Mona Lisa My Love

Chapter Nine

Someplace to go, I thought, as I closed the door to Jenny's room. No, I didn't have anywhere to go. No home, no clothes, not much money. Where would I go? I started to get light headed and had a twisting feeling in my stomach. I put my back to the wall outside of Sis's room, and as I was sinking to the floor, I started to sob again. I was crying into my hands when I became aware of some footsteps coming toward me. When the steps stopped in front of me, I looked up. "Are you all right?" I heard a pleasant voice say, with maybe a slight southern accent. I managed to stop crying, but I still couldn't say anything. "Are you all right?" the voice asked again. I tried to get up but was failing at it when she said, "Here, let me help you up." With that, she took my arm and helped me get to my feet. I stopped crying, wiped my face, and managed to say, "Thank you."

She smiled the most significant, brightest smile and asked again, "Are you sure you're ok?"

Then it just came out. All of it just came out, like water out of a fire hose. I spoke of coming home. Of finding the fire. Of saving Sis but busting her in the process. Of losing mom and dad. Of losing the house. Of Sis needing to sleep and me having nowhere to go. She got the whole story. I mean, the full, unabridged version. Through it all, she just looked at me with such love on her face.

When I finished telling her my story, I stopped and said, "Wow." It felt like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

She smiled and asked, "Do you feel better?" She was wearing a candy-striped outfit as you might see in an old movie.

I nodded and said, "Yes. Yes, I do, and I thank you for listening." I then smiled my first smile in many hours and asked her if she had a spare couch or bed. This time she got an embarrassed look on her face and was about to answer when I said, "I am just kidding." I lied, "I have a place to crash tonight."

With that, we said goodbye, and I turned to leave and started to walk away. "Your sister is fortunate to have you," she said. I turned back toward her. She smiled, waved, and turned to walk away. I watched her go, not watching her ass as some guys do, but watching the love move with her. More than love, I would come to think later. Grace. Yes, that was it. If grace had a face, it would look like this girl walking away from me. I would come to call her Grace because I didn't know her name.

I left the hospital, not knowing where I would go. I was all alone, with nothing. It was not a good feeling. Sis said everything would be okay; I would have to believe that. Sis was always right.