TUS NUA - ch 13

TUS NUA – ch 13

New Beginnings – Mia and Midnight

(*)(*)(*)

Everyone watched as the orb opened and Finola, Jules, Mary, Laura, and Beverly stepped out. Annora rushed to Beverly and hugged her tightly. “Oh, Beverly, thank God, they found you. Mia said you took a wrong turn and lost your way. We were so worried about you.”

Beverly didn’t know what to say. She was silenced by her own emotions. Each young woman hurried to Beverly and surrounded her making similar comments. “We’d be lost without you.” “We’re so glad you’re here.” “What would we do without you?”

Finally, Beverly found her voice. “Girls, oh my! You’re no longer girls, now, are you? But I’ll always think of you that way. I was feeling sorry for myself. Okay, so not so sorry for myself as guilty. I look at you and see how happy you are and envision a bright future for all of you and think that if I’d have been stronger, I might have found a way to have all of you escape that horrible place where you were. I’m ashamed to admit how weak and frightened I was. So, I took a long walk and didn’t worry if I never found my way back. None of you need me anymore so I thought I’d just quietly disappear.”

Their comments came out as a shout of inaudible words but all meaning the same. “You’re one of us. You’re a part of us. We’re all sisters. You can’t just disappear.”

Finola raised a hand that without a word quieted the group. “Beverly, they’re all correct. Because of what all of you, and yes, Beverly, that includes you, what all of you experienced, it made you family. While I know, eventually, you’ll all go your separate ways, I know in my heart, you’ll all keep in touch. That’s what families do.”

Sam came from the dining room. He coughed and grunted trying to subtly bring attention to himself. “Uh, girls, lunch is now on the table. Tauri and Dara made dirty chicken rolls and, well, I couldn’t resist. I had to sample one and if she can’t visit us in New York, then she’ll have to teach us how to make them. What a unique and fabulous taste. Come on, then, while they’re still warm.”

The young women slowly released their embraces around Beverly and headed to the table. Jules stayed behind and placed a gentle hand on Beverly’s arm. “Beverly, just one quick word please. I was fortunate enough to never reach their, what should I call it? Farmhouse? Since they were “farming” us to be their prostitutes. There isn’t a polite way to say that, is there? Anyway, when I told Tony I was pregnant, he gave me, I hate to say medicine, so I’ll just say chemicals to induce labor. The chemicals made me very light-headed, so I stopped taking them. He said they were vitamins to keep me and the baby healthy. Instinctively, I felt otherwise. When he realized I wasn’t as groggy as he thought I should be, he began beating me in the hope I’d miscarry. One afternoon when he’d had too much to drink and passed out on the couch, I took whatever money I had stored away, packed a small bag, hit the nearest ATM, and came here. However, if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, I would have ended up with everyone else. In the Moretti’s little house of horrors. They’re right. You helped keep them sane so they can heal, in more ways than one. Don’t sell yourself short. You were there for them when no one else could be.”

Although Beverly’s eyes misted, she smiled and hugged Jules. “Thank you, my sweet girl. I never looked at it that way. You know, I’m only twenty-eight years old but I feel so much older. Old and weary but you’re right; I also need to heal; and I think I know how I’d like to do that. After lunch, I’d like to speak with Finola about having a general meeting. Think she’d allow that?”

Jules smiled. “If you’re agenda is what I think it might be, she’ll welcome it with open arms.”

They ate and chatted. All agreed that the dirty chicken rolls were delicious and soon, since there was not one crumb left, they finished their beverages and left the table. Annora and her sister, CC, insisted on clearing the table. Sybil loaded the dishwasher, while Tauri and Dara, folded their arms across their chests, leaned against the kitchen counter, and smiled. Quietly, they said to each other, “Here is a group of really fine young women. All pitching in and helping out. The Morettis tried to break them but what they did was make them stronger.” Dara finished Tauri’s thought, “And gave them reason to form a very tight bond.”

Beverly approached Finola. “Finola, can I have a moment?”

The white witch smiled and said, “No need, my dear. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. Forever, it that pleases you and yes, we can always use your help.”

Beverly blew out a huge sigh of relief and laughed. “You know, Finola, it might take me a while to get used to knowing what I’m thinking before I even know.”

They looked around the room and Finola remarked, “Beverly, I agree with Jules. You really did a magnificent job helping these young women keep their sanity. I’ll gather them and between you and me, we’ll find out how they envision their futures.”

Within a few minutes, they were sitting in the gathering room enjoying Finola’s raspberry iced tea. Finola nodded to Beverly indicating that she should begin.

“Sisters. Some of us, and that wholeheartedly includes me, are still healing from the nightmare we’d been through. Some of us feel healed enough to move on. I’d like to encourage all of you to stick around here for another few days. I can assure you that healing doesn’t happen as quickly as we’d like to think. I also understand that some of you are ready to resume the lives you had. I’d like to take this opportunity to speak about all of it. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go first. Kind of a way to melt the ice.”