1927: Redemption

Love Hurts

“The wise ones of any community have a role to play in both healing and preventing hurt. For others can co-regulate their brains with them, see them as role models and learn the kind of wisdom that brings on greater psychological maturation. We need more mentors. There are, to use a metaphor, a lot of ships that need to learn how to navigate out of storms and stay out of them. This wisdom could be in person, in music, on television or upon movie screens. We need it though. We need a lot less hurt in society.”

2021-DECEMBER-FLORIDA

Was someone hurt?

Did Archer Lewis hurt someone here?

The thought gave Adeline a few fearful vibes, shutting the door of bad thoughts in her mind, Adeline made her way to look who was there in the kitchen.

“Hello? Is somebody here?” She said slowly, swinging the fridge door shut.

The only thing she heard in response was someone’s quiet hiccups.

And, when she moved forward, peered around the fridge over by the sink and bathroom and her eyes widened in shock as her heart was just about to break at what she saw.

It was none other than Talia, and she was crying into her hands, her shoulders heaving, and for a second Adeline thought she was having a panic attack.

But, when Adeline heard what was she whimpering into her hands and she knew that this was not a panic attack.

“Talia!” Adeline exclaimed, dropping to her knees in front of Talia. “What is going on? Talia- Talia! What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

Talia did not answer her. Or rather, Adeline did not think Talia could answer her. She just kept shaking her head and crying- and crying- and crying, while she was whimpering, “Kevin….. Kev-please…. Please don’t ….. Kevin…. don’t leave….. We are …..kids…. Kev-”

“Talia!” Adeline said again, gripping her forearm tightly. “Kevin is not here. Snap out of it!”

A moment later Adeline realised that Talia was in some emotional turmoil which needed to be put to an end and not by her, but by Talia’s son, Ace.

Adeline knew that she would not get any answer and she had to do something to help her, even if she didn't even know what was going on.

“Talia, I’m going to be right back,” Adeline told her as calmly as she could at this point in time.

Seeing Talia, Adeline wanted to burst into tears too, she was emotional in that way- but that would not do any help to Talia.

Quickly scrambling to her feet, Adeline left the kitchen as fast as she could, back into the front of the coffee house. Adeline did not want to shift attention on Talia, but somehow she had to do something and calming Talia was not her job, it was someone else’s.

In the last five years, this was the first time that Adeline had seen Talia in this state. And, she never thought in her worst dreams that someday Adeline had to come across a situation like right now.

Adeline called Ace’s name quietly from behind the counter, trying to catch his attention, but he did not hear her. So, she settled marching over to him instead.

“Arris Jonathan!” Adeline snapped, gripping his shoulder tightly.

Glancing up at her, he began to scowl but when he noticed the look on Adeline’s face, whatever he was about to say had got the back seat in his mouth.

Instead, he asked, “What?” A concerned look in his eyes.

“It’s your mother, something is wrong.”

And that was quite enough for him to understand everything that could have happened. He was up and out of his seat without a word a second after she had finished speaking, jumping across the counter to sprint to the kitchen.

Every single pair of eyes at the table were on Adeline and their expression worried more than the next.

“Adeline,” Karin asked. “What happened?”

“Uh…” Adeline’s voice trailed off as she bit her lip.

She did not exactly know what sort of words would have been OKAY in this situation. So, she settled for not saying anything at all. But she might have not done a very good job at pretending- because now every single pair of eyes at the table moved towards the vacant seat of Talia’s.

“I’ll be right back.” She blurted out before dashing her way behind the front counter to the kitchen.

Hesitantly walking towards the place where everything was unfolding, she saw Ace bend down on the floor beside his mother Talia, and he was gently grabbing her face in his hands, speaking to her in a soft, soothing voice Adeline had never heard before or thought that he was even capable of it actually.

“Mom, listen to me. Look here- Dad is not coming back…. He has left us. Snap out of it, please.”

Ace kept repeating those words, again and again, trying to calm Talia down, but it was not working. Talia was slumped against Ace, crying her heart out onto his shoulder, and Adeline did not think she had ever seen someone crying like this before.

It took her a moment to realise that a few traitorous tears were streaming down her cheeks as she watched the heartbreaking display before her.

And seeing that, a simple word came into her mind.

Love!

"Love hurts" is the biggest lie out there. Love heals, love makes people whole again and love fills them with the goods they need to be as kind and loving as their Creator intended. What hurts is betrayal, thoughtlessness, uncaring attitudes and careless gossip. What hurts is people being unfriendly, not welcoming a new person to the neighbourhood or making "exclusive" cliques that are defined by who is "not welcome." What hurts is bullying, harassment, selfishness and greed.

Love on the other hand is the greatest gift mankind ever received, a gift that lives on within us all. Love is a gift that needs nurturing - it is the truth within us that knows life cannot be given a price tag. Love knows to be kind and never to hurt or kill. Love knows to treat your neighbour as yourself. Love is what we crave from birth, a craving that must be met by our new and loving earth-bound family. Love knows that a life is worth more than a pair of new shoes or designer makeup. Love is what can save us, make us fully human again and raise us up in the eyes of the Lord.

It was Talia’s love for Kevin that gave her strength throughout these years, she did not give up she fought- but that was not enough.

What is enough is the kind of love that is blended with acceptance- pour an enthralling essence in life.

Will Adeline ever understand it?