Ex-Terminator Life After Marriage (26 page)

S
unday morning, Mona and Michael woke up to anxious voices. People were milling in the hotel hallway talking about evacuation. Michael turned on the television and watched as the mayor ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city. Hurricane Katrina was on course for New Orleans.

Mona looked out the window. People were scurrying about in the rain and taxis were lined up outside the hotel. Mona’s attention was averted when she heard that the airport was shut down.

“I need to check on my family as well as go to your father’s house and help him board it up. I’m not sure they are as safe as he thinks,” Michael said.

“Yes, you’re right.”

Mona had been awake most of the night, playing the scene at dinner over and over in her mind—except she watched her father unravel the pages of her life right in front of Michael—the parts she had purposely not shared with him. Mona believed that Michael wanted to know more, but right now she couldn’t. She wasn’t sure how Michael would react when he found out that she’d been married to his cousin and the circumstances surrounding their divorce. She didn’t want to dredge that up ever again.

M
ost of Michael’s family had packed their belongings and set off for higher ground. His sister admonished him to leave with them because she feared the worst. He still had to board up windows at Mona’s parents’ house, and going back to the hotel would not be an option. A long line of cars stretched from Interstate 10 to the Gulf, running away from what had been announced as a Category Five hurricane, destined to leave damage in its wake.

Mona sighed. She should have listened to her friends about postponing her trip. She’d been oblivious to the fact that a hurricane might hit New Orleans because Dr. Michael Broussard was all she thought about night and day, and she wanted to be with him when he went to see his family. Now they couldn’t even fly out of the city because their safety net had been grounded, stranding natives and tourists alike.

“Let’s hurry. I’m afraid that the roads will be tied up with people trying to get out. I think we should leave, too, Mona. I don’t have a good feeling about this storm.”

“I don’t know if I can leave Mommy and Papa. I’ve just seen them for the first time in almost twelve years, and I can’t…I just can’t leave them, Michael.”

“Then you must convince them to leave.”

“I’ll see what I can do. I’m scared, Michael. For the first time in a long time I don’t feel safe.”

“I’m going to be by your side and we’re going to weather this thing together.”

Suitcases in the car, Michael and Mona headed toward the mansion. Sunday worshippers piled out of church believing God would see them through. Dark clouds settled in the city while the wind continued to whip its tail.

“You’re awfully quiet, Mona. You’ve barely said a word.”

“Just thinking about life, wondering what I’d do if I had a chance to live mine all over again.”

“I’d come back filthy rich so that I could help everyone who needed a helping hand.”

“You’re always thinking of someone else,” Mona chided. “You can’t save the world, you know.”

“That’s true, but I would die trying.”

“I can visualize it: Black Robin Hood. He takes from the rich and gives to the kids in the hood.”

“Not quite as I had envisioned it.”

Mona remained quiet. She twiddled her fingers, then caught her throat. She massaged her neck, but she could not control the volcano in her stomach.

“Pull over to the side, quick,” she pleaded.

Before the car stopped, Mona threw the door open, leaned over and retched until there was nothing left in her stomach. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and closed the door. She looked straight ahead, avoiding Michael’s stare.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Nothing, Michael, nothing at all.”

“It couldn’t be nothing since this is the second time in the last twenty-fours you have had an upset stomach. And don’t think I didn’t hear the remark your mother made about you glowing. I’m a doctor, remember.”

“I’m pregnant. I’m carrying your child.”

“Somehow, I already knew. I was just waiting for you to confirm it.”

Mona said nothing—afraid to look at the expression on Michael’s face, afraid joy would turn to disdain, afraid the man she loved would run away.

The wind continued to whip and small raindrops hit the windshield. Mr. and Mrs. Baptiste were in the yard when Mona and Michael drove up.

“I was afraid you all weren’t coming,” Mr. Baptiste said as Mona and Michael got out of the car.

Mona almost fainted as her father came around and gave her a hug and shook Michael’s hand followed by her mother.

“Lots of traffic on the road, sir,” Michael responded, taking back his hand from Mr. Baptiste’s firm grip.

“Papa, Mommy, why don’t you come with us? Michael and I think it might be too dangerous for you to stay here. It’s starting to rain again and the wind hasn’t let up at all. We would feel better if you would come with us.”

“You going to help me board up these windows, young man?” Mr. Baptiste asked, ignoring Mona’s plea.

“Yes, sir, but I do believe Mona has a good point.”

“Jacqueline has always been a scared and overprotected little girl. Jacqueline, take your mother into the house and wait for us there. It shouldn’t take us too long.”

Mona looked at her father in despair. But she put her arms around her mother and Mrs. Baptiste put her arm around Mona’s waist. They turned and went into the house and then the kitchen.

Mrs. Baptiste put tea bags in two porcelain cups and poured hot water from the kettle that sat on the stove. Mrs. Baptiste nursed her cup and turned to Mona.

“I’ve looked forward to this day for a long time, Jacqueline. So much time has passed and I thought I might not see you again. I’m sorry for the way things were back then—not understanding your desire to be a cook…”

“Chef, Mommy.”

“All right, chef. I wanted you to have the best like your brothers and sisters. I had such high hopes for you because you were such a good student, so full of promise. I know now that my children are individuals, and your papa and I couldn’t dictate how you all live your lives. We wanted each of you to marry well so that your lives would be prosperous, but it doesn’t always turn out that way.

“At first I wanted to point the finger when your marriage didn’t last. Maybe it was our fault that you ran off. If we hadn’t been so critical, maybe you wouldn’t have made such a rash decision. If we’d kept our noses out of your business, maybe you would have taken the time to get to know Timothy better.”

“Mommy, Timothy and I were not meant for each other. I should have listened to you and Papa. He was married to someone else when he married me. He was just using me to get a visa. I’m the one who should apologize.

“I’ve wasted a lot of years. I’m not proud of myself. I was so bent on hurting you and Papa the way you had hurt me…but all I did was hurt myself. You and Papa mean the world to me, and if I could do it all over…”

Mona began to sob. Mrs. Baptiste put her cup of tea on the table and held her daughter as Mona fell into her arms. They hugged each other for what seemed hours, although it was barely five minutes.

“I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you, too, Jacqueline. So tell me about this Michael. Is he real nice? He seems very intelligent.”

“I love him, Mommy. He’s a doctor just like Timothy.”

“You’ve seen Timothy?”

“No. I met someone a couple of days ago who knows him well.”

“You have a new man now. Timothy is the least of your worries.”

“Mommy, I have something to tell you.”

“What, Jacqueline? You sound serious.”

Mona took her mother’s hand and laid it on her stomach. Mrs. Baptiste’s eyes twinkled.

“I knew it. I knew it. Jacqueline, you are pregnant.”

“Yes, Mommy. It’s Michael’s baby. I have another chance to be a mother—something I always wanted to be.”

Her mother gasped. “You were pregnant before?”

“Yes. Timothy and I were going to have a baby. I was so happy and I thought Timothy was, too, but that’s when he began to act strange, staying out late and finally not coming home at all. That’s when I found out he had another wife. I don’t know if it was the stress that made me miscarry our baby, but it happened so soon after. It’s the only thing I can equate it to.”

“You should not have had to bear that all by yourself, Jacqueline. If you had not been so stubborn…I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Mommy. You’re right. If I hadn’t been such a mean-spirited person, I would have had the support of my family. I suffered for it, though. But now, Mommy, I’m a totally different person. I’m so glad I’m able to talk openly about my feelings with you. You don’t know how often I needed my mother’s love to carry me through.”

“You have me now, Jacqueline. Let’s not waste time dwelling in the past.”

“You’re right, Mommy, but I must tell you about the person I met a few days ago. It was Timothy’s ex-wife, and she said that Timothy is a doctor practicing in Atlanta. But he’s also Michael’s cousin.”

“You know Timothy?” Michael said, startling Mona and Mrs. Baptiste as he and Mr. Baptiste walked into the room.

“Yes. Timothy Sosa. He’s the guy Jacqueline ran off with and married. It didn’t last long. Jacqueline’s mother and I tried to tell her she was making a mistake, but she wouldn’t listen—and she blames us. That’s why we haven’t seen Jacqueline all this time. Her mother and I were distraught, but we are happy to have her come home at last.”

Mona stood there feeling the heat from Michael’s wrath.

“Why don’t we all have some tea,” Mrs. Baptiste said.

“Doesn’t Michael favor Timothy, Jacqueline? They could be brothers.”

“I don’t see the resemblance,” Mrs. Baptiste replied.

“Same height, same color and they are both from the same place.”

“Timothy Sosa is my cousin,” Michael said without looking at Mona. “Mona, we’re going to spend the night with your parents and head out tomorrow. If we can’t get a flight back to Atlanta, we’ll drive back.”

The newspaper carrier cursed. Three days’ worth of papers were crammed in the tube.

“They should have had someone pick up their papers if they weren’t going to be home,” the route carrier said to no one. “If I leave this on the grass, the first thing they’ll do is call the newspaper. Oh, hell with them.”

The carrier put the paper on the ground just below the metal receptacle that held the others. It wasn’t his fault they hadn’t picked them up. He pulled his digital camera out of his pocket and took a picture. This was cause for an occasion like this. You had to protect your tail from vindictive customers because it was your word against theirs. The carrier made sure he captured the address on camera so there was no mistake if and when he had to present proof.

T
he house shook and faded to black. Mona wrapped herself around Michael as the wind’s fury lashed out at the house. The howl of the wind was like an angry voice, deep and commanding, sounding the alarm that trouble was near. The rain came down in torrents, pelting the ground like an atomic bomb.

Boom, boom
. Mona ran to the window.

“Get away from the window,” Michael shouted. “I’m sure that was a tree. One might fall through the window.”

“Let’s go see about Mommy and Papa.”

Mona and Michael stepped into the pitch-black hallway. Mona tried flipping the light switch, but nothing. They carefully went downstairs to check on Mona’s parents; as they reached the bottom, a loud thud hit the door.

“What was that?” Mona asked.

“I’m not sure.”

The loud banging at the door persisted. Michael walked to the door and peeked out.

“JESUS!!! It’s water! Let’s get your parents!”

Mona froze. The door blew open and water began to rush in, driven by the force of the wind.

“Michael, Michael! Mommy! Papa!”

Mona began to retreat upstairs as the water ran the length of the house. It began its ascent, rising as fast as it poured into the house, cutting off all connection to Michael and her parents. Mona was not a swimmer.

“Michael, Papa, Mommy!” Mona shouted. But no one replied.

She ran farther up the stairs as the water continued to rise, tripping once on the stairs. She rubbed her knee and continued her climb to the second floor, hoping to hear a word from someone.

The wind had not let up. Glass began to shatter and Mona could hear objects clang against each other. The family Bible floated by, along with other whatnots that used to sit proudly on the coffee table. She called once more into the darkness, but the house was silent save for the howling of the wind and the gurgling of the water that continued to rise.

Mona sat on the landing with her knees up to her chest, praying that God would see them through.
Where are Michael, Mommy, and Papa,
she wondered. Out of nowhere a dark figure emerged from the shadows, stayed afloat on the water. It was Michael.

“Michael!” Mona stood up. “Where are Mommy and Papa?”

“I tried, Mona. I tried.”

“You tried what, Michael? Tell me, what did you try?”

Using the banister, Michael pulled himself to the top landing. The water seemed to settle. He looked away, unable to look into her face. Mona began to beat on Michael with her fist, demanding to know where her parents were.

“They’re dead, Mona. I tried to save them. A tree fell on that side of the house, causing the roof to cave in on them.” Tears formed in Michael’s eyes.

“No! No, they can’t be. I’ve just found them again!” Mona began to wail, pulling at her hair.

Michael reached out to her, but she slapped his hands away.

“Don’t touch me. Why didn’t you save Mommy and Papa? Why, Michael, why?”

Tears streamed down Michael’s face. He stood helpless, unable to console Mona.

She stood at the edge of the second-floor landing. “I want my mommy and papa,” she wailed like a child. Then her foot slipped. Mona let out a blood-curdling scream as she hurtled into the debris-filled water—debris that dated back several hundred years.