Chapter 7
1108 Words
NICOLE’S POV
I feel like a fraud. A sellout.
But as the fresh smell of freedom hit my face, I knew the trade-off was worth it. I cannot trade my freedom for a man that I know nothing about and who I mistakenly had s*x with. What kind of man takes advantage of a drunken woman?
And I am sure his beautiful fiancée would be a kind, generous woman, and he still goes ahead to cheat on her. Uh no, major red flag. And certainly not worth losing my freedom over. The only reason I had bothered calling him was because I needed help getting out of jail. And since his mother offered, I had to accept.
There is absolutely no reason for me to feel guilty.
So why is guilt still gnawing at my chest?
I slang my bag over my shoulder as I flagged down a taxi. I had to see my mother. Hopefully she will still be alive, so I can hug her one more time before I leave town.
My mother and I did not always have the best relationship. After my father died, she blamed me for being too needy and overwhelming my father and so he worked so hard, got paid peanuts for his hard work till he died.
But things started to get better between my mother and I, but she fell sick, and I had to put her in a home where she would be well taken care of.
My mother was the only family I had left, and it would kill me to lose her without telling her how much she meant to me.
As soon as the cab pulled to a stop in front of the care facility, I hopped out, paid the cab driver and hurried into the building. I met a different receptionist at the counter.
“Excuse me, what about the other receptionist?” I asked.
“She was relieved of her job. She was incompetent,” the blonde woman waved her perfectly manicured nails in the air and flashed an overly enthusiastic smile. I do not like her, not one bit.
“I am here to see my mother. She is sick,” I spoke quickly.
“What is her name?” the woman asked.
“Mrs. Robertson.”
The receptionist clicked her mouse severely, her gaze glued to the screen of the monitor. “Oh,” she exclaimed in a low voice. “She was sick,” she looked up at me.
Hope immediately lit up in my chest, I leaned on the counter. “Is she okay now? Can I see her?”
“I see the misunderstanding,” she said with a polite smile, “your mother was sick, she is dead now.”
Her words knocked the air out of my lungs as I staggered backwards.
I was late. I lost my chance to say goodbye.
Tears clouded my eyes as the pain squeezed my heart.
“I will get her ashes,” I heard the receptionist say, and disappear down the hall. She returned shortly with an urn. I took the urn in and hugged it tightly, not that it made any difference anymore. My mother was gone and all that was left was ash.
As I stepped out with puffy, wet eyes and a broken heart, I knew there was nothing left for me in this town.
All this town did was to take from me, my pride, my dignity, my hopes, dreams and my mother. It was time to say goodbye.
With my mind strengthened by my resolve, I left, hopefully to never return again.
_______
Moving to a new town was not as easy as I hoped. It was relatively easy to find an apartment and decorate it, all thanks to the money Nathan’s mom paid me off with. Except for the cash, everything was different. I couldn’t get a job and had no friends. Just me alone in my big house, and the big fear that I might have breast cancer. That was the only logical reason as to why my breasts hurt terribly and are increasing in size every day.
I picked up the urn from the top of the cupboard. It has taken me two months, but I was ready to finally say goodbye and pour my mother’s ashes.
I had already found the perfect spot to pour the ash.
I slid into my boots, tucked the urn under my arm and marched out of my house. I rode my bike to the end of town where a shiny lake spread out as far as my eyes could see.
I dipped my bare feet into the water, wondering what to say before I poured the ash into the lake. Should I maybe sing amazing grace?
I stood on the open urn for minutes wondering what to say. At the end, I just poured the ash on the lake in silence and watched the ashes float away in silence.
“Goodbye ma,” I managed to say before stepping out of the water.
Next stop, the hospital.
My test results were ready. Today I found out what other test the universe had in store for me. All the universe has ever done was give me endless tests. My mother used to call it tests instead of hardship or obstacles.
She would always say, “the universe is testing you. It is up to you to prove that you deserve to be here.”
She believed it and so did I. But at this point, I am not even sure I still want to be here.
I tapped my feet nervously in the waiting room for my name to be called. The wait was beginning to kill me.
Imagine having to wait in line just to be told that you are dying. That news certainly wasn’t worth waiting for. I stood and started to leave, when the nurse called.
“Nicole Robertson!”
I bit my nails as I followed her. She pointed to the doctor's office. I hesitated before stepping in.
The doctor had a kind face and when he smiled at me, my nerves settled. A bit.
“Miss Nicole,” he said, staring at the results in his hand. “Good news is you don’t have breast Cancer.”
I huffed relief. Thank you universe.
“I took the liberty of running other tests. And I have more good news,” he smiled even more brightly.
I gave him a quizzical look.
“You are almost three months pregnant with triplets.”
I snorted a dry laugh. “Damn you universe!”
- Writer
