Mia Darien - Good Things

She swung again, pounding her fists into his face, his ribs, giving him liver shot after liver shot.

He kicked his leg out, knocking her down and making her land on the side where her ribs hurt, taking the air from her.

He mounted her, using both his hands around her neck. She couldn’t breathe.

“Use your hips, Kamry.”

She swung to the side, laying on her right hip. With her left leg, she managed to place her foot on his hip and push him back. She brought her left elbow down over his arms, breaking his hold on her.

“Don’t worry about gasping now. Stay calm. This isn’t over yet, Kamry. Use your other foot.”

She pulled her right foot up, kicking him in the chest with everything she had and knocking him completely off her.

“Get up!” Jose yelled.

Kamry stood, walking to Steven, and began kicking him in the ribs. The rage poured from her body with every last kick. She watched his face become wrinkled almost, his eyes squinting with each kick. She loved it.

She kept going but then she realized she was not going to kick him to death. She was going to do to him what he had done to her so many times. She reached down, rolling him onto his back and mounting him. She placed both hands around his neck and began choking him. No matter what he did, she held on. She watched his color go from red, to purple, to blue. He was weakening and she was loving the power she had over him. His arms dropped to the side and that’s when it hit her. She wasn’t going to be the one to kill him. She let go, and stood.

He gasped for air, grabbing his throat and coughing.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m not weak anymore. You will never be able to hurt me again.”

“He will never be able to hurt any other woman or child again. I have some people that can’t wait to get their hands on him,” Jose said.

“What do you mean?” Kamry asked, but Jose didn’t have to answer. She heard a growling mixed with a low roar. “What is that?” she whispered.

“It’s his end,” Jose answered.

She watched as black shadows rose from the floor around him. He began screaming. “No, don’t take me. Kamry, help me!”

She smiled. “There is no help for you.” And then they took him. It happened quickly, and he was gone.

The room began to blur then. She didn’t know what was happening and she didn’t really care. He had gotten everything he deserved.

“Where did they take him?” She asked, hoping for the answer she received.

“Hell.”

What happened next, she wasn’t sure of. She remembered hearing a loud crash and then arms were around her waist, pulling her into the body they belonged to. The room began to spin and everything went dark.

“You did a good job, Kamry. Just rest,” Jose whispered.

A steady beep was in the background. Otherwise, silence filled the area. There was a clean smell to the air. She was waking up, and could feel her body being touched. Her hand, her cheek were being rubbed.

“Time to wake up, sleepyhead.”

“Jose?” Kamry looked around the room, finding his familiar eyes on her and then someone else in the chair next to her.

“Jose, where am I?”

“The hospital. You’ve been asleep for a bit longer than we had anticipated. Steven thought a good swift kick to your head while you were out would add to the multiple injuries you had.”

“Oh.” She was never happier than that day to see Jose. Had it not been for him, she never would have been able to get free.

Jose gripped her hand. “It’s time for me to go now, Kamry.”

There was both sadness and happiness in Jose’s eyes. “But, why?”

“Because I did what I stayed behind for.”

“Jose, what are you talking about?” Tears filled Kamry’s eyes.

“Kamry, I know that you know I’m a ghost. I had unfinished business and you helped me finish it.”

“I didn’t help you with anything, Jose. Whatever business you had is something you still have.”

“No. You were my unfinished business. And him.” Jose nodded to the man asleep in the chair. His head was facing the opposite direction, but she knew who it was. Garret.

“How did he find me?” Kamry asked.

“I may have dialed his number on your cell phone so he would hear you and track you down.”

“How did he find me, though?”

“I’m not sure. That’s a question for him.” Jose smiled. “Before I left here, I wanted to do two things. One, help someone that needed me. I thought that you needed me, but in all reality, I needed you. You reminded me that there are still many things out there worth fighting for. You were always a survivor, you just needed a push in the right direction.”

“I don’t understand what you are saying.”

“I had been watching you for weeks, pounding away at that bag. You showed so much heart and determination that I knew without a doubt, you were never going to stop. That’s very admirable. I’ve only seen that much determination two other times before. Once in myself and then once in Garret. I never thought I would see it again until you came along.”

“You’re not making any sense to me,” Kamry cried.

Jose chuckled. “It don’t have to make sense to you. It was my business to finish.”

“What was the second thing that you had to do?”

“I not only watched you at the gym, but I saw you with Grandma. You took care of her like she was royalty. You cared for her. You made her laugh. You were there for her when I couldn’t be.”

“Ms. Maybelle,” she whispered.

“Yes. Garret is my younger brother and he was my second thing I needed to do. You see, when Grandma died, she was the last one in our family. I didn’t want Garret to be alone. And then I saw the chemistry between you two and knew that you were perfect for each other. Cupid in the making, I am.” He smiled.

Kamry turned her head towards Garret. She had felt a chemistry between them, but was she ready for a relationship again?

“Don’t over-think it. A ghost is standing here telling you to let go and follow your instincts. Allow your heart to lead you.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Well, I hear them calling me.”

“Who?” Kamry asked.

“Grandma, Grandpa, my mother and father. They are waiting for me.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

Jose smiled. “You’re not alone. He’s a really great man. He deserves you just as much as you deserve him. I won’t be far. I’ll keep tabs on the two of you. They are very impatient. Take care of him for me, Kamry. I know he will take wonderful care of you.”

“Wait!” she hollered, watching him walk away. “Can I ask you something really quick?”

“Better hurry.” He smiled.

She could see his body becoming almost translucent. “Why did they call you hope?”

He laughed. “Because there is an old saying: where there is life, there is hope. Well, I lived by that motto in the ring. My first fight, I was the underdog. I was losing but I wouldn’t give up. I kept going until he was worn down. After I won, they were asking me questions and a reporter asked me what gave me the drive to keep going. I said, hope. It stuck.”

“Thank you.” She smiled, watching him wink at her then turn, take a few steps, and disappear.

Kamry laid there staring at Garret and then she smiled. Ms. Maybelle had rubbed off on her grandsons, and she suspected that Garret would be a cupid as well. She laughed, watching him sleep, and was thankful for meeting Jose, who would forever be known to her as Kamry’s Hope.

The first thing Jesse was aware of was something in her eyes. She didn’t remember going to sleep, or even going to bed, so she had no idea what was on her face.