The Color Red

It changed my life.

I had to witness the man being beat. Watching the blood streaks run down his face. I wanted to say something. But then I looked closer, beyond all of the blood and the bruises. He was black. Now in no way was I one to judge for the color of someone’s skin, but my family would. Who would have known seeing one little thing could change a person’s life forever.

This man was slowly trying to get up after the assaulters left; he could only do one thing though, and that was fall right back down. I decided to take charge. I called 911, reporting the incident, hoping that someone would show up immediately. I waited and waited for about 30 minutes, one of his co workers finally walked by. I still stayed as far away as possible so no one could catch me being with a black man. I just decided to disregard the whole situation; it was not something to get involved in.

*One week later*

“Open your door, Rosalie!” I heard a voice yell that sounded quite like my father’s voice.

“Coming,” I said, my father knows how much I hate when he just shows up at my door without any notification. “Would you mind telling me you’re coming here next time?”

I am a typical Caucasian woman. I am young, with light brown hair. And I have the bluest eyes out there. Most people say I am pretty, I beg to differ though. My name is Rosalie Norema. Every day I am working harder to make this world a better place. I always help in my community; I’ve been trying to stop these stupid race wars for about three years now. I guess some things just can’t be the way we wish for it to be. I work in a factory putting caps on toothpaste bottles. It doesn’t pay much, but it does pay the bills. I’m a single woman, no child yet. I plan on having a few once I find the right man.

I come from a small family. My father, Charles, is a lawyer, so he is constantly bringing in the money for us. My mother, Yvonne, died of a heart attack a few years after she had me. My brother, Jared, is four years older than me; he is way too over protective sometimes. I understand the time in our society that we are going through is rough. With everyone hating people of the opposite color, I know I was raised that way. Honestly, I don’t think it matters what color skin someone has, as long as they have a good heart, which is all that counts. We live out where there is not a lot of houses, but I still walk to town almost every day to get some food, and do some shopping, sometimes I walk out just so I can get away. This is exactly what I decided to do.

As I was walking down the street to go to the mini mart at the corner, I saw this black man. He looked like he had been in some sort of serious accident because he had some scars on him, along with some dried blood on his face. He looks so familiar, I thought as I took a closer look. He knew something was up because we just kept looking at each other. I thought I would walk over to him and start talking to him, hoping again, that no one would see me talking to this black man.

“Why is it that you look so familiar?” I asked him, kindly.

“I was wondering the same thing,” said the black man, “it’s like we have seen each other before!”

“Well why don’t we go and get some coffee,” I said, “although, we will need to take it into an alley or something where people won’t see us together.”

“Coffee sounds great,” he said, “and yes, this world is a horrible society anymore.”

My heart just fell, the second I looked at him. Like love at first sight. What am I getting myself into? I thought as I was walking down the street. I wish I could read his mind to know what he thinks of me.

So we got our coffee, separately, he had to go to another store since he was black, I think that is absurd.

I saw him sitting alone in the alley by the time I got there. He found a leaf and was wiping the dried blood off of him. I feel just horrible looking at him.

“Is your coffee okay, sir?” I quietly asked him.

“Yes, it’s a bit hot though.” He replied.

After sitting down and getting to know each other for a few minutes I learned his name was Thomas. He never did tell me his last name though. He comes from a very big family. He said he gets beat up a lot too. I felt things spark up quickly between us, like he was the one for me. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to tell anyone that, but I just had a feeling of it. The only bad part of going out with this man was the fright of someone seeing us out.

*One week later*

As Thomas and I continued to go out on dates, I felt something was going wrong. He was not acting like himself anymore. He had told me something. Something I did not want to hear.

“As I hate to tell you this, Rosalie, someone is spying on us. I see them walk by every time we go out. It is the same person too.”

A tear rolled down my face. This can’t ruin everything this man and me had together. I was thinking, silently.

“Even if someone is spying on us, I will not let this take away every feeling I have had for you.” I spoke softly. “You really don’t understand, Thomas, I fell for you the second I saw you.”

He just stood there, in complete silence. No words came out of his mouth..nothing.

Did I say something wrong? What am I going to do with myself? I told him the truth; I guess that would be all that matters. I thought to myself.

A few days went by and I decided to take myself away from him. I think I ruined everything. The one chance I had with an amazing man, gone. Until I saw him walking the street one day, he pulled me aside and told me everything.

“Listen, Rosalie, I love you. I honestly and truly am in love with you. I was too afraid to tell you how I honestly felt. I did not know how you would react and I sure as heck didn’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry.” Thomas said to me, looking sincere.

Is this the man that a few days ago just stood there when I said I fell for him? So many things were running through my mind. I just did not understand what was happening.

“Do you think you would like start over again and we can be happy together?” he whispered in my ear as he pulled me in for a hug.

“Yes, I would love to start over with you and be happy. This would make me the happiest woman alive. I want to be with you and only you, forever and always. My heart skips a beat when I see you. It truly takes my breath away. I’m not the one that cares if your skin is a different color that would be my family. One day, I will tell them about this. I’m not sure when, but it will happen.” I told him as I started to cry.

I went home that night and just sat in my room by myself. My father came into my room, once again, without knocking. He saw me crying. I told him I was fine. Of course, he did not believe me.

“Tell me what is bothering you, daughter.” My father told me.

“Dad, this might be the hardest thing I am ever going to have to tell you in my life. I have been seeing this man lately.”

“Aw I am so proud of you! Words can’t say how happy I am right now, sweetheart!”

“Thanks dad! It means a lot!” I had a slight grimace on my face.

Don’t tell him. Rosalie, it’s for your own good, don’t tell him the man is black. It will be the end of your life if you give yourself away like that. My mind was telling me not to tell my father this.

I went without telling my dad. I finally, for once, succeeded at hiding something big like this from him. Although, I was still sitting in my room thinking, I was starting to feel a little bit better. Not too long later, Jared walks into my room, not knocking just like my father would do.

“What do you want, Jared!” I screamed at him.

“I wanted to tell you, I beat up another black dude a couple weeks ago!”

Please don’t let it be Thomas he beat up; please don’t let it be him.

“Really,” I said, “who was it?” I spoke, acting like everything was perfect.

“Some man, I heard his name from some people around, I think it was Thomas.”

Oh my goodness, I KNEW it would be him!! Why would my brother do something like that? I am tired of him beating up people; it does not help anyone besides his self esteem.

I ran out of my room without saying another word to Jared. I found Thomas walking on the street and he guided me back to his house. I lagged behind him, just enough so I could still see him. He lives in a small house, with his mom, three sisters, and a brother. His dad had passed on last year, and he was the man of the house. He was the only one that would step up and care about everything going on there. He always took care of his siblings, even when they didn’t need it.

I was introduced to his mother; who was a very nice lady! I’m glad they don’t care that I am white and they are black. Finally, I meet a family that has respect for every color. His siblings are very sweet too. They did not seem to have a problem with me.

Later on, we made our way up to Thomas’ room. We lay in his bed for a while, and things got a little wild. I’m sure one would be able to guess what went on. It was a happy little surprise, yet it was the scariest feeling of my life.

After I went home that night, I remembered everything that happened. How sincere Thomas was and how he just wanted more than anything to be with me. I wanted the same thing. And look where we are now.

I slept a deep sleep last night, realizing everything was going to be okay. My mom would be upset with me right now, if she knew I was going out with a black man. And I still have yet to tell my brother and dad what happened, and that this man is not all that he is cracked up to be.

Should I work up the nerve to tell my family about this man or should I just let it go? I thought to myself.

*About two months later*

I’m showing, I am finally going to have a child that I can call my own. I said in my head quietly.

I walked down the steps to get some breakfast early that morning trying to hide from my family.

“Rosalie! What is that coming out of your stomach?” My dad screamed from behind me.

“Oh, um dad, I am pregnant if you haven’t been able to tell over the past couple weeks.”

“I knew something was going on, I just didn’t say anything about it.” Dad replied.

“Well, you caught me,” I said, “Aren’t you happy? You’ll finally have a grandchild!”

“I guess I’ll be happy for you, dear.” He replied.

My dad walked away and I was relieved. This baby would mean the world to me, just like how Thomas means the world to me. I have managed to sneak out with Thomas every night, since we started to make this perfect child. He knows that I’m pregnant and he is very happy just like I am.

As the nights suddenly grew longer, I was oh so blessed with the sickness and the aches that come with pregnancies. I am be up until 5AM every morning throwing up and having pains. I am starting to wonder why it was like this if I was only a few months along. Just deal with it.

*One month later.*

Everything is finally ready! I have the baby name picked out if it was a boy and it was a girl. I would name the girl Melina, and the boy Chaves. Neither Thomas nor I could wait to have this wonderful child. I was starting to wonder, though, why all of the pain, and night and morning sickness were gone. When suddenly, I felt something weird happening. This sensation was something I haven’t felt before. It didn’t feel right. I immediately knew something was wrong. Then I felt something running down my inner thigh. I reached down to touch it and see what it was. I noticed a big red spot on the floor. Something no other has seen before, to my knowledge. It came out like a water fountain exploding from me. Not something someone would be able to prevent. It just kept gushing out. I lie on the floor, and scream for help once I put my hand down and noticed my hand was covered in thick, red blood. I then noticed why, everything turned the color red..