SAVE ME

Chapter 37

Morgan Smith

Everything happened so fast and these past weeks were amazingly awesome. The yearly event that Ann was prepping for finally came and it was amazing how smoothly everything went. I appreciate the fact that she let Gabriella take care of the food, snacks, and drinks.

I couldn't stop stuffing my mouth with all the heavenly-tasting food that was made available. Even I could see the impressed look on Mr. Roberto's face held when he came in before the start of the event.

He also introduced me to his daughter who was super nice and accommodating, just like him. She didn't bother when I kept putting food in my mouth and would sometimes join me in putting some in our purses.

Elvis had been coming over often and it was really nice to have him around. He looks like a really serious man but I know no matter how serious anyone looks, there would still be a playful side to them.

Ann was given the award of the best and most agile staff for the year, she received a standing ovation as she went to the stage to take her award.

I watched the huge smile that graced her lips as she wiped the tears of joy that fell from her eyes. She was so happy and I am so proud of how far she has come and all the things she has achieved to this date with the help of GOD.

During her appreciation speech, she thanked GOD which I was expecting then her dead parents who instilled good and GODLY values in her, then she mentioned me, Ricardo, and the people around her then finally her boss who gave her a nod of encouragement.

I was really happy and felt really happy that she mentioned me. She said I was part of her growth process and was one of the main reasons she challenged herself to be better than she was before.

It brought tears to not just my eyes but to everyone attending the event, when she was done with her speech and was coming to sit beside me, I stood to my feet and walked over to her to give her a huge hug.

I am glad that GOD gave someone like her to me and it makes me feel so complete to have her play the role of my mother since she took me from that hospital.

I am so happy that she came in that day and did not ignore me like the others who had tried talking to me did. She didn't give up on me and kept coming to me even when I didn't respond to her or just gave her blank looks the way I was feeling.

Still, she didn't give up and kept coming till I was able to open up and she made the biggest decision to take me as her little sister and daughter.

She kept fighting all my demons with me when I had screamed at her to stop telling me about her GOD and told her to leave me alone, she never gave up on me. That alone makes me elated.

Then she told me her story that night and that opened me to something I can't really put my hands on but it made me see things differently. First was that I stopped blaming GOD for what happened to my family and tried to accept what already happened with the hope of healing from it one day.

I still haven't gotten over how dad was killed and who the murderer is... dead or alive but I don't seem to have completely let go of that and I still somehow inside of me want the killer to apologize for the hurt he caused me that time till this date.

I can't explain why I haven't let it go yet... it could be because I just need an apology from whoever did that and that could probably give me the rest of mind I need, I don't know. It could be what I needed to move on but at the same time, it will be a hassle since no one was able to get a hold of the killer till now. I guess that I will be left with no closure and a hurting heart for the rest of my life.

I shook my head and looked at myself in the mirror then used my hand to brush my hair back as I decided that it was finally time to let go of this for real and embrace the reality of things... it will take time but I will be good.

"It's now or never" I muttered then reached for the extension that was hidden in the middle of my hair then let my hair cascade down my shoulders as I combed my natural black hair with my fingers.

I took a brush from the table and brushed my hair down even though I could feel the tip of the brush against my bare scalp had just a little of my hair covering its shame.

When I had brushed to my satisfaction, I dropped the brush and took the flat iron that Ann got me the other day from the middle drawer then placed it on top of my dresser table.

Today is my graduation, the day I and the rest of my course mates would be in our graduation gown, saying 'goodbye' to the university and saying 'hello' to new opportunities and advancement.

It was a great journey, bumpy but like Ann would say, GOD, saw us through it all.

Before today, I made a decision to wear the extension for my graduation then afterward, I wouldn't wear it again but here I am going against that decision.

"You have to love yourself and appreciate how far you have come. It didn't destroy you so you need to embrace who you have become after such a long time" I said to my reflection in the mirror then took in deep breaths and let them out slowly.

I really need to let that assurance stick. I should stop thinking about the bald spot on my head and how beautiful the extension would make me. What happened in the past was an accident and I need to let it go, I need to ta—

"Still on it?" my train of thought was interrupted by Ann's soft voice coming from the door.

I didn't bother turning to look at her since I could see her in the mirror as she walks closer to me till she was right behind me.

"It's okay to let go, it wouldn't be easy but it's okay," she said and I let out the breath of air I was holding.

Ann touched the middle of my head as she looks at me in the mirror with a smile then she picked up the flat iron. "All it takes is to accept it and be grateful it made you stronger," she said and I knew she wasn't talking about my hair.

I looked away from the mirror and bowed my head.

"You are stronger than you think. GOD wouldn't permit it if it would have completely destroyed you. He has his ways of showing us that he is there for us no matter what but all we need to do is to let go of our past and focus on the bugger things he is bringing our way" she told me and I didn't know when the tears dropped.

I am glad that I am not wearing any makeup now else, I will have eyeliner smeared on my cheeks from under my eyes.

"Forgetting is the hardest of all but trying to release the burden you unknowingly put on yourself would make a great impact in your life and those around you," she said to me then made me raise my head so that I was looking at her.

"You are better than this... GOD made you better than this. I am not asking you to forget it all at once but please give yourself a break to feel and enjoy what is ahead of you" she held out the flat iron to me "Can I?" she asked and I nod in response.

She plugged it and started straightening my hair before curling the ends. After some minutes, she was done so she unplugged it from the socket and placed it back on my dresser so that I can cool down.

I admired my hair and smiled at how beautiful I looked, I felt no worries due to how little my middle hair is, so I stood up, turned around, and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug as tears ran down my cheeks.

I heard her chuckle a bit then felt her pat my back lightly as we stayed in that position. After a moment, we part and she went to pick up my graduation gown then helped me wear it and the cap too and she stood beside me.

"Come and rock that stage girl" she whispered.