A holiday for redemption 2

Opportunity

Many opportunities had arisen for her to do this. But she'd never had the courage.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She looked frightful. She'd lost too much weight and her complexion was pock marked with acne scars. She had dark circles under her eyes.
She felt anger well up inside her. It was the first emotion, she'd felt in months, besides sadness. Eight to be exact.
She looked down at the pill bottles in front of her. They were all her mother's. All prescribed to ease her pain and help with the cancer.
The tears threatened. There were 12 bottles in all. She figured that one of each would do the trick.
The pills were all sizes and colors. They filled her hand and she briefly wondered how her mother had been able to swallow so many pills each day.
She could faintly hear the knock on the front door. She sighed and set down the medication.
She wasn't expecting anyone but she was used to people dropping by. They were all concerned about her. She expected it to be her brother.
He was her most frequent visitor. He visibly worried about her and he had every right to be.
The knocking continued. Whoever it was, was impatient. "I'm coming!" She shouted.
She opened the door.
"Hi."

Jan stared up into the face of a man she thought she'd never see again.
She hadn't realized she'd slapped him until her hand had landed with an audible thwack.
She slammed the door and ran to her room.
James put his hand to his left cheek. He hadn't expected that. He'd expected some anger but not this. He'd never seen her so angry .
His cheek burned. He opened the door and entered the house gingerly. The last thing he wanted was to be assaulted again.
Not even a slap would deter him .
He called out for her. He still remembered the layout of the house. He headed for her room, determined. He tried the door, noting that it was locked.
He knocked. "Jan. Open the door." He knocked on the door. "I just want to talk."
She sat on the bed, gripping her pillow tight. She wanted nothing to do with this man. She'd just hit him, yet he was standing there asking to talk.
Why was he here? Hadn't she suffered enough?
She'd hit him. She'd never hit a man before. She'd fought with her brother but that was different. What was wrong with her?
He continued to knock.
"I'm not mad."
He stopped knocking.
"Please open the door."
She could hear the pleading in his voice but she couldn't bring herself to it.
James knew she'd have to come out eventually. He decided to leave her be for the moment.
He went into the bathroom. He needed to wet his face. It still stung where she'd hit him.
He entered the room, shocked by what he saw.
The pills bottles were strewn all over the counter. There were also pills near the sink.
He picked up the bottles and collected them into his arms. He brought them into the kitchen and dropped them in the garbage.
His concern had amplified. He realised the situation was dire. He was tempted to break down the door and smother her with affection but he knew how counterproductive that plan was .
He wished Stella was here. She'd know what to do. He sighed. It would be a long wait but he was determined.

She lay on the bed. It was getting dark. The sky had begun to get those orange and purple hues that came with dusk.
Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten all day and she really needed to pee.
She wouldn't be able to hide much longer. Damn normal bodily functions.! She decided to give up. She'd have to face him eventually. James wasn't one to give up and she knew that well.
She paced the room, trying to think of an alternative. There was none. She had no choice.
She opened the door tentatively. There was no one in the corridor. She bolted towards the bathroom.

James raised his head from the table as he heard a door slam. He'd been sitting at the dining room table.
He'd grown bored earlier and had walked around a bit.
The house was dusty but not dirty. It just seem unused. The only indication that there was someone living here was the cup and bowl in the sink.
There were no pans on the stove and barely any food in the cupboard or fridge.
His concern for her wellbeing had grown. He'd intercept her as soon as she left the bathroom.
Jan was happy she'd taken that chance. She'd have had an accident and it would have been more embarrassing if she'd peed herself.
It was a good thing she'd bathed before he'd arrived.
She refused to be bullied though. Not in her mother's house. That was the last thing she'd take on.
She opened the door.