ZENA - LIFE AFTER DESTRUCTION

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

ITS BEEN A VERY LONG NIGHT, FEELS LIKE THERE IS SAND IN MY EYES, BUT HOW DOES ONE SLEEP NOT KNOWING WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE PERSON LYING IN COMMA AND YOU NEVER GOT TO TELL HER HOW YOU REALLY FEEL I CAN SEE BRENDA ALSO IS VERY TIRED SHE HAS DARK CIRCLES AROUND HER EYES, PERHAPS I SHOULD GO AND GET US SOME COFFEE AND SOMETHING TO EAT, BRENDA I AM GOING TO GET COFFEE AND SOMETHING TO EAT, CAN I BRING YOU SOMETHING WITH? SHE LOOKS UP SLOWLY SHE LOOKS TERRIBLE LIKE SHE HAS AGED 10 YEARS OVER NIGHT, BRAD THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN DO HERE FOR NOW AND JUST SITTING HERE IS KILLING ME. LETS GO HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT AND WE CAN COME BACK. I M GLAD SHE SAID THAT AS THE SITTING HERE WAITING IS DRIVING ME INSANE. WE EXITED THE HOSPITAL WALKING TWO BLOCKS TO A CORNER BAKERY. MORNING SIR MORNING MAM WE WERE GREETED BY THE WAITER. HAVE A SEAT. CAN I BRING YOU SOME COFFEE, YES PLEASE BRENDA ANSWERS STILL LOOKING DOWN, SEEMS THAT ITS THERE WAY, AS I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OFF THESE WIERDO WOMAN LOOKING UP. BUT I M NOT HERE TO JUDGE I AM JUST TO TIRED, MY BODY AND MY MIND IS SO SO f****d UP AT THE MOMENT. SITTING ORDERING A BREAKFAST AND SIPPING OUR COFFEE. BRAD WE NEED TO TALK BRENDA SAID. DO YOU KNOW IF VERN AND SAMANTHA KNOWS BRAD,,, VERN WAS PRESENT BUT AFTER IT HAPPENED SHE DISAPEARED. I SEE ITS UNDERSTANDABLE I AM SURE SHE NEEDS TO HIDE IT FROM THEM. SAM, I AM NOT SURE BRAD SAID, O YES SORRY IN THE RUSH I LEFT ZENA’S PHONE AT HOME I AM SURE SHE HAS CALLED OR TEXTED I WILL TRY MY BEST TO GET HER PHONE AND JUST LET HER KNOW. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO THAT BRENDA I AM SURE YOUR NOT VERY WELCOME THERE ANYMORE, I KNOW BUT SOMEHOW I WILL TRY JUST TO GET A FEW THINGS. BUT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ZENA AND HER LIFE. ZENA’S MOTHER SUE WAS THOMASES FIRST WIFE HE LOVED HER VERY VERY MUCH BUT AND SHE WAS MY OLDER SISTER. WHEN THOMAS STARTED TO TAKE MORE WIFES THINGS BETWEEN THE TWO STARTED TO BECOME VERY UNEASY AS SUE WAS NOT INTO THE WIERDO STUFF BUT SHE LOVED THOMAS SO SHE WENT ALONG AND EXCEPTED IT FOR A WHILE. BUT THINGS STARTED TO CHANGE WHEN SARAH GOT VERY POSSESSIVE AND CONTROLLING OVER THE HOUSEHOLD TAKING OVER SUE’S PLACE AND SHE RULED IT WITH AN IRON FIST AS SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED INTO THIS LIFESTYLE, SUE WITHDRAWN AND BECAME A SHADOW AS THE HOUSE WAS BEEN TAKEN OVER AND THOMAS DID NOT SEEM TO MIND AS NOW IT’S A PROPER HOUSE WITH PROPER STANDARDS ACCORDING TO THEM. SUE STARTED MISSING DINNERS CHURCH MEETINGS ALL SORT OFF THINGS SOMETIMES NOT EVEN COMING HOME FOR DAYS UNTILL SHE WAS BANNED FROM LEAVING THE HOUSE NOT EVEN FOR A MINUTE AND SHE WAS EXPECTED TO GIVE THOMAS CHILDREN BUT REFUSED SO SHE WAS OFTEN r***d AS ITS OUR DUTIES TO PROVIDE CHILDREN. SHE DID FALL PREGNANT, WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 3 MONTHS PREGNANT SHE JUST DISAPEARED. NOBODY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AS IF SHE NEVER EXISTED SHE DID NOT EVEN HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH ME. THOMAS AND THEM SEARCH FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND THEN GAVE UP. LIFE WENT BACK TO NORMAL, IT WAS 2 YEARS LATER WHEN THOMAS LEFT ONE MORNING WITH A TAXI YES A MOTOR CAR NOT SAYING A WORD. WHEN HE RETURNED HE HAD THIS LITTLE GIRL WITH HIM AND GAVE ME A BOX. ALL HE SAID WAS ITS YOURS BRENDA YOU RAISE IT THAT’S ALL THAT’S LEFT OFF YOUR SISTER. WE DID NOT SEE THOMAS FOR A WEEK. I WAS SHOCKED CONFUSED BUT TOOK ZENA AND GAVE HER ALL MY LOVE MY HEART BROKE UPON READING THE LETTER I FOUND THE BOX THAT THOMAS HANDED ME. IT WAS FROM SUE.

THE LETTER.

MY DEAREST BRENDA MY SISTER.

BY THE TIME YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER I WILL NO LONGER BE ON EARTH ANYMORE, I AM TRULY SORRY THAT ALL THIS JUST GETS BUMPED ONTO YOU AND IT BECAME YOUR PROBLEM BUT PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN AND AFTER READING THIS LETTER YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. YOU CAN GIVE ZENA UP FOR ADOPTION IF YOU DO NOT WANT HER, SHE IS MY LIFE AND I MADE SURE THAT SHE IS TAKEN CARE AFTER MY DEATH.

I FOUND OUT I HAVE STAGE FOUR CANCER AND DR’S GAVE ME SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, SO I HAD LITTLE TIME LEFT TO ARRANGE MY LIFE AND ZENA’S LIFE.

WHAT HAPPENED? I KNOW IT’S A QUESTION YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING YOURSELF FOR YEARS NOW, NOW I CAN ANSWER IT AS I AM ALLOWED TO. WHEN SARAH TOOK OVER THE HOUSE AND MOVED ME TO THE BACKGROUND I STARTED WONDERING ABOUT THE WHOLE SET UP WE WERE NOT RAISED IN THERE WAYS WE WERE FORCED INTO IT SO I TOOK A STEP BACK AND DECIDED IF I WAS GOING TO ACCEPT OR LEAVE. THE DAYS AND NIGHTS I WAS MISSING I DID FIND A MAN BEHIND THOMAS’S BACK AND WE WERE IN LOVE AND HE IS WEALTHY, I MADE THE CHOICE TO MAKE THE BRAKE. I DID GO TO THOMAS AND TOLD HIM I AM LEAVING AND I AM TAKING YOU WITH BUT HE REFUSED ME A DIVORCE UNTIL NOW I AM STILL LEGALLY MARRIED TO HIM AS I WAS HIS FIRST WIFE, THEY TRIED TO LOCK ME UP I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE HOUSE OR GO ANYWHERE OR SEE ANYONE. IT WAS THE HARDEST CHOICE I HAD TO MAKE WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN AND I HAD TO LEAVE YOU AS THEY WERE HIDING YOU IF YOU CAN REMEMBER THE CAMP ALL YOU CHILDREN WERE ATTENDING. IT WAS JUST TO GET YOU ALL AWAY FROM ME AS I WAS THE BIGGEST EVIL THE THINGS THEY DID TO ME TO GET RID OFF THE SO CALLED DEMONS WERE CRUELL. SO WHEN I GOT THE CHANCE TO RUN I DID AND I RAN AS FAST AND FAR AS I COULD NEVER LOOKING BACK, I KNEW THOMAS WOULD BE SEARCHING FOR ME AS I WAS CAREING ZENA BUT I WAS NOT LETTING HER BEING RAISED BY HIM OR HIS WIFES NEVER KNEW THAT YOU WOULD BECOME ONE OFF HIS WIFES, THE DAY I FOUND OUT WAS WHEN I DECIDED WHEN I PASS ON I WILL LEAVE ZENA IN YOUR HANDS AND MAKE SURE FINANCIALLY YOU BOTH CAN GET AWAY FROM THEM. YOU ARE TRAPPED THE SAME WAY I WAS BUT WITH LETTER I TRUST AND HOPE I CAN GIVE YOU AND ZENA A BETTER LIFE AWAY FROM THEM.

DAN MY BOYFRIEND AND I OPENED UP A GALLERY AND WE DID DO VERY VERY WELL I EVEN DID SOME PAINTINGS THAT SOLD VERY QUICKLY AND MY HALF OFF GALLERY WILL GO TO ZENA ON HE 18TH BIRTHDAY DAN SAID HE WILL BUY HER OUT FOR TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, THERE IS ALSO A TRUST THAT WILL PAY ZENA A MONTHLY PAYMENT OFF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS UNTIL SHE IS THIRTY YEARS OLD AND FOR YOU TO START OVER ON ZENA’S EIGHTEEN BIRTHDAY YOU WILL RECEIVE A LUMP SUM OFF HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO GIVE YOU A NEW START.

IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO LEAVE THEM THE MONEY WILL GO TO ZENA.

I AM SO SORRY FOR ALL THE TROUBLE I PUT YOU THROUGH AND NOW STILL PUTTING YOU THROUGH, BUT I TRULY HOPE YOU DO KNOW I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN YOU OR ZENA AND I TRIED MY BEST TO MAKE SURE YOU BOTH ARE TAKEN CARE OFF.

LOTS OFF LOVE

SUE

SO YOU SEE BRAD THAT’S ZENA’S MOTHER AND WHAT HAPPENED.

THAT’S WHY ZENA REBLED SO MUCH AGAINST US SHE NEVER FITTED IN AND FOR HER BEHAVIOUR SHE WAS ALWAYS BEING PUNISHED AS YOU EXPERIENCED YOURSELF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER. I KNEW ABOUT YOU TWO BUT I MUST TELL YOU THERE WERE PLENTY MORE BUT WITH YOU SHE SEEMED DIFFERENT SHE WANTED TO CHANGE SHE EVEN TOLD ME ONCE THAT SHE IS GOING TO RUN AWAY WITH YOU I SO HOPED IT TO BE TRUE AND QUICKLY AS THEY WERE ALREADY ARRANGING  HER MARRIAGE AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO STOP IT. ALSO I NEVER TOLD ZENA ABOUT THE LETTER FROM HER MOM, I WAS GOING TO GIVE IT TO HER ON HER EIGHTEEN BIRTHDAY AND HER TICKET AWAY FROM US… BRAD JUST SITTING THERE HIS EYES RED WITH TEARS STRANGE SEEING THIS STRONG BAD BOY CRYING. BRENDA I TRIED BEING THERE FOR ZENA I KNOW MY PRESENCE IN HER LIFE CAUSED HER A LOT OFF PAIN AND PUNISHMENT BUT I HAD TO PROTECT HER. I KNOW BRAD PLEASE NONE OFF THIS IS YOUR FAULT NOT EVEN SEAN’S ZENA REBELLED AND THAT’S THE STORY. ALL WE CAN DO NOW IS PRAY HOPE THAT SHE MAKES IT. WHEN IS ZENA’S BIRTHDAY BRENDA 26 JUNE NEXT WEEK BRAD. SO YOU WANA SAY SHE IS FREE NEXT WEEK. YES SHE IS BRAD SHE IS FREE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO BRAD ASKED VERY CONCERNING. I DON’T KNOW BRAD, THIS IS THE LIFE I AM USED TO I AM NOT YOUNG ANYMORE. HOW DO I START OVER, WHERE DO I START OVER, PLEASE BRENDA YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE YOU ARE DIFFERENT YOU MIGHT NOT SEE IT BUT WE DO YOUR NOT ONE OFF THEM YOU CAN ONLY ACT FOR SO LONG, THINK OFF SAMATHA YOUR DAUGHTER. DO YOU WANT HER TO GO THROUGH WHAT ALL OFF YOU DID. BRAD ITS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT I NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT AND HOW TO APPROACH IT ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE. BRAD I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK TO HOSPITAL WE HAVE BEEN GONE FOR TWO HOURS ALREADY AND I DON’T HAVE A PHONE SO NO ONE CAN CONTACT ME IF THERE IS ANY NEWS.

O YES WE DO NEED TO GET BACK I NEVER GAVE THEM MY CONTACT NUMBER EITHER EVERYTHING WAS JUST TO MAD AND HAPPENING SO FAST. THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME ALL THIS AND PLEASE THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT YOUR AND YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE. I WILL MAKE SURE ZENA IS FINE. I KNOW BRAD YOU TO WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER. PAYING LEAVING BAKERY MY HEART STARTS BEATING IN MY THROAT AGAIN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO GET WHEN WE GET BACK TO HOSPITAL, I NOW HAVE A MISSION IN LIFE FIRST I NEED TO GET BRENDA OUT OFF THAT HOUSE AND HER DAUGHTER SAFELY AND ALL MY ENERGY FOCUSED ON ZENA. THE WALK BACK TO HOSPITAL IS A QUIET ONE.