This Isn't Me.

Apologies and a dinner

"I'll leave you to it then." Toni said as she stood up and started to walk, but then Toni grabbed Cheryl's arm and got her close. "Be nice, please." She whispered into the redhead's ear.

The redhead bit her lip as shivers went down her spine. She nodded and sat on the chair across from the belly dancer.

"I really want to apologize for what my husband did last night."

"I accept your apology."

"Believe me when I say that he is a good guy, he never hurts someone on purpose, but I guess he drank a little bit more than he should."

"You don't have to explain to me," Cheryl said softly. How could she apologize for her husband's mistakes when he was the one who was wrong?

"Are you always like this?" Josie asked suddenly.

"W-What do you mean like this?" The widow asked confused.

"Every time someone wants to get close to you, you shut him out?"

"Maybe I don't want anyone to get close to me," the redhead said shrugging.

Josie sighed. "But nothing makes the pain easier to deal with unless you talk about it."

"That is if in case a person is in pain." The redhead replied.

"Of course, and I am sure that every person has his/her own problems and pain."

Cheryl exhaled a breath. "What would you like to drink?" She said changing the subject.

"I am not here to force you to be my friend Cheryl, I don't know why but since the moment I saw you I felt like I need to get closer to you. Every time I look into your eyes I see the same pain I spot when I look at myself in the mirror. What I saw in your eyes is that you are someone who is suffering from the pain you hold within you. I wanted to get to know you, but you aren't ready to talk about your pain. Maybe the wound is still hurting, but there will come a day where it goes away. And if by any chance you wanted to talk I am always going to be here for you. Because I know how it feels to need someone to talk to." Josie finished as she noticed that Cheryl was looking everywhere but her. She sighed and stood up. "I really need to get going."

Cheryl said nothing as she began to breathe heavily as she nodded for the belly dancer in understanding.

After calming down, she informed Alex the driver to find her a contractor to fix the rooms and went back to her room to take a breather and thought about what Josie said. She knew that the dark woman was right, Cheryl was tired of the pain, she was tired of holding a grudge towards everyone. She wants her old self back, the happy, caring and sweet Cheryl.

About an hour later, the redhead was informed that the contractor has arrived and he is waiting for her in Elissa's room. She made her way to the room and greeted the man, they discussed all the rooms that need fixing and the man promised to finish the room within two weeks. After finishing, she was walking the man out when she saw Toni, Sweetpea and a man who looked about fifty years old.

"Hey, Cheryl." Sweetpea started nervously.

"Hey." The redhead replied softly.

"I want to Apolo-" He started but then cut off by Cheryl.

"I accept your apology." She waved at him. "Who's this?" She asked about the other man.

Toni smiled inwardly, she thought that Cheryl was going to give her best friend a hard time. "That's the contractor I hired to fix the rooms."

"What?" Cheryl asked raising her eyebrow. "What gives you the right to get someone and decide that you are going to fix the rooms?"

"Can we talk aside for a minute?" She asked Cheryl.