I Stole Evil – Chapter 19

Two years later, everything in my life had improved…

After moving in with Eva, I spent the first few months looking for a job.  After I had no luck…business began to pick up at Linda’s salon and she decided to hire me as a receptionist.

I was in charge of answering phones and booking appointments, which kept me busy and kept my mind off of my past.

Prior to that… Linda, Greg and Crisannpractically moved in with Eva and I.

They were around all of the time…for breakfast and dinner.  The house never felt empty.

We became like a little family.  They were a part of me now and I felt at home.

Within months of living with Eva…Nick located me and eventually I was served with divorce papers.

I didn’t contest the divorce.  I knew that as long as his mind was being poisoned by Carmina, we couldn’t be together…so I signed the papers and promptly returned them.

It still hurt…it hurt a lot and I never could find it in me to stop wearing my wedding band.

I did begin to meet people though.  The ladies at the salon and I hung out a lot when we weren’t at the salon.

We genuinely enjoyed each other’s company and it was nice finally having peers to hang out with.

I also drew the attention of men from time to time; especially now that I finally looked my age and had begun to gain my weight back. 

It was still hard for me to consider myself single again.  Nick had divorced me, but I was finding it nearly impossible to separate him from my heart.

“So, can I take you out sometime?” One particular guy , named Maxwell, asked me one day after Linda and my new friends from the salon, Latika and Gina, and I were leaving the movies one evening.


“I’m sorry…I’m not quite ready for dating…I’m recently divorced,” I answered…even though I found him to be very attractive. 

“Yeah, but even divorced women have to eat, right?  Why not go and eat with me?”  Maxwell was very persistent and after some coaxing from my friends, I eventually agreed to go out with him.

Everything was pretty good at the salon.   I enjoyed my job…

…and I really liked the ladies that frequented it.  There was never a boring day there. 

Crisann was four and was like the daughter that I wish I had…just as sweet and kind as she could be.  Linda and I often took her to the salon with us on the weekend…she loved the atmosphere as much as I did.

Linda and I were good friends.  She kept my spirits up and made sure that I didn’t go back to wearing my “granny fashions,” as she called it.

My life was much more predictable and I didn’t have to spend time dreading every turn.  I was content.

It was after lunch time and one of those rare days when Linda wasn’t totally booked with clients. 

“Do you want to go out for lunch today?”  Linda asked while I was sitting at the front desk.

Usually I wouldn’t turn down a lunch date with Linda and Crisann, but I was running behind on my calls and emails to clients to confirm appointments and wanted to make sure I completed that before the day’s end.

“No, I’ll stay in today and grab something quick to eat.  I have some work to catch up on.”

“Okay…suit yourself.  I’ll take Crisannto the diner.  Be back soon!” Linda answered.

Linda and Crisannhurried out the door before any walk-ins came in and ruined their chance to get away for a while.

I confirmed a few appointments before my empty stomach got the best of me and made it hard to concentrate on what I was doing.

I was leaving my desk, just about to grab some of Eva’s left-overs out of the refrigerator in the back room, when the phone on my desk rang. 

I couldn’t bring myself to just ignore it…I took my job very seriously, so I answered it, “Hello, Beauty’s Skin Deep Salon, how may I help you?”

“Hello momma!”  Came the voice on the other end.  I was horrified; recognizing Carmina’svoice immediately. 


The shock rendered me speechless. When I finally found my voice, I squeaked out a response, “Oh my god…how’d you find out where I work?”

“I have my ways…you didn’t think you’d ever be rid of me did you?”  Came Carmina’sresponse…bringing back all of the terror and horror I felt while living with her. 


I hung up the phone, but it was too late.  Carmina accomplished exactly what she hoped…disrupting my new life; leaving me trembling in fear. 

I felt dizzy as my heart responded to my panic by pumping blood through my veins much too quickly.  My vision was blurry, my legs were rubbery and all of the noise of the salon seemed far away as I began to black out…aware of nothing else, but the feel of my body falling toward the floor.

“Oh my God!” Latikacalled out as she, Gina and their clients all rushed over.

“Someone call 911,” Latikasaid as she stood over me as I lay motionless.