Dyani

Part 24

After work, Jennifer tried to keep me for a little talk, but I declined. I wanted to go home, the feeling of horror and sadness was still in my heart. I had smiled to every customer, but my heart had been aching. I went out with my co-workers and put my earphones in to listen to music on the way home. Charley had texted me several times, while I was working in the restaurant, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to send anything back. The first few had been about trivial stuff, soon after they had become more worried because I wasn’t replying. I sent him a text back.

Hi C.

Sorry for being silent.

Jen needed me in the

restaurant, can’t txt

with people watching..

Riding home now,

Goodnight.

D.

I put my phone back and soon it started to ring. Reluctant at first, I did decide to pick it up.

‘Hi Dyani. You okay?’ I heard Charley ask.

‘I guess, I’ve had some trouble in the restaurant.’

‘What happened? You can tell me anything,’ he said, sounding very gentle and kind.

‘There was a boy.. He didn’t mean to, but he made me cry. About my mother...’ I fell silent.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked.

‘Not really, but I don’t want to start crying again. I’m just.. I feel like I’m caught in a storm right now. It all made huge damage a little bit ago and now I’m at the eye of the storm, it feels like there’s so much more to come. I’m just looking for my lifeline,’ I said.

‘I.. If I’d know how, I would try to be,’ he whispered.

‘Thanks, that means a lot,’ I said, pushing back my tears.

I had to stay strong now, I couldn’t break down where no one was there to break me out of it.

‘Are you going to be okay?’ he asked.

‘I’m not sure yet, I need time to work through everything. Will you be there for me?’ I asked.

‘Haven’t I always been?’

I could hear his smile through his voice.

‘Yes, you have. I’m going to listen to some music, go play your game,’ I said, a teary smile forming on my lips.

‘Please let me know when you arrive home?’ he asked, his voice didn’t mask his worry.

‘I will. We’ll text when I get home,’ I said, trying to ease his worry.

‘Talk soon.’

‘Take care.’

We disconnected and within a minute I heard my phone, letting me know I had gotten a new text. I had told myself never to check my text messages while riding my bike or anything else, afraid something would happen, like my mother’s accident. Soon I arrived home and I walked in silently. My father had gone to bed and the packets of sweets were still waiting for me on the stairs. I grabbed them and put them in my bag, while walking up the steps. As I reached the first floor, I grabbed my phone from my pocket and started up the steps to the attic.

‘I see you have a new phone,’ I heard my father say.

I almost fell down the few steps I had taken, he scared me, I hadn’t expected him to be up. He didn’t sound aggravated, I really hoped he would stay like that.

‘Yes, my paycheck came in last week, so I bought it.. ehm.. thursday,’ I answered, looking down at him.

‘Thats good, then I’ll always be able to reach you, is it still the same number?’ he asked

‘Yes. Would it bother you if I showered for a moment?’ I asked him.

‘No, you can shower,’ he said, giving me a weary smile.

‘Goodnight,’ I said, walking up the rest of my steps.

In my room I got my bathrobe, nightgown and underwear. Realising I hadn’t yet looked at my text, I got out my phone and looked at it.

Hi Missy D,

Just wanted to let you

know I like our talks.

C.

It brought a smile to my lips, I always liked talking with him as well, since he started calling me, I had felt a little better, happy even. I sent him a quick text that I had arrived home and would shower for a moment. After that I went downstairs to the shower and locked the door behind me. I turned on the shower and took my clothes of. I found the ideal temperature and stepped under the warm water. I let out my tears, who knew a person could cry this much on one day. I hadn’t felt particularly sad just now, but I had to let the excess tears go. After the tears had dried out, I washed myself, dried off and put on my clothing and bathrobe. Elmo greeted me at the door and walked to my room with me. When I got up there, I noticed something was hiding under my blanket. It couldn’t be my father, because I had heard him snoring loudly in his room. I pulled away the blanket and saw my little brother laying there, he was sleeping. I was sure he hadn’t been there, before I went to shower, so he had wanted to talk with me. I didn’t want to wake him, so I discarded my bathrobe and crawled in bed next to him. I got my phone from my nightstand, where I had left it and checked for messages.

Try not to drown..

C.

He had sent me, I wasn’t sure if he meant it as a funny remark, but it made me think about my vivid fantasy about swimming into the current.

I didn’t. My brother

laid down in my bed

when I was in the

shower and he fell asleep,

so cute!

D.

I waited for over an hour to see his reply, but he didn’t so I guessed he had fallen asleep. Clutching my phone, I also fell asleep, tired from a hard day work.