Noemi

by

Katia N. Ruiz

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Noemí's head ached a little as she opened her eyes slowly, feeling as if the sunshine burned through her eyes into her brain. "Oh, God!" She murmured as she clenched her eyes closed again. She became aware of a small body, warm and supple, lying in her arms. The top of the dark head, pressed up against her chin, rested against her bicep, the soft hair tickled her skin softly. Aware of the swollen stomach pressing against her own, she looked down at the legs entwined with hers, and at her arm thrown carelessly across Terri's waist. She realized that Terri was lying in her arms, and she remembered the events of that morning.

She opened her eyes again, and noticed the alarm clock on the dresser; it was already four o'clock in the afternoon. They had spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon sleeping in each other's arms. Noemí's eyes closed as she thought about that. A smile crossed her lips as she thought about her sleep, a dreamless sleep that had evaded her for years, and Terri made it possible with her gentle insistence. Noemí had to admit to herself that she never thought that Terri could be so gentle, and she blamed Terri's family for not allowing her to show her warmth instead of her cold side.

The phone rang, startling Noemí out of her surprisingly peaceful musing. The phone was on the bed behind Terri's head. The young woman jumped, startled from her sleep, and looked up at Noemí. Noemí smiled at her as she reached for the phone. "Hi, Vicki." She said, regretting when Terri rolled away from her and stood.

Victoria sounded glad to hear her voice. She said: "Why don't we come over for dinner, and Michaela and Terri can cook while we talk?" Noemí, listening, watched Terri move around the room at the same time.

She felt the sudden urge to hold her in her arms again. "Come over then. I want to apologize." She said softly, and Victoria laughed her rebuttal of the apology and, all forgotten, they hung up with an agreement to meet at six thirty. Terri had walked out of the room and Noemí could now hear the sounds of clanging bottles and swishing liquids.

Curious, Noemí went out to the living room, looking down as her still booted feet crunched on broken glass. She could hear Terri in the kitchen throwing something into the sink. Her confusion evident in her voice, Noemí asked: "What are you doing?" And realization hit her when she saw the empty bottles of liquor from her liquor cabinet beside the sink, and on the other side, three more left to empty. "What are you doing?" She demanded, moving forward quickly and reaching for the bottle of Gin in Terri's hand. Terri dodged her reach and emptied the bottle.

She reached for another one. "No!" Noemí said through clenched teeth, her hand grabbing Terri's wrist. Stubborn, Terri reached for another of bottles with her other hand, slamming it into pieces inside the sink. "Stop, please, I need that!" Noemí begged, grabbing her other hand.

Terri's eyes were firm though gentle as she spun around to face Noemí. "No, you don't need that! You need food!" She said firmly, and pulled her hands away from Noemí's grasp. "I want to feel safe around you, when you're sober, and not half drunk like you are most of the time." She saw Noemí's hurt expression and her voice softened as she reached up to touch her face. "I'm not doing this to hurt you, Noemí, please understand me. If you don't stop, in a few years, you'll be fighting some liver disease from all the drinking. You know that."

Noemí closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Terri's, her hands holding her balance against the edges of the counter. She shook softly, her eyes closed tight. Terri felt her sweet warm breath, tainted with the sharp scent of alcohol, brush against her lips. It would be so easy to bend my neck and just kiss her...

"It's hard; I want to have a drink now." Noemí whispered and Terri sighed.

"I know you can't stop cold turkey, so how about we work a little system out?" She felt Noemí's nod against her head. "Do you want to go to AA?" She asked softly, and Noemí shook her head almost vehemently. Terri laughed softly, saying: "Okay, we'll do the home remedy. One drink when you get home and before you go to bed." Noemí groaned softly. "Eventually, we'll lower the dosage to one drink when you get home and then half a drink, then less and less. Until you don't want any more. What do you say?"

"I say it sounds like fucking torture." Noemí said grudgingly. Terri smiled and kissed her nose softly; Noemí felt cared for. "We'll make it, I'm sticking by you. You can't cope if you're drunk all the time." She pointed out, pressing her index into Noemí's shoulder. She turned back to empty the remaining bottle and Noemí watched with a look full of pain on her face. Over her shoulder, Terri said: "Now, go take a shower, you really need it."

Michaela and Victoria arrived at exactly six thirty, and Noemí knew that it had to do more with Michaela than with Victoria herself. Victoria had never been punctual. To Noemí, Michaela seemed a great influence on Victoria. She said as much as they got formal introductions and smiled at each other warmly. She had just finished showering and changing into comfortable clothes when they arrived, her hair still dripping wet onto her face. Victoria couldn't help it; she reached over and ruffled her hair, making more droplets get onto her clothes. Laughing, Noemí returned the attack, grabbing Victoria by the face and pulling her face to her head, wetting her face and the front of her shirt.

Michaela laughed, and looked around at the living room. In the early evening, with the sun still out, the room felt more inviting and refreshing. "Where is Terri?" She asked.

"In the shower," Noemí answered, wrapping an arm around Victoria's neck and yanking her close, kissing her cheek loudly. After a long moment of hugging her friend, she seemed to remember her manners, and she invited them to sit down, offering them drinks. "Non-alcoholic, though. They're prohibited in this house now."

Victoria's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Really, since when?" She asked in astonishment, and pleasure.

"Since I acted like a fool this morning and almost broke a glass on her head." Noemí said, obviously ashamed of her behavior.

Victoria jumped to her feet. "You what?" She said loudly. "Are you crazy?" She paced the living room, hands on her hips. Michaela's eyes were on Noemí with surprise. "She's a pregnant woman, Noemí!" Victoria said.

Noemí nodded and looked even more ashamed; she stood and ran a hand through her hair. "I know, I know." She said shortly, gazing down at her feet. "I realized what I did when she ran from me, as if I were going to kill her."

"By all means you were going to, Noemí." Victoria said, standing beside her and kissing her cheek. "I hope she keeps you in check and spanks you every time you falter." She said, and she was the old Victoria, the one that laughed and joked all the time.

Michaela smiled at the two friends with a mix of pleasure. She wanted to meet Noemí, just because she was so important to Victoria and she loved her so much. Now they had met, and she was pleased with what she saw. Adding to the fact that both women were very pleasing to the eye, their camaraderie was of people who had known each other their whole lives. Their problem the day before seemed to be forgotten and Victoria seemed happier to have her friend be alright and not hurt somewhere. Michaela liked Noemí Leone. She looked at Victoria, and felt her heartbeat falter. Victoria made her knees go weak already, but she shoved back the feeling.

A few minutes later, Terri came into the living room, all smiles. She smelled good and her hair dripped from the shower, picked up in a ponytail. She and Michaela went to the kitchen, each wanting to slap up a little something to eat. Noemí smiled at Victoria, and the best friends went outside through the front door. They walked around to the back of the house, where the trees are dense, and green and pretty. Their surroundings were beautiful, the air so fresh to Noemí's lungs; she felt some peace, after a long time of suffering. They stood in silence for a long time. "She's talked me into grieving, I guess." She said suddenly, her voice low and thoughtful, and she looked at Victoria for a long moment before looking back out into the trees.

Victoria smiled at her, and then continued to study the trees. "You didn't want to grieve. To admit that Amelia is gone," She said softly after a while.

Noemí crossed her arms over her chest, and stood in thoughtful silence for another while. "I guess I didn't," She said finally, biting her lower lips softly. "Because that meant she was really gone, didn't it? That meant I was admitting I was alone, and all the time I knew I was alone, and that I was dying inside." She smiled softly, her eyes sad but peaceful. "Maybe this new baby, my niece or nephew, will be my salvation."

Victoria slapped her on the back, and pulled her close. "I love you, and believe me when I say that I like Terri, and that she seems like a good friend." She said softly close to her ear.

"I love you too," Noemí said softly, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "And I like her too, she is good with me. She tells me like it is, you know?"

Victoria chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I know." She whispered, and they listened to the birds sing in the tranquility, and watched as the departing rays of the sun caressed the beautiful trees. Victoria said suddenly: "You remember Natty's birthday is in two weeks, don't you?"

Noemí smiled and nodded. "Don't forget, she is my mom." She chuckled.

"What are you getting her?"

"I haven't a clue."

"Want to go shopping for something?" Victoria kicked at a pebble, sending it flying across to a tree bark.

Noemí nodded.

"Do you think you'll have a dinner?" Victoria sounded hopeful; the Leone's dinners were always fun. They sometimes invited more people than the house could hold.

Noemí shrugged and smiled; she knew her family loved to get together, even if it was crowded. She looked at Victoria for a long time and Victoria looked right back at her. "I feel some peace for the first time, Vicki." Noemí whispered. "It was like I needed to shed all those tears, I never did. I cried so much today, I couldn't believe it." The memory seemed more like a dream than a memory.

Victoria wrapped an arm around Noemí's neck and pulled her close. Noemí responded and wrapped her arm around Victoria's waist. Victoria sighed. "I'm happy that Terri is here now, maybe she'll get you a little out of yourself." She said softly.

Noemí chuckled softly, shaking her head no. "She is a great person, and I resent that my brother did what he did to her." She whispered.

"Well, that's why you took her in, to pay back for what he did." Victoria said and remained quiet for a long time. "I think she likes the house." She then said.

Noemí nodded and smiled. "Yes, she does." She said. They turned to look at the kitchen window, and watched as Michaela and Terri talked, busy with something. "So, Ms. Rich Girl Michaela Cavanaugh cooks, eh?" Noemí laughed softly.

Victoria's eyes gazed at Michaela with something Noemí had never seen. "Yes," She said, and smiled. "And she cooks deliciously."

Noemí pulled back and looked at her then punched her lightly on the shoulder. "Ha, you're in love already!"

Victoria feigned pain. "So?" She responded, punching her back. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there? It's about time I knew what it was like!" She threw herself upon Noemí, feigning brawling with her, and Noemí happily responded to her.

***

Michaela looked out the kitchen window at them. "I always knew Victoria was crazy, but Noemí?" She said with a laugh.

Terri peeked out too, and laughed when she saw that Noemí and Victoria were rolling on the grassy ground of the backyard. "Yeah," She said. "I think Noemí has finally lightened up a bit." She paused and watched them, then she turned away to face Michaela. "I didn't know her before, but I know that the one I know now is not the one that belongs. At least she's started to talk about what happened."

Michaela nodded. "Thanks to your strong hand, though." She said with a flick of her finger. "It seems, from what Victoria has told me, that she has been drinking progressively for about two years, since her full recovery, and that they were never able to get through to her."

Terri smiled absently, going back to chopping the lettuce. "Yes," She said. "When I was with Anthony, from my understanding of what he told me of his parents, they've always spoiled their children, even Victoria, who's not theirs." Michaela nodded agreement. "And when they saw that their daughter was falling apart, they tried to help her with unconditional love. I'm sure tough love works better when you're trying to help a child who is closed and not listening. Both Noemí and Anthony, in their own way are a handful."

Michaela was smiling at her. "And how do you know all of this?" She asked teasingly.

Terri smiled back and patted her growing stomach. "I already feel like a mother, and I'm thinking of what I'd do if my baby were in the situation Noemí is in." She responded.

Michaela grinned at her, and they stopped their conversation when Noemí and Victoria came into the kitchen to join them. Both women were dusting each other off, shedding leaves and dirt freely. Michaela threw them out of the kitchen to clean themselves up, not wanting dirt on the food.

When Victoria and Noemí returned to the kitchen, cleaner now, they sat down to eat, and talked about Natalie's birthday, about what presents to get her, and about names for Terri's baby. Terri said she hadn't thought of any yet, and reminded Noemí to eat her food.

***

When Victoria and Michaela left, Noemí sent Terri to bed, deciding to do the dishes herself. Sleepy, Terri trudged down the hall and into her bedroom, not bothering to close the door. As soon as her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep. What seemed like minutes later, she felt a heavy shift on her bed. About to scream, she sat up frantically, to find someone sitting beside her on the bed. "It's me, Noemí." A soft whisper and Terri relaxed with a sigh, able to tell apart the shadow of Noemí's body in the darkness.

"What's wrong?" She asked softly, feeling the bed tremble. Noemí didn't answer. "Noemí?"

"I can't sleep." It was another soft whisper.

Terri looked at her alarm clock, and saw that it was already three o'clock in the morning. She reached out and touched Noemí's cheek softly; it felt cold to her warm fingers. "What have you been doing all this time?" She asked gently. She'd been asleep since about ten thirty. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Trying." Noemí's voice came low and strained. "I can't close my eyes." She trembled, and made a move to get off the bed. "I'm sorry, I'll let you-"

Terri reached out again and pulled her by the shirt back onto the bed. "Stay here." She said softly and lay back down, pulling Noemí down too. She felt Noemí shift on the bed with a contended sigh, resting her head on Terri's welcoming arm, throwing her arm over her waist and pressing herself close. Her body trembled and Terri felt strange, being so small and taking care of such a big and strong woman. "What's wrong?" She asked softly, running her fingers through Noemí's hair.

Noemí pressed her face against her shoulder, and she trembled. "I can't close my eyes," She said again. "I can't stop remembering."

Terri felt a tender pity for Noemí, and touched her face with her other hand. "It's okay, you can close them now. I'm right here." She whispered, and turned her face to kiss her forehead gently. She felt Noemí relaxing against her, and soon, heard her soft breathing, indicating she had fallen asleep.

When she woke the next morning, Noemí had already left.