Page 100 of Save Room for Us

Hurrying to the back bedroom, I saw the carpet was still bloodstained, so I quickly rushed to grab some things. I didn’t wanna look at the bed, where most of my trauma happened—the drugged sexual encounters and him forbidding me to use the bathroom all night.

Quickly, I shoved my stuff into the bag I’d brought and then ventured to Sophie’s room for her things. Even her area gave me bad thoughts, though nothing happened in here in particular. I guessed just the fact that it was here in this house and I’d recalled coming in here after many nights of horror was enough to spook me.

As I walked out, bag stuffed to the brim, I knew then that I would have to sell this home I once was so happy to close on. Cedric had taken everything from me, including this home that made me feel so accomplished to be able to purchase.

Throwing my things into my car, I sped away, not even wanting to see my yard or front door. I didn’t truly slow up until I made it onto my mother’s street, and as panicked as I was the entire drive, I didn’t even know how I got here.

“Hey, serial killer.” A familiar voice caught me off guard as I climbed out of my car parked at my mama’s.

Looking to see Jacinta, I replied, “Do you even know what a serial killer is? No, you can’t possibly know because you wouldn’t have said that dumb shit.”

She started toward me, entering my mother’s driveway.

“Nice home. Is this where you grew up?” She looked behind me at my parents’ house, making me realize something.

“How the fuck do you know where my mom lives, Jacinta?”

“I didn’t. I followed you from your house. I stop by often just to see what’s going on, and today, I saw you pull up. So I trailed you.” She shrugged as if that wasn’t psycho.

“Why are you following me when you have the nigga and the baby?” I nodded to her big stomach.

“Stazi—”

“Wait, that nigga brought you to my home?” I questioned, not giving a fuck about the other shit. I wanted to know how she knew where I once lived.

“A bunch of times. You know, you worked a lot, and those days when I was off, he let me come over, and we fucked all over that home.”

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and remember what Bashar told me about fighting. But the thought of this nigga not only being an abusive cheater, but bringing the bitch tomyhome, not ours, butmine, was driving me up a wall.

“All over my home?” I clenched my fists but then released them, chanting in my head that she wasn’t worth it, and I needed to end this conversation.

“Yep.” She stepped closer. “Even in your bed. I think that’s where we made baby boy.” She rubbed her stomach then laughed. “Ooh, one time after we finished, I realized Sophie’s little sock was in the bed the whole time. How weird.” She grinned.

Her mentioning Sophie and being in my bed, in my house, while I confided in her at work, sent me over the edge, and next thing I knew, I had a handful of her hair in one hand as the fist of my other rammed her face repeatedly.

“Help!” Jacinta called out, and I heard doors slam, plus the pattering of feet from nosy neighbors, but I didn’t stop. She was clawing at my face and arms but it felt like nothing to me at the moment.

I honed in on her face, not wanting to hurt her baby, but this bitch was about to pay.

“Stazi! Anastazia!” my mother barked, trying her best to pry my hands from this bitch’s hair but block my fist at the same time.

Finally, I decided to stop, feeling like I had done enough, causing my mother to yell at me to go back in the house.

“You are gonna pay for that!” Jacinta wailed as I stood in the grass, panting.

“Go, Stazi!” My mother pointed to the house behind me, eyes warning me not to disobey her.

Slicing my finger across my throat at Jacinta and making her gasp, I turned around to rush into the house before my mother could scold me.

Sophie was on the two-seater couch still knocked out under her blanket, so I watched her for a while until I heard Jacinta pulling off and my mom returning to the house, shutting the door.

“I’m sorry, Ma.” I sniffled as soon as she sat down.

“Baby, you have to keep calm like Bashar said. They are trying to paint you as a violent, crazy, greedy person in the public. Beating up someone, a pregnant someone, who is on every news station telling people you’re a liar, wasn’t the smartest move.”

I broke down, saying, “I know. I know, but when she said she had sex with Cedric in my house, in my bed, the bed where all kinds of shit happened to me, I lost it. Then to mention Sophie’s sock…” I inhaled sharply, trying to stop the tears. “She thought the shit was a joke. None of this shit is funny, Mama. And to know I was telling her things… I just… I couldn’t hold back.”

“I know. It’s okay. Calm down.” She hugged me into her and wiped my cheeks gently.

---