CHAPTER 7: LEGO HOUSE
“I’m gonna pick up the pieces and build a lego house…”
MARIAM POV
“I’m gonna pick up the pieces and build a lego house?”
I know exactly what this song is about. How? Because Ed sang these exact lines to me about two months ago.
*2 hours earlier. Stephen Editors*
“Thank God is Friday. I can’t stand being here any longer. Do you know how long that manuscript that came here last week was? I just finished with it, and guess what? Boss wants me to start already with the one that came yesterday.” Catherine said soft-spoken while handing me some papers.
I looked at her. She was right. These last few days had been hell in the office. Apparently the company was growing. More people wanted our services. Of course the fact that I and probably Catherine too, were distracted by the CD didn’t help. We were late with our work and our boss had already chastened us for our delaying more than the permitted time at lunch break.
“I am drowning here with work too. I have to hurry or I will have to stay extra hours at night. You should probably head back to your booth.” After seeing the papers she had handed me, I started to concentrate again on what I was doing. Not staying extra hours overnight was my number one priority today.
After Catherine headed back to whatever she was doing, I continued with my work. Determined to not stay overnight stuck here in the office, I stayed over the lunch break. When all my co-workers returned from lunch break, I was already ahead of them. Definitely, I am going home early tonight.
*2 months earlier. Orphanage Volunteer Center”
“Thank God you are here Mariam. We feared you would not come today. Bailey was getting restless, waiting for you.” Emilia said smiling while guiding me through the orphanage.
I smiled back at her and walked by her side. Coming here always made me happy. Each of these children deserved to be raised as any child should be; with a roof, food, education, and more importantly, love. I was happy spending time with them, and helping as much as I could here. Now, I had almost a month and a half visiting them. The orphanage was not that big. It had roughly fifteen or seventeen children. Teachers, psychologists, and volunteers were some of the adults that took care of the children. I was one of the volunteers.
As soon as Emilia opened the door were the children were, Bailey came running and tackled me in a huge hug.
“Mariam! You are here!” Bailey smiled still hugging me, and then stepped back. For a seven year old, she could hug tighter.
“Hello Bailey! Sorry that I am late. I slept in.” I said making a quick lie. Truth was that I was late because I stayed in Ed’s flat.
“Today some nice woman brought new toys. Come and see them.” Bailey screamed excitedly.
I watched Bailey run to her new toys and I couldn’t help but grin once again. Her black hair, now in braids, moved violently as she chased Austin who had taken one of the dolls she liked so much. After a few minutes of running, Bailey was back to her new toys only that a few drops of sweat trickled down her cinnamon skin, and she had her doll back.
Suddenly, Bailey raised her face, as she remembered something. She pointed her little finger to me and then to the new Lego castle she was playing with. I laughed and sat down with her and two other kids that were playing with her. Definitely, I am going home late this evening.
*One hour earlier. A cab in the middle of London”
“Hey there…” A female voice spoke as the door next to me opened.
Catherine entered to the cab and closed the door. She carried a stack of folders and her suitcase.
“Took you long enough.” I commented after Catherine gave the driver the directions.
For the last fifteen minutes I had been sat in the cab, convincing the driver to wait a little bit longer. From the looks of the situation, Cat probably did not finish her work and now had to work from home.
“I got stuck with the boss. I couldn’t advance much the new manuscript but I popped some reasonable explanation and he let me work from home.”
I smiled to myself. I knew Cat well. My eyes concentrated in the frosty window from the door on my side. London was so cold that it would probably start snowing this week. Then I noticed that the cab was taking us to Cat’s house not mine.
“Excuse me, Mister, where are you taking us?” I asked the driver politely.
The driver looked through the mirror at me and was about to speak when Catherine interrupted him.
“I have to go to my house.”
I was surprised for a minute until I realized it was because she had to work.
“Don’t worry Cat, I can help you with your work in my house.”
“It’s not just that. I promised my cousin that I would have dinner with him. I guess now I’ll just have to work a little bit and eat with him at my house since I don’t have time for getting ready. You can call me after you hear the song.” Catherine said staring at me with a worried look.
My mood went down. I didn’t want to hear the song alone. I decided to try again.
“But aren’t you staying just for a little bit?”
She smiled apologetically, giving me her puppy eyes face, and shook her head.
Dammit, how could I not forgive her now?
*2 months earlier. Orphanage Volunteer Center*
“Hey there…” A male voice spoke from behind me.
I turned abruptly to find no other than Edward Sheeran. He smiled shyly at me and sent a little wave to the kids who were looking at him expectantly.
“How did you know I was here?” I asked shocked as I got up.
“Well, I didn’t. You once told me that you volunteered in the orphanage on Fridays so I made a few calls until I winded up here.” He said quietly.
Amused, I stared at his face. I couldn’t believe he remembered I volunteered here. He stood there awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.
“Listen… About last night-“ He started but I stopped him from talking any further by putting my hand slightly over his mouth. He seemed to catch the message because then he walked away from the kids.
We walked quietly outside the door and then stood looking at each other.
“Look, I am sorry for not taking you to your house last night. It was the right thing to do. It is just that I was drunk and acting stupidly” He said, breaking the ice.
“Don’t worry. I was drunk to but I am more concerned on what happened next.” I said, resting my hands in my hips.
Ed looked confused for a moment and then shocked.
“Wait… You think? No, no, no! I swear I didn’t do anything Mariam. I fell asleep, and you did too. Remember?”
I sighed, relieved.
“Then don’t worry. Just don’t get me drunk the next time.” I said chuckling. He seemed to relax a bit, taking his hands out of his pockets. That’s when I noticed he had something in his hands.
“Oh, yeah. Here is your hairband. Well, um, bye.” He said, walking away after he had handed me my hairband.
When he was walking away, it hit me. I wanted him to stay. I wanted to spend time with him again. Quickly, I ran to him and placed my hand in his back. He turned around, a little surprised.
“But aren’t you staying just for a little bit?” I asked hopefully.
He smiled mischievously and then leaded me to the room where the children played.
Dammit, how could I not fall for him now?
*-*
“Ugh!” I screamed to my empty house as I slammed myself into the bed.
I hated being alone. I hated feeling like a loser. I hated this.
After setting the tea to boil, I looked for the stupid CD. Another song, another can of worms to open.
Now, I have to listen to a song called Lego House. I should just stop listening to this CD. After starting the CD player, I poured the hot water for my tea and went back to my bed. Taking a deep breath, I pressed play.
The song started and as soon as Ed began to sing, I recognized it.
*2 months earlier. Orphanage Volunteer Center*
“I’m gonna pick up the pieces and build a lego house.” Ed hummed as he placed a lego block in the building that was supposed to look like a castle.
“Do you sing?” One of the little girls playing with Bailey asked Ed, her eyes opening very wide with wonder.
Ed looked at me and chuckled. I smiled back at him and then nodded to the girl.
“Yes, Edward here is actually a musician. He takes his guitar and plays in public places.” I said to the kids who chorused a semi-loud “oooooh”.
“If things go wrong we can knock it down” Ed continued singing as he shoved lightly the Lego building.
“Hey!” Bailey protested.
“It’s okay. Ed is just being silly.” I calmed Bailey down, she looked at me suspiciously.
We played like this for hours. Ed was amazing with the kids. He knew when to tease them and when to keep his mouth shut. I was surprised no one cried. Usually when the kids see a new face, at least one of them ends up crying at the unknown stranger. After that amazing evening, I realized that I should give Ed a chance, and indeed I did.
*-*
When the song came to an end, I finished remembering. As it turned out, I had only heard two lines of the whole song.
As I sat there, sipping tea and thinking, I realized two things.
One was the realization of how I had abandoned Bailey after I got my permanent job at Stephen Editors. I have to visit her again. I owe her that.
The other one was that as much as I sometimes wanted to stop listening to the CD, I knew I couldn’t. I had to accept that Ed was an open wound and I had to close it. To close it, I would have to tie all the loose things. By listening to this CD I could hope to get some closure and move on. Even if I didn’t want to move on, I had to. For my own sake.
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A/N:
FLASHBACK CHAPPIE! How ya’ll liked it?
I hope the flashback thingie didn’t confuse any of you. It is just that I am aiming for giving a different way of writing to each chapter because if I wrote every song like the first one I think it would be seventeen boring, similar chapters. Anywhoosies is Mariam getting over Ed or what? Whatcha think?
Thanks all of you for voting, fanning and commenting. You guys are just amazing. I really appreciate the feedback I am getting. It inspires me to write more and more!
What do you think of Bailey? Should she stick around for another chapter in the future?
Dedication: Ummm… Mention one of Ed’s tattoos?
THANKS AGAIN YOU ARE FREAKING AMAZING LOVE YA
VOTE/COMMENT/FAN <3
-Dora xxx