Sugah & Spice (47 page)

             
He later discovered that she loved the playtime they had on that subject matter. It was their bonding time whenever they weren’t able to see each other since she and her two brothers traveled a lot for their careers. Corrin loved and adored her older brothers. They had always protected her and to this very day, if she needed them, they would be there no questions asked.

             
Cooking gave her peace of mind. And since cooking was a family pastime, Corrin gravitated to it. At the tiny age of five, Corrin would sit in the kitchen watching her mother and grandmother prepare any dish imagined, taking it all in. She knew what each spice was used for, how to season without using a measuring cup, and even how to mix and match certain spices to create different flavors. By the time she was in middle school, Corrin could make all of those dishes she watched her mother and grandmother prepare and then some she created when she was home alone.

             
In high school, she made extra money by baking any dessert requested by classmates, faculty and other student body. Sometimes on the weekends she catered parties for her friends,
although, they didn’t know she was the one preparing the food. They just figured her mother was the one who prepared all of the delicious food and Corrin was the one who served it at the parties.

             
The demand for her food became a hit throughout the city where she lived, but surprisingly, her parents never found out about it. Even her brothers didn’t question her when they came home and told her about someone wanting her to call them about food for a party. Secretly, Corrin knew her brothers was well aware of her hidden talent, because a few times she was in the kitchen, she let them sample a few new creations, which they loved.

             
She knew that if they did know, they would keep her secret as long as she wanted them too. That only made the bond they had much stronger and trustworthy. Suddenly, the joking about her not being able to cook wasn’t as much the topic of conversation during family gatherings, which Charlie told her on one of their phone conversations.

Corrin smiled missing her brothers but quickly drifted back down memory lane. It was if she was there, on that particular day, not just reminiscing about it
but reliving it
. Tears fall endlessly down her cheeks.

             
After she kissed Charlie tenderly, with great admiration and desire, they went their
separate
ways to their places of employment
,
that horrendous day. Charlie was a Construction Development Engineer, and Corrin, a Freelance Writer for several nationally known newspapers and magazines. This gave her freedom to travel with Charlie whenever he had to leave the country. That is
,
when she wasn’t traveling somewhere herself.

             
In fact, they met in Europe while Corrin was doing a piece about the fashion industry in France, and Charlie was overseeing a development not too far away. They walked into an overly crowded restaurant and after waiting almost an hour for a table for one, decided to dine together. They hit it off like old friends and the chemistry between them was intoxicating. Exchanging numbers, they noticed that they lived in the same city. Barley was a small town just outside Jacksonville, Florida. “What a small world,” Charlie said smiling shyly. He knew that she would indeed become his bride.

             
When they got back to the states, they made plans to get together for dinner. Corrin couldn’t remember who called first, and it didn’t matter so as long as the call was made and she received a husband out of it. She and Charlie had many things in common, even having attended the same college and having a few mutual friends. All the memories Corrin shared with Charlie, overwhelmed her and she found herself unable to stop crying.

             
The day the police came to her office downtown, which she shared with her friend Constance, was one that changed her life forever. Corrin relived that painful, tragic day as if it were yesterday. She was in her office working on a political piece featuring the first black family to live in the white house. Being so inspired and excited to write the piece for Time magazine, Corrin jumped right into her work. She had been so deep in concentration, close to completing her draft to send over to the magazine for approval; she did not notice the two police officers walking into her office with Constance. Clearing her throat, Constance walked around the desk to stand next to her. Corrin knew at that moment something terrible had happened.

             
Corrin replayed the entire conversation in her head. “Constance, what’s going on?” Turning from Constance to the officers, Corrin offered them a seat. “No thank you,” one of the officers said barely able to look her in the eyes. “What seems to be the problem then officers? If you don’t mind, I have a close deadline, so can we please make this quick so that I can get back to work?”

             
By that time, Corrin was scared, rudeness being her defense mechanism. Although she didn’t mean anything by it, she hated being left in the dark, especially when she had more important things to do. Both officers removed their hats. Taking a deep breath, the first officer tried to speak, but the other one took over sensing his inability to say the evitable.

             
“Mrs. Ruston, there has been a terrible accident. We need you come down to the morgue to identify a body. We believe that it is your husband
,
Charles Ruston.” Corrin laughed despite the butterflies swarming in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t think so
,
Officers. I have a lot of work to do today, besides, Charlie is at work. In fact, I just spoke with him about an hour ago. So the person you think is my husband couldn’t possibly in.” Corrin’s voice was firm, but the officers spoke on.

             
“There was a horrible accident on the expressway this morning and your husband was involved. I am sorry to have to tell you this, but he was killed instantly. The other driver was text messaging on her cell phone, crossed a few lines and hit him head on.  I am pretty sure he didn’t suffer, but I am truly sorry. There were also others involved in the accident. There were a total of four fatalities. We found your husband’s wallet, and now we are here.”

             
Corrin couldn’t breathe. What was the officer saying? Her Charlie was at work. She immediately picked up the phone on her desk. After only receiving his voicemail, panic arose inside her. Constance reached for her hand to calm her, but there was nothing anyone could do. “I don’t believe you. How could you come in here and say such things about my husband? I want both of your names
and badge numbers
! I am going to report you for playing this sick joke!
I am going to have your jobs!
”

             
The officers gave their
information
with tears in their eyes. That was one part of the job that they all hated, and at that very moment
,
one of them wished he would have finished medical school like his father wanted him to. For this part of the job never got easier. Constance tried to contain Corrin who was now on her feet lunging toward the officers. “I have to go! I have to go home and wait for Charlie, he will be home soon.
I don’t believe either of you! How dare you,
”
she shouted at the officers.

             
Constance grabbed Corrin consoling her as best she could. Charlie was one of her dear friends, and she had stood as matron-of-honor in their wedding. Her own husband was Charlie’s best friend. How was she going to tell Marcus that his friend was dead? How was she going to be there for Corrin and him
,
and make sure everything else was taken care? Constance prayed right there for strength to overcome that sad occasion. She prayed for grace and mercy on Corrin’s behalf. And although she knew it was true, Constance prayed asking God for it not to be.
             
Constance immediately called Marcus and Corrin’s parents to meet them at the address she gave. She didn’t know it or not if they knew where they were going and that didn’t matter either, because Constance could not bring herself to say the name “morgue” and Charlie in the same sentence.

             
When they got to the morgue, Corrin was as white as a ghost. She was shaking immensely, unable to keep her balance. The two officers held her by each arm keeping her from falling on the cold, gray tiled floor. When her parents and Marcus saw her, they knew something terrible had happened, but what? They all rushed to Corrin’s side trying to find out what was going one.

             
It was extremely cold and drafty in that place; Corrin remembered sipping from her glass. When the attendant asked her to sign before she could enter, she was barely able to hold the pen. Her father took the pen from her and quickly signed for her. He was disgusted by the attendant and under any other circumstance; he would have given him a stern talking to on a lesson in
manners.
As he walked in front of them eating his lunch like nothing, Corrin wanted to smack him in the back of the head. He held no compassion for her
.
H
e didn’t even acknowledge her, until one of the officers gave him a stern look, warning him of his outlandish behavior. Marcus shook his head and made a mental note to speak with the man when everyone else left. He couldn’t believe how cold-hearted the guy was.

             
Corrin remembered the morgue as if it were only yesterday that she had been there. The steel portals side by side, in rows of five, sparkled like water. They looked lively and somehow comfortable, Corrin thought watching as the attendant found the one that held her Charlie. When he unlocked and uncovered the body, Corrin fainted. It was her Charlie unrecognizable, mangled beyond belief.

             
The only way she knew it was him for sure was by the Purple Heart tat
too with her initials
he had on his left arm
,
that he got on their wedding night. Her favorite color and a sy
mbol of his undying love
, he told her. She too surprised him with a matching tattoo, only green, his favorite color
,
with his name on it. They laughed, making love endlessly that night, exploring each other’s bodies for the first time, because they decided to wait until they were married. Both being Christians, they didn’t want to disobey God, in fear of losing each other.

             
The only thing Corrin could do was say to the attendant and officers before fainting were, “
t
hat’s him.” How could something so tragic happen to them? They were not bad people. They went to church, served in different ministries, and paid their tithes consistently. They always helped people. Never treated anyone different, or looked down upon anyone. What had they done to make God angry with them? God had truly turned his back on them, Corrin thought, vowing at that very minute that she would do the same thing to him. She didn’t need a God like that.

             
That day changed her life drastically. And although it had been
almost three
years since it, Corrin relived it every day. The three year anniversary of Charlie’s death was in a week, and Corrin was heartbroken all over again, just as she was the previous two years. Would the pain become less bearable, she wondered.

             
Corrin looked down at the emptied glass. She poured herself another. Her life was sad. She still worked freelance, but it held no enjoyment as it once did. Charlie made it all worth-while and now he was gone. Still doing exceptional work, it didn’t burn within her as before. The fire went out when Charlie was taken from her.

             
Just then, Corrin heard a voice. “I am still with you my love. Just let God show you the way.” Corrin jumped, looking around the darkened house. Her mind was playing tricks on her. “I have had too much to drink,” she said out loud. “I must be really drunk. I am hearing voices.” Corrin laughed despite being afraid. Charlie was dead
.
H
e couldn’t possibly be speaking to her.

             
Slowly, Corrin got up from the sofa walking into the kitchen. When she looked around the room, she almost lost it. Dirty dishes were everywhere, the smell on rotten food filled the air, and there were three emptied bottles of wine sitting on the island countertop.

             
Once upon a time, the kitchen had been her favorite place in the house, except for the master bedroom. Lately, she didn’t even make it up the stairs to the bed before falling asleep, drunk on the sofa or in the downstairs guestroom. Looking at the various amenities in the kitchen, Corrin thought of the first time she stepped foot into the house. Charlie had been working overtime, and she felt lonely and taken for granted.

             
One day, she went to see her parents and overheard her father talking to Charlie on the phone. “Son, you cannot let her find out. If she does, all of this will be ruined. Try to finish before your wife gets too suspicious,” her father told Charlie.

             
Corrin was devastated that her father would encourage Charlie to cheat on her. She walked in on him shouting. “Daddy, how could you! I trusted you. How could you just sit there and let the man that I love have an affair and not do anything?” The look on her father’s face was still priceless.