I put the phone back in my jean pocket and sigh a heavy sigh of relief. I have been struggling to get hold of Rachel all day. I first called her mother who absolutely refused to tell me where she was. She would not give me any other number than the one I already had. In fact, she didn't even give that to me. She only verified that it is still in use and if I try hard and long enough, I may be able to reach her. Then she also added that Rachel does not need any of us in her life again and that she is too old to put her daughter back together again.
I feel the greatest of sadness when I hear that conversation replay in my mind. I was absolutely sure that Rachel married Ryan and that they were living it up somewhere expensive and beautiful. One should not assume.
I walk back to the chair where my client is waiting for me. She is somewhere in her very early twenties, a little overweight and most definitely a spoilt rich kid. She came in this morning demanding to have the only open spot I have for the next two weeks. The open spot I had was for this afternoon. I tried to tell her that the tattoo she wanted needed a lot of planning and preparation. She just proceeded to tell me that she would even pay double if I could just do it today. I charged her three times the amount in the hope that she would decline and leave but she grabbed the deal with both hands and here we are.
She hung around the entire day while I helped my other two appointments. She also hovered over me while I was doing the preparations for her tattoo. She has been sitting in this chair for three hours already. She will have to come back to get the colours done. I have only managed to do most of the backgrounds and shadows of the large detailed flower arrangement she wants on her back.
She also has not stopped talking for even a minute. In the last three hours I have come to know more about her than I know about the people I work with. I look up at Gary in his booth, cleaning his equipment and occasionally shaking his head at this girl's stories. I have also learnt that she was in Switzerland last year on a five-week holiday and that she plans to go there every year as soon as she gets married. She does not have a man to marry yet but since she is from a very prominent family, she believes it will not be long before a man finds her and asks her to marry him. She already has the wedding planned.
This is everything she told me before I managed to reach Rachel. Now her incessant talking is only background noise. I make the right um and ah sounds where needed but I have no idea what she is telling me now.
I think about a time I had good plans for my life. I was going to get my degree in art and I already had a part time jog lined up at an outstanding art museum. I was going to do my internship there while I was studying. The manager of the museum was nearing retirement age and because of my love for art and my frequent visits to the museum where she gotten to know me very well, she offered me the position before anyone else could apply. I was her first choice. She was going to teach me all she knew. It was a wonderful dream to have. Nothing of it happened though.
I wipe the tattoo of the small droplets of blood forming on her skin. When I tell her that she will have to come back when this part has healed, she does not look happy at all. Gary comes closer and compliments my work, which somehow makes her mood shift. He then proceeds to tell her if she wants to continue today, she will not have the quality of work she paid for. It is best to listen and work with us. I try not to look as shocked as I am that that shut her up. Gary has a way with the ladies, even though he looks like an angry biker all the time.
She walks out the door and I turn to thank Gary. It has been such a long day. I don't have the energy to persuade the woman that what I suggested was best for her. I also do not have the energy to carry on working.
Gary finishes up and helps me to quickly sweep the studio. This way we do not have to come in tomorrow morning and clean before we work. The owner of the store is almost never here. Then again, he really doesn't need to be here. Even though this is not our store, we only hire the studio space from him. We don't actually work for him. The equipment and chairs are his but we need to buy our own stock and supplies. It is a nice arrangement for someone who wants to work for themselves but does not have the capital to set up their own shop. Maybe someday I will have my own shop. I have made quite a name for myself and people come her insisting that I help them. It feels good to know.
I lock the front door and walk the two blocks to my apartment. I was lucky to acquire the small apartment on top of another shop so close to where I work. It is really nothing fancy but I love living close to work and I like the buzz of the city. When I reach the building where my apartment is situated, I climb the metal steps leading up to the door on the side of the building on the first floor. There are only two floors. I have no idea what is in the space above me because I have never heard anyone there. I suspect it is storage space for the shops beneath the apartment.
I unlock the steel door and enter my apartment. I switch on all the lights and walk back to the small kitchen in the open plan living area. It is a really small apartment. In the living area there is only space for two single seater couches and a small coffee table. The average sized tv is mounted against the wall. I do not have a dining are as there isn't really any space for a table. The kitchen is small with only two counters, a stove and a fridge. Around the corner of the kitchen there is a small basin and drying rack.
I grab something to eat from the fridge and an energy drink which I always have stocked in the fridge. I head to my bedroom and place the drink on the bedside table. The bedroom is also small. I have a double bed and a small dresser in the room. There isn't a lot of space to walk around the bed.
I take a quick shower and put on my silk nightwear. It is almost seven o'clock and already I feel very tired. It has been an emotionally draining day and the woman who didn't stop talking also made me very tired.
I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling for a bit. My mind jumps between conversations I had ten years ago and conversations I had today.
I haven't had a chance to speak to Rachel again after we returned home after the breakaway. My life fell apart and I was trying to save as much of it as I could. When I tried to reach out to Rachel she wasn't where I knew to find her. A few years ago, I managed to find her number but I wasn't sure if I should contact her. The main reason being that I really thought she was married to Ryan and I didn't ever want to risk the chance of running into Adrien.
Which reminds me of my new problem.
I do not want to miss the funeral. I need to attend it for various reasons. Mostly because I feel guilty for not being there for her. Also, because she had nobody else. Maybe she made a few friends over the past ten years but she doesn't have family.
Tears fill my eyes as I think about how incredibly lonely Ellie must have been in her last few hours. I have called the coroner who told me that she had sleeping pills and a lot of alcohol in her system. He also told me that they found her next to a box filled with documents and letters dating ten years back.
Tears run over my cheeks.
"I'm so sorry Ellie"
I cry myself to sleep.