1,002 Paper Cranes

Chapter 4

               "What had you two been fighting about?" A policeman asked me.

               I bit my lip and let the tears roll down my face. I stare down at the cup of not-so-tasty coffee in my shaking hands and find myself not having an easy time answering. "S-she told me that she slept w-with my boyfriend," I cried harder as a few nurses walked past, shooting me mixtures of pitiful and knowing glances.

           I was sitting in the 2nd floor family waiting area in Allen Memorial General Hospital. The walls were a disgusting cream color that was, unfortunately, carried over to all the furniture, abstract paintings, and coffee cups (the contents of which were not pleasant at all).

          I had been asked this question a countless number of times since the actual event, and my answer remained the same, "I don't remember, really. She said she had alcohol, my boyfriend found her, they went upstairs together. She didn't really give me details, and if she actually did, then I don't remember them."

            The cop nodded, "His name is Antonio La Porte, correct?"

            "Yes."

            "You said in a previous statement that you left the house for a little less than two hours. Is this correct?"

              "Yes."

              "Where did you go?"

              "Same as I’ve said before," I replied, slightly annoyed, "Coolidge Park."

             "And two hours later, you were on your way home. How did you find her?"

                 It was as though someone dropped a rock into my throat. My muscles tensed, and my exhale became as shaky as the rest of me. Fresh tears burned in my eyes and I felt a few of them slide down my cheek, as so may have so far today. "I-I could see Angelica's room from the way I approached the house. I looked into her window and-and saw her." From where I was seated, I could see my parents in a hospital room. I could see their silhouettes through the curtain covering the glass windows. By the looks of it, they were holding each other and talking to a doctor.

                        "Can you go into more detail, please?"

                  I stood up so quickly I blacked out a bit, "I don't want to! I-I just found her and she's in there and I want to see my parents and I don't want to-"

                    I let out a few more tears, and the cop used that time frame to speak, "I realize that this is hard for you and you want to be in there right now," he gestured toward the hospital room, "and I want you to be in there, too. But we need your statements. Not giving any could hint at the idea that you killed her."

                   "I didn't kill her," I said, my voice sounding congested.

                   "I know you didn't."

              I waited a moment before speaking, "I saw her body through the window. I ran into the house passed out when I saw her. I called the police after I woke up, and then my parents. After they and the paramedics came, my mom and dad came home. Now I'm here. Can I please go, now?"

                  The police officer jotted down what I said, and stood up. "That will be all, Miss Ramone. I'm extremely sorry for your loss. If there's anything you remember that could be of importance-" he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, "-here's my card."

                       "Alright, thank you." I replied, taking the card, and the man departed.

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