***
I had thought I'd be able to distract myself from thoughts that sought to break me, but hours of trying to write my story proved me wrong. I'd ripped out over five pages, all in the name of starting a new chapter.
Sighing, I tossed the book to the floor and lay down in bed. I curled myself into a ball and squeezed my eyes shut, hurling myself into a sea of memories.
A knock at the gate caused my eyes to fly open. I gathered myself to my feet and advanced to the gate. Raheem flashed me a smile as I unlocked the gate. I made to smile back when a movement behind him caught my eye. My stepmother.
I scowled at her. "What is this woman doing here?"
"She's been discharged," Raheem said.
"And so you brought her here?" I fumed. "This is my house, Raheem. Not a charity house. How could you bring in a stranger without consulting me first? Who does that?"
"This is also her house," Raheem said. "And she will be staying here."
The woman sniffled. She turned away and wiped a tear with the back of her hand. Her tears could fool anyone. But not me.
"Please go in," Raheem said to the woman. "We will be with you in a moment."
Tentatively, she advanced toward the house. Too broken to speak, I could only welcome the hard lump in my throat.
Raheem had chosen her over me. The same Raheem who told me I was what mattered most to him had placed my evil stepmother ahead of me.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked.
"She has nowhere to go," he said. "Nowhere but here."
"My father's house is not a charity house," I said.
"She is your father's widow," he said. "How could you forget that?"
"She tried to kill me," I shot back. "Twice. How could you forget that?"
"The woman who tried to kill you died six months ago," he said. For how long would he keep deceiving himself? If the woman had died back there, then what did we have here, a ghost?
"Will you not give this brand new person a chance?" he asked.
"She died?" I asked. "It is settled then. I don't do ghosts."
Glaring at him, I walked through the gate. I could use some fresh air.
"Where are you going?" I heard him ask.
"To see someone who truly understands me," I said. "Since that is a task too big for you."
Everyone else had chosen the murderer over me. But this one person would always support me. Blocking out all thoughts of the drama in my life, I approached his resting place with a calm heart.