Bear | ✔

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

"Ugh," Leila groaned and dragged her feet through the threshold. She almost stumbled and fell over on her face, but her hands gripped the frame of the door at the last moment.

"Thank God," She breathed in relief and stepped into the hallway. The door was swung closed behind her with a ding. She knelt down to unzip her boots and took them off, followed by her stockings. With her bare feet pressed to the icy floor, she clutched the pile of mail that was scattered on the Welcome Home mat. She dropped her keys on the coffee table along with the stack of envelopes. Her reflection stared back at her from the large mirror that was pinned to the wall just above the buffet.

She sighed and unclasped the pin on the top of her head. Slowly, the scarf cascaded down below her elbows, revealing her messy hair. It was a little bit longer now, just below her shoulders. That was a constant reminder of how long she had been away from her original life.

Leila draped the scarf on the hanger and tucked the extra pins in the fluffy teddy bear that decorated the top surface of the buffet. As she strolled across the living room, she picked up the remote controller and turned the television on to provide her a familiar sense of company. She wasn't used to being so alone for long periods of time.

She reached the kitchen - which was designed in the American style, attached to the living room - and placed the controller down on the island after settling for the news channel. She didn't really care about the news, but as long as there were people talking in the background and no creepy sound effects, it was fine by her.

Spinning around, she opened the door of the fridge and stared at its contents. There wasn't much in there. Not that she didn't have enough money to get any food, but her lack of ability to cook anything fancy outstood her financial needs.

"Yep! Eggs it is," She mumbled and retrieved the three-quarter-empty carton of white eggs. She placed it on the counter and closed the fridge, only to be faced with the list that had been provided to her by the doctor. It was a timetable to what she was supposed to primarily eat throughout the progression of her fetus. Mostly, it included references to anything protein, Calcium and Zinc. She wasn't really in the mood to follow certain rules, but the image of David yelling at her for violating the law if anything happened changed her mind.

Leila tiptoed to reach the pan that was hung over the oven to dry. Placing it carefully on the stove, she added a cube of frozen butter and left it to melt under the effect of the flame. Walking back to the hallway and into the only bedroom, she began to undress. Quickly she had slipped into her cotton, long-sleeved pajamas and put on a layer of moisturizer. The atmosphere was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Her skin wasn't used to the new environmental changes, and it desperately needed help.

Upon returning to the living room, the gradual return of the noise from the television comforted her. It was an understatement to say that she was claustrophobic, let alone being left alone in a condo for weeks long.

Well, not specifically alone, but still.

She stretched her arms in the air, hearing the crack of a few muscles in response. She grabbed the stack of envelopes from the coffee table and quickly ran through them. It consisted of bills, more bills, and vacation ads that for some reason were personally sent to her. She was about to throw them in the trash when a bold, golden font caught her eyes.

A smile crawled up to her lips as stared at the neat coverage and the words that said: Wedding Invitation.

So, it's the time.

She opened the letter in a hurry, unable to contain her excitement. She was careful not to cause any damage to the envelope, as it was more precious than to be sliced into halves. Inside, she found a folded cardboard sheet with a large bow to hold it together. The same golden color outlined the margins and she flipped it on.

Dear Mrs. Gareth,

We would like to invite you to attend the grand wedding ceremony of Marissa Jane Parker & Robin James McCarthy. It'll be a great honor to have you there. The ceremony will take place at The St. John's Cathedral on the seventh of March, followed by a photo-shoot session in the backyard. From there, a limo will drive you up to the Intercontinental, where a grand ball will take place through the night.

We hope you can make it. Save the date: the 7Th of March.

All the love,

Marissa & Robin.

Leila read the letter over and over again. Her heart flattered. Finally, the announcement is official. Her grin widened at the thought of seeing her friend again. She might probably even see Rosaline. They haven't talked for so long and she wanted to apologize for being too stubborn and self-centered.

She was only interrupted by the smell of something burning. Her eyes instinctively looked around, searching for the source. Then, the thought flickered through her head and she gasped. The letter slipped from her hands to the floor as she ran toward the kitchen, trying to save what could be saved. She held her nose to avoid the smoky smell and turned off the flame. Thankfully, no major damaged had occurred. Only the pan was left with a new pitch-black color.

After a failure attempt to serve dinner, Leila could only take so much. She swallowed down the meal out of self-pity, making a mental note to sign up for online cooking classes during her free time. One step closer to being responsible was learning how to do her chores properly. And that included cooking. That was exactly what she's been trying to fulfill. She was trying to prove to her husband that she was eligible for being a real wife, not just a machine that produced heirs.

She had been away for a while now. Being separated from all the hectic drama served in clearing up the confusion that clouded her mind. The impact of David's many secrets still didn't completely dissolve, but she was slowly getting okay with facing the truth. Life was more than she could have ever imagined. She lacked a lot of experience. But it was never too late to try.

After doing her prayers, she brewed some coffee and poured it into a mug. Adding a couple teaspoons of sugar, she stirred the liquid for a minute and headed to the living room. The evening break was on the television, and the headlines marked the bottom of the screen in bold caps. Sometimes, Leila thought that David's name might show up during the break, announcing some scandal about their marriage or her pregnancy, but her doubts had never been confirmed. She knew that sooner or later the tabloids will have her name on the front page. She wondered how her friends would take the news. And her family. Would they be satisfied that karma finally took its revenge?

She wondered how she would deal with the news.

Leila plopped down on the couch and slammed the mug against the glass surface of the coffee table. The wedding invitation was neatly folded next to the vase of artificial orchids on the opposite side, near the controller. Leila reached for her suitcase and pulled the zipper. She pulled out a stack of books and crumpled papers. She dropped them next to her on the couch and stared blankly at the title.

Oncology: Concept and Applications

With a roll of her eyes, Leila took the book in her hands and inspected the papers. As promised, David had enrolled her in the nearest university in the area to work for her major. As much as the gesture had flattered her, he had been so harsh about it that she almost rejected the offer. But then she remembered that she was doing it for Allah, not for him, not for herself. David wasn't going to let her down again.

Leila flipped the book open and skimmed through the introduction. She paused for a moment as she read the table of contents. The sub-titles frightened her as much as they excited her. She wasn't even sure if that was really what she wanted. That was what her family wanted, for sure. And being the obedient daughter, she was entitled to oblige. But was that what she really wanted?

She relaxed against the arm of the couch and held a pin to underline any important notes. The minutes ticked by on the digital clock that hung just below the air conditioner. The mug of coffee was abandoned on the coffee table until it got cold. The sky started to cry, the rain droplets slowly rolling down the floor-to-ceiling one-sided windows of the condo. Leila smiled and prayed that everything would be better soon.

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