She still lurks around
856 Words
Gina's dad's burial was a quiet one. He didn't have many friends, so the turn out wasn't a surprise. He was lowered 6 feet into the deep holes, some hired workers dug. Her hands held onto my black handkerchief already stained with enough tears to start a river.
"Stop being sensitive now. You should check on your mother." One of her distant aunts told her, as she sat silently in her childhood bedroom during the reception. She nodded. Drake was nice enough to support everyone mentally and try to brighten up everyone's mood. He seemed to have the situation under control anyway. Close relatives loved him and since they hardly see him, they couldn't help but want to start a conversation. Isabelle was with Monica, asking thousands of questions on the dead and where they went. Monica hadn't hesitated to answer all the questions despite her large tummy. IGina ooked around for Bernard but hadn't found him. Her hands went on her chest.
"Where is Bernard?" She asked in panic, remembering Sandra's incident. That lady was obviously still on the loose.
"Bernard is fine. Why?" Drake asked, turning away from a guest he spoke to.
"I don't know… I… "
"You do not need to worry. He is with Felix. We couldn't have kept him long in this gloomy environment, could we? There is nothing for you to be tense about." He said coldly.
"I was just…."
"Forget it Gina. I haven't filed a court case for him yet. Calm down now. " At these words, he looked away from her.
She walked away silently. How could she tell him she wasn't worried about the court but about Sandra, jeopardizing the party again. How the hell can she let him know that?
Later that night, she was approached by Monica while they cleaned up.
"Are you fine?" Moni asked.
"Not really. I do pray for a change though" Gina took some piles of empty drink cans and kept them in a trash bag.
"You have really changed a lot. Aside from you, Drake has changed as well. He doesn't view you the same way anymore…."
"You do not need to tell me twice…."
"What's your solution for this?"
"I want to make it work again, but he thinks a divorce is great. I am not surprised anymore. When I was worried for Bernard today, he thought I was selfishly thinking he'd hidden him from me. He had no clue that Sandra's terrible treatment still remains fresh in my mind."
"She is long gone…."
"But she's obsessed over my boy. She's obsessed over Bernard. She might come back for him…."
"You're only overthinking things. Drake won't let him go missing."
"Isabelle is already a pain. I cannot lose another child now…."
"It's fine. No harm will come to the gentle kid. That boy is a blessing I assure you"
Gina smiled at the statement and took the last can. Bernard was definitely a blessing indeed.
Later that night a few minutes before she was to leave with Drake, she received a call from an unknown number, causing her a bit of anxiety. She neglected it thinking it was a wrong number. When she'd received it again, she accepted the call but got no response. This caused her to perceive a bad feeling about what was going on. The call was static and all she heard was someone breathing.
She'd gotten into the car with Drake and they had driven home slowly. The call came again, this time with Drake gazing at her and wondering why her face was pale.
"What's wrong? Pick it up." He ordered.
"I can't. I do not know who it is. The person isn't talking." She confessed.
"I am sure it's just a prankster. Everything will be fine."
Gina wasn't sure this was a prankster. A prankster stops after at most two trials. This person was persistent in making her life miserable. When the call came in again, she'd gazed at her phone, petrified.
"Gina, everything will be fine…." Drake tried assuring her. "Pick it and place the phone on speaker."
Gina obeyed and placed the phone on speaker.
"Bernard…." A soft voice said before the call went off. They were both totally shocked by what they'd heard. Drake halted the car. They both stared at each other.
"I told you Sandra was still around…." Gina cried.
Drake said nothing for a while. He'd pulled out his phone and called Felix.
"Hello Felix. Is Bernard with you?" He asked. Gina waited patiently for the conversation to be over and when it was, she'd gripped his thigh.
"Is my baby okay?"
"Gina, he will be fine." He slowly took her hand off his thigh. "Trust me on this one. You won't have to worry about him for long anyway."
"Do you have to bring this up?"
"I will bring it up every time you think there is still hope between us. I will bring it up each time.... each time you try to tempt my heart to fall again. I do not want to view you the same way Gina. I can't risk it."
- Writer
