Grey
She watched her mother's lips move but no sound came.
Be reasonable, Stephanie.
Joe is a good man.
She wanted to laugh but had no strength. Her heart had been broken into tiny little pieces. Her prayers got no answers. Her mother's eyes were like two big black pools. She saw no love inside. At some point of time she had become a burden. She heard the unsaid words. The message was clear. Stand up and follow the path. Be a good girl. Don't wander off the road. Carpe Diem. C'est la vie.
You have a life ahead of you.
You will feel better once you let Joe into your bed. You will feel better once you give birth to Joe's baby. You will find the strength and courage to live. You will realize you are blessed. You will waste no time lamenting. Just look into the child's eyes and you will be able to love and be loved again. She looked away but her mother wouldn't stop. Her father and sister kept their silence.
He's not coming back. He's gone, gone, Stephanie.
He's DEAD.
DEAD.
DEAD!
She wakes up bathing in cold sweat, her mother's cool pleasant voice ringing in her ears. She's in a strange room. She's in a strange bed. She blinks in temporary uncertainty and then suddenly remembers. She was feeling desperate when Jeanne Ellen Burrows stopped the sleek black car and said, "Get in." She didn't hesitate. They'd noticed her absence. They were running and calling her name. She sits still in the bed, thinking of the child she has lost. She can still hear their footsteps. It was too early to tell but she knew it was a boy. She always, always, wanted a little boy. What was she thinking? why did she accept the ring? She's grateful Jeanne Ellen took her in. The room is clean and tidy. She bursts into tears. She will never be able to love another man.
Her loss is too grave.
