Soul's Survivor

by Navi' Robins

“Yep, during the interview, I want you to apologize to me. No specifics, just something sweet and genuine.”

  Timothy almost exploded into a tirade of anger, but he knew there was too much at stake, so he agreed to her demands and quickly left before she asked him for something else that he wasn’t willing to give up . . .

  Chapter 21

  Resurrection

  Daniel watched as Meagan and Ayana walked through his condo’s door with worried anticipation. Ayana’s posture seemed weak and subdued, while Meagan strutted into his condo with long, quick strides. She dropped her purse on the floor, glaring at Daniel like a hawk staring down a mouse. He slowly closed the door and walked over to the living area.

  “Would any of you like something to dri—”

  “No, we won’t be here long,” Meagan snarled back. Ayana was already seated on the couch, and she refused to look Daniel or Meagan in the eyes. Daniel became concerned and walked over to her, but Meagan suddenly cut him off.

  “Dr. Bennett, now is not the time. Please, have a seat!”

  At that moment, Daniel had reached his fill of Meagan’s aggressive nature and decided to set her straight.

  “No, you have a seat. You are in my house, and although we made a mistake, you will not speak to me like a child. I pay the mortgage here, and you won’t make me feel uncomfortable in my own shit. So, sit your rude ass down. Let’s get this over with, so Ayana and I can move on with our lives together.”

  Taken aback by the doctor’s response, Meagan immediately sat down, looking puzzled. She was used to ordering people around, including men, and very few of them had the balls to stand up to her. She believed that the doctor wasn’t confident enough to stand up to her, and his reaction threw her off completely. Hearing Daniel’s proclamation and aggressive stance made Ayana look up and smile. Noticing Meagan’s compliance, Daniel sat down in the recliner and stared, waiting for her to begin. Clearing her throat and gathering her confidence back, Meagan leaned forward, preparing to give Daniel and Ayana the latest public polls concerning the trial.

  “Things are bad. No, things are beyond bad. After your interview with Peter Spelling, the public’s support was at 98 percent, and now we are sitting on a tearjerking 12 percent. A few new hashtags are going viral, like, ‘#AYANASASS#’ and ‘#bathroombandits#,’ and let’s not forget ‘#hornyhoax#.’ Now, no one is taking this trial or either of you seriously. Your testimony will be as valuable as ice to an Eskimo. At this point, it’s not far-fetched to assume Kronte will go free again. All because you two couldn’t stay away from each other. How fucking selfish! I just can’t believe it!

  “You are adults having sex in a bathroom in a crowded nightclub. Are you purposely trying to ruin this trial?”

  Daniel and Ayana remained silent, unable to muster up one logical reason for their actions. They were in love, and whatever they did was driven by thoughtless impulses.

  “You have nothing to say for yourselves? Ayana . . . nothing? You gave up everything for a few moments in a dark bathroom and a fist pump? Now, I have to replace you in this case, just to salvage some legitimacy going forward. Your visa will be revoked, and you will have to go back to England because of this.”

  “What do you mean she has to go back?” Daniel asked. That wouldn’t go over well for him, because he wasn’t a fan of long-distance relationships.

  “Oh yeah, once she’s no longer employed with the UN, she’ll have to go back to England, where she’s a citizen.”

  “And there’s nothing you can do to stop it?”

  “Nothing!”

  “Meagan, tell me something. What is your major concern here? Convicting Kronte or your friend’s happiness? Because I was under the assumption, you two were more than coworkers. No matter how crazy I get or behave, my friend never turned his back on me. Not once.”

  “Really? You really think so? She should’ve thought about our friendship when she mounted you in the bathroom.”

  “Actually, she didn’t mount me . . . she—”

  “Doctor! Please! I don’t want to know what position you tried in there! My point is, she didn’t care, so why should I?”

  “Because she’s your friend. That’s why you should care.”

  Meagan flung her hands in Daniel’s direction, smacking her lips while turning her body to the right and away from his direct line of sight.

  “Whatever, Doctor. You know what I should care about?” she yelled while storming over to the LCD screen mounted on the wall. “What’s on this godforsaken television? Let me show you what I should care about!” Meagan then snatched the remote control from the dark brown leather ottoman and began switching channels from one news broadcast to the next. Each one seemed to be covering the same thing, “Bathroomgate.” Soon, she made her way to Fox News, and she dropped the remote control when she recognized the smiling face covering the entire seventy inches of high-definition real estate. It was Timothy on TV, smiling while comfortably sitting in a room with several other African Americans. The other people in the room had an uncanny resemblance to the doctor, and it didn’t take long for her to conclude that it was his family who was also being interviewed at a remote location by the Fox News tyrant Kelly Dewitt.

  Throwing her hands in the air, she turned to Daniel, screaming, “Oh yeah, what a friend indeed you have in Timothy! That motherfucker is a turncoat! I can’t believe it. Can it get any worse?”

  As if God were answering her question, a video began playing on the screen, showing one of Daniel’s more violent night terror attacks. The video was highly disturbing as Daniel screamed, and his body convulsed until he fell off the bed onto the floor with a loud thump. Meagan collapsed back in her chair and appeared to be weeping as the video played in its entirety.

  Daniel felt the desire to jump up and turn off the TV, but Ayana moved closer to him and held on to his arm. He looked at her, and she smiled. She wanted him to see where he started and how far he’s come since those terrible nightmares. It was time for him to start seeing himself as a victor instead of a victim. Daniel reluctantly remained seated, but fire burned in his chest for Timothy, and his family’s betrayal was not extinguished. He braced himself for a visual and verbal fucking by those closest to him.

  Immediately after the video ran its course, Kelly Dewitt began her narrative with such emotional vigor that it almost seemed like she were taking what she just saw personally.

  “Now, this is a revealing and disturbing video of the man that everyone claimed was a hero and fit to testify before the International Courts. But it’s obvious he is in no shape to testify nor fit to be a doctor with people’s lives in his hands daily. How many people have lost their lives because this doctor isn’t mentally stable to do such an important job properly? There are so many variables here, but they all point to lies and dangerous secrets.

  “Dr. Avers, it was you that brought this video to our studios, and I want to thank you personally for exposing this fraud of a hero. And Dr. Bennett is your friend, correct?”

  “Yes, Kelly, Dr. Bennett and I have been close friends since college.”

  “If that’s so, why would you expose this disturbing video of your friend? What did the American people just watch?”

  “I brought it to the American people’s attention so that the entire truth can be known. No more secrets or half-truths about my friend and his relationship with Ayana. And what we just saw on the video is just one of the many violent nightmares Dr. Bennett was experiencing since his return from Sudan.”

  “Did he seek professional help to deal with these ‘night terrors’?”

  “Absolutely. He saw around four or five doctors and psychologists, and none of them could help him. It got so bad that one day, I walked into his office to find him lost in a daze, pointing a gun at his head. It was a frightening sight, and I’m just happy he’s made it thus far without taking his own life.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened the more she listened to Timothy tell it all. She became so excited that she almost lea
ped out of her chair in triumph.

  This is so much better than interviewing that boring-ass governor.

  “So, basically, what you are saying here today is the doctor is mentally unstable and, in fact, could be a liability to the trial?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t—”

  “C’mon, Dr. Avers, I know he’s your friend, but as a doctor and the leading researcher in cancer treatments, you have to admit your friend’s mental instability is more of a danger than what he let on the other night. Then when you add on this secret relationship between himself and the UN representative that just so happens to not only be his adopted daughter’s biological mother, but also the exwife of Kronte himself, it just stinks of scandal, cover-ups, and personal vendettas. He attempted to defraud the public’s sympathy, and while everyone was championing his cause, he was in some shady nightclub having sex in a public bathroom like they owned the place.

  “No, Dr. Avers, you may not be brave enough to call a spade a spade, but I am, and I’m calling it as I see it. This whole thing is a sham, a farce, and the truth needs to be told today, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. You opened this door by revealing this video and talking to me here today, so it’s best you reveal all the skeletons in that dark bathroom. The American people deserve no less!”

  When Kelly was done, she looked into the camera with pride, waiting for Timothy’s response. She was used to exposing people and tearing them down to nothing. Today wasn’t going to be any different. She wanted Timothy and Dr. Bennett’s family to know she had a home court advantage, and there was no way they were going to leave with the victory here this evening. When she was done with them and the lying Dr. Bennett, they wouldn’t be able to walk the streets without being heckled and ridiculed.

  Timothy seemed to be uncomfortable as he continuously readjusted himself in the chair he was sitting in inside the Bennetts’ family room. There were bright camera lights everywhere with cameramen and makeup artists standing around waiting for his response. He appeared to regret doing the interview, but suddenly, he looked up at the ceiling and smiled. Exhaling deeply, he looked into the cameras and began to speak with a confidence that wasn’t present at the beginning of the interview.

  “Well, Kelly, I want to thank you for encouraging me to be more forthcoming concerning Dr. Bennett’s condition. So, here’s the truth. During the time I recorded that video, Dr. Bennett was definitely a liability and unstable. And it was during that time when Ayana and other UN representatives approached him, and he declined to assist them.”

  “But—”

  “I’m not done, Kelly,” Timothy interrupted. “After that night, I contacted Ayana Burundi because she’s a crisis counselor for survivors of war and massacres. At first, they couldn’t stand to be around each other, but after I explained what the doctor was experiencing and that his life was at stake, she agreed to help him, even though he’d already declined to help them. For her treatment to be effective in such an extreme case of survivor’s remorse, she had to move in with Dr. Bennett.

  “During this time, neither of them knew of the other’s past, and Ms. Burundi didn’t tell Dr. Bennett of her previous so-called marriage to the warlord Kronte. Truth is, Kronte murdered her parents in one of his many massacres, and he raped her as a young teenager, repeatedly, and claimed her as his wife—no ceremony, no ring, no honeymoon. I don’t know a woman on the planet that would call that a marriage and run around telling every man she dates—not one.

  “The two of them became close, of course, while living under the same roof, and as the relationship blossomed, she began to reveal her past connection to Kronte. This past Thanksgiving, both of them found out the baby that Kronte took from her arms the night she was born was actually Dr. Bennett’s adopted daughter, Victoria. In this room, I have several witnesses that can attest to her reaction after seeing Victoria’s photos and discovering that she was, in fact, her child. Now, why didn’t the doctor reveal that on the show? Who would? Do you want to turn on the television and hear about your child’s death repeatedly? I don’t think anyone wants to endure that every day, all day.”

  Kelly looked at the camera with her head slightly turned, and her mouth twisted to one side of her face. Shaking her head, she exhaled and pointed at the camera angrily.

  “Dr. Avers, are you seriously trying to make me believe that these two were brought together through some kind of hocus-pocus destiny or something? Nothing happens that way in the real world—nothing. Things are planned, and this has careful planning written all over it.”

  “Sorry, Kelly, but I don’t think anyone can plan this kind of connection. The UN has recorded conversations and sessions between the two of them. Oh, trust me, it doesn’t get any more real than this. Now, on the topic of the doctor’s mental stability, Ayana did what five other doctors couldn’t, and the man in the video isn’t the man that everyone saw during that interview. Before Ayana’s help, he couldn’t even say his daughter’s name, let alone talk in detail about the events of that day. Now, he can. As previous interviews with his coworkers revealed, they all have seen a sudden, positive change in him, and the fact that he was free within himself enough to be in that bathroom that night speaks volumes of his progress. Let’s not judge about their choice of location, because I’m sure there are very few sexually active people in this city that haven’t found themselves having sex in unconventional places.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Doctor. I’m a native Chicagoan, and I’ve never—”

  “You’re telling me you’ve never had a secret rendezvous on the lake, Kelly? C’mon, Kelly . . . c’mon, now,” Timothy interrupted with a mischievous grin on his face. His grin and tone of voice made Kelly blush and giggle. “No self-respecting Chicagoan can say they didn’t,” he continued.

  “Moving on,” she said, clearing her throat, “we can delve into odd places to have sex on a different night. Tonight, we are talking about your friend, Dr. Bennett, his girlfriend, and their irresponsible behavior.”

  “I agree they can be irresponsible, but ‘frauds’ and ‘insincere’ are inaccurate. They are more dedicated than anyone I know to this case and trial.”

  Then from behind Timothy, the deep and intimidating voice of Pastor Bennett chimed in. His voice demanded attention, and every camera in the room turned in his direction.

  “I would like to add that although I may not condone my son’s choice in places to be intimate, I can say that this union between my son and Ayana is divine intervention. You are a God-fearing Christian woman, aren’t you, Kelly?”

  “Yes, I am,” she responded with pride.

  “Great, so you understand that sometimes a higher power is the orchestrator of our lives. For the two of them to find each other at this time in their lives and fall in love isn’t a coincidence. This is destiny, and I don’t think the American people would want any other group of people to spearhead the task of bringing down a monster like Kronte, than two people in love who have shared in Kronte’s treachery. Of course, it’s personal, and even if they didn’t see each other romantically, it would still remain personal. Kronte has done a terrible thing on this earth, and he needs to be brought to justice and prevented from continuing his reign of terror. His evil ways took our grandbaby from us, but it also brought her birth mother into our lives. She saved my son’s life and asked for nothing in return—no monetary compensation or pat on the back.

  “My son was just an empty shell until Ayana helped him to cope with his guilt and remorse. He’ll never be the same man he was before we lost Victoria, but now he is free to feel again, and for that, we are eternally grateful to her. Now, that’s the truth, and you can do with it as you will.”

  Kelly looked down and smiled, realizing what just happened. She just lost home court advantage in a manner of minutes. It was a well-planned ambush, and she walked right into it. They let her tear the doctor down, make him a threat to himself and others, and then they used Ayana to build him up. They wanted the publ
ic to see how his relationship with Ayana was a blessing and that their relationship was the best thing that could happen for this trial. By the time the interview was over, Kelly was certain that the viewing public would also be convinced. It was a masterful coup d’état, and although she was furious, she was also impressed. Her producer also noticed what she did, and when she was removing her earpiece, he walked over to her looking angry and confused.

  “What the fuck was that?” he asked while pointing at the cameras.

  “That, Bill, was a family. A real family, and they just turned this thing around for the doctor and the UN. At this point, those two could have sex in the Daley Center courtyard in broad daylight, and no one would care. In fact, they might actually cheer them on. People love drama, but what people love even more is a story of redemption, and they gave the viewers both tonight. Damn it! I should’ve seen that coming!”

  “Yeah, but Dr. Avers played the part very well. He opened the door for you, and I don’t know anyone that would have left it alone. He made it so easy. And to think we cancelled the governor for that. Although it was a great show, it wasn’t what we were going for. Someone’s gonna lose their job over this.”

  “Yep, that silly bitch, Julie. I heard she was all ‘lovey-dovey’ with Dr. Avers earlier.”

  “Yeah, I heard the same, but I doubt she knew what he was up to.”

  “Doesn’t matter. That bitch set this up, and this interview was supposed to be the nail in the coffin, but it looks like their image has been resurrected, and they used her to do it. Fuck me! Those fuckers were good!”

  “That Dr. Avers was a fine specimen, wouldn’t you agree?” Bill asked while waving his hand in front of his face, fanning himself, as if he were getting hot. Kelly jerked around and looked at Bill with a disgusted frown on her face, shaking her head.

  “Bill, one thing you should remember is I am actually a God-fearing Christian woman, and although legally I have to work with you, I don’t want to hear about your sinful lifestyle and lust for other men. Get away from me with that foolishness!”