"Gwen, I really wanted to wait, I did, but he just kept coming. I told him I wanted to wait, I told him I did want him, but I wanted to wait."
Gwen then understood what Jes was trying to say. Gwen grabbed Jes
and held her in her arms, as a loving mother would do to comfort her
child. She asked Jes if she was all right and told her that she wanted her
to press charges against him. Gwen also told her that she needed to get
an AIDS test done to make sure that she was all right. Jes was unsure
of what to do, but she made it clear to Gwen that she didn't want anyone
to know. Jes made Gwen promise that she would not tell a soul until
she was able to handle it.
"Promise me Gwen, promise me."
"I promise baby, not until you're ready."
"Say you,"
Jes said
"Say me,"
Gwen responded.
"Good, now let's go pray that I'm able to deal with this the right way."
It seemed that this particular morning went by as slow as time could
pass. After the CD ended, Gwen and Jes got dressed in the thunderous
voice of silence. No words were exchanged and no noises were made.
Sporadically, Gwen would here running water or a sniffle from Jes, but
she made not a sound. Finally the code of silence was broken when Jes
yelled to let Gwen know that she was ready. The two girls left for church
with silence close behind. While walking to Gwen's car, the girls heard
Mr. Davis whistle from his porch watering his lawn.
"Thank you Mr. Davis." The girls said and shared a laugh as they got
into the car.
"You know Gwen," Jes said, "it's funny how someone else can break
the ice with the simplest thing when you don't know what to say next
huh?"
"Yeah, Mr. Davis always knows the right thing to say. I guess that's
why he and his wife have been married for fifty-five years."
Jes jumped in her seat.
"Fifty-five years!" She yelled.
"Yes, fifty-five years and I think it's beautiful."
Jes could not believe that people still stayed married for that amount
of time any more.
"You know Jes, Mr. Davis is a really nice man, you should go and talk
to him sometime."
"Why," Jes asked sarcastically, "so he can tell me why he waters that
damn grass so much?"
"You'll be surprised at the answer he gives you to that question."
"Don't tell me you've asked him?"
"As a matter of fact I have."
Gwen start's the car and the two drive off, with Mr. Davis waving and
watering his lawn.
"Mornin' Sisters Lewis and Matthews," one of the church members
spoke.
"Morning," the girls replied.