CHAPTER 3
967 Words
The suitcase Elena pulled from under her bed had not been used in years. It was a sized bag with a broken zipper on the small front pocket and a faded blue stripe running down one side.
Her mother had bought it by hand from the market years ago for a trip to visit relatives that never happened. It had sat under the bed since collecting dust and waiting to be useful.
Elena dragged it out, wiped it down with a cloth and set it open on the floor beside her mattress. She stared at it for a time before she put anything inside.
There was something about an open suitcase. It sat there like a mouth waiting to swallow everything Elena had made the phone call.
She had said yes to Caleb. She had told her mother. I watched Grace go very still before nodding slowly and walking to the kitchen without a word.
The decision was made. Standing over the empty bag made it real. She started with things. Three blouses. Two pairs of trousers. One dress for occasions. Underwear. A pair of shoes that were still good.
She folded everything neatly. Placed it in the bag like her mother taught her. Working with her hands helped. It gave her something to do while her mind tried to catch up with what her life was becoming.
Grace came to the doorway. Leaned against the frame with her arms folded. She watched Elena pack without saying anything.
The evening light came through the window. Fell across Grace's face showing every line and every year.
"You are folding that blouse wrong, " Grace said. Elena looked down at the blouse. She had folded it the way she always did. She looked up at her mother.
Grace walked into the room. Took the blouse gently from Elena's hands. She shook it out, smoothed it flat on the bed and folded it again.
She placed it back in the bag. "There is a woman in this city, " Grace said. Her name is Mrs. Elizabeth . She used to live two streets from here.
She has a sister in San Francisco. Grace paused. "I will find the number. In case you ever need someone." Elena nodded.
"Okay Mama."
Grace looked at her. She really looked at her. Elena felt the weight of that look. She wanted to say something. The words that came were small.
"I will be okay, " Elena said. Grace reached out. Tucked a loose strand of hair behind Elena's ear. Her fingers were gentle.
"I know you will, " Grace said. Then she. I walked back to the kitchen. Elena visited her father before dinner. His room was small and warm.
The window had a curtain. The room always smelled of ointment and glucose. Her father, Emmanuel, was sitting up.
He was a man who had become thin. His eyes were the same. Dark.
"Come, " he said. Elena sat beside him. She took his hand. His skin was dry. His grip was firm.
They sat like that. The yellow curtain moved slightly. "Your mother told me, " he said.
"I should have told you myself, " Elena said. "I am sorry." He shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He looked at her.
"You are doing what needs to be done." Elena pressed her lips together. She felt the back of her eyes grow warm.
She had promised herself she would not cry. "I will send money every month, " she said. "Enough for your medicine and more." Her father was quiet.
Then he said, "The money matters. What matters more is that you come back to us whole." Elena nodded.
She could not trust her voice. So she leaned forward. Rested her head on his shoulder. Leo came every evening for four days.
He did not make an event of it. He simply showed up. They sat in the yard. I walked along the quiet roads. They talked about things. A funny thing at Mr. Haruna's farm.
A neighbor's gate. A stray dog. Underneath something tender was present. It moved between them like a current. In the evening they sat on the low wall. They watched the sky turn orange and purple.
The first stars appeared. Elena leaned her head on Leo's shoulder. He rested his cheek on top of her head. His arm was around her.
"I will wait for you, " Leo said. " It will take a long time." Elena lifted her head. I looked at him. In the light his face was shadowy. She searched his eyes.
"You do not have to wait, " she said. "You should live your life." "Living my life means waiting for you, " he said. "Those two things are the same for me."
Elena looked at him. Then she leaned forward. Kissed him softly. He kissed her back. The night before she left Elena could not sleep.
She lay on her back. Listened to the sounds of Huron. A dog barked. A motorbike passed. The neighbor's baby cried briefly.
These were the sounds she had fallen asleep to in her life. She had never noticed how specific they were.She got up at midnight. I walked to the front of the house.
She stood in the doorway. I looked out at the dark street. The air was cool and smelled of earth. The sky above Huron was full of stars. She stood there. I looked up at them.
She thought about the girl who had grown up in this house. Maybe San Francisco was the answer. Maybe it was another question. She did not know yet.
She went inside, lay down on her mattress and closed her eyes. Sleep came slowly. It carried no dreams. Just a long dark quiet rest.
- Writer
