lonely heart || cth [slowly written]

Chapter 12.

Eight months later

A lot has changed in my life since my last meeting with Ashton, since I argued with Ruth and since my father contact with me. The next day,after a phone call from my father I told my aunt that I wanted to live alone and surprisingly she took it well. She didn't try to argue with me she even helped me find a place to live. After two weeks of searching I finally found something small and inexpensive. Ruth helped me move and she also went shopping with me for the necessities for the new apartment. Our relationship may have improved a bit but it was definitely not the same as before we started working for the boys.

I also found a job. It wasn't a dream job and the payoff wasn't great either but it was enough for me. I worked in a flower shop near my apartment. The owners were very nice, they were an elderly couple who couldn't cope with some physical tasks anymore so they decided to hire someone to help them.

My father didn't try to contact me on the phone anymore. The last time I talked to my aunt, she mentioned him and that he wanted to meet me but she knew very well what my opinion was on this subject. I was grateful to her for not pushing. I just wanted to forget about him which luckily became a little easier with the passage of time.

There was another morning. As always in the morning, I was making coffee. The smell spread throughout the apartment.

"Hey baby are you up?" I heard my aunt's voice. One of the conditions for me to live alone was that she would have her own set of keys to my apartment in case something happened.

"Yes, I'm in the kitchen" I replied a little louder than usual. After a while I heard footsteps heading towards the room in which I was standing. The apartment was not big so Ruth appeared in front of my eyes.

"The doctor said you should lie down as much as you can"

"I'll be fine" I replied. My aunt put her bag on the kitchen counter and then she came over to me, putting one of my arms over her neck.

Less than two weeks ago I broke my leg when I was carrying a box of seedlings at work. For the next two months I have to wear a cast. It happened at the least appropriate time. Ruth was due to go on another tour with the guys in two days and I was grounded. I was supposed to join them after they took off my cast.

My aunt took me to the living room and sat me down on the couch. She lifted the leg that I had in cast and placed it on the pillow that she had previously placed on the table.

"I'll go make you breakfast" she said.

"Thank you" I said simply. Ruth smiled slightly at me then left the room. I shifted on the couch as I waited for my aunt to return.

***

Two months later

I was sitting in a taxi on the way to the hotel where my employers and most of their stuff were staying. I looked out the window admiring Amsterdam. It was a beautiful city. I was excited about the next challenges ahead, hoping to do more this time than on the previous tour. During the break between the tours I attended a few photography courses. I had a lot more knowledge about what I was doing.

The journey lasted. My attention was drawn to the vibrating of the phone that I was just holding in my hands. I looked at the screen. I got another message from Ruth today.

"I reserved a room for you. Call me when you arive" I read and only wrote back "Okay". I locked the phone and bring my attention back to the view outside the window.