WHEN he got home that day,he just slumped on a dining chair. All the tears of the world was already out of Paschal's eyes. He just couldn't weep any longer. He gazed at the sit opposite him, thinking. Eyes drenched from weeping.
Waiting hopelessly for Joey to come and usher him to his room with a kiss on his cheek or come out of the kitchen with both smiles on her face getting food ready or a shout from inside saying "babe are you back?"
Anything just anything.
Anything at all to prove he's been dreaming. He was getting irritated and didn't know when he scattered the entire parlour and dining shouting; "NO!"
When he realized himself,he dropped to the floor wailing. "No Joey is not dead, she'll be somewhere in this house" Paschal taught out loud and reinforced to her room. On reaching there,it felt as if he saw Joey doing her normal activities in the room but she couldn't see him.
He fell on his knees,held the bed sheet and wept.
FEW months had passed now but Paschal was getting worse. He drank, smoked and did anything to get his mind away from Joey. His house as well as his life was now known as a junk yard, since he had succeeded in breaking and destroying everything that comes his way anytime he lamented over Joey.
The only one thing Paschal could do perfectly well, was nothing. He didn't cook or eat, or watch TV or clean, nothing.
He could stay indoors and weep for days and when he came outside was either to buy some drinks and continue his cry or roam the street like a drunk.
One day,he was in his room or you could call it a store for destroyed stuffs. Crying as usual, drinking and perhaps vomiting at some point.
He was just there though, facing life, thinking about his memories with Joey when one of their discussion struck him.
★
"...and promise me Paschal..." She brushed a kiss on his lips "... that if anything should happen to me... anything at all,you'll take care of my family"she said. He didn't know anything about her family,how was he going to take care of them? That was an empty promise. He took a long time. Then looking at her face passionately,he replied; "I promise".
★
Well,it was high time he started fulfilling promises.