It's been two weeks since the funeral and I think I can say that I'm doing better now. I did cry nonstop for the first few days but I'm slowly feeling myself again. Having Korra and my dad around me almost all the time really helped too. They both keep trying to persuade me to leave the apartment and move in with either of them but I don't think I can. I know I shouldn't be by myself too often but I'd rather much have it this way.
Korra doesn't have to go to work every day so she spends all of her free time with me; one of the perks of owning your own restaurant. Normally, it would be annoying to have her loud ass around all the time but I've grown to like it now. I appreciate the company.
"Riona get your butt out here right now!"
I take that back.
I drag my feet out of the room with my robe over my pyjamas. I enter the living room and stare at Korra for a few minutes, contemplating on whether to voice my concern or not. Something must have happened because she's sprawled out in an awkward position on a yoga mat with tiny blue dumbbells in her hands. She seems to be exercising. A shiver runs down my spine as I edge closer to her.
"Korra, sweetie. Are you alright?" She stands up from her position on the mat, sets the dumbbells down and wipes her forehead with the towel around her neck. I visibly gulp as she sits on the couch beside me.
"Yeah I'm okay, why're you asking?" She picks up a water bottle from the coffee table and squirts water in her mouth. My uneasiness reaches its peak.
"Honey what are you doing? Did something happen? You seem to be exercising." I place my hand on her shoulder and give her a concerned smile. She looks at me with a confused face for some time before bursting into laughter.
"What do you mean? I am exercising." She stands up again and starts to do jumping jacks. I abruptly stand up, grab her shoulders and start shaking her, hard.
"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" She pries my fingers off her and shoves me to the couch.
"I'm doing this because of you silly. Now go get changed and we'll begin." I don't move an inch from my position on the couch as I look up at, waiting for a better explanation.
"I finally signed you up for your Lamaze classes and it's starting in two days. But then I realized that you obviously aren't exercising so we need to get you warmed up." She pulls me up and pushes me towards my room.
"Now get changed and don't make me come into that room." She says as she slams my bedroom door and walks back to the living room.
Come to think of it, I didn't even remember that I had to start birthing classes soon. It's a good thing I have Korra around. Her overbearing self can be useful from time to time.
Taking as much time as possible, it slip out of my pyjamas and pull on the tank top and grey leggings that have been dying to be worn for so long. They even still had their tags on.
"We're exercising, not going to Buckingham palace. Get it over with already." Korra calls from the living room. With a huff, I finally leave the room and drag my feet back to the living room.
"That's what took so much time to wear? Don't think you're getting out of this that easily. Roll out the other mat and follow my lead."
Today is going to be a very, very long day.
2 HOURS LATER
"Now pick up the dumbbells and give me twenty more squats. GO!"
Slowly turning my head to face Korra, I give her a long wide-eyed stare before tossing the dumbbells to the ground and collapsing on the mat.
"Korra… can't breathe… need water…" I sprawl out on the mat, panting heavily.
"Oh come on, quit slacking off. We've only been at this for like twenty minutes." Simultaneously, we turn to check the clock on the wall.
"Twenty minutes? TWENTY MINUTES? The time is three o'clock, which means we've been at this for two hours!" Korra winces as I raise my voice. I lift myself off the ground and settle on the couch, facing Korra.
"Two hours isn't really that much." She says and reaches for her 'healthy exercise juice' on the coffee table.
I pick up one of the dumbbells from the mat and feign a throw, startling her. She fumbles with the cup in her hand and half of the pulpy, green content spills all over her. I press my hands over my mouth to stop myself from laughing but my tummy starts to hurt from holding it in so I just let it out.
"You think this is funny?" I just nod as I continue with my hearty laugh. Everything from her messy ponytail to her colourful tights is soaked and reeking of whatever was in that cup.
"And you know that this is your fault right?" She stands up and starts to inch closer to me. I scoot further down the couch but she lunges at me and pulls me into a hug, rubbing the juice on me.
"Korra! Now I have to take a bath." I push her away and stand up. She lies on the couch, pointing at me and laughing. I call Sam for a bath and start to head to my room.
Korra stops laughing and calls after me, "Wait, so you weren't going to take a bath before? That's disgusting Riona." I close the door with a chuckle and get ready for my bath.
28 minutes.
I hear the TV from the room and head out with a towel around my head. The TV is on and Sam seems to be paying close attention to the news. Korra steps out of the kitchen whistling as she fixes her hair.
"Going somewhere?" She's dressed and dangling my car keys in one hand.
"Yeah. You're out of a few things so I thought I'd go grocery shopping. Wanna come?"
"Sure, let me just get dressed." I rush back into the room and hurriedly pick out an outfit before rushing out again.
"I'm ready." I call Sam and attach his leash to his collar.
The three of us head out and Korra locks the door behind us. As the elevator doors open, my neighbours step out, Celia and her sister, Loren. Their chatter stops as soon as they see me. Exchanging nods, they exit the elevator as we step on.
"Isn't that the woman from next door? I heard that her husband left without a word. Is it true?" Celia says in a failed attempt to whisper.
"Why don't you come ask her yourself?" Korra yells just as the elevator doors close. "The nerve on those brats." She starts to pace around the small space, probably plotting something in her head.
I just smile and pull her out as the elevator doors open to the parking lot. "It's fine, forget about them. I anticipated talk like that already."
She sighs and unlocks the car from a distance. I walk ahead of her and open the back door for Sam before getting into the passenger's seat. The drive to the store is quiet but Korra keeps glancing at me, giving me the feeling that she has something to say. We finally arrive at the supermarket and Sam gets excited, pacing around on the seat. I get out and open the door and he immediately jumps out, furiously wagging his tail.
"I guess someone hasn't been out of the house in a while." Korra picks up his leash and enters the store.
"What do we need?" I grab a shopping cart and walk behind Korra.
"Just a few things. Vegetables, eggs, bread, cheese and a few things for Sam too."
We take our time picking out everything we need, which is way more than what Korra originally mentioned. Sam tries to get away every time he sees another pet and Korra struggles to keep him in check as we manoeuvre through the aisles. About half an hour passes before we finally fill the cart and Korra decides that we've gotten everything. I push the cart to the checkout station and Korra walks behind me, tugging on Sam's leash.
"That'll be $121.50." Korra and I exchange glances before frantically searching through our purses for money. She first pulls out a hundred dollar bill and slams it on the counter. As she continues her search in her jungle of a purse, I pull out my credit card and hand it over to the startled cashier with an innocent smile on my face. Korra curses and squeezes her bill before throwing it back into her purse.
"Next time, we're going to a five star restaurant. Your treat." I take Sam's leash from her as she carries the shopping bags, all the while giving me the stink eye.
We exit the store and on nearing the car, Sam pulls on his leash and starts to bark.
"Sam, what's wrong?" He pulls harder until I can't hold him anymore and let go. He runs to the car and starts barking at the car parked beside it, scratching the door. The person in the car seems startled and quickly rolls up their windows before zooming off. Korra and I hurry to the car and I grab Sam's leash before he can run after the car.
"Sam, sit!" He reluctantly settles but his eyes are still fixed on the exit of the parking lot.
"What was that?" Korra asks, panting.
"I don't know. But I guess Sam really startled them." Sam gets into the back seat as Korra and I put the bags in the trunk before heading back home.
Just as Korra kills the engine, Trevor's car pulls into the parking spot beside us.
"You got off work early?" I ask Trevor as he helps with the shopping bags.
"Yeah, there wasn't anything on my schedule asides a meeting I had earlier so I thought I'd call it a day." We take the elevator to the fourth floor. Korra opens the door and we all head to the kitchen to put away the groceries.
Time passes as Korra gets an early start on dinner as we all just sit and talk. The oven dings telling us that the lasagne is ready and Korra takes it out.
"Riona, I almost forgot to tell you, I met up with an old friend of mine from where Asher worked. I don't know if you remember her, she was with me when I first met you at the convention a few years ago. Her name is Sharon."
"The crazy girl who was fawning all over you? Why would you meet up with her?" I laugh at Korra's jealous expression before turning to Trevor again.
"Why wouldn't she fawn over me? This smooth and silky chocolate skin is irresistible, even you couldn't control yourself." Korra lets out a menacing laugh as she slams the pan on the table and sticks a knife in it.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"I'm kidding. She's already married anyways. She came to visit her mom at her hospital and we bumped into each other in the parking lot. We just talked for a few minutes before she had to go in because visiting hours were almost over."
"Whatever." Korra rolls her eyes as she serves the lasagne.
"What did you guys talk about?" I ask.
"Not much. We just caught up and then she told me that her office was going to contact you. They're taking full responsibility for what happened seeing as it was on a business trip and they want you to come over with your lawyer so you can come to an agreement." We each grab a plate and sit at the table.
"An agreement? Was there a disagreement that I'm not aware of? I'm not blaming them for anything so I don't need any settlement. I'm not going." I take a bite of the food and sigh in contentment.
"I understand but at least hear them out. Take the apology if you're not taking the money. Trust me, Adrian, the CEO, is very persistent and he'll just keep pestering you till you go there at least once."
"Fine, I'll go after my Lamaze class on Wednesday. But I definitely don't need a lawyer."
"I'll go with you." Korra says and I nod before going back to the meal in front of me.