| Kim Plays Among Flower Stars Karen Johnson drives minivan in summer heat weaving through crowded traffic to play school where she opens door and kisses her son Jim who runs laughing toward his crowd of friends then she looks back at her infant daughter Kim who plays with her rabbit then she drives fast thinking about meetings she must attend all day at Sacred Heart Hospital so she parks her van. After attending two meetings she runs fast to help in surgery attend wounded teenagers three boys shot by gangbangers at a strip mall then a little girl who was sleeping at home when a bullet from a drug war shoot-out hit her bedroom wall and she almost died twice but they manage to save her so she sleeps. Walking with her old friend Lisa to her van Karen enumerates evening chores to remember all she must do first I pick up Kim and Jim then cook dinner for husband and his friends his boss and several new business partners and Karen opens her van door in summer heat to see her daughter Kim still in her hot van. Lisa feels chill down her spine as she sees look of horror flash across face of Karen who screams sobbing frantic with wild panic as she attempts to wake her daughter from sleep carrying her limp body fast as she can run toward hospital where doctors and nurses try to bring small child back to conscious life. Karen collapses on linoleum floor and screams no I forgot my daughter Kim in back seat of my van and left her to die in that heat what a terrible mother I am to not remember I must have been distracted by my meetings and forgot to take her to her day care center oh my poor baby girl Kim please come back to me how could I forget you my sweet darling angel. Police arrive and hand-cuff Karen good nurse and hard-working mother to lock her in jail where she sobs all night thinking about face of her charming little princess in pink dress skipping one autumn evening to trick or treat on Halloween or snuggling warm on plush couch with mommy Christmas eve to open nice presents those little dark eyes watching her all night as she reaches out arms to clutch her ghost. Karen stands bleak-eyed without emotions in court staring at nothing as judge reads indictments accusing her of gross neglect and she mumbles I am innocent of any crime for crime means I intended to harm my child but I never meant to harm my sweet angel and I would do anything to bring her back to this life so she can grow into a woman pursuing a career and raising her own children but now she will never enjoy this good life. Jury reviews evidence and watches her sad face stricken with grief as she tries to recount her busy schedule and how she forgot her child leaving her all summer afternoon in hot van moaning how I wish I could bring her to life for I want nothing more my girl but happiness and she sobs wiping tears from her swollen eyes then they deliberate and pass kind judgement guilty of neglect due to chasing gold rainbows but innocent of cruel intent to harm her child so judge pronounces sentence one year in jail. After a year Karen is released from jail so she returns to her life as hospital nurse taking her son to school and attending church but alone at night she weeps silent tears I may be out of that jail of cement and bars but my heart is locked in a prison of grief for as long as I live to remember her face gazing up at me with trust in all that I do. Karen lies beside window hugging toy rabbit staring at silver moon behind moaning trees watching little angel girl wearing pink dress who plays among flower stars lost in paradise. |