It was a Saturday and as Muriel in her yellow bikini bra and brown shorts planned to go to her spot, it wasn't a Sunday but she wanted to swim amidst those waves. Just as she threw her straw hat on, Julie came in 'thats a beautiful bikini' Julie turned trying to reason with her suprised expression. Muriel picked her chiffon gown and put it on, She wasn't planning to tell Julie how she never missed a Sunday without swimming or how she actually was going to swim today too. 'Oh, and you're coming with me...'
'Music classes?' Muriel asked as she picked a stripped dress 'Yeah, community work after.' Julie replied as she bounced on her bed,
'Julie, am sort of...' she wanted to be excluded ' sort of what' Julie interrupted her with questioning eyes, 'going to the orphanage' the excuse came just in time and Julie knew she couldn't argue over that 'i feel sorry am missing again, I'll make up for it next time' Muriel smiled with relief 'next time you won't be sorry' Julie replied
She jumped onto a horse. Going to the orphanage had happened earlier than she had expected, but it was the quickest way out of the church programmes. She hadn't heard a lot about it, except that it was something her mum invested a lot of time in. She didn't want any memories that would try to put her mum in the picture and the orphanage was not to be excluded. What was she going to do here, where was she going exactly, to meet who anyway, all these questions lingered on her mind as she walked through the floral bushes at the entrance to the orphanage. She hadn't met anyone yet, a good sign, maybe this was going to be another hideout? She hoped. One thing she had appreciated about the island was the fresh calm breeze, and it seemed actually peaceful here, and the flowers, yeah the flowers..... then suddenly a ball hit her that she almost lost balance, she didn't look behind for who hit the ball but she could hear the kids laughing from the back, she just picked the ball and walked with it, they could come get it if they wanted it, she thought. She was sure she heard them running after her so she started to run, it's something she hadn't done in a long time, the energy within her and the kids laughter as they were running after her revived her mood in a rather exciting way, it wasn't long when someone grabbed her from behind 'got herrr' he roared to the kids who were still in the running excitement and they raced for their ball. She let it go as she tried to catch her breath, still with a wide smile from the laughter she had just had in the few minutes. 'You run pretty fast' a voice next to her, she stood up, her eyes met a man's ' Oh., I was trying to steal a ball that hit me' she replied.
'You must be Muriel, your accent....he noticed her expression... oh, i overheard the gardeners were gossiping about a new girl on the island on my way here and your accent is not from the island' he continued
'So, you came to meet the kids?, they love you already' he was with a bright smile and she was just wondering how he had already talked dozens of words before the introductions
'Not really, actually am getting out' she replied as she started to walk away, she didn't want conversations
'wait, you just came, my horse was behind yours while you came in' he was a few steps from her 'Am still going' she replied without turning behind
'You're excluding yourself from community work, thats your reason?' Muriel stopped, was the gardener trying to be informal or no lines had been drawn in this place, she took a breath then turned to him
'You must be new on this island, well, people here mind their own business, I just learnt that too' she gasped before she walked to find her horse, he had deserved her harshness for trying to meddle in her escape, she thought, remembering the look of surrender he had wore when she savaged him, he had just murmured something like 'be blessed' She didn't have to feel sorry, she wasn't going back to the orphanage anyway.
She had been thinking of something all the way as she rode home, she left the horse for the stable man and luckily Charles was home. 'Dad, something sparked in my mind, it's about the investment' she threw her cross bag onto the table, then kissed her dad hello 'I would love to hear'
'The orphanage, we could replace it with something different ' the words came out from her mouth like rocks 'What?..' Charles sounded like he hadn't heard what she had said. The orphanage had meant the world to Mona, she had sacrificed a lot to start it up and it was like her souvenir to all who had known her, but more to the little kids that had no home and now Muriel wanted to fade it all away
' you haven't thought this through,....'
'Dad, I have, and seriously'
'The kids....'
'Yeah, that too, they'll get better homes in California, each one of them'
'Its not always better because it's a big city, this meant everything to your mother'
'Aren't you tired of having those memories lingering on, don't they torment you' her voice dropping to a whisper. If Mona had been around, her heart would be shattered cause the hands she thought would make that orphanage better than she had, wanted to tear it to shreds. He loved the orphanage but he loved his daughter more than anything else, maybe she was right, tough decisions had to be made so as for both of them to move on. He took a breath after a moment of thought, ' i need time to think about this' the courage to say these words surprised him too,
'You won't regret this, I promise' she hugged him with a smile of relief 'you're not telling anyone about this, I'll receive their shock on my own' he said. He knew their reaction if he spread the news was not going to be one Muriel would love.
That evening, Julie had come to pick flowers to organize for Sunday mass as usual, she had seen her obviously through her window as she slowly applied her lavender lotion on her arms, she always took her time. She knew Julie had to pass by atleast to drop a tulip or rose and also blabber about the fun or gossip about the community work or just anything funny Bruce did during community work, one way or another, as Julie laughed at her own jokes, Muriel was just glad she was around, it was different and a little better than the silence in Columbia, just then, the church symphonies swept through the air swiftly, they normally did around this time some nights when Bruce was practicing for Sunday mass, he was surreal in playing the piano, mixing different notes, though this time, it was...'..different' the word just came out plain, Julie as if also noticed, stopped talking 'Yeah that's the violin, so peaceful yet ... strong' she continued
'Is there anything Bruce can't do, wow!' Muriel was truly amazed and Julie couldn't help but laugh,
'yep, he actually can't play the violin, and aloott more' she replied and Muriel just smiled, was there anything these guys could agree the other was better at?, actually someone would think they liked each other, though one was a diehard fan of the priests and the other was so active in choir like he was a monk, either way, it was church buisness, totally not her cup of tea.
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