COFFEE ON BROADWAY'S CORNER (PART TWO)

Fictional Short Story Written by Angeline M Duran Santiago

PART TWO

                       

The following week Roberto was no where to be seen. My heart pounded as I imagines only the worse. I began to pray as I sat there. I couldn't have my cup of coffee. I had to have faith, enough faith to know he would show up. My time was up and I had to go home. Like cement on my chest, the heaviness was hard and I wanted to run through Broadway and look for Roberto.

"Be patient." My husband said, "God will take care of him." 

Two weeks went by and no sign of my friend. My funny, high spirited friend, who was dying, yet inspired wanting to live. The next Thursday I went by slowly, afraid to walk near the Dunkin Donut Shop on Broadway. I saw the usual groups of people that let you know the wrong activities were going on. Night life, drugs, prostitution, and perdition. Enough words for a sad song, any day.

There in the corner, I spotted him. If barely skin was what I saw before, there was less now but I knew it was him. He was bruised again. On the floor and shaking.

"Roberto, Roberto! ?Que pasa? Muchacho de Dios, "?Que paso con tigo? What happened" With swollen eyes, he looked up and recognized me, smiling he said, "I didn't want to dance for the demons anymore." I took out my cell phone and called my husband who helped me take him to the Emergency Room. It was there I was able to get some details from Roberto. I was able to find an old contact number of his family. I reached out to them. His uncle, a mean, stubborn piece of work, came up to me and told me I should never have called them. "His mother thought he was dead and now you, look, what you have done. You are messing things all up!" Roberto's cousin came yelling as if the world had ended, "Roberto, my primo!" 

Yeah right, now she appears and knows him. (I thought to myself) I wanted to mush her, You're probably the one that took him to that home to get all drugged up in the first place. Some of his family came and most of them insulted me for meddling. Funny, I knew Roberto was in his last days and I just believed seeing his family could have give him some peace. I wanted to reach out to the them and help them see there was still hope. God never ends it the way we expect things to end. He is always up to something, in order to meet us where we are. 

Roberto's condition had worsened throughout the night and I called some of my family member to pray with me for his time to be extended enough for him to open up his heart to God's love and gift of life. By morning, I was allowed to see him because he asked for me. I was escorted, against his family's wishes, into the ICU. 

"You're still here? I knew it! I knew you wouldn't leave me. Tell me. Did you see them? How are they?" he asked.

"Look Roberto, I'm sorry for contacting your family. I thought they had a right to see you  and help you. I am so sorry, I didn't know they'd act this way!" I felt so bad, really I did.

"I told you they are disgusted with me. Look at me. I was their soon to be college graduate and now, I'm what they call less than a man, un pato sucio because I've done what I've done to live. I had to mami. I had to change my life and do what I had to do. Maybe I was born this way like the song says or maybe I just said, freak it, I don't care!"

Roberto looked away and said, " I told you God isn't going to want me. But, I know you were praying for me last night. I know you were because it wasn't no Chango or demon spirits over me, I saw them. Did you see them?" The joy in Roberto's weakened form was beyond words and then I understood God had sent angels to visit him and strengthen him through the night. 

"Mami, when it's over, I just want you and your family. Don't invite these damn people because I swear to you, I'll get up from the coffin and smack the hell out of each one of them before I go ten feet under."

I told you Roberto was funny. He always made me smile even when he was at his last moment. The funny thing though is, while we were waiting to say good bye to him, God had other plans. A week later, he had gained weight, had been given his treatment, and had been given an apartment and it seemed his life was about to change. 

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Click Here to Go to Part Three ~ The Ending