The Things I Used To Love About You

20

My life fell apart in the blink of an eye. I lost my job; my boss calling me in to his office later that afternoon, sliding a termination letter across the desk without even meeting my eyes. I thought that would be the worst of it, but no, his silence was. I messaged him later that night to ask him if he was okay. I received no response.

I spent my empty days and nights wondering if he was thinking of me or if he had finally decided this wasn't fun for him anymore.

I spent my first three days and nights curled up on a makeshift bed next to Jacob's bedside. I spent every waking hour I could spare, day and night crocheting and fulfilling as many orders as I possibly could. Luckily my business was thriving after it trended on social media when people discovered it was mine. It still wasn't enough. It was extremely time consuming, and I could only make so many.

"You're not happy anymore." Jacob had stated on the third night. "No, I'm not." I'd been honest with him. "Who was he?" he asked as he turned his head slowly to look at me.

"His name was Tomasso, he's a CEO at a big company in London...I loved him." I confided laying my head down on the bed next to him. "Loved?" he repeated. "Love" I corrected.

"What happened."

"People found out about us, I lost my job, he was one of our clients." I couldn't lie to Jacob no matter how hard I tried.

"I've told you that you don't need to pay for my treatments anymore, I'm ready to go." He reminded me and I hiccupped holding the tears that threatened to flow. "I'm not. I know its selfish but you're all I have. You're my family." I cried as his fingers twirled my curls. "Aida one day you'll have a family of your own. A new one. I'll always be here in spirit."

I didn't respond. I had nothing to say.

On day four i went back to Chris's house. He greeted me at the door encasing me in a hug as I cried to him. He was the only person in my life who knew everything that had happened. He'd cared for Jacob since the beginning, and he would continue till the end.

"Come inside Aida." He pulled me inside comforting me as I cried to him.

Two weeks went by, and I didn't hear a word from him. I knew what he was up to though. He continued making his fancy appearances without me a blonde woman who looked familiar holding tightly onto his arm, beaming at the cameras. he continued to wave to cameras who took his photos. He looked happy.

So, when the "can we talk?" text showed up on day 16, my heart didn't skip a beat like it normally would, I didn't feel excitement. Instead, I felt a sense of loathing and animosity wondering how bored he must be to suddenly remember me.

I left him on read, grabbing my laptop and going back to apartment hunting. Finding a job anywhere in London would be impossible. I had practically been blacklisted from the industry, my name and face plastered everywhere for everyone to see. All it took was for a potential employer to input my name into google and my application to be rejected. So, I had come to term with my alternative.

I had to move.

"Aida please answer your phone I can't find you."

I switched my phone off after that.

Yet that weekend as I walked through the shopping centre, music blaring through my headphones as I attempted to buy more materials to crotchet with, a large hand grabbed me and pulled me back.

"Aida." He exclaimed as he pulled me to face him.

I feigned nonchalance trying not to let my thundering heart show on my face. I nodded waiting for him to speak.

"You weren't answering my calls." He stated and I shrugged in response. I didn't trust my voice not to shake if I used my words.

"I'm sorry I took so long to get in contact with you again, things have been really hard recently." He rambled, a scoff escaping from me at his statement. He paused looking at me. I stared back, my eyes urging him to get on with it.

"I looked for you everywhere, you weren't at work-"

"I lost my job."

"Fuck." He ran is hands through his hair as he looked up to the sky.

"I'll make it up to you I promise." He sounded exasperated as he glanced at his watch. "I promise I'll make everything right, but I have to leave for a business trip in the next 20 minutes."

"Ok"

"Aida please don't be like this."

"Like how?"

"you're being distant with me."

"For good reason, no?" I snapped. He sighed ignoring my outburst.

"I'll be gone for 10 days; promise me you will wait for me." He pleaded as he reached out to grab my hand.

I looked at our intertwined hands hating the way butterflies exploded in my chest.

"I'll wait for you."