BROKEN

25. BROKEN

'A gentle voice brings honey from the pot while a harsh voice brings out a sword from it sheath'

~NICK~

"Yes, just getting home. Are you serious?" I frowned changing the position of the phone from my right to my left hand. I pulled out the bunch of keys from my back pocket and attempted unlocking the door but found out the door was left unlocked. My neck snapped behind me in search of Lauren's car. Typically, there was no car, knowing she has left the house again without locking the door. Which seems to be her recently acquired habit.

I returned to the conversation I was engaging with Hillary on phone "What time did you schedule for the meeting?"

"What? That's too early man, I need to recharge my system. I've been in and out of the hospital, and you know my son is being discharged today" I exclaimed pushing the door open and walked inside.

"Thanks, man, that's perfect. I will see you soon" I hanged up and stood glancing over the living room that smells like a garbage site.

"Not again," I said with a dejected sigh. Clothes and plates and any other kitchen utensils one can think of litters around the living room. This has been Lauren's attitude; dumbing anything anywhere she pleases. Bottles of wine and glasses carelessly thrown on the couches. Pile of papers stacks at one side of the living room. It was truly a beautiful mess.

This alone gave me a nice clue on how the kitchen and bedroom should look like, today was going to be quite a long and work-filled day.

If Becky was around she would have tidied up the mess but Lauren sacked her because she noticed her looking at me, according to her; Becky has an agenda to crawl between my legs, whatever that means. I hissed and began picking up the clothes that lay in front of me. Why is Lauren doing all these?

I was still trying to pick the rest of the clothes that lay vertically everywhere when a knock got my attention. No one can come in and see this house in such a hazardous state, I rushed to lock the door as I realized I didn't lock it but it flew open before I could make a run for it.

"Whoa! Are you selling fairly used clothes? And these... What happened in here?" Nelly exclaims jumping over a plate that fell off the couch and bottles of wine that she almost tripped over.

"Oh my God!, are you okay?" I reached for her hand balancing her. She shook her head blinking non-stop, "Please ignore the setting, I will clean it up soon. Give me a second" I picked the plates beside her legs and the next thing that lay beside her which was a bra. Thank God, she is a female that would have been embarrassing if it was male.

"Lauren again, right?" She shook her head and gave me a pitiful look.

"I believe she will come around soon. Please wipe that look off your face" I roll my eyes when she sends me a look I know too well what it means. I went back to pick the rest of the clothes.

"I'm so sorry, Nick, you don't deserved to be treated this way"

"Lauren is having a rough phase right now, I believe this will pass. I'll give it time" I picked the bottle of wine and shove it into the trash bin I notice besides the couch. How that got there is what I can't tell.

"How do you do it?" She asked walking towards me.

"Do what?" I frowned

"Be so calm and composed in the face of all these"

I laughed shoving things out of the couch, "My mother always say nothing can be done by being hasty, a composed mind birth a great solution"

"I hope that pays off for you eventually, I pray it does," She said scanning the living room. "Well, they say, two hands are better than one. Let me help out" She jumped over some bottle of wine to the couch area and drop her handbag.