Hey all you lovely readers :)
I legit thought that I had lost this chapter when I went to check on it yesterday, but I must thank whoever is looking out for me because I simply saved it in a different folder. I pray that this update finds you and your loved ones in not only good health, but safely too.
I appreciate each and every one of ya'll for still sticking with me throughout the years. My mental health has not been the best, but I am working hard every day and I am definitely further than I was when I started writing this book.
N/B: Also I did an announcement, which nobody responded to (awks), I just wanted to find out which day besides Fridays I should update? As some weeks I write quicker than others and this week was one of those weeks so yeah. I can't promise two updates every single week, but the weeks where I can I will be updating twice. This is because I recently got my laptop fixed that I originally started writing on so there are so many gems (at least fifteen new story ideas).
Please comment and leave a like if you enjoyed reading.
Lots of love and positivity to you all,
- Aimee x
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I wish that I could say that I woke up the next day in the greatest of spirits; with birds chirping to the tune of the latest pop song, but that would be a lie. Instead I spent the next week in a state of sadness and downward spiraling until on the seventh day of my depression I awoke with a fresh new outlook on life. It was time to get my things together and in order before I was left with no puzzle pieces left to pick up.
First things first though, coffee.
I felt as though Kendall had purposefully kept her distance from me so that I could focus more on myself than tagging along with her on her expeditions to distract myself. I was also fairy certain that she had somebody on the side that she was either not sure of yet or not wanting to introduce him to me for some strange reason. As I dwelled on these bits of information I had made myself something to drink and fixed up a plate of granola with strawberry yogurt. My absolute favourite breakfast meal to date.
"Good morning Rora." The centre of my current thoughts greeted me as she arrived home from a night out.
I raised a brow at her disheveled appearance, "Looks as though you had a really good night."
She smirked at me as she pulled her hair from the bun that it had been in atop her head which hid the bruises that I could see along the contours of her neck. "Wouldn't you like to know." She winked at me.
"Well it does look like you spent the night with a leech of some sort so yes, I would love to know." Instead of receiving a verbal response I was rewarded with the flip of her middle finger which caused a loud cackle to escape my lips. "So who's the luck guy or girl?"
Kendall took a sip from the orange juice she had poured moments before and shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't really catch her name." She responded.
Now it was my turn to flip her off, "Yeah right. I know you have been seeing someone on the side."
"Where did you get that impression from?"
"Best friends just know these things."
Kendall shook her head and turned on her heels to head to her room, "I'll let you meet them soon enough." She said as she threw a peace sign up and over her shoulder.
I just shook my head and chuckled as I finished my breakfast.
=-=-=-=-=-
A few hours had passed, with no sign of Kendall, but I had successfully applied to a number of new teaching jobs at local schools. All I could do now was hope and pray that at least one of these institutions would take pity on me.
I had decided that along with doing applications today I would also stop by my apartment-technically my dad's apartment-to pack up all of my things to clear out before my mother would most likely convince my father to chuck my belongings. To be perfectly honest I had also wondered how far they were going to take all of this and deep down I was mostly thankful that they had removed themselves from my life. Yet, a small part of me was curious about what had happened to bring this on.
All I had done was break up with Giovanni before he had the chance to save myself the impending heartbreak of him doing it beforehand. As far as I knew I had no say in the company at all let alone where it would end up.
"I'm leaving now." I called out to Kendall which she did not respond to. I had doubted that she would anyways, but I decided to still check that she was breathing before I left.
After checking up on her and being satisfied with my findings I left her apartment and locked up with my own set of keys. Today was quite sunny with a subtle crisp wintery wind that swept passed my jean clad lower body. I would be using Kendall's driver today since I did not own a car and I doubted that I could even think of asking my father to send one to fetch me.
"Good morning Miss Richmond." I peaked at the head that stuck out from the driver's side. Malcolm would most likely be considered far too good looking to not be on the cover of some exclusive magazine over. He had sandy blond hair, a slight five o'clock shadow that framed the contour of his chin and lower face which alluded to a grown up surfer that had found his way into the business world. "I've told you before Malcolm to call me Aurora." I playfully scolded him as I took a seat in the back of the vehicle.
"Maybe one day Miss Richmond, when I'm no longer employed by Miss Kendall and her family." Rolled my eyes at his response and instead opened my purse to retrieve my cellphone as it buzzed with a message from its confines.
As soon as I saw the name that flashed across my screen I instead shut it off completely in hopes of ignoring him for a little bit longer before the universe ultimately pushed us back to the same place. I had on my second day at Kendall's place taken one too many sips from the bottle of an extremely expensive bottle of tequila from which had been hidden away in her personal stash. I had stumbled upon article after article, complete with personal photographs, of the event that was the baby shower of Giovanni and Melissa. The multiple pink streamers that littered the front lawn of a mansion that I was sure even my father could not even imagine owning. The one picture that had driven the knife even deeper into my back had been one of Giovanni and his mother, on either side of Melissa with smiles as wide as the Nile river, with their hands on her belly as they smiled up at the camera.
Each write up had the same photograph plastered as the main one and each wrote of the amazing adventure that they would now be embarking on together. One or two had even given my name a mention when writing about Gio's passed lovers and how it was never confirmed that we were broken up before the current event.
I believe it was after the tenth or so article that I had done the stupid and embarrassing thing and decided to send him a piece of my mind via calling him. I know I am as dumb as they come. The next morning I had remembered my stupid decision, plus the fact that I had left a voicemail since I could not get a hold of him. Which tripled the hangover I had woken up with and had caused me to cease drinking from then on out as if I were to be the woman I knew that I was it would mean no more mopping.
"Malcolm, could we make a stop after we get done at my apartment please?" He raised an eyebrow at me in the rearview mirror, but humored me none the less. "Of course Miss, so long as you direct me in the right direction we can go wherever you please." The sentence was punctuated with a nod.
"Thank you Malcolm." I said with a relieved sigh.
As we arrived closer to my apartment my stomach from some reason just kept knotting itself as I was so anxious I was scared my intestines my fall through my butt if I moved too quickly. The confidence I had woken up with was slowly starting to leave me at a startling rate. Malcolm parked the car in the street below where I used to call home and followed me up. I felt as though he sensed my apprehension to being here which is why he had decided to come with me or he had been ordered by my best friend to keep a close eye on me.
For some reason I had opted out of asking her to come with me as a small part of me was embarrassed by where I had ended up especially how dependant for a place to stay I had become on her. Without saying anything I knew that she knew how much I needed to do this by myself.
My hand shook as I tested my key in the lock at the front door and I almost cried out in relief as it quietly opened in turn. "Thank you for accompanying me Malcolm, but you can stay here while I get my things." I smiled-a weak smile-at him as I tried to reassure him and myself that I would be okay.
"Okay, but just shout if you need me."
I stepped into the space that had once been my safe haven and noted that all of my little treasure that had been collected over the years was missing, scratch that, everything that I owned seemed to be gone. "What the-" I whispered under my breath as I looked around. All of my ornaments, soap dishes, linens and more were nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to collapse in ball of utter anguish I pushed my bedroom door open, inside lay everything that I owned. It had been placed in neatly packed boxes for the trinkets and black bags for the clothing.
A piece of white paper lay on one of the pillows on the bed with a note written in my father's handwriting.
-=-=-
Aurora
By the time you read this letter you will notice that all of your possessions have been removed from the spots that had once housed them and are now at the foot of your bed in various packages.
Leave your key on the kitchen top when you let yourself out. Anything that is left here after will be tossed or given to charity.
If you wish to end this charade and come to your sense you know where to find me.
Yours sincerely
Your father, Gregory Richmond
-=-=-=
The piece of paper fell from my hands as I instead turned my attention to the matter of moving my things as quickly as humanly possible. I needed to get out of here before I suffocated on the wave of emotions that were swirling around the room.
Word failed me as I tried to imagine why parents would willingly send their children away without caring where they would end up. My father knew as well as the next person how I struggled not having only one parent that gave a damn, but now I would have none. Why do people even have children if they can so easily abandon them when their view does not match theirs, why have children if you could not put them before your selfishness?
"Malcolm!" I called out as I struggled with the boxes. "Miss?" He moved incredibly quickly for somebody of his height and build, in a different circumstance I would have made a smartass comment about it.
"Could you please give me a hand, I would like to be out of here before sundown."
"Your wish is my command." He joked as he took two boxes under each arm and disappeared around the corner.
Shit a brick he was strong, I caught myself biting my lip and immediately released it, the sight of such a large man in my bedroom had caused something to stir within the pit of my stomach. However, that is where the hunger for another kind of sustenance would stay as our relationship was purely work orientated.
"Well, Miss Richmond if you wish to have all of these loaded and ready for the drive back before evening falls you better start helping." There were six or so boxes left with double the amount of black bags next to them. "Mhmm... I thought you were doing pretty well all by yourself." I teased as I grabbed one of the bags and followed him down to the SUV.
It took us three alike trips for everything to be loaded as we moved in a peaceful silence together. Malcolm left me to head back up to the apartment on my own when we finished which I rewarded with a small smile at his thoughtfulness. I looked around the semi-furnished space and instead of feeling a sense of lose or uncertainty I felt refreshed. Ready for the new adventures that would be only a few steps away.
I also felt as though I had just gotten rid of an invisible tether that had held me ball and chain to my family. Despite how long I had been the black sheep I had never strayed far away from them when it came to needing help for certain things.
Yet now I knew that I would not have the same crutch to fall back on and I felt liberated.
As my finally act of rebellion I pulled the middle finger at the camera that faced the hallway just outside of my old front door as I knew my father would be monitoring to see when I left. Since he was that thorough when it came to his business dealings and I knew that that is what our relationship had now boiled down to.
I met Malcolm in the car once more and nodded as he asked if I were ready to go. "I am more than ready to leave this entire life behind me, you have no idea."
"Well then Miss, how about a drink after we drop everything off at Miss Kendall?" He cheekily smirked at me through the rearview mirror.
I pretended to think about it for a minute, "How about dinner? I don't think that I could stomach another drink after the week I just had." I concurred and hoped he would say yes.
"Dinner it is then Miss Aurora."
Maybe our relationship did not have to be just a working one, but perhaps a win-win kind for both of us.