Page 29 of All for her Forgiveness

"Your aunt was a demon," he says, and I can't deny it. "What do you plan to do?"

"I was already leaving. I went out to clear my head, but I was determined to leave. Maybe I'll wait for Mrs. Vina to arrive. She'll certainly want to gather her daughter's things, and?—”

"Don't bother. I talked to her. She'll come for the funeral, but she doesn't want anything to do with what's here. I think she doesn't need this junk," he says, gesturing to the house that is falling apart. "It seems she and the granddaughter she’s raised live very well, with rich people."

"Yes, I think they do. Mrs. Vina's granddaughter, Pam, called me today."

"What for?"

"I don't know, but from what I could understand, her grandma called Aunt Riny—or maybe it was the other way around—who certainly told her what happened today. Her version of the facts, of course."

"You’ve never defended yourself against the things she said about you."

"How do you know she spoke ill of me?"

"Your reputation in the neighborhood isn't good."

I tell him the story of the crayons I received from my teacher and how that started my reputation as a thief. "I was just a girl, and I hadn't stolen anything, but the world prefers to believe the worst of people because good things don't make headlines. I tried to deny it at first, but she beat me, and I stopped caring."

"That's not true, dear. Things like that leave deep scars."

"I don't want to talk about it. The bottom line is I'll stay until the funeral and then leave."

"To go where? Have you decided?"

"I think I'll go to Manhattan. Pam is at least an acquaintance in the city. I hope Mrs. Vina doesn't mind if Pam and I talk or even go out. I just don't know how she'll handle the issue of this house. My aunt was still paying the mortgage."

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"She was about to lose the house. She was going to be on the street."

"How? There were only about five years left to pay it off!"

"Where do you think she was getting money for her illegal medications? She hadn't paid the mortgage in over a year, Kennedy."

"My God in heaven, that explains why she was getting increasingly moody. I knew she had hit a dead end." I pause and look at him as a horrible thought crosses my mind. "Do you think she . . .”

"Committed suicide? No, I don't believe that. Drug addicts lose track of the dose they're using. They want to enjoy the sensation the drug gave them at first and keep increasing the doses until they're completely out of control. Now, let's talk about your future. You can't go to New York immediately; you have to save more money. I can get you a job as a waitress at night. It'll be two shifts, but?—”

"I accept. I'm not in a position to refuse anything. If you can really get me in, I'll be eternally grateful," I say, holding his hand. "Why are you so good to me, Mr. Ernest?"

He gets up. "You've been through a lot today, Kennedy. One day, maybe, we can talk calmly about it."

Hades

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Present

I listen attentivelyto every word she says, and I'm not sure if Kennedy is being detailed on purpose or if she's so immersed in her memories that she doesn't realize how much of herself she's showing me. The narrative flows smoothly but indifferently, as if she were merely a spectator and not the protagonist of a story that resembles a horror movie.

She's not telling me about her life or inviting me to join a conversation, to make comments while uncovering part of her past. Kennedy is revealing it to herself. Recalling the details of the torment she endured.

An orphaned child with no father or mother who ended up in the clutches of a wretch who, instead of taking care of her as she should have, beat her, mistreated her, slandered her, and humiliated her. A girl who from an early age, instead of playing, investing in her studies, did housecleaning for families, studying only long-distance, to help support the house and her guardian, that despicable unhappy woman.

Did Vina know about it? And if so, why did she never tell me? I covered all of Pam's needs and could have done the same for Kennedy.

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