Adani's POV
'You can't trust anyone one hundred percent, Adani' I heard my mother's voice mentally speaking as I sat down across from my therapist, Dr. Milan.
"Good evening, Adani," Dr. Milan started, "Why don't you tell me what your experience has been like in your previous relationship. You mentioned you've felt trapped. Trapped in what way?"
"I just felt like I hindered myself to the outside world and to the people I was once close to."
"People as in your parents?"
"Parent. I can't remember my dad."
"Why?"
"He has been absent almost all my life," I answered. Dr. Milan wrote in her notepad.
"Have you ever felt like you want to reconnect with your father, to get to know him?" she asked.
"There is a gap. I mean, every child deserves to know his or her father. But I'm not going to dwell on the possibility of reconnecting with him. My mother barely spoke of him and all I've ever seen in her eyes were pain whenever I inquired."
"So you stopped asking of him?"
"I did."
"Adani, have you ever had true love?"
I gulped. I've had crushes before Wayan but it was innocent high school teenagers stuff. Wayan was all I knew and the way he treated me, that was unequivocally, it was not true love.
"I don't believe I've ever had true love except for my mother's unconditional love," I answered.
~
The session went on for half an hour more and I didn't open up about Wayan and the abuse. Dr. Milan also looked familiar, like I've seen her somewhere but I just couldn't pinpoint the exact location.
After the session, we shook hands and said our goodbyes, and I went back to being me.
It was the third Monday in July. The mansion was no longer filled with the guests. Everyone had filed out in the morning period and we spent the day cleaning the rooms after them.
Everyone left except Mrs. Parriston. She insisted on staying behind for a little longer to have more time with her son.
~
"Nah. She just wants to make our lives a living hell," Mavielle said. We were outdoors in the greenhouse at the end of our shift. Flamboyant had already left the premises.
"I think Mr. Parriston put his feet down. She hasn't been that bossy since the party."
"Please, she's waiting for an opening."
We chatted until the sky became darker then Mavielle was about to take her leave when we ran into Mr. Parriston.
"Wonderful. You're still here. The shift is going to be adjusted," he spoke to Mavielle and handed her a sheet of paper before leaving.
Mavielle gazed at the paper then handed it to me. Our names, start and end time of shifts were stated.
"My days off would be on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays obviously. My shift begins in the afternoon now," I observed.
"And mine on mornings and Flamboyant's at afternoons into the evenings. We all have the same days off which is pretty good. I love Mr. Parriston for this."
Mavielle snapped a picture of the new shift and sent it to Flamboyant's phone. We hugged and then she left.
~
The changes took effect the next day. Mavielle came in the morning and did her usual routine and took her leave when Flamboyant came in and did her task and left in the evening, and I did mine in the evening into the early night until I retired to my bedroom.
~
"There's a party tomorrow," Flamboyant said to me. It was now Thursday and she was about to take her leave, "Can you go?"
"I can," I answered.
"We wouldn't have to run away from the club again, right?" she asked arching an eyebrow.
"No. We wouldn't," I answered. She took her belongings and walked out the door and left me to my shift.
~
Friday evening came quickly as a flash. I had invited Adonna along with us and she was to meet up with us at the club.
"Unfortunately, I can't stay out too late tonight. My husband has a meeting and the babysitter isn't in the best of health so when he calls me, I have to leave," Mavielle explained as we sat down at the table in the club.
"Why didn't you just stay home then?" Flamboyant asked her.
"Because I know you would complain."
"Family is important. I would have understand."
"Well I'm already here."
"Hi," a voice said. We looked up and Adonna was standing there. I stood up, wrapped her into a hug and introduced her to the others.
"It's nice to meet you but I must say that if Adani had left the table, and you've showed up, I would have thought it was Adani. It's crazy how you look alike," Mavielle said as she looked between us.
We laughed and Adonna and I looked at each other. I've noticed our similarities since the first day I've seen her at that restaurant but people do look like other people.
"You look good. I love that dress," I complimented shifting the topic to looks and glamour.
A bottle of champagne arrived and I had flashes of when Wayan sent over a bottle the first time we were here.
"Adani, are you okay?" Adonna asked me.
"I'm fine." I gathered myself, popped the bottle and filled everyone's glass. We erupted in cheers before we drank from our flutes and taking to the dance floor.
I was having the time of my life. My worries were absent as I sway to the music with my friends around me until my feet hurt.
"I'm going to sit down for a few minutes," I told the ladies before heading to the lounge area but divert to the washroom when I felt a pee coming on.
I did my business, washed my hands and headed to rest my feet. The others joined me. Mavielle took her leave shortly after then it was Adonna because she had to work the next morning.
Flamboyant and I stayed behind until it was midnight.
We made our exit and Flamboyant went to sort out a confusion that happened with her vehicle.
"I never thought you were stupid enough to show up here again," someone said as they stalked towards me.
I looked in their direction. It was Wayan accompanied with his friends, including Destiny.
Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid and he went his friends off while he circled me.
"Adani. Adani. Adani. You left me heartbroken and walked out of my life. You think I would never see you again, huh, LA isn't big enough to hide you from me. You're my soulmate."
"No, I'm not. I'm done."
"Done, we haven't even started as yet!"
"You can't bully me anymore, Wayan. I'm not going to cower. I'm going to fight."
We locked eyes on each other. He stopped his circling and stood directly in front of me.
"I should drag you all the way back home."
"You wouldn't."
Wayan latched onto my arm.
Flamboyant showed up in her jeep but when she noticed Wayan was handling me, she just drove off.
I couldn't believe she just did that.
"See, Adani, even your friend abandoned you, proving that I'm the only one who will be there for you. Now let's go home!" he commanded and yanked me to get into a walking pace.
"I'm not going with you, Wayan. Let go of me!" I fought.
"Stop it! You're making a scene. People are going to think I'm kidnapping you."
"That's exactly what you're doing, you asshole!"
A few bystanders looked on. "Is she okay?" a woman asked.
"No. I'm not, he's hurting me," I answered.
"Pay her no mind. She's my fianceé and she just had a little too much to drink," Wayan lied.
Closer we inched to the parking lot of the club and I noticed Wayan's car. He unlocked it and attempted to shove me in.
"Let her go," a voice demanded. Wayan turned around and so did I.
Mr. Parriston was standing there with his bodyguard but Wayan still held me.
"This isn't any of your business. She's my woman," he spoke up.
Without a word, Mr. Parriston walked to us and broke the hold like if Wayan's hand was just a twig. He then took me to his side.
"How about you pick on someone of your own sex. Only a coward manhandles a woman," Mr. Parriston told him.
The bodyguard, who was built like Brock Lesnar, looked like he wanted all the smoke. He stood protectively in front of Mr. Parriston and I, daring Wayan with his eyes to throw a punch so he can have a reason to beat his ass. And just like a coward indeed, Wayan recoiled.
He locked his car and speed walk out of the parking lot.
"This isn't over!" he yelled from afar.
And I knew it wasn't.