“What’s that?” I asked, my nerves already frazzled.
“What’s Arionna’s last name?” he asked slowly, like he was almost afraid to bring it up.
“Brown. She’s my sister.” I rolled my eyes like he was an idiot.
“Did you ever tell Tegyn Camilla’s name?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, there’s always a chance that Tegyn could think your sister is your wife.” He shrugged. “That’s all I’m worried about.”
I slapped my forehead and growled. “Great. And now I am too.”
Tommy left soon after. I puttered around the house. I wasn’t used to being home at night. This was new and different. The whole vibe of the place changed without Camilla around. I hoped that my sister wouldn’t mess it up too much. I liked it mellow, relaxed. That had always been one of my favorite things about Tegyn. When we were together, it was like being blanketed in peace. I was calm. I could relax. She was zero drama, open, and honest. Tegyn was everything I wanted and more.
At eleven, I turned off the lights on the main floor and started to do the rounds, making sure everything was locked up since people had been in and out all day. I slowly made my way down the carpeted stairs to the family room and paused. Camilla was at the door, trying to get in. Thankfully, that door was locked.
“What you doing here?” I asked as I stalked over to the door. I knew she could hear me through the glass.
“I want my stuff.” She stuck out her chin and glared at me, her nostrils flaring. Then she broke eye contact and stared inside. “I see you wasted no time reclaiming my room.”
“For the record, it was always my room,” I reminded her. “The whole house was mine, purchased before we married. Don’t you gimme no lip on it either.” Then I gestured. “Meet you at the front door. You can get your things.” I turned and started to walk away when she slammed both hands on the window hard enough to make the glass shake.
“Stop it!” I shouted as I drew near. “You gonna break the window.”
“I don’t care!” Camilla wailed. “You don’t want me. You never wanted me,” she howled.
“You can be hard to love,” I agreed. “Go on.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t want this life anymore.”
“What you talking about?” I was getting frustrated and tired. The last thing I wanted was Keyon waking up to another one of Camilla’s tantrums.
“I can’t do this. I can’t live without you.” She banged her head against the window this time.
“Well, you gonna have to. We through. You know this. We been through.” I shook my head. I was out of patience. “Front door before I call the police.” This threat should’ve been enough, but not for Camilla.
She reared back one more time and I had the impression she decided to break in…with her head. Sure enough, she connected just right and the glass shattered. Her forehead started bleeding. The glass had a hole the size of a softball in it. “I lost you. Gimme Keyon.” Tears streamed down her face, but I was unmoved.
“Bitch, you be lucky if I don’t press charges for this. Back up. I’m calling the cops.” I pulled my phone from my back pocket and hit the buttons for 911. I was trying to listen to the dispatcher while dealing with Camilla and failing miserably at both.
“You won’t let me have my son?” Camilla screamed. “We done.” She shook her head even as blood dripped down her face, staining her pink shirt and splattering her white pants.
“Can you hear her? My wife. We’re separated. She’s trying to break in.” I tried to remain calm while Camilla wailed and carried on. I put the phone on speaker, hoping it might help me hear the dispatcher better.
Suddenly, Camilla grew silent. “You called the police on me?” She whimpered. “I’m done, DeSean. I’m so done.” She shook her head while I stared through the hole at her. Then, without warning, she stuck her hands through the hole and dragged her wrists backward over the jagged shards of glass.
“Shit. She just slit her wrists. I need EMTs. Shit. I gotta get some towels.” I rushed to the downstairs bathroom. I’d loaded it with fresh, clean towels just today. In my mind, I kept reminding myself that as much as I didn’t like her, she was my son’s mother. Love his mama more than you hate your ex, D. Love his mama. Just love his mama. Don’t let him lose his mama.
This was my fault. I’d let this go on too long. I struggled to open the back door, my hands were so sweaty. When she saw me coming, Camilla fell to the ground.
“Let me die,” she moaned. “Please let me die,” she repeated.
The dispatcher finally spoke again. “Okay, do you have towels for her wrists?”
“Yeah. I grabbed them.” I knelt beside Camilla and wrapped first one forearm and then the other. For someone who claimed to want to die so badly, she wasn’t fighting my efforts to save her.
It seemed like it was taking forever, but finally I could hear sirens in the distance. I glanced at Camilla who had paled considerably, probably from blood loss. “I gotta let them in,” I explained as I moved to leave her side. I jogged through the open door, up the stairs and to the front door. I flipped on lights as I went to ensure they could see to work. Almost as soon as I reached the door, there was an ambulance pulling up in front of the house and two EMTs hopped out. One grabbed a kit, while the other rushed to the door.
“This way.” I gestured for the first responders to follow me to the stairway. “Down the stairs, through the open door. She’s on the grass outside.”