All The Way Down: Part Three
Thank you, thank you oh lord! She hadn’t felt this happy for a very long time. The woman had just been given her life back and was waiting for her children to arrive home so she could tell them the news. She had been pushed out of the darkness and her heart was warming to the light.
The day had started the same as any other. The pounding of the sun and the subsequent entrance of the heat was unwelcome as always, for it did nothing to help her condition. She remembered that as a child she once asked her daddy why the thin walls didn’t melt with the constant roasting. He just smiled and got on with his chores. She always felt sad when she thought of her late father; the gentlest man that she had ever known, but she had never known him, not properly. And today she was feeling particularly low as Patience, her smallest girl, was singing in the choir at school. The pain of missing out on her children was always too much.
She was down today.
That is, until he came. The man. She could hear Jabulani, the boy from across the way, speaking in English outside, with a voice she couldn’t recognise. “There’s someone to see you Mma!” She looked upwards from the bed, her eyes adjusting to the encroaching light. “Sawubona unjani?” Hello, how are you? The voice belonged to a slight, white man who ducked as he entered the hut. She nodded, “ngikhona”, she was fine. Normally, she would be more fazed by such a stranger in her house but she was unable to get up and so fussing seemed pointless.
He sat down as he began to introduce himself. He was from a British charity, he told her, and in good Zulu, a charity for people like her who needed help, needed treatment. He said that the area was a hotspot for HIV/AIDS and that she needn’t feel alone in her struggle. “Our charity would like to help you get better.” she couldn’t believe it but perhaps her prayers had been answered. “We will provide the correct drugs for as long as it takes. We can’t guarantee anything, but hopefully you’ll be back up on your feet soon enough.” She looked carefully at his sweaty face and ageing skin, all her energy listening and absorbing what he was saying. He explained that there would be some side effects but once the drugs arrived, he would pop in once a month to check on her progress. He would be back within a week with the first load of drugs and with instructions as to how and when to use them. She thanked him of course but couldn’t quite believe what was happening. He left as quickly as he came and the woman was left alone with her thoughts.
She had become used to lying face upturned on the palm of God, praying that he didn’t close his fist. Those days may soon be over. God had sent a miracle and perhaps she would be free once more.
It is looking like a beautiful afternoon, she thought to herself. She had been given hope, the best medicine of them all.
****************
Damn he was back. For sure.
He walked with a confident gait, bordering on a swagger, through the mob of photographers towards the terminal. This was more like it. The meeting with PR had gone swimmingly and after two days in London, he was on his way to South Africa. The company had arranged a tour of Durban with some AIDS charity rep and more importantly an accompanying journo who would sell the empathetic Todd Anderton to the world. “This will help boost your public image Todd, which can only help your career.” The PR man had his head screwed on. A couple of trips to Africa and some TV appearances would get him straight back to the top.
Might even get him Rachel back.
****************
It was all going so well. Maybe I’m just not cut out for an easy life. Yeah they were going to find out and some sort of reaction would be normal but I didn’t see this coming.
I didn’t want to see this coming.
Lunch break. Monday.
We all left the office and headed off into the city as usual. We turned the corner onto High Street, stopped by a barricade of protestors. And there he was. Danny, my ex. Tall and handsome as ever, stood in amongst it all, the cool breeze rushing through his lush, bronze hair. I stole a look at Chris and Mark. They didn’t know about me, but I had to see him. It had ended abruptly. I couldn’t cope with the relationship; it was just too much too soon. But I still loved him, still needed his confident way, his energy.
I’d caught his eye and he was waving at me to join in the protest. I pretended not to see, it was awkward and Chris and Mark were there and it was just all wrong. And then he came out of the crowd towards me, opened his arms wide and held me like he always had done. I didn’t have time to move. “We’ll talk later. I’ve missed you like hell. Come on, let’s do something for gay pride.” And then he pulled back my face and kissed me, long and soft and for a moment I forgot everything. He pulled away, a beaming smile and a huge cheer erupted from the crowd. Further chanting ensued. They were marching to parliament, demanding better treatment. They were all full of life and a sudden glimpse of ’87 flashed across my mind, a memory lost within the moment. Then the sickener hit, I was back in reality, back into what my life had become. Hiding. They didn’t know that I was gay; I kept it quiet for the sake of my career. I needed to work my way up before I could reveal something like that.
Chris and Mark had seen the whole affair. They were shaking their heads as they slid away into the stream of people, pushing their way around towards the pub on the corner. They both liked a drink to start the week off. Today they had a lot to talk about.
I took the afternoon off. I couldn’t go back. I clung to Danny and we patched up whatever went wrong. Following the march, we drifted off together into the encircling evening towards his flat. It was just like I remembered it.
A night with Danny was a good tonic. I got up the next day ready to tackle the office.
It was out, I was out. No more would I sit in the shade, I was ready for the light.
But was the light ready for me?
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2 Comments – Postiwch sylw
Tyezer
Rhoddwyd sylw 67 mis yn ôl - 2nd November 2010 - 09:27am
Good stuff! This story has so many parts to it. How did you come up with the idea?
Tom_Bevan
Rhoddwyd sylw 67 mis yn ôl - 3rd November 2010 - 16:07pm
Thanks for your feedback :) Ooh, we were doing somethign in school about AIDS and I just thought it was something that affected people everywhere in different ways. Started from there really..