Chapter Three

Raina POV

I joyfully did my morning shift that morning as I hummed the song playing from the speaker outside, whining my waist to the beat.

"I never knew a certain someone could be this joyful or even know how to dance?" I heard a familiar voice behind me and smiled.

I turned around and saw Rita behind me with her eyebrows arched at me in surprise as she folded her arms across her chest.

"What do you mean?" I asked, nudging her with my shoulders as I laughed, my heart still filled with happiness.

Rita's jaw almost dropped to the floor as she continued to watch me in amazement.

"So miracles do happen?" She asked but it seemed like more of a saying to me so I didn't respond and went about my final duty.

"I guess the other incident is no longer having a toll on you." She commented and I froze, my entire body turning rigid as my eyes dropped to the floor.

I had told her about the Jane-Luke incident that happened that night. I was about to be sad again when I remembered what was going to happen this afternoon and just like that, I cheered up again.

"Oh! That is nothing anymore." I turned to tell her as a smile appeared on my face again. Rita let out a sigh of relief, hugging me and not asking any further questions.

"I am so happy to hear that." She whispered into my ear, before giving me a peck then leaving me all alone to pack up.

It would soon be 1, and Luke was probably there at the moment since we both agreed to meet at 12.

"Oh no!" I muttered under my breath and dashed out of the restaurant without even changing out of my work clothes.

'I didn't want to keep Luke waiting and knowing him, he should have bombarded my phone with calls if he was there by now.' I thought, feeling an emotion I couldn't place my hands on, running through me.

"Or maybe he was starting to do things for a change?" My subconscious suggested and I went along with it, knowing I was about to overthink again.

I soon got to the burial site and met everywhere as quiet as it should be. I slowed in my pace, every step I took sending my heart racing.

I arrived at Alicia's grave and met the place empty. The air immediately whooshed out of me, my legs wobbling and I had to place my hand on something to stabilize myself.

'Where was Luke? Wasn't he here yet or did he step out to get something?' I pondered as I looked around before looking at the watch on my wrist to see it was 1:30 already.

"Damn!" I cursed under my breath, thinking he perhaps already came, waited and waited for me but then since I didn't make it in time, decided to leave.

He also had his own work to get to and I couldn't afford to delay him. Knowing he atleast showed up like he promised for her, was enough.

My heartbeat relaxed as I dropped to my knees to place a hand on the grave, suddenly remembering I brought no flowers with me, because I was in a hurry.

I looked down and saw the previous flowers I brought, all wiltered away.

"If Luke did really come, how come there are no flowers here or imprint of his footsteps on the sand like yours are?" Lucy inquired and my blood ran cold.

She was right. I was about to say something when my phone pinged. I brought it out immediately to see it was a message from Luke.

"So sorry that I wouldn't be able to come today, Rina. Something so urgent actually came up. Please go on without me, we will visit together next time." I read out and had to stop myself from breaking into tears.

My hands holding the phone shaked so badly that the phone fell out of my them while I still knelt there, feeling numb.

'How could I be so stupid so raise my hopes up all by myself?' I scoffed painfully, biting my lower lips hard enough to draw blood.

I mean this wasn't the first time Luke was promising and failing. I just wished he had the integrity and shame to not do this for his daughter but who was I kidding?

I chuckled bitterly. He never even cared about Alicia from the start and I was such a fool to see faith in his words.

I cleaned the tears which were already leaking, got a broom and dusted the grave, spent a few minutes with Alicia before leaving but not without my usual "I love you and will be back soon, hopefully with Dad, this time."

..........

..........

I walked back to the restaurant feeling so dejected as my chest felt like it was on fire.

'Why did Luke just have to do this to me again?' I pondered, suddenly feeling my stomach ache.

I rubbed it as I let out a groan, using my other hand to open the door and walking inside when I saw a commotion.

"How dare a slut like you?" I heard a familiar voice scream and blinked, trying to come into terms with the words I just heard.

I was about to move forward to check what was going on when someone grabbed my hand from behind, stopping me.

I flinched not expecting the touch as I turned around to see Brianna, another of my co-workers looking at me with a worried gaze.

I furrowed my brows at her in confusion, wondering why she was looking like that.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, feeling worried myself.

'Was she sick?'

"N-no, I m-me-mean y-yes." She stuttered, plastering a fake smile on her face.

I just looked at her blankly before nodding and wanting to leave but then her grip tightened on my wrist as my other co-workers gathered around.

Soon, it began to seem as if they were stopping me from going forward so that made me all the more curious. I distracted them and then dashed to the front only to see Rita and Jane in her heated argument.

And beside Jane, with his hands around her passionately as he abused Rita, was my husband.