a girlfriend and I know because of the phone call he had. Why wouldn't Orlando not have a girlfriend? Look at him but earlier, Mr. Stanley and his five year old daughter, Julissa, came to visit me. Julissa told me, "I can fix all of your booboos". I asked, "How?" She started trying to kiss my forehead for the bruises to go away. It was so cute.

She got frustrated, when it wasn't working. Then she said, "It'll take time. That's all." When Mr. Stanley was ready to leave, Julissa held onto me for her life. I started to say, I'll keep her until the end of the day to make her happy. My doctor protested, she thinks I need more rest. I don't think so. I don't really like sleeping because I'll dream about my parents. Everything they did to me, I would dream about. I want to be able to forget the hurt and everything that came with it.

"Hey, betty boo." Dr. Andrew said coming into the room. He had three heart balloons with two mini bags of white Hershey's. He place it all on the side of bed.

"What's all this?" I asked.

"Your stuff. A dude downstairs told me, it was for room number 645. You're the only one here with that number and oh, he also gave me a box." He said digging in his pants pocket.

"What he look like?" Please be Orlando.

"I wasn't paying attention but here." He said giving me a box out of his pants pocket. I grabbed the box and opened. I pulled out a real pink diamond chain.

"Oh hunny, you got a sugar daddy that I don't know about. Good Jesus, this is a lot of money in your hands." He said holding it. "Well I got to get back to work. Bye, sweetheart." Dr. Andrew said kissing my forehead. I nodded as he left.

I placed the chain on my lap. A small piece of paper was stuck in the corner of the box. I unfolded the paper. The note read, "You're trying to run from me. That wasn't a smart idea. Death would have been. That chain was a token on what I could give you. Your dad sold you to me. Your mine. I'll find you dead or alive. Have in mind that the people around you might be working for me".