Acceptance

Lylah's world was crumbling and she felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown, the great pillar of her life was tumbling down on her and she was struggling to cope. What happened to her?, to them?, she was still in denial, trying to escape the reality of the situation.

Lylah felt suffocated in her own skin. But the water was alive, its soft caress wrapping around her ankles like a lover's touch. Lylah sighed, letting her head fall back against the tub.

The jets massaged her scalp, a gentle pulse that seemed to sync with her heartbeat. She felt weightless, suspended in a world of warmth and comfort.

The bubbles tickled, a playful laugh that echoed through the bathroom.

"Glub glub glub," they whispered, a soothing lullaby.

Seeking solace, her eyes drifted shut, she sucked in her breath a submerged herself in the tub, letting herself sink deeper, into the peacefulness of it all as the water enveloped her.

The bubbles tickled her skin, a strange comfort.

It felt peaceful down there.

For a moment, she felt like she could disappear, leave it all behind. The thought was both terrifying and alluring.

"Disappearing from the face of the earth, could be fun", she thought.

She continued to bath in the tranquility, but then like a jolt of electricity, her phone shrilled to life. The sudden noise was a slap to the face, shattering the serenity and yelling "reality" in her ear.

Lylah's fingers slid along the smooth ceramic as she pushed herself up, her body unfolding from the fetal position like a flower slowly blooming.

Water cascaded down her skin, droplets racing each other to the floor as she stood, rivulets tracing the curves of her arms and shoulders. Her wet hair clinged to her neck and back like seaweed. Lylah's eyes snapped open, adjusting to the light as she emerged from the depths of the tub.

She let out a frustrated sigh as she reached for the phone, her peaceful oasis disrupted.

"Mr. Dreadssssssss", the caller id read.

The name brought a tiny weeny smile on her face. A smile that was barely noticeable. He had been of a great deal of help to her these past few weeks.

He had been there through it all.

Lylah swiped to her right, answering the call.

"Kiddo, how're you", the other line called.

"Feeling just great Kobby", Lylah's voice cracked.

There was a long pause at the end of the receiver. All that could be heard was breathing.

"You're still doing this?, it's not worth it. Talking to him, I realized he don't even respect anything you stand for?", Kobby spoke softly.

"There's nothing I can do if my emotions are everywhere. I'm really trying to cope with all that been happening. I can't even do anything right-

"Forgive and forget about him", he interrupted.

"He's messing up my head, he's even ruining things at work, I don't want to see him, yet he's always around. Not around me precisely but around people that are definitely going to be around me, we're sharing a suite as we speak. I'm frustrated", Lylah yelled.

The situation was way out of her control, if there was something she could do, she would.

"You need to go out have fun, meet new peopl-

"But I don't want to do that, I just want to be alone", Lylah's voice faded at the latter.

She knew Kobby was just trying to be of help, he just wanted to see her happy. This was such a great loss for her, how was she going to move on.

How could she act like he didn't exist?

But maybe Kobby was right, she needed to move on. And before that she needed to accept they were over.

Kobby, he was the closest she had to a brother. She affectionately called him Mr. Dreads and he did accept the name.

Not like he could do anything about it anyway, whatever Lylah wants, Lylah gets.

"You know something, I'm going to send you some cash, go out with some friends, have fun, unwine", Kobby laughed.

"I'm not going to say no to that, you do spoil me lots", Lylah replied.

"Thanks a lot, I needed this convo", she added.

"Anytime Kiddo"

Lylah could tell he was winking and smirking after using that name.

"Bro, I'm older than you", she chuckled.

"I gotta go, I'm at work, already sent you something, later", Kobby signed out.

"Bye", Lylah mouthed as the line got disconnected.

She smiled as she watched her phone screen, the alert for cash in received popped up.

"Man of his word", Lylah giggled.

"Oh my goodness, look at you. Why are you so wet?, drenched, get yourself dried, you might catch a cold", Faye dropped her crocodile birkin on the cold floor, rushing to Lylah's side but not without fetching a towel.

"Stop exaggerating it Faye, I'm fine", Lylah smiled.

She tried squeezing the water out of her hair.

"You weren't a few minutes back, and if you were you wouldn't be looking like you look right now?", Faye threw a dirt glare at her friend.

She knew Lylah's temperament very well.

"And how do I look?", Lylah teased.

"Like you've been kissed by the sea"

Lylah rolled her eyes.

"Girl", she giggled, covering her lips with her right palm.

"On a more serious note, are you okay", Faye swiped her nose up as she covered Lylah with a towel.

Lylah nodded.

"You know you can get a transfer to a different firm right?, you're great at what you do, no Publishing Firm would reject you", Faye stressed on the latter.

"I know, Mark has given me so many opportunities it feels bad leaving his side", Lylah sighed.

She had been contemplating it but leaving Mark was something else. She couldn't bear to do it.

"Your peace first Lylah, he would understand", Faye smiled.

She knew this was the road to depression, and she wouldn't watch her friend walk on that path.

She would do anything to ensure Lylah was okay, in fact, more than okay.

"Let's do one thing, you'll finish this very important project for Mark and ask for a transfer, I'll talk to my boss and then you can join me. Treat this as a new beginning", Faye sat at the edge of the tub.

Lylah bit hard on her lower lip.

What was wrong with her?, this was clearly an escape route. But why wasn't she taking it?

Could it be she actually didn't want to leave him after all these weeks?

She hated him right?

So what now?

"Can I at least think about it?", Lylah sheepishly asked.

Faye nodded.