Three
1434 Words
It’s a reflex, at this point, for me to push through the double glass doors, and my feet to pivot towards her room door. I’m absentminded for most of the walk before a sound, from one of the rooms I pass, startles me.
My head jerks towards the room. I move closer and place my ear on the door. I can hear squeaking headboards and occasionally, the moans of a woman. My body instantly goes stiff.
It takes all my self-control to not barge into the room. I move away from the door and try not gag as I continue to my initial destination. When I get to the room, I give a single firm knock before gently opening the door.
I peek inside to be sure I’m not disturbing. She’s lying on her bed, her back to the door. I walk inside and move towards the raised platform her round bed sits on until I’m standing just above her bed.
Her yellowish skin clings tightly to her bones and she looks so frail, I’m afraid to touch her. What’s left of her greying brown hair falls across the side of her face but it’s not enough to entirely cover it.
“I know I’m quite the spectacle but can you quit staring?”
I let out a small chuckle. “Nice to see you too, mom.”
She tilts her head to look at me as I plop down next to her. “You came back late today.”
I remember my encounter with Freya. “I had extra work.”
She struggles to sit up and waves me off when I extend my hands to help. “I’m not moribund yet.”
I open my mouth to scold her for her choice of words but she continues speaking. “See how smoky your eyes are. Do you even sleep? You’ve been spending too much time at work. Why don’t you accept help from your father?”
The last part strikes a wrong cord causing me to grit my teeth. “He’s not my father and he won’t be of much help.”
“Earlier today, he brought a potential investor to meet me. They left before you came back. He went to drop her at her hotel.”
I let out a mirthless chuckle as I remember the noises from the guest room. Some guts he must have to introduce his latest conquest to my mom. The bastard didn’t even have the decency to take his nasty business outside the house.
The words come out on their own. “Some investor she must have been.”
“I take it you met her too then.”
I shake my head. “No . . . What’s she like?”
She shrugs, scratching her forearm. “Not exactly business smart and with breasts the size of beach balls I wonder just how much ‘investing’ they’ll be doing.”
My eyes widen a bit. “You knew?”
She waves me off, chuckling a bit as if we’re having a conversation about an upcoming vacation and not about her cheating husband. “He thinks I’m obtuse, not dying. I can’t blame him. He’s a man after all and he has needs which I’m in no state to fulfil.”
There isn’t even a hint of sadness in her voice or her expression. Silence falls on the room for a few seconds before a knock interrupts it. After a second knock, the door is opened to reveal Freya.
“Auntie!” she says, walking towards my mom.
My mom puts out a hand to stop Freya before she can hug her. “Take him and spare me the false display of affection.”
Freya lets out a light-hearted laugh.
My mom turns to me and whispers, “Take her away before she starts to behave like we’re besties.”
“I heard that!” Freya says, feigning hurt.
“Who said you shouldn’t? Atlas, go with her. I want to sleep.”
I shake my head and laugh. I start walking out with Freya before we hear Mom’s voice.
“Oh and Freya?”
Freya tilts her head towards my mother’s direction.
“Don’t keep him up too long. He has a lot to do tomorrow since it’s his birthday.”
I let out a groan while Freya laughs.
“Sure thing, auntie.”
And with that, we’re both out the door.
~^~^~^~
“Happy birthday bro!” Avia’s voice booms through the chatter in the ballroom as he makes his way to me.
I put down my phone as we slap hands together and exchange a one-armed hug.
“Thanks man.”
“Great party. Why are you standing here all by yourself?”
“I was trying to call Freya; I haven’t been able to reach her all day.”
I woke up to an empty bed and a text from her saying she would see me at my party. I have been looking around for the past hour and there’s still no sign of her.
“She’ll turn up eventually. Your mom is one hosting this party right?”
I nod.
“She wouldn’t miss an opportunity to impress your mom.”
Before I can dispute that fact, Asher appears out of nowhere. One minute she’s calling out my name and the next she’s pulling me into a hug.
“Happy birthday, my love.”
I pat her back awkwardly. “Thanks.”
I gently pull away from her. She launches into a story but I’m hardly paying attention. My eyes stray to the door every now and then but there's no sign of Freya.
The next several minutes pass with Asher and Avia trying to drag me into their conversation. Eventually, it’s time for me to cut my cake.
I move towards the little stage set with Asher by my side. She hooks her arm around mine as we walk. I’ve just picked up the knife to cut the cake when I see Freya.
She walks towards the stage in a sexy red dress that makes it hard for me to keep my eyes on her face.
“Happy birthday,” she says once she gets to me, not so subtley elbowing Asher away from me and taking her place. “Cut the cake!”
I smile at her as the crowd begins to spell my name. At the last letter, I cut the cake. I try to feed her a slice but she puts it in my mouth instead. Then she collects the part sticking out of my mouth with her lips.
Her lips linger on mine for a few seconds before she pulls away and smiles at me. The crowd cheers and cameras flash.
“May you two live long.” My mother’s voice prevents me from pulling her in for a proper kiss and I turn to find one of the servants wheeling her up to the stage.
Freya’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Medina, also walk by her side. Once they get on the stage, Mrs. Medina calls for silence. My mother thanks her before someone hands her a microphone.
She clears her throat. “Before the party continues, we have two announcements to make. Firstly, our oil company will be merging with the Medina’s solar company to produce a safer source of electricity for the planet.”
A round of applause follows her words and she waits till it dies down to make the next announcement.
“Congrats,” Freya whispers into my ear.
“You too,” I say, pulling her closer to my side.
Mom continues, “In celebration of this new venture and also as a surprise birthday gift to my son, I’m pleased to announce that arrangements of his wedding to his girlfriend, Freya, has been made by the three of us”—she gestures to the Medina’s—“And the wedding will take place in a fortnight.”
The crowd goes into an uproar while it takes a few seconds for me to process the news. I’m trying hard to contain my excitement when I notice that Freya’s body has gone rigid.
I turn to her in concern. “Freya?”
She looks up at me, her eyes still wide and her jaw slightly slack.
“Are you okay?”
Before I can get an answer, we’re pulled apart by family members and friends who have come to congratulate us. In the excitement that follows, I somehow loose Freya to the crowd. I don’t see her again that night.
- Writer
