LENA

Things were a little awkward days after I and Drew had our little conversation but slowly things went back to normal. 

I was determined to get better for my son and myself, so I decided to start the long-overdue therapy. I knew that the only way I could get better was if I sought professional help because I had tried doing it on my own but I always see myself going back to my addiction which caused me most times to behave in ways I never thought I would. 

As I came home from the nail salon down the road, I saw Drew and his friend, Frank, playing video games in the living room. They both greeted me and I responded heading to my room to shower but I was stopped by Mary who insisted that I follow her to the back of the house where I needed to see something. 

Suspiciously, I followed her "Mary what are you up to?" I asked her while still following her. By this time Drew and Frank followed suit. As I got to the back of the house Mary told me to close my eyes, I looked at her with questioning but still complied. 

I felt someone behind me close my eyes and I couldn't mistake the lavender scent that filled my nostrils, "LENAAAAA!" I screamed while removing her hands from my eyes, "What are you doing here?" I said excitement all in my voice, I didn't allow her to answer as I drew her into a long hug, and whispered in her ears, "I have missed you, Le." "I miss you too," she whispered back at me by the time we let go of each other there were traces of tears in our eyes. 

"So this is what y'all have been scheming, I knew something was off the moment I came home," I said, and Drew replied, "No, you didn't." "I'm serious, the way your face was when you greeted me gave it away," I said with a laugh, "I knew you were hiding something, I never something was Lena," I said rubbing my friend's arm. "I am so happy you are here, we have a lot of catching up to do," I told Lena as I turned to her. "Well, l need to go freshen up now. Mary, please tell Liz to prepare something very delicious and fitting for Lena, and also let her fix her room," I said as I stood up to go back inside. 

As I was having a shower I wondered why Lena came over. I am happy to have her here but there is something in her eye even when she smiles and laughs that is unsettling. I continued humming as I dressed up, I applied a lip balm on my lips, sprayed perfume, and went downstairs to join them in whatever was making them laugh so hard and loud. 

As I was coming downstairs I heard Mary tell Lena, "I don't know how you are doing it but I'm one hundred percent sure that you are cheating." I laughed calling their attention to me, "Lena is such a cheat but she is good at it, growing up she cheated on every single game we played," I said as I walked up to them. "Since you know my tricks, come play with me," she said with a chuckle. "I'm not playing with you, who knows how many tricks you have picked up over the years," I replied while offering her a glass of wine. 

Drew whose attention I thought was solely on the video game he was playing with Frank turned to stare at me immediately I offered Lena wine, and I mouthed "Non-alcoholic," to him, and he resumed the game with his friend. 

"So my friend, how has life been?" I asked as I poured her another glass of wine and for a minute I thought I saw her facial expression change but I couldn't be sure. Maybe I am just overthinking all this, she just came to see me because it had been forever since we last saw each other. She is fine, probably,. No, she is fine most definitely! I tried to convince myself that I was just overthinking everything like I do and there was no fire on the mountain. 

A few minutes later, Liz started setting the table for lunch. The smell of seasonings settling in the air reminded me of how hungry I was, there was something familiar about the smell of the food which had covered the whole living room by now. It takes me back to the house I grew up in, my mother was an excellent cook, and I wondered if she still cooks now. I haven't spoken to my family in a very long time. 

After I got married we only saw or spoke to each other when we attended the same social gatherings, we greeted ourselves awkwardly and ignored ourselves for the better part of the evening.

They never bothered to come to see their grandson for years, the first time they saw Drew was after Chad died. They came over to the house and thought they came to give their condolences, stupid me. They came demanding or would I say threatening me to continue with the agreement they made with Chad. I remember Drew asking me how we never get to see them when I told him who they were to him, and to that, I answered him, "Some people are better left out of your life." He nodded even though I knew he didn't understand what I said. 

"Where are you?" Drew nudged me as he went to the dining table to have lunch with Frank, "Far away," I replied softly even though no one was within earshot. I stood up and walked over to the dining area to have lunch. As I looked over Lena I saw the smile on her face as she ate her favorite dish, pasta and meatball. 

After lunch, Drew and Frank left for the mall, Mary left for the supermarket, and I and Le decided to have a movie marathon of our favorite teenage TV show, Gossip Girls. Four episodes in Lena slept off on the couch, I went up got a blanket covered her up, switched off the television, and slept next to her.

* * * 

It had been four days since Lena surprised me with her presence, and by this time I was pretty sure that something was wrong and I tended to find out what. 

I thought about going through her and finding out what she has been hiding, and I kicked against that I have never invaded her privacy and I won't start now. I decided to just ask her what was wrong and hoping she would tell me the truth. 

"Hey, can we talk?" I asked Lena as I sat beside her on the couch. "Sure," she said "What do you want to talk about?" As I began to speak a part of me wished that I was wrong, wished there was nothing to it and I was just worrying over nothing, "Lena, what is wrong? " She looked at me puzzled but I continued speaking anyway, "I know something is wrong, you have been so jumpy for the past couple of days. You look like a ghost whenever your phone rings or whenever you get a text message so I know something is wrong with you." Every thought of being wrong vanished as I looked at her, she looked white as a ghost. 

"It was meant to be something for the weekend, it wasn't supposed to be more than that," she said shaking her head and when I said nothing she continued, "Victoria wanted me to have a weekend away to get my mind off being cut off by my family," I looked at her stunned but didn't say anything but made note of asking her about it when I she was done. 

"We went to the La Vida casino to have fun, we gambled and we drank. I loved how happy and free it made me," by now tears filled up her eyes but she kept going, "I wasn't might go back, it was meant to be just for the weekend," this time around she couldn't hide the creaking of her voice, I offered her a tissue and smiled at her encouragingly so she could continue.

"I saw myself going back to the casino every weekend. After I lost my business, I started going by daily before I knew it I was in debt." She kept her gaze on the floor and continued, "I thought I was going to be able to pay them back but they made it hard for me." "How?" I spoke for the first time since she started narrating her ordeal. "They add five thousand dollars any day I refuse to pay up, they have the keys and legal documents to my home they are going to sell it if I don't pay in the next ten days. " "Please, don't judge me," she burst out. 

I was the last person that would judge her or anybody else, I know how hurt can push you to the path you never imagined yourself going. I noticed she was staring at me waiting for me to say something, "What happened between you and your family?" I asked her, her facial expression immediately darkened but she answered anyway, "Went home to spend the last Easter holidays with them, and during my stay, my Dad drugged me and tried raping me but he wasn't successful I was drowsy but I fought back. When I wanted to press charges, they wrote me off the will and somehow made me lose my business. I don't know how he did it but he did, I guess he is as influential as he always brags to be." I was too stunned to speak, she must have noticed how my mouth hung open then she added, "I'm over it now and that is the least of my problems now." 

"I'm so sorry you have to go through this alone, why didn't you tell me?" I asked her hurt that she had to carry this burden alone. "Well, the last time I had my friend was at Chad's funeral. After his funeral you changed, you pushed me out and I wasn't going to burden you when you didn't burden me with you.," She and I could tell by her voice that she was hurt. 

"I'm so sorry about that I promise to do better," I told her holding her hands. She nodded and I squeezed her hand a little, "How many days ago did they tell you to bring the money or your house is sold?" I asked her, "Five days ago," she said. I nodded and continued, "So we have five days left, how much are we talking about?" I asked and I could see how hesitant she was to tell me the amount. In a low voice she muttered, "A million dollars," I tried to hide the shock on my face but I guess I did a terrible job, "I know it is a lot, you don't have to help out they can sell the house. It is...." I cut her short before she could finish what she was saying, "I'm going to pay off the debt on one condition," she looked at me urging me to continue and I did, "You are going to come with me to therapy," "Just that?" She asked excitement returning to her voice, "yes" I answered. Before I knew what was happening she jumped on my body hugging me. 

Drew came home at that moment, "I'm back from shopping for school, and…" he stopped talking and looked at both of us, "You guys are weird," he said as he went up to his room. 

* * *

A few days later, Drew was set to go back to school and Lena was ready to go back having settled the people she owed. I handed Drew a wrapped gift, his 17th birthday was in two weeks and since he wouldn't be at home I decided to gift him earlier, "Don't open it till your birthday," I warned him and he replied "Sure" with a laugh. We hugged each other, he entered the car and John drove off. 

"This place will be awfully quiet without you guys," I told her, "I will visit often," she said. I hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, "Don't you dare keep anything from me again," she replied, "Same" and we let go of each other, she entered her car and began to drive off. "Remember our session starts on Monday," I said loudly and she honked her horn indicating that she heard me. 

Mary will be so sad when she wakes up and sees they are gone I better tell Liz to make her favorite food to appease her, I thought to myself as I walked back into the house