Sweaters by Heaven Evette Creater (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

During school I wore long sleeve shirts, I didn’t talk much, and I always lied about the scars. Two years later, I came home and my mother wasn’t there. There was a note that said she had to leave, and that my aunt would take care of me. My aunt picked me up and packed all my things to live with her.” I paused. “….I should have known…” I stood up and wiped the tear that tried to come out.

 

Leelah came behind me and grabbed me by my waist, and laid her head on my back. I turned to her. Her eyes said that she really cared. She leaned in and kissed me. I didn’t refuse at all. I kept kissing her. It was long and passionate but she stopped regretfully.

 

“I forgot we’re at work,” She giggled nervously. “but what are you gonna do now?” I looked at her as I was still hooked on the kiss. I pulled away.

 

“I’m gonna talk to the principal and maybe we can call the police. Thank you, by the way …for listening.” I said gratefully. She smiled at me. 

 

We walked to the office to talk to the principal. We tried asking for him but the secretary was on the phone. We waited, then out of nowhere, a desperate yell for help came from the bathroom. We ran to see what had happened and a teacher had come out with a girl in her arms.

 

“Secret!” I yelled. I was scared. I grabbed her and pleaded for her to wake up. Leelah checked her pulse, she was still alive. But her eyes wouldn’t open.

 

“Please,” Leelah screamed. “Someone call an ambulance!” 

 

Everyone started to panic. Erica was standing by the bathroom wall watching us. Her facial expression was unreadable and she stood there motion less.

 

“Secret…please wake up. Secret…por favor.” I pleaded as tears ran down my face.

 

Tamar:

 

I’m nervous, very nervous. All kinds of questions have been running through my mind all day. How do they look now? Will they recognize me? Sitting in this taxi cab got me itching. I can’t wait till I get there. I can’t wait to see them…to see what I had been missing for so long. I arrived at the building and went to their door. I still remember it. A woman opened it up and looked at me. It was quiet for a minute.

 

“May I help you?” she asked in a bad attitude.

 

“Yes I’m Tamar Reevis. I…I came to see Daniel Stone.” I replied politely. ”Does he still live here?”

 

“Yes, what do you want with him?” she asked.

 

“Aye, babe who's that?” I heard Daniel say.

 

He came to the door and looked at me. “May I help you?” he asked politely. He sounded sober.

 

“Daniel…it’s me Tamar.” I explained.

 

He just stood there and looked at me. He looked at me like I was lying.

 

“…Daniel!” that lady said in jealousy.

 

He snapped out of it “Whatchu want?” he asked after a minute.

 

“Where’s Secret?” I asked.

 

“Wait a minute, who are you?” the lady said with an attitude.

 

“I’m her mother, thank you.” I snapped. She was starting to piss me off.

 

“Her mother? Oh, the druggie.” She said with a giggle.

 

I just looked at her. “I’m clean. I’ve been clean for 4 years now.” I said as politely as I could.

 

“Should have been clean in the first place.” she said ignorantly as she walked off.

 

“Blame him.” I retorted.

 

She looked at me, then at him. He looked down avoiding her. “Look…what do you want?” the lady asked.

 

“Look…mind your business.” I replied.

 

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” She asked.

 

“Absolutely Nobody.” I said with a smile.

 

“Aye, come on now Sheila.” Daniel scolded. “Come in Tamar.”

 

 “What?” She said in disbelief.

 

“Well she caint stand in the hallway.” He explained.

 

“And why not?” she asked with an attitude.

 

I came in and she gave me a look. I gave her the same look.

 

“Want a drink or sum?” he asked.

 

“Sure thank you.” I answered.

 

I sat on the couch in the living room. The same one he had since I met him.

 

“I’m Sheila Divine, Daniel’s fiancée.” She introduced with a little cockiness in her voice.

 

“Kay.” I said with a smile. Hers faded away.

 

“Here you go.” Daniel said as he handed me a glass of lemonade.

 

“Thank you. So, how have you been?” I asked him.

 

“Ok…I’ve been goin to rehab…sometimes.” He answered.

 

“Oh, that’s good.” I replied. “Yep…”

 

It was quiet for a minute. Then there was a knock at the door.

 

“Aye, stone!” a woman yelled. “Aye, you seen my cat?”

 

Daniel sighed and shook his head. He got up and went and opened the door. A plump old woman entered the house and started searching.

 

“Um…why don’t you come in?” Daniel asked sarcastically as he closed the door.

 

“I caint find my cat. You seen whiskers anywhere?” she asked. Then she stopped and looked at me.

 

“Dang Daniel….I didn’t know you was into the group thing.” She said. Group Thing, what she talking about? “Oh she’s pretty though, I see why you’re into it.” She said.

 

“No, no, Mrs. Jenkins that’s Tamar…” He tried to explain.

 

“Aw I don’t care what her name is honey, that’s yo business.” She said giggling.

 

“No, that’s Tamar…Secret’s mama.” He explained.

 

“What? That aint no Tamar.” She said while trying to see who I was. She got closer, squinting her eyes.

 

“Oh….oh wow…” She said in shock holding her glasses to her face. “Tamar….well look at you! Looking like a bouquet of roses, you so pretty when you aint on that stuff!” she said smiling.

 

“Well, thank you Mrs. Jenkins.” I smiled. “I worked hard to get clean.”

 

“Well that’s good honey, how long?”

 

“Four years.” I said smiling.

 

“Oh well I’m proud of ya, you look beautiful…” she complimented.

 

“You do...” Daniel agreed.

 

“Thank you both.”

 

 Sheila looked mad and announced she had to pee.

 

“Don’t nobody wanna know dat!” Mrs. Jenkins replied as Sheila slammed the door. “Terrible ass attitude. So anyway, how you been darling?” she asked me.

 

“I’ve been good. I was living in Tennessee for a while with a friend. I’m in Indiana now, not too far. I started taking parenting classes and I even got a job as a daycare teacher's assistant. So everything is prettty ok so far.”

 

“Oh really, well that’s good baby.” She smiled. “Thank you. Daniel, when does Secret get home from school?” I asked.

 

Daniel:

 

She looks so beautiful, like when I first met her. I ain't mean to get her hooked on the drugs. I just wanted her to try it. Make her feel how I felt. She didn't really want to but I made her. She wasn’t the same ever since. Until now, she was a different woman. I had a whole different respect for her. But when she kept asking me about Secret, I felt...guilty. How do I tell someone that I…I’m…harmin their only child?

 

“Daniel…?” Tamar said.

 

“Oh, um 3:00.” I answered. The phone started to ring and I answered it. After a couple minutes I hung up. I just looked at Tamar.

 

“What’s wrong?” Tamar asked.

 

“It's Secret, she's in the hospital. She really sick…” I answered.

 

“Well what's wrong with her? How'd she get sick?” She asked nervously, each question piercing my heart.

 

"Um...I don't know. They said she fainted, she's in the emergency room."

 

"Oh God, I hope she's ok." She said getting up and grabbing her bags.

 

"You need to call a taxi?" I offered.

 

"No, thanks. I've got the taxi man still running downstairs. Are you going to come too?"

 

Sheila opened the bathroom door, but didn't come out. I looked over at her for approval and she shook her head no.

 

"Uh, i can't. Not right now, I'll meet you there maybe. Or just call me...let me know whats going on." I said getting a pen and paper to write down my number for her.

 

"Well alright," she said taking it. "it was nice seeing you again Daniel." She said as she rushed out the door. " Bye Mrs. Jenkins and...everyone else.” She made a face at Sheila and Sheila glared backed at her.

 

 After a few minute Mrs. Jenkins finally left. Then Sheila finally came out the bathroom in panic.

 

“Daniel, pack our stuff, we need to leave now!”

 

Mr. Rodriguez:

 

I waited in the waiting room at the hospital with my palms against my face. Leelah was sitting next to me with her hand on my thigh. I felt terrible.

 

“Miguel, stop beating yourself up.” She told me. I just looked at her then I put my palms on my face again. “Miguel…” Leelah said in a whisper while shaking me.

 

I raised my head to see the doctor coming our way.

 

“Hello I’m Doctor Pollum. And you are whom to the patient?” he asked.

 

“I’m Miguel Rodriguez, her teacher.” 

 

“Are you the only caregiver at this time?"

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Ok, well Secret isn’t doing too well. We lost her twice, but she’s finally stable. She’s still unconscious but you may still see her if you like.” He explained. “Is she with you?” he asked referring to Leelah.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Ok, two people at a time, room 112.” He smiled as he walked away. 

 

I just stood there. I was afraid to see her because I didn’t know how I would react. Leelah came and held my hand then she guided me to room 112. When we got to her door, Leelah stopped and pushed me in front of her, gesturing for me to go first. I hesitated as I reached for the door knob. I walked in and saw Secret attached to all kinds of tubes and wires. She looked…peaceful. I wanted to cry, just at the fact that this little girl could die any minute. She’s done it twice, she could do it again, and this time she might not come back. The nurse had walked in and fixed the bed that was next to Secrets for the next patient. They rolled a boy in on a gurney, he looked a few years older than Secret. He had bruises and burn marks on him. His face looked calm and he even smiled at me. 

 

After they got him situated they asked us to step out of the room. We sat in the waiting room for a while and a few minutes later, we saw the doctor followed by two nurses rush into the room. I started to get worried. I wanted to be in there and find out what was going on. The thought of it made me laugh inside. I could already hear Secret calling me a stalker. The doctor came out of the room a while later and walked quickly towards us.

 

“….Secret’s awake.” He smiled. “She doesn’t really remember what happened, but despite her injuries, she is feeling a lot better…well, after she threw up a couple times. You can see her now if you’d like.”

 

A smile came across my face as I stared to walk towards her room. “Oh and uh…are you… aware of her vocabulary?” he asked.

 

“Yes…blows your mind doesn’t it?” I said almost laughing as I rushed to her room.

 

I walked in and she was laying down watching TV and then she looked at me. A smile went across my face as I walked towards her and held her hand. She didn’t refuse; no one said a thing for a minute. Then Secret let my hand go.

 

“Can I go home?” She asked

 

“No, you need to stay here, you’re very sick.” I answered.

 

She didn’t say anything else. Leelah came in and said the doctor wanted to talk to me. I went outside the room with him while she went in and talked to Secret.

 

“There are burns on her arms but they aren’t too severe. Good thing they didn’t blister up. She has a small fever also; I can get her some antibiotics too.” He explained. “But what we can’t seem to figure out is why she constantly throws up. It’s like every few minutes.” He said in confusion. “Maybe you can help me get her to talk, find out what she’s been eating?” 

 

“Um, ok sure, I’ll help.”

 

We went back into the room and saw Leelah smiling as she stroked Secret’s hair.

 

“…Secret, honey can you tell us anything that you’ve eaten over the past few weeks?” the doctor asked. She didn’t answer but she looked down.