CHAPTER 8

" Today, two things are bound to happen," Anna spoke firmly, her hands on her waist. " It's either you tell me what's going on or you tell me what's going on." She said to Deloise- who groaned in return.

" Don't even think about playing moody with me or you are going to have to leave." She threatened. " I refuse to spend my last days with a moody person who has refused to speak to her alleged best friend on whatever the problem is."

By the look on Anna's face, Deloise realized that she may have pushed it with Ann and almost spoke up. She made to speak but the memory of that miserable night came rushing back, effectively shunning her to silence.

Anna noticed her internal conflict, but refused to back off. She couldn't let her go back into the slimy shell she's been in for days. " No, you're not doing that, not today. Speak." She urged firmly, while silence engulfed the room.

The silence got broken by the incessant sobs of Deloise. Witnessing her best friend in a state of immense pain, Anna's facade crashed, and she immediately rushed to her comfort.

Deloise wept. The pain she had bottled up for days came pouring down, and her body shook. The veins in her forehead were visible, her eyes reddened and her skin burned. For twenty minutes, Anna focused solely on her friend, slowly rubbing her back in comfort without speaking.

She knew from experience that her speaking would only cause more tears to flow and Deloise usually got sick after crying - It was her nature. She desperately prayed she would fall asleep for the night, to avoid gaining a migraine, fever, or cold.

Soon enough, her tears reduced to inconsistent sobs and inevitable sleep, after which Anna moved Deloise away, careful not to wake her up.

*****

Esther was busy at her work table while the home phone rang nonstop. She felt animosity as she was not quite in the mood to talk to anyone.

The home phone ringing reminded her of a certain someone who used to call her house phone back in the day. She knew she was being paranoid not wanting to pick it up but she couldn't help it.

Back then, it used to be a secret between herself and him. It used to bring flutters in her stomach when she heard it ring, regardless whether it was someone other than him. At the time, just hearing it ring brought her immense joy and pleasure.

Right now, it brought back the pain.

The continuous ringing of the phone ultimately brought her anger, and she couldn't understand why she kept punishing herself for someone else's mistakes! The uncomfortable sting in her heart drove her to the brink of rage.

" Why am I putting myself through this?" She thought bitterly, scrunching her face.

For the fact that she left the phone functional- as a weird way of keeping touch with her past- made her feel pathetic.

Fed up by the ringing of the home phone, she quickly washed her hands, and moved into the sitting room, striding purposefully towards the phone placed on the center table.

Without checking the caller, she picked up, unconsciously holding her breath till she heard a familiar voice.

" Hello ma, it's Anna speaking." She introduced, and Esther to let out a breath of relief.

" O-oh Anna, h-how are you doing?" She stuttered, then wrecked her brain on the reason for her call. Deloise was over there so it couldn't have been for her daughter.

" I'm alright, ma. I just wanted to inform you that Deloise would be staying over at my place today. If that's alright with you."

Esther lost her sense of taste, and her mood turned poor. For a brief moment, she considered forcing Deloise back home but decided against it.

" Alright, you both have a great night, say hi to your mother on my behalf." She concluded bitterly and dropped the phone, fighting back tears.

Her daughter never slept out since she was born. Their relationship was one that they loved and depended on each other, but now, Esther wondered if she might have pushed things too far; if she had lost her daughter for good, If she had pushed her into picking wrongly.

The thought of losing her daughter and their already strained relationship caused fresh waves of tears to flow out of her eyes. She never would have thought that a day would come when the relationship with her daughter would be so strained that she preferred to sleep outside.

Deloise had cultivated the habit and nature of not sleeping out or staying out later than eight because she always wanted to be with her. What changed? Esther looked over her workstation and the zeal to do anything left her body.

As a result, she slowly headed towards her room. The windows shuddered, ushering a cool breeze into the house and leaving a string of goosebumps on her skin.

She quickly walked to the window, shut it, and slipped underneath her bed. She Desperately waited for fatigue to catch up with her, and provide an escape from the horrible gripping of her heart.

****

Deloise stirred awake, and the consciousness of her environment came into her memory. Her eyes got wide in milliseconds and she jolted up at the realization that she didn't go home.

At that moment, she felt shittier than she did in the afternoon when she cried her heart out. Now, she left her single mother and family alone out of sheer selfishness!

She didn't even have the decency to inform her before carrying out such a selfish act. At that moment, she got caught up in her head, judging herself, that she didn't realize Anna was wide awake and watching her episode with keen eyes.

" There's still time, I better leave." Deloise muttered, and scanned around for her belongings, not bothering to check the time.

" Calm your tits down, it's late." Anna finally spoke up, her voice deeper than usual.

" I'm sorry I woke you up, I'm just going to pick up some of my things and head home before it's too late."

" Calm down, it's past two and pretty late if you ask me," she said, glancing at the wall clock hanging by the left side of the room which forced Deloise to glance at the time.

" Well, I guess I'm going to have to make a call then, just a few seconds." She resigned, then shuffled around in search of her phone.

" I already called and informed Esther the moment you slept off. So calm down." She said with patient eyes, while Deloise finally settled upon hearing her.

Deloise hands were intertwined, she bowed her head and sported an eerily calm look.

Anna pushed forward, so softly that you could barely make out the words. " Tell me, what's going on? " She inquired, and as usual, was met with silence.

" Let me help you, Dee. " She professed patiently. Staring at Deloise, who finally let a tear roll down her face. Exposing her willingness to share her inner turmoil.