I booked myself into The Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, took a quick shower, and dressed in a plain white t shirt and blue jeans. My baby bump permitted me to still enjoy wearing my regular sized, boot cut jeans but my white t shirt felt a bit snug. I threw a sweater and scarf over the t shirt and got ready to head to the hospital before visiting hours ended. I headed out to get mom a meal because everyone knows hospital food is not the best and mom is from the Caribbean, she needs flavour.
When I get to the hospital, my mother seems much better and more alert than earlier. She frowns as I enter her room, “Aria Rebecca Cromwell! Why on God’s green earth didn’t you tell me that these doctors found a shitload of GHB in my system? These cops were all up in here asking me questions about where I went and what I ate. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to stress you out mom.”
“You know what that means right? This might be the answer to what happened to you.”
“Yeah they tested me, I’ll check to see if they got my results back from the lab before I leave. The one thing I can’t understand is who would do this and why?”
“I think that friend of yours has something to do with it Aria! I told the police that!”
“You mean Sadie?”
“Yes, the cops are going to question her. In fact they might be over there right now talking to her.”
I cover my face with my palms, “mom we have no proof that she did that! And why would she put GHB in my stuff? Plus that would not explain how I got pregnant”
“You know there’s an old saying, ‘the truth is stranger than fiction.’ You just never know what could motivate someone to harm another person. And she has access to your apartment. Maybe she’s got someone doing her dirty work. Who knows?”
I don’t want to believe her but I know she has valid points, as crazy as they sound.
“Have you heard from the bank yet?” she asks.
“No, I guess they’ll call me tomorrow. I got you something to eat mom. I got a Thai Chicken Salad, a wrap and a pressed juice for you. Hope you like it.”
Smiling she took the salad and devoured it in less than five minutes. “The food here is so crap! I’m so grateful for this.”
I laughed, “I figured”.
“Did you tell anyone I’m in here?” she asks.
“No. I pondered on it but I thought it best not to. I hope you’re not mad at me.”
“Sweetheart why would I be mad? I’m glad you didn’t tell a soul, I can’t have anyone worrying about me and thinking that I’m getting old and frail. Plus they’ll ask too many questions and I don’t want them to know what you’re going through up here. I didn’t even tell your dad.”
“Stepdad,” I corrected.
“He’s been more of a dad to you than your own father.”
I changed the subject, “I’m staying at The Sheraton in town. I just can’t bear to go back to that place mom.”
“I think you should stay at the hotel until the cops figure out what’s going on. I hope you took all the stuff you need. Don’t even go back there by yourself.”
“I just can’t imagine who that guy on the camera was and why he lingered at my door. I need to check the footage again to see if he comes back tonight. If only the police could catch him in the act.”
I chatted with mom until visiting hours were over and the nurses practically had to chase me out. As exhausted as I was; I wished that I could stay with mum and chat all night. Having mom with me was a welcome distraction from the shit storm my life had become.
When I got to the hotel, I switched the television on and got into my pyjamas with a hot cup of chocolate that I picked up from a coffee shop down the street. I listen to President Trump talk some mambo jambo about trade deals with China until I manage to fall asleep. The next morning I awake with a feeling of bewilderment. I wasn’t ill or tired but I just felt confused, as if the happenings of the past few weeks were suddenly apparent to me. “How could I be pregnant and not know who my baby’s daddy was?” A sudden wave of depression hits me and I think for a second that it must be the unfamiliar coldness of sleeping in a hotel room by myself but I know that isn’t it. It’s everything I’ve been through finally taking a toll on my mental health and wellbeing. I had an appointment with Doctor Mc Daniel today. I would make the best of it.
I got dressed quickly and stopped at a deli to get some breakfast sandwiches and coffee for myself and mum. It was only 7 am and visiting hours had not begun yet but the nurses allowed me to see her. Mom was wide awake when I went in to see her. Her face fixed on the television screen watching reruns of Good Times.
“Good Morning baby! I see you brought me some more goodies. God will bless you for saving me from that horrible hospital food. Yesterday for breakfast they served grits that I could swear was just mashed up cardboard.”
I laugh, “Awww come on mom! Surely it can’t be that bad.”
“Oh you’ll see when they come around with it.”
“I have to leave in a bit. I’ve got an appointment with a shrink for 10:00 am. Remember I told you about her? She’s gonna do hypnosis on me to help me recover the truth.”
Mom shook her head as if in disbelief, “You millennials got too much money to waste. That’s the problem with the world today. Why can’t you just wait for the police to do their work?”
“I made that decision thinking that I had lost my mind or I had amnesia or something. I wasn’t sure what happened to me and I felt that seeing a shrink could help me to remember what happened.”
“Well due to recent developments I think you should cancel the appointment Aria! Save some money!”
“No mom. Stop telling me how to spend my money! I’m gonna see this through!”
I stormed out of the room and walked down the hall to speak to the nurse at the desk about my test results for GHB. The nurse said that a doctor needed to discuss the results with me and there were currently no doctors available at the moment. I would have to return at 3:00 pm to get my results.
I left the hospital in a mad fury and drove to Dr. Mc Daniel’s office. I was way too early but I did not mind sitting in my car until 10:00 am. I felt horrible about yelling at my mom but I couldn’t help it. Why couldn’t anyone understand what I have been going through? I was willing to spend all the money I had to find out what happened to me. She needed to understand that.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“What the hell Aria? I’ve been calling you!” Sadie’s angry voice yells through my phone. I had been ignoring all calls, especially hers for the past two days. “Two cops came to my house yesterday to question me, what the hell is going on?” she continued.
I let out a huge sigh, “I’m not sure, I’ll tell you when I have all the facts. Right now I’m about to go see a doctor. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Aria wait! Where are you? I’ll come and meet you now.”
“No its okay Sadie, I’m fine. Gotta go now, bye.” I click off the phone quickly before she can reply. I scroll through pictures on Instagram and read articles on Refinery 29 until it was time to go in for my appointment.
I arrive just in time for Dr. Mc Daniel to see me promptly at 10 am. A receptionist ushers me into her office where Doctor Mc Daniel is ready to greet me. “Welcome my dear, how are you doing today?” she asks cheerfully.
I smile, “I’m trying to be okay.”
“I see. Tell me what’s going on and how you feel about it.”
I spill all the details about everything that has happened since my last visit and she nods attentively throughout the story.
“I was gonna wait for your next appointment to start hypnosis but I think that it would be beneficial to you if we start today. It seems that the sooner you get answers the better. So I want you to move over to the chair on the other side of the room.”