The Art of Healin’: NYSSA
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Lysander.” I mouthed as I got off the floor. “In case you don’t recall, these are my properties from my grandmother. She gave them to me before her death.”
“Oh.”
I didn’t have to ask before understandin’ that he didn’t recall. “They are nice.” He sounded and touched them one after the other. “Can I try repaintin’ them? They’re still yours and I don’t plan on takin’ them.”
How did he know what I was thinkin’ ’bout?
“Sure,” I let out and walked out of the room, ready to take my phone that had been beepin’ for a long time. “Hello, Ariadne?” Settlin’ on the bed, I spoke to a woman who was nothin’ more or less than my best friend.
“Took you long enough.”
What could I say?
She was too insecure or rather, scared of a thing or two happenin’ to me. “I was in the art studio with ‘im, Ariadne. Nothin’ more. He’s gettin’ better by the day if you ask me, and I think he’s a changed man.”
From the other end, she scoffed. “And why should I believe that? He almost killed you and this version of me is somethin’ I have in my head.”
Just as I thought.
People change, don’t they?
“I was callin’ to let you know I wanted to visit,” she now said. “It’s important that I know you’re safe there. I’m tired of listenin’ to you speak over the phone.”
“I am safe.”
“No, Nyssa. Text me the address and I’ll be there by this time next week. And how are the trainin’s comin’ along?”
Well, what could I say?
Everythin’ Ariadne tried to do with me to recover from my past and discover who I was, I was usin’ for Lysander who recovered faster than I did. It was goin’ very well. More than well and it won’t take long for me to finally leave the house.
“Nyssa?”
I snapped out of my thoughts. “You don’t have anythin’ at all to worry ’bout, you should know that. The trainin’ is comin’ along. Did you forget I learned from the best?”
She chuckled.
“I don’t care who you learned from. You know what I care ’bout. And don’t waste my time. I want the address before the end of the day. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, I’ll do that right away.”
The call ended.
I did nothin’ but send the location to her before pluggin’ back my phone. Once again, my legs were leadin’ me to the door of the art studio, while I became lost in thought as I wondered ’bout what I went through in the hands of Lysander before the accident.
And what ’bout Kazmir?
How was he doin’? And his marriage?
These and so many thoughts ran ’bout in my head. Then, I recalled how we should have involved the police in the kidnap case, but how could I?
How couldn’t I?
It was the right thing to do, for all that I knew. And what now? Wasn’t she enjoyin’ the things she’s been wantin’ to have a taste of? I just couldn’t let her go to jail. Not when she’s been out of our lives for long.
Someone made a sound.
I was startled and continued my walk. It didn’t take long for me to walk in, shut the door, and meet the man in front of a board just as we agreed before I left a while ago.
“Uhm, this is nice.”
Of course, it wasn’t.
Maybe it also was. Accordin’ to Ariadne and the little she taught me, paintin’ – whether a reasonable or useless piece could help with saturatin’ the mind.
“This is nice?” He turned to look at me. “I don’t think so, but we can’t judge the end from the beginnin’. Can we, Nyssa? Give me some time to be done with this.”
There was somethin’ I needed to speak with ‘im ’bout. Even though I had a place in the house already, it didn’t give me the right to let Ariadne come into it without the permission of the house owner.
“Is there a problem?”
Abandonin’ the pencil in his hand, he looked at me. “You look like there’s an issue. What is the matter?”
What could I say?
Takin’ a seat on the chair, I heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry, Lysander. But a friend wants to come see me. I can’t leave you yet unless you don’t mind.”
“Wh-what?” He was confused. “What do you mean? I don’t think I understand you, Nyssa.”
“I’m sayin’ my friend wants to make it to this house. She wants us to see and I feel like she can come here so we can talk. It’ll benefit you too. She helped me with these things when I was recoverin’. I was thinkin’-”
“Yes.”
Yes?
Yes, what?
“She can come here?”
He nodded. “Of course. It’s becomin’ very borin’ here if you ask me. When is she comin’?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Even though I knew, I just had to say that. Who knows? The real Lysander could be hidin’ somewhere and I could not be safe in the same house with ‘im.
What if he wanted to harm me before the arrival of Ariadne? I looked away, attendin’ to my thoughts before lookin’ back at ‘im. “I’ll let her know that you don’t mind. You can get on with your drawin’, too.”
“You know you own this place like me, don’t you? People you know are free to make it to this place any day and anythin’. You have nothin’ at all to worry ’bout, Nyssa. And don’t be scared ’cause I’ll not hurt you.”
He was right.
I gave ‘im a nod and looked at the board.
“You look like you’re gettin’ what you want to paint’ if you asked me, Lysander. In a matter of days, you’ll be better than you currently are.”
In moments, when we looked at the board again, it was the perfect paintin’ of the piece on it. I should have known Lysander would be better soon, after all.