Work has been busy amid all the festive season hustle and bustle. My relationship is blissful, atleast so far. I am loving every bit of it and also discovering parts of me I never thought I had.
During the day, my life is liveable to the max, but I dread the setting of the sun. With dask comes the unrelenting nightmares, regrets and visions I can't explain.
"Haz, pass me the wrapping paper." Susan shouts over the noise of our customers. I move across the room and pass it to her. We have been on our feet since we opened this morning. More money for the boss mean more cramps and back pains for us.
"Excuse me." A grey haired lady smiles at me, tearing me from my complaining thoughts. I go on to serve her and five more people before resigning for a break.
"Join me." Susan says, pulling out two bottles of soda and a lunch time from her lunch bag. "Of course." I say, with a smile. I can't spend money on lunch, so I'm grateful for this one. I need to save for my tuition for next semester, and rumour has it that it may be reviewed.
We stuff ourselves with the sandwiches over easy banter, complaining about the work load and sharing our Christmas wishes. I haven't had to worry about lunch for almost a month now. Ree has been making sure to bring it for me, if not him someone else brought it.
"Why are you blushing?" Susan asks, with an 'I caught yuh,' look on. "Blushing?" I feign ignorance, patting my cheeks. "Yes, blushing. Spill it already." She says, knowing very well that her persistence always gets her way with me. "It's our first month anniversary soon." I say, heating up even more. "C'mon we have been friends for almost two years now." She replies, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Susan." I call, I know she is acting ignorant when she knows what I'm talking about. "Fine. Girl we need a plan." She says, a dramatic self surfacing. "You need to do something for him." She continues, bumping her shoulder to mine.
I spend the whole day lost in my head, thinking about Sue's suggestions. I can't even afford lunch, where will I get money for a gift. One that suits his class and taste– I will need a genie to make it come true.
"Babe." I think I hear someone call but I don't bother looking around to check who it could be. I'm on my way home and it could be anyone. "Ocean." The voice comes again, from much closer this time. No one else knows my birth name in this town except Ree, the voice doesn't sound like his. I quicken my step and tighten my grip on my chain link.
A heavy hand falls on my shoulders and forces me around. "I've been calling after you for a long time , rossi." My eyes widen with shock and my hand involuntarily flies to my mouth. It can't be. "Reed?" I ask, shakily. "Yes." He snurls out the confirmation. All my energy drains from me and my mind twists around itself trying to find an explanation as to why he could be here. He pulls me in by my waist and a whelp escapes from my lips.
The noxious smell emanating from him is making me feel nauseous. I squirm in an attempt to free myself but his grip is too tight. "Reed, please let me go." I plead, tugging at his shirt. "You are ripe now. You left too soon, before I was done with you." He says, lowering his hand.
I feel his hand loosening and slowly open my eyes to find him staggering backwards, wiping his mouth. "What do you think you were doing?" Ree says, fuming with anger. He makes an attempt to punch him again when he gains his balance but I interrupt him before he could land it.
"What happened back there." Ree asks, still panting, I'm still unsure if it's from the action or still from anger and jealousy. I take the water tumbler from him and set it aside. "I don't know either." I reply with a sigh, taking a beside him on my mattress. "You know the guy?" He asks, looking at me pointedly. "Yes." I reply. The suspicion I had spotted in his eyes is confirmed, tearing my heart into two.
"Not in that way." I rush to explain, misunderstandings is the last thing I want right now. "Please hear this." I say, looking up into his eyes and reaching for his hand to take it into mine. "The last thing I would do is lie to you." I continue, conjuring up my most sincere emotions, because I mean it.
"I know." he says, planting a peck on my cheek. "So who was he?" I asks, pulling me to sit in besides him. "He is my foster brother, Reed." I reply cooly, still wondering why he had shown up, out of the blue. "Your foster brother? Why would he do that to you then?" He asks, as confused as I was, his brows knitting in frustration. "I do not know either?" I reply honestly. "You never told me why you left home. You mind telling me about it now?" He asks, his eyes pleading.
I snuggle closer to him, having decided to let him know now that I have learnt to trust him better.....
"She has red hair. Yes Ocean." I hear hushed voices as I was passing by the study. When I hear my name, I pause in my tracks to listen in on what my name had to do with anything.
"We can use her for it then." Dad's voice booms through. Use me? For what I wonder. " The business may go under if we don't do it now. It is good that the offer came in when we needed it the most." I walk away, giving up on eavesdropping, because nothing of what they are saying is making sense.
"Ocean! Come down for dinner." My mom calls. A rare occurrence, they usually proceed without me. I join them at the table and everyone keeps stealing glances at me. Their looks are weird and they are making me feel uncomfortable but I ignore it and focus on my dinner.
Halfway through the dinner dad clears his throat, earning everyone's attention. It is something he does when he intends to draw our attention. "As you all well know, the business may go bankrupt anytime from now. You are all grown enough to understand this." He pauses, looking at all of us one after the other in turn then proceeds, "Someone came to us with a proposal, one that might save the company if we do it right." I look at him, uninterested, waiting to hear where he will take the story.
"It is nothing serious, it is nothing we haven't done before. The money you flaunt around, enjoying is from that same process." He pauses and looks at mom, who nods her head, urging him on. "For us to establish this very business," he says, pocking his finger on the table for emphasis, "we had to make some sacrifices, which I am going to need one of us to make just like what I did all those years ago."
He turns, looks straight at me and says, "Ocean, it is your turn this time– darling." He says, hesitating slightly inbetween. I point my finger at myself and mouth 'me?' because I couldn't find my voice. He nods, following my precedence, in response.
"What am I expected to do." I ask, wondering if this is a continuation of the study conversation. "We want a red head for a sacrifice to the gods." He says cooly, as if he was talking about something rational. "Don't worry, it's probably just your hair they need." He continues, he probably saw the expression on my face.
"This is your chance to do something for a family that took you in when you otherwise would have died in an orphanage." Mom chips in, her voice void of any emotions. Just straight out blunt. "I will think about it." I say, excusing myself from the table and rush to my room.
I break into sobs as soon as I securely shut my door. The last thing I would want is for those heartless people to see my tears.
I had resolved it in me to leave as soon as I had reached the right age. I was planning on bidding them a respectful farewell but they have made it easier for me, they don't deserve my respect at all.....
I look up at Ree wiping away the moisture building up in my eyes. I find him staring blankly at me. "They were ritualists?" He says, the first phrase he manages to let out. I just nod in reply, overwhelmed by the emotions of going down the memory lane.
"You are safe with me now." He says, pressing his lips to my temples.
Tears flow down my cheeks, 'i wish I had met you sooner.' the thought runs through my mind as I sob in his arms.