MONALISA
“I just finished talking to….” Mum walked into the room and saw me dropping her phone.
“You were with my phone?” She asked and I nodded slightly.
“Was just checking the time, mum ” I mumbled. I had had to delete the call log after the call to make sure mum knew nothing of it.
“Oh, alright ” She gave me a small smile. It was evident she didn’t want to drag out any topic so that she won’t stress me
“You were saying something, mum” I pointed out, bringing the phone issue to a complete end.
“Yes, I was saying I talked to my friend and I am going to go see her now. When I get back, we will move to her place and be there for a while. She is into real estate so she would be the one helping with getting us a new house. I figured it would be better if we bought a decent home”
“Thank you so much, mum” I said to her because I was genuinely grateful to her.
“It’s nothing at all, Lisa. I should be the one thanking you for being strong and being by my side. You didn’t deserve any of this. I should have given you a better life. I should have worked harder and…”
“Mum” I cut her off softly.
“You worked hard. Way too hard, in fact” I took her hands in mine.
“You have done very well, mum”
“Sometimes I get really scared that I suck at parenting. You were… You were just five when Sebastian died, when he was killed by….” She drew in a long, shaky breath.
“I am scared I don’t do well at parenting. I want to do my best for you, Lisa…”
I embraced her, seeing that she was going to break down into tears in no time.
“I am fine” mum whispered but her voice made it pretty obvious that she wasn’t close to being fine. I felt bad to, bad that I was going to be meeting with the man who was the main cause of all these pains.
I didn’t know why exactly I agreed to meeting with Lucius. Maybe I just wanted to listen to him and hear him say something that would pacify my hurting heart. Maybe I wanted to hear him say something different from what I had heard yesterday.
Mum pulled away from the hug, a forced smile on her face.
“It’s fine. I will get going now” she said and then stopped for a second.
“Your phone… It’s gone, right?” She asked.
“Yes, it is. But I will be fine” I replied her.
“I will be back in no time” she added and I watched her walk out, leaving just me in the room.
I sighed deeply, so deeply that I felt it hurt. But maybe that wasn’t because of the deep sigh but because of the pains.
Pulling myself together, I took a hurried bath and dressed up in a dress mum had purchased for me on our way here last night.
After dressing up, I stood before the mirror. I looked like a shadow of myself. I missed the days when I looked into the mirror and felt pretty because Lucius told me I was pretty.
Looking away from the mirror, I felt a sick feeling rise from my stomach. I had the urge to throw up again and I hurried to do so.
I guess I was sick already. After all of these, I would visit the hospital and get treated.
I rinsed my face and got back out. After a minute or two in the room, I stepped out and headed to the receptionist. The receptionist was a pretty lady who seemed to be in her early thirties. She had a nice smile on her face.
“How may I help you?” She asked with the nice smile.
“Uhm, can I send a message to someone with your phone? Please?” I asked.
She hesitated for a second before reaching for her phone and turning it on.
“I wouldn’t be doing this because it just might turn out to be dangerous but you look like a young lady going through some tough patches. I have to” she said.
“Thank you” I mumbled and she unlocked her phone before handing it over to me.
“An heartbreak?” She asked as I typed the message.
“Yes, an heartbreak and worse” I said almost quietly.
I sent the name of a restaurant I wanted Lucius to meet me, to him.
“Thank you” I handed the phone over to the receptionist.
“Must be hard on you. I get off work in three hours, if you want to talk about things over hot chocolate, then feel free to come down here in three hours”
“Thank you but I think I’d pass” I smiled back at her.
I could not trust anyone again. And even though she looked really nice, I just could not have another friend anymore.
“Alright then, dear” she smiled and immediately looked to the man approaching.
I stepped away and walked out of the hotel. I had enough money in my wallet but I chose to walk down to the restaurant instead.
It would be better to walk there and sit for a few minutes than taking a cab there and waiting long minutes for Lucius to arrive since this place was a bit far from his home.
I eventually got to the restaurant but as I walked in, I realized there was no one in the restaurant. No one except Lucius.
I felt my knees weaken and my heart clench in anger and in hatred.
He got up on his feet the moment he saw me.
“Lisa” he approached me.
“Don’t” I raised my hands, motioning him not to come any closer to me.
“I will walk to you” I said and he stopped as I walked to his table and sat on a chair myself.
I looked around for a quick second, wondering how fast he drove for him to have gotten here so quickly.
“What do you have to say to me? Get to it, please. You have just thirty minutes before I take my leave” I stated impatiently, putting up on bravest font.
He picked up a chair and attempted to pull it close to me but I stopped him.
“Sit over there and talk to me”
“Agapi mou, I…”
“Don’t call me that. Don’t call me anything part from Lisa” I cut him off sternly.
I saw him sigh and then drop the chair beside me, still. He sat on it and I looked away from him, trying to get up but he held my hand.
“Just let me hold your hands this way and tell you everything, please.”
“I….” I tried to find it in me to vehemently disagree but I could not.
“Fine.” I sighed.
“Make it quick.”