You’d swear the ice queen always knows when her daughter is with me. Not long after we arrived at the cemetery, Gladys called Samu and ordered her to come home immediately.
We walked back to the farm in complete silence, as if we had not been chatting freely a second ago. The farmers were still busy and Lizzy seemed to have found her footing since she did not notice when I returned. Sam was standing next to the car, judging by the stoic look on his face, Gladys had given him an earful for allowing her precious daughter to leave with me unguarded. “My Princess.” He bowed and opened the door for her. I walked around the car and climbed into the front passenger seat. “Are you coming too?” Samu asked. I glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Yeah, I have a meeting with Queen Shekinah.” Sam hopped in and started the car. “Azania, I thought you were“To go to work or not to go to work. To go to work or not to go to work,” I sang, bouncing the tennis ball against the wall.I was preparing myself to catch the ball when a hand swept in front of me and caught the ball.“That's enough, now.” My mother stuffed the ball in her apron before turning her eyes on me with her arms folded. “What's the matter with you? You've been acting strange since you returned from the farm.”“It's nothing,” I lied. “I just have a headache.”She scoffed. “Really? And does that headache have a name?”“No!”She raised a knowing eyebrow. “Is it Alex?”If my eyes could get any bigger, they were sure to tear out. “No! Wait… what? Alex? Why would you even think of him? I haven't spoken to him since the dinner.”“When's your next appointment?” She asked.I relaxed, kind of grateful for the change of subject. “In two weeks. Why?”“Nothing. Anyway, take c
My day started on a good note, it was weird because for some reason, I seemed to be the only person who woke up in a good mood. I was actually excited to be returning to work, but most especially, I had butterflies in my stomach just at the mere thought of seeing Lincoln. I knew I could not get any closer to him or act out of character, but seeing him even from a distance was more than enough for me for today.Like I said before, I was not a morning person, but this morning was quite different, and that worried me. I usually ignored people when they greeted me on my way to work, but today I was doing the greeting and getting ignored. The lady who sold bread was not around today, I made a mental note to make the dough before starting with everything else. “Azania?”I skipped, placing my hand on my chest as I turned around to face Lizzy.“Lizzy, hey,” I greeted while putting on my apron.“It is
I think I spoke too soon, much too soon.The day was slowly becoming disastrous, Lizzy and I were preparing lunch when I remembered that we had a new maid, and she was supposed to be helping out. Three hours had gone by since I sent her upstairs. “Lizzy, please keep an eye on things here while I check on the newbie upstairs.”I would rather not tell her that Mandy knew absolutely nothing about housework, I still had to find out what she was doing here to begin with.I hung up my apron and rushed upstairs, and to say I was horrified would be an understatement. Mandy hadn't done a thing, the rooms in the west wing were still not cleaned, and she was not even there. I searched every single room until I found her in Samu's room in the east wing.“Mandy, what the hell are you doing?” I shrieked the moment my eyes fell on her.She was wearing Samu's clothes and was busy applying makeup at the vanity mirror. “What does it look like I'm doing?” She dared to ask, glancing
Lincoln is an idiot.That's what I kept telling myself after crying a river because of him. He was an idiot for thinking that I could ever date Alex. I mean, not that there was anything wrong with Alex, I just did not see him that way. Alex was like the brother I never had.But in this case, I was the biggest idiot because every time Lincoln hurt me, I told myself that it would be the very last time. Joke's on me. I don't understand why Lincoln was so insecure around Alex when the man was so sweet and harmless.Speaking of Alex, I had the right mind to call him and cancel, but my mother snatched my phone.I was just not in a great mood. I have been grumpy since I got home. My mother kept throwing me disapproving looks, especially because of my outfit. “Azania, I get that you are indoors, but could you at least wear something warmer and more… appropriate?” She finally said out of exasperation.
“Are you sure don't want me to walk you in?” Lincoln asked when he pulled up outside my house where Alex was standing at the gate while my mother was sitting at our front door.I'm afraid, I was not as confident as I was when I grappled him into another round earlier.I shook my head as I reached for the door handle. “No, you will only make matters worse,” I said tentatively.Lincoln did not even feel the slightest of regret, me on the other hand? My stomach was as hard as clay, and I was literally shaking in my boots. It did not help that Lincoln had done me to the point of semi paralysis, I couldn't move or walk without making it obvious what exactly I'd been up to.“Hey.” He gently took my hand, and he met me with a tender kiss as soon as I turned in his direction. “You will be fine.”Thank goodness his windows were tinted, otherwise my mother would have buried us both alive. I climbed out of the car and sucked
Lizzy and I managed to prepare everything on time; however, I was late.It was already 6p.m. and Lizzy and the others were already welcoming guests. Samu and Lydia had just arrived and went to their separate rooms to get ready.I still needed to bathe, and I didn't even know what I was going to do with my hair. There was no way Lizzy could help me because she was busy, she might as well be working for the both of us tonight.I rushed to Samu's room to get the gift Lincoln gave me. “Azania!” I am startled by Samu's shrilling voice. “I was about to send for you. Why aren't you ready yet?” She asked and pulled me farther into the room. I let out a shaky breath, I was such a panicking mess. “Maybe I shouldn't attend your party, we are short-staffed anyway.” I blurted out.Samu's eyes widened, making the thick and long artificial lashes and dark makeup around her eyes to pop. “Where is this coming from?”“It's
“Azania!” I woke up to a strange voice calling my name. The room was dark, with a tiny flare of light peeking through a door above the staircase. Where am I? I wondered as I rose to my feet. Something didn't feel quite right, but I couldn't place my finger on it. I moved towards the door, feeling hollow, as if I were fleeting through time and space. It was so quiet, way too quiet; I couldn't even hear my footsteps against what, I assumed, was hardboard. I reached for the door, blinding light flooding in as soon as I opened it. I don't know what I was expecting to see when I opened my eyes, but I definitely did not expect to find myself in the forest. The leaves of the trees were whistling and their branches swaying with ease. Birds of different kinds, some exotic, were chirping joyfully and flying around. It was so lively and warm, like the first day of spring, there was no way this could be home. It was so strange.
The sound of beeping machines woke me from my stupor, and my eyes slowly opened to be greeted by a straining light yet again. I blinked until I adjusted to the light, and I tried to speak up, but my mouth was as dry as the desert. “You are awake!” My heart filled with joy at hearing Lincoln's voice again. “Let me call the doctor and your mom.” I heard heavy footsteps and a door opening and closing. Not more than a minute later, soft footsteps rushed into the room, and I felt the bed dip as the person sat on the bed. “Azania, my baby! You are awake, I was so worried about you.” My mother showered my face with kisses. It was comforting to hear her voice, but it also reminded me of the conversation we needed to have. “Water… I need water,” I croaked, my voice barely loud. “Water?” I shifted my head in an attempt to nod. I don't understand why my body felt so numb. The sound of cackling glasses competed with the monitor for