Chapter eight....
1316 Words
One step up.
And,
One ...down.
Debra sighed in defeat.If she kept going like this icicles would form on her back side.It was freezing cold.Had she had a little bit of courage she would have gotten into the house.
She was trembling.
It was one thing to stay out in the cold and another to go inside the house and face her grandmother.
Debra laughed.
How funny was it that at nineteen she was terrified of her grandmother.More'so of her temper.
At the moment her options were limited.She couldn't run forever.
She promised herself that it was the last walk around she was doing as she took the steps to the house.
She placed her hands on the doorknob and breathed in.For the hundredth time that day she cursed Marlon.Had she not helped him and his friends she couldn't have been in this situation.With the thought came the inane feeling of discomfort as she thought about what would have happened if he had been caught.
The door was jerked open from the inside.Heart beating Debra looked at her grandmother's face.
"I did not raise you to be a coward.Were you planning to come in?"Her grahmen said.
Debra sensed the anger beneath her grandmother's signature 'nanny McPhee ' tone.
"Grahnmen.."She mumbled.
"There is tea in the thermos.Go upstairs and change.On your way down call your sister for dinner"
Now Debra was truly terrified.
Minutes later she had joined the table for dinner.
Her sister Luzma was chattering on and on about school .Debra listened half heartedly as her sister talked.There was nothing she had not heard before.There was the Mexican boy called patas who Luzma had a massive crush on.Although she would be caught dead before she admitted it.Then there was Mellisa,the girl who pretended to be from Paris and talked italian non stop.
"Are you done with your homework young lady?"Her grahmen asked.
Debra swallowed nervously as she realise that time for the talk had come.
Luzma kept on with her cheerfulness.
"I'm left with math.Hey ,I forgot to tell you"Luzma said.
"Tell us what?"Her grahmen asked.
"Our math teacher,Mr Valencia,he was arrested.It turns out he is part of the revolution"
Debra felt her grahnmen's eyes burning into her..
"Well,that happens to people who don't listen"Her grahmen said cooly.
"He was a cool teacher.I hope they will pardon him"Luzma said.For a fifteen year old she seemed oblivious to the war raging between Debra and her grandmother.
Debra felt as if she was on fire.She ate her meal in silence.Her palms occasionally slipped from her spoon as they moistened.
She waited until Luzma had finished dinner and had gone upstairs.
"I'm sorry"The words tumbled out.
She cleared her throat as the unease clogged up.
"No you are not"Her grahmen pointed out.
Debra reminded herself that her grandmother knew her more than anyone else.If anything she was the younger version of her grandmother.
"Maria,how fast are you planning to send me to my grave?"
Debra's head shot up.She did not know if to take that as a joke or a serious question.
"I..I"She stammered.
"I saw your men.When were you planning on telling me that you had joined the revolution?"
"I'm not in the revolution."
"Huh, when are you planning to join it?"Her grahmen snapped.
"Never.Today I just saved someone from being arrested.You know you would have done the same thing in my shoes"Debra said.
"No.I would never risk myself like that.Did you think about what would happen if you were caught helping revolunalists?"
"Yes"Debra grumbled.
"Are you okay with it?"
Damn the trick questions.Debra could never outwit her grandmother.And the question was one she had no answer to.
"There is something you should know"Her grahmen said.
"Okay"
"I have P.D.V. "
Debra froze.
Anguish flowed through her.She felt the tears clog her eyes.
"It's eating at my organs slowly but surely.And I don't know how long I have to live"
"We can find you a donor.We can stop it"Debra sobbed.
All her mind could register was that her grandmother was dying.P.D.V was a fungi that rottened a body's organs.Especially the kidneys and the pancreas.Debra could only imagine the pain her grandmother was going through.
"Maria,you and Luzma are what will be left of this family.That's why I'm worried that you may be exiled.I don't want you to be involved in that revolution.You hear me?"
Debra nodded.
"I'll go to sleep now.Think about what I said."
Debra waited until her grandmother had left and let the tears rock her body.
***
Marlon couldn't stop smiling.He thought of what Debra had done for him and his brothers and a warmth filled his chest.Though it was not for free.The old lady in the backyard had done a good job of wacking them will a broom.Marlon figured that it was Debra's grandmother.There was no doubt . Debra's fire definitely came from her.
"You are home early"
Hannah interrupted Marlon's thoughts as she came from behind him.
Marlon turned to his wife.
"Huh,I thought I could have a early night"
As Hannah kissed him Marlon realised that he was an i***t for not loving her the way she deserved.
"There is something you should know"Hannah said.
Marlon frowned at the troubled look on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"At the Embassy,your name came up among the wanted.I was labelled a traiter for harboring a criminal.I was fired."
Marlon sank into the coach.
"Marlon,why did you not tell me you were in the revolution?"
Hannah was met with silence.Marlon's toungue seemed to have stuck in his mouth.
"I'm leaving for the states-"
"Excuse me?"Marlon growled.He felt as if the world was exploding on his head.
Marlon flinched as he saw how she recoiled from him.
"Sorry"He grumbled."What were you saying?"
"The boys and I are leaving for the states.Its what's best for the family"Hannah said frantically.
"And?"Marlon growled.
"You might get exiled.I don't want the boys to be around when that happens"
It was a blur.Marlon rose and smashed the twenty year old vase his mother had given them for a wedding present.All he could register was that his wife was leaving him.
And it was all his fault.
"Have you considered that I might not get exiled.There is no proof against me"
"Actually there is.There is a footage of you trying to murder Icar sandroval-"
"I was defending my sister's honor.Did they tell you that she had been kidn*pped for having info that could take them down?"Marlon yelled .
Hannah kept mum.
"I thought so.How long do you plan to be gone?"Marlon growled.
"I was hoping you would come with us.We can leave all this behind."Hannah said.
Marlon sank back into the coach.
"Honey , listen to me .The states don't have the laws.You can be a free man and do whatever you want.Please"
Marlon knew she was right.Yet he thought of all the vows he had taken.For his country,the revolution .His family.
They were all in Espania.Espania was in his blood.Everything he loved was here.Yet refusing to go meant hurting his children and wife even more.
"Do I have a choice?"
"You can think about it.But I would appreciate it if you came with us.Please"
Marlon went to bed that night with a heavy heart.
He had an important decision to make.
***
- Writer
