Sacrifices of the Soul, Chapter 85
by SIPort

Julian sat at his desk when his cellphone rang.

” Hello, Son.”

” Hi Julian.”

” So, your mother got there fine?”

” Yep. She’s in with Simone now.”

” And Simone?”

Chad paused. “ She needs help. Lots of help. She doesn’t look like anything’s wrong with her physically, but she’s not responsive. She reminds me of…”

” Your mother when I took you to the sanitarium.”

” Yep.”

” How are you doing?”

” Me. I’m fine. I did what I set out to do.”

” Indeed you did. Keyes has called me. Said you’ve got a certain doctor in your sight.”

” She’s incompetent. Shouldn’t be practicing.”

” My my. Look who sounds like a Crane now.”

” Simone needed help, and she didn’t get it from that quack. How many more Simones did she misdiagnose?”

” Ok. I understand. I told Keyes to begin an entire report on this doctor. See what angle we can work with.”

” Thanks.”

” I’m proud of you, Son. I admire that you went in there, risked your life to help your little sister. And, I know when she’s able to, Simone will thank you too.”

” Seeing Simone like that..” Chad choked up. “ It took me back to very bad times in my life. Too me back to dark times. Back to when all I knew was the ugly side of life.”

” Well, those times are over. Things are looking up for you.”

” Are they?”

” Yes.”

” It was scary how I just slipped back into that world. How comfortable I felt there. Like it was where I belonged.”

” You BELONG with your family. Here in Harmony. And, we’re here for you. You did what you must, Chad. But, don’t ever think ‘that life’ is all that you should have. Not in the least. I’m going to give you an order.”

” An order?”

” Yes.  I order you to check into the Carlyle Hotel, and ask for Swen. Tell him that I told you to get ‘ the special’. Then, sit back and enjoy it.”

“ What is ‘ the special?”

“ That, my boy, you will find out when you check in.”

” I dunno..”

” Chad, you need to relax. Even though you found Simone, I’m sure your mother will need you. And, you need to be at the top of your game. “

” Ok…I guess.”

” There you go. Enjoy it. And Chad?”

” Yeah?”

” Tell your mother she can call me anytime.”

” I’m sure she already knows that. Bye.”

“ Daddy, you haven’t had anything to eat. Let’s go get something in the cafeteria.”

” I don’t want to leave Simone, Whitney.”

” She’s not alone, Daddy. ‘She’ is here.”

Eve rolled her eyes. “ TC, Whitney is right. Go get something to eat. I’ll be here.”

TC looked at Simone, who was totally unresponsive. “ I am a little hungry.”

” Then, let’s go, Daddy.”

Before they left the room, TC looked back at Eve. “ You want us to bring you something?”

” No. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”, Eve replied, looking directly at Whitney, who just rolled her eyes.

Once they were gone, Eve climbed up in the bed next to Simone.

” Baby, I know this was so hard on you. But, Mama’s here. Mama’s here, and she’s not leaving you. I know I disappointed you, Simone, but I won’t abandon you any more. I’m sorry, Simone. I’m so sorry that my group of lies has hurt you like this. It’s the last thing that I ever wanted. You see, I thought I was doing what was best for you and Whitney. Lying about my old life. No parent ever wants their child to know that they lived in hell. That they were so down  a hole that they never saw anything good. But, I was there, Simone. I don’t know what happened to you here, but I can imagine. And, I love you, Simone. Nothing that happened here was your fault. It was just the circumstances you found yourself in. I want you to come back, Simone.

Nobody is going to think any less of you. Certainly, not me. Never me. I have no right to judge you on anything that happened. And, your life will NOT be defined by what happened in New York. Not possible. I won’t let it happen. Not to my baby. Simone, you can trust me. You’ve seen evil? So have I. And, I know it’s a horrible thing to see. You think you’re worthless. That’s those assholes talking, and it’s NOT the truth about you. In any way. You’re a beautiful young girl, Simone. You have so much to offer.

And one day, when you’re older, and you’ve accepted the help of your family and friends, you will see that this is a bad patch in your life, but it’s NOT YOU. Simone, love is here. Love from me. Your father. He hates me, but we’re in this room together because we love you. Whitney’s here too. She loves you. She’s in a lot of pain too, but her love for you is strong enough for her to come here to try and help you. Then, there’s your brother Chad, who risked his life coming here to find you. He loves you. And, there’s Kay, who leaves messages for me on the hour, wondering how you are. She misses you so much. And many other people, Simone. We all love you. We all want you to come back to us.

Simone, I’m going to tell you something. It’s a secret. About where I was these past months. I wasn’t on vacation somewhere. I was in a Sanitarium. I had a mental breakdown. I was just like you are right now – taking a vacation from the world. I know where you are. You think that if you stay there, then you don’t have to feel anything, right? That there is so much safety in the silence and the darkness. And, I’ll be honest, it is safe. For awhile. It’s so soothing, and calm, and safe. You feel good. No. You don’t feel anything at all, which is what you want. What you need.

But, eventually, you have to feel, Simone. There are too many people who need you to feel. To come back to them. That love you. And, whatever problems you have to face, you’re not alone. Once I realized that. Once I realized how much I was loved and needed, I gave up the security of the silence and the darkness. And you will too.Maybe not today or tomorrow. But, the day will come.  And, I’ll be here. Waiting for you. I’ll never give up on you.” Eve held Simone in her arms, squeezing her child to her chest. She didn’t see the tears come down Simone’s face.