Forget Me Not

A Step Back

Does that happen to you? When you least expect something to happen but when it happens it has its impact on you. 

Well, it happened to me. I was never that girl who cared about someone rather than Gramps. But it happened. It eventually did happen. Oliver had emerged as a constant reminder of how lonely I was with no friends around. Friends! Yes, I always had sone so-called friends, with who I would chat, hang out. But they didn't have that intensity of Oliver's. I never connected with them the way I had with Oliver.

Oliver was away for the whole week. But mostly he spent his time messaging me. I was never a morning person. My morning would start around seven that too with a great effort. Then my day would go along as the timetable and of course Oliver's messages. Yes, my morning would start with a good morning message. That always left me to wonder whether the boy ever slept or not.

It was the fifth day, Oliver hadn't called or messaged me since that morning message, which was unusual. I wanted to call him or at least message him if everything's good or not. But I had to stop myself, thinking he might be busy. In these four days, one thing I had noticed, he was alone with his Nana and I always wanted to ask why his parents did allow him to stay there alone. But again knowing Oliver and the way he always avoided talking about his family, talking about them was a bad idea.

Thinking about all these I went to bed after my dinner.

One past fifteen it showed on the clock when my phone vibrated under my pillow. "Hello," in deep sleep I picked it up without looking at the screen.

"Evette,"  a deep whisper rumbled through the phone, and instantly I knew it was him. 

"Oliver, where were you? I was waiting. Oliver, you there?" I asked when only silence greeted me.

"Nana is not well." His quiet and clear voice showed no emotions. I stayed still for a whole minute, thinking what to say at this moment, "She wants to meet you." He suddenly said.

"Meet me?" my voice croaked. "Oliver, how..."

"Evette, some parts of Nana's lung are infected. Though the doctors are saying that she will be okay, I know her age is a factor here." he stopped, "Nana wants to meet you, my — my best friend. Please don't say no."

"Oliver, of course, I would love to meet her but how? I am here and you are,"

"That won't be a problem. Tomorrow I'll arrange a laptop here. You just tell me when is a good time to Skype you?!"

"Whenever you say, tomorrow our classes start at eleven, we can talk before that I guess." 

"Hmm."

"Oliver,"

"Yes,"

"You okay?"

There was a pregnant pause, then he answered "I am not. I don't have anybody, Evette, I don't have anybody. Nana is important . . . Very important."

"Oliver..."

"I'll call you tomorrow. You sleep now. Sorry for calling you this late. Goodnight, Evette." His voice came as a whisper.

"Goodnight." 

I had almost cut the call when I heard a faint "I miss you."

***

"So you spoke to his Nana." Sammy narrowed her eyes.

"Yes. She was sweet." I put my college bag on the table. 

It was indeed a long day. After Oliver's call, I couldn't sleep a wink. All my bad memories kept crawling back. I laughed at remembering how miserable I was, I might have sounded exactly like him. With these weird thoughts, I got up from the bed when it was already 7:30 in the morning.