Marriage & Desire

Gina was awakened by the heavy thunder storm that brought a cold breeze into her bedroom, making her curtains open. She quickly got out of bed and went to close the windows hurriedly, as she went downstairs to her living room to do the same, knowing that her windows were still open. It was announced earlier that day on the radio that there’s a storm coming, and it was advised that people should do well to stay indoors. Gina had come home early that evening from the office when she noticed she wasn’t feeling that well, and on getting home she decided to take a quick nap before grabbing dinner, only to have slept for that long. She walked back upstairs to her bedroom, glanced through her bedside clock and was shocked to see it was past nine o’clock which was too late to drive to the pizza shop downtown seeing it was raining so heavily outside. She slowly went back to bed, wrapping her blanket all over her body, as her thoughts kept running wide. She’s been thinking about her mom of late although they’ve spoken the previous day on the phone and she’d promised to go see her by the weekend knowing that they haven’t seen each other for two months now due to their work. Gina loves her mom so much, she was the only family she had since her dad passed eighteen years ago. Her mom was her best friend and cheerleader, which made it very hard for her when she got her job and was about to leave home. Ever since she started working it seems as if their relationship has been distant because they both do not have time on their side. Gina was startled by the ringing of her cellphone, as she quickly pushed her hand under her pillow and grabbed her phone, and without checking who the caller was Gina picked the call. “Hello.” “Hi, is this Miss Gina walter?” A male voice asked from the receiver. “Yes.” “There has been an accident on fifteenth drive, and a woman by the name Emily Walter was involved in the crash. We would need you to come identify the body. “What!” Gina exclaimed, and quickly dropped the call, jumping out from bed, and grabbing her sweatshirt and car keys, as she rushed out of the house under the rain. Entered her car and pulled out, she was so devastated and didn’t know how she was feeling at that point. Her hands were shaking as she drove, the steering wheels became hard as her heart kept panting. Gina saw police cars and ambulance sirens lights up ahead, as she advanced closer, she quickly pulled up and rushed out of the car on seeing her mothers car at the accident scene crushed beyond recognition. “Mom!” Gina screams at the top of her voice, trying to manoeuvre the police man who quickly held her, resisting her from getting closer. “Miss Gina Walter,” one of the policemen called out. She recognized the voice to be the one who had called her earlier. “Yes,” Gina answered with a shaky voice, as tears rolled down her eyes. Please come this way,” the man said, holding and pointing her towards the ambulance, as they both walked to where the ambulance was parked. Someone helped her climb into the ambulance, as she saw a body covered in white clothing lying on the stretcher making her heart jump. “We will need you to identify the body before taking it to the morgue,” the man muttered, giving the paramedic a nod so he could uncover the body for identification. “Oh my God!” Gina broke down in tears as soon as she saw that it was her mother. “Mom! Please wake up,” she rushed to the stiff body which was stone cold and began to shake it non stop. The policeman and paramedic held and tried pulling her away from the body. “Let go of me,” Gina kept crying and shouting, pushing their hands away from holding her. The police man had to lift her up and carried her out of the ambulance as she kept on whaling and punching him to let her go. He carried her into her car, turned on the engine of the car and drove alongside the ambulance which was on its way to the morgue. After Emily’s body was deposited in the morgue, the policeman asked Gina, who was a little bit calm, if there was anyone he would like to call for her. She nodded her head in disapproval, as she asked him to drop her over at her mother’s place. The car pulled up at Gina’s mom’s house as Gina looked around not knowing when they arrived. “Thank you so much,” Gina muttered and got down slowly from the car. “Let me walk you to the front door,” the policeman offered and got out of the car. “It’s fine,” Gina said sharply and without looking back she walked up the little stairs which led to the front porch of her mothers apartment, as she opened the plastic bag which contained her mother’s belongings that was handed over to her by the police, she brought out the keys to the house, opened the door and walked inside. The policemen who brought Gina home, watched and made sure she was inside, before parking her car very well and joining his colleagues in the van, as they both drove away. It’s been two days since Emily’s death, and her friends and colleagues have been coming in and out of her house, paying their condolences to Gina who hasn't gone back home since the night of the accident. It was a cold winter morning, and the weather wasn’t that clear because it was drizzling outside. *** Black umbrella filled the cemetery as the priest gave his little sermon which wasn’t making any sense to Gina, her thoughts were far away from the crowd that circled around. She was just staring deep at the coffin that was already in the grave ready to be covered, as she wondered why her mom was just lying quietly in the coffin without getting up, as tears flowed through her eyes. “Dust we are and dust we shall return.” This was the last word Gina heard from the priest as the congregation echoed amen. After which the ground was covered and Gina gave her last speech as everyone began to leave. “Hey, accept my condolences,” a tall, handsome man in his thirties said to Gina who looked up to meet his grey eyes through her sun shade. “Thanks,” Gina replied slowly, looking away immediately. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come to the house ever since she passed, your mom was a very nice and kind woman, who is compassionate to everyone around her,” the man said kindly. “My name is Fredrick, Anderson Fredrick,” he gave his last name, stretching out his hand for a handshake. “Gina,” Gina replied, totally ignoring his hands. She was surprised to see that her mothers boss was this young, she was thinking that he was an old man in his late sixties. “Yeah, I know your name, your mom was so fond of you, she couldn’t stop talking about her smart and beautiful daughter, and indeed you were all what she spoke about,” Fredrick made a nice gesture as he withdrew his hands back. “Thanks,” Gina flashed him a quick smile and left, without wanting him to say another word. At home the reception was quiet, people came to sympathise with her sending their warm wishes and telling stories of how nice her late mom was. Gina was so sad and tired that she couldn’t wait for everyone to go, so she could have her own lone time and mourn her mom, because ever since the accident there isn’t a day that goes by without someone visiting her.