of the girls had a scar that took up most of the space on her forehead. A scar just like mine.
The room started spinning and I had to support myself by gripping the arms of the chair. Ms. Salina reached out to help me but I pushed her away and ran out the door.
***
I was in tears the whole way home that it was blurring my vision. I almost ran into a four-wheel drive. The driver, a guy in his late twenties, must have known somehow that I was having a bad day and just drove off with a wave. I stared ahead, pretending he was invisible. At LA, I would have been honked incessantly and have a middle finger pointed at me and possibly a sue hanging over my head. But Solana Beach is a small town. Everybody knows everybody and people take care of each other’s feelings, even a complete stranger like me. A fish out of water.
By the time I got home, I didn’t bother changing and went to bed and cried the whole night. I was swept by a tsunami of emotions until I felt tired and finally drifted off to sleep. That night I had that dream again. This time, it was more vivid making it even more frightening. I was about to reach for the girl but then someone pulled me up and I could feel air inflate my lungs after drinking mouthfuls of salty water. I looked up and saw my savior. She was a woman who looked familiar. She smiled sadly at me, not a word escaped her lips and then I woke up. I tried to dig up the memories stored in my mind when I noticed the business card Ms. Salina gave me, lying beside my bed. Then it hit me. Ms. Salina. The photo album. The woman in the photograph. She was the one.
I had breakfast the next morning at a local cafe, gorging on a plate of pancakes soaked in maple syrup. I was surprised I had the appetite for it given my lack of sleep. I almost bumped into a man when I was about to leave. He turned to face me. A cheeky smile pasted on his face as if teasing me.
“Isn’t it enough that you almost ran into the back of my truck yesterday that you have to run into my back too?” he said, grinning.
I smacked my forehead, my hair let down to cover the scar. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that my mind was wandering off yesterday…and today too, I guess” I said meekly.
He stretched out his hand “I hope I’ll be seeing you anytime soon.”
“You will.” and I shook his hand.
***
I stared at the door of the bungalow so hard I could have broken it down telepathically. I could not bring myself to knock and after what seemed like hours of staring and wishing the door would magically open by itself, I started to turn away. Just then, Ms. Salina opened the door and led me inside.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I don’t know what came over me.” I offered my apology.
She accepted without a second thought.
“After you left, I dug up my store and found something you should have,” she handed me a chain. On it, was a rectangular metallic thing. I scrutinized it and realized it was a military identification badge.
“This belonged to the woman. She treasured it and wore it all the time while she was here. I hope this might help you.”
“What was that woman’s name?” I realized I hadn’t ask about it.
“Kate. She was a beautiful woman. You know what, I know just the person who can provide you with more information. Fara. She was Kate’s friend, the one she would probably confide in. She was one of the abuse victims who had spent a huge part of her life here before she finally got on her own two feet. Now, she‘s one of our most generous donors and always volunteers here.”
“Where can I find her?”
She gave me an address. Before I walked out the door, I asked “Do you think I’ll ever find her for answers? Kate, I mean.”
“I don’t want to let your hopes down but I usually don’t. Not after a woman goes back to her husband” she replied, sadness settling in her expression “Unless I pay a visit to the
The room started spinning and I had to support myself by gripping the arms of the chair. Ms. Salina reached out to help me but I pushed her away and ran out the door.
***
I was in tears the whole way home that it was blurring my vision. I almost ran into a four-wheel drive. The driver, a guy in his late twenties, must have known somehow that I was having a bad day and just drove off with a wave. I stared ahead, pretending he was invisible. At LA, I would have been honked incessantly and have a middle finger pointed at me and possibly a sue hanging over my head. But Solana Beach is a small town. Everybody knows everybody and people take care of each other’s feelings, even a complete stranger like me. A fish out of water.
By the time I got home, I didn’t bother changing and went to bed and cried the whole night. I was swept by a tsunami of emotions until I felt tired and finally drifted off to sleep. That night I had that dream again. This time, it was more vivid making it even more frightening. I was about to reach for the girl but then someone pulled me up and I could feel air inflate my lungs after drinking mouthfuls of salty water. I looked up and saw my savior. She was a woman who looked familiar. She smiled sadly at me, not a word escaped her lips and then I woke up. I tried to dig up the memories stored in my mind when I noticed the business card Ms. Salina gave me, lying beside my bed. Then it hit me. Ms. Salina. The photo album. The woman in the photograph. She was the one.
I had breakfast the next morning at a local cafe, gorging on a plate of pancakes soaked in maple syrup. I was surprised I had the appetite for it given my lack of sleep. I almost bumped into a man when I was about to leave. He turned to face me. A cheeky smile pasted on his face as if teasing me.
“Isn’t it enough that you almost ran into the back of my truck yesterday that you have to run into my back too?” he said, grinning.
I smacked my forehead, my hair let down to cover the scar. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that my mind was wandering off yesterday…and today too, I guess” I said meekly.
He stretched out his hand “I hope I’ll be seeing you anytime soon.”
“You will.” and I shook his hand.
***
I stared at the door of the bungalow so hard I could have broken it down telepathically. I could not bring myself to knock and after what seemed like hours of staring and wishing the door would magically open by itself, I started to turn away. Just then, Ms. Salina opened the door and led me inside.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I don’t know what came over me.” I offered my apology.
She accepted without a second thought.
“After you left, I dug up my store and found something you should have,” she handed me a chain. On it, was a rectangular metallic thing. I scrutinized it and realized it was a military identification badge.
“This belonged to the woman. She treasured it and wore it all the time while she was here. I hope this might help you.”
“What was that woman’s name?” I realized I hadn’t ask about it.
“Kate. She was a beautiful woman. You know what, I know just the person who can provide you with more information. Fara. She was Kate’s friend, the one she would probably confide in. She was one of the abuse victims who had spent a huge part of her life here before she finally got on her own two feet. Now, she‘s one of our most generous donors and always volunteers here.”
“Where can I find her?”
She gave me an address. Before I walked out the door, I asked “Do you think I’ll ever find her for answers? Kate, I mean.”
“I don’t want to let your hopes down but I usually don’t. Not after a woman goes back to her husband” she replied, sadness settling in her expression “Unless I pay a visit to the
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