Operation D.S_Troy ( Destroy)

Funeral parlour

She finally slept off after the milkshake and by the time she woke up, it was past eleven.
    Thank goodness she had taken two days off work.
     Anna's death anniversary was today and she had to go. After visiting Anna, she would head over to woodland.
      She showered and slipped into a black velvet gown with black heels and wore a black hat. She let her red hair fall to her back . She pulled out her black convertible from the garage. She had two cars but didn't fancy driving so, barely drove them.
      She'd woken up late and there was also a traffic jam. She was running late. The jam cleared and she sped to the funeral parlour. She pulled over and stepped out. People turned to stare at her. They wondered how someone could look so pretty, even in black. She was all black and her red hair gave the perfect match.
    She bought an iris bouquet on her way in. Anna had loved the iris flower. She located Anna's compartment and met an attendant by the door. He was an elderly man and was quite fond of Yvonne.
     " I just greeted your sister." He said. " I remembered today was her anniversary."
           " Thank you."
         " Am surprised 'he' came too."
          " Who?"
The attendant just smiled and strolled out. Who had come?
   She realized a pair of men's shoe by the door. Who had suddenly remembered them? She was a bit surprised and scared but then she still went in.
     Anna's photo hung from the wall in front of her and on the floor, a man was knelt. He had just placed an iris bouquet on the mat
      The man's Ash black hair  took her off guard and when he turned, she locked eyes with his hazel eyes.
             Knight?
She stood agape, shocked, scared? She wanted to run or anything! But not stand there locking eyes with him. She remembered his threat; "get the fucking hell outta my life and the  day I set my eyes on you might really be your last."
   She almost shivered. She quickly looked away from him . She wrapped her hands tightly around the bouquet. His sudden presence made her scared? Butterflies erupted in her tummy.
      He stood up and straightened his suit then starred at the lady in front of him. He hadn't expected her. He'd thought she would have come a bit early and in order not to jam her, he came by past noon. What type of sister visited her sister by past noon? But she was here and he was starring at her. She'd become more pretty, more elegant and charming...
        But he hated her!
      He clenched his fists.
      He would never forget her betrayal!
   She dared not stare back at him. She didn't want to lock eyes with him. But when she did, he was starring at her. Indeed, he still looked the same. The same handsome but rude and expressionless dude. Suddenly his expressionless glare turned to a hateful, angry one. He starred at her with hatred and she quivered. She saw the hatred and it broke her. He looked away and made for the door. She realized she was by the door way so she stepped aside to let him pass but he didn't, he stood in front of her. His tall, slender body overshadowing her. He wasn't so close but she could smell his cologne. He just starred at her,admantly, as if trying to read her. She couldn't stand his stare but just before she could look away, he slipped through the door, gone.
      She heaved, heartbroken.
   He didn't even say a hi or " I hate you Yvonne" would have been better. She yearned to hear him call her name. She missed him!
        Her eyes grew watery.
Why was her fate so damn miserable? She'd lost everyone she loved; her mum, dad, Anna, then Knight. She felt totally orphaned and lonely.
     She wiped her eyes and starred at the iris bouquet Knight had brought.  He still remembered her at least. She starred at Anna's portrait. Unlike her, Anna was blonde and always wore a smile but they both had a huge resemblance. Squatting, she dropped the bouquet beside Knight's and starred back at Anna.
      " How're you?" She was starring at the portrait. Her throat was becoming dry. She wanted to cry.
" I miss you, you know?" Her voice became crooked. She sniffed." Jerry and Mr Herman said to say hi..." She  couldn't take it anymore, she cried. She felt so hopeless! She stood up and dried her eyes. " Greet mum and dad. I love you."
She blew a kiss at the portrait and felt a bit relieved. She left and Knight returned to her mind.
       
Knight!
   He'd just spoken to an attendant. He saw her and quickly looked away and slipped out from the exit door and towards the garage. She ran after him.
      " Knight!" She called and he halted. Then without turning; "Don't be mistaken, I didn't come for you. I came for Anna!" He bellowed, raw and coarse.
    She froze.
His words were too raw to contain in her heart. It made her ache. She watched him enter his car and drive away. He still goddamn hated her. She couldn't help but stare after him. She sighed. She still had a lot ahead of her, she had to be at woodland.
          * * *

The place hadn't changed. Why would it? But she felt defeated driving into the place. She'd come to share bad news to the poor lady. Unfortunately, she saw Mrs Smith in the lines and the lady unmistakenly recognized her. She rushed at her , starring into the car.
     " Where's Adam?" She asked. Yvonne was silent
    " Where's my husband? I thought he'd be in the car. Where's he?"
Yvonne starred pitifully at the woman. She had swollen eye bags probably from crying.
     " I..." Yvonne stammered " I...he...I " A lump appeared in her throat and her voice quivered. " He's dead."
     Clash! Clash! Clash!
      They turned .
The poor ten year old had overheard them and dropped the tray of earthenware she was carrying. She broke into tears and ran into the apartment. The woman starred at Yvonne but she couldn't stare back. She felt tears drop from her own eyes.
      " What?" The woman stumbled backwards and it seemed she would fall. Yvonne tried to hold her but she resisted. She looked at Yvonne teary.
     " You said...you promised..." The lady fell to her knees, crying. " Adam! My poor Adam!"
Yvonne tried to console the woman. Her own face was ruined with tears. The woman's breathing increased and Yvonne rushed at her.
     " Ma'am! Ma'am!" Her eyes shut and she collapsed. Yvonne shrieked and put the lady in her car. She needed to rush her to a hospital. Going to the city might risk the woman's chance of survival so she took her to the local inn close by.
   The owner was a middle aged woman and she helped carry out the lady. The waited outside while the nurse attended to the woman. She prayed the lady would be fine. She still had three kids to live for. She shouldn't die.
     After what seemed like forever, the nurse emerged from the inn.
        " How's she?"
  " Quite pitiable. She suffered a heart attack but we've resuscitated her. We'll discharge her but she needs to visit the hospital. I don't have drugs but I've prepared some herbs for her." She handed a plastic bag to Yvonne.
       " Is she awake?"
" Not yet. I also prepared some herbs for you."
        " Me? Why?"
   " You look exhausted, dear."
    She was.
    " Can I be of any help?"
She sighed. She wasn't used to telling others about her problems. But she actually needed someone to talk to. She was really broken and tired at the moment. She found herself sitting on a bench with the lady.
    " Where do I start from?" She was asking herself. " My entire life is a mess. I lost my parents. Then my sister and now, am losing the love of my life. I feel so hopeless!" She buried her face in her palms. " I feel wrecked!" She muttered.
         " Don't be, child."
" Look," she beckoned on Yvonne."Look at the skies!"
      " What about them?"
" Whenever I had felt hopeless, I'd look up to the sky and imagine my parents were starring down at me and cheering me on. It would give me hope."
       That was childish, Yvonne thought. But when she tilted her head upwards, imagining her dad was starring at her, the childish thought seemed helpful. She felt a bit reassured.
    " As for the love of your life, don't stop at nothing to get him back. Hang onto him till you have him wrapped around you." Yvonne starred at the lady. She'd assured her like a mother would and it made her miss her mum. She probably wouldn't have known what her mother looked like if not for the pictures. She might not have spent much time with her mum, but she knew her mum loved her a lot.
     She felt brave again after the woman's words. Once she settled with the smith's, she'd continue her dad's case. All hope hadn't been lost. Come by hook or crook, she would finish his case and in order to do that, she would have to go on the same trip her dad had gone with Marlow. It was the only way she would ever know what had really happened. As for Knight,whether the heavens pleased or not, she would have the love if her back, she thought.
      " You seem lost , dear." The lady said drawing Yvonne's attention.
   " No,no! Thanks a lot. I think your strategy works"
      " They'd work better if you took the herbs I gave you."
    She wouldn't guarantee that.
" Thank you. Lemmie pay of the bills ."

      ______

" Boss boss! " Steve called from his end. " Jake called. He wants to strike the deal."
   Knight smirked.