CHAPTER FOUR
1552 Words
Danielle's Point Of View
I had to wake up when the morning light was shining directly into my eyes.
I let out a weary yawn and rubbed my hazy eyes. I asked myself, my hands wildly outstretched. "Where the f**k am I?"
I had a pounding headache.
As it happens, I woke up with migraines.
Compared to the studio apartment where I usually lay my head, the bedroom appears more attractive and distinct.
Upon focussing my attention on the four corners of the room, I noticed a face that seemed familiar to me.
I threw myself off the bed and went directly to the picture frame. "This person's face. I know him. He's a beast."
There was something out of the ordinary about me a few seconds after I woke up.
I was partially nude. Not only was I nude, but I was as nude as a newborn.
"My goodness,"
I let out an exclamation!
How I got into someone else's bed or naked was beyond me.
I got wasted last night, and that is the last thing I remember.
I recognised Declan, the man I met at the Art Exhibition, after taking another look at the picture frame on the wall.
"He did not have s*x with me, did he? He can not do that to me, " I assured myself.
"He looks too good to be cruel." I thought.
I hastily put my dress back on before he entered the room and discovered me nude.
I was about to leave when I noticed an envelope and a note on the shelf. The envelope seems so enlarged.
"What might be contained within the envelope?" I asked myself from a distance.
I approached the shelf with a sense of grandeur and opened the envelope to discover a stack of one hundred dollar bills.
I took the note in my hands and read it.
"Greetings, Lovie. I want to thank you for our amazing evening together.
I had not had such good s*x in a long time until I met you. You have probably already noticed the cash I left on the shelf. It can be seen as a reward for the wonderful s*x and your amazing artwork. Have a wonderful day."
As they say, "Your life flashes before you when you die."
My circumstances, though, were a little more complex. I did not simply pass away; I reincarnated because my feelings have changed. I feel as if my soul has been taken over by a new spirit.
Even where to look for him is a mystery to me. I only know Declan's name and nothing else about him.
He may not even own the penthouse guarantee. It might be for a friend, based on my knowledge.
I was simultaneously filled with hope, disappointment, and anxiety as I grabbed the envelope and headed back to my studio apartment.
I was simultaneously filled with hope, disappointment, and anxiety as I grabbed the envelope and headed back to my studio apartment.
That I get paid well for my ability to make people fall in love rather than for my diligence, however, seems a little complicated.
Naomi entered the studio apartment right when I needed her most, while I was frantically trying to figure out what to do.
She seems to have recognised that I needed someone to weep on.
I rushed to embrace her while hot tears streamed down my cheeks, saying, "Thank goodness you came at the right time."
"Right now, you are freaking me out. What is going on here, exactly?" She popped the question with a skip in her voice.
Declan gave me a brown envelope, which I pointed to as I slowly withdrew.
Screaming, she picked up the envelope and opened it. "This is not true. For your artwork, did Declan give you all of this?"
I gave a nod in response.
I could do nothing else at that point.
I pressed my lips together.
Regardless of my efforts, it continues to refuse to move.
"I do not know what is happening. Your entire collection of artwork was sold. I hope that brings you joy," she enquired.
Declan left me a note, which I showed Naomi without saying a word. Instead of having me tell her the story, she should have read it herself.
"Absolute rubbish," Naomi was dumbfounded. She could afford to say only that word.
"What will we do about this, then?" She enquired.
It came from someone I was relying on. She would not be needed if I had a solution to my issue.
*********** That awful night with Declan was a few weeks ago.
After our s****l encounter, I no longer feel the same.
The voices in my head, the frequent nightmares, and, of course, the unexpected weakness of my body.
I am no longer as passionate about the arts. I no longer get excited about what I do.
Every time I picked up my drawing supplies, the scenes from my one-night stand with Declan continued to play in my mind like a movie. I have lost all idea of how to approach it.
Taking out my phone, I texted Naomi to invite her over. In recent weeks, she has been encouraging to me.
And in order to get through this challenging time in my life, I might as well be in need of her moral support today.
She returned the text.
Fortunately for me, when I texted her, she was already in my neighbourhood.
She came in a few minutes after texting me to let me know how messed up I was.
She leaned forward and touched the nape of my neck. "You are operating at a high temperature. We have to visit a doctor right away."
"A physician?
Hell no, I am doing fantastic. I do not need to visit a physician." I denied that it was work-related stress.
"Tell a kid that.
We are both aware that you have not had any new paintings recently.' She doubted me.
I believed I could fool her, but she was more intelligent than I was.
I briefly felt my heart skip a beat as we got to the doctor's office.
As we awaited the doctor's return with the test results, I hoped it would be a minor illness.
I can not afford to start using all of my savings for medical expenses. Especially since I am not even creating art anymore.
When the doctor finally came back, he was beaming wildly. I could tell he was happy when he smiled at me. I was already ready to hear good news.
He shook hands with me and said, "Congratulations, ma'am, you are two weeks pregnant."
"Are you really pregnant? How's that even possible?" Naomi and I exchanged a telling glance and echoed together.
"You are pregnant, don't you feel happy about that? Pregnancy is a mother's greatest joy. There is reason to be proud of it. I have a good feeling your husband will be overjoyed to hear the wonderful news." the doctor said. I was married, he believed.
"He will, of course.
I am very grateful, doctor. Thank you,"
I was instantly saved by Naomi. She was aware that the doctor's suspicions were growing.
And he would eventually start requesting the man who had gotten me pregnant.
The pregnancy prevented me from crying. The day I discovered that Declan and I had a one-night stand.
I cried until my eyes were dry.
"I invite you to join me on this trip"
I was told by Naomi.
She did not say where we were going, and I did not bother to inquire.
Finding a solution to my problem was all that mattered to me.
"You took me back to your art gallery? For what reason? I had assumed that we were going somewhere else. I shed tears.
The Art Gallery makes me think of Declan a lot.
To make matters worse, Naomi took me to the precise location where I first encountered Declan.
"I am aware of how difficult this is for you. It is in your best interest, I assure you. To review the guest lists from the last gallery event, I would like to talk to my manager," She said.
In fact, it was a good reason. Too bad It took me so much time to realize that.
"On this one, you have my support." I agreed.
"Go ahead and do what you want while I wait here."
I thought Naomi would go, but she stayed. She was waiting for me to say something while she looked me in the eye.
"If we do not know someone's full name, how can we locate them? You can help with that. Did he not tell you his name?" She asked me.
"He did, indeed. His name is Declan, as we both know," I replied.
"Girl, hurry up.
Anyone can be Declan..
Please tell me his full name. Did he not say that?" Naomi's face lit up.
"Oh no! He did not.
He might have, but I must have forgotten." I admitted that I had been thinking about selling my artwork.
Things just got worse for me.
From having a one-night affair with an unknown individual to becoming pregnant for the same person I do not know? I have got to start getting ready to be a single mum.
- Writer
