The journey begins

It was a long night at Tracy’s end as well. She kept checking her phone to see the time. It felt like daybreak wouldn’t come any sooner.

She got her luggage ready. All her belongings in the house were packed into a portable box, along with a small bag where she stuffed all her pomades and deodorants. She was done exactly at 3AM and couldn’t figure out what to do with the remaining three hours.

She kept changing positions on the bed, burying herself under the duvet, then pulling it away, all because sleep was hard to come by. She couldn’t afford not to get ready before six.

“Just imagine he wakes up in the morning to tell you the whole thing was just a drama to test your loyalty to Mrs Ava.”

She said to herself as she burst into laughter, enjoying her little space by entertaining herself.

“Nah… nah… I’m going to twist his jaw. I don’t mind losing my job.”

She responded to her thoughts, trying not to let them mess her mood up. The laughter got wiped away like she suddenly remembered something, pressing her lips together.

“Mom and Dad must be proud of you, Tracy. They are looking at you from the other side, nodding with pride in their hearts. You are a heroine.”

She nodded as well as she grinned.

“Can’t wait for daybreak. I need to call the doctor and also see Angela. It’s been a minute.”

Her cellphone was on the call log page with the doctor’s contact on it. Her thumb held back from dialing. Then she walked and picked up her diary once again, gazing at that same Angela’s picture stapled on the first page of the diary.

“I should update this diary today.”

Her lips pressed together with her eyebrows raised as she picked up her pen to write.

“The darkness took so long that light seemed like a myth. My hope was a joke to reality because truly, all odds were against me, and losing the most precious thing remaining in this dear life was about to happen.

Late night weeping, daily efforts and struggle not to make things change, but to make sure I first don’t lose my sanity in this whole catastrophe. Maybe God knows me, maybe He really hears my silent cries, I couldn’t really tell.

But what I knew for sure was that if I were Angela, I’d make sure I end this miserable life myself.

Shame, disgust, and abuse, but Angela’s living was what kept me going. I so much want to see you live, and here it is.

Mark! Mark! Mark!

You must be wondering who it is. Didn’t mean to keep things from you, Diary.

There’s one more thing you don’t know about me. I’m married now. Ha ha.

Surprised? Yeah?

Mark is my groom.There are noo rings yet. No party, but Tracy is moving to her matrimonial home this morning.

Angela’s life depends on this decision, and I’m sure you know how much Angela means to me.

Mark is the reason why Angela would have a chance to live, and getting married to him is what is making that happen.

No chemistry, no love track records, can’t tell if he loves me. He obviously doesn’t. I should care, but what can I do?

He’s charming though, and I love his cool smile, but I’m cute too. He must have an affection for me. He must have a soft spot.

Two hours from now, I’d disappear from here. You won’t miss me here. I hope so. But you won’t… except…”

“Oh… Lady Gene!”

She gently slapped her forehead with her right hand in disappointment.

“I promised to get back to her yesterday… damn, I’m so horrible. Should I text her or…?”

She looked up, puffed her cheeks, and gently tapped her lips with her left hand.

“Let me make it dramatic… I’d write a letter. I need to keep myself busy till dawn.”

She tore a sheet from her diary, reclining on her bed with her pillow on her chest as she kept writing. She got to the middle of her letter when sleep felt it was the right time to strike her hard. She ended up rumpling the papers and got about five hours of sleep, but thanks to the alarm she set at 5:30, she woke up.

The alarm rang and her sleep got interrupted.

“Damn, I slept off…”

Coming from the bathroom, she mopped her face with the towel, then got dressed. The black gown was so lit. One of her favorite dresses, and she barely wears it.

She paused at the mirror, adoring her beauty with a smile on her face.

“Nobody can convince me against this beauty. I got it on lock.”

She snapped her finger and squinted her eyes as she applied the lip gloss. The last alarm rang. It was 5:55.

“I’m running late.”

She sprayed her perfume, then proceeded to open her door to check outside. The coast was clear, and she was prepared to leave.

Turning back to pick up her luggage, she saw her incomplete letter for Lady Gene. She sat down to finish it and packaged it in an improvised envelope, writing “My precious Lady Gene” on it.

Then she picked up her phone and texted Mark on W******p.

“It’s 6AM, sir.”

With hope on her face, she swung her feet while sitting on her bed, waiting for his response. It showed blue immediately, and the response was swift as well.

“Meet me at the garage.”

She nodded her head as she stood to pick up her bags, finally returning the makeup and deodorants she had left on the mirror shelf into her small bag. With the card Mark handed her in her purse, she headed for the door, then turned back to give the room a last glance with a deep breath and an exhale.

“Goodbye.”

Turning back to the door, she headed for the garage.

The garage was large, right in front of the mansion, with a number of expensive SUVs and sports cars in it. Mark was standing right beside an SUV with his shades on, checking his wristwatch to see the time.

Tracy, however, was being sneaky, looking right and left for probable danger.

Mark sighted her and remained still like a CIA agent. No expression, just a confident gaze with no emotions attached.

“Lateness isn’t a habit I would condone for a long time.”

He calmly said as he headed for the driver’s seat.

He was about to open his door, then looked up at the balcony. It was his mother standing there, watching what was going on. He paused a little but didn’t mind.

Tracy didn’t notice at first. She had turned her back towards the building while she kept her luggage in the trunk. Heading for the passenger side gave her the view of what was staring at her all along.

She paused, swallowed hard.

Mark’s honk interrupted her.

“Get in.”

Winding down the side window slowly.

Tracy, of course, had no choice. She hopped in as Mark drove away.

Mrs Ava watched all of this with pain in her heart, folding her hands tightly.