SAVE ME

Elizabeth Victorham

I looked around the once-familiar place and noticed that it was quite different from the last time I was here.

The exterior still maintained its cream and gold color but the interior was now rocking an old brown color with cream curtains on each window. The huge chandelier that used to be hung from the ceiling of the living room wasn’t there anymore as there was this light that was installed inside the ceiling. It all looks okay.

It was almost evening and I really don’t have a lot to do today so I decided to come over here since I haven’t heard anything from White since his last visit. I need things to be under control and I can’t do it all by myself, I need help from him.

I was waiting in the living room with a cup of warm coffee in my hand as I watch the magnificent view of the neatly trimmed garden from the floor-to-ceiling window I was seated.

It reminded me of how much I missed this place, the good and bad memories we all had here, and many others. A sigh left my lips as I closed my eyes and tried to even my breathing with the numerous thoughts that ran through my mind.

I do wish that things were different and it didn’t have to be this bad, if only I had paid so much attention and not rushed things, maybe I would still have control over things. I grew up not depending on anyone even when they offered help, I knew I could do it all by myself but that mindset cost my brother, my husband, and now my sons.

I sigh yet again then rose my head to look at the beautiful scene in front of me.

I could remember when I and Lepey were still a kid, we both stayed here with the elderly man before we were unexpectedly taken from him. When little me asked why we were taken away, we were told that he couldn’t cater to us any longer.

We both were hurt because of how close we had gotten to the elderly man. From there, we were taken to an orphanage.

As we were being taken away from him, I looked back at him with my face stained with my tears. Lepey was hysterically crying as he shouted that he didn’t want to leave but I couldn’t do that since I am his older sister and I had to try to compose myself.

The elderly man held a cold look in his eyes and it made me wonder how he could easily dispose of us when he no longer needed us and after everything, we all shared with each other. It gave us attachment issues.

I was going to believe that he wanted us gone for real not until I saw something change in his eyes like he was trying to hide how sad he felt for letting us go but it was hidden in a cold façade.

I remember releasing the hold those people had on me and running to him as I hugged his legs tightly with the tears running down my cheeks and the heavy sobs escaping my lips.

“Please don’t let us go” I remembered saying as I look us at him but he didn’t bother looking down at me neither did he hug me back like he always does. He just locked straight ahead with no emotions playing on his face.

He didn’t bother to look my way or try to stop them from carrying me away and when our eyes met, he just looked away quickly and went inside his study. I thought I would just be the big sis and just let it play cool but I couldn’t because I cried till I got a heavy headache in the morning.

Little me couldn’t understand why he let that happen or why he never even thought of coming to see us at least. The orphanage we stayed at received lots of gifts and I heard they were from him but never for once did he come to see us. It felt like we didn’t know each other.

Even when I finally got out of the orphanage, I heard nothing from him but I did notice some unknown people following me and saving me whenever I was endangered then they leave and keep in the shadows when they are sure that no danger was threatening me.

I started having a feeling that they were sent by him to keep an eye on us and it gave me an assurance that he never actually left us.

When I came for Lepey, I was told that he was adopted by a couple and when I watched him for a while, I saw that they had a major role in his menacing behavior. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

When I met Ricardo’s dad, it was one of the sweetest feeling ever. I had never ever thought that I could meet someone like him because he was my soulmate, the man that completes me. I just wished that I could explain to my sons and apologize for what I did in the past and let them know it’s not what they thought it was.

I wanted their forgiveness, not their anger but I can’t blame them for having such feelings toward me.

“Ma’am” I was distracted from my thoughts as I turned to look at the maid standing some feet away from me “He asked me to bring you in,” she said with a small smile.

I smiled too and stood to my feet as I walked over to her, she took the cup of now cold coffee from my hold and led me down the hallway. We went through a brown-colored door by the left then continued to another hallway till we reached the end of the hallway.

Nothing actually changed aside from the human-like statue that was by the last door at the end of the hallway we stopped in front of. He did a good job in keeping things as it was but just adding a bit of modern styling to them.

“This is the study ma’am,” she said, I nod in response and watch her walk back to the door we entered to get here.

I looked back at the door, a sigh escaped my lips, I closed my eyes and took deep breaths in then let them out and opened my eyes before lifting my fist up and knocking on the door lightly.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

No response come so I knocked again but a little harder then, I heard a faint ‘come in’. My palm was wrapped around the knob as another sigh left my lips yet again before I turned it to the side and opened it.

When the door was now wide opened, I looked around the familiar-looking office I once use to come to almost every day of my life before my settled-on grey hair was hidden by the chair due to him backing me.

I closed the door gently and walked closer to him then stopped when I was in front of his table. He didn’t turn to look at me and another sigh left my lips.

“So, you finally wanted to see my old ma,” I said then he turned to face me with a small smile on his lips. I returned the smile as we look at each other.

There weren’t too many changes in him aside from that he got bigger, older with lots of greys on his head.

“Still looking as healthy as always” I compliment then sat on one of the chairs facing him.

“If it was Lepey who called me an old man, I would have chased him down and had him beaten to a pulp” he comments then drew closer.

“I am glad that you are still alive sir,” I said genuinely then placed my hands on his that were held out to me on the table.

“At least I can spare you a hug, my little girl” he grinned.

My eyes gathered with tears, I stood on my feet, went around, and gave him a hug because I miss him so much and never want to be away from him again.