To Live For Once (Set Me Free II) - Episode 35

 

Amaya:

"Good morning!!!" I squeal as I leap into Prudy's room. She just rolls around and bury her face under the pillow. I hiss and grab the blanket off her. The motel's bed creak loudly. I chuckle under my breath. We aren't really paying enough for the rooms so I can't complain. We were even lucky to have gotten a room yesterday after I left the cabin.
"Piss off!" Prudy groans sleepily and grab the end of the blanket and try to pull it from me.
"Let it go!" I pout like a baby and give her my best puppy eyes . She roll her eyes but I see her caving. She sits up and stretch like she hasn't slept enough. It's almost ten am in the morning.
"You seem excited." She says drily but I can see the concern in her eyes. I'm supposed to be sulking on my bed after last night but I feel light-hearted. Free. I suppress the memory of yesterday and let a smile brighten my face.
"Of course I'm excited. It's the first day." I tell her. Her brows wrinkle in confusion.
"First day of?"
"Living and loving life." I say and stagger into her bed to sit beside her. She hug my shoulder and sigh loudly.
"What?"
"You look happy. I'm scared that you're suppressing everything inside

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/to-live-for-once-set-me-free-ii

. That isn't healthy." She says. I pull away from her and take her hand.
"I am happy, Prudence. I'm seeing life in a whole new life." I pat her hand lightly.
"How bout your husband. Your father?" I let her hand drop and pull myself up. I leap to the window and pull the only cotton up. Sunlight filters in. It's a new day.
"You shouldn't be walking on that leg." Prudy says and I turn around to see her already up.
"It's a new day." I point out the window and she shrugs.
"Can't I sleep in? It's my holiday." She says and I realize she sounds so like the old me.
"Spoilsport." I tease and she mock gasp as if offended. I know better. I bat my lashes at her.
"You just used my word against me! Where's Maya? What did you do to my friend?" She pretends to search my pocket. I bat her hand off.
"I have so much for us to do Prudy! Since we cannot leave this place for a few more weeks we'll have to make do with the stores here! I want a make over today!" I grab her gown from the small stool in the room and throw it at her. She catches it and shrug it on. She grab her bumshort and shrug it on too.
"Perfect. Let's go." I take her hand and pull her out of the room. My leg feels heavy but I ignore the discomfort and continue with our stride.
"Ma'am!" The young guy at the front desk block our path before we reach the motel's exit. Prudy and I stop in our steps.
"Good morning Patrick!" I pat his curly hair of head and for a moment I'm reminded of Rory. I brush it off and brighten my smile. Prudy just watches me while the young man blushes a light shade of red.
"Good morning Miss. We have a delivery for you." He says without meeting my eyes. He directs me to his desk before he goes to the other side and busy himself with getting something from under the desk.
"You a student?" I ask while he does his thing. He shakes his head before finally coming up with a cane.
"Graduated from the University last year ma'am. Accounting. This is just a pitstop before I get a better job." He's saying but I'm frowning at the cane in his hand. He notices my eyes on it.
"Oh yeah. A man brought this over late last night. Said you needed it." I keep staring at the cane until Prudy takes it from him.
"Thank you." Prudy says for me before nudging me lightly.
"Are you okay?" She whispers and I snap out of it.
"Did he leave any other message?" Prudy asks Patrick.
"Yes ma'am. I saved it for the last. Ta-da!" He pulls out a bouquet of flowers and push it into my arm. I blink at the red roses in mild shock.
"Rory." Prudy whispers beside me and I try not to let my expression change. He doesn't even know I hate red roses.
"Thank you Patrick." I hand the flowers to Prudy and start to leave when Patrick calls me back.
"There's one last delivery." I turn around and he pulls a single white rose out.
"There's also a package." He drops a bag on the desk for me and I take it with shaky hands.
"What's in it?" Prudy peeks from behind me. I take a deep breath and pull open the package. I pull out a box.
"Wow. It looks expensive. Open it!" My eyes silence Prudy but I'm just about as curious as she is. I pull open the box. A Rolex watch stare up at me. I gasp and nearly drop it.
"Are you okay?" Prudy holds my shoulder to steady me as she collects the box from me.
"It's beautiful." Prudy gush and my eyes blink close. I don't even know what to feel.
"There's a note." Prudy pushes a small paper to me. I push it back.
"Read it."
"Innocence. That's what the white rose signifies. That's one thing I want to preserve in my wife. It also signifies a fresh start. That's all I'm asking for. Your undeserving husband. Rory." I blink back tears at the words.
"That's beautiful ma'am." I've forgotten about the young man. I give him a small smile before turning to Prudy.
"What should I do with these?" I look at the flowers and Rolex then shrug.
"Throw it out." I say and leap out without touching anything. I hear Prudy yell for me to at least take my cane to avoid hurting myself and I'm tempted to say the hurt in my leg pales in comparison to the one I'm trying to ignore. What are you doing to me, Rory.

*******

Rory:

She comes leaping out of the small motel and I duck under the steering wheel to hide from her. Her friend runs after her and I watch them argue heatedly before she takes the cane I sent her last night.

Read " Beautiful Mask " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Did she get my gift? My question is answered when the friend drops a bouquet of flowers into a trashcan by the side of the road. My heart falls with the flowers. I grab the handle of the car door to let myself out but Michelle's voice comes at me.
"Let her go. Just show her you are waiting for her and she'll come back. Let her cool down." I sit upright when they take a bend off the street and grab hard on the steering wheel till my knuckles go white. Waiting in the background sucks. I ignite the car and slowly pull into the road. I wrack my head for the next course of action for me today and find myself following slowly behind the two women. I smile at Amaya's cute limp as she walks into a taxi.
I make sure to stay three cars behind their taxi at all times till they stop at a dainty salon. I park a few blocks away and kill the engine.
"What are you doing Rory?" I ask myself but for some reason being this close, watching over her is so much satisfying to sitting in that cabin worrying my head off. Knowing women, they'll take a while coming out so I pull my phone out of my pocket and try to get some work done in the car.