Life Is (Mostly) Beautiful

11. The Aftermath

One Year Later

I never did attend Kente's funeral, but I heard several people from work and around the neighborhood did. In fact, I never went back to North Minneapolis again after everything that went down last year. Last I heard, both Shanti and Mariah had been charged and were serving 7 years each, although Shanti had also lost custody of both her kids.

I left with Brik soon after the hearing, vowing that I'd never return to Minneapolis again. Brik and I reconciled shortly after that. He'd admitted to leading Anna on at work, because he liked the attention I hadn't been giving him at the time. He swore nothing inappropriate beyond that had happened, and I believed him.

Of course, it didn't hurt that he paid off all of my medical bills, and most of my mother's. Money was a little tight for a while after he quit his job so he could tend to me. I'd been more messed up than I realized and decided to seek professional help. It all came to a head when my mother finally began to stabilize at the hospital, only to wake up with long-term amnesia and very little cognitive abilities. She had no idea who I was when she saw me, and that broke my heart more than when she hated me.

It took a long time to come to terms with that, and it was hard having to reteach her basic skills and words. Henry didn't know how to deal with her in that state and eventually left, and the nieghbors where still too-grief stricken with Kente's funeral to take care of her either. The entire ordeal was hard on everyone, but the most emotional day was when I went to the house to pack up some of her things.

I remember getting a wave of dizziness when I walked into her room. I hadn't been there since I was five and she used to let me cuddle with her on her big queen-sized bed. I shakily went to the closet to start packing some of her clothes, anticipating the mothball and cigarette scent I was accostumed to smelling around her. Instead, when I opened the closet door, I saw dozens of pictures of me, ranging from all stages of my life, taped up on the closet wall.

Grade school clippings, high school report cards, and so much more I never even knew she had were posted on the wall in a small section of the closet. In the front, was the last birthday card I'd given her, and I could see that she'd read it, and had kissed it with her bright red lipstick. That's when I finally knew that my mother had never truly hated me--that she loved me, and she'd thought about me everyday--and the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I only wish she had put away her pride all that time, so that she could tell me herself.

But I had to let it go. My mother was given a second chance at life, and a second chance at having a loving relationship with me. When she lost all her memories and motor skills in the accident, she also lost all her anger and pride towards me. Now I had to do the same.

"What are you thinking about my lovely?" a bright voice said from behind me, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Nothing," I smiled shyly. Six years in and he still made me feel girly. "Just how crazy life is."

"I know," Brik said with his trademark goofy grin. "Who'da thunk I'd marry the hottest woman in LA, on this street, in this house, coincidently named Alena Mae Parker-Forrester. Damn, that's a mouthful. Are you sure you don't want to change it Lil' Leezy?"

"Shut up," I laughed. "And leave me alone, I've got to-

"EENA! EENA!" My mother wailed impatiently. I'd been trying to teach her how to say my name, but it was still hard for her to understand the things I'd say. That, along with the frequent spaztic episodes she'd experience were frustrating for her, and often lead to meltdowns like these.

"I'll help her, you just finish your work," he said kissing my forehead. "Love you honey bunches."

My mother had been living with us since the accident, and Brik and I had been taking care of her. I know it would've been much easier to leave her at a rehab facility full-time, but after everything that had happened, I never wanted to leave my mother's side again.

I'd recently gotten a finance job working part-time at a non-for profit rehab where my mother stayed during the day. Between my mental health issues and my mother's cognitive regression, I'd developed such a heavy appreciation for healthcare workers and the field overall. I knew this was the field I wanted to be working in, and was con-currently obtaining a minor in mental health, while I finished up my business degree.

Fortunately, Brik was able to maintain the three of us with his new job as the CFO of a growing startup. I couldn't thank him enough for being there with me, and being my rock throughout everything. Going to school, working, and taking care of my mother was stressful for all of us, but he always found a way to make me laugh or take my mind off the daily stresses. So everyday, no matter how tired or annoyed or beatdown I felt, I always made sure I told him I loved him, because I did.

"I don't think I could ever be as good to you as you are to me," I said seriously. "How did I end up the luckiest girl in the world?"

"It's not luck Alena," he said, shaking his head. "You make me want to be a good man, a better man. You're it for me, and I'll keep working as hard as I can throughout our marriage until I'm it for you."

"Stop being silly Brik," I said kissing him gently. "You already are."

And you always will be.

The End