ROWAN
I was sprawled on the couch in the living room while trying to enjoy the movie I was watching; I’d been trying to see meaning in the movie for the past thirty minutes but couldn’t get any. Since Ava had recommended the movie to me and I didn’t have any other thing to do, I couldn’t stop watching it but what eventually saved me from it was the knock that came from the door. Before I could utter a word, the door opened and without much thought, I knew it was Ailey.
She was the only one that could step into the house without my permission. I whipped my head to the door and I saw my best friend unbuckling her tiny strap sandals and then sliding her legs into the slippers. She gave me a warm smile as she approached me with a plastic bag in hand.
“You got off work early?” I questioned as it was only five in the evening, normally, Ailey never left the studio until seven or sometimes later than that.
“I’m done with the project so, it’s time to take a break,” she replied before tapping my chest as a way to tell me to stand up so she could sit beside me and I did just that.
She hadn’t visited me since the last time as she’d been so busy with work; one thing I liked about her was the fact that she never joked with her work. She was so passionate about it that I sometimes feel inferior to her; not like I wasn’t passionate too infact my employees referred to me as a workaholic since all I did was work without condoning any frivolities, it was only work related, there was nothing personal at all maybe that was why they all feared me but then I felt like that was the only way they could be serious with their job. Ailey on the other hand was friendly with her employees and I wonder how she was able to balance the two, well, she’d always been friendly to everyone except Ava; one thing I still couldn’t comprehend.
“No wonder,” I commented and she dropped the plastic bag on the table.
“It’s for you.”
“What’s that?”
She lifted her shoulders in a half shrug and I creased my brows before opening the bag.
“Snacks?” I asked while bringing out the chips, pringles, cookies and chocolates she brought and I shook my head.
“Do I look like a kid?”
“Do you think you’re an adult?”
“You don’t reply a question with another question,” I told her and she chuckled.
“Anyway, this chocolate is to lighten your mood whenever you feel down,” she replied.
“And others?”
“Whenever you feel like. Anyway, do you have any food?” She questioned while rubbing her flat tummy that looked almost non-existent in the baggy gown she was wearing. Even though the dress was bigger than her, it still looked good on her just like every other cloth.
“There is Spaghetti and meatballs. Maggie prepared it for dinner.”
She snapped her fingers. “True, where is Maggie?”
“She’s probably in her house.”
Ailey lifted her brows. “What do you mean?”
“I already told her to get off work early. I don’t need her to be here till evening so she leaves in the morning or latest noon after she gets her work done,” I explained to her.
“You still don’t like people in your personal space?” She asked and I only replied with a shrug.
Then she got on her feet.
“Will you eat too?”
“The food is only meant for one person. If you eat it now, what will I eat at night?”
“We can just order,” she ended before disappearing to the kitchen while I turned to the TV only to realise the movie had ended. Well, that was good. I turned off the TV and picked up my phone and then dropped a message to my secretary in order to get some updates on whatever was going on at work. I’d left the company halfway through a project; not halfway though since we just started the project.
We were to develop a game with animated characters. The animation company had met with us to help develop an intercative story; they wanted to try another form of animations and since they didn’t know much about games, they’d decided to partner with us. We…
“Food is ready,” Ailey announced as she dropped the plate on the table.
“I didn’t remember saying I was hungry,” I told her when I noticed she came with two forks.
“Are you not hungry?” She asked and I nodded. I’d already eaten chicken and chips just before I started watching the movie and I was still full.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.” She picked up the plate from the table and placed it on her laps, soon, she started eating while I replied to my secretary’s message. He mentioned they’d been able to contact the writer who was also the animator and she’d agreed to work with us.
“I can’t believe you’re still working at home,” Ailey utttered as she poked her head into my phone.
“Looking at someone’s phone is a bad habit.”
She huffed before waving her hand dismissively.
“Whatever. Anyway, you need to get some rest, just leave everything to your workers.”
“So, they’ll end up doing the wrong thing, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “Just cut yourself some slacks.”
“It’s not like I’m sick or something. My wound is already healing and I believe I’ll start walking without the crutches by next week.”
Her face lit up.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Does that mean you’ll be able to go out?”
“Why should I go out?”
“Aren’t you feeling choked? Staying indoors for a whole month isn’t your thing. Also, you can go out in this area, no one recognises you.”
“How sure are you?”
She shrugged.
“Well, what I’m saying is you should this medium to catch some fun before going back to your boring and workaholic life,” she accused.
“My life isn’t boring.”
“Tell that to someone that doesn’t know you. Anyway, just chill and enjoy your life.”
“Like it’s my last, right? Have you forgotten soneone is after my life?”
“So? The cops are doing their work likewise the private investogator, he’ll get caught soon. It’s been so long since we went out together, we’re not even catching fun these, most especially when you get a fuck buddy, they all believe I want to steal you from them and now that they’re no more in existence, I feel like we can get back to how things were,” She said before gulping down water.
“You’ve always been a threat to every lady in my life so, that shouldn’t be a problem. We can just catch fun at home, it’s been a while since I played PS, you’re the only one I play it with,” I reminded her and her sour face changed into an elated expression as her eyes widened in realisation.
“That’s true. Let’s have a match.”
“You know I’ll always beat you,” I remindee her and she scoffed.
“In your dreams. Let me get it,” she sprang to her feet after that along with the almost empty plate. A few minutes later, everything was all set and soon we started the game.
“If I win, what will you do?” I asked when I’d started leading just a few minutes into the game.
“I’ll sleep over and be your caregiver.”
“Well, that isn’t bad. And you, what do you want?”
“Go on a trip with you.”
“What!”
“It’ll only be for a day. Just a drive,” she explained and I nodded.
“Agreed.”
But at the end of the game, I won so she had to sleep over at my place.
“Looks like our food is here,” Ailey pointed out after the knock from the door so, she got on her feet and headed to the door. She returned a couple of seconds later with our dinner of pizza and juice.
“What do you want to do after dinner?” Ailey asked as she opened the pack.
“Nothing.”
“How about karaoke?”
“That’s just you entertaining me.”
“It’s part of my job as your caregiver,” she joked and I shrugged.
“Whatever.”
We went to bed after the karaoke and my eyes fluttered open when I felt a hand on my wrist.
“You’re having a bad dream,” Ailey told me and then I realised I was soaked in sweats.
“Is the nightmare back?” She asked with concern laced in her tone. She and Ava were the oly ones that knew about it. Though, it stopped two months back but I guess the shootings had brought it back.
“Are you still seeing the psychologist?” She inquired and I shook my head.
“I stopped,” I replied and she shook her head.
“You need to go back,” she told me firmly. Looks like I actually need to do that.
“Here, have chocolate first.” She pointed a bar of chocolate at me and I gave her shadow of a smile before collecting it from her. Maybe, I’ll contact my psychologist the next day so she’ll come over.
‘