Chapter 2 Christina's Story

How far had she come? Was it luck? Maybe a little. But hard work had done a lot too. She'd rolled up her sleeves and made things happen.

And she knew that if her parents could see her now, they'd be proud of the woman she'd become.

Christina turned the key in her car and watched it come to life. It had been a gift from Charles and she'd loved every rev and glide in the s-class ever since.

She pulled up into Oakley and the German beast glided onto the tar on the road. But even as Christina drove home, her mind dwelled on her life's story. The tribulations she'd overcome from such a young age. The pains and the struggles, the concessions and obligations, the sweat and the blood.

She was 11 years when she was carted off to her grandma. Her mom and dad, honest people, had both died in a ghastly motor accident.

On the same day, in the same minute.

She waited for her mom to come pick her up from school but even way past the pick up time, nobody came. Rather, there was a cop car pulling up into the driveway. Her teachers glanced her way as they spoke to the cops.The solemnity on the face of her teachers when they came towards her was glaring.

Even in her young age, she knew that something was terribly wrong.

"Hey Christina, I'll be the one taking you home. Grandma will come and pick you up okay?" Mrs Thompson tried to sound as upbeat as she could.

"What about my mommy?" Little Christina asked.

"Ummm, she had a little delay. This nice cop will take us. Come with me"

As they moved towards the patrol car towards the patrol car, Christina knew deep down in her guts that her world had just been completely overturned.

The officer was nice. He bought her ice cream and waffles. Took her on a joy ride with Mrs Thompson. They had so much fun. She later realised that the were waiting for her grandma to come all the way from John Creek to Bainbridge. Later too she found out that the nice cop was Mr Thompson.

When her Grandmom arrived at the police station, Mr Thompson was radioed, and little Christina was driven to the station.

"Hey Baby!" Her teary eyed Grandma hugged her with such ferocity.

"Where's my mommy"

"Christina, I'm so sorry" Grandma said and broke down, "whatever did I do to make all this happen to me? Oh Lord, what did I do" her words came in jerk and breaks.

It wasn't even two years back when she lost her husband, Christina's grandpa, to cancer after a long fight. And now her daughter and her son in law. Worse, this happened on their anniversary. The grief was like a itchy, raw and open wound. Gnawing and chewing it la way into her soul.

The tears were falling from little Christina's eyes as she screamed.

"No no no. Where is my mom? I need my mommy" she was going hysterical.

"I'm sorry baby. But your mom and dad were involved in a ghastly accident and they both...they both lost their lives at the spot" Mr Thompson bent down and explained.

"That's a lie. That's a lie." Christina kept on screaming as her Grandma tried to hold her down.

She threw the ice cream to the floor, and struggled in grandma's arms. Her eyes were red, her voice hoarse and her chest burned. She couldn't think and the air seemed so thin. The faces of her parents flashed before her eyes and they stung even more.

Her mom's beautiful face and brown hair swayed before her steamy eyes. Her father's handsome face and strong frame waved in her mind. She'd seen them this morning and now she was being told that they were gone, forever.

The idea wasn't one she could stomach. The earth reeled and her limbs felt weak. She felt the vacuum and saw herself falling down the eternal darkness. She heard the voices, low and panicky but saw no faces.

She could make out the beeping sound but had no idea where it was coming from. The pain in her head was overwhelming, she groaned.

"Baby, you're awake" Christina heard Grandma say.

Turning to her Grandma, it all started slowly coming back.

Hospital, an IV line running into her. The beeping of the electodiagram was the sound she'd heard when she came to. Then her Grandma's red and soggy eyes reminded her of it all.

The headaches tripled and the tears threatened. But she was too weak to even shed more tears. She simply closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Later when she woke up again, the room was empty. And in the comfort that a hospital bed could offer, she wept.

Her tears fell and fell. Grief enough to make the stomach hurt.

She and her mom had made plans to go to the park that weekend. Her dad had talked about a summer vacation. She had so much she wanted to say. But there was noone to make these plans with anymore. Noone to ask her about her day anymore.

She could remember all the pain. Changing school to go live with Gradma, switching schools, new friends, Karen.

Christina turned the corner and her house was in view. Instantly, she felt as though something was off. But then her memories had jolted her, so she assumed that the eerie feeling she was getting was from all those memories. She turned into her garage and parked her car.

She could swear she'd heard a little rustle inside the house. Some tension spread through her shoulders and ice spread through her veins. Her mind was just running wild, she told herself.

Charles was meant to come pick her up for her birthday party. Just a little thing. She, Charles and Karen.

She inserted her key and turned the knob and her heart skipped.

The lights came on so suddenly and the screams were so deafening. Christina's eyes shone and her ears rang.