"It just happened I guess. I found myself suddenly attracted to my male friends." Josh whispered. He was not as confident as he would be on a normal day.
I sighed "is it Mark?"
"You knew?" He asked.
"No. I suspected." I replied.
I had noticed the relationship between him and his work buddy Mark. It was almost like we were in a relationship with him.
He was always there during our calls and also made decisions for us for some reason.
He chuckled "I'm sorry. My mum would not accept us and so I proved to her that everything was normal by dating you."
"Amelia" he called out "I'm sorry."
"I just wish you told me earlier." I said sadly.
"Yeah. I should have." He didn't seem apologetic. There were times when I even thought I saw him smirk.
"I'm gonna go. I really have to." I said not giving him a chance to convince me.
I grabbed my bag and walked out of the door. He did not make any attempts to chase after me or ask me to stay. Not even a proper apology for keeping me in the clammy space he called a house.
There were bags everywhere. Nothing was in its position. For instance, the refrigerator was in the living room. I had tried to tidy it up on the day I got there but, gave up half way through it. At least, thanks to me, he could have a guest over.
I turned on my GPS and typed in my location, I was ready to go home after several minutes of waiting outside and finally watching him leave for work, all smiles.
The drive back to Los Angeles took 4 hours because I stopped at intervals to cry my eye balls out for the money I owed Sandra after borrowing her car and missing work for two days at the ice cream store.
When I arrived home, Sandra and her 56 year old boyfriend, Robert, were watering the plants we had outside.
They were Robert's most prized possessions, literally. He had no job, no dreams. Most young ladies date older men for security but, Sandra chose to date for, should I call it love?
They were dressed in matching outfits, kissing and giggling as they worked.
Robert was 5'6 foot tall. With grey hairs, everywhere. He did have really beautiful blue eyes that contrasted Sandra's big hazel eyes. Despite Robert's height, he still managed to be slightly taller than Sandra and even bigger. With broad shoulders that swallowed Sandra's rather small figure.
Robert was the first to spot the car pull into the driveway and he screamed, "Hey."while waving at me.
"Come now, don't tell me you cried all the way back from San Diego?" Sandra queried looking at my swollen eyes.
I couldn't help but break down again "the police pulled me over several times because I look like I'm on drugs." I sighed "I can't remember how many drug tests I did today."
"That cockroach. No more free ice cream for him." She spoke, wiping the tears on my face "I'd put up a huge picture of him saying that he's banned from our shop."
Robert gave me a weak smile as he carried my bags inside. "I've prepared some ice cream to help you calm your nerves." He said.
I sniffled "but they're packed with so many calories." As much as I worked in an ice cream store, I stayed away from the ice cream.
No special reason in particular, just wanted to live healthy.
"You haven't had ice cream in a while, this one time won't hurt." Sandra tried to persuade me as we walked into the house.
"I guess it won't" was my response.
I had spent my whole life being healthy because I didn't want to spend half of my life in and out of the hospital like my mum.
Our trailer was always packed with different types of drugs all because she refused to get her cancer treated. I watched my mother whither away, like something was eating through her skin. And when she finally agreed to get treated, it was too late.
I had my final exams in college that day when she had called with Aunt Perdita's phone. Her voice was so shaky and beaten up.
"I really want to see you." She had begged.
But my cold response came as soon as she said it "I can't make it. I have my exams, my finals actually."
"Amy..." She called out and coughed.
I cut her "I'd come once I'm done, I promise." And with that, I hung up. But, I never got to hear from her again. I had several calls from my aunt while we wrote the exam and when I finally called back, it wasn't good news.
Everyday, I wish I had gone back. I wish I tended to her when she needed me most, wished that I held her and comforted her.
Besides, my life at this point is not what you would expect after spending all my time reading and passing my exams. Maybe, I really was cursed.
Cursed to remain the way mum was, struggling and jumping from one job to the other, only I don't even have a job. The least I could do, is eat healthy, or so I thought.
Sandra and I spent the rest of the day talking about how much of a terrible Josh was. And by the time we were done, two large bowls of ice cream were gone.
Robert just sat perched on the dining, typing away on his computer not really paying attention to us. Sometimes, I could understand why Sandra loved him so much. He understood the concept of privacy well enough.
By evening, he alerted Sandra that it was time for them to open the store. It had been closed for the whole day. She was reluctant to leave me all alone but I promised her I'd be fine. I just had to rest for a while.
With Sandra and Robert gone, I had the time to clean the house and also unpack my things which never even made it out of the bag in the first place and that was when I saw it, the jacket from the stranger.