Keesha felt really strange when she came home from the hospital. She
didn't like the idea of being in the house anymore. She just didn't
want to be there. After she woke up from her first night back she
called out for her mother and Marcus.
No one came in. "That's strange." She said out loud. "They said
that they were going to keep near just in case I hollered for them."
Keesha got out of her bed and walked out of her room. Going down to
the second level she knocked on Marcus' door and walked in. He wasn't
there. She continued down to the first level. Calling for her mother
and Louisa. No one was around. She was alone. And that scared her.
Panicking, Keesha started to run around the house. Making sure that
all the windows and doors were locked. She kept circling around double
checking every lock. Inspecting every window and door. Trying to make
herself feel safe. It wasn't working.
Africa wasn't even around. And that put Keesha more on edge. She
kept searching for him. Looking in all of his favorite spots. By the
staircase, her bed, under Marcus' bed, and the library. All the spots
were empty.
Keesha saw the light blinking by the front door as she went to check
the library once more fro Africa. Shakingly, she went over to the door
and looked through the eye hole. Someone was standing there and was
wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Then she saw lightening strike and she
felt the door shake from the thunder.
Getting even more scared Keesha backed away from the door. Afraid of
who it might be. As slowly as possible, the doorknob started to turn.
She cursed herself for not checking to make sure that that door was
securely locked. Feeling her breath shorten, she waited in torture until
the door started to slowly open.
Standing in front of her was a man, it seemed anyway. His hood from
the sweatshirt was over his head and covering his face. She didn't even
know that she was screaming until he pulled his hood back and Taylor
asked her what was wrong. Why she was screaming.
Keesha just continued to scream without realizing it. She stared in
horror at Taylor. But she didn't see Taylor. An image of her father,
high on his precious drugs, formed in her mind. She screamed
hysterically when he moved towards.
Taylor didn't know what to do. So he hugged her, trying to calm her
down. But Keesha squirmed in his arms. Trying to free herself from his
grasp.
Forcing her to look at him, Keesha finally saw Taylor, and not her
fathers disturbing image. She hugged Taylor tightly. Afraid to let go.
She hung on for dear life, wishing that her whole life was just a bad
dream, and that she would wake up and be ten again. This time she would
go with her mother to pick up Marcus from his practice. And everything
would be as it should have been. She'd still be able to hear and Marcus
would still play basketball. Everything would be almost perfect.
But when she opened her eyes, she was still in Taylor's arms. And she
was still deaf. She pulled back looking into his face. "Why are you
here?" She asked as calmly as she possibly could.
"I wanted to check on you." He said looking into her eyes.
Keesha felt her heart lift a little. She felt electricity race
through her body as he held her tighter and closer. "Thank you." She
whispered.
Taylor nodded.
Not knowing who started it, they kissed each other softly on the lips.
Keesha stared at him for a moment. Sadness filled her eyes.
"I wish that I could hear you speak?" She said running her fingers over
his lips. Begging with God just o let her hear one word that Taylor
said.
Closing his eyes, Taylor kissed her finger tips. Then he took her
hand and placed it against his throat. With his hand on hers he spoke
softly. "I love you."
Tears welled up in her eyes. She felt his throat vibrate under her
hand. Then she placed his hand on her throat. Smiling, she whispered,
"I love you."
Kissing again, Keesha never felt as happy. She knew that she loved
Taylor. Maybe they did know only a little about each other, but that
little bit was enough. Doubting that Keesha ever felt this much love
before in her life she kissed him even more. And Taylor responded.
-Later that night
Hanson's house-
"Man, that was one bad storm we had." Isaac exclaimed as he walked
into his room. He saw Taylor laying on his bed and Zac was reading a
book.
Taylor turned and looked at his brother. He smiled. "Oh, I don't
know. It didn't seem that bad to me." He said before turning away.
Isaac gave him a strange look, and shook his head in wonderment.
"Hey, what ya readin, Zac."
Zac held his book up to Isaac. "Macbeth." He replied, not taking his
eyes off his book.
"What, again?" Isaac asked in slight bewilderment.
Zac nodded. "Yes, Ike. It's a good book." He explained turning the
page.
"Well, come on. It's bed time. So we have to turn off the lights."
Isaac said getting into his bed.
Taylor sighed softly and smiled to himself as he rolled over and faced
the wall.
Nodding his head again, Zac went over to the light switch, still
engrossed in his book. After reading another page he shut the book,
and turned the light off.
"Night." Taylor called out.
"Night." Isaac and Zac called back.
-Keesha's house-
Keesha was quite upset at her mother and Marcus for leaving her home
alone during a thunderstorm again. She couldn't help but think that
something bad could've happened. Maybe even worse than before.
But something good actually happened to her. Smiling, Keesha touched
her lips. She could still feel Taylor's soft lips on hers. And she
could still feel the way his throat vibrated under her hand. And she
remembered how his face looked when he told her that he loved her. And
when she had told him that she loved him.
She looked up at the heaven's as she lit her candle. "Life may be
cruel, but thanks for the precious jewel." She said before she laid
down in her bed. When her head hit the pillow, she remembered seeing
Taylor's face before she fell asleep.
-In the morning
Hanson's house-
Taylor was up before everyone else in his family. "Okay, this is
scary." He said laughing as he saw the empty front room and empty
kitchen. Drinking a glass of orange juice, he sat down in a chair
thinking for the hundredth time about his visit to Keesha yesterday.
He wondered if he dreamt it. If it had only happened when his
imagination was running wild on him. He thought about it for a moment.
"Nah. It happened." He said smiling. He stood up and put his glass in
the sink. He wrote a quick note to his parents telling them that he was
going out for a while.
Whistling to himself as he took his rollerblades out of the coat
closet, he thought about Keesha. What was wrong withy him? He couldn't
stop smiling.
He shrugged. "I guess this happens to people everyday." he said
before he started to blade down the street. Humming Mmmbop.
-Keesha's house-
Keesha woke up to Marcus shaking her. "What?" She mumbled as she
rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned.
"Taylor's here to see you." Marcus said when he had her attention.
Keesha's eyes widened. "He is?" She asked, now fully awake.
Marcus nodded. "Hurry up would ya? He seems way too happy for a
person who's up at seven in the morning."
Sitting up, Keesha quickly flung herself out of her bed and found a
big black sweater and baggy white jeans, with holes in the knees.
Brushing her hair, she made sure to brush her teeth too.
Running down the stairs she hugged Taylor tightly. He was smiling at
her when she an down the stairs and instantly opened his arms to her.
He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "Wanna go for a
walk?" He asked, when they pulled back to look at each other.
Keesha only nodded. Too excited to speak. Letting Taylor take her
hand in his, they walked outside. The sky was still full of ugly gray
clouds. But neither of them noticed them. They were too busy noticing
each other.
-The walk-
Keesha would steal a glance at him once in a while. And then she'd
smile at herself for being so lucky. Then her face clouded over when
she thought ofhherself being lucky. 'Yeah, really lucky.' She thought
bitterly. 'That's why you're deaf because of her father being high on
drugs. Not to mention the fact tat he almost killed you!!!' She
shouted at herself.
Taylor stopped walking, when he noticed the scowl on Keesha's face.
"Hey." He said pulling her close to him. "What's wrong?" He asked
concerned.
Keesha shook her head slightly. "Just wondering how I ended up with
some one like you." She said truthfully. She was thinking that. Among
other things.
Taylor smiled and kissed her right there. On the sidewalk, where
anyone could have seen them. Then it started to rain. They ignored it
and concentrated on their kiss.
