Saving Zola

8

"Buenos días." Miguel entered the room with a bouquet of roses and a small black bag. Zola was in so much pain from the beating she'd taken last night that the only thing she could do was lie there and follow him with her eyes. He stood there for a second, his olive skin, curly ponytail and a black tracksuit. He adjusted the several gold necklaces around his neck and came over to her and standing beside the bed. He bent down to place a small kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean it. I just... I just lost control. I'm dealin with a lot and you make it hard when you don't do what I say." Miguel sat the roses down beside her and kneeled down stroking her swollen lips with his thumb. Zola cringed inwardly. "I love you and I don't wanna do this, ma." She allowed a few tears to escape her eyes unsure of what to do or say. Of course he loved her. He just made a slip up. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you," she whispered. "And I forgive you."

"I won't do it again. I promise."

She nodded her head and lifted her hand to stoke his cheek. "Okay."

"Can you get up? I ran you a bath."

Zola shifted to move but whimpered slightly at the pain in her side. She was caught off guard when he took her in his arms and picked her up bridal style. He carried her to the bathroom and her eyes lit up upon seeing the sight before her. There were roses that led to the steps of the tub, candles, and rose petals spread in the bubble water. Miguel helped her take off her clothes and placed her bruised body in the tub. She hissed slightly as the hot water made contact with her battered body.

"I'll be right back."

She didn't know what to say, what to think, what to do. She just stared at him in complete shock that this was her life now.

"I got this for you." He held up a small diamond pendant and hooked it around her neck. She looked down at it glistening against the candle light and toyed with it with her fingers. He feels guilty.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "It's beautiful."

Miguel took her hand in his and smiled. "You're beautiful." He kissed the palm of her hand. "So I was thinkin that me and you can go do somethin today, hmm?"

"Like what?"

"Hmm you put on somethin pretty, I take you to the movies? Then I'll take you to lunch and put some food in that pretty little belly of yours?"

She smiled at him again. "Yeah. I'd like that."

*

When she got out of the bathtub Miguel told her to get dressed. She'd strategically put on makeup to cover the slight bruising on her face and put on a pair of skinny jeans and a pink sweatshirt. She threw on a pair of Converse her mom packed and curled her hair. She applied lipgloss and grabbed her purse. "I'm ready," she smiled at him.

He pressed the elevator button and walked her to his car opening the door for her and driving off.

"Pick which movie you wanna watch," he whispered placing his hand on the small of her back.

"Frozen?" she suggested still oblivious to her childish tendencies.

His eyes widened at the suggestion. "Girl I ain't sittin through no cartoon and singin." Zola saw his eyes dart around to the people staring at them and he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. Yeah, we can watch Frozen. It's cool."

She smiled slightly and ordered a large popcorn and two sodas. Miguel held out his hands signaling that he'd carry the items and she put her arm through his.

Halfway through the movie he put his arm around her and pulled her close giving her warm fuzzies inside. "This movie is actually good. Great choice, baby."

Zola looked up at him and smiled, rubbing her nose against his. That was the guy she fell in love with. "I told you it was a good movie." She kissed him tenderly eliciting a moan from him. "And what's for lunch?"

"I was thinking we could go to umm, Per Se."

Zola gasped and clutched her chest. She'd never been anywhere so fancy. "Per Se? You do know I look like I'm going to a carnival, right?"

"I picked out a nice dress and left it in the trunk. Heels and all."

"How can you afford all that?"

"You keep your pretty little head on your shoulders, hm?"

She bit her lip and nodded. Per Se was an expensive restaurant that she'd always wanted to go to. Everything was beautiful and fresh and Olivia never had time.

After dinner he held the door for her and she slid in the car taking off her heels. Miguel had treated her so nice, so special, that the only reminded of the previous night was her sore ribs. It was like he was another man. It was the Miguel that she first fell in love with and she prayed that he'd stay that way.

*

Zola got out of the shower and stared in the mirror at herself. She'd made the mistake of questing about his line of work and pressed too hard and he'd worked her again over again. She was so confused about Miguel she didn't know what to do. One minute he was worshipping and making love to her but the next he was shoving crack up her nose and hitting her with as much force as he could muster. Zola's torso was covered in bruises from the previous night along with the fresh ones and her nose still felt funny but she marveled at how the drug took away most of the pain, made her feel alive and... free. "It was just one hit," she whispered. "I'm no addict and he's a good guy." She knew she was trying to convince herself but Olivia had taught her better than that. Her mother taught her to be strong, fearless, to know her worth and never let any man treat her less than the princess she was. But there she stood at the mercy of a drug head. She bowed her head and the tears dropped from her cheeks to the top of her chest. "I'm sorry, mom."

Miguel knocked on the door and Zola turned so that her back was to him pretending to put on deodorant so that he wouldn't see her tears.

"Almost done- Woah, baby you look amazing." She could practically feel him sweeping her body with his eyes. She could hear the excitement in his voice and she knew the drugs had taken affect on him. Zola closed her eyes as she heard him step further into the bathroom and her body stiffened as his hands roamed her body. She suddenly felt ill. He'd just beaten he'd for God's sake! Again. Miguel turned her towards the mirror and held her hips. "You're so beautiful," he whispered and a single tear slid down her cheek. She didn't know what was beautiful about her anymore but it certainly wasn't her black and purple body or her stupid brain. Her eyes caught his wandering hands and she knew exactly what he wanted. "Bend over."

She let a whimper escape her lips as she did what she was told. She didn't want another remake of last night. "Please," she whispered. "I'm still hurt."

"I won't hurt you." He kissed the back of her neck and guided her hands to the edge of the bathroom sink. "I love you."

"I don't want this."

"Hey!" his voice boomed. "You don't tell me no, okay? I'm taking care of you so you give me what I want in return."

Zola closed her eyes as she gripped the edge of the cold marble until her knuckles turned white. She looked down at her coral painted toes that she'd done when she and Olivia spent the day together. Even though she and Olivia fought, her toenails signified a better time, a calmer life. She was innocent, just a rebel trying to find her way. She got lost in the color, the way the glitter sparkled against the bathroom light. Zola had painted Olivia's too and it was truly some of her best work. Why couldn't she just listen to her mom? Olivia was right. She was always right. Zola swallowed the bile rising in her throat as she felt him enter her. "Ow!"