A month had gone and Diana had gotten used to the situation of things in the country. She had made a few friends in her neighborhood. Apparently, being a single mom was a big deal and almost everyone wanted to know what happened to her husband or the father of the child. Diana had told the same story. The pregnancy was a mistake and the father was not ready for a child so she had to leave.
Some sympathized with her, some advised her to remove the child and return to her husband.
Diana ignored both reactions. She did not care whatsoever.
She missed Julitta. Also, she hated sitting at home, doing nothing. She only wanted to be out of the house and doing anything.
Sightseeing was cool, enjoying the coolness of the atmosphere, and the clear weather. But she wasn't satisfied. Being someone who had lived most of her life working to please people, she wasn't used to being idle.
She was outside her house, sitting in a rocking chair. Her neighbor passed by, giving her a stare. Diana pretended not to see it at all. The newspaperman was going to arrive any minute and she wanted to collect it herself.
The neighbor watched as she received the newspaper and the man left, tipping his hat at her. She couldn't hold herself anymore, she had to ask.
"Hello there, neighbor."
"Hi," Diana replied with a small smile. She knew the woman had been staring but she never expected her to have the bravery to speak.
"I.. I was wondering if I could ask you just one question. I promise it won't be uncomfortable." The woman said, offering Diana a sly smile.
Diana could already tell how uncomfortable the question was going to be. Yet she smiled and nodded her head.
"How do you end up paying for all these services? I mean, if your husband is not in support of you being here, how can you pay for all of-"
"You just asked me an uncomfortable question," Diana muttered. "And however I pay is only my business."
"I didn't mean to get you offended." The woman said with both hands up. Diana scoffed lightly and went into her house.
She sat down on her couch and went through the papers. There was a section that showed vacancies at the town's post office. She read through the requirements. Perhaps she could work there. It was stated that they needed someone to sort through the mails and assign them to be delivered to their respective homes. Also, she would need to occasionally deliver mail to the country's post office headquarters. It wasn't a problem at all. It would be a nice way to meet Julitta after all.
While she relaxed and imagined how busy her day would be and how happy she was going to be, finally having something to do, she heard a knock on her door.
She quickly sat up in her chair. Who would be visiting her at this time? She didn't have any friends at all. She went to the door when the knock persisted. She was surprised to find the same neighbor at the door and behind her was...
"Maggie!" Diana exclaimed. "Look at you!" She said happily. She pulled the woman into a warm hug, offering her a welcoming smile that seemed relieved at the same time.
Maggie hugged Diana back. "I know, I know. I've put on a little weight, but so have you."
Diana giggled, flipping her hair back. The woman watched the two ladies laugh and discuss as if she wasn't just standing with them.
"So I'll just take my leave." The woman said. Diana waved her bye and closed the door behind her.
Diana returned to Maggie who was checking out the place.
"Oh, Fraco isn't as terrible as I last saw,"
Maggie said. "It even seems better now. Hm."
Diana nodded. She pulled the woman to the couch. "Sit and allow me to serve you something cool."
Maggie sat down. Diana ran to the kitchen to fetch her a glass of freshly squeezed juice. Maggie was more than grateful to have that. Spending over 24 hours on the train just to meet her was something worth getting fresh juice for.
"You didn't come with your child?" Diana asked.
"I thought you said you had a child."
"Yes, yes. My husband was going on a trip and she wanted to go with him so he took her. It's a week's travel and I thought, staying home alone isn't cool. So I decided to come to see you instead. Stay the week if you don't mind."
"Mind? I sincerely appreciate any form of the company right now! I'm so bored here. The lady who had been my assistant here has returned to work."
"Yeah. What work do you do anyway? Sitting at home in Fraco will raise suspicion." Maggie states.
"You really didn't have to say it, I've already witnessed it," Diana said with a low chuckle.
"That woman who brought you here?"
"Uh-huh?"
"She had just asked me this morning, where I get money to pay for the services I'm enjoying," Diana said. "And she even had the guts to say it wasn't going to be a personal question!"
"Whaaaaaat?" Maggie drawled and then burst into laughter. "She said it wasn't going to be a personal question yet she asked that?"
"Can you believe it?" Diana laughed even harder.
"Man, when I got into town, I had someone help me. I told them I was looking for Diana, a young lady who had recently moved here about a month ago. I described your appearance in the best way I remember, then luckily, she was passing by." Maggie explained. "My ears did not rest until we got to your door."
"Oh yeah? You finally saw someone who spoke more than you did, huh?" Diana teased.
"Oh Diana, I know I'm talkative but this... This is way way more than I could ever be." Maggie confessed. "I think I stopped listening at some point."
Diana laughed again. "You know, this is the most I've ever smiled in this past month. I've been indoors and at some point, I began to feel as if I was losing my mind."
"I know that feeling," Maggie said softly. "Look, I'm pregnant."
Diana turned to stare at her. She covered her mouth, suppressing a gasp. Her eyes were wide and looked starry even. Maggie giggles softly.
"Maggie!" Diana whispered. "This is so overwhelming and I don't even know why."
"It's because you're pregnant! Those damn hormones. Makes you wanna cry every time you see something cute, yet also makes you wanna get mad at the same damn time."
"You're right. I feel exactly that way. Especially having been alone for a month."
"C'mon, Diana. Show me around town." Maggie proposed. "Then we can both exhaust ourselves and we can fall asleep and continue the cycle tomorrow."
Diana thought about it. It sounded like a pretty nice idea. "Sure, let's unpack your bag first, then we can leave."
The two ladies went into Diana's room and began to arrange Maggie's things neatly. Since she wasn't spending much time, she didn't come with many clothes. Diana arranged the clothes beside hers.
Maggie changed into something lighter so that the cool breeze could help in calming her excited nature.
They left the house, chatting along the way. Diana took her to most of the places she knew. The inn, the public kitchen, the opera, the museum, the theatre, the clinic, and the gym. Everywhere she had visited for fun, she took her there.
"I love this place!" Maggie announced in the kitchen. "I don't think Sunshine is ready for this."
"Why?"
"Well because they expect every female to know how to make meals for her family. I don't think if one started a public kitchen it was going to sell." She said with a shrug.
"Do you cook well?" Diana asked.
"Of course! Worry not, I will make a meal for you and you will lick your fingers and toes." Maggie bragged.
"Then that's fine! If you can cook well, you can start a business." Diana said.
"Huh?" Maggie asked. "How?"
"You can start in your home. Make the meals and sample on your window sill. Call the prize and allow people to taste from one plate to convince them to buy."
"A lot of people have tasted my food, they already know it's good."
"Then, go ahead and start. I want to start working. Being alone is boring and it brings up weird thoughts." Diana confessed. Maggie had paid for a plate of pie. They sat down to eat.
"Weird thoughts? Such as...?"
"My reason for being here. The things that would make me feel saddened."
"Oh, dear Diana! Don't be saddened. Don't worry, I am here now. I will sit with you through your worrisome days and keep you company. Anytime my husband is going on a trip, I could come and spend the days with you." Maggie offered. Diana smiled at the offer. It was so good.
"That's sweet Maggie. But if you were to start your business then I don't think you'd be able to visit me that often."
"I don't care about that," Maggie interjected, shaking her head. "You're my friend. Friends sacrifice for each other."
There was a loud bang that shocked everyone. Maggie and Diana turned to the source of the sound. There were three bulky men, standing at the door with big clubs in their hands.
Diana's heart began to thump in her chest. She had tried to hide her identity, was it going to show forth now?
Maggie was afraid, so she placed her hand on Diana's shoulder. "Diana, let's get out of here."
"Get out? They are literally standing at the door! What's the way out from here?"
"I.. I don't know but we need to leave asap." Maggie said. Her voice shook terribly.
Diana shook off Maggie's hand from her shoulder. "We can't leave without getting hurt, let's find out what they want first."
"What do you want?" The owner of the kitchen asked.
"We heard there's a new woman in town and that she came here. We also heard that she doesn't have any support and has been paying for services ever since." The leader said. "We have come to take her in for questioning. She must be a thief."
Diana scowled. Her eyes changed color from their usual brown to a glowing red. Maggie was so focused on the fear and the men at the door, she didn't notice Diana's minor transformation.
"There's no one like that here." The owner said. "I must ask you to leave."
"If you don't comply, we can do this the hard way." He said, tilting his head. His companions tapped their clubs against their palms.
"Bring her out or we'll search for her ourselves." He said again.
The kitchen's owner looked round and round. His eyes jammed Maggie. She was the only strange-looking woman there. But when he saw how she shook in fright, he knew he couldn't sell her out to the men. Unluckily, they caught his gaze. They marched over to where Maggie and Diana were sitting.
"Diana," Maggie whispered when she noticed them approaching. "I think they're coming here."
Diana bowed her head to the ground. "Stay calm." She whispered. Maggie assumed she was talking to her. She didn't know that Diana was referring to herself.
The man reached the table and grabbed Maggie. Maggie shook even more.
"You! You're the woman right?" He bellowed.
Maggie shook even more. She wasn't the one but could she sell Diana into trouble?
Diana kept her head bowed. She could hear the conversation between them. Her blood boiled with each threat released to Maggie, and when she couldn't take it anymore, she raised her head and slammed her hands on the table.
All heads turned to her. She managed to draw every attention to herself.
"Leave her alone." She ordered.