75. Africa.
1328 Words
The next day, Stella left early. She didn't sleep very well. She took three pain pills and slowly made her way to her cab. She wasn't answering her phone.
She got to the airport and asked for a wheel chair. A nice man pushed her to her gate.
She got out of the chair and sat at the gate nodding off from those pills.
Drake said goodbye to his family. He visited Ash and gave him a key to his house.
" Go to California, stay at my place. I will see you soon." He hugged him.
" Are you sure that Stella is okay?" He asked.
" Yeah, she says she was fine." He said.
" She's not answering her phone Drake." He said.
" Drake, she took some heavy blows yesterday, he kicked her several times. I think she is hurt. Drake, please. Check on her." He said.
" I went to the hotel this morning, she was gone. She went to meet me at the airport for our trip. I'm sure she wouldn't have left if she wasn't ok." He assured him.
" I have to go, I'm very late. damn!" Drake said as he ran to catch his flight.
Stella couldn't walk by herself. One of the airport attendants wheeled her on board and got her seated.
She had an ugly black eye. She brushed her hair over her face, seeing people looking at her swollen face.
Stella took two more pills. She drank a small bottle of vodka too.
She was feeling better.
She saw Drake finally arrive. She smiled at him.
He frowned seeing her.
They shut the plane doors and did their preflight checks.
Stella closed her eyes. She moaned involuntarily.
He held her hand. She wasn't wearing any rings today.
He frowned again.
" You okay Stell?" He said to her ear.
She squeezed his hand.
The plane took off.
Drake asked for a scotch and soda. She had another vodka.
Drake was telling her how last night went.
The boys really bonded with him. They were all happy he was actually a brother, a real brother.
"My dad was real quiet. He seemed satisfied by your apology after all. He didn't mention you again.
I guess that's behind us. I gave Ash a key to our beach house, to cool off you know."
He kept up his happy banter, then he opened his lap top to do some work.
Stella fell asleep. She woke up hours later and had to go pee really bad.
" Drake, bathroom please." She said slurring.
He stood up and waited for her to stand. She moaned as she grabbed the seat to stand up.
He saw her struggling. "Come on cripple, you got this." He was told by Storm to let her figure it out, not to help her.
She got up and limped to the bathroom.
He saw her trying to pick up her leg with her hands to lift it into the stall.
He went to help her.
He got her in and pulled down her pants and let out a loud yell.
" Oh my Lord!"
The flight attendant ran to see what was wrong.
Stella was bruised all over. Deep purple bruises.
He panicked he said, " I need, I need a doctor. Stella how did you? oh...dad? Stella did my dad do this to you?" He asked livid now.
" No, he was doing it to Ash, I was protecting him, he already broke his nose." She said weakly.
" Drake, I will be ok, I've been through this before. Olivia...you know." She said.
He picked her up and carried her to her seat. He couldn't even look at her, he was so upset.
" Why, why didn't you tell me?" He said.
" I wouldn't be on this plane with you going to the farthest place I could think of to get away from him." she said.
" Plus, I didn't want him in jail when your aunt died." She said.
Drake held her hand. "You took off your rings, was it the swelling?" he asked.
She nodded. " Let me sleep now, don't bug me." She said.
They finally landed after a long over night flight.
Drake got the bags and had a wheel chair provided for Stella.
He called Cash.
He told him about Stella's injuries.
" I'm going to find a doctor here to see her." He told him.
Cash said," Take care of her. I'm going to talk to dad now. My mother was taken to the hospital last night, it's not looking good."
"Cash, your mom didn't have a stroke, she overdosed. Dad told me about it.
After she was told about the affair, she tried to kill herself, I'm sorry, I thought you boys should know." He said quietly.
Cash was upset about all of this news. He told Sam and Storm. They went to the hospital, Ash was still there.
Hall went in to see his son Ash.
He had a bandage on his face as well.
" I guess we kind of went at it son?" He said punching Ash playfully. "That's the last time I call you gay." He laughed.
Ash looked away. " She is hurt pretty bad dad, you didn't beat me up, you beat my fiancé up."
"What, don't be silly, she's very dramatic. I'm sure she said I hurt her leg too?" He asked.
" Dad, I'm very disappointed in you. I can't be around you anymore. Stella is my family now. Mom and Stella." He knew his dad would be angry at this.
Hall pointed at him, his youngest twin. He said," Go to her then, be a moma's boy still. You were always hiding under her skirt, useless." He said as he walked out.
Cash, Sam, and Storm were saying goodbye to their mother.
Cash went up to Ash's room and brought him down to her room.
She had all her boys around her when she peacefully died.
Her husband Hall was outside thinking, he was thinking about getting ahold of that evil woman. She split up this family, it was all of her doing.
The boys took turns kissing thier moma goodbye. They all left together, not even looking for their father to tell him goodbye, they caught the next flight home, to California.
Drake sent them the doctor's report. Two broken ribs, bruises and worse, she was very fearful. She was clinging to Drake everywhere they went.
He was very mad at uncle Hall, he refused to call him dad.
He blocked him from contacting him or Stella again.
Drake took Stella with him to the charity event. He met with Mr. Abott.
Stella was doing her best to act normal. Drake was very attentive to his crippled fiancé through the entire event as she clung to him, very jumpy at every loud noise. He fed her, though she had no appetite.
Mr.Abott was so impressed that he gave Drake all of his insurance business, even his personal accounts.
Drake texted Sam the good news.
Stella was getting better each day. She wanted to see the animals. She begged Drake to take her on a safari. She needed to get away from people.
He finally relented on the 7th day.
Stella saw several small children running around, asking for chocolate, money, food.
She called her banker, Mr. Brownstone.
She had him set up the Calloway orphans and widows fund. She called it the Gwen program. Gardens, water. education, and necessities.
She watched as her money grew food and filled small bellies. The kids could not attend school without uniforms, she provided those as well.
Stella loved Africa. The people were so excited to meet her, the rich white woman. She opened her balcony door each morning to beautiful harmonized singing.
She heard the sound of wild birds and those colorful dresses.
Stella was touched by all that she was seeing.
- Writer
