All Over Again

Chapter 2: After three weeks

A group of kids was running from one end of the park to the other. A little girl was collecting soil from near the small pond towards the far left, with her other friends, and making a sandcastle. Two dogs were giving their owners a hard time by chasing each other on circles around the merry-go-round.

Seeing all these people happy made me smile from ear to ear as well as if their liveliness was contagious. It was a soothing scene to witness, after a long hectic day at work. I loved my work, but being on your toes for a long stretch of hours could be exhausting, especially in heels.

I was surrounded by great people at work who couldn’t leave me alone for more than 15 minutes, because I forget everything/everyone once I get to work, their words not mine. Therefore, to not let me forget my colleagues after a day, they planned to crash into my office in turns throughout the day.

Being mocked for forgetfulness was embarrassing and annoying, but to be honest, I loved the fact that I had people who cared about me so much, asking for nothing in return. Josh, Kelly, Mike, Cynthia, and Jose knew what I had gone through. They understood that I needed something more than a good job, to survive. Just to make sure that I didn’t fall apart due to my memories, they did everything in their power to make me feel comfortable. I couldn’t count my blessings for such a workplace environment.

It had been three weeks since that tragic night. I spent five days thinking, crying, and moping around, all the while not leaving the hotel room even once. It was on the sixth day that I analyzed everything from a different point of view. I had enough of junk food and stinking clothes, and I was also running out of cash. My grandparents and Velvette and Maddison tried calling me, but I made up a voice mail stating that I was going out of the station with Aaron for holidays, and would call them back once we came back to New York.

I was scared shitless of lying to them, to say the least, but I had no choice. If my parents knew, they would call back in Ohio, to stay with them. And friends would have asked me to stay with them, which I couldn’t do because Velvette lives with her husband, Brandon who is my ex-husband’s best friend, so that’s a no-no for sure. As for Maddison, she lives with her parents, who are the sweetest people on Earth, and her brother Sam, who is also a very good friend of mine, but I wouldn’t be able to live comfortably knowing full-well that I could be intruding into their personal matters, unknowingly.

I knew I owed all of these people an apology, but the main concern at the moment was not this. Everything measured left me with the only option left, which was to find a job, first and then a good abode.

So, after searching and applying for five days, I got a call from Aircel Group, an international tech giant based in New York, informing me about my interview. I had applied for the position of marketing strategist since I had a triple honors degree in Business and Management. The marketing manager conducting my interview was impressed with my educational qualifications and previous experiences, which included working as an intern in Marco Industries and JJ groups, two very popular business corporations. I abstained from explaining to her why I could not continue my professional career due to a certain someone who wanted me to stay-at-home and go on splurge sprees.

After three days, I was informed about my recruitment and the joining details through email. I was happy but could have been happier if I had my parents and best friends to share the news with. Alas!

As soon as I got the job, my next mission was to search for a house. I did not have a long wish list, and a small rental place could do for the time being. With Kelly’s help, I got a two BHK apartment nearby hers. Her husband was a housing agent and was ready to show me all the houses available whenever I wanted. I thought of buying my own place once I got settled in the daily routine. It’s not easy to find a living space for oneself, but I promised to make sure that this time the papers would have only my name. Ownership was what I craved.

Suddenly, I heard someone honking behind me, indicating that the signal had turned green. This is what they meant when they said I space out all the time. Smiling again, I rev the engine to life and headed towards home.

I was grateful to have a friend like Mike. The moment he got to know I was going to commute from office to home and vice-versa, he lent me his car. I refused immediately, but he was quite fervent, saying that he would carpool to work with Josh since they lived not too far away from each other. After much persuasion, I gave in and have been using his car ever since then, which I plan on returning as soon as I buy my own.

The only thing that I disliked about the whole routine of leaving for work and coming back was the distance which I had to cover while doing so. I had to leave early in the morning just so I could avoid the rush hour and catch up with the office timings. Heading home was excruciatingly painful owing to my desperation to lie down on my bed with Berry.

Living alone was not an issue at first, but the downside of it dawned on me soon. Having nobody to talk to or care for became scary at one point. So, I did something that I had been waiting to do for years. One day, on my way back home, I came across a pet shop. I parked my car and went inside, only to be met with so many beautiful animals. I have been an animal lover ever since I was a little girl.

My grandparents loved animals as well, but were not very pleased with my demand for wanting to have a pet, because that was a hassle in old age for them. There was also the issue of taking care of it if I left the house for a job. Convincing them was difficult and impossible, but now that I am living independently, I could have a pet of my own.

The lady at the counter greeted me smilingly which I returned right away. She told me that all the animals in their shop were rescued from different parts of the city. They were a branch of an NGO that saved animals and helped them have a home. That was all that I wanted. After talking a little more about their organization, she accompanied me to check up on all the dogs, since that was my first choice.

After learning about all the breeds from her, I ran into a tiny pug that was sleeping soundly. As soon as it sensed us standing outside its cage, its ears perked up which was funny considering it had a very saggy face. It was on its feet immediately and started staring at me without blinking. I went down on my knees and cooed. The dog ran towards me and almost smiled. That did the trick for me, and that day went home with Berry.

Since it was a new place for him, I didn’t want him to stay alone in the house whenever I went to the office. Luckily, I had a very sweet neighbor, Martha, who was my Nana’s age and loved puppies. She was one of those people you click instantly with. When I shifted to my present apartment, we became fast friends and she treated me like her own daughter, who she said was currently abroad for her studies. When I told her that I had brought home Berry, she asked me right away to leave him at her place during the day. She said it would be like killing two birds with one stone- her house would have somebody else besides herself and I would work without worrying about him.

After ascending the floors of the building in the elevator, I walk straight towards Martha’s apartment and knock on her door. After half a minute, she opens the door.

“Oh, you’re back, Tenys”, she chirps.

She gets my name wrong all the time, but I love her creativity.

I smile genuinely. “Hi, Martha. What have you been up to?”

“Berry and I were playing fetch until you disrupted our game”, she scoffs.

And as if on cue, Berry comes running to the door and barks at me.

You little devil.

I gasp and feign being hurt by his little act of contempt.

“Okay, Berry. I will leave both of you alone if that is what you want”, I say and move towards my apartment.

On hearing the jiggle of the keys, he comes running towards me and jumps up and down in protest. Martha and I laugh at this, and I pick him up thanking Martha for taking him on, like I do every day.

After dropping my keys in the bowl near the door and removing my heels, I head to my bedroom right away to freshen up. A hot bath does wonders to the body that no shower can. After removing my make-up and following my night skin routine, I go to the kitchen to see what can be made at this hour.

I make some garlic bread and pasta for myself and pour the dog food in a bowl for Berry. I take our food to the small living room and settle down on the couch to watch my favorite show, The Breaking Bad. This is my fifth time watching the show, and I still don’t get tired. If somebody was to know that I watch such a show, they would have lost their mind. The soft-spoken, gentle and truthful Tenysi watching a crime thriller.

I love every single thing about the show- the plot, acting, screenplay and especially the actors. I mean who doesn't love Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. The name suddenly brings some of the memories hidden in the vault which I kept locked in the deepest part of my heart. I know that I promised myself to forget about the man, but it's easier said than done. Everytime I closed my eyes at night, my mind would draw an image of his image- an image so vivid yet so intangible. As if it would fade away with a slight breeze of wind.

Over time I have made my armour stronger. Even if his thought comes across my mind, I try to focus on things which are more important in my life. I think about people who actually love me and care for me, rather than someone who left me on the streets. It was not going to be easy, but I had all the time to grow over my past and have a fresh start.

As I turn my head to the right, my mouth crinkles into a smile. At this point, even Berry watches the episodes with me without batting an eyelid.

After finishing two episodes, we call it a day and for our bed. I tuck both of our bodies with the duvet and cuddle each other till sleeps engulfs both of us.