Ch. 5: Sympathy for you and her

As much as I enjoy the tranquility of my balcony on cool nights, I have become a big fan of going up the rooftop. It’s a place where I can gather my chaotic thoughts together. Tonight is one of those nights, just two days after I glimpsed Leia’s bruise. Our ride back home had been somewhat awkward, with her attempting to explain that she had ‘sort of’ hurt herself against their doorknob or something equally implausible. Yet, we both knew it wasn’t a weak lie, and I chose to go along with it, even if it didn’t sit right with me. That’s why I find myself up here now; my guts are telling me different. I can’t find peace if I know there’s a chance I could help her, if given the opportunity of course. And just like a response from God to my unspoken plea, Leia’s head peaks out of the rooftop hatch. She’s surprised to see me here as I am to see her.  “Oh sorry. Thought I was the only one who knew about this.” Kinda funny how her head is just poking out, while the rest of her body is still hidden. “You mean that the two of us are up here tough it’s actually prohibited to be here, but someone still cracked open the rooftop hatch for some of us to access?” I approach her and offer her a helping hand. From my point of view, she’s wearing a satin robe, long enough to hide the bruise. She reaches out to me, and in that moment, her sleeve falls off, revealing a few more bruises along the arm. She quickly drops her hand and averts her gaze, finding anything easier to look at than me. The cat’s dead anyway I kneel and speak in a soft tone, “Hey uhm, I know it’s none of my business, but if you don’t have anyone to talk to, feel free to approach me.” It’s well beyond my comfort zone to approach people this, but why should I turn a blind eye to her pain? “What makes you think I don’t have anyone to talk to?” she retorts, looking at me through her lashes.

I think carefully of what to say. She’s right; why would I assume she has no one? Perhaps a fellow neighbor was going to meet her and offer comfort her, maybe she planned to talk to her parent or best friend on the phone about it…or maybe she wanted to be here because she needed to get away from him. Cause sometimes it’s easier to cry alone than call someone and potentially throw the person you love under bus, because you love them too much to do so, right? At least that’s how mom did it. She endured. She endured as much as she could to maintain the illusion of a picture-perfect family for the people outside of our four walls. Would it be too soon to entrust her with it, or will this help her open up to me? “My mom didn’t have anyone.” I begin. “She only had me.” Mom never really opened up to me properly, but having me around and talking as if nothing were wrong was enough for her. Sometimes, I wish she had confided in me more instead of acting like everything was alright. But maybe I can do right by her if I do right with Leia. “You don’t have to,” I say, “but I’ll be willing to listen.” I didn’t receive the response I hoped for. Instead, she climbs down and looks up to me again, sighing. “This isn’t your concern, but thanks.” And just like that she leaves. However, her cold demeanor didn’t scare me away. The offer stands, and it’s up to her if she wants to accept it or not.