AROUND THE HEART IN 80 DAYS

Forty Four

"I am so sorry, my daughter," the older man said from his own side in the distorted voice that the poor signal could allow. "Had I known, I would have insisted Bryce left the house in your name."

Jacqueline felt like she was drowning in thoughts that evening. The side of her hand thoughtlessly brushed the small calendar. After December, she had lost count. "She confronted me weeks ago. To inform me. The deed has already been done. On my part, there is nothing I can do. I wanted to leave her so fast and I did not think she would take advantage of me leaving so fast." She purposely omitted the last section of the confrontation with Amanda. Where, for the first time, she felt the woman be genuinely expressive. As much as she had claimed Amanda was simply insane, it did get her thinking.

"Oh that cursed woman! And I am sure she didn't send even a single cent from the sale."

"I wouldn't take her sleazy money," her head dipped between her palms. Lately, everything had been hurting. Her head, her joints, her state of mind. On the desk before her was a paper pad with all the tasks she had to complete. And she seemed to be drowning in debts and no accomplishment. With everything happening, she had faint suspicions that the weight of everything was sickening her.
"Some days, I find myself wishing I was never born." That her mother's life had stayed instead.

"No." her uncle said firmly. "You had better get that out of your head. It's a cross, you cannot forget. I feel sorry that you have to be the one to go through all this but I must encourage you. It's not the end. It's a challenge. And you will get through it. This breaks my heart to look at you now, you look so overwhelmed. Tired."

"I'm fine, Uncle. Amanda has just had me overthinking. I know I'm fine. And you're absolutely right, how could I forget? I must overcome all life's challenges."

She managed to see her uncle as he smiled softly. "You really are your father's daughter. You both have that strong attitude to you."

"Thanks uncle," that made her smile. "I just know he'll be happy up there. Deep in my heart, I pray to God that he's at peace up there. In a way now I understand why he chose death over living with her."

"It's natural to feel unhappy with that woman. I cannot even grasp why he fell for her in the beginning. Keep praying for your parents, my dear. Don't forget the rosary. It's very powerful especially now that you feel so overburdened."

She thanked her uncle and sent all her regards then turned off the phone. Both she and Edrei had been very busy in their own different lines so it was only normal that she was stressed out in her own part. Wasn't the year always initiated like this?

The bottom of her pen tapped continually at the writing on the paper. "Yoga house expansion, loan, salary, oven expansion, miscellaneous... oh no... ." It could be worse. She could have no accommodation and feeding.

She decided to get a cup of water to soothe her and maybe restrategise her course of action. On her return from the kitchen, she remembered her boyfriend in the other room who obviously had his own fair share of work.

Three raps on his door, even though she knew she didn't need to.

"You can come in whenever. You know that."

A giggle escaped from her and she let herself in. It turned out he was calling out from the bathroom. His laptop was left open and on the screen was a global map with emphasized dots in some location and some numbers below some of them.

"And why is she still awake by eleven? This darling of mine." His voice was behind her instantly, followed by the heat he'd brought out with him from a hot shower and soap. Strangely, it calmed her senses more than the drinking water. Too stunned to turn around, she tapped at his screen, "I should be asking you the same question, Mr. VP."