Forgetting Mellaine

It doesn’t take much time to call someone who passed away for help, yet they seem not to care, neither the ones who are still living. Sometimes, fate will play the chess and you need to be alert before you see a devil. The dead don’t need such things anymore – fancy dresses, security codes, a pile of money, and even luxurious things to brag to anybody. Being unknown was a special gift for you to see the unseen and know others’ deepest secrets smelling inside their bodies. With a warm smile and a given amount of time, I accepted such a gift. It’s been quite some time since I last visited here. Fresh baked cookies, chirping birds flying above, the dogs walking cheerfully with their trainers, and the streets filled with cars, as their owners kept waiting for the traffic lights, are still the things that make up the small town of Valencia. Perhaps that’s why I like it much here and the fact of having a perfect setting to start anew. Dealing with the warm day, a shop caught my attention. A blind was sitting on the wooden porch with his dog busily barking at the stray cats enjoying their meal they got from those garbage bins. A couple of minutes after, an old beautiful lady clothed with her lacy blue dress came out from the shop, bringing some fresh flowers, and sat beside the man. She patted the dog as it wags its tail swiftly and gave the man a kiss on his cheek. Afterward, they decided to walk and headed to the train station from afar. For some reason, I think it’s a lucky day for me. At the shop’s main door, posted the words, Urgent Hiring! Cashier. I walked directly to it and see what’s inside the shop. As what I expected, it was filled with different scented flowers. They are also selling pastries and milkshakes. Behind the counter, a lady in her young 40s noticed my presence and slowly opened the door for me. She smiled, showing off her white teeth and her wrinkles beside her hazel brown eyes. The fugitive smell of vanilla, coffee, and freshly baked cookies also caught my interest. “Good morning. Do you want some cookies?” the lady asked while holding the knob firm. “Hi. I’m Mellaine. Mellaine West. I just want to ask if you’re still in need of a cashier here.” I said. I needed to use my maiden name for a reason. With a wide smile, she held my hand. “Oh thank, God. Are you looking for a job, honey? I really need someone to help me in here.” I nodded and took my feet inside the shop. The lady offered me a brewed coffee and cinnamon. Beside me, two women were eating their red velvet cakes and a pair of buttered garlic bread while the lady was busy entertaining the other customers. Over the counter, you can see trays of different pastries with their name tags and prices. Beyond the bookshelves, a young man caught my eye. He waved his hand and slowly smiled at me, showing that he had seen me looking at him. With a bit of embarrassment, I waved back at him. After a while, the lady joined and offered me her company and was delighted for my presence. She sat next to my position, having her mango shake put in a long bottled container. “I’m Francine Vaile, but they prefer to call me France. These couple of weeks were really on the peak. Most of them are buying here for the upcoming Valentine’s celebration. I’m looking for someone to help me here, since the last person assigned over the counter got herself a resignation for her to be able to move to Los Angeles.” She said. I sipped the hot coffee she gave me. “I just got here and I also need a job for me to feed myself.” She laughed so loud, which made the others looked in our direction. She shook my hands directly, enough to put me off guard. “Well, you’re in the right place, Mellaine. You’re hired. You can start by next week if you want.” She uttered while still keeping those smiles on her face. Francine was a happy lady. She talked about her life and how she managed the shop on her own. She also recommended me to someone’s apartment and called her for me to settle in tonight. She’s radiant and full of experience. Before I left the shop, she gave me some of her delicious donuts filled with caramel and dark chocolates, with her calling card put above the box. It was almost 6 pm in the evening. I turned away, happy, and recognized the same guy inside the shop standing under the post light. He was wearing his black leathered jacket, paired with his tattered faded jeans. He was enjoying the smell of his cigarette smoke from his mouth while his other hand is in his pocket. The streets were getting empty and the posts began to shed light beyond the town's warry night. The cats were busy hunting rats as their prey, while others were driving home. I began to walk on the pavement. It was peaceful, hearing only the horns of those cars passing through me. France gave me the address of her colleague, who's also the owner of the apartment. I decided to wait for a cab while sitting on one of those porches in every corner of the streets. I took my gaze at the man standing a while ago under the post light, yet to my dismay, he wasn't there anymore. A couple of minutes, I saw a cab driving in my direction and waved at it. I put my things inside the car and eventually went inside. The driver greeted me with a wry smile. Exhausted on his today's work, he asked for my address. The car got its own lavender fragrance. The vibe was getting lively with the songs being played from the radio - a playlist of Freddy Mercury, quite a fan of his. I looked over the window and was amazed by the town’s lights coming from the high-established buildings. The smog was getting a lot thicker than before due to the outrage number of cars driving every night and day. Others started to close their stores while some of them are busy buying some groceries. We were quite leaving the town and went thru the middle of the hill where a village was built. It was past 7:30 pm when I arrived at my destination. The driver helped me get my stuff from the car. I also gave him a tip for his hard work, with an exchange of his thank you and a warm smile. Before he left, he said, “Hope you’ll get a nice life Ms. Mellaine.” Just before I could react, he started the engine and drove back. It was uncomfortable he knew my name, yet I decided to let it pass and focus on my course. I was standing in front of a wooden house, painted in crimson red. I pressed its doorbell and after a while, a woman with her German shepherd slowly opened the door for me. She looked at me for a second time, focusing on every detailed thing of me. She was quite busy chewing her gum. I fixed her with my brightest smile and glanced at the paper that France gave me with her hand-written notes. "Is.. this the house of Amelia Greys?" "Are you Miss Mellaine?" she asked and popped the gum in front of me. I nodded. "Yes." She reached out her hand, waiting for me to grab it. "It's nice meeting you. It's quite late at night now. Come, I want you to see the place you'll be staying in. Then, tomorrow we can talk about the terms of payment for the rent. I know you're a bit tired." she started to walk to the elevated part at the back of her house. The apartment’s colors were unusually clear on its outside form. She opened the gate and gave me the keys to the apartment. "Enjoy yourself. If you need anything, you can call me anytime. I got my calling card placed over the fridge." Amelia said. She waved at me before walking back to her house. I looked at it. A sigh of relief escaped my mouth. I opened the main door and put my bags inside and eventually locked it. I turned on the switch, making all the lights shined, particularly in the living room. I looked around and realized it was a spacious one, perfectly fit for one to settle in. The living room was painted mint green. Small cabinets and 2 couches were placed on the other side, making it more relaxing when watching some movies over the flat screen while eating buttered popcorns. The floor was also well tiled and the windows are also secured. I went through the next room, having another themed color of grey. I saw the dining table, the washing area and a small fridge placed at the corner. There was a small division separating another room from it. I guess that was the bedroom. The room was plain white, with no decoration at all, just the cozy bed filling its space. From the other side, the wooden staircase was placed, heading for a small entrance to the apartment's small attic. I carefully climbed on it, holding still on its both sides. It was pitch black when I reached the attic. I used my phone's flashlight and was able to search for the switch and turned it on. It was well cleaned, definitely a nice spot to read or for entertainment. There are triangular-shaped windows at both ends where you can see the other neighbors’ houses or just a spot for you to see if there are burglars luring around. After I roamed the entire house, I went to the bathroom and bathed myself. I poured some liquid bath soap in warm water, and slowly hopped inside the tub. Closing my eyes, I let the water touched my body as I listen to the mellow music which was played on my phone. This day was a bit exhausting, yet a good start to bring new memories with myself. I’d almost forgot how good it felt to be alone, how comfortable it was. In any case, it doesn’t matter that much. Some rumors will still lure a thousand miles around the cities about yourself, also the reason for me to go back here in town to escape those. I began to understand why people are mindful of others’ lives, in any form of their failures or even their accomplishments. Some of them would rather talk about their enemies’ state rather than about themselves. As I hear the water dripped, I let myself remember him. For many years. I’ve been running, trying to make a pathway for me to avoid those, coming from the whisperers. I’ve heard many things about me from a street to another. Same thoughts, but every message to be passed on, another thing will be added, making it more unbelievable and a bit scandalous for me. My mother tried to stop those things and accusations that I killed my own husband, Robert. He was a fine voguish man, enough for women to find him elegant and fashionable. We were married and happily lived with each other for over 5 years, yet he was possessive and abusive to me. He was trying to make decisions only beneficial for him. Locked inside the house for a couple of months, I couldn’t stand it at all. The scent of his perfume, his clothes being hanged outside, those lovely letters and sweet chocolates place above the dining table, and his presence were poisons to me. He suddenly changed. He would also not like me to have a call with my mom, wanting me for his own only. Each day went worse. He became hot-tempered and everything that I do that against his law would make him irritated. The demon was in outrage. He would punch me every time I would make him mad. Yet, after a second of realization, he would ask for forgiveness, saying he wouldn’t do such things again. I knew his promises were lies covering his real demon, trying to make me stop my plans in escaping him. One single day, he was out for business. I hurriedly packed my things inside my luggage. I called my mom and asked her to pick me up at 11th Western Street. I also got my backup plan. Searching over our kitchen boxes, I looked for the gas container we bought a couple of weeks ago. I grabbed one which is still full and poured it immediately into every corner of our house. I went to our room and looked for his gun. I knew he wouldn’t want me to have it, so he tried to hide it inside his drawer, under his well-ironed clothes. I found it and carefully put it inside my back. My plan was almost completed when his black car arrived in front of our house. I began to panic when I saw his presence. With my shaking hands, I hurriedly hid my things behind our couch, and right after I stand, I saw him inside, still bringing his suit hanging over his shoulder, clutching his bag. “What are you doing? Why does our home smell like gas?” he asked with a steady voice as he smells the surrounding. I slowly managed myself from breathing heavenly, “I forgot to turn off the gas tank. I’m sorry.” He walked through me and gently placed a kiss on my forehead. He looked over my opened bag and was able to see something inside it. Shit! I forgot to hide it below our couch. I felt my heartbeats exaggeratedly. “Is that my pistol?” he walked to my bag and slowly grab the gun from it. “What do you think you’re doing?!” He was blunt and kind of shouting at me at that time. Sweats were dripping over my body and fear pricked me. “I…” He suddenly pushed me against the wall, putting his hand around my neck, making me hard to breathe. Tears began to blur my eyes as I gasped for air, trying to loosen his grip. “R-Robert..I-I can’t breathe.” He didn’t loosen up, instead he gripped it more. I was losing air. He’s not stopping. With my strength, I kicked his balls so hard that it made him cry in pain. “b***h! I will. f*****g. Kill you!” he shouted. He was groaning and can’t stand up properly. I directly run towards my stuff and grab them. I searched for the lighter and hold it tight, but in my surprise he tried to pull it back from me. In a moment, I lost my grip and accidentally the lighter fell off the ground, leaving the whole house on fire. The curtains were slowly consumed by the fire’s growling flames. Robert couldn’t still stand properly. He held my wrist tight, coughing with the smoke inside. I pushed him with all my energy and made him stumbled and fell back a few steps away. He was really pissed, ready to kill me anytime if he got the chance. With no hesitations, I run as fast as I can outside our main door, holding still my things and leaving my husband lying on the floor inside the burning house. I could feel the cold breeze hugging me as my sweats were rushing at the back of my shirt. My heart was pounding loud. Shaking, I cupped my phone inside my pocket and called my mom. I looked at the place where I made happy memories with my husband. It was also the same place where I suffered. It was beautiful. It was. The fire slowly consumed it. After a while, my mother arrived. Worriedly, she hugged me tight and put my things directly inside the car. We got inside and mom started the engine. I was panting and crying. I decided to look back. There were no signs of him. Not even a shadow. Not even a Robert. It was a nightmare. Day by day, we tried to look for a place away from the city. I found us one to stay- the time to have relative peace for both of us. We rented one of my mother’s friend’s pads. We stayed there for a couple of months until my mother passed away due to heart failure. I was more careful, more observant. I had to, for my own sake. On my own, I fled to this small town to be reborn. I slowly opened my eyes, filling myself with the reality I’m in. Now, I need to blend in with the people here and the new place where I currently live. I just prayed things will work according to what I planned.