Now Edna has peace. Dimore is out of jail, she has told Kim not to come to the house anymore - she will try her best to manage, and somehow Keith has disappeared again.
Nobody is happier with being alone than Edna. That feeling of going to bed without the anticipation of her drunken abuser walking in, or the yearning to burst her eardrums because she can hear the moans of the housekeeper as her husband shags her.
Peace is when she prepares her small meal even though it's so hard and peace is when she goes to bed knowing that she won't wake up to pushes and punches.
Peace is what's healing her wounds now. The fact that no one is going to come and punch them back to soreness, isn't that wonderful?
That's the feeling she went to bed with and there was also a broad smile on her face when she slept off.
She wakes up before the breaking of dawn with a strange feeling. It's not a bad feeling, but it's not a good one either. She has this feeling that someone is in the room with her and she can't just place her finger on it.
She wakes up, but Keith is not beside her, no he is not. She sighs and rubs her head, it's obvious that she is becoming so paranoid.
She turns around in bed and comes face to face with a man who is sitting on a chair and dangerously close to her face.
Edna gathers all the strength in her and lets out the most piercing scream that she can muster.
The man must be in a panic because he jumps forward and clad her lips shut with his strong hands.
She is struggling to scream again, but it's so hard.
"Edna, what the hell?! It's me! "
Oh, that voice, that scent. She knows it very well, why the hell didn't she recognize it sooner?
When this mystery man notices that his identity is not a mystery to her anymore, he stands up to flip the switch, illuminating the room.
Malik is putting on a black shirt and pants, he adjusts his wristwatch before he sits again, but Edna grabs him and hugs him tightly before he could sit down.
"Oh, God. " She murmurs with her eyes shut. " You have no idea how much I have missed you. "
He laughs as he encloses his hands around her back, but she winches and he almost drops her.
"I'm sorry. " He quickly says. " I almost forgot that you are hurt. "
She is still hugging him, but he lays her back on the bed, very slowly.
They are both so happy to see each other, so much they just staring at each other provokes giggles and more hand holding.
Malik's smile suddenly goes away and his eyes rest on her stomach. He takes his hand towards it as if to touch it, but his hand only suspends.
"Can I?" He requests and she nods.
Malik takes a long exhale to clear his head and with his eyes concentrating, he pulls her shirt up, just to expose her tummy, nothing more. She doesn't stop him, if there is one person that she trusts, it's Malik.
He sees the bandage around the wound and he looks up at her with a sad face. She smiles, but it doesn't lighten him up at all.
" I fell. " She lies. This is the first time that she is lying with so much confidence.
" You fell?" He raises his eyebrow, not buying what she is selling at all.
" I slipped on my way down the stairs and it interrupted the healing. " She looks at the bandage as if it's going to make her lie more believable.
Malik doesn't say anything to suggest if he believes her or not. He takes his hand and gently rubs it over her belly, making sure to avoid the bandage.
She sucks in her belly in reflex, she doesn't know why, but the warmth of his hand gives her a funny feeling in her belly.
" What the hell are you still with him?" Malik asks as he runs his free hand over his hair.
"What?"
" Keith, God damn it. " He sighs. " Why are you still with him?"
He looks at her and she can see the pain in them, she doesn't know what to say to him.
She sits up and covers up her belly again, Malik's hand slips off.
She knows what he is talking about, but she doesn't want to even think of it. Yes, with all that has been happening with her and Keith, she has never thought of leaving him. Why? No reason at all.
"Edna. "
She turns to look at him. He is waiting for an answer that she doesn't even have.
" You are asking why I didn't leave your brother?" She asks.
Malik knows what she is doing and he angrily gets up to his feet. He walks to the window and stares out of it for some time.
" I knew you would do something like this. " He runs his hand over his face. " Did he give you a potion or something?"
"Excuse me?"She frowns.
" Why the hell haven't you left him already?" Malik drags his question. " Do you want your body to be delivered to your parents, is that when you will be ready to leave him?"
Edna doesn't know what Malik had in mind when he brought this up, but she is angry at him now.
" Why are you so obsessed with me leaving your brother?" She fires at him.
" Forgive me for being so obsessed with your safety. " He waves his hand.
" I'm totally fine, look at me. " She stretches her hands out. " I have dealt with Keith a lot of times and I can tell you, I can handle him. "
"Bullshit. " Scoffs.
" Bullshit?!" She laughs in annoyance." Well, are the ones doing all the bullshit here. "
" He is going to kill you one day. " Malik warns.
" No, he won't. " Edna sees herself defending her own abuser.
Malik isn't flinging words at her anymore, he is looking at her as if she has gone crazy. To be honest, it looks like she has.
He walks towards her and folds his hands. They are shaking even though she is holding them in loose fists.
" I know what's wrong with you. " He states. " You are scared to go through a divorce because you don't know what people are going to say about you. "
The calmness of his words scares her and she doesn't waste time whispering back into his face.
" You're lying. "
He gives her a small smile like he knows that he is not. She blinks rapidly, something that she does when she is so nervous.
" Then what's it, Edna?" He inquires. " It isn't money, you aren't one of those materialistic girls. "
"Really?" She raises her nose at him. " What if I am?"
"Then name how much you think your marriage is worth and I am going to double it just to see that you leave with your life intact. "
Yeah, such a daring offer, if only money is what is on her mind.
The truth of the matter is that it isn't money, it's fear.
Malik is right, Edna is scared. She is this huge personality even though she didn't ask for it. Imagine the headline if she actually leaves the marriage. What meaning would her life have? She is absolutely nothing without the Jackson name.
She doesn't know what the hell she is going to do, but she is not going to divorce Keith. It's not Keith she is going to be divorcing, she is divorcing her career and the influence of Keith's last name. She is not leaving, no.
" You know what?" She stands in Malik's face. " I kind of like this marriage, and I am not going to leave. "
Malik does so well to hide the jab in his heart. He even smiles at her and shrugs.
" Fine, Edna. " He grins. " But I want you to remember one thing. "
"What?"
"I'm not going to give up on you. " He tells her. " I'm going to be right here for you to fall back on when it gets sour. It always does. "
His words seem to be wishing her ill, or maybe he is just stating the obvious.
*****
After four weeks, Edna is going back to the office today. She has fully recovered and has mustered enough enthusiasm to go back to work with a strong force.
She had texted Dimore to pick her up, but she has been waiting for a long time.
After waiting for over an hour, she is mad at Dimore. He has never been late in his life and this is just so upsetting.
She takes out her phone to put a call through to Kim because Dimore isn't even picking up.
" Good morning, ma'am. " Kim greets.
" Kim, where the hell is Dimore?" She lets out a tired sigh. " Tell him that I need him to come to get me like now. "
There is a beat, and Edna is becoming more upset.
"Ma'am, Dimore was dismissed weeks ago. " Kim informed her.