Lacking Fragments: A Novel (Completed)

A Soundless Three-Minute IV

I woke up first before Kiki the next morning. As a matter of fact, I was the one who woke her up. "Sun's up," I said. "Go, Kiki. Take a long shower. Take your time in the bathroom. We're leaving."

     When Kiki started showering, and now singing a low tune of Taylor Swift's song Lover, I decided to smoke the remaining sticks of Marlboro Black. There were only last five. Without thinking too much about it, I lit one.

     This time, since the bathroom was occupied, to exhale the smoke I opened the hotel room's window itself, and there I blew it off. I thought, looking through as clouds moved little by little up in the near sky, for real it was kind of nice being here— a time away from home. All while inhaling from cigarette sticks, and then exhaling it through the opened window. Pure; genuine, I found it relaxing being in this three-star hotel. In its own characteristic, such of this place, it seemed like everything is already found here: food, beverages, cigarettes; everything else I hadn't mentioned. As for my daughter Kiki taking long shower, maybe she liked it so much here—considering her joy through singing Lover inside the bathroom—there's warm water, varieties of soap, shampoo, a luxurious tub, and of course, the shower itself. Truly, pondering now, it was nice getting far from home. Even once in a while, I guess. Off from the balcony, from solitude.

     In here I could breathe whatever I want. Be it the smoke from Marlboro Black cigarettes, the morning city air—coming; passing—through the opened window, or the main scent of the hotel itself. By all these I sighed in relief. Really, I'd been quite contented.

     Everything felt light.

     Everything felt right.

     But then, the agenda of coming here in the mainland seemed to be half-finished. In the backs of my heart and mind, it did feel unpolished.

     Last night, I asked Rumor where could I find Maya's little brother. A relative of her. Rumor and I were amidst the heat of conflict, amidst of brewing fight. Although, no matter how angry we were to each other, no matter how hard the feelings we had inside ourselves, the moment didn't go down to a fist fight. No.

     Rather, it went straight to something abstract.

     Towards deep emotional frustrations.

     At that time I found out that even he, Rumor himself, didn't even know where to find my old friend's little brother. Rumor had seen her visitors, yes, but due to pain of loss, he never had the courage to talk to any of them. Rumor: An overly, obviously obsessed lover. He who should've had an idea—any idea at all—where her relatives could be located but he doesn't.

     I think I am done here, I thought (all while I smoked). Well, what's important is finally I had peace with her; I had finished offering my respect. I had visited where her bones—her lovely bones—reside.

     Down the tomb.

     Like other dead people.

     Still, in the hotel room. When I was done with the cigarettes (in count of the remaining five sticks, now zero), with Kiki still showering and now singing Ellie's rendition of Take on Me, I utilized the loose and alone time to rinse the smoke smell off my shirt. Oh, I also forgot to eat the chocolate cake I had requested last night— I let the cake stay on the plate; and the mere plate, on the table. I put on a small amount of hotel-provided cologne placed by the bed I slept on. Then afterwards, aftersmokes I closed the window. Another minute passed and it looked as if I didn't smoke anything in the room— like a certain crime had been done in such a smooth manner. All without evidence.

     Halfway smashing the two candies inside my mouth (which I found inside my daughter's backpack), by my teeth before swallowing, I heard the telephone by the bedside began ringing.