The widow's might - Part II

Ditta Sylvester, Contributor

This is the conclusion of a two-part short story, Part I was published in last week's edition.

Early the following morning, Donna fed and bathed Josh and Kim and told them that this was the day to visit grandma in the country. Her eyes welled up as they shrieked with innocent delight. The three arrived at their destination a little after midday. Judith was pleasantly surprised to see them, but the huge bags of clothes told her this would be no ordinary visit.

When they were alone, she asked Donna:

"So what really bring you here today?"

Judith's heart ached as she listened to what had happened.

"So where you furniture dem, Donna?"

"Miss Black say she wi keep dem till when I can manage to go get dem," Judith finished.

They hugged and cried and talked and prayed together. And Judith tried hard to talk her daughter out of what Donna was planning to do next.

"I want to go somewhere down country," Donna told her. "Maybe down by Aunt Alice. Mi have to find a little place to continue wid mi hairdressin an' sellin'.

"But why you have to go now?" Judith asked. "Stay here wid me a little. You been through hell. Give youself a little time, man."

"Mama, di longer I stay here, di harder it will be fo' me to leave again. You alone can't provide for me an' dem children."

"You goin to leave dem wid me, though?"

"Yes, Mama"

"An' Donna, mi have to ask you dis."

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Why you don't go an' get a HIV test?"

"Me well want to do it," Donna confessed. "But I have to keep strong for mi children. Suppose mi go take it an' find say ... say mi positive?" Her voice broke. "Me not so sure say me coulda handle dat, Mama!"

"Hush, dear!" Judith consoled, not daring to ask: "You sure Josh or Kim didn't get dis virus from you?"

In the days that followed, Donna worked on changing her appearance. She cut her hair short, dyed it, practised applying too much make-up and altered her clothes more than a little. On the morning she left, the children were asleep, but the parting was still painful. Long after her daughter had departed, Judith sat wondering whether she would have to raise her grandchildren alone. Would they lose their mother too?

Donna arrived in the little country town of Merchant on the evening of the day she had left her mother's house. Aunt Alice now lived alone and was very happy to have her. She was a bit surprised at Donna's drastic change in appearance but she was not about to make the girl uncomfortable by asking her about it. She had heard of Derrick's death and was ready to accept the story that Donna
simply wanted a change of scene.

With her grand-aunt's help,
Donna easily found a small, inexpensive place from which to work. For
the first few days, she was very nervous but her ability to work
beautifully soon brought her a steady stream of customers. By the end of
the first month, she was able to send some money
home.

Each time they spoke on the phone, Judith would
encourage her daughter to get tested.

PLEASANT
LIFE

Five months passed. Life with Aunt Alice was
quiet and pleasant. For hours, Donna forgot to worry about anybody from
Glandon turning up to expose her. She felt great. Confident. Happiness
seemed accessible again. Till Jean Bernard walked into the shop one
evening.

She nearly fainted when their eyes met before
Jean calmly took a seat. For a crazy moment Donna wondered if anybody
could hear the bells going off inside her head. Why wouldn't this woman
leave her alone? To her own surprise, she was able to satisfactorily
complete the job she had been doing.

As the customer
got up to leave, Jean took her place in the chair and told Donna what
she wanted done. The latter was dumbfounded. Jean had lost some weight
but Donna was sure it was the same person. Apprehensively, she began to
work, but as the time passed, she became more relaxed. She now felt sure
that Jean had not recognised her. She added the finishing touches,
congratulating herself on the effectiveness of her
disguise.

She smiled at Jean when the job was done and
the woman said:

"Thank you,
Donna."

Shocked, Donna blurted, "You recognise
mi?"

"Of course."

"So what you want
from mi now?" She could not conceal her anger.

"I got
what I wanted," Jean said pleasantly. "This beautiful hair
style."

"But I don't understand you!" Donna
exclaimed."Last time I see you, you insult mi say mi have AIDS. Is what
happen now? You don't 'fraid you catch it from me
again?"

"It's a long story."

"I have
time!" Donna retorted. "Work over." She sat down and waited for Jean to
do the same.

"You know that I knew Derrick, right?"
Jean began.

"I kinda figure dat one
out."

"Did you know how well I knew
him?"

"What you mean?"

"Derrick and I
were lovers."

"What!" Donna exploded. "How?... But I
nevva know dat!"

"To cut a long story short," Jean
continued, "I just discovered that I am HIV positive
too."

Jean's words were quietly spoken, but to Donna
they were like an explosion. She was stunned. Jean was pretty, educated
and seemed quite well off. It was difficult to comprehend why she should
feel the need to get attached to somebody else's husband. Donna groped
for the right words to say but what came out was:

"Is
Derrick you catch it from?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't
think so." Jean was not offended but neither was she apologetic. "I
love men," she continued, "and my work takes me all over the place -
even to Merchant!" She smiled. "I guess I just wasn't careful
enough."

"Mi sorry," Donna said.

"I
am sorry, too, especially about what happened the day you did my nails.
But I have lots more life to live, Donna." Playfully, Jean spun herself
around in front of the mirror. "You don't see how I look
good!"

Donna smiled, thinking that this was quite a
nice person.

NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED
OF

"So you taking your ARV's?" Jean
asked.

"What?"

"Your HIV
medications."

"Oh yes," Donna
lied.

"Good. I even walk with mine." Jean patted her
handbag. "People are beginning to understand that HIV is nothing to be
ashamed of. It is just an illness like diabetes or glaucoma. You'd be
surprised how many people in Glandon have it."

They
talked again of this and that and each found a friend in the
other.

"Call me," Donna said as they
parted.

"I will. Bye Donna."

And
that was the encounter which moved Donna to decide to get tested. She
would take her medications. She would provide for her children. Josh and
Kim would forever wear the stain of their father's cowardice. Not so
with their mother! This widow would live and die with
dignity.

Donna smiled as Judith yelled at the children
who, in their excitement, were making a mess of the shiny
floor.

"So is what sweet you?" Judith
asked.

"Same ting dat sweet dem children. Life. Me
soon help you tidy up."

"Don't worry bout dat," Judith
seated herself beside her daughter. "Me proud of you,
girl."

"Tanks, Mama."

"You talk to
Aunt Alice?"

"Yes. She say she miss mi. Me miss her
to."

"So you goin back to
Merchant?"

"Only to visit Aunt Alice. I plan to do
what I tell you say Jean an' me was talking
about."

Jean was the owner of a small business place
in Glandon. She would make it available to her new friend to do beauty
care if Donna was interested. Donna was.

"Me know you
strong," Judith continued. "Me know you coulda deal wid a positive
result. But mi glad say you negative."

"Me, too,
Mama."

Puss Food and Other Jamaican Stories by Ditta
Sylvester is a production of LMH Publishing and is available at
Sangsters Bookstores, Kingston Book Shop and other stores islandwide.