Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Cindy," Destiny said. "Am I relieved to see you. Um..." Her eyes darted around the room. "...where are we?"

"What does it look like to you?" I answered her with a question of my own. "We are at the hospital."

"Jeez. I have a splitting headache."

"That should not be surprising to you. It certainly is not for me." I pulled up a chair and sat in it. I crossed my legs and said, "Would you like to hear a funny story? You enjoyed funny stories when you were young."

"Yeah. That sounds great. Maybe my headache will vanish."

"No doubt. If Caleb can vanish, so can that headache of yours."

Destiny placed a hand over mine. "I know that you are still grieving for your husband, but for now, push him aside. I want you to be with me. I need you."

I jerked my hand away.

"Cindy?"

"You do not need me, and I do not need you. Well, once my baby is out of your twisted stomach."

"Cindy, please. Do not say that."

"You cannot manipulate me. Someone in the parking lot overheard the gunshots and called the police. The police and ambulance arrived in the nick of time, and the two paramedics wheeled you and Kara into the ambulance."

"Ava did it, Cindy. Ava shot me and Kara."

"Why?"

"You know why. Ava is a psychopath!"

"That is not what I was asking." I placed a hair strand over my ear. "Why were you and Kara in the parking lot? What were you two chatting about?"

"Ow." She laid her fragile body back down. "I am sorry. I do not remember."

"It is alright. I am sure that it was not important. The last thing that I need is for you to strain your brain." I giggled, but they were not of happiness. Something about them were not quite right. "I visited Kara before you because you were still asleep. Guess what? She was awake."

My cousin swallowed a lump in her throat. "S-she was probably in too much pain to say a real word."

"Oh, no. She was fine and is in recovery. You are in recovery too."

Her head sank into her pillow. "That is the best news that I have heard in a long while."

"Funny that you should say that. I assumed that my husband's death was the greatest news in a long, long while."

"Cindy! You do not need to go around and blame others for his death. It will not solve anything."

"You are right. Blaming others who truly love Caleb and had nothing to do with his passing is wrong." I stood back up, my shadow looming over her. "But I can blame you for taking his life too soon."

"How...how did you know?"

Wow. I expected her to deny it until the end of the chapter. That is a new record for her.

"No point in lying to you," Destiny continued as if she read my mind. "How did you figure out that it was me?"

"I had a realization hours ago. Caleb had been sleepy both in the morning and at night, and it was always after he took his medicine. I did not think that was unusual because his anxiety pills made him sleepy sometimes. This started when you and North moved into our home. Whoever switched the pills had to be someone inside the house. Someone who is sick and twisted to make Caleb suffer."

"He was not supposed to die."

"Yes, he was. You treated him like garbage from the second that I welcomed him into my heart. You and Diversity and Marty were waiting eagerly for the day that he would return to the streets. You believe that white males who are straight and love the Lord should be stepped on."

"You are complicating things, Cindy. Caleb was not good enough for you."

"No, Destiny. The only one who was good enough was Caleb. But he is dead because of you, and the only way that I can honor him besides naming a street after him or building a statue of him is getting justice for him."

"It is your husband's fault! He is an inventor! He is supposed to be smart! The fact that he did not notice that the pills were different is not on me."

"Are you kidding me right now? There is a reason why Caleb took anxiety medicine. He had anxiety! His anxiety was so bad that he could not do the things that you and I take for granted."

"Having anxiety is not the end of the world."

"It is when you are having a panic attack. Neither you nor I have had a panic attack." I could feel the waterworks coming on. "But Caleb did. Many times. You know what the cause of panic attacks and severe anxiety is? The possibilities are endless. For Caleb, it was his father leaving him and his mother. Being abandoned by his mom and dad. Abused by Ava and her brother, Slapi. Hated for what and who he was. Being a slave just because what his ancestors did."

"Sounds like he needed help."

"He did get help. I am blessed that I met him and am going to care for his child very soon. He lifted the blinds from my eyes. Jesus saved me from the darkness. From being bitter and selfish like you." I shoved the chair with all my might, and it hit the wall. "If there has to be anything good coming from Caleb's unfair death is that he is in a better place and not suffering anymore."

I stormed to the doorway and halted.

"Goodbye, Destiny. I hope that you get what you deserve."

With that, I exited the room. Little did I know that my words would be taken out of context.

Minutes after I left, another visitor came in. Destiny could not believe it.

"It is you. It is Caleb."