Love Is Blind - The Biography. (Norminah)

No. 7

Research.

As I mentioned before, I love it. I love finding out more about things, why they're named as they are, why they look like they do... It was just interesting to find things out.

But later that day, when I went home from Dinah's, instead of researching Normani Kordei as I had intended to, I found myself researching Dinah's condition - which, mind you, she was completely in control of - it was ridiculous.

Cataracts.

The reason for cataracts weren't known, but it was when the transparent lens of the eye became cloudy, obviously messing with your vision. That's why Dinah could barely see. She was slowly starting to go blind.

And that night, I remember it so clearly, I sat with my head in my hands, again suffering from insomnia. I didn't know what to do.

The next day, Lauren opened the door for me like it was nothing, teasing me as she always did, but Dinah... I could see a change in her. I decided not to push on any buttons today, and asked her if she wanted to add anything more to the book.

She told me some story that I could barely remember because I was so focused on her eyes. They were so... funny looking. It was like there was something in them. I couldn't place my finger on it. Okay, yes, obviously, it was cataracts... but I'm talking about an emotion. It's a connotation of sad, but it isn't sadness in her eyes. Luckily my tape recorder came in handy - I'd just listen to whatever she was talking about later.

"Loneliness." Lauren mumbles as she comes to stand next to me as I stand in Dinah's usual spot, looking out the window.

"What?" I ask, completely confused. She hadn't even said hello.

"Loneliness." She repeats as she watches the dogs play fighting in the yard. She'd brought her dog along too, and they were just having so much fun... or they were so angry? I can't tell the dogs' emotions as well as I can, humans. "In Dinah's eyes. I know you see it."

"I do." I sigh as I put my arms that were folded across my chest, down at my sides. "I don't know what to do." I admit. "I mean, I want her to see... but then if she doesn't want to, I can't force her."

"Dinah is stubborn as hell." Lauren agreed. "She gave up too soon."

"Gave up on what?" I ask, curious now.

"Gave up on being able to see." She sighs. "Dinah... has been single for a very long time. I mean, sure she's dated people here and there... but they just haven't compared to Normani."

I raise my eyebrows at this new information. But I mean, it was true. I hadn't seen headlines of Dinah dating anyone, and I mean anyone. My eyebrows raised a little more towards my hairline as a thought ran through my head.

"Hey, weren't you and her best friends?" I ask, and it just seems strange to me, but in my head, I cannot place Lauren next to Normani, and then call them friends. Let alone best friends.

"Who? Normani?"

"Yeah."

"We were." Lauren bites her lip as she looks at the ground. "But that all changed when she decided to dump Dinah, and leave the rest of us in the dust."

I nodded silently. I didn't want to push for more information, so I decided I'd wait. But I must say, even though Normani somewhat "abandoned" the three of them, I admire their love for each other. They hadn't hit thirty yet, but they were still friends from high school? Goals.

Dinah's condition deteriorated. She went from seeing in the light only, to seeing figures and then to seeing barely anything. She sported a pair of dark Ray Bans around the house during the day, but it was only because she claimed that she didn't want to be seen looking awkward.