The Whole Story

The Whole Story

“Nobody knows what happened.”

Dr. Tiren Sallyforth sat back after he said that. The woman lying on his couch was still.

“Do you know, Brenda?”

Brenda Riga nodded.

“Care to tell me about it?”

She shook her head.

“Can I ask you a few questions?”

There was no response. Dr. Sallyforth began without consent.

“Where did it happen?”

“Outside in the yard,” whispered the woman.

“Then you were there?”

The woman began to sob.

“I didn’t want to be, but Momma made me.”

“How?”

“She grabbed me by my braids and pulled me with her as she went outside.”

“Why did she do that?”

“She blamed me for Daddy leaving us!”

“What happened next?”

“I saw the wading pool filled to the top with water. There was ice floating in it.”

“What do you think would happen?”

“She would throw me in and leave me there for hours. I couldn’t swim!”

“Did she do that?”

“She tried, but I gave my head a whip forward to free myself.”

“What happened when you did that?”

“Momma lost her balance. She’d been drinkin’ since yesterday. She fell into the pool face first.”

“Did you pull her out?”

“I couldn’t, she was too wet and heavy.”

“What did you do?”

“I went back inside and cut off my braids. Momma always insisted I have them and I hadn’t wanted them since I started school.”

“Did you try and get your Momma help?”

“When I got my hair the way I wanted it, I called nine one one!”

“How was she when help came?”

“Everybody said she was dead! Died after she hit the water.”

“Tell me, Brenda; were you sorry?”

A prolonged silence filled the room. As if talking to herself, the patient murmured:

“She never said sorry to me!”