Two
TWO
SOLEIL
Melancholy music plays from the nearby organ as I clasp yet another person’s hand.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” A whispered condolence in my ear from a woman I barely know.
“Thank you,” I say.
The afternoon five days ago that not only destroyed my marriage and changed my life forever still feels like a far off nightmare.
When I walked out of that store, I drove straight to my parent’s house and ran through the door, falling into Mom’s arms and telling her every last detail of my encounter with Gene and Meredith.
Mom was enraged and while still keeping a tight grip on me, managed to call George, my step-dad, to come home. I continued to cry on my parent’s couch until I heard George screech into the driveway like his ass was on fire. He stomped into the house like an angry giant and scooped me up from Mom’s arms.
I cried in the arms of the man who had raised me for the last twenty years, and Mom recounted what I told her. The more she told him, the tighter his grip grew on me. By the time she was done I swear I could see smoke billowing from his nose. He looked like a raging bull who had been poked by the matador who was about to lose his fight.
“ Let’s go,” he growled and carried me outside and buckled me in his truck.
Mom followed behind him with Dahlia in her arms and rushed to buckle her in her booster seat in my car.
George backed out of the driveway and sped off in the direction of my house with Mom following closely behind. We pulled up to my house much the same way he had pulled into his and with the gentle touch that contradicted his mood, helped me out of my seat and guided me inside.
I sat on the couch and snuggled my baby girl, sniffing her sweet scent while feet moved, drawers slammed, and doors were opened and closed. But I could focus on nothing but that sweet girl cuddled in my arms.
If I had nothing else, at least I had her.
George was in the middle of tossing yet another black bag of what I assume were Gene’s things out on the front lawn, when a police car with flashing lights and no siren stopped at the curb.
“ Sunny ,” he called from his guard on the front porch.
I carefully made my way to where he stood in front of the two police officers and handed over Dahlia. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and all I could think was please don’t let this day get any worse .
The words that followed shattered me more than what I witnessed at the store.
One of the officers asked if my name was Soleil Brooks and when I told him it was, he said, “ Ma’am, I regret to inform you that your husband, Gene Brooks was killed in a motor vehicle accident this afternoon. His body was taken to Memorial West Hospital. If you’d like, I will escort you there and answer any questions you may have. ”
I stared blankly at him for a moment then laughed loudly.
“You’re kidding, right? Is Gene really that desperate that he’d go to the extreme to get me back? What…does he think I’ll run into the hospital and fall into his arms like all is forgiven? ”
The officers watched me with puzzled looks. “ No, ma’am. This is no joke. Your husband was struck by a car. Witnesses said he ran out into the street from a nearby convenience store. There was a woman there with him who identified herself as your cousin, Meredith Smith.”
I swayed on my feet and felt the blood in my veins turn ice cold. I heard Mom muffle her cries, and George cursed while holding tight to his grand-daughter. I looked at each one of their faces and everything moved in slow motion. I felt like I was in a tunnel as the world around me grew smaller and darker.
The next thing I remember was sitting in the funeral home with Mom, George and Gene’s parents, picking out caskets for my late husband.
And now…I’m here. Standing at the front of the church, hearing one sorry after another as mourners tell me they’ll continue to pray for me.
My mom stands to my right with George on the left and Kyle who’s holding a sleeping Dahlia right behind me. A co-worker of Gene’s hugs me and says the same thing as the fifty people before him when I hear Kyle hiss.
“Hell to the motherfucking no.” I swing to look at her and find her jaw clenched and rage burning in her eyes.
I look around trying to spot what exactly has turned her mood foul but it’s difficult to see past the sea of black.
Kyle places a hand on my shoulder and whispers, “stay here,” then passes Dahlia to my mom who is as stiff as a steel beam.
I watch Kyle and George haul off towards the back of the church when I finally see the reason for their anger.
Meredith.
She stands, sobbing into a handkerchief like a widow —like I should be— next to her mother.
My eyes widen and I immediately push past everyone standing in line and leave Gene’s parents to deal with them.
I watch as Kyle drags Meredith out of the double doors by her arm with George doing the same to his sister. I rush out behind them, my heart in my throat and my body shaking, and Mom is hot on my heels.
“How dare you bring her here,” George spits.
“I think I’ll take this trash out around the back. It’s smelling up the whole damn place.” Kyle tugs on Meredith’s arm with a grip that turns her knuckles white.
Meredith stumbles and I put my bitterness aside to be the better person.
“Ky, stop.” All four heads turn to see me standing at the top of the church steps. “Just leave her be. I’m too tired to fight.”
“I’m not,” Kyle growls and legit, takes off her earrings, passing them to me and putting her hands up in fists. “Let’s go, bitch. No faces because I have to be in court next week.”
“No, Ky. She’s not worth losing your job over.”
“She’s right, Kyle. They are not worth it.” George agrees and spits on the sidewalk at the feet of his sister.
“Georgie. Please.” Alice holds a hand over her heart in shock. “How can you say that? I’m your sister.” Tears pour from her eyes.
“Because no sister of mine would condone such behavior. You raised a vile woman and I’m embarrassed to call either of you family.”
“What do you mean by condone?” My brow is furrowed and I feel a pounding in my skull.
Mom takes a deep breath from behind me and George turns to face me. “Last night I found out that Alice has known about Gene and Meredith from the beginning. I planned to tell you but thought today was not the day.”
My jaw practically slams against the concrete. I look at the woman who I considered an aunt and angry tears fall.
“Alice. I…,” I look at her and then Meredith in absolute bewilderment. “Why? What did I ever do to you? I’ve loved you both like the word step didn’t separate us. I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” a deep voice bellows from behind us.
We all look to find Meredith’s dad standing with his fists balled tight. He looks as angry as George did when he heard what Gene and Meredith did.
“Uncle Dave,” I gasp.
“Hello my dear.” He walks over to me and pulls me into a hug and kisses my temple. “I’m sorry. For Gene. For my daughter. My wife ,” he spits out the word like it tastes bad.
He rubs my back as I cry into his shoulder trying to gather my wits.
“Alice. Meredith. Go to the car. Now!” He barely manages to contain his anger.
Both women open their mouths to argue but think better of it when he shoots a look at them so deathly that I’d welcome the grim reaper instead. They shuffle off, both with tears in their eyes as they watch us, and disappear around the side of the church.
The five of us stand on the sidewalk, Uncle Dave with his arm around my shoulders, and I take a last look at the two women I considered family.
Uncle Dave’s hand squeezes mine and he says, “You let me know if you need anything, Sunny. Day or night. I’m really sorry.”
His throat works to swallow down either tears or anger.
“Thanks, Uncle Dave. Love you,” I choke out and hug him.
He kisses the top of my head with a reciprocating hug. “Love you, too. I better go handle those two. We’ll talk soon, George.”
He hugs his brother-in-law, something I’ve seen them do plenty of times, then hugs Mom and Kyle before leaving. The somber day is the worst I’ve ever lived through.
George pulls me to his side and breathes deep before whispering, “I think Dave has had enough of his wife’s antics. Add in that spoiled rotten brat daughter and I’d say this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
Call me petty but it warms my insides to think of that witch possibly losing her husband like I lost mine. The difference is she still wanted him. Me…
Good riddance .