The Weekend Pt. 06

Wilma reaching out to her via Facebook was kismet. The two women had no idea how similar their stories were when they were first catching up. Regina knew that Wilma's marriage had fallen apart, but not why. The two women worked at different hospitals, so they didn't keep in touch as much as they did when they were in school together.

Imagine the shock to Regina when she found out the details of Wilma's story. Both women were stunned to discover that each of their marriages were ruined behind affairs with Brian and that both husbands vented their anger by beating Brian into the Emergency Room. Both beatings even took place in the parking lots of their jobs!

Life is funny sometimes.

On a bad note, both women's husbands went to jail for it. Lee pled guilty to aggravated assault and had to spend 13 months in a correctional facility. Fortunately, he was released after only 8 months.

After talking to Wilma, the decision to transfer to her hospital was immediate. Like Wilma said, it was the best decision she could have made.

Being surrounded by children soothed that ache at not being able to have one herself. These kids needed her care, and that motherly feeling of nurturing a child filled a void inside of her. The jealousy of fate's cruel joke faded until she no longer thought about Lee's son.

On this particular day, her mind was heavy with indecision. It appeared that one of the RN's that worked the night shift had to be switched to day shift because of pregnancy complications, and they needed someone to swap with her.

Regina was one of the first to be asked. She was hesitant to do so. For one, there was the drastic change in her sleep schedule that would have to be adjusted to. But that was nothing compared to the children she would miss out on during the day. She wouldn't see Joy or the rest of her babies until the late at night. Most of them would be sleep when she arrived.

Her heart wanted her to do one thing, but her bills demanded another. There was a $3 difference in pay. Her $25 per hour would be bumped with the shift differential, and she would now get $28.

As she went home for the night, she already knew what she would wind up doing. Say what you will, but money talks. She just had to hold on to the only bright side there was to this. She would still be able to see the them at night. Also, she could watch over them. She'd heard stories of careless, complacent, neglectful nurses on the late shift, and she was determined to ensure that her babies were taken care when they were most vulnerable.

***

On the other side of town, Lee was also living life post-divorce. For him, the four years started off even more turbulent than it did for Regina. He had to deal with his assault of Brian alongside the crumbling of his marriage. The DA was trying to get him 3 -- 5 years. He wound up pleading no contest for the reduced sentence of 13 months

With his half of the from the house being sold, Lee made sure to put his money to good use. The first thing he did was finish paying off his truck so that it wouldn't get repossessed while he was serving his time. His other task was to put the rest of the money aside for Jennifer and Malcolm. He entrusted it to the only person he knew would have his back.

Many people had things to say about Daryl, but there was a reason why Lee trusted him more than any other person. Some friends stay close because they are so much alike. Unfortunately, the changing tides of life usually drift those people apart, turning close comrades into casual acquaintances. Other people form a different kind of bond. It's a kinship of sorts, closer to the brotherly type. These bonds are forged despite the many differences that two people share, and usually last until one of them is attending the funeral of the other.

Daryl made sure to pay Jennifer the monthly installments of the child support that she and Lee agreed upon before he got locked up. Anything else that Malcolm needed outside of the normal payments, Daryl gave to her. He pretended that he was asking Lee about it, but truthfully the extra money was coming from his own pocket. He didn't want to overburden Lee while he was doing time.

As for Lee's stay as a guest of the state, his bunk became his personal, quiet thinking space. Being stripped of free will did provide the small blessing relieving him of life's everyday responsibilities. With the lights out, there were no distractions to filter his thoughts. He had nothing but time to allow his mind to roam. His mind scrolled through the course of his life, stopping at parts that needed further analysis. His thoughts about Malcolm, Regina, and Jennifer played and replayed, giving him different perspectives with each pass through.

One area that garnered the most reviews was his marriage. Regina was one of the first faces he saw in the morning and the last to put him to sleep. He saw his own failings with new eyes. It wasn't just his infidelity that popped up, but how he interacted with her. One of the things that came to life for him was how much he missed because of how he refused to acknowledge some things.

There was truth in what she said about him and his expectations for her regarding her miscarriages. He didn't really appreciate her grief. He was more concerned about what was being taken away from him than he was of truly being there for her. Yes, she pushed him away, and that was on her. He, however, became so focused on THAT that he simply disregarded anything she felt.

After a couple of months, he wrote her a letter. In it, he gave his first, true apology. It was supposed to be a short page, one only worthy of a few paragraphs. But the more he wrote, the more words spilled out onto the paper.

After he read it, he threw it away. It wasn't good enough. He had a lot more to say. Gathering new paper, he started again.

And again.

Finally, the fourth draft proved to be the most complete one. His entire heart, his soul, his feelings, were all on that paper. It was so deep that he cringed reading it.

He almost didn't send it off. It took a couple more days of deliberation before he mailed it with thumps in his chest. Once it was out of his hands, something happened to him. A huge weight was lifted from him. His sleep became less restless; his dreams less heavy.

However, brutal anticipation was almost worse than the incarceration he was facing. What would she think when she read it? How would she react? Was she still angry with him? Would she write back? If she did, would her letter be one of anger, or of pleasure?

Each day, his eyes looked up expectantly at the mail inmate when he passed by with that cart full of letters. Every time he skipped Lee's cell with no news, his heart fell a little bit more.

Until the day her response came.

Seeing the envelope with her name on the front was like manna from heaven. To a person disconnected from the world he once knew, human contact becomes a lifeline. They were like rectangular escapes from grim reality.

When he excitedly ripped it open like a Christmas present, he pulled out a neatly folded sheet of college ruled paper; each line containing pretty, feminine cursive, directly from her hand.

There was something strangely intimate about it being hand written. It was the difference between buying a cake and specially baking one. Whoever said time equals money only said that because that's all they care about.

Time is the most precious gift anyone can give. As it counts, it disappears, never to be replenished. Its finiteness makes it more valuable than any number of zeros in a bank account. Money is spent, donated, and blown only to be built back up the very next paycheck. But time is the gift that doesn't keep giving.

Where a person spends his/her free time is where their heart truly is.

That's what prison steals from you. When a person has their most precious commodity involuntarily taken from them, it means the world for the people they hold dear to donate their own.

Her letter wasn't as long as his, but it made up for its lack of words by making each one count. She seemed elated and very appreciative of his unexpected letter. In fact, her exact words were, "I couldn't stop myself from smiling, even after I read it for the third time". She took a week to mull over his letter before writing back. Like him, she wanted to take the time to carefully form the message she wanted to convey.

She even signed off "Love, Gina".

Lee's smile was plastered on his face. He was so elated, that he decided to write her again.

Those little rectangular escapes from the grim reality became a frequent thing. Two weeks after he sent one off, he knew to expect her reply. This consistency made time speed up for him. Every time he got a letter, he knew that there were two less weeks on his sentence.

Lee never called Regina on the phone. As strange as it sounds, the sacredness of the letters remained pure to him. A part of him was afraid that hearing her voice would break the delicate spell. In the letters, the two were able to form words that couldn't be formed by mouth. Each person had the opportunity to fully read the letter, absorb it, and carefully write out a response. Ironically, their communication during Lee's incarceration was world's better than when they were face to face.

The other thing keeping him sane was his son. He did call Jennifer on the phone, who made sure to allow Malcolm to hear his voice. He was grateful that she always accepted the charges and didn't rush him off. The symphony of his child's intelligible ramblings was Beethoven at his best.

Before Lee knew it, he was being released due to good behavior and over population. As he peeled away his prison uniform, he began to feel human again. The fluorescent lighting above him seemed less harsh; the walls around him less imposing. Even the guards treated him differently, like the simple act of putting on his own clothes almost made him worthier of human decency.

When the sunlight and the fresh air greeted him for the first time as a free man, he looked across the parking lot and spotted a familiar Corvette.

Daryl's first words to Lee were, "You didn't drop the soap, did you?"

All Lee could do was shake his head and chuckle. He loved this guy, no matter how big of a prick he was.

Daryl tried his best to hold on to Lee's job while he was gone, but that was impossible. The position remained open for two months before the company was screaming for a replacement. But luckily, there was another position open. It paid less money, but it was enough to continue giving Jennifer child support while he stayed with Daryl.

A couple of weeks after Lee was released, he realized that one of the things he missed about being locked up was Regina's letters. It surprised him, because he assumed that his elation over receiving one was simply a result of incarceration. But now that he was free, he realized that there was more to it. The letters made him feel closer to her. Divorce hadn't washed away the love that he had, despite their monstrous marriage.

A week from that day, Regina was pleasantly surprised to open her mailbox and find another letter from her ex-husband. She knew that he was released not too long ago, so she just figured it was one that straggled its way here from his time in prison.

Her smile grew when she saw the return address was a local one.

And that's what they did for the next couple of years. They never reached out in person; no phone calls, no visits. They just wrote each other. After a while, Lee noticed that Regina's letters smelled like his favorite perfume; almost as if she spritzed some on the pages before sealing them in the envelope.

For Regina, her day was brightened every time she opened her mailbox to find that enveloped surprise waiting for her. Reading a letter from Lee was akin to reading her favorite book. It was enjoyed during quiet moments of her day, when she could give it her undivided attention.

His letters were so real. She found it easier to open up to this Lee. This Cyrano De Bergerac was far less judgmental, and the fact that he couldn't interrupt her and make her feel like shit made her want to tell him everything.

If it were possible, she was falling in love with him all over again, and more so than before.

But one day, the letters from Lee simply stopped.

Her mailbox had no new surprises for her. Two weeks went by; then a month. After three of her letters went unanswered, it became obvious that things had changed.

Her mind went through a bunch of scenarios. Was he hurt? Did something bad happen to him? Was he simply unable to write her?

Memory reminded her of things about Lee, things that she'd forgotten. Disappearing without a trace for extended periods of time was what he did best. It was his go-to move.

Her heart crumbled in her chest all over again. Her empty mailbox was like re-watching him walk out that door with those fucking papers in his hand. This was the third and final time she put herself through this.

There would not be a fourth.

____________________________________________________________________________

A MONTH LATER

Regina gave a wide-mouthed yawn before taking a sip of her third cup of coffee. She shook off the veil of sleepiness that made her eyes heavy and fought to keep her mind focused.

Before her was a chart of her newest patient. The kid was almost five years old and was desperately fighting a strain of cancer called Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It was a fast-growing strain, so therapy had to be aggressive.

Regina grimaced with disgust as she looked over the doctor's notes. She envied doctors somewhat, but she also had a distaste for them. Doctors can be callous and unemotional when dealing with patients. Even their notes were dripping with detached concern. To them, this new patient was just that; another patient.

She decided to go in and check on him. It wasn't too late, and there was a chance that he may still be awake.

Regina's sneakers quietly walked her to the door. After a quick knock, she opened it partly to announce her presence. When she didn't hear any objection, she peeked her head in.

On the far couch, a sleeping mother was curled up in a blanket. Her light snoring indicated that she was in a deep sleep, so Regina made sure to keep her movements quiet.

On the elevated hospital bed lay the patient. There was no doubt he was awake. He was sitting upright, looking over at her as she entered the room. The tv on the far wall was playing cartoons.

"Hello there." She whispered with a bright smile on her face. "My name is nurse Gee Gee. I'll be taking care of you. What's your name?"

"Mallie."

Regina nodded, keeping the smile. "How do you feel, Mallie?"

"I'm hungry." The boy said honestly.

Regina looked over at the table near his bed. There was a plate of cold, uneaten food. Only the carton of apple juice was empty.

Regina gave him a look that was playfully skeptical. "That's because you didn't eat your food."

"I didn't like it. I only ate the animal crackers."

Regina snickered and shook her head. Before coming here, she looked over his chart and saw the food restrictions that he was under. Poor kid couldn't eat anything! She couldn't blame him for not eating the barely edible crap from the cafeteria.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "How about I go get an apple from the nurse's lounge? Or maybe even an orange? Would you like that?"

Mallie nodded enthusiastically, but then asked, "Can I have both?"

"Absolutely. I'll be right back. Don't you go nowhere." She said with a wink.

Regina left the room as quietly as she entered. Her eyes re-read Mallie's file, looking for things that she'd missed. There was something very familiar about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

After grabbing the fruit from the refrigerator, she stopped by the vending machine to see if there was something suitable for him to drink. Soda was a big no, and she doubted that the kid would drink water. Finally, she decided to give him the apple juice that she was going to drink with her lunch.

One more glance at Mallie's file jolted her brain into functioning. She knew what was so familiar about him! It was his full name; Malcolm Warner!

Pastor Malcolm Warner was a famous televangelist that her mother watched religiously every Sunday while she was on her death bed. She would occasionally overhear this man preach about blessings and the power of prayer. It seemed ironically sad that he would say things like, "by his stripes, you are healed" while her mother lay there dying listening to that ridiculous rhetoric.

Regina wondered if Mallie was Pastor Warner's son, or if it was coincidence. Perhaps his mom was just a big preacher groupie.

When she returned to Mallie's room, she gave him the food. He sat up excitedly when she handed it to him. His fingers were having trouble peeling the orange, so Regina grabbed it and began doing the task for him.

"So, how have you been feeling, Mallie?" she said as she worked her thumb underneath the tough skin of the orange. "I understand you came here because of some pretty serious stuff."

He nodded as his eyes saddened. "Yeah. I keep getting sick and I can't get better."

Regina's face was soft with sympathy. "Well, we're going to try to make you better. Okay?"

Malcolm's face fell and his eyes looked even sadder than it did before. "I hope so. I think mommy and daddy are mad with me."

"What? Why would you say that?" Regina's appalled voice blurted out.

"Because I'm always sick. I hear them arguing about it, and then I hear mommy crying at night. I try to get better for them, but I can't. No matter how hard I try, I just can't get better."

Regina saw that Malcolm was about to start crying, and she didn't want him to wake his mom up. She could only imagine what this poor woman was going through. Rest was a commodity that would probably be denied her for a while, and she deserved every bit of sleep she could grab.

"Hey, hey, hey Mallie." Regina said soothingly. "Look at me." When Malcolm did, Regina smiled reassuringly. "Your mommy and daddy aren't mad at you. They're just scared. When grownups get scared, they sometimes pretend to be angry. It makes it easier to deal with. They just want you to get better so badly. They love you and they want the doctors to get that nasty stuff out of your body. So, don't think ever think that they're mad at you. Not even for a second."

With that she handed him a fully peeled orange. He took it and gave her a small smile. He didn't look entirely convinced, but the tears that were about to fall were dried.

Regina gave his hair a tussle and added, "You know what? You are one brave little soldier. I can tell. Your parents are gonna need you to be brave for them. No matter what, they're gonna need for you to not give up; to keep fighting no matter how hard it gets."

"Is it gonna be hard?" Malcolm asked with a look of fear.

For a second, Regina thought about minimizing the things he was going to be facing. But she couldn't. Kids are smarter than adults give them credit for. They can often smell bullshit on the breath of liars.

"Yes, it is." She said as she gently grabbed his hand. "But I'm gonna be here every step of the way with you."

"Promise?" he asked with hope filling his eyes. "My daddy says it's important to keep promises. If you make it, you have to keep it."

Holding out her pinkie, she looked him in the eyes and said, "I promise."

He locked his pinkie into hers, and the deal was struck. With that, his smile grew. His eyes looked a little less afraid. And then, looking at his face in this moment, she knew who this kid was and why there was something familiar about him. It wasn't his name at all; it was his smile and his face.