It had only been a week since I visited Gladys’s home. So much had happened. That day Gladys was worried about her daughter not returning home and by the end of the day she found out she’d never see Sondra again. At least not on this side of the earth. I prayed mother and daughter would be united again in another time.
When I arrived, I walked up to Gladys’s doorway. I could hear her television booming through the window. I rang the doorbell and stood on the steps waiting for her to answer. It seemed odd that she wouldn’t have come to pick up her grandkids if she was home.
Unless…
I’m not one to peek inside people’s windows. That’s not something I would want someone to do to me, but Gladys had a heart attack just last week. She shouldn’t have been out and from my knowledge her doctor should have had her going for some kind of rehab. It wasn’t a major heart attack, but it still took her down, at a minimum she should have been resting.
I leaned over and looked inside the window pane next to the door. The hallway was actually pretty dim except there was a light coming from down the hall. I’d only been to Gladys’s house that one time last week. I’ve never done more than have a conversation with her at church over the years. Like most folks, we headed to our own lives after church services and saw each other again the following Sunday.
I wondered if the light was coming from a room, maybe a downstairs bedroom. I laid my finger on the doorbell and rang it again, this time longer. As I rang the bell, I continued to look inside the window pane. I stepped to the side.
Nothing.
Maybe Glady just left the light on. I did that sometimes or at least until Amos and I got married. When I lived in the house alone, it helped to have an extra light on. The house didn’t feel so lonely.
I took one more look and just as I was about to turn, movement caught my eye.
Was that a shadow?
I drew closer to the window pane. There was something like a shadow on the opposite wall. Was Gladys in that room ignoring the doorbell?
I mean I’ve been known to do that too.
The last thing I hated at this time of the day, well anytime of the day, was someone at my door soliciting. Made me more grateful that Amos went ahead and got the security app. I liked the idea that I could really ignore the doorbell now if it wasn’t someone who needed to be at my door anyway.
I waited, feeling the hot rays of the sun bearing down on my neck and back.
Something wasn’t right.
Either it was my eyes playing tricks on me, or there was definitely someone moving in the room lighting the hallway.
There are moments when you do something and you don’t realize you’re being led. That’s what I felt like when I touched Gladys’s doorknob. In this day and age, people simply didn’t leave their doors open like they did when I was a little girl. The crime rate here in Charleston and the way of the world over the years garnered the need for caution.
To my surprise, Gladys’s doorknob turned and her door opened. I was so shocked, I gripped the doorknob in pure fear, conscious of my heart rate speeding up. Then I focused and took my hands off the knob to study the lock. I didn’t know anything about picking locks other than what I saw on television, but someone had been messing with this lock for sure.
On the weekend, I was known for finding one of those silly Lifetime movies where the character is about to walk into a place. As the viewer, I could see the danger, usually the camera panned to the woman on the screen making it seem like someone was watching her from the shadows. Eventually that person snuck up and attacked the woman. I looked over my shoulder seeing no one on the street or even in front of Gladys’s house.
Nope, no one was going to surprise me from behind. But who was inside?
I could almost hear Amos’s words from less than an hour ago.
Be careful, Eugeena.
I took a breath and stepped inside, attempting to reign in my imagination. Once inside, I closed the front door behind me, hoping this wasn’t classified as breaking and entering. The last thing I needed to be doing was get arrested too. As far as I was concerned my reasons for entering were legitimate. I was checking on a woman who had a heart attack last week and no one had heard from her. And the door was open.
“Gladys,” I called out. “Are you okay? Annie Mae and Willie Mae have been trying to reach you. They are keeping the kids at their house.”
Silence met me.
I should have turned around, but that movement earlier had me curious. I wasn’t trying to hear that old saying right now. Yeah, that one about curiosity killed the …
I wasn’t a four-legged creature but I would beat myself up later if something had happened to Gladys and I didn’t do everything in my power to help. For all I knew, that movement could have been her reaching out for help.
A verse came to mind and I prayed.
God, you are my protector. This is my moment to be strong and courageous because you said you would never leave me nor forsake me. I need to know Gladys is alright. Those children don’t need any more turmoil in their lives.
I made my way down the hall practically on my toes. That was quite a feat since I couldn’t recall ever having to sneak around like this.
I froze, feeling iciness crawl down my spine.
What was that noise?
I listened. Nope, nothing.
Then, a deep moan penetrated my ears causing my heart to leap again in my chest. I propelled myself to move forward though I wanted to turn and run for the door. When I peered around the doorframe, the first thing I saw was Gladys slumped down the wall. It appeared to be a bedroom, but I didn’t know if it was her bedroom or her deceased daughter’s.
I entered, “Gladys, are you okay?”
Her eyes fluttered, but didn’t focus on me. The closer I got to her, I thought perhaps she had fallen. Until… I stepped closer.
There was a gash on her head.
“Did you fall and hit your head, Gladys?”
Gladys moaned again.
I reached for my phone, which thank goodness I had slipped into my pocket before I got out of the car. I typed in the passcode. “Hold on, I will get some help.”
“No, you won’t be calling nobody.”
I froze, my finger stalled over the phone app.
Someone else was here.
My mind flashed to the door lock. Someone had picked their way in here. I glanced over at Gladys again, whose eyes now focused on someone behind me.
“Turn around.”
The voice was familiar.
I turned slowly, wondering why I didn’t listen to Amos’s warnings. And how didn’t I see this coming. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time seeing a gun up close, but the last person I expected to see was the person holding it.
At least Amos knows where to look for my body.
I let my arm drop to the side, but I had no intentions of letting go of my phone.
If something happened to me, I wanted someone to know who did it.