Malik can't believe his ears. It seems that she has misinterpreted his silence because she starts to fold and refold her hands and begin to sigh, doubting what she has said.
" You want to leave, Keith?" He asks.
" You don't think it's a good idea?"
"What do you mean? " He moves closer to her. " Remember when I was mad at you because you were choosing not to leave him? If anything, I am proud of you that you have chosen to take this bold decision. "
She nods and he notices how dry her voice sounds and how shaken she is.
Poor Edna. She has gone through many terrible things and the last one was the worst of them all. What would have happened if he wasn't in town? What would have happened if he chose to travel?
He doesn't want to think about what the consequences would have been. She would have been cold dead in a pool of her own blood and he knows that nothing would have happened to his brother. His father would probably bribe through it and it would be ruled as suicide.
She is crying and that breaks his heart. She walks towards her and pulls her closer to him so that her head is against his chest and his hands are around her protectively.
"Hush, now, Edna. You don't have to cry, it's all over. " He says.
"No, it's not. " She sobs. " I'm scared because Keith is going to try to find me and he is going to harm me. "
"No, he won't. " Malik assures her " I am right here by your side, so you can trust me when I say that you are going to be safe with me. "
"But you travel all the time. " She cries. " What's going to happen to me when you leave?"
"I'm not leaving. " He promises. " I'm not going to leave you. "
They hug for a long time until he feels that she is more comfortable and that's when he lets her go. She has stopped crying now, he feels so much better now that there are no more tears in her eyes.
"I'm going to make you that food I promised. " He smiles. " Now, try and get some sleep. When you are ready, we are going to talk about the divorce. "
She nods. He leaves the room because she needs some space to change into clothes.
He goes down the stairs and begins to warm up some pizza in the microwave. He waits for it to heat up but in the main time, he pours her a glass of orange juice.
He sits down and then he realizes that he is smiling even though he is trying so hard to wipe it off his face, it's not just working.
He is very happy and the joy on the inside of him is so consuming that he just can't stop it.
He has waited for this moment for a long time and he is more than glad that she has chosen to take the first step and leave her abusive husband.
He has always been frustrated seeing her endure it all to the extent that they fought over it, but he knows that it isn't up to him to end the relationship, it's all up to her.
Now that she has taken the step he is happy. Yes, maybe he loves her, but he isn't doing this because he wants her to leave his brother and be with him, he is doing this because he cares for her so much that seeing her happy is enough to make him satisfied.
He is still brooding over all of this when he hears his phone ring in his pocket. The timing has never been more perfect because the microwave beeps too.
Now he answers the call without looking at who is calling him and puts the phone over his ear. He takes out the pizza and prepares a tray for Edna.
"Malik Jackson speaking." He says.
" You can as well drop the name because no son of mine would have tried to kill his brother. " His father's voice sounds.
Malik takes the phone away from his ear to confirm that it's really from his father and he laughs when he sees that it's indeed he.
" Dad. " He sniffs another laugh. " Well technically it's not your name, it was given to your grandfather by his father and that doesn't make it yours. "
" Cut the crap, where is the girl?" His father demands.
" Who exactly? You don't speak in words that I understand. "
" You know that I am speaking about Edna. Keith told me what both of you did and I swear to God that I am going to have you pay for it, right after her. " He threatens.
Malik laughs even though he knows that his father doesn't make empty threats. He is not shaken though, he knows that he can handle him.
" You are too old for that kind of dirty work, father. " Malik says. " You should be mending your ways because you might die anytime. "
" Shut up, you fool. " His father curses. " Now tell me where she is at?"
"I am the only person she knows around here. " Malik tells his father. " I'm her only true friend and it's normal for her to be at my place. You can come and get her if you want. "
He hears his father laugh at the other end and he shakes his head in disgust. He hates his father's laugh because every time that his father laughs it's not because something is funny but because someone is about to get hurt.
" I have always known that you are the black sheep of the family. Taking sides with people who are against us. "
" Yeah, like my mother, and what did you do to her? You killed her. I'm just wondering if you are gonna kill me too. " The smile vanishes from Malik's face.
"You watch your tongue, son. Or I am going to watch it for you. " He warns.
" Go to sleep Dad. " Malik advises. " It's late and unlike your favorite son, I have things to do by tomorrow. "
Malik hangs up the call without warning. He imagines the look on his father's face when he realizes that he hung the call on him.
He picks up the pizza and juice as he walks back to the stairs. He is going to give this to Edna quickly and then he is going to come back to lock up the place for the night.
*****
Edna tries to push away the fear from her heart. The fear of the new title she is going I assume as an unmarried woman. The fear of what people are going to say, the fear of the emblem of being unmarried.
She is drifting away and coming back as Malik takes it upon himself to tell her what to expect from this. He is going to get her a lawyer and if Keith tries to hinder the annulment of their marriage, she should expect that they are going to go to court.
She swallows hard and her knuckles turn white from where she has fastened them around her fingers. Imagine the news this is going to make.
" I don't want his money. " Edna says.
"I know, Edna. " He replies. " You just want your life back, I know. "
"Then why would he not want to get divorced?" She wonders.
" Maybe Keith just likes having you around. Like the compliments, people give him because of you. "
Oh, how could she have forgotten? She is the trophy wife. She is the one whose responsibility is to make others look good.
" I'm going to take you back to the house so that you can grab whatever is of importance to you. " He assures.
"What?!" Her face turns white with horror. " Malik, I can't go back there. "
" I'm going to be there with you. "
Her heart is already racing. She imagines her at the door with Keith glaring at her. He is going to tear her apart.
"Edna. " Malik reaches out and holds her hands in assurance. " I'm going to be with you, you don't have to be scared. "
She nods. She wants to believe that he is telling her the truth, but it's so hard.
Each time she thinks of the devil, all she sees is the image of Mister Jackson and Keith.
" There is one more thing, Edna. " Malik's face falls.
"Yes?" Her own voice just shows how scared she is.
" I told my father about the divorce and he is insisting that you come to see him and tell him yourself. "
Her blood goes cold and it seems that her heart has stopped beating too. She doesn't want to have to see that man.
" I can't go. "
" You will, Edna. " He tells her. "you will show him the divorce papers. "
"But I can't. " She breathes, panicking. " Are you going with me?"
" No, but I assure you that you are going to get in and come out untouched. "
She doesn't know about that. She truly doesn't.