In March of 2025, I decided to write about love in different forms (specifically stupid ones.) The short story, “Discovering My Wings” was about a time when I was homeless and living in my car. I had been tricked into thinking someone was a “friend.” They treated me with such disrespect that I still have nightmares and flashbacks. This story is how I chose God and Love over Revenge or any other way of being. (This was a rough-draft exercise. It remains unedited.)

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The right blinker clicked. Timed like an overstimulated mouse’s heartbeat lying next to a microphone. The motel was sparse with people. Two run down cars remained dormant, parked near room entrances. Unsure of her room, I parked in the center of the open lot and revved my engine to watch windows. Curtains moved. One to my right, the other directly in front of me. Brenna’s favorite saying, “always move forward.” I chose that room first.

I pulled a full, large black trash bag from the trunk and did the “secret knock.” The curtains waved as at least three people peered outside to study my presence. Footsteps approached the other side of the door. Rustling of clothes and shuffling of feet echoed through the closed door. At least five pairs tried to remain silent as they hid within the room. I knocked again, our knock, the knock of kindred spirits and safety.

Silence….

Chains slowly slid and clanked across the wood. The door opened piercing the blacked-out room with a silver light. A pale face appeared, he shuffled and held the door steady at two inches open. “What the fuck you want?” he demanded.

“Is Brenna here?” I asked in a soft tone.

“Naw dawg, I don’t know who that is. This is my room.” He squirmed and looked around outside, past me through the opened crack.

“Listen, don’t bullshit me. I have something for her. So where is she?” I moved closer to the door and pointed at the enormous bag.

“Bathroom, she’s showering.” He swung the door open and pointed at the door at the end of the room. Faces of shock and terror of light peered at me. All in rough shape. Eyes dark, sunken cheeks, and clothes unwashed for what looked like weeks. “Hi I’m Tansy. I’m a friend of Brenna’s.” I waved my hand in peace to the shirtless man at the room’s threshold and those inside.

“She’ll be out in a minute, if you want to wait.” He opened the door completely and held his hand out to offer a seat on the bed. I gently held up my pointer finger.

“I would love to stay, but I just stopped by to drop this bag off for her. Could you make sure she gets it? Please help yourselves, but make sure you save some for Brenna.” I swung the bag over to him and plopped it onto the ground. The sounds of plastic food wrappers crinkled as the contents shifted.

“What’s in this?” He asked as he untied the bag.

I waved and hopped into my car and left. In the rear-view mirror, the shirtless man stood outside holding his heart, saying something to the sky. I continued forward.

…

Two weeks passed before I ran into Brenna at a convenience store. She was on foot. “How’ve you been?” I asked. She followed me to my car.

“Alright, still struggling… but… things are lookin’ up.” She replied.

“Hop in, you want a ride? Where you staying these days?” Brenna had already climbed into the passenger seat before I finished the questions.

“Oh, that motel down by the pawn shop.” She pointed out the window. We started driving.

“Haven’t seen you in a few months. I was starting to worry about you.”

“Awe, you know me, Tansy. I’ve got it all under control. I get by. Always move forward.”

“You get that food I dropped off a few weeks back?” Brenna squirmed in her seat.

Open mouthed, “Shit girl, I knew that had to ‘ev been you. You had homeboy trippin’. Swore up and down an ‘Angel’ brought that bag of food. Dude said he saw wings and everything.” Brenna roared with a full-bodied laugh. We laughed together. It felt good to see her happy. It felt good to laugh. “Says he’s in love. Love at first sight.” She laughed harder holding back the tales they must have woven while sorting the treasures I had left behind.

“Where’d all that food come from anyway?” Brenna gave me a demanding stare.

“I have my secrets.” I looked at the road ahead.

“Shit girl, that couldn’t of come at a better time. I took in five from the street ‘n non had eaten in a long time.” The overamped blinker flickered right and we turned into the motel. She hopped out.

“I know.” I waved her off, “See you when I see you Biatch!” We smiled and waved goodbye.