This is the conclusion of a two-part short story, Part I was published in last week's edition.
Early the following morning, Donna fed and bathed Josh and Kim and told them that this was the day to visit grandma in the country. Her eyes welled up as they shrieked with innocent delight. The three arrived at their destination a little after midday. Judith was pleasantly surprised to see them, but the huge bags of clothes told her this would be no ordinary visit.
When they were alone, she asked Donna:
"So what really bring you here today?"
Judith's heart ached as she listened to what had happened.
"So where you furniture dem, Donna?"
"Miss Black say she wi keep dem till when I can manage to go get dem," Judith finished.
They hugged and cried and talked and prayed together. And Judith tried hard to talk her daughter out of what Donna was planning to do next.
"I want to go somewhere down country," Donna told her. "Maybe down by Aunt Alice. Mi have to find a little place to continue wid mi hairdressin an' sellin'.
"But why you have to go now?" Judith asked. "Stay here wid me a little. You been through hell. Give youself a little time, man."
"Mama, di longer I stay here, di harder it will be fo' me to leave again. You alone can't provide for me an' dem children."
"You goin to leave dem wid me, though?"
"Yes, Mama"
"An' Donna, mi have to ask you dis."
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Why you don't go an' get a HIV test?"
"Me well want to do it," Donna confessed. "But I have to keep strong for mi children. Suppose mi go take it an' find say ... say mi positive?" Her voice broke. "Me not so sure say me coulda handle dat, Mama!"
"Hush, dear!" Judith consoled, not daring to ask: "You sure Josh or Kim didn't get dis virus from you?"
In the days that followed, Donna worked on changing her appearance. She cut her hair short, dyed it, practised applying too much make-up and altered her clothes more than a little. On the morning she left, the children were asleep, but the parting was still painful. Long after her daughter had departed, Judith sat wondering whether she would have to raise her grandchildren alone. Would they lose their mother too?
Donna arrived in the little country town of Merchant on the evening of the day she had left her mother's house. Aunt Alice now lived alone and was very happy to have her. She was a bit surprised at Donna's drastic change in appearance but she was not about to make the girl uncomfortable by asking her about it. She had heard of Derrick's death and was ready to accept the story that Donna simply wanted a change of scene.
With her grand-aunt's help, Donna easily found a small, inexpensive place from which to work. For the first few days, she was very nervous but her ability to work beautifully soon brought her a steady stream of customers. By the end of the first month, she was able to send some money home.
Each time they spoke on the phone, Judith would encourage her daughter to get tested.
PLEASANT LIFE
Five months passed. Life with Aunt Alice was quiet and pleasant. For hours, Donna forgot to worry about anybody from Glandon turning up to expose her. She felt great. Confident. Happiness seemed accessible again. Till Jean Bernard walked into the shop one evening.
She nearly fainted when their eyes met before Jean calmly took a seat. For a crazy moment Donna wondered if anybody could hear the bells going off inside her head. Why wouldn't this woman leave her alone? To her own surprise, she was able to satisfactorily complete the job she had been doing.
As the customer got up to leave, Jean took her place in the chair and told Donna what she wanted done. The latter was dumbfounded. Jean had lost some weight but Donna was sure it was the same person. Apprehensively, she began to work, but as the time passed, she became more relaxed. She now felt sure that Jean had not recognised her. She added the finishing touches, congratulating herself on the effectiveness of her disguise.
She smiled at Jean when the job was done and the woman said:
"Thank you, Donna."
Shocked, Donna blurted, "You recognise mi?"
"Of course."
"So what you want from mi now?" She could not conceal her anger.
"I got what I wanted," Jean said pleasantly. "This beautiful hair style."
"But I don't understand you!" Donna exclaimed."Last time I see you, you insult mi say mi have AIDS. Is what happen now? You don't 'fraid you catch it from me again?"
"It's a long story."
"I have time!" Donna retorted. "Work over." She sat down and waited for Jean to do the same.
"You know that I knew Derrick, right?" Jean began.
"I kinda figure dat one out."
"Did you know how well I knew him?"
"What you mean?"
"Derrick and I were lovers."
"What!" Donna exploded. "How?... But I nevva know dat!"
"To cut a long story short," Jean continued, "I just discovered that I am HIV positive too."
Jean's words were quietly spoken, but to Donna they were like an explosion. She was stunned. Jean was pretty, educated and seemed quite well off. It was difficult to comprehend why she should feel the need to get attached to somebody else's husband. Donna groped for the right words to say but what came out was:
"Is Derrick you catch it from?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't think so." Jean was not offended but neither was she apologetic. "I love men," she continued, "and my work takes me all over the place - even to Merchant!" She smiled. "I guess I just wasn't careful enough."
"Mi sorry," Donna said.
"I am sorry, too, especially about what happened the day you did my nails. But I have lots more life to live, Donna." Playfully, Jean spun herself around in front of the mirror. "You don't see how I look good!"
Donna smiled, thinking that this was quite a nice person.
NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF
"So you taking your ARV's?" Jean asked.
"What?"
"Your HIV medications."
"Oh yes," Donna lied.
"Good. I even walk with mine." Jean patted her handbag. "People are beginning to understand that HIV is nothing to be ashamed of. It is just an illness like diabetes or glaucoma. You'd be surprised how many people in Glandon have it."
They talked again of this and that and each found a friend in the other.
"Call me," Donna said as they parted.
"I will. Bye Donna."
And that was the encounter which moved Donna to decide to get tested. She would take her medications. She would provide for her children. Josh and Kim would forever wear the stain of their father's cowardice. Not so with their mother! This widow would live and die with dignity.
Donna smiled as Judith yelled at the children who, in their excitement, were making a mess of the shiny floor.
"So is what sweet you?" Judith asked.
"Same ting dat sweet dem children. Life. Me soon help you tidy up."
"Don't worry bout dat," Judith seated herself beside her daughter. "Me proud of you, girl."
"Tanks, Mama."
"You talk to Aunt Alice?"
"Yes. She say she miss mi. Me miss her to."
"So you goin back to Merchant?"
"Only to visit Aunt Alice. I plan to do what I tell you say Jean an' me was talking about."
Jean was the owner of a small business place in Glandon. She would make it available to her new friend to do beauty care if Donna was interested. Donna was.
"Me know you strong," Judith continued. "Me know you coulda deal wid a positive result. But mi glad say you negative."
"Me, too, Mama."
Puss Food and Other Jamaican Stories by Ditta Sylvester is a production of LMH Publishing and is available at Sangsters Bookstores, Kingston Book Shop and other stores islandwide.
Early the following morning, Donna fed and bathed Josh and Kim and told them that this was the day to visit grandma in the country. Her eyes welled up as they shrieked with innocent delight. The three arrived at their destination a little after midday. Judith was pleasantly surprised to see them, but the huge bags of clothes told her this would be no ordinary visit.
When they were alone, she asked Donna:
"So what really bring you here today?"
Judith's heart ached as she listened to what had happened.
"So where you furniture dem, Donna?"
"Miss Black say she wi keep dem till when I can manage to go get dem," Judith finished.
They hugged and cried and talked and prayed together. And Judith tried hard to talk her daughter out of what Donna was planning to do next.
"I want to go somewhere down country," Donna told her. "Maybe down by Aunt Alice. Mi have to find a little place to continue wid mi hairdressin an' sellin'.
"But why you have to go now?" Judith asked. "Stay here wid me a little. You been through hell. Give youself a little time, man."
"Mama, di longer I stay here, di harder it will be fo' me to leave again. You alone can't provide for me an' dem children."
"You goin to leave dem wid me, though?"
"Yes, Mama"
"An' Donna, mi have to ask you dis."
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Why you don't go an' get a HIV test?"
"Me well want to do it," Donna confessed. "But I have to keep strong for mi children. Suppose mi go take it an' find say ... say mi positive?" Her voice broke. "Me not so sure say me coulda handle dat, Mama!"
"Hush, dear!" Judith consoled, not daring to ask: "You sure Josh or Kim didn't get dis virus from you?"
In the days that followed, Donna worked on changing her appearance. She cut her hair short, dyed it, practised applying too much make-up and altered her clothes more than a little. On the morning she left, the children were asleep, but the parting was still painful. Long after her daughter had departed, Judith sat wondering whether she would have to raise her grandchildren alone. Would they lose their mother too?
Donna arrived in the little country town of Merchant on the evening of the day she had left her mother's house. Aunt Alice now lived alone and was very happy to have her. She was a bit surprised at Donna's drastic change in appearance but she was not about to make the girl uncomfortable by asking her about it. She had heard of Derrick's death and was ready to accept the story that Donna simply wanted a change of scene.
With her grand-aunt's help, Donna easily found a small, inexpensive place from which to work. For the first few days, she was very nervous but her ability to work beautifully soon brought her a steady stream of customers. By the end of the first month, she was able to send some money home.
Each time they spoke on the phone, Judith would encourage her daughter to get tested.
PLEASANT LIFE
Five months passed. Life with Aunt Alice was quiet and pleasant. For hours, Donna forgot to worry about anybody from Glandon turning up to expose her. She felt great. Confident. Happiness seemed accessible again. Till Jean Bernard walked into the shop one evening.
She nearly fainted when their eyes met before Jean calmly took a seat. For a crazy moment Donna wondered if anybody could hear the bells going off inside her head. Why wouldn't this woman leave her alone? To her own surprise, she was able to satisfactorily complete the job she had been doing.
As the customer got up to leave, Jean took her place in the chair and told Donna what she wanted done. The latter was dumbfounded. Jean had lost some weight but Donna was sure it was the same person. Apprehensively, she began to work, but as the time passed, she became more relaxed. She now felt sure that Jean had not recognised her. She added the finishing touches, congratulating herself on the effectiveness of her disguise.
She smiled at Jean when the job was done and the woman said:
"Thank you, Donna."
Shocked, Donna blurted, "You recognise mi?"
"Of course."
"So what you want from mi now?" She could not conceal her anger.
"I got what I wanted," Jean said pleasantly. "This beautiful hair style."
"But I don't understand you!" Donna exclaimed."Last time I see you, you insult mi say mi have AIDS. Is what happen now? You don't 'fraid you catch it from me again?"
"It's a long story."
"I have time!" Donna retorted. "Work over." She sat down and waited for Jean to do the same.
"You know that I knew Derrick, right?" Jean began.
"I kinda figure dat one out."
"Did you know how well I knew him?"
"What you mean?"
"Derrick and I were lovers."
"What!" Donna exploded. "How?... But I nevva know dat!"
"To cut a long story short," Jean continued, "I just discovered that I am HIV positive too."
Jean's words were quietly spoken, but to Donna they were like an explosion. She was stunned. Jean was pretty, educated and seemed quite well off. It was difficult to comprehend why she should feel the need to get attached to somebody else's husband. Donna groped for the right words to say but what came out was:
"Is Derrick you catch it from?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't think so." Jean was not offended but neither was she apologetic. "I love men," she continued, "and my work takes me all over the place - even to Merchant!" She smiled. "I guess I just wasn't careful enough."
"Mi sorry," Donna said.
"I am sorry, too, especially about what happened the day you did my nails. But I have lots more life to live, Donna." Playfully, Jean spun herself around in front of the mirror. "You don't see how I look good!"
Donna smiled, thinking that this was quite a nice person.
NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF
"So you taking your ARV's?" Jean asked.
"What?"
"Your HIV medications."
"Oh yes," Donna lied.
"Good. I even walk with mine." Jean patted her handbag. "People are beginning to understand that HIV is nothing to be ashamed of. It is just an illness like diabetes or glaucoma. You'd be surprised how many people in Glandon have it."
They talked again of this and that and each found a friend in the other.
"Call me," Donna said as they parted.
"I will. Bye Donna."
And that was the encounter which moved Donna to decide to get tested. She would take her medications. She would provide for her children. Josh and Kim would forever wear the stain of their father's cowardice. Not so with their mother! This widow would live and die with dignity.
Donna smiled as Judith yelled at the children who, in their excitement, were making a mess of the shiny floor.
"So is what sweet you?" Judith asked.
"Same ting dat sweet dem children. Life. Me soon help you tidy up."
"Don't worry bout dat," Judith seated herself beside her daughter. "Me proud of you, girl."
"Tanks, Mama."
"You talk to Aunt Alice?"
"Yes. She say she miss mi. Me miss her to."
"So you goin back to Merchant?"
"Only to visit Aunt Alice. I plan to do what I tell you say Jean an' me was talking about."
Jean was the owner of a small business place in Glandon. She would make it available to her new friend to do beauty care if Donna was interested. Donna was.
"Me know you strong," Judith continued. "Me know you coulda deal wid a positive result. But mi glad say you negative."
"Me, too, Mama."
Puss Food and Other Jamaican Stories by Ditta Sylvester is a production of LMH Publishing and is available at Sangsters Bookstores, Kingston Book Shop and other stores islandwide.