DIAMOND KEYS

TWENTY-TWO

“Go baby! Go baby!” mum and Nathan were exclaiming downstairs. What was going on? I quickly finished my make up and went to stand in front of the mirror.
    
Wow! 
    
Was I really looking at myself? I looked beautiful! I was wearing one of Claire’s purple dresses on one of her black flat shoes and I had my hair packed in a chignon. I looked like a brown-head version of Claire and most importantly, I felt like a princess.
    
I was happy because I was not just wearing the clothes because Claire wanted me to, I was wearing them because I wanted to and they made me feel good.
    
I topped up my dressing with one of the many necklaces I had and never bothered to put on. I picked up my purse from the dressing table and headed down the stairs.

“You can do it kiddo!”
   
I finally got to the bottom step and I saw Maxwell walking! Oh God! I ran to meet them and joined in the exclamation “Come on Maxwell!” he was able to make two more steps before he fell and began to cry. His legs still weren’t firm on the ground.

“Oh baby” Nathan hurried to carry him and he took him out.

“Seems like they bond very well now” I said to mum referring to Nathan and Maxwell.
    
Mum jerked, she hadn’t noticed that I’d been standing there “Yeah, they do.” She looked at me from head to toe. “My God Michele, you look like a princess.”
    
Yeah, just what I wanted to hear!
“Thanks mum.”
    
Nathan came back inside with a calm Maxwell in his arms. “She has always been a princess Danielle.”
   
Mum blushed. So ironical, I was being complimented and mum was the one blushing.

“I know Nathan; she’s always been our little princess.”

“Goodbye mum.” I said and walked out. I was not ready for their pet talks. I took a cab to Logan’s house. This was a new start for all of us. We were now ready to resume our lives again, ready to fulfill Claire’s wishes, ready to start our rehearsals, ready to begin again. The driver dropped me at the front of Logan’s house and I even tipped him because of my happy and optimistic mood. The door was opened so I just walked in.                              
Immediately the guys sighted me, Logan and Clay jumped up and ran away.

“Jesus Christ!”

“What the hell!”
    
What just happened? What had they seen? I looked down at myself and, oh, I burst into laughter and Marc joined me.

“It’s just Michele guys and not Claire’s ghost.”

“Really?” I saw the look of embarrassment on Clay’s face.

“Really,” I said, “Logan, so you don’t even know how your girlfriend looks like.”
    
Clay began to laugh too “Don’t you ever scare us like that again.”
    
I had said that to Claire too many times before, I was becoming so much like Claire and I was so happy about it. I gave each of them a hug and a peck before I sat down.

“You look so happy today Michele.” Clay inserted.

“Yeah, I’m happy. Or is there any reason I shouldn’t be?”
    
I was expecting them to reply me but no one said anything.
    
Marc was nudging Logan’s shoulder “Tell her.”
    
There was something he was not saying “Tell me what?”
    
He shook his head.

“You have to Logan.” Marc pressed.

No, not again! I thought this had stopped. I thought they had promised not to keep things from me. I crossed my arms and stared at Logan. “What’s this Logan? I thought it had stopped. Why am I always the last one to hear anything? Why?”
    
He walked up to me to stand in front of me “Michele,”
    
Oh now he was calling me Michele not Hazel.

“This is hard…” he scratched his head,

“Ehm . . . I’m going to the UK.”

What!

“Ehm . . . I’ll be staying with my uncle.”

“Why?” Was all I could manage to say.

“I want to enroll for ehm . . . training.”

“What training Logan?”
    
He hesitated before he mumbled “Car racing.”

“You must be kidding me!” I rolled my eyes.

“No, I’m serious. I’ll be travelling next week.”

“When did you make this decision?”

“When Claire was in the hospital.”

“And did you tell Claire?”    

“Of course not”
    
I turned to Marc and Clay “And when did you two know?”

“Yesterday” they chorused. Okay, they were pardoned.
    
I turned to face Logan again “Really Logan, like you are actually serious. Just when we are supposed to stick together. Just when I need you the most you decide to break up with me and move to London.” He reached out for my hand and I stepped back.

“Hazel, it’s not like that. I said nothing about breaking up with you.”

“Oh, a long distance relationship?”
    
He nodded. I already had tears in my eyes but I laughed still. “Well Mister, I’m not interested in your long distance relationship so, you and your damned car racing can head to hell!”
    
The tears were already flowing down my cheeks but I stood staring at him trying not to blink.

“Michele please, this is what I want. This is what I love doing . . .”

“Shut up okay! Shut up. I don’t want to hear a word from you, and all these time I’ve always thought you were caring but no, you think only of yourself. Just when we lose Claire, you decide to leave. Now we are three and who knows, we might reduce to two then maybe later, it’ll be just me and . . .”

“Don’t talk like that Hazel.”

“Look Logan, don’t you ever call me Hazel again and don’t you ever speak to me for the rest of your life. I hate you!”

“Michele, please I’m sorry.”

“Be sorry for you Logan” I cried before running out. I picked out my phone from my bag and dialed mum. She picked on the second ring “Hello mum.”

“What’s up?”

“Please come pick me at Logan’s house.”

“Are you crying honey?”

“Mum please come as fast as you can.”

I was surprised no one ran after me. I was expecting one of them to show up outside but no one came. I saw my mum’s car approach in five minutes time and I was so grateful for her haste. I ran to the car and noticed that it was Nathan that came and not mum. I had no choice but to enter.

“What’s wrong? Your mum said you were crying when you called.”
    
I surprised myself when I opened my mouth to speak. “I just broke up with Logan.”
   
He was taken aback by my words but he said nothing when he realized I wasn’t going to say more. He kicked the car to a start and when he started driving, he simply said “I’m so sorry.”

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Love,
Prisca.