Chapter 4- Smells like Hope
1257 Words
Alice hurriedly put on her clothes and rushed out to answer her friend's call. As she steps out of the door Jane pops a bottle of champagne and this startled Alice that she shouted thinking it was a gunshot.
"Did I scare you? Welcome to the city of Manchester and I wish you good luck on your stay". Jane said while laughing at her friend who was still shaking from the wine pop.
"Thank you, Jane! But please warn me next time" Alice answered her friend while recovering from the shock. I almost forgot wine existed" Alice thought in her head while slowly heading to the dining area with a little smile on her lip to not look displeased by her friend's kindness.
They started eating and Alice made sure to have a taste of all the food on the table. She ate hungrily and heartily almost to a big stomach. This gladdened her friend who was secretly watching her eat to make sure she loved the food.
At the end of the meal, Jane offered Alice a toast. "Let's toast to a bright future and tight friendship girl," Jane said immediately Alice picked up her glass of wine. Alice happily raised her glass and clicked it with Jane's saying "To a bright future and tight friendship". Sipping down the drink. Alice requested another glass due to the sweet taste. "It tastes really good," Alice said, gulping down another glass. It didn't occur to her that champagnes have a little bit of alcohol in them.
"How are your parents and two brothers doing"? Jane asked Alice while clearing the plates and putting them in the sink.
"Oh, they are fine! They must be missing me right now" Alice answered in a sad tone drawing Jane's attention. Jane dropped the last plate in the sink and walked back to her friend to console her.
"Don't worry they will get used to it soon. Just make sure to call them and check up on them every time so they don't get worried". Jane said, hugging Alice on the chair while tapping her back.
"Thank you, Jane! Alice replied remembering immediately that she needed to call them and tell them that she arrived safely.
"Wait, Jane! I need to get my phone, I have to call them,'' Alice added, standing up from her seat and heading inside the room feeling tipsy from the drink. Jane noticed what was happening and rushed over to Alice to stop her from bumping into the door. "Oh! Thank you", Alice said, realizing that she would have run into the wall if Jane didn't stop her.
"Girl, your alcohol tolerance is weak, you should sleep. Call your parents tomorrow ok? Jane said, leading her friend into the room to get to her bed.
Immediately they got to the bed Alice jumped on the bed losing her friend's grip and this surprised Jane so that she burst out laughing. After a while, Jane stopped laughing and went over to the bed to cover her friend with the blanket. While she was doing this Alice sat up immediately, looked around, smiled a little bit, fell back on the bed, and started to sleep again like nothing happened.
This made Jane burst out laughing again, this time covering her mouth to reduce the sound of her voice as she had never seen her friend in a drunk state. When Jane recovered from her rib-cracking laughter she hurriedly dressed up the bed cover and turned off the light to let her friend sleep. While she was about to close the door she heard a sound and saw a light blinking from Alice's bag. She went over guessing that it could be Alice's parents calling. Picking up the phone she saw that her guess was right because the call intact read "my mum" on the phone screen.
Picking up the phone she answered the call. "Hello Alice's mum, this is Jane, her friend. Alice arrived safely at my house but she couldn't call to tell you. So sorry she dozed off before calling thereby making you super worried" Jane said and waited to hear Alice's mum's response.
"Ok thank you so much, my daughter. I am grateful for everything. Please you both should stay safe. Tell her we called to check on her. Good night my daughter"! Alice's mum said with a happy tone.
"Ok, ma I will surely tell her you called. Be safe ma! Alice's mum cut the call. Jane plugged in her friend's phone with her extra charger before leaving her room.
"Alright let's go to bed now, we have tried for today. Jane said before going to the bathroom to freshen up and change into her nightwear. When she was about to pull her clothes her phone beeped. She stopped what she was doing and decided to check her phone to see if it was from her workplace since she was working tomorrow. Picking her phone up she saw two notifications and she hurriedly opened it wishing it would be a "free day" message so she could rest the next day.
One of the notifications was an apology text from her ex-boyfriend which pissed her off greatly.
She tossed her phone away in anger without reading the other message which was an email. Jane hurried to the bathroom and had a quick warm bath, did her skincare which took a longer time before changing into her nightwear.
After doing this she hurried to bed to catch some sleep as it was getting too late into the night and she needed some sleep. Covering the blanket she made a short prayer and turned off the light.
Meanwhile back home at Alice's house, her mum was just back from work at that time of the night as she would do extra hours on Thursdays to increase her payment.
Honey, are you sleeping already? Mrs Olivia asked, tapping her husband lightly. "I am home," she continued, almost whispering, not wanting to wake her boys as they were already sleeping.
Mr James wakes up yawning as he is already deep into sleep.
"I slept off waiting on you darling forgive me," he said apologetically to his wife while trying to put a smile on her face.
"How was it today? Must be tough for you out there. I am sorry I put you all into this" Mr James continued almost sobbing while looking at her wife undress.
"It was tough but I am glad I survived today. And stop blaming yourself for everything, It was never your fault, OK"? Mrs Olivia replied while walking over to hug and console her husband.
"Thank you for loving me still" he replied while still hugging her.
"You are my love and always will be," she said to him reassuring him with a kiss on the lips.
"We have to freshen up darling so we can get some sleep. It's already late and I have to work tomorrow, OK? Mr Olivia said to his husband before separating herself from the hug.
After a few minutes, she was done helping her husband get a quick warm bath as the fire incident rendered her two hands damaged beyond repair. She has been the one helping him out with so many things he needed to do. Alice would help out sometimes if she was around. Hurriedly taking her bath she joined her husband to the bed.
As she was about to turn off the light Mr James asked "Did you hear from Jane? She didn't call yet"
- Writer
