Signed, Sealed...Undelivered

Chapter 18: Welcome to the Club

It was indeed my best friend and he was in for a surprise. When the door opened, Driggs did not expect Mike to welcome him.

"Hey! Mike?"

"Driggs?"

Both men had been acquainted in the past. They have seen each other a few times, usually during my birthday celebration at home.

"Hey man! Been a long time." Driggs said. "Is Lytes okay?"

Mike ushered him to enter. "I don't think so."

Driggs saw me seated on the bed. He walked swiftly to where I am and was about to sit beside me. I wasn't able to hold back and lunged at him. I pressed my face on his chest and bawled my eyes out.

"Lytes? What happened?" He had sat down and wrapped his arms around me.

Driggs looked up to Mike who was standing by the small table. "Mike?"

"I don't know what happened to her. I found her by the mini-garden downstairs. She was crying hard. I didn't even now that it was her."

"There's only one person responsible for this."

"Who?"

"Anthony...her boyfriend." Driggs answered, ire evident in his tone.

Hearing his name, I broke down even more.

There was another knock on the door. Mike took the initiative to get it. As soon as the door was unlocked, Ska barged in with her luggage in tow. She didn't mind that Mike was unfamiliar to him and hurried inside. Upon hearing me wail on Driggs' shoulder, she immediately dropped her bags and ran to us.

"Lytes..." She sat on the other side and stroked my back. I turned around and Ska enveloped me in a tight embrace. I hugged her back and fresh tears welled from my eyes.

Ska looked at Driggs, "I got to read your message when I landed. I hurried to get here. What's going on?"

"She hasn't said anything yet. Mike found her crying." Driggs said. Ska turned to Mike. "He is Lytes' friend from way back." He added.

"We worked at the same bank years ago. Mike Garcia." Mike introduced himself and extended his hand for a handshake.

"Cheska Barretto. They call me Ska." She took his hand and reciprocated his gesture.

I tried to say something in between my sobs. Ska pulled away from the hug and cupped my face with both hands.

"What is it?" She looked at me with so much concern and tried to figure out what I was saying. "Calm down first. Shush...inhale, exhale."

"Driggs, there's tissue inside my bag. Could you get it please?" She wiped my tears with her thumbs. Driggs got up from the bed and picked up Ska's bag from the floor. "Could you get water too, please?"

"I'll do that!" Mike volunteered. He went over the fridge and took the other complimentary bottled water. He poured water into a glass. He opened the fridge and found four more bottles. He carried two of these.

Mike gave Driggs and Ska one bottle each. He offered me the glass of water. "You're drained from crying. Here, have some." I held the glass and blurted a voiceless "Thanks."

I consumed half, slowly, just enough to hydrate the dryness of my throat. I have halted from my sobs and started to breathe properly. I cleaned my face of the remnants of my tears with the tissue Ska gave.

"He...he...ch...cheated." I said it faintly...finally, despite the difficulty to talk.

"He cheated?! While in London?!" Ska was furious.