She never saw Wahim more than a handful of times and they talked for less than a thimbleful. Her mother barely noticed the tense atmosphere and Rita could not take it anymore and started eating in her room. Rita both could not wait and dreaded the moment when they would leave. And a week passed by slow and full of nightmares and soon it was time for them to leave.
“Bye honey. If you need anything just call okay and remember Alice and Bernard are here to take care of you, so let them alright?” Her mom told her.
“Don’t worry mom. I will don’t worry.” Rita assured her.
Helen hugged her daughter, her growing stomach pushing against both of them. Rita had to bend closer to hug her more comfortably. “I really don’t want to leave you.” Her mother whispered.
Rita did not want to either. “But you have to.” She stated.
“I know.” Her mother responded before sniffling.
“Mom please don’t cry, we did this yesterday.” Rita said, keeping her own tears at bay. Yesterday had been a tears fest in her bedroom. It was heartbreaking and pitiful because they both were ugly when they cried and made the worst noises.
Her mother still crued in her shoulder. “I know but I just can’t help it.”
Dex walked out of the elevator and walked up to where they were hugging in the hallway. Acknowledging Bernard beside her with a curt nod. “Sorry to break up the moment Ladies but we really need to go. Wahim’s waiting downstairs in reception.”
Her mother cleaned her tears but her voice still choked up. “Oh okay.” She said turning to Dex.
Dex took hold of her chin with his thumb and index finger and lifted her face to his. “Do not cry my love. If Rita needs anything she can call us. I will fly you back here on my own back if you wish it. Under certain conditions, of course.”
Her mother smiled through her tears, the ones Dex was cleaning off with his fingers. “Thank you Dex.”
Watching them both made her feel a mix of emotions. And she did not have a name for all of them. The ones she could name were sadness for them leaving her, Jealousy for the love they shared and the hollow feeling in her chest that told she would never have anything close to what they had.
“Ok my dear.” Her mother said, turning back to her. Rita put up a small smile “Get well soon, so you can come visit me. I’m pretty sure these men of mine won’t let me out of the house once I hit my fifth month.”
Fifth month? Already?
“That reminds me. How long do draconian pregnancies last?” Rita asked. More than ready to let curiosity mask her other feelings and carry her away.
Her mother answered. “Normally, a draconian pregnancy would last sixteen months.”
Rita’s eyes widened. Sixteen months?!? She had not thought it would last that long! Her mother was going to stay pregnant for more than a year?! Rita looked at Dex with shock. He had not mentioned any of that when she asked. He mostly just blew it off and dodged her questions. Now she knew why. And all he did was give her a nervous smile and scratch his head.
Her mother continued with her explanation. “But Doctor Fala said since I’m human, my term might last between six or ten months. She also said that I had to be well looked after and come for check ups every two weeks. Without fail. Because of my age. So you understand why now.”
That would explain why they wanted her to leave the city. They were worried. With everything that happened with the baby, her mom and the, well, the fire breathing episode. They had every right to be.
“Well don’t let me keep you here. I hope I’m better in record time just in case your due date is next month.” Rita expressed.
Dex took his hand off his head and looked straight at her. “Do not worry. If it is, you will be the first one to know.”
“Thanks Dex. You both should get going Wahim must be waiting.” Rita said, wishing more than anything that their conversation had not practically come to its closing point.
Her mother motioned towards the elevator. “Yeah, we should get going. He has been mopey throughout this week. Do you think it’s still because of what happened with the baby?”
Dex looked at Rita, his eyes soft and filled with unspoken apology. “Yes, that is probably the reason.” He plastered a small smile on his face and looked at Rita’s mother.
Aside from the time on the other side of the guest bathroom door, Wahim had not said another word of apology to her. Not a single one. Not even when it was more than clearly warranted. “Yeah, probably.” Rita said, her voice low.
“Time to go.” Dex informed, holding her mother’s hand.
“Safe travels back to Condorsprings.” Rita said.
“Thank you Rita. Get well soon.” Dex replied back, holding on to her mother by her waist.
“Goodbye honey.” Her mother called and waved. Rita did the same. “Goodbye mom.”
The moment they got into the elevator and the silver doors closed, the loneliness she felt before increased. Rita hugged herself. She tell her mom, wanted to let everything all out but she could not. Not with everything Dex told her about her mother needing to be calm at all times and not when she could not even come to bring out the words herself.
She felt so trapped and alone and she wondered when would she stop feeling that way. Bernard was right beside her, she literally was not alone right now. Then why did she feel like she was. And why did she feel so nervous. The answer stared at her in the face. Bernard and Alice were not friends, nor were they family. Just strangers doing their job. Once this month was over, they would go serve someone else and never think about her again, since she obviously could not afford to come back to this place.
“Madam, do you wish to go out?” Bernard asked, probably wondering why she was still standing in the hallway.
The question gave her pause. The outside world was were she performed best. Her escape. Her remedy from the darker spaces in her mind but now it had shown her that it was far scarier than she had ever thought. The year had not even ended yet and she had found out her friends were not friends at all, been assaulted three times, found out the guy she had sex with and humiliated her three years ago was her boss, she quit and he still managed to become her boss again and got her to sign on a dotted line too, got to know a cosmetics company could also double as an open brothel and a porn studio, she had nearly been kidnapped more than once, a portion of the internet and the city still taught about her as a paid whore, she had nearly died and was now reliving all the terrible memories she had from her past every single day thanks to Wahim. She had a variety of traumas and fears now, PTSD and insecurity issues she never thought she would have again for most of her life. The universe really did a number on her this time.
“Madam, are you alright?” Bernard asked again. And Rita realized she had not answered his first question. “No need to worry Bernard. I won’t be going out.” She replied.
To his second question, a lot of people had been asking her that for a while. And up till now she still did not have an answer.
“Very well, Madam.” Bernard said and waited for her to move.
As Rita walked back with Bernard into her apartment, she thought about everything that had happened. And how rock bottom she had hit in the emotional department. Up till now, she still had not made any friends. No one to chat with or coax her outside. She missed that stuff and now, more than ever. Even though she wanted to be alone. It made her feel somewhat defective.
‘Well,’ she thought, ‘you know what they say about when you hit rock bottom.
The only way left is up.’
Everything was almost ready. In just a few more days, his lily would be safely in his arms. Away from negativity, this foolish war, convoluted plans and any dirty pigs or dogs that were trying to get at her. He just needed a few more things to get his hands on and just a little more to do before it was all perfect. She would understand. Then he would whisk her away to where they could be happy, where they could be free to love each other in peace. For all eternity.
And no one would ever come between them then.