Healing Inc. by Deneice Tarbox Page A

fill the void, which was a little more affective.  Over the last twelve years it had virtually disappeared.  Then my ex-boyfriend’s parents contacted me last March.  They asked me to sing at a memorial service to honor him on the twelve year anniversary of his death.  His dad had been overseas when he died and never really got to say goodbye.” 
     
    “Apparently, they had been searching for me to do this for a long time since I had broken all ties with them once I moved here.  A friend of mine back home felt sorry for them and set the whole thing up.  I saw no harm in it…it had been so long and the nightmares and the panic attacks had subsided.  He wasn’t the best boyfriend but I had found peace in knowing that the drugs, not him, were responsible for a lot of his foul behavior.  Unfortunately, I underestimated the power of the past.  That very night, after performing for the first time in years, the nightmares and other symptoms were back in full force.  God I hate this!”  She stood and moved across the room, crossing her arms in frustration as she gazed out the window.
     
    “It never really goes away; you just learn to live with it.  Once you figure out what the triggers are it becomes easy if you avoid them.”  He took up the place she had vacated against his desk.  Evy slowly turned back to face him.  He had his hands in his pockets and a troubled look on his face.  She wasn’t sure where he was going with this. 
     
    “One of the reasons my mother started leaving me with the Wilsons was because my uncle persuaded her to.  She, my mother that is, use to shack up with any low life willing to take us in, all to sustain her destructive lifestyle.  By the time I turned seven I had changed schools four times.  When I was eight she happened to meet one that was a little too interested in me.  He even offered to keep me while she went out partying.  She didn’t stay sober enough to notice that he had an affinity for little boys.” 
     
    Evy’s eyes grew wide at what she was hearing.  He gave her a quick look then continued, his eyes cast down.  “Whenever we were alone he would do things to me, touch me in places.  When he was finished he would warn me not to tell anyone or he would kill my mom.  She wasn’t much of a mom but she was all I had.  I did love her.  I was terrified.  I started wetting the bed and having nightmares.” 
     
    “To avoid being alone with him I started staying out all night.  That’s how I met the Wilsons.  Mr. Wilson worked evenings at the bottling company in town.  He was taken aback to find me sleeping under his porch after arriving home from work one night.  I’ll never forget the look on his face.  He looked as though he’d seen a ghost.”  Tyler couldn’t help smiling at the memory of that night. 
     
    “After much coaxing, he was able to get me to come from under the porch.  He took me in the house to meet his wife who made me eat and bathe because I was so skinny and dirty.  I stayed in their spare room that night and for the first time in a long time I felt safe.  It was wonderful!  I snuck out the next morning before they woke up, easiest way to avoid interrogation.  The next night I found myself right back on their doorstep.  Mrs. Wilson let me in, no questions asked.  She figured I’d talk when I was ready to.”
     
     “One day my mother’s boyfriend tried to do his deed during the day.  My mother walked in and caught him, damn near killed him she beat on him so bad.  Without thinking ahead as to where we would go, she grabbed me and we left his home.  I ended up taking her to meet the Wilsons who took us both in until mom was willing to contact her family for help.  Apparently, my mom cared more than I thought.  She finally told my uncle, the mob king, what had been happening.  A few days later the demented boyfriend came up missing.”  He remained on the edge of his desk, his hands now in the praying