Facade (Romola 1)

50: Tears

"Were you crying?" His voice was a blank canvas devoid of the colors of emotion.

She couldn't tell if he was angry or worried. She started to shake her head but his gaze hardened.

"Don't lie to me. If there is one thing I can't stand it's lies. Why were you crying?" He didn't give her time to answer. "You shouldn't even be here."

He scooped her into his hand the way a man would hold a new bride. She clung to him, burying her face in his chest. A discordant symphony of banging began to crescendo in her head. This was the headache that had forced her to sleep. Her fingers clutched his shirt as though she focused all her strength to hold him. The symphony worsened; her head pounded with pulsating heat. She moaned as her hand fell, swaying with each step he took.

"Did you eat breakfast?"

She shook her head in the little way she could without upsetting the headache's choirmaster. His hold around her tightened. Too hard against her skin but her dry mouth did not encourage her to protest.

"What were you waiting for? You made breakfast. Why didn't you eat it?"

The door to his room opened with a creak. He placed her on the soft bed, the foam dipping as her body made contact with it.

"You." She whispered, placing a crooked elbow under her head. Her tears were starting to sting her head again and his blank gaze combined with her headache worsened matter.

"Me? I was gone for four hours!"

Tears flooded her eyes and broke through her resistance. Her shoulders shook. She buried her head in her arms as the pounding hit harder. She tried to sniff and stop the tears but her head threatened to explode. She let it out in a noisy sob.

"I didn't mean to yell."

She felt his hand on her arm but she refused to face him. She shook her head instead.

"Don't cry. I'm sorry."

Her cries would not cease even if she wanted them to. The only way to avoid the stinging pain and the stuffed feeling in her nose was to let the tears flow as they wished. If only they would carry the disappointment of the day with them.

"Listen." The bed dipped beside her and his warmth filled the space between them. "I didn't mean to yell. I've never had to deal with any of this before.

"I've had a-" his voice broke. "Stressful day. I'm scared that you might not remember. You know when I was trying to get you to the hospital, it was the worst experience in my entire life. I hate hospitals. Muyiwa died there and I didn't even understand what was happening to you. It was like Muyi's accident all over again. I can't deal with that."

She felt his warmth recede as her sobs faded to quiet moaning. She sat up, slowly, to avoid the swaying feeling in her head. The room was empty. Had he just left her? Again. After all the things he said?

Her brows furrowed but she straightened them back as another pounding hit. All of this because she didn't eat when she had bigger things to worry about? What if she never remembered her family, who she was or what she liked?

Her phone. Where was it? She hurried towards the game room. Had she left her phone there?

She stood so fast that the room seemed to spin twice. She held the wall for support and hurried towards the games room. Was the phone there?

She found the phone in separates parts just in front of the couch. The keypad stood on its own. The screen lay to one side and the edge of the battery peeked out from underneath the couch. The back case of the phone lay like a forlorn leader on its own.

Her knees jerked forward. Her body collapsed beside the chair. She reached for the phone, gathering bits and pieces into her hand before struggling to get to her feet. She had to tell Olumide that her mother called. She rose to her feet, using the chair as a support, and the wall as a guide to Olumide's room.

She returned to an empty room. Where had he gone? She turned around, and struggled to get to the staircase. Two staircase from the top she saw a tray of rice leading Olumide's body. A speckle of sauce had stained his white shirt and the side of the soup bowl bore the same sauce stain.

"Where are you going?"

"I found my phone. My Mom-"

"Wait here." He walked past her with the tray and into his room.

She stared at him back. Why did he always leave her? At least this time, he didn't leave the house.

He returned, holding her by the waist so that most of her body weight was on his. He led her to the room and set her on the mattress. He sat beside her, with the tray as the only barrier between them. She stared at his long lean fingers as they held the spoon, mixing the rice and sauce together.

He raised the rice to her face but she shook her head.

"You need to eat."

"My mom." She held the phone out to him.

He reached for it and she drew it back to her chest as the corners of his lips dropped. Didn't he want to hear what she had to say about her mom and the phone?

"Romola, I promise you. I will figure this out soon. Right now. I need you to eat and take your drugs."

Their eyes locked but his hands reached for the phone. She tightened her grip around it as his hand touched hers. He cupped her hand in his. "I need you to trust me. Do you?"

She didn't have a choice. There was on one who cared enough to help her find the missing fragments of her life. She loosened her hold on the phone and let it fall into his hands.

Tari says:

I am so sorry for the late update. I haven't been doing too well physically or mentally. Currently battling Malaria.

Also been trying to set up a freelance business and publish an Amazon Journal.

Product launching is a lot of work.
Stay blessed as always.