“Thank you, sir,” I said after paying his charges while he nodded and drove off.
I turned around and stared at my dearest home, the lemon and cream paintings were fading off and I glanced around and noticed the street was very quiet.
I walked anxiously to my home as I stepped on the three-step staircase while it made a creaking noise.
Placing my hand on the doorknob, I turned it to the left and the door made a click sound for me to know it was unlocked, I pushed it lightly as the door opened while I stepped in.
I became greeted with spiderwebs as I tried to clean my face with my hands while I closed the door behind.
I glanced at the cushions as I walked closer placing my hands on it, feeling its old textures.
The house was damn silent and it saddens me when I remember the old memories and the times spent in this once happy home.
I sighed making my way to the table where the framed pictures were standing. I trailed my fingers on the surface of the table which was dusty while I took one of the framed pictures which was the picture of all of us; Dad, mum, Lillian, and me.
I smiled sadly tracing my fingers on the picture frame.
“I missed all of you,” I muttered lowly, I really missed them so much.
I’ll take this picture along when I’m going, I placed it carefully to stand on the table while I made my way to the kitchen.
Everything seem odd and dark, I opened the windows and grabbed a broom.
I decided to clean the sitting room and kitchen, taking a mopstick and used it to wipe off the spiderwebs hanging around.
After sweeping, I grabbed a napkin and started dusting and cleaning everywhere.
After sweeping and cleaning everywhere which lasted close to an hour, I returned to the kitchen placing all the cups and dishes carefully into the cupboard.
My phone beeped in my pocket my heart race a hundred kilometers in a second hoping it wasn’t Lucas calling.
‘OMG! Is he back from school already?’ I thought pulling out my phone from the jean pocket and praying silently he wouldn’t be the one when I checked the caller ID.
I brought it closer to my face and sighed feeling relieved, it was Beatrice.
She’d been calling from time to time checking on me and asking questions if Lucas wasn’t doing anything weird with me.
The same for Leticia too…
I swiped the call icon to accept and her blaring voice popped up through the speaker.
“What’s taking you so long to pick my call?” She asked with a scold lacing her voice making me chuckle lightly.
“Sorry, wasn’t with my phone,” I lied, I couldn’t tell her I went back home, she would literally be screaming her guts through the phone.
“Okay, so how are you doing? I’ve missed you so much,” I heard her sighing in the background.
“I missed you too,” I said too.
“Miss you over here!” I heard someone say in the background.
“Is that Leticia?” I asked.
“Yeah, she send her regards to you,” Beatrice answered.
“So, how’s your stomach and when will you be able to resume school?” Beatrice asked and I heard something clang on the floor.
“Hey!” I heard Beatrice’s voice getting aggressive.
“Are you okay?” I asked worriedly wondering what was going on with her and my mind calmed a bit when I realized Leticia was there with her and Ben wouldn’t let anything happen to her, he has been playing the role of a bodyguard to her.
“Yeah, just a dumbass blondie who bumped into me but I’m fine,” She said.
“Oh okay, I’ll call you later,” I notified, I needed to do whatever thing I want to do here and return to Lucas’s home before he arrives.
“Wait! Where are you? You sound like someone in hurry,” She said suspiciously making me laugh.
“I’m in Lucas’s room, and I-I…” I stuttered looking around for a clue to make my lies reasonable to Beatrice.
“I’m about to bath, I’m feeling hot, you know being alone without you guys makes me sick,” I chuckled to make it seem more convincing so she won’t detect that I’m lying.
“Hmmm! Just get ready to give us a full gist when you come to school,” she said and I know she would be smirking crazily where she was over there.
“Uh! Yeah,” I laughed.
“Bye baby!” She said.
“Bye!” I muttered lowly and hang up the phone before blowing out a whistle.
I made my way into mum’s room, it was still neatly arranged when I opened the door.
“I can do this,” I muttered lowly to myself as I made my way further into the room. I got closer to the bed with a sky blue duvet laid properly on the bed.
I sat on the bed with my palms position on the cotton sheets as I felt their texture.
I felt so warm and before I knew it, I laid my back on the bed staring at the white ceiling.
I snuggle further into the bed as I grabbed the duvet and whiff the scent of mum which was still smelling on the sheet and I felt warm within me.
“I’ve missed you so much, Mum and Dad!” I whispered to myself closing my eyes.
I sighed and stood up walking over to mum’s closet and opened it. I grabbed some of her clothes bringing them closer to my nose as I inhaled her lovely scent.
I coughed lightly returning the clothes to their place while I cleaned the tears welling up in my eyes with the back of my hand.
I was about to close the room when a book fell on my foot.
“Ow!” I grimaced as my eyes darted to the hardcover book that looks like a diary. Feeling so curious I picked up the book which had a hardcover.
“It’s locked!” I muttered surprisingly to myself checking out the brown-covered dairy, with a small lock and a little pocket attached to its side, it seems it has a key.
I checked the side of the book and saw the little key inside the pocket.
It was very small and tiny, gotta read this when I get to Lucas’s home.
I closed the wardrobe and glanced at the room before I made my way out.
I walked through the stairs as it made a creaky sound, I checked Lillian’s room and noticed the curtains were folded up to the windowpane, exposing her room.
I walked in and let down the curtains and turned around to go out when I saw a picture on the bed.
I picked it up only to find out it was a picture of me and her we took last year together.
I turned the back, and read what was written on it.
‘I love you, Camilla, you’ll remain in my heart,’ it says and a light gasp escaped my mouth as a tear dropped on the picture.
“If you did, you wouldn’t have left me!” I sputtered out in a shaky voice.
I dropped the picture back on the bed, I still find it difficult to accept what she did to me even though I’ve tried forgiving her.
I was about to close the door when I sighed and went over to her bed and picked up the picture.
I checked my phone for the time and my eyes nearly popped out.
“It’s 2:30 p. m,” I whispered as I rushed down the stairs.
I need to return to Lucas’s home before he finds out I left the house.
After taking my family picture frame on the table in the living room, I hopped out of the house and closed the door securely before I got on the street.
I walked a bit to the front before I flag down a cab.
“Where to Miss?” The averagely old man in the cab asked.
Recalling the Street name to Lucas’s home, he nodded he knows there and I got into the cab.
*
*
*
50 minutes later,
I opened the door to Lucas’s room and went to keep the pictures in my own closet Lucas preserved for me.
I was wondering why he couldn’t let me have a separate room but he was adamant about me staying in his room stubbornly.
I checked the time on my phone and saw I still had 1 hour left to check out the diary before he returns from school.
I sat comfortably on the bed as I unlocked the diary with the little key.
‘I can’t believe mum, had a diary of her life,’ I thought amazed.
She started the diary from when she got married, stating how she was the happiest woman to be with my dad.
I smiled sadly as a tear slipped off my face again.
‘Gosh! I need to be sober if I want to read this diary,’ I thought.
Not that I didn’t want to remember but being the curious type and my emotional state, I think I need to get something to make me sober.
So, I stood up and made my way to the dining, I needed a drink or wine.
“Hey, Veera!” I called out when I saw her making her way to the door while she turned around immediately.
“Hey dear, you’re back!” She smiled warmly at me and started making her way towards me.
“Yeah!” I smiled.
“Uhm! Is there any wine here?” I asked while she raised her brow at me.
“You don’t look like someone who drinks,” she said gazing at me.
“I don’t mean like getting drunk, just a wine with a little alcoholic content or something,” I said hoping she understands what I meant.
“Oh! Yeah, we quite have lots of wine, follow me,” she said as we walked out of the dining room and walked straight before she opened a large door.
I gasped at the sight, this looks like a bar place.
“Uhm! Low alcoholic content, right?” Veera asked snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Yeah!” I said following her to where some wine was stored.
“Pinard et Filles ‘Queer… Uhm! NV Broadbent Vinho Verde…” She said trailing her fingers on the bottle of wine as she said the names out.
“Haha! Here! Braida Brachetto d’Acqui,” She chuckled bringing out the bottle of wine and taking a glass cup on the table as she handed it to me.
“Wow!” I said gazing at the almost transculent Ruby red color wine in my hand, whatever thing that wants me to drink this wine is crazy.
“Yeah, it has a scent of dried rose mixed with honey and strawberries, which is perfect for any palate! And also has only a 5. 5% alcohol level and some residual sugar that will leave a lasting and satisfying finish,” She explained gazing at the bottle.
“Thank you, that’s great!” I said my gaze still fixed on the bottled wine.
“You’re welcome, if you need me I’ll be there right away,” She said and I nodded with a smile as I made my way to the room.
I got to Lucas’s room immediately and closed the door, as I opened the wine and poured some in the glass cup, I brought it gently to my lips as I darted my tongue and tasted a little liquid to see how good it was and surprisingly it was great.
Veera was right, it had just the right taste and before I knew it, I had already drunk two cups.
“That should do!” I said placing the wine on the chest draw beside the bed along with the cup.
I took the diary and started reading after pouring another wine for myself again, I read some pages and got to where she talked about baby Lillian before I became light-headed and slept off.