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Ah, another day in Chicago, where I have to get up to go to sucky ass school, where people make fun of my hair once again. Maybe I’ll channel their emotion and beat the crap out of them, just for the hell of it. Laughs Well my father is still in denial that he doesn’t want me. But, I know he doesn’t so he should stop biting his tongue and say what he wants to say.
“Kimberly, time for school!” shouted her mother from downstairs.
With a groan she got up from her bed and put her journal in her nightstand. She grabbed a hat and stuffed her hair into it. She did that while looking into a mirror.
“Well once again I have to hide my damn hair even though at school the tell me ‘take it off now! It’s against school policy!’ bullshit! They only want to see me go through yet another day of torture that they’re never around to see.” She looked around for her backpack.
“Kimberly!” her mother yelled.
“I’M COMING!” she took a brief glare at her door and returned to looking for her backpack. When she found it she put it on her back and hurried downstairs. Sadly she saw that her father was still home. She looked at her mother who was cooking breakfast. “Morning mami…” she went up to her and gave her a kiss on her cheek and sat down at the table.
She stared at her father as he sat there speaking nothing, as usual. He was reading the newspaper while occasionally taking a sip of his black coffee. Boring he was to her, never spoke to her which made it more obvious that he didn’t like her.
“Chica, aren’t you gonna say morning to papi?” She said making a gesture to her father as she said ‘papi’. “Chica!” her mother came up to her and snatched the hat off of her head, “Why are you wearing a hat? You never wear a hat…don’t tell me you’re trying to hide your hair again…”
Kimberly had groaned, she forgot, she never had let her mother see that she at least tried to hide her hair from others. But, now she was busted.
“I-I’m sorry mami…” she looked at her with a big smile.
“Oh just let her wear it…save me the comments from work.” Her father blurted out.
Kimberly had changed her fixed glare from her mother to her father. She had never heard him say that before.
“Carlos Miguel Thomas Roque!” Her mother shouted as she slammed the hat onto the table. “How dare you say that about our daughter!”
Kimberly knew her mother was pissed, because she only spoke perfect English when she was sad or angry. Only once before had she ever heard her mother speak perfect English. That was when she spoke in honor of her great-grandfather who had died about a week before an award ceremony. She was asked in honor to accept it. Her mother had spent about night and day practicing her speech to make it sound perfect. Kimberly after one day was annoyed out of her mind from the speech. As her mother gave the speech on the day of the ceremony Kimberly had mouth the whole speech with her.
“What do you want me to say?” her father screamed. “I get nasty remarks because of that girl right there!” he pointed at Kimberly.
Kimberly had suddenly been badly hurt. Never in her years of knowing her father did she ever hear him call her ‘that girl’ or did she get a direct point. She felt as if he was admitting his hatred against her.
“Excuse me? What the hell is with that?” her mother said while putting her hands on her hips.
“You know what the hell I mean! That girl…” another direct point from him.
“Excuse me! Her name is Kimberly your daughter remember, so I would appreciate it if you would stop calling her ‘that girl’!” her mother looked down at Kimberly with forced smile, “Honey why don’t you go head out to the car I’ll be out in a minute.”
One thing Kimberly was taught was to never question her mother. So she got up and threw a look at her father and walked to the door where she was out of sight. She pretended to leave, but she only opened and closed the door. After she had done that she tip-toed over to the kitchen and listened. Now she knew they were both mad. They were yelling in Spanish. From then on Kimberly was lost. She wasn’t raised fully on Spanish, she didn’t know why but, her mother only used a lingo of Spanish with her. But all of a suddenly she heard her father scream at her mother, and she heard him hit her mother across the face. As Kimberly’s eyes got wide, she heard her mother gasp. So she left trying to get to the car fast. She opened the door quietly and rushed to the car.
Her mother erupted from the door with a scarf over her neck and sunglasses. She stomped coming down the stairs. She jerked the car door open and got in, she smiled at Kimberly. “Okay chica ready for school?” she smiled.
“Uh…yea” Kimberly replied with hesitant
“Okay let’s go…” she laughed and patted Kimberly’s leg.
After she started the car and started driving Kimberly had looked at her mother. She was shocked when she saw a red mark around her mother’s eye.
“He really did hit her…” Kimberly said to herself.
“You okay chica?” her mother said taking a quick glance at her.
“O-oh yea…” she lied. Her mother got hit…over a fight about her. How do you think she felt?
“So chica how was your day?” her mother broke silence making Kimberly jump a little.
“Um it was…it was okay…” she replied.
“Don’t lie…okay I know your day wasn’t okay…you go through the same thing everyday.” Her father said. “People making fun of your hair…” he grabbed a piece of her hair and jerked her head.
“Don’t touch me!” Kimberly shouted.
Again the table went silent. As her father stared at her. Her mother got up and put her dish into the sink. She turned an leaned backwards onto the counter.
“What did you say?” her father said through his clenched teeth.
“I-I said don’t touch me…” Kimberly said slowly.
“Why you ungrateful little bitch!” her father shouted as he got up from his chair and threw his dish into the wall. “What right do you think you have to tell me what I can’t and can do?” he screamed.
“CARLOS!” her mother screamed. “Kimberly go upstairs…now.” her mother gave her ‘that look’.
So Kimberly got up and rushed to her room and closed the door. But, it was no use. They were fighting again. It was about a half hour later when Kimberly was lying down drifting off when she heard her mother scream. She awoke and jumped from her bed.
“Who the hell do you think you are? You don’t pay the damn bills!” she heard her father shout.
“So, that don’t give you the right to hate on your own flesh and blood!” her mother shouted back.
She heard her father scream again. Then she heard glass break and the sound of beating, while her mother screamed again and again. Kimberly was at her door as she turned away from it sobbing as she fell to her knees. She knew that this wouldn’t change. It was the beginning of a nightmare.
For the next five months it was the same. Kimberly woke up before anyone else so wouldn’t be caught in the middle of it and she would walk to school. Then she’d come home as her mother would be locked in her room. So Kimberly went to her room and sat there writing in her journal. When her father came home it would be the continuance of the nightmare. She barely got any sleep because of the yelling and screaming. As they fought every night, Kimberly cried herself to sleep. It was the same routine everyday for five months. She lost touch with her friends and her mother’s side of the family. Her father had caused all of that.
It was July 3rd, 2004. Kimberly was in her room enjoying the quiet. Her father got a late job. So he wouldn’t come home till about 10 or 11 at night. But, when he did get home it was the same. The screaming and sounds of beating. But, tonight was different. It was just different. So Kimberly wanted to see what was going on. She got out of her bed and walk out into the hallway making way for her parent’s bedroom. When she approached the door she leaned down and peeked through the keyhole. What she saw was her father suffocating her mother with a pillow. She let out a scream of fear. As she did her father looked at the door and hurried to it.
Kimberly ran to her room door, but it had locked itself. By then her father was rushing towards her. So Kimberly went to run to the bathroom where she thought she’d be safe. But just as she was about to reach it. He got her hair and pulled it violently, which cause her to fall back. So he dragged her by the hair. She ended up being thrown onto her parent’s bed where her mother laid almost like she was dead.
“Mami…” Kimberly said quietly.
“SHUT UP!” her father yelled. He slammed the door.
Kimberly let out a quiet yelp. She closed her eyes as she felt the warm tears erupt from her eyes hitting her face. She looked back at her father one last time. She saw him raise his hand. As he went to swing it Kimberly looked away. Everything went black.
A nurse came in and saw that Kimberly was awake.
“Hi honey…” the nurse said with a strong New Jersey accent. “How are you feeling?” She stroked her hair, just like her mom used to do before the nightmare had happened.
“I’m fine…my head hurts a little, but besides that I’m fine.” she smiled weakly.
“Well I’m glad to know you’re okay…you know I love your hair.” she smiled.
Kimberly was absolutely shocked. She’d never heard anyone say that before (well only by her mother). She smiled, “Thank you…don’t know who I got it from…” she giggled.
“Well I bet you’re wondering how your mom is doing?” she made a gesture towards her mother.
“Oh yes…how is she?” she went from happy to worried when she looked at her mother.
“Well right now she’s getting better, but a month ago when you guys were brought in-”
“A MONTH” Kimberly shouted.
“Well honey yes…it’s been a whole month. You and your mother were badly injured. You guys were out for quite a while. But your mother is healing nicely. She sleeps a lot. But today is the first day you’ve been up. Which I’ve never seen before, but there’s a first time for everything. You’ll both be released next week. You’re both fine now.” she smiled and went to check on my mom.
“wow…” Kimberly said.
“Yea I know…are you hungry?” the nurse asked.
“Uh yea…” Kimberly said realizing her stomach was growling. “Do you guys have any cheese pizza?”
The nurse smiled, “Only the best…”
Kimberly giggled, it seemed that since her father isn’t around life is good once again. “But it’ll change when he comes to visit.” Kimberly said to herself.
Later that day two men in black suits came to their room and talked to them about the situation they were in. They had explained that her father had ran away and can’t be found. Since he ran away if they chose to stay in Chicago and he came back they would be caught up in the same situation again. So they had recommended that they must go into the WPP more known as the ‘Witness Protection Program’. They explained it to Kimberly. She would have to move, get a new name, a new life. She couldn’t talk to any friends (like I have any Kimberly said to herself.), nor could she talk to her mother’s family until it was safe again. So they agreed to do it. Kimberly’s mother had signed some papers. The men left with a tilt of their hats.
“Wow mami…a new life?” She sighed and smiled.
“Yea chica we can start over…maybe have a better life.” her mother said while laughed a little.
“Yea, as long as they don’t stick us somewhere I don’t want to be…” she sighed.
“We have a new life for you two…” the first man smiled.
“Okay so give us details…” her mother said.
“Okay, come sit…” the second man said sitting down at a café table. “You’re name-” looking at Kimberly’s mother. “will be from now on instead of being Irene Elisa Roque it will be Michelle Caroline Moreno.” he paused and looked at Kimberly. “and you will be known as Sarah Elisa Moreno.”
The first man continued, “you will be given money over 50,000 to start off-”
They both looked at each other and smiled.
“the only reason is because of the area you’re moving into…” the second man said.
“And where is that exactly?” said her mother.
“L.A.” the second man said.
As her mother squealed with excitement. Kimberly (now Sarah) was disappointed. She didn’t really like the thought of moving to a bigger city. She was tired of it. Now in hope of maybe moving to a smaller place rather then bigger, it was crushed.
“Something wrong Sarah?” the second man said.
She without remembering that’s her ‘new’ name she shook out of her daydream of disappointment and looked at the man, “Oh sorry, do we have to move to L.A. I don’t want to live there…”
“Well I’m sorry Sarah, but you have to, you have no other choice, we want to put you there, the population is bigger, so it would be harder to find you. If he ever wanted to try and find you that is. You guys have a condo there. Very nice place you guys will have everything you need. Since you’re 17 Sarah you can get a car…”
“Oh common chica! Be happy!” said her mother.
She smiled weakly and looked down in shame.
So they were escorted to the airport and they had been guided where to go, which gate to go to. Then they explained that when they got there, there will be a man with a sign “Michelle and Sarah” waiting for them. He’ll take them to the condo and they’ll start their new life then. Just as they were about to head off the second man said something.
“I want you two to know, that if we ever catch him or find out where he is.” he paused, “we will get a hold of you. So you’ll know, okay” another pause, “and remember you CANNOT tell anyone about your past, if you must…make one up…just make it realistic.”
They both nodded, as the men greeted them off with a ‘good luck’. They went to their gate and boarded the plane. It took them about 40 minutes until they actually headed off. But, now Sarah had a fear…what if he did find them? What would happen…should she be careful now? Because now she’s more scared then before.
“It’ll be okay chica.” said her mother.
“Really?” said Sarah.
“Yea, I promise…” she smiled at Sarah as she giggled.
Sarah rested her head on her mother’s shoulder. As her mother rested her head on Sara’s head.
“Well then new life here we come…”said Sarah quietly.